Hudson Movie Reviews

Not to often will I call a movie perfect. However, Ghostbusters is one of those perfect movies.

After losing there jobs as scientists at the local University in New York three men Dr. Venkman(Murray), Dr. Spengler(Ramis), and Stantz(Aykroyd) set out to prove there right. They start a business to stop para-normal activity a.k.a Ghostbusting. They meet a Dana Barret(Weaver) who is having a ghost problem at her house. Venkman loves the woman and they decide to help her. In the meantime the rest of the city is in a craze over the ghosts and the ghostbusters are busting them like crazy. They hire some help Winston Zimmerman(Hudson). Back at Barrets though is a serious ghost uprising that is affecting her and her neighbor Louis. Will the Ghostbusters be able to stop it? Will Venkman keep his girlfriend? You'll just have to watch out and find out.

The movie was written by two of the stars Ramis and Aykroyd. They have written a perfect script. It has a great blend of humor. The comedey is slaptick, sarcastic, and very action oriented. Some of the greatest one liners ever spat out are in Ghostbusters.

Bill Murray is awesome. Dr. Peter Venkman is one of my favorite characters of all-time. Murray plays sarcastic roles to perfection and he does with Venkman. He is also quite charming in the movie. He really does steal the show. His one liners are classic. I'd laugh trying to say some of the stuff he says. That shows his caliber of an actor that he doesn't. He's one of the funniest guys in Hollywood if you like sarcasm. This role was suppose to have been played by John Belushi but his death gave the role to Murray.

Dan Aykroyd is great. He's one of the funniest men to ever live and grace a screen. The small or big it doesn't really matter. Ray Stantz is a great character. He's the kind of geek you wouldn't mind hanging out with. He's a sarcastic guy which Aykroyd can play to perfection. Aykroyd has played some funny people in movies and I rank Ray along side Elwood as his best ever.

Harold Ramis is awesome. He plays Igon Spengler in the movie. He is the loveable nerd. He is so nerdy it's funny. When he tells Janine he loves collecting spores, molds, and fungus. Thats great stuff a normal guy would never say. It's a shame Ramis hasn't stared in more movies like the rest of his ghostbusting mates. He's a great actor and is funny.

Sigourney Weaver is great in the movie. She plays off the other stars well. She is pretty in the movie. The movie wouldn't be the same without her. I think it's one of the better roles she ever did. I'd put it alond side Ripley as the best she's ever done. I like Dana a little better than Ripley because Dana won't kill you.

Rick Moranis is great as Louis. He is another loveable nerd you just love to like. Moranis has always played dorks, nerds, and under-achievers. Louis is a little of all three. He's one of the funniest side characters I can think of in a movie. He will definetly leave you laughing.

The special effects are great in Ghostbusters. You have to think this was a 1984 film. The ghosts look great. The dogs don't look so good, but you can only see that in the chase part with Louis. The ghostbusting equipment looks great. The explosions are good and it's some of the best special effects for it's time.

I love the theme song. Ray Parker Jr. sings it to perfection. If you haven't seen the movie I'm sure you've heard the song at some point. It's a great song that is catchy and will have you singing or whistling along side it.

Ghostbusters is a perfect movie. It has a perfect cast. It's a perfect script. There is a perfect mix of humor. The special effects are awesome. The DVD is a must own for Ghostbuster fans. This is one of the funniest and original movies you will ever see. It will leave you laughing and does what a movie should. It leaves you entertained.

Ghostbusters is great because it has elements from many different genres: romance, action, science fiction, horror, and above all, comedy. I've never met anyone who didn't start singing along when they heard the ghostbusters theme song! An American classic.

If you grew up during the 80's this movie defenitly has a special place with you. This movie still cracks me up almost 20 years later. The DVD is also one of the best put together around. It has a ton of extra's and actually is one of the better put together DVD's I have seen. Great edition to anybody's collection.

Not to often will I call a movie perfect. However, Ghostbusters is one of those perfect movies.

After losing there jobs as scientists at the local University in New York three men Dr. Venkman(Murray), Dr. Spengler(Ramis), and Stantz(Aykroyd) set out to prove there right. They start a business to stop para-normal activity a.k.a Ghostbusting. They meet a Dana Barret(Weaver) who is having a ghost problem at her house. Venkman loves the woman and they decide to help her. In the meantime the rest of the city is in a craze over the ghosts and the ghostbusters are busting them like crazy. They hire some help Winston Zimmerman(Hudson). Back at Barrets though is a serious ghost uprising that is affecting her and her neighbor Louis. Will the Ghostbusters be able to stop it? Will Venkman keep his girlfriend? You'll just have to watch out and find out.

The movie was written by two of the stars Ramis and Aykroyd. They have written a perfect script. It has a great blend of humor. The comedey is slaptick, sarcastic, and very action oriented. Some of the greatest one liners ever spat out are in Ghostbusters.

Bill Murray is awesome. Dr. Peter Venkman is one of my favorite characters of all-time. Murray plays sarcastic roles to perfection and he does with Venkman. He is also quite charming in the movie. He really does steal the show. His one liners are classic. I'd laugh trying to say some of the stuff he says. That shows his caliber of an actor that he doesn't. He's one of the funniest guys in Hollywood if you like sarcasm. This role was suppose to have been played by John Belushi but his death gave the role to Murray.

Dan Aykroyd is great. He's one of the funniest men to ever live and grace a screen. The small or big it doesn't really matter. Ray Stantz is a great character. He's the kind of geek you wouldn't mind hanging out with. He's a sarcastic guy which Aykroyd can play to perfection. Aykroyd has played some funny people in movies and I rank Ray along side Elwood as his best ever.

Harold Ramis is awesome. He plays Igon Spengler in the movie. He is the loveable nerd. He is so nerdy it's funny. When he tells Janine he loves collecting spores, molds, and fungus. Thats great stuff a normal guy would never say. It's a shame Ramis hasn't stared in more movies like the rest of his ghostbusting mates. He's a great actor and is funny.

Sigourney Weaver is great in the movie. She plays off the other stars well. She is pretty in the movie. The movie wouldn't be the same without her. I think it's one of the better roles she ever did. I'd put it alond side Ripley as the best she's ever done. I like Dana a little better than Ripley because Dana won't kill you.

Rick Moranis is great as Louis. He is another loveable nerd you just love to like. Moranis has always played dorks, nerds, and under-achievers. Louis is a little of all three. He's one of the funniest side characters I can think of in a movie. He will definetly leave you laughing.

The special effects are great in Ghostbusters. You have to think this was a 1984 film. The ghosts look great. The dogs don't look so good, but you can only see that in the chase part with Louis. The ghostbusting equipment looks great. The explosions are good and it's some of the best special effects for it's time.

I love the theme song. Ray Parker Jr. sings it to perfection. If you haven't seen the movie I'm sure you've heard the song at some point. It's a great song that is catchy and will have you singing or whistling along side it.

Ghostbusters is a perfect movie. It has a perfect cast. It's a perfect script. There is a perfect mix of humor. The special effects are awesome. The DVD is a must own for Ghostbuster fans. This is one of the funniest and original movies you will ever see. It will leave you laughing and does what a movie should. It leaves you entertained.

Ghostbusters is great because it has elements from many different genres: romance, action, science fiction, horror, and above all, comedy. I've never met anyone who didn't start singing along when they heard the ghostbusters theme song! An American classic.

If you grew up during the 80's this movie defenitly has a special place with you. This movie still cracks me up almost 20 years later. The DVD is also one of the best put together around. It has a ton of extra's and actually is one of the better put together DVD's I have seen. Great edition to anybody's collection.

In school my english teacher forced my class to watch this movie. No one liked the movie, even after we analyzed it. If you sit back and take in everything in the movie you will find the movie has many symbolic features in it. Pay attention to the crooked road in the beginning. That figure, the crooked road, pops up in many places like: when the lightening strikes the sailboat, on the wall of Joe's home, and the path on the island.

But like in my title, Joe Versus the Volcano would mainly go over all of our youths' heads. But it would also seem unusual or even like a low-budget film to those who are passive viewers.

Joe Banks is in a dead end job and going nowhere. Then he learns that he has a terminal condition called a "brain cloud" and has only a few months to live. An eccentric millionaire offers to let him "live like a king, die like a man" if he'll jump into a volcano on the island of Waponi Woo (he gets mineral rights from the islanders in exchange for the human sacrifice to appease the gods). He gets several credit cards and a plane ticket and is off on an incredible journey.

I'll be the first to admit this is a corny movie - at least on the surface. Upon watching it a few more times there's a lot of philisophical stuff there, but it's still a very funny movie. One scene in the beginning has Joe's boss on the phone and he keeps repeating the same phrases over and over. The funny part is that I've heard conversations just like that on the job. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan (and Meg Ryan, and Meg Ryan) are great together. Ryan shows good versatility in the 3 roles she plays, and Hanks is simply great.

One of my favorite movies - one I highly recommend for a good laugh.

I have always been mystified at the lack of appreciation for this film. I think it is profound, funny, charming, and life-affirming ... I watch it at least once a year and enjoy it more each time. It is a fable, which may be the reson more literally-minded folks don't enjoy it, and I don't think it was intended to be a comedy in the strictest sense of the word, it is much to subtle for that. It makes me feel good all the way down to my toes!

Quite possibly the greatest concert film ever made. Scorcese does a wonderful job of digging into the lives of the Band, with some wonderfully candid comments backstage between the glorious songs of this concert. The Band was in full flight, with memorable guest appearances in what was ostensibly their swan song. Take your pick of favorites. Mine were "Who Do You Love" with Ronnie Hawkins, "The Weight" with the Staple Singers, "Mystery Train" with Paul Butterfield, and "Baby Let Me Follow You Down" with Bob Dylan. Some of the guest performers looked a little out of place like Emmylou Harris, who didn't seem to find her voice on "Evangeline." But, then there is Joni Mitchell singing a lovely rendition of "Coyote." The concert builds to its closing crescendo on "I Shall be Released" with everybody joining in for this rousing rendition of the classic gospel song. You will not be disappointed!

This has got to be the best jam session ever recorded. Everyone looked as though they were having a great time. I wish I was old enough to have been there. "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" "Caravan" "Weight" and "Ophelia" oooowee!!!!!!!!!!!! The sound is spectacular and the various inputs by the Band members were insightful and a little bitter sweet.
Go for it!!!

I don't know how this concert film could rate anything but five stars; I don't know what more one could expect. One of the greatest bands, period, with an incredible array of guests "stars" that all shine brightly without ever outshining The Band. All beautifully captured on 35 mm film by the brilliant Martin Scorsese. The off-stage interviews capture the slyness, charisma and chemistry of the individual members, particularly Robbie Robertson, and are edited between the concert songs in such a way as to provide marvelous, illuminating segues. I don't know which is more brilliant, the concert or the direction and editing. It just all melds into one fantastic experience.

If you want to become an instant Band afficiando, just put this DVD into your surround sound system, and you'll be hooked, I guarantee. You'll also sharpen your appreciation for a host of artists at least as influencial (and just plain good) as The Band.

What a way for the Band to go out! The Last Waltz, indeed.

There is so much to this film! You have the whole "Kabbalah" thing going on. You have the idea of improving yourself. The idea that one small thing you do can impact other people way beyond what one would think. You have the love story... It's just a good film. And it's funny. I am NOT a Bill Murray fan by any stretch, but this is a good flick. Check it out!

It just might be. It is certainly something to have in your collection, because there is so much more you discover every time you see it. Perfect vehicle for Bill Murray's lovable scoundrel personna. Thought provoking and funny.

When Bob Whiley doesn't spend his day the way fate wanted, he get's a second chance. And a third chance. And a forth chance. etc..
Groundhog day is a comedy classic and deserves it. Bill Murray is great.
Starring Bill mUrray

This movie is about a teenager (James Dean) who was a troublemaker that caused his family to move alot. He meets a pretty teenage girl (Natalie Wood) and a troubled boy (Sal Mineo)at the police station (where he was found drunk by a cop earlier). Later he meets the girl's boyfriend and his gang who terrorized him.
The three teens had trouble times with their fathers: James' character had a spineless father who won't stand up for him in front of his domineering mother. Natalie's character was distraught because her father won't return her affections. Sal's character was neglected by his own father (the only time his father paid attention to him was a check sent to him, but no "Hi" or any written note).
There are tender times like in the deserted manison that the three stayed at after a hard night with their families, and tragic scenes like the "chicken run" James had with Buzz, Natalie's character's boyfriend (Buzz died).
There are more to it than I am telling you here, so you just have to watch the movie. This is a very good drama in the 1950s, and James Dean made it so real with some of his emotions and outbursts in the movie. Go buy this movie in DVD or video -- this is worth a lot to watch!

Someone called this movie "The Quintessential American Film". Such hyperbole is not far off the mark. Only in America could the hapless lives of a bunch of spoiled brats be turned into fodder for a mannered story of hand-wringing teenage existential angst. Elsewhere, teenagers are too busily engaged in the business of living and surviving to indulge in the navel gazing so blithely practiced by the young people in this film.

I don't mean to say that this is a bad film. It is a great film, a classic film, but for reasons the very antithesis of those cited by its admirers. It is great because it exposes everything that is wrong with American youth: the self-centredness, the self-pity, the lack of self-motivation, the blaming-everyone-but-themselves mindset. It's all there, for those honest enough to see it; and it's all encapsulated in a bunch of misfits so full of themselves that they cannot see beyond the confines of their own paltry little universes.

A lot has been written over the years about James Dean's performance. But whether or not he or Natalie Wood or Sal Mineo overplayed their roles is beside the point. What is important is that they effectively conveyed the emptiness in the lives of suburban youth. This film is not a classic because it made Dean an icon, or because his real death would soon immortalize his fictional character, but because of the skill with which insignificant lives were vested with seeming significance. In many ways, this film can be considered the progenitor of the grunge realism school of cinema, a school that persists to the present day and has spawned the pretentious art house films that infest university campuses all over the world.

This film could only exist in a world where affluence is so commonplace that it is taken for granted, where life is so self-centred that aimlessness can be elevated to the status of tragedy, and where thrills are so cheap that the jaded can only feel alive by promoting risks that take them to the edge of death. This film gave rise to innumerable games of chicken, knife fight scenes and squint eyed antiheroes mumbling nihilistic doggerel, but it has also suffered from being considered nothing more than the sum of such stylistic devices. In reality, it is an unwitting indictment of American youth, and viewed as such, it achieves a significance that is wholly unintentional.

a classic that was a movie of teen angst and now it still remains in the eyes of the viewer. James Dean will always be the rebel and he'll always be there, no matter what. his death was tradgic and his career little, but the impact he had on many still remains and thats why he's considered a great actor of his era. a great movie this was. with award performances by Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo give this life like it ever was. the end is gripping and so are the car racing scenes. you also get to see a young Dennis Hopper which this is his second movie in his career. dont miss this gem. directed by Nicholas Ray

"Ladyhawke" is sort of a poor man's "Princess Bride." It by no means surpasses the latter in terms of fans or pure enjoyment, but it should be fun enough to entertain even the casual viewer. The love story is sweet, and the storyline is unique and manages to make you actually care about the characters involved.

Matthew Broderick, especially, gives a great performance as Mouse, a young thief. He has plenty of one-liners in the film and some innocent philosophy to charm his way into your heart.

The only downturn may be some of the violence found within, but it is in no way graphic, just there more than "Princess Bride."

Overall, a good film.

My inspiration for writing this review was reading how much critics hated the sound track. Man, what a bad rap!!! In my opinion, the movie had comedy, romance, action, a sexy female lead, spirituality...and the soundtrack just set it off. Set it off, mate!!! I am not necessarily a fan of all of Alan Parsons' projects, but he really did this movie justice. The musical score is excellent Alan!!! I wish I had written the damn thing.

LadyHawke is a movie that will always be in my collection!Its a wonderful tale of a boy who escapes from an unescapable prison only to end up helping out two lovers who are cursed.The man turns into a wolf during the night and the woman,a hawk during the day.Its a beautifully done story of how faith keeps us going so that we may face the ones who would try to stop us from getting what it is that we deserve.

Don't take my middle of the road three star rating as a sign of apathy. This movie is one you will either love or hate, and in my case I very much enjoyed certain things and very strongly disliked others.

Obivously the big draw in this movie is Leonardo DiCaprio. I have to say, he does an outstanding job with this role. In the true story of drugged-out high schooler Jim Carroll, he thrives on the type of script Academy Awards are made out of: tons of opportunities for him to be high, low, enraged, in sorrow. There are a lot of opportunities to use his physicality in the role, and he seizes every one. In particular I think of his drug withdrawal sequence and he and his friends' mourning the death of a close friend by getting drunk and playing basketball in the rain.

The plot has a sixteen year old Jim Carroll playing high school basketball. Three of his teammates are his best friends, and when not on the basketball court, they tend to find all kinds of "innocent" trouble around New York (knocking over food vendor carts, for instance). Another outlet of energy for Jim alone is his diary where he records sensations he feels in his young life.

His search for sensation and his friends' desire to find trouble coalesces in experiments with drugs like cocaine and herione. As Jim notes in the monologue of the movie, there is no such thing as a part-time addict. They fall further and further into the downward spiral in an effort to evade pressures from school teachers, coaches, and parents.

Some of the scenes in this movie are very gripping and visceral. However, the links between these scenes tend to be bogged down in poor directing. I realize this movie was a lower budgeted one, but there really is no excuse for having a movie made in 1995 that looks like it was made in 1985. While the performance by DiCaprio is extraordinary, the directing is lackluster. Poor camera angles, helpless lighting, bit part actors who look and sound amateur; those should all be blamed on the director.

However, this movie is worthwhile if you are one who has a particular interest in either Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg (he stars as a main character and one of Jim Carroll's best friends), or the subject matter. I have to say I thought "Trainspotting" handled the subject of drug use extremely well, but this movie is right up there in the ability to depict the sensations felt by those addicted.

The name Jim Carroll may not be familiar to mainstream, radio-friendly listeners, but to those who know about rock poetry and Punk Carroll is one of the genre's greatest word-players along with Patti Smith and has recorded two especially noteworthy works, "Catholic Boy" and "The People Who Died," which sound like wonderfully gritty hybrids of beat poetry and Punk rock. "The Basketball Diaries" is based on Carroll's novel of the same name which is a testament of his days living in the streets of New York during which he became addicted to heroin, saw friends either die or spiral down into self-destruction and eventually found his talent for words as an exit out of the hell he was trapped in. As a movie, the story comes alive with a powerful impact. Director Scott Kalvert does not make the movie into an obvious anti-drug message, instead the story of Carroll's teen years is simply just...told. There is almost a documentary-like realism in how scenes are put together, nothing feels false but instead chillingly real. Anyone who has lived in an environment like this or attended high school in the more gritty, violent sections of a city can instantly relate to the people and events. The actors bring these characters to live with great believability, Leonardo DiCaprio broke through with this role, but even his recent work in films like "Titanic" and "Gangs Of New York" seems more tame compared to his brilliant, effective performance here. The scenes where Carroll is addicted to heroin and lives in the junkie underworld are performed by DiCaprio with a vivid realism that is disturbing. One reviewer here complained about the movie missing a plot, plot is not something central here, the story is central and it is the story of a very talented young man gripped by addiction in a world where vices and the darker side of life can easily suck you in. And of course, there is some great music here by Soundgarden, The Doors, The Cult and a great highlight which is Carroll performing "Catholic Boy" with Pearl Jam. In the history of rock music there are many popular stories of addiction from Iggy Pop to Scott Weiland, Carroll's is brought to life in a movie that breathes and doesn't need to throw the message in your face, the message is right there in the story itself.

Most of these people on here that wrote reviews have no idea what they are talking about.This movie was great and anybody that has been in the place of Leo's chatacter knows how well this movie was made.Anybody that has never done the things that go on in this movie might not understand the way drugs take over your life.All the characters play good parts but Leo's acting when he is kicking heroin is the best i have seen yet and the most accurate.I give this movie two thumbs up and highly recommend buying it.

This was a fabulous show if not for THREE points:

1. David Gilmour wasn't there
2. They just "had" to put Sinead onstage, staring at her feet the whole time. I fail to see whats so great about her.
3. Roger Waters made a mistake in choosing Van Morrison to sing "Comfortably Numb." Van is a classic singer, no doubt, but he just doesn't have the right type of voice to sing "Comfortably Numb." If David Gilmour couldn't have been there to sing it, they should have used someone with a soft, mellow voice that could have sung the song the way it was MEANT to be sung. By the way, is there anyone out there that can tell me who the two main guitarists were? One guy was kinda skinny and had black shoulder length hair and played most of the guitar parts. The other guitarist played a Les Paul, mostly. Thanks. JonM11100@aol.com

with all the 'Should David G have been here or not' aside, this was a very good presentation. And since I had actually viewed it when it was presented way back when, I was concerned about the presentation of this DVD. (also curious as to why it took so long) All concerns were settled when I watched it. I love the performances, and the only one I really didn't care for was Cindy Laupers, but to great relief Joni Mitchell really spooked up the mix and so did S. O'Connor.. . those two gals really grasped the fear and anxiety in the music greatly...

And how about the Scorpions with IN THE FLESH.. quite a good job.

Last but not least, watching R. Waters sing Goodbye Blue Sky from a hole in the bricks was just great stuff.

I really hope Pink Floyd fans get this cd, and Roger Water/David Gilmore fans too... at least the fans can bridge the gap with this excellent product.

My expectations were rather muted going into this. Primarily due to the "Celebrity" cast. I also had some real concerns over sound quality since it was recorded almost 15 years ago. The sound however is flat out amazing though. Although my issues with the Celebrity cast did not disappear, the quality of the sound and enormity of the production itself made the cast of characters seem less important. The list of those performers seems really stale today, but at the time of the show, they were all "A" list. I think some complaints I've read hold little merit or were the product of lack of understanding of the original source material. Someone said the scorpions attire was in bad taste for such an event. Well folks, that was on purpose! They were the "Surrogate" band which was supposed to be representative of all of the excess in rock and roll that has at one time or another caused many of us to lose sight of the music.

Although, I've never been a Sinead O'conner fan, I thought she was a perfectly appropriate representation of the child in Pink. Her vocals were also very moving. Again, I'm not a Brian Adams fan, but his gritty voice was an excellent fit for "Young Lust". And, no he wasn't really playing guitar, or at least he wasn't wired for sound. He, like the scorpions were there simply to provide vocals and window dressing. The music was thankfully performed strictly by Roger's amazing band. Joni Mitchell's performance was flat out creepy (in a good way)perfect for "Goodbye Blue Sky". Cindi lauper was nothing but annoying. Van morrison (who I love), seemed painfully out of place in this production. I ached for the return of David Gilmour's silky voice during Van's performance of "Comfortably Numb"

My biggest issue with the DVD was the camera angles and distances used for the bulk of the show. The show was so enormous that I think the best overall perspective would have been maybe a hundred and fifty feet or so from the stage. This view was curiously entirely absent. Everything was shot either up close (Like most concert footage), or so far away that the perfomers were merely a speck in the camera lense. These longs distance shots were used primarily between songs though and really did give the viewer an idea of just how huge the show was. In fact I would say the production was probably 4 to 5 times the size of Pink Floyds original prodution. All of the tight camera shots made me feel too much like I was watching a concert video rather than experiencing the show. Another interesting perspective was the footage shot behind the wall after the band had been completely closed off from the audience. It really made me appreciate how weird that must have been for Both Pink Floyd in the original performance and for Roger's band in this version. I mean here you are playing your heart out and you can't even see your audience, and you know they can't see you either. I would liked to have seen a little more of the audience perspective during this part of the show.

And to those Floyd fans who don't think the wall should be done without the original band, I do sympathize. But the fact is, they were asked to perform, and declined. Understandably, the bad blood between the Waters & Floyd camps was too much to overcome under such short notice, even for such a meaningful event and cause. But, the bottom line is that "The Wall" is Roger's brain child. You can count both the musical & lyrical credits of other band members for the double album on one hand. The wall is the least musical of the Floyd creations due to the lack of input of those other band members. But in pure lyrical and conceptual terms, I still feel it is once of the most brilliant and important works of my generation. I still hold out hope that some day, all of the members including Roger will be able to put their egos and bitterness aside and re-unite to produce new music and tour. Until that day however, I feel very fortunate to re-live the wall experience in this powerful incarnation.

This was a fabulous show if not for THREE points:

1. David Gilmour wasn't there
2. They just "had" to put Sinead onstage, staring at her feet the whole time. I fail to see whats so great about her.
3. Roger Waters made a mistake in choosing Van Morrison to sing "Comfortably Numb." Van is a classic singer, no doubt, but he just doesn't have the right type of voice to sing "Comfortably Numb." If David Gilmour couldn't have been there to sing it, they should have used someone with a soft, mellow voice that could have sung the song the way it was MEANT to be sung. By the way, is there anyone out there that can tell me who the two main guitarists were? One guy was kinda skinny and had black shoulder length hair and played most of the guitar parts. The other guitarist played a Les Paul, mostly. Thanks. JonM11100@aol.com

with all the 'Should David G have been here or not' aside, this was a very good presentation. And since I had actually viewed it when it was presented way back when, I was concerned about the presentation of this DVD. (also curious as to why it took so long) All concerns were settled when I watched it. I love the performances, and the only one I really didn't care for was Cindy Laupers, but to great relief Joni Mitchell really spooked up the mix and so did S. O'Connor.. . those two gals really grasped the fear and anxiety in the music greatly...

And how about the Scorpions with IN THE FLESH.. quite a good job.

Last but not least, watching R. Waters sing Goodbye Blue Sky from a hole in the bricks was just great stuff.

I really hope Pink Floyd fans get this cd, and Roger Water/David Gilmore fans too... at least the fans can bridge the gap with this excellent product.

My expectations were rather muted going into this. Primarily due to the "Celebrity" cast. I also had some real concerns over sound quality since it was recorded almost 15 years ago. The sound however is flat out amazing though. Although my issues with the Celebrity cast did not disappear, the quality of the sound and enormity of the production itself made the cast of characters seem less important. The list of those performers seems really stale today, but at the time of the show, they were all "A" list. I think some complaints I've read hold little merit or were the product of lack of understanding of the original source material. Someone said the scorpions attire was in bad taste for such an event. Well folks, that was on purpose! They were the "Surrogate" band which was supposed to be representative of all of the excess in rock and roll that has at one time or another caused many of us to lose sight of the music.

Although, I've never been a Sinead O'conner fan, I thought she was a perfectly appropriate representation of the child in Pink. Her vocals were also very moving. Again, I'm not a Brian Adams fan, but his gritty voice was an excellent fit for "Young Lust". And, no he wasn't really playing guitar, or at least he wasn't wired for sound. He, like the scorpions were there simply to provide vocals and window dressing. The music was thankfully performed strictly by Roger's amazing band. Joni Mitchell's performance was flat out creepy (in a good way)perfect for "Goodbye Blue Sky". Cindi lauper was nothing but annoying. Van morrison (who I love), seemed painfully out of place in this production. I ached for the return of David Gilmour's silky voice during Van's performance of "Comfortably Numb"

My biggest issue with the DVD was the camera angles and distances used for the bulk of the show. The show was so enormous that I think the best overall perspective would have been maybe a hundred and fifty feet or so from the stage. This view was curiously entirely absent. Everything was shot either up close (Like most concert footage), or so far away that the perfomers were merely a speck in the camera lense. These longs distance shots were used primarily between songs though and really did give the viewer an idea of just how huge the show was. In fact I would say the production was probably 4 to 5 times the size of Pink Floyds original prodution. All of the tight camera shots made me feel too much like I was watching a concert video rather than experiencing the show. Another interesting perspective was the footage shot behind the wall after the band had been completely closed off from the audience. It really made me appreciate how weird that must have been for Both Pink Floyd in the original performance and for Roger's band in this version. I mean here you are playing your heart out and you can't even see your audience, and you know they can't see you either. I would liked to have seen a little more of the audience perspective during this part of the show.

And to those Floyd fans who don't think the wall should be done without the original band, I do sympathize. But the fact is, they were asked to perform, and declined. Understandably, the bad blood between the Waters & Floyd camps was too much to overcome under such short notice, even for such a meaningful event and cause. But, the bottom line is that "The Wall" is Roger's brain child. You can count both the musical & lyrical credits of other band members for the double album on one hand. The wall is the least musical of the Floyd creations due to the lack of input of those other band members. But in pure lyrical and conceptual terms, I still feel it is once of the most brilliant and important works of my generation. I still hold out hope that some day, all of the members including Roger will be able to put their egos and bitterness aside and re-unite to produce new music and tour. Until that day however, I feel very fortunate to re-live the wall experience in this powerful incarnation.