Amazon.com

"My face isn't able to smile," Brian Wilson confides to collaborator Van Dyke Parks in one of this comprehensive double-DVD set's poignant bonus interviews, "but my heart does." Using vintage clips and the frank insights of Brian's friends and colleagues, writer/producer/director David Leaf (a longtime Wilson confidant and author of the pioneering history The Beach Boys and the California Myth) charts the music legend's spectacular rise to stardom and the troubling gestation and subsequent abandonment of the 1967 album widely anticipated as Wilson's artistic coup de grace. But it's a tale with a triumphant, if 37-year-delayed third act: Smile's unlikely '04 album resurrection and subsequent London concert premiere. The second disc chronicles yet another victorious moment, the tour's glorious homecoming show at L.A.'s Disney Hall, captured with graceful camera work, crisp editing and a 5.1 sound mix that imparts every playful musical nuance. The bonus materials (which include interviews, London clips, a rewarding sessions featurette and a trove of Wilson piano performances, some featuring musicians Carol Kaye and Darian Sahanaja) help make the set a nearly four-hour Smile-lover's dream-come-true. But it's the documentary's candor, a willingness to address Wilson's troubled psyche head-on, that imparts its unusual dramatic gravitas, making its ultimate triumphs all the richer. Wilson aficionados will find few greater joys than seeing their hero back firmly in command behind a recording console -- or leading an ecstatic live ensemble through a pop masterpiece long thought lost to the ages. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (11)

SMiLe Continues Its Triumph
I have the SMiLE CD and saw it performed live. Each was moving, and this terrific set is as well. The thing that struck me about the live show was how perfectly "Good Vibrations" (not my favorite song) ends the 3rd movement and SMiLE. This is evident here as well, as you can see the audience being stunned by the beauty (especially at the England premier, shown on the "Beautiful Dreamer" disk) as the show ends
This DVD also shows how well Brian plays the piano (albeit not in concert!) You can see how the music continues to dominate his life.
Finally, Brian's voice in the live set is letter perfect, even better than the original CD. Don't know if ProTools helped or not, but his singing is better than it has been in years.

perfection
This is about as good as it gets for a live DVD. But nothing compares with the album itself and the making of featurette only enchances this. The main reason why I feel the studio album is superior is that there is so much going on that you just can't fit everything into the live show.

Put SMiLE on your turntable. yes, turntable because the vinyl trumps the CD. Put on a pair of earphones and listen.

Alright this is about the DVD not the album itself. The first disc consists of the documentary "Beautiful Dreamer" which is about the making, unmaking and resurrection of the "SMiLE" album. It is essential viewing for Brian Wilson fans and casual/non fans should check it out too.

Disc 2 is a live performance of "SMiLE." I may like the studio version better but that's not saying that I don't like the live version. Modern bands should watch this and weep. Brian Wilson has assembled the greatest band in the world. To watch them pull this off in a live setting is quite something to behold.

The DVD also has some interesting extras, including a performance of "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow" from the world premiere in London. As well as bonus interviews, after show thoughts and solo piano performances from Brian himself.

But the one that tops them all is the making of "SMiLE" featurette. If there was any doubt that Brian Wilson is one of the most gifted composers those doubts should be put to rest. He hears everything. You could have five guys playing at the same time and he'll know exactly what needs to be corrected. It's increadible.

This DVD is absolutly essential for any Brian Wilson fan.

Phenominal DVD
I watched the DVDs the past two nights.A friend came up from Connecticut to watch the DVDs yesterday, too.He has seen Smile numerous times, and he was in London for the premier, where he attended several Smile concerts.

The performance of Smile is astounding.I also have the CD, and it is "o.k."Seeing the performance on a big-screen television with a quality home theater system and 5.1 sound blows the CD away.We had the volume up pretty high, too.

The complexity of the music is what a viewer gains with actually seeing the performance.

The DVDs are also a snapshot of the mid-1960s.The drug-related comments in the documentary are very funny.The scenes with Van Dyke Parks remembering unrecorded, 40-year-old lyrics is very interesting.

As someone else commented, the recording session tracks are very interesting, and the piano tracks are only moderately interesting.I agree completely

I suggest watching the documentary first, followed by the full concert.

My friend also agreed that the DVD is superior to the CD.

We commented several times that it is amazing that Brian Wilson composed Smile in his early 20s.

The documentary is very interesting, too.My friend is in the documentary at least three times (that we saw).He is in the pre-concert interviews.You can also see him standing a few rows behind Van Dyke Parks, as Mr. Parks is taking his seat before the concert, and there is also a close up of my friend during the concert.Finally, he is also in the post-concert interviews in a separate track.

My friend mentioned that one of the string players was killed by the tsunami in December 2004.

My friend has met several of the band, and he said that they are very nice, down-to-earth people.

Masterpiece - SMiLE ;-)
Not being much of a Brian Wilson or a Beach boy fan, I was first intrigued when I saw Beautiful Dreamer on cable.What an amazing journey and Brian's ultimate triumph is a fantastic back drop to this amazing piece of music.

The more I listen to SMiLE the better it gets, this presentation by Brian is truly a sonic gift for the heart and soul.One of the best pop pieces I ever heard....what an amazing ear and talent.The recording of SMiLE bonus was worth the price alone.Even if you don't like Brian or the Beach Boys but just enjoy quality music....you have to hear and see this to believe it.

question
does this dvd really not include the portions of the concert where they performed non-smile songs (the beginning, with the band sitting around brian, in a storytellers format; and the encores... similar to the encores of the pet sounds tour, where beach boys hits, and love and mercy were performed)?
if that content is, in fact, not included, does anybody know why?those were some of the best performances of the concert. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Half its members may be dead and its leader may be keeping a low profile, but the Who remains enormously popular. Devotees who haven't availed themselves of Jeff Stein's thrilling, self-mocking 1979 documentary about the group shouldn't wait another minute now that the film has been painstakingly--perhaps heroically--restored to its theatrical-release length from original elements. The sound is clearer than on previous video releases, images are once more crisp and color-rich, and adjustments in tape speed make the Who sound like themselves again, particularly in vintage television performances and filmed club dates from as far back as the band's sonically thrilling, early R&B period. Special features are, shall we say, extensive: 100 or so minutes of multiple-angle footage, an insightful interview with Roger Daltrey, a featurette about the film's restoration, and a mesmerizing, isolated John Entwistle audio track. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (64)

The kids are still alright
In their glory days no band delivered a more explosive live show than the Who, and the members of the band have always felt that their studio albums never quite captured that astonishing energy. Well, this re-mastered version of this classic rock movie captures it just fine. The producers of this re-release did a lot of work finding old film and tape and making it all look and sound better than ever before, they deserve our thanks for putting so much effort into this. The results make the Who jump right through your TV-audio system. I've seen much of this footage before on other releases, it has never looked as sharp and rich, or sounded so powerful, they really did a fantastic job. The special edition is worth a few bucks extra as it comes with a second DVD with extra features. Hardcore Who fans have their little gripes, even more rare footage would have been nice etc., but the complaints pale beside the quality of this release, which shows just how good these old rock films can be made if somebody puts enough effort into them. It's an erratic film, it jumps all over, sort of like the band, but it's a time capsule of one of rock's mightiest acts at their best. Well done, highly recommended.

Alright? The Kids are restored to fantastic!
A few years ago I purchased the VHS of this terrific documentary about the world's greatest rock band only to discover that it had been edited and that the quality was less than great. All of that is fixed with this stupendous DVD restoration of the film to its original glory! The footage that was cut, like the tremendous performance of A Quick One While He's Away has been fully restored, as has the sound and color quality of the film. This documentary of The Who at their most explosive should be required viewing for all fans of rock music. The quality of this DVD version of the film is terrific and you'll want to listen to it VERY LOUD! Many great performances and rare clips were collected for this documentary, including early TV performances in the US, UK and Germany, early promotional films and explosive performances like Woodstock and those filmed specifically for The Kids Are Alright. Fascinating interviews with the band are interspersed throughout.

The disc of extras is a wonderful bonus that includes great recent interviews with Jeff Stein and Roger Daltrey, multi-camera angle views of the performances of Baba O'Riley and Won't Get Fooled Again, isolated bass tracks of The Ox playing on the aforementioned two tracks, a tour of locations important to The Who in the early days, and more.

If you are a long-time Who fan you will rejoice to see the film looking and sounding this good again. If you are a newer fan who has never seen the astounding force of The Who at the peak of their energy, then you absolutely must see this version of The Kids Are Alright! Thank goodness Jeff Stein didn't let his film fade away, it is a treasure for all Who fans that are now and are yet to be. He has preserved musical magic, hopefully for many years to come. Without this film, future fans probably would never believe that a rock band could be this good in live performance. You must see The Who to believe it. Long Live Rock!

Finally!
It took far to long for The Kids Are Alright to get out on DVD. After seeing and hearing the new special edition, it was worth the wait! Keith Moon has to be seen to be believed. The extended A Quick One really shows how amazing and entertaining he could be. The Ox Cam on the 2nd disc is a fitting tribute to the man who held the band together, but is rarely seen compared to his more flashy band-mates. This is a great package with great content and should be required in every home where music is played. Just don't smash your TV when it's over.

Best Rock N Roll Movie Ever !
This is a "must see" Rock N Roll movie, there are not bands like this anymore. Thankfully, the movie has been fully restored,and the quality far exceeds the cinema release.
Although I would have loved it if Jeff Stein could have located
more concert footage or even added more of The Who's Woodstock
performance. I know for a fact that 5 songs were filmed, as I have seen them, years and years ago.

Response to "A viewer from the UK"
This DVD is phenomenal. Extreme care - and as much passion - went into the restoration of making this one of the best rock DVD presentations ever. The Who was the greatest band on earth, and even today, they still are one of the best. Originally released in 1979, this movie chronicled the band's time with original drummer Keith Moon, who sadly died the previous fall (Sept. 1978). The color is rich with many textures - notice the sweat on Pete's forehead during "Won't Get Fooled Again," which wasn't apparent in previous, inferior video versions. Entwistle's isolated bass tracks on "WGFA" and "Baba O'Riley" will remind everyone what a pioneer the Ox was on the bass.
As a response to "a viewer from the UK," how can you call Daltrey and Townshend "two old rockers" pretending to be what they were, now simply being "their own tribute band." It's odd that people like you say this, being the fact that the only reason why Moon and Entwistle no longer are in the band is because they passed away. Watch this new DVD's interview with Daltrey and listen to his memories of watching a rough cut of this film with Moon. Pay close attention to Daltrey's face as his voice pauses, and then tell me that Moon and Entwistle wouldn't be in The Who if they were alive today. Rubbish. I always have to laugh at people when they make reunion tour jokes and bash The Who now - 99.9 percent of those people have never even seen The Who in concert after Moon died. Talk to someone who actually saw them on their 2000 tour, and be prepared to be told how they were blown away by the band's roaring performance.I saw them on that tour in Aug. 2000, the last tour with Entwistle and the first post-1982 tour where Pete was the only guitarist onstage, and they were brilliant. Entwistle sounded better that night than anything I had heard before, including "Live At Leeds." (I've been a bass player for 20 years). It's still The Who today as long as Pete and Roger call it that. (Zak Starkey has been with them longer now than Kenney Jones was). It's not quite the same, granted, but it's as much The Who today as it is The Rolling Stones today. The Stones have had more personnel changes over the years than The Who ever did (and I like The Stones too).
Anyway, this is a fantastic DVD that surpasses the quality of the original VHS tapes (which were sped up!) and laser discs. A must-buy for any rock and roll fan.
Peace ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you've ever wanted to hear Jack Nicholson sing (or try to) or marvel at the sight of Ann-Margret drunkenly cavorting in a cascade of baked beans, Tommy is the movie you've been waiting for. As it turns out, the Who's brilliant rock opera is sublimely matched to director Ken Russell's penchant for cinematic excess, and this 1975 production finds Russell at the peak of his filmmaking audacity. It's a fever-dream of musical bombast, custom-fit to the thematic ambition of Pete Townshend's epic rock drama, revolving around the titular "deaf, dumb, and blind kid" (played by Who vocalist Roger Daltrey) who survives the childhood trauma that stole his senses to become a Pinball Wizard messiah in Townshend's grandiose attack on the hypocrisy of organized religion.

The story is remarkably coherent considering the hypnotic dream-state induced by Russell's visuals. Tommy's odyssey is rendered through wall-to-wall music, each song representing a pivotal chapter in Tommy's chronology, from the bloodstream shock of "The Acid Queen" (performed to the hilt by Tina Turner) to Nicholson's turn as a well-intentioned physician, Elton John's towering rendition of "Pinball Wizard," and Daltrey's epiphanous rendition of "I'm Free." Other performers include Eric Clapton and (most outrageously) the Who's drummer Keith Moon, and through it all Russell is almost religiously faithful to Townshend's artistic vision. Although it divided critics when first released, Tommy now looks likes a minor classic of gonzo cinema, worthy of the musical genius that fueled its creation. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (68)

Ann-Margret in a Rock Opera? I guess so!
A visually spectacular and colorful adaptation of The Who's 'rock opera,' Tommy features an all-star cast including some of the greatest names and performances in rock music and a score written by Pete Townshend that was released six years prior to the film's release.

he story is about a young boy named Tommy (Roger Daltrey) who sees his father (Robert Powell) killed by his stepfather (Oliver Reed) while Tommy's mother (Ann-Margret) watches in shock. After the incident, Tommy's mother and stepfather tell him in song, "You Didn't See Anything, You Didn't Hear Anything." Traumatized by witnessing this horrendous deed, he becomes psychologically blind and deaf i.e. His brain won't let him see or hear. In the course of growing up, he proceeded to become a "Pinball Wizard" of the world and had a strong following of admirers. During this time, he endured years of manipulation and abuse by his family. Eventually Tommy breaks "free" of his world of silence and darkness and becomes aware of the world around him, his mental capacity has only evolved to that of a child. At the end of the movie, Tommy's followers finally realize that they have been brainwashed by him.

'Tommy' opened with critical acclaim from virtually everyone who saw the film. The film, costing three and a half million dollars, was produced by Robert Stigwood (of 'Jesus Christ Superstar' and 'Grease' fame) who took a backseat in the publicity of the film to director Ken Russell (of 'The Boyfriend' and 'Lisztomania' fame). Russell was commended for bringing the rock opera to life by using spectacular visuals and special effects to enhance the re-recorded soundtrack. "Technically the film is astounding...Russell has fused a kaleidoscope of images that pulsate with the incredible precision of a rock drumbeat in visual counterpoint to the music." (Newsweek March 24, 1975) This is the first of two reasons for the film's appeal. The second is the fact that the film used popular rock stars in cameo appearances to attract the 20-24 year old audience, who already had an awareness of the rock opera in its original form. Those who were not aware of it were wooed via promotions on the radio using the rock stars names such as Elton John, who was at the peak of his success. The rock stars had produced more interest in the film than the already established stars such as Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed, but by using these stars it gave "...the project more legitimacy among movie fans without dulling anticipation amount rock purists significantly..." (Variety February 26, 1975)

The film utilized the two different parts of the entertainment world, rock music and established film stars and used their talents to the fullest making the film appealing to the older audience as well as the younger one.

After reading various glowing, positive reviews and watching "Tommy" I found myself neither liking nor disliking it. By using songs and no spoken dialogue is a most effective and creative way to tell a story. The characters must express in song feelings of joy ('It's a Boy'), the covering up of a crime ("You Didn't Hear It'), joyous holidays and the sadness of Tommy's problem ('Christmas'), the evilness of relatives ('Cousin Kevin' and 'Fiddle About'), a story about one of Tommy's fans ('Sally Simpson'), Tommy breaking out of his world of silence and darkness ('I'm Free'), and the realization of being brainwashed ('We're Not Gonna Take It'). The film also contained great renditions of The Who's songs such as Eric Clapton as the Preacher ('Eyesight to the Blind'), Tina Turner ('The Acid Queen'), Elton John ('Pinball Wizard') and Jack Nicholson as the doctor ('Go To the Mirror Boy'). The use of special effects and colorful visuals helped to relay the story to the audience who only had envisioned it while listening to the original record by The Who.

The one fault I found with this movie was the use of Ann-Margret. She does not fit into this rock-opera or any rock opera for that matter. Her vocal ability does not permit her to sing these songs and consequently she screams them out, for example "Do I Smash the Mirror?" Her voice is very soft and sings some of the other songs without feeling like "Christmas" and "Tommy Can You Hear Me?" Ann-Margret's voice "...works better after you've seen the film and have an image to associate with the sounds." (The New York Times March 21, 1975). After viewing this film several times, it is still difficult for me to associate her with The Who's music and I feel someone else should have been chosen for the part.

**cdk

A bizarre and wonderful film
Tommy is easily the most disturbing movie I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of disturbing movies. It chronicles Tommy's life from birth to the death of his father to his traumatic adolescence and spirtual entry into adulthood. The scene where Tommy endures sexual abuse (at the hands of Keith Moon, no less) is a particularly unsettling one. While the cause of him being "deaf, dumb, and blind" is never really explained, along with other unanswered questions, Tommy is definitely a work of art.

The cameos by Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, Elton John, and Jack Nicholson are brilliantly done. Ann-Margaret, whom I had previously dismissed as just another singing piece of eye candy, shows incredible acting skill as Tommy's mother. The only flaws in the film (besides Tommy's miraculous change from a brown-eyed boy to blue-eyed Roger Daltrey) are the ambiguity between symbolism and reality, which can make the story hard to follow, and the last quarter of the movie, in which Tommy becomes a Christ-like figure of worship. The movie really should have ended with Tommy's final realization of himself, at least in my opinion. However, a child rock star in this sequence eerily resembles Marilyn Manson circa 1996, which should entertain music fans.

Keep in mind, though, that just because this movie is rated PG does not mean it is suitable for children.

COUSIN KEVIN IS DA BOMB!!!
Why doesn't anyone mention him? This DVD is worth the price just to see that scene!!! I love everything else too but I like to watch the Cousin Kevin scene over and over again. The movie version is WAYYYY better than the dull, slow version on the album!!! Same thing goes for many of the songs. All in all, this is one of the most entertaining and enjoyable musicals of all time!!!

Unique, but as senseless as Tommy
When I first read of Tommy, I found the premise intruiging. A "rock opera" based on music by The Who... starring Roger Daltrey? I knew that the term "cult classic" would be applicable here. And being a fan of rock music, and 60's rock/pop in particular, I knew that I had to see this film. One mediocre review in a newspaper didn't put me off: I felt the combination of The Who and 70's cinema would make for great entertainment. How wrong I was.

With the opening sequences of "It's a boy", an embarrasing and awkward singing performance by a nurse, I was left with my jaw hanging open that this material was not destroyed by a later Government order. Songs often collapse into repetitiveness (I'm Free) just as they border on the great. Potential is repeatedly wasted - and at times, you can almost feel how good Tommy's music COULD have been - but alas, each song, without exception, feels both overblown and underwritten at the same time. It's a shame.

Not that the movie is devoid of artistic talent - it isn't. There are visually stunning sequences everywhere. Set peices become gradually more and more impressive (the Marilyn Monroe idols, Tommy's religious land) and special effects, crude as they are, are used to music video effect - an impressive precursor to MTV.

But the plot is loose, very loose - and scattered. Tommy's plight, his childhood trauma, and the theme of religious exploit all earn marks for originality, and maturity. But there really is very little continuity going on - and though the theme of Tommy's degredation becomes quite dark, his exploitation becomes repetitive. And tiresome. That said, the film's most energetic peak, "Pinball Wizard", is a colourful, memorable and bizzare game of pinball featuring Tommy and Elton John playing head to head before a theatre audience. Even the music shows flashes of inspiration. Without a doubt a proud climax for any film.

But at the end of it all, Tommy cannot be saved by a single scene, and with a plot so light and music so abominably poor (sorry, but it is), the film is rightly one of the smaller cult classics. The imagrey is good, but in the end, it all seems rather pretentious. Perhaps it needs to be, to fill the huge, gaping holes in the story. Yes, I "get" the film, and no, this is not the first musical or rock movie I have seen. Tommy displays both maturity and style at times - but neither are ever subtle, and that is the film's downfall. Only through the rose-tinted view of a fanatic could Ann Margret wallowing in baked beans ever be worth watching. Yes, I know that this is slander, and 0 of 37 people will find this review helpful as a result, but I can't help my honest opinion.

It has Elton John. In 10ft platforms. But this alone is Tommy's entry into rock history.

Bring on the special collectors edition!
The five star rating is purely for the content of this marvelous and sometimes misunderstood masterpiece from director Ken Russell. But in the U.K. right now (June 2004) they are being treated to an amazing 2 disc collectors edition DVD! The Superbit DVD with DTS sound is fantastic but we want extras!!! Please, Columbia Home Video! Let us Americans have it too! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The three-day Woodstock music festival in 1969 was the pivotal event of the 1960s peace movement, and this landmark concert film is the definitive record of that milestone of rock & roll history.It's more than a chronicle of the hippie movement, however; this is a film of genuine historical and social importance, capturing the spirit of America in transition, when the Vietnam War was at its peak and antiwar protest was fully expressed through the liberating music of the time. With a brilliant crew at his disposal (including a young editor named Martin Scorsese), director Michael Wadleigh worked with over 300 hours of footage to create his original 225-minute director's cut, which was cut by 40 minutes for the film's release in 1970. Eight previously edited segments were restored in 1994, and the original director's cut of Woodstock is now the version most commonly available on videotape and DVD.

The film deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Documentary, and it's still a stunning achievement.Abundant footage taken among the massive crowd ("half a million strong") expresses the human heart of the event, from skinny-dipping hippies to accidental overdoses, to unpredictable weather, midconcert childbirth, and the thoughtful (or just plain rambling) reflections of the festive participants. Then, of course, there is the music--a nonstop parade of rock & roll from the greatest performers of the period, including Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Canned Heat, The Who, Richie Havens, Joan Baez, Ten Years After, Sly & The Family Stone, Santana, and many more. Watching this ambitious film, as the saying goes, is the next best thing to being there--it's a time-travel journey to that once-in-a-lifetime event. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Spectacular account of the event that deffined the era
No words can describe how wonderfully this film has captured the moment in the event which defined the Hippie Movement, which amazed the world by truley and fully living up to its catch phrase: "Three days of peace, love, and music", and which made those who did not attend wonder what they were thinking.
The music, first and foremost, is truley wonderful. Spectacular performances by CSN, Joe Cocker, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Ten Years After, Richie Havens and so many more. I most especially enjoy watching Joe Cocker's rendition of "With A Little Help From My Friends". His voice and the energy which radiates from him as he performs is truley mesmerizing. And of course who could forget Jimi Hendrix famous performance where he tore up his guitar with his captivating version of the National Anthem. I also love Country Joe's performance of "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die-Rag". A wonderful performance, it truley captivates the peace and love of the event as, toward the end of the song he encourages the audience to stand and sing to end the war...and the majority of the 500,000 or so audience members stand and sing along.
But it's not just the music that make's this film wonderful. The film show's the organization of the event, the building of the stage etc... We meet the people who made the event possible. And when the people begin to enter the site without paying for tickets....and the producers realize how much money they've lost...they shrug it off and say that they don't mind because the event and the people loving eachother and sharing everything is such a beautiful thing...and that the money doesn't matter. Do producers of rock concerts (or producers of anything for that matter) ever say that money doesn't matter these days? It truley shows what a wonderful generation it was. The audience is beautiful as well, everyone being themselves, everyone having a good time and sharing the experience that was the last bang (and what a bang it was) for the Hippie Movement.

3 Days at Yasgur's Farm
The Woodstock Festival was a defining for the counterculture movement. The young hippies showed a nation that they could exist together in a peaceful, communal state. The Woodstock documentary captures the essence of those three days on a farm in upstate New York. We see hippies skinny-dipping, the locals looking around in amazement on the deluge of people who descending on their quiet, little town, kids, cops and others are interviewed and of course we see the music. From Richie Havens' opening things up with "Freedom" to Jimi Hendrix's defining "Star Spangled Banner", we are treated to a 60's rock who's who. Joe Cocker, Santana, CSN&Y, John Sebastian and Sly & The Family Stone particularly standout and we get bonus material not in the original release from The Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin and others. Director Michael Wadleigh's film won a deserving Best Documentary Oscar and a young Martin Scorcese was an editor on the film. Some of the acts are woefully dated and long forgotten, but Woodstock is an impressive snapshot of a memorable moment in our history.

A Document of a Feeling
It's inevitable that arguments will take place, as they do in these reviews, about what the meaning of Woodstock really is -- many have evoked peace and anti-vietnam sentiments and a great social movement, while others take a more mocking tone and dismiss it as a kind of upper middle class fantasy camp, a sewing of the oats before beginning corporate life.

Not having been alive in the 60s, I only know what I've read and been told by those older than myself, but I'd guess that the first assessment is a bit idealistic, while the second is unfair, and that the truth is "somewhere in between," to fall back on the cliche.

What the film does successfully document, I gather, is what it felt like to be young and hippie and excited about music and social protest and all the things Woodstock at least appeared, at the time, to represent. The feeling is what's embodied in the filmic techniques, the scenes chosen, and the performances themselves, and this makes Woodstock a successful documentary.

The 60s were many things, and no film could capture all of them. Actually, in spite of the fact that it allows itself to get very much caught up in the excitement, I think the film has its moments of ironic distance and sobering reality, such as the port-a-san scene (particularly the extended shot of the average joe cleaning the things).

For a good counterpoint, I recommend the Isle of Wight festival film, which captures the darker, more selfish side of the hippie generation.

Beautiful and dirty
Although I was a teenager soon after this concert, I somehow never got around to seeing the moving until this year. (I guess concert films don't get screened frequently on terrestrial TV.) So over the years I've become more familiar with the triple LP of the movie and, of course, the many posters the rock stars in heroic poses that dominated the early 1970s -- i.e. the Who's Roger Daltrey, Jimi Hendrix and Ten Years After's Alvin Lee.

Despite the mud and the squalor, this is an extraordinarily beautiful film, with the screen often breaking up into two or three segments. (Note on the closing credits the name of Martin Scorsese on the production team.)

It's well worth contrasting this movie with the DVD of the 1970 Isle of Wight festival. Only a year separates the two concerts, but the late 1960s idealism of Woodstock gets replaced by prototype British vandalism. The Who perform at both concerts, and make an equally good account of themselves. Daltrey's emotional delivery of 'See Me, Feel Me' helps to explain why 'Tommy' became such a phenomenon in America. Hendrix also performed at both, but his meandering solo at Woodstock was not of the highest standard.

The other highlight of the show was Santana, a Latino band only just beginning to establish themselves in California at the time. As others have noted, the drum solo by Mike Shrieve is impressive for one so young. As with the Who, Santana's album sales will have multiplied as a result of their Woodstock performance.

It's interesting how many great acts weren't at Woodstock -- e.g. Joni Mitchell (despite her song about the concert!), the Doors, Bob Dylan or the Stones. The first two clearly realised how important these festivals were in the breaking of artists into markets, and so they appear on the Isle of Wight DVD.

For most of my life, Woodstock has been a set of static images, largely taken from the cover of the album. But as this film reveals, there is so much more imagery than pictures of beautiful women bathing in the lake. Quite apart from all the idealism of passing whisky bottles and reefers around, of sliding in the mud, the film shows the flip side: of people queuing in the mud to phone home, of helicopters rescuing the sick, of helpers cleaning toilets, and of barefoot stragglers looking for a pair of shoes amid a post-concert site that looks more of a wasteland than the trenches of the First World War.

Enjoy it in all its glory and all its grime.

Woodstock
Woodstock was a great documentary. It had everything from split screen to wonderful music. The sound was great. So many bands in only 3days. It was a time where skinny diping and doing Pot and acid was ok and understandable. Police were not filling the jails with people who did drugs and broke laws. They were letting them be free and discover peace. Woodstock is something that will go down in history as a time of love and peace and understanding. In the end it was more then just the music it was the love and the way freedom brought it. ... Read more

Reviews (61)

NO Extreme? No Good!
I agree with just about everyone else who has reviewed this DVD, how can the people who edited this cut out the BEST performance of the concert which was Extreme's medley of Queen songs. I thank my lucky stars I still have it on tape from when MTV first aired the concert 10 years ago. It's my favorite part of the show and by far one of the coolest moments. The band, most especially Gary Cherone, payed tribute to Freddie and Queen in the best way I've ever seen. The medley of songs were performed with such excitment and the audience loved them. So did I :) This DVD just starts the concert with Joe Elliott doing Tie Your Mother Down, that's like the middle of the show! There were several performances cut out mainly Metallica, Guns 'N Roses, Def Leppard, and the above mentioned Extreme. This DVD needs to be re-issued in it's entirety. I did, however, like those Freddie segments included on the dvd that were shown to the audience during intermission. Those were really cool. Great concert but not shown to it's fullest potential on this dvd and that's a real shame. QUEEN AND FREDDIE deserve more...and so do the fans :)

It's About Time!...
Stupendously great concert from April 1992. I've owned it on laserdisc since 1993 and I've been hoping a DVD release would be forthcoming!
This concert is culled from a day-long Freddie Mercury tribute/benefit concert that took place about 5 or 6 months after Freddie died. The first half is largely devoted to a number of bands doing mostly Queen covers. Metallica opens with three of their own songs (and back when the boys in Metallica still had long hair). Def Leppard does a song or two, Extreme does a 12+ minute Queen medley (it ROCKS!), and there are some vintage Queen and Freddie clips interspersed throughout. Then, the REAL fireworks start! Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon take the stage and lead a Who's Who of musicians and singers through a lengthy set of Queen material. Robert Plant sings "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", Metallica's James Hetfield sings "Stone Cold Crazy", Gary Cherone of Extreme absolutely rocks the joint with "Hammer To Fall", Roger Daltrey sings "I Want It All", Seal does "Who Wants To Live Forever", Def Leppard returns, and we also get Lisa Stansfield, Elton John, Axl Rose, Paul Young, David Bowie, members of Mott the Hoople, and Liza Minneli closes the show with "We Are The Champions."
The show runs in excess of 3 hours, and the DVD release promises to have extra material not on the laser and VHS versions.
The audio recording of the show is stellar, and the video photography is crisp and clear. After you watch this you'll wish you'd been there.

Best of all, you get a renewed sense of how strong Queen's songwriting and performing talents were (and still are). And all of the artists singing in Freddie's place give it their all and make the versions their own, all without detracting from Freddie's original version.

You're an IDIOT if you don't get this concert DVD!

The Laserdisc is so much better, since it has the whole show
My long time waiting for a DVD version of that old but great Laserdisc was wasted. It's absolutely depressing what they did here, by cutting some of the best parts of the original show.

The Queen Medley by the great band Extreme was probably the best part of this show, not only because the way they played, but also because the playlist choice. A Medley of Bohemian Rhapsody, Bycicle Race, Another One Bites Dust, Keep Yourselves Alive, and others leading to one of the most beautiful moments of the show: the Radio Ga Ga ending, leading the audience to tears.
Although the sound has been improved and a new and useless "extra materials" has been added, it doesn't worth the content they cut (opening act, Metallica, Def Leppard, GnR, Extreme and others).

I would never exchange the old original laserdisc for this useles "extra materials" with a bunch of new footage.

I came out of my skin when I saw what was missing!
I too own the laserdisc of this show and got the DVD for the new mix in DTS. The sound is good, but it's the content they cut (the opening acts) such as Metallica, Def Leppard, GnR, Extreme and others. I would have gladly forfeited the "extra materials" for the original show instead of a bunch of new footage that was just as well served on the cutting room floor. Don't get me wrong, the performances they left in are great...but shame on them for cutting what they did...typical non-musician producer. The 2-star drop is for that reason alone. Glad I didn't sell the laserdisc!

It's a great concert but the DVD sucks
This DVD set is a huge disappointment. How could the DVD have FEWER matertials than the VHS version?! I was expecting to see not just what they have on the VHS, but also the ones they edited out, but no! They have 2 discs and this is all they could put in? I just couldn't believe it! Guess I should buy the VHS tape on eBay instead... ... Read more

Amazon.com

For a band that held its farewell tour in 1982, the Who sound farfrom finished when it comes to exploring the greater passions and sonicpossibilities of its old material. Never has that been more evident than inThe Who: Live at the Royal Albert Hall, a record of thegroup's remarkable stand at a charity gig in London late in 2000. Perennialpatrons of adolescents, the Who is clearly energized by an emotionalattachment to Britain's Teenage Cancer Trust (beneficiary of thefundraiser), a feeling that also sweeps through several well-chosen guests whohappen to be spiritual descendants of the band. After a long opening set thatincludes a scorching "Anyway Anyhow Anywhere," a gorgeous update of "The KidsAre Alright," and a soulful "Bargain," the Who usher in punk violinist NigelKennedy to help electrify "Baba O'Riley," the Jam's founder Paul Weller for alovely, acoustic rendition of "So Sad About Us," and Stereophonicsguitarist-vocalist Kelly Jones for a nearly epiphanous "Substitute."

More than just a parade of celebrities paying homage to Townshend and fellowOlympians Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle, the select visitors here challengethe Who to add new colors to old warhorses (Noel Gallagher's psychedelic tingeon "Won't Get Fooled Again") and delicate semiclassics (Eddie Vedder'ssympathetic duet with Townshend on "I'm One"). By the end of a robustevening, Daltrey's voice is shot and Townshend looks ready for a shot ofvitamins, but anyone who would declare the Who a bunch of worn-out grandpasis spoiling for a Mod-era stomping. This is an essential set for Wholoyalists and a wonderful show for everyone else. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (64)

This is what a music DVD should look like
This is a great concert with fabulous sound. I saw the Who 3 months before this was filmed and this captures their then-present sound and show. As for the guest stars, don't be afraid of Bryan Adams! He actually sounds good doing Behind Blue Eyes, he has a bit of a sneer to his singing, and doesn't sound like you'd expect. The reason I gave this 4 instead of 5 stars is because of the omitted songs. There were 2 or 3 songs played at the concert that were edited out of the DVD. One of them was a perfect version of Getting in Tune with Eddie Vedder singing along with Roger. I've heard a bootleg recording of it and it is appalling that they would leave in Kelly Jones doing a terrible vocal on Substitute on the DVD, and cut out this great song with Ed Ved. Kelly Jones sings the song with all the annoyance of an Oasis cover version. Also the guitarist from Oasis should be ashamed of standing next to Pete Townshend and only being able to play a wimpy 2-note solo on possibly THE rock anthem of all time, Won't Get Fooled Again. He should not have been invited to the concert. I think many of the guests were used to appeal to the British audience, which is fine, but then don't cut out Getting in Tune, which sounds leaps and bounds over Substitute. Yes, we get a fine version of Ed Vedder singing on Lets See Action and I'm One, and also on the end jam, but Getting In Tune should have been in this DVD. Kelly Jones should not have.

Other than those complaints, what was left in the DVD is a great performance. The editing of the video is a little to quick/MTV. But the sound is great and the Who is awesome.

Long Live The Who For Godsake !!!!!
The Who were the greatest live band ever between 1969-1976? or they still are? Well, The Who here seems like it.
This is truly amazing stuff. The selection of the songs is great too, since includes some rare songs hard to get on video, like "Relay" or "Bargain", and the versions here are awesome.
Keith Moon will be so proud of Zak Starkey (as his dad is for sure). He just has the "Keith Moon" spirit, and that's why The Who are like in the old days in this concert.
John Entwistle as always, superb!!.
Daltrey's in great shape, with a stronger or deeper voice than in the 80s concerts like "Rocks America" or "Tommy Live - 20 anniversary".
Pete Townshend is very inspired and wild. His acoustic performance for a couple of songs in the middle of the show, is superb too.
John "Rabbit" Bundrick is excellent as always and adding the right keyboards for the songs that originally didn't include them.

The only thing I don't like about this concert is the guest singers. I would prefer to listen to Roger singing "Substitute", for example. The only one I enjoy here is Noel Gallagher in "Won't Get Fooled Again", seems he limits to play the guitar (which adds a lot of power to this particular song) and adds backing vocals to the chorus.
Buy this DVD or VHS. The Who were back and this was their testimony. Unfortunally John Entwistle passed away :-(

Very Good
On November 27, 2000, the Who closed their tour with a concert at the Royal Albert Hall. In my opinion they've never played a better concert. The looseness of the group makes for a relaxed atmosphere and some really great rock and roll. There is a lot of improvisational jamming in between songs. The band acts very free onstage. For instance, when Roger sings the line, "Can I buy your magic bus" Pete screams out "No!" All in all a wonderful performance and a great DVD.

John to Pete: You Really Think You're Going There Without Me
During the playing of John's song, "My Wife", the cameras capture a sequence that literally, says it all. The band has just entered an instrumental break. Pete is introduces the line, John tosses his pick to the wind and grabs up great handfuls of bass strings. From there, it's a race. At their best the Who were always like that. They played as if they were trying to run away from the each other but kept landing in the same place. They were evenly matched and "read" each other so well it usually worked. Mistakes happened, but hell, those only showed how many chances they were willing to take. Crowds loved that and it literally, cemented their reputation as the greatest live band ever. When Keith died they were still an excellent band but his part of that chemistry was lost. John (Rabbit) Bundrick was (and still is) fine with it, but Kenney Jones wasn't. It was that simple.

Then Zak Starkey came along. When (yet) another tour was announced for the spring of 2000 critics were quick to label it to end up as another zip-less grab for money. Little did they know. Zak had been with the band for a few years and largely restored the vitality Keith had injected. More important, he gave Entwistle and Townshend someone they could "run" with again. When they stripped the band back down again the old fire came back. In the spring, summer and fall of 2000 they hit north America with a roar that hadn't been seen from anyone from any genre in decades. New material or no, the most explosive live band in rock was back!

Live at the RAH more than illustrates this. That it's a "greatest hits" set (with an "all-star" guest list to boot) put me off for a while. Don't make the same mistake. The catalogue the Who have to offer is a great one. When it's performed this amount of passion by a band like this it never gets old. Roger can't quite hit all the high notes any longer, Pete doesn't jump a often, or as high and John's singing voice, never great, by this time was close to shot. All of this matters little. Roger has enough passion for ten singers. As well, he brings a level of intelligence and understanding to the material that's rare in the industry. And don't forget, he never takes any nights "off". What Pete lost in leaping ability he's gained in musical finesse. This man is playing the guitar the way he did thirty years ago but with all the skill that time and practice have added. Nobody plays like him. Nobody! John was a fabulous player. Ultimately this band may end up missing him even more than they missed Keith. His ability to pick up Townshend's threads and add immediately add to them was the glue which held them together.

The importance of John (Rabbit) Bundrick can't be overstated. He's played with the Who since the late 1970's and it shows. It's hard to imagine keyboard player better suited to working with this outfit. He's literally all over everything Pete and John do as fast as Keith ever was. The guest stars, for the most fit in well. Eddie Vedder is a long time friend of Townshend and a fan. To watch him up there you could swear he knows their music as well as they do. Brian Adams looks a little nervous (for about ten seconds) but then cuts loose. His rendition of "Behind Blue Eyes" is classic. Nigel Kennedy comes in and plays the violin part from "Baba". He and Townshend have so much fun it has to be illegal (somehow anyway). Noel Gallagher doesn't leave the impact on "Won't Get Fooled Again" that Eddie Vedder leaves on "I'm One" but he doesn't hurt anything either. The only guest stars who fall a little short are Paul Weller and Kelly Jones. Weller and Townshend just don't mesh all that well. Kelly Jones, unfortunately, leaves you wanting Roger back on the mike to remind everyone what "Substitute" is "supposed" to sound like. The only other problem lies with the neck mounted camera used to spotlight John's bass solo. This was just a bad idea. It was supposed to give a close look. All it does is give wide angle close-ups that make Entwistle seem disembodied from the rest of the concert. It's too bad. The solo was a good one. Thankfully that camera was only used on the one segment.

This is nit picking though. The performance is a great one. The camera work is superb and the sound quality is fabulous. Buy it, turn it up and enjoy a great rock band doing their thing.

The kids are alright
This dvd rocks and they sound great. zack starkey the son of ringo star,is great but is no keith moon. the acoustic section with Peat Townsed is awsome he does one song from quad and one for lifehouse. the late john entwistle "the ox" is one of the best bass players. Bryan Adams does Behind blue eys with them and he sounds awsome he can really sing that song. so if you like the who you will like the dvd ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Fall in love with Ireland
This movie literally made me fall in love....with Ireland, it's legends, it's music and especially with a certain leprechaun named Mickey Muldoon (Daniel Betts, a phenominal young actor.) The story was creative while staying true to the old Irish tales, and Shakespear's "Romeo and Juliet" theme was never used to better advantage. There were a few incongruities, and Randy Quaid and Whoopi Goldberg seemed to be cast only for their star-power. Also, while my young teenaged daughters enjoyed the whole movie, the smaller children thought that the sections encompassing the human love story were a bit long. But when the movie focused on the actual "faerie story" it was truly captivating for all involved. The vast majority of the acting was superb, the musical score was enchanting, the special effects were very well done, and the entire experience was extremely enjoyable. I highly recommend this movie for anyone who ever had a romantic bone in their body, ever loved a fairy tale, or ever dreamed of Ireland.

Fell In Love with It!!
I absolutely love this movie...I happened to catch some of it when it was airing on the Sci-Fi Channel and just had to buy the DVD...Whoopi brings her comedy to the movie and the love story Daniel Betts (Mickey Muldoon) and Caroline Carver(Princess Jessica) capitivates all of us with that hopeless romantic bug in us. It's a story that makes you want to fall in love and find that perfect someone. I would recommend this movie to anyone and guarantee that they will become a fan...in two words LOVE IT! and I wish I could find a guy like Mickey!!

Fantastic Fantasy
This movie is by far one of the best fantasy films available today. Exceptional fun for the entire family. How many movies can we really say that about anymore?

The best since The Wizard of Oz!
Ok, this has got to be my all time favorite movie! It captivates you with it's two love stories, one in wich involves a fairy and a leprechaun! You'll fall in love with Ireland and all of the folklore in it. You won't only be watching the movie, you'll be part of it! I love this movie so much i just bought it on dvd here on amazon.com! You have to see this movie, and when you do, you'll want to watch it over and over again!

wow this movie is amazing
wow i love this movie, literally. Besides the gorgeous scenery and good special effects, considering it was 1999 the movie has incredible actors and actresses. This movie has everything you want comedy, a love story worked in (actually 2), a "war", and also a bit of magic and fantasy. This movie's story line is well rounded and just amazing. I love it so much, the three hours of film is definitely worth it. haha. i watched it 4 times over a 5 day period once. a bit obsessive if you will. Aside from the story line the actors/actresses are spectacular. Daniel Betts who plays Mickey Muldoon is a great actor and most definitely HOTT! His forbidden love affair (in the movie of course) with Princess Jessica (Caroline Carver, who is also another amazing actress) is just wonderful. i mean i cant put it into words. haha i may be one of the only ones who are this obsessed(prolly not tho) BUT THE MOVIE IS AMAZING! I LOVE IT SO MUCH! haha well i HIGHLY recommend it so get it, you'll fall in love with it too, maybe not much as i have but you guaranteed to at least like it! ... Read more

Description

In 1970, 600,000 people came to the Isle of Wight to attend a music festival. At 2 A.M., August 30th, The Who appeared and gave one of the most memorable performances of their career.

LISTENING TO YOU: THE WHO AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT captures the only complete live performance of The Who's legendary rock opera "Tommy" ever recorded. It is also one of the last times the band played this classic album in its entirety on stage.

Track Listing:
1. Heaven And Hell
2. I Can't Explain
3. Young Man Blues
4. I Don't Even Know Myself
5. Water
6. Shakin' All Over
7. Spoonful/Twist And Shout
8. Summertime Blues
9. My Generation
10. Magic Bus
11. Overture
12. It's A Boy
13. Eyesight To The Blind (The Hawker)
14. Christmas
15. The Acid Queen
16. Pinball Wizard
17. Do You Think It's Alright
18. Fiddle About
19. Go To The Mirror
20. Miracle Cure
21. I'm Free
22. Tommy's Holiday Camp
23. We're Not Gonna Take It

BONUS FEATURE: An exclusive 30 minute interview with Pete Townshend!

RESTORED! REMIXED!! REMASTERED!!!
Under the expert supervision of Who guitarist Pete Townshend and director Murray Lerner, this historic film has been completely restored, remixed, and remastered to an astonishing level that needs to be seen and heard to be believed! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Paul Hogan, better known as Crocodile Dundee from the popular film series, takes on a new character. He's an outlaw named Lightning Jack Kane who'squick on the draw but not terribly bright. Jack's gang gets wiped out, leaving him to continue his bank robbing career alone... until, by chance, he takes hostage a young mute (Cuba Gooding Jr.) who decides he'd rather team up with Jack than be a put-upon store clerk for the rest of his life. Against his better judgment, Jack agrees, and they embark on a series of criminal escapades, bonding over bank heists, bar fights, jailbreaks, and women. The always lovely and charming Beverly D'Angelo plays Lana, a dance hall girl who's madly in love with Jack. Gooding is his usual exuberant self, even without words, and Paul Hogan is Paul Hogan. If you're a fan of his, you'll enjoy this movie, and if you're not, you probably aren't reading this review in the first place. Lightning Jack doesn't offer much in the way of historical recreation; this is a Disney-style old West, with women's underclothes that look like they came out of a Victoria's Secret catalog and some pretty 1990's haircuts. But the movie rambles along amiably. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Whole Family Liked This Western Comedy!
Yikes, some people just don't like Paul Hogan, do they? After seeing a surprisingly negative review of this movie when I logged on to buy the DVD, I decided to add my two cents. This is a VERY entertaining movie. It's well-paced, originally plotted and funny! Really. As the two heroes of the story fumbled their way through one sloppy crime after the other, I chuckled and looked forward to each new scene. This is not just for hardcore Western lovers. My mother enjoyed it, my kid loved it, my brother liked it, etc. That's why I'm buying it. Of course, I happen to like my westerns light -- think of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Quigley Down Under, Silverado, Support Your Local Sheriff, Shanghai Noon, etc. I give it 5 stars for being purely entertaining. (Made me go rent Crocodile Dundee. I liked that, too.)

THE 2ND WORST I'VE EVER SEEN!!!!!
The reason I say this is the 2nd worst is because Crododile Dundee in L.A. is the worst.After I saw this movie in the theater I swore off seeing anything with Paul Hogan again,and the woman I was dating at the time,who liked the movie when we saw it was booted faster than lightning,jack.The plot is terrible as are the actors,sets,sound and directing.I had reasonably expected Cuba Gooding JR. to play a decent role since he had a few good parts under his belt but his deaf,mute character was ridiculous.I had thought at the time this poor guy had just killed his career but I am glad I was wrong.He has since put this behind him and went on to achieve an Oscar while Paul Hogan still bumbles around like a wallaby with a hangover from drinking to much Foster's Lager.If you want to see Cuba at his best see him Pearl Harbor in a small but pivotal role or Jerry Maguire or the upcomung Rat Race.If you want to see Paul Hogan at his best he's probably on a cancelled Austrailian postage stamp .

One of the most entertaining comedy/westerns
If you like western or comedy movies, you will probably like "Lightning Jack." Paul Hogan stars as Lightning Jack, a cowboy that is famous for craftily robbing banks. He is one of the most wanted criminals in the country. Cuba Gooding, Jr. is a mute that later tries to team up with Lightning Jack and become a successful robber and cowboy in his own right. That's when the movie gets a lot better and more interesting. It will keep you interested throughout the movie so you can find out if Lightning Jack will remain successful at robbing banks across America or if he'll get caught. The movie also has a lot of funny parts that make it even better.

Excellent western movie.
Good movie about an australian american outlaw [Hogan] named Jack who's gang gets shot up, and in need of help, accepts a black mute orphan to help him out. While Jack is trying to get a reputation in the U.S. as a mean cold blooded killer, the mute orphan barely knows how to fire a gun and ends up slowing them up, until Jack teaches him what being an outlaw is all about. If you liked Crocodile Dundee, you'll really like Lightning Jack. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Unavailable at all for nearly three decades, then issued in a VHS edition in 1996, the Rolling Stones' legendary Rock and Roll Circus finally gets the full treatment with this DVD release documenting the 1968 event. The Stones were reportedly unhappy with their performance (hence the long delay), and it isn't their finest moment; performing "Jumping Jack Flash" and a variety of songs from their then-new Beggars Banquet album, Keith Richards is game, but Jagger's preening (especially on "Sympathy for the Devil") is over the top, and guitarist Brian Jones looks dissolute and well on his way to his death the following year. A certain weirdness permeates some of the other musical acts as well: Jethro Tull lip-syncs unconvincingly, Taj Mahal and band were obliged to perform before the circus set was completed and the audience had arrived, and John Lennon's outing with impromptu supergroup the Dirty Mac (with Richards, Eric Clapton, and drummer Mitch Mitchell) is hampered by Yoko Ono's caterwauling, although their version of the Beatles' "Yer Blues" is cool. Still, the Who are brilliant, Marianne Faithfull is beautiful, the various circus acts are fun, and the crowd clearly loves it.

The DVD comes with some fascinating bonus features, including three extra songs by Mahal, some lovely classical piano by Julius Katchen, and a "quad split-screen" version of "Yer Blues." Best of all are a new interview with the Who's Pete Townshend and the various commentary tracks added for the DVD--especially those by Tull's Ian Anderson, director Michael Lindsay-Hogg, and Stones Jagger, Richards, and Bill Wyman (who dryly attributes Jagger's reluctance to issue the show to his dissatisfaction with his own performance, not the band's). Flaws notwithstanding, this is a treat. --Sam Graham ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Worth seeing just for The Who
This tape is worth buying just for The Who's performance of "A Quick One While He's Away", which has got to be one of the greatest live performances of a single rock song ever. Unfortunately, it's followed by Yoko Ono's impersonation of a rusty fence as well as a poor performance by the Stones. "Jumpin' Jack Flash" sounds like it's being played in slow motion, and on "Sympathy for the Devil", an obviously full-of-himself Mick Jagger seems to be more interested in mugging for the cameras then he does in actually performing the song. I've always thought the Stones were one of the most overrated live acts in rock; and after watching them follow the Who here, it's easy to see why Jagger did not want to release the tapes.

Anyway, besides The Who, there also some good performances by Jethro Tull(although I've read that their performance of "A Song for Jeffrey" is not entirely live?) and The Dirty Mac(John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards & Mitch Mitchell deliver a fine performance of "Yer Blues" before being joined by Yoko Ono and violin player Ivry Gitlis; it's amusing to watch Gitlis smirk as Yoko screeches over the top of their jamming). Marianne Faithful and Taj Mahal also perform, but frankly I found them both to be forgettable.

Aside from the performances, I think this tape is interesting as a snapshot of the time(December, 1968). You get to see a number of rock legends in their prime, and even though not all of them deliver great performances, it's still fascinating to watch.

Not Much Of A Circus For The Stones
What suprises the most is the lackluster performance of the Stones in "Rock and Roll Circus." Far more interesting is Jethro Tull's performance with Ian Anderson prefiguring the grunge look by 25 years in his long overcoat, wild hair and beard. Tull's unique jazz/blue/celtic/rock fusion has held up quite well over the years. Taj Mahal's earthy performance with his electric blues band is riveting, but future heroin causality Jesse "Ed" Davis looks pallid despite his sizzling slide and lead guitar. The Who rule the "Rock and Roll Circus" with an inspired rendition of "A Quick One" complete with a turbo charged performance by Keith Moon where he mugs it up and breaks (by my count) five or six sets of drumsticks. The Stones hit the stage to close the show and it's jarring to see a lackluster perfomance from the world's greatest rock and roll band. They all look fatigued and Brian Jones looks like he's just waiting for someone to write his obituary. This was a very bad time in Rolling Stones land. It turned out to be Brian's last performance in public with the Stones.

For over twenty years the Stones kept "Rock and Roll Circus" from being seen, apparently Mick Jagger was incensed that the Who's inspired anarchy eclipsed the Stones performance....the Who and nearly everyone else managed to outshine the phoned in performance by the Stones, except for Keith, who's rowdy guitar antics can't breathe life into the band. The following year I saw the revitalized Stones touring with Mick Taylor replacing the deceased Brian Jones on guitar. The Stones made it through the dark days of "Rock and Roll Circus" and managed to outlast the Who as the most enduring sixties band, but this performance was a pretty somber affair for the boys. My final reaction to the film was how many of the talented musicians in "Rock and Roll Circus" would be claimed tragically over the next few years. It is still hard for me to watch John Lennon's dazzling energy and often absurd brillance in the film and not shed a tear for his senseless death.

Rock and Roll Circus
As somone who wasn't born when this was filmed it was interesting seeing them and the other 60s artists as they were at that time.

Enjoyed Dirty Mac the most (would have preferred it if they left Yoko's wailing out of the second track). The Who were good. The Stones were ok.

One for the collector.

Good music, but you'll wear out the FF skipping the "circus"
Like so many legendary rock rumors, this show has a hard time living up to the expectations that have built up in its absence. You can now view it to see our Sixties heroes, young and smooth and clear-eyed, in this souvenir of Swinging London in 1968. For that alone this show is worth the purchase price.

The best bits of this are also the funniest. Tony Iommi, the future Black Sabbath guitar god, appears in the Jethro Tull lineup, in a floppy white hippie hat, miming on his Strat to Mick Abraham's dobro part in "Song for Jeffrey". He looks like he's gonna die of mortification. Ian Anderson looks spotty, woolly and ramshackle, and sings in a slurry delta blues accent. His vocal and flute are allegedly the only "live" part on this performance of that song.

The next best thing is The Who, powering through the long story-song A Quick One. I was disappointed that the video had no extra tracks from them, as I have seen photos of them in different costume from the Circus, playing what must have been a different song. Maybe for the DVD...

The Stones are okay, not thrilling, but not so poor that it warranted shelving the projected for nearly thirty years. Brian Jones looks dead on his feet, but everyone else seems fine. Keef, ironically enough, is the liveliest one of the lot, by the time the marathon show ended taping.

The circus bits are piffle, and the other performers are filler, though The Dirty Mac is worth watching at least once. Yoko Ono is...oh, I should just leave the fish in the barrel alone, I guess. Avant garde didn't get much more avant than it was in the Sixties. Short verdict: buy it, and enjoy the way they were, if not always they way they did it.

Truly amazing film for fans of Who, John Lennon, Jethro Tull
This film is more for fans of the Who, Lennon, Tull or for lovers of the swinging sixties than it is for the Stones. The Stones performance was somewhat lackluster, they seem tired and stoned!

BUT this film really caught me by surprise and is one of my favorite in my entire collection... I bought it to see the Stones only to find out that it contained a performance of "Yer Blues" by John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix Experience)!!! The interview of John Lennon by Mick Jagger is very interesting -- John is sarcastic as ever.

Also, the song by the Who (A Quick One) is fantastic and captures the truly live feel and charisma of the Who complete with a typically clumsy and aggressive Townsend slamming his arm into a boom mike while doing a windmill on the guitar!!!

Jethro Tull hams it up as a psycho hillbilly freak... fans of his will love "Song for Jeffery".

Taj Mahal turns in a great, soulful performance of "Ain't That a lot of Love".

One thing that was kind of sad is that so many of the talented people on this film are now dead. Just about every band represented here had one or two members who died from heroin or some other drug. But that does make the tape that much more poignant.

The tape does have a few dull moments, the most painful being Yoko Onos "performance" with the supergroup I mentioned above in a separate jam called "Whole Lotta Yoko". You can't fast forward because the underlying jam is so compelling, so you just sit there and suffer.

If you like any of the bands mentioned herein, this film is a must see!!! ... Read more

Description

Winner of a 2004 Parents' Choice Silver Honor Award ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Money well spent!!!! Highly recommended!!!!
I am so happy we found this video! Our daughter, 16 months, loves it. She will move her arms like the wheels on the bus to let me know she wants to watch it (which is daily). She has also learned how to say "sh-sh-sh" with her finger to her lips and so many other things. The locations that they visit are perfect for early learning and the songs are fun to sing. Highly reccomended!!!!

Fabulous children's dvd!!!
My sister gave us this dvd as a gift for our 2 1/2 yr old daughter. She absolutley loves this! She sings and dances to it with such enthusiasm. How refreshing to have a video worthy of our child's attention! She even asked us to take her on a bus so that she could sing with a monkey!!! This video encourages speach development in a musical manner. The characters are endearing and mesmerizing. This has actually surpassed the Baby Einstein videos, as far as I am concerned! I look forward to more to come!

Excellent Children's DVD!
Our 18 month old screams for the "Bus Video." We play it everyday and find ourselves singing to it when it's not on. We've given this DVD to our friends and family with kids from 6 months to 6 years old - everyone loves it!

5 stars from mother of 5
The sweet songs and gentle characters on the Wheels on the Bus Video keep my kids entertained, even after 15+ viewings. I got this as a Christmas gift and it has really passed my test as a mother of young children. I hope they make a sequel to it.

My oldest, 8, likes the songs. My 5 year old enjoys seeing the Pacific Aquarium sealife. The four year old and 2 and a half year old really enjoy both the farm as well as the party sequences. Even my 18 month old son climbs into a chair to watch the whole story of how Mango and Papaya ride the bus in search of their home.

The 33 minute time length is perfect for helping a busy mom finish short tasks while avoiding an hour an a half feature length interruption to a toddler's day.

No coarse language or rap music. Characters are all polite and exhibit good manners. And the whole thing is done with gentle fun suitable for even the youngest viewer. This is a good, safe video for little ones.

happy kids, happy folks
The kids never lose attention, singing along, laughing and totally captivated by this lively, fun journey. There is so much knowledge in this video, cleverly presented to every kids most recognized song! As "The Wheels On The Bus" rolls on it's daily route, adults realize the slick combination of animation & real life has taken us along through lessons on nutrition, sea life, animals & fun! YOUR KIDS WILL LOVE THIS VIDEO & SO WILL YOU! ... Read more

Description

Created especially for television, this version of John Gay's "The Beggar's Opera" captures the quality and satiric edge of the Hogarth engravings which influenced Gay's original version. The characters of this highly-spirited comedy of London's lowlife thrive on thieving, lechery and deceit. Starring Bob Hoskins and Roger Daltrey of The Who, "The Beggar's Opera" is one of the great seminal works of British musical theatre and has achieved staggering success continuously since its first performance in 1728. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A near perfect performance
I'm fairly familiar with both the period when the Beggar's Opera was written and with the popular tunes it is based on. Its only real flaw is that Roger Daltrey is not the best singer for this type of music. It pays to know (or look up) the traditional lyrics used with the tunes, as Gay seems to have written his lyrics with reference to them (and the original audience would have known them). Comparison of both versions often reveals a satiric intent. There are many period jokes, such as when a lawyer who specializes in defending various types of thieves reads out a client list of pickpockets, houebreakers, etc. and the list includes "tailor." Tailors were often accused of appropriating some of the fabric provided by their clients and pretending it had been used up in the garment.

To me, at least, this was a very witty opera with lots of action as well as good music.

Excellent direction and performances
Although I understand the complaints about the dialogue being unintelligible, I actually thought the songs were very easy to understand. Both the singing and the general presentation of the music were excellent--John Eliot Gardner does a great job of music direction. I also agree that this is an excellent version to use in teaching; it's lively, thoughtful, virtually uncut, and offers some interesting interpretations. (Jonathan Miller diverges from the text at the end, but it is a thought-provoking divergence.) It's not a sugar-candy version of the Opera, but since the threat of death by hanging is a central element of the text, I don't see the gritty aspects of this performance as a problem.

A misconceived flop
Despite all that is praiseworthy about this production--sets, costumes, supporting roles--it misses John Gay's artistic intent by several thousand light years. Gay didn't write just another British working-class grumble about real or fancied oppression by everybody in sight, as this production has it. He crafted a sly, funny dig at the upper classes as aped by the lowest: outcasts, thieves and scalawags. Until Jonathan Miller's "rehabilitation" it was a very funny, even romantic, little piece. Anthony Powell, in his autobiography, dwells nostalgically on the charm it cast every time a new production was mounted every 20 years or so. Or at least did cast until this latest--which should finish it for good. It may be politically unimpeachable but artistically it is witless and mendacious.
The now unobtainable Olivier version, marred only by Lord Laurence's decision to sing his own part, may well be the last to respect Gay's original intent.

Miscast MacHeath
I agree entirely with the reviewer who said that this version is badly recorded. The words are unintelligible.

I have a further criticism. I don't believe the part of MacHeath should be played by a boy in such a foppish, effete manner. MacHeath is a bold highwayman and a charmer of the ladies. This young man could never fit that description.

It's a shame that the version of Beggar's Opera with Lawrence Olivier, produced in the 50's or 60's is not available on video.

Begging for words
This DVD leaves me with very mixed feelings. It is obvious that Jonathan Miller has directed a superb production with wonderful actors. But it is difficult to understand what is going on. I place the blame not on the almost 300-year-old language, nor on the delicious, low-class accents. The whole thing sounds like it was recorded in a vast, hyper-reverberant lavatory. A modern Hollywood blockbuster with the same sound engineering would be similarly unintelligible.

This is a major, important video of a major piece with a major director and impeccable cast. Let us hope that in the future a new release will feature improved sound, or at least subtitles (even though subtitles should be entirely unnecessary). Chances are that you have seen the entire cast in other projects and had no difficulty understanding them. Chances are you have seen some of the BBC Shakespeare series and had less trouble understanding the actors there.

Until the new release happens, you may have to settle for the lesser film (but at least intelligible) Mack the Knife, based roughly on the same story, and with Kurt Weill's delicious music. ... Read more