Daft Punk - Interstella 5555

Customer Reviews:

Best of two worlds.......2007-09-16

This dvd is an awesome buy. If you like Daft Punk and Anime, get it. If you like either one, get it. If you don't like either, this may change your mind.

When Daft Punk was morking on their album 'Discovery' the contacted one of their idols in animation, Leiji Mastumoto. Matsumoto is famous manga like 'Galxay Express 999' or anime 'Space Battleship Yamamoto". They wanted an animated story told through thier music. There is no spoken dialog during the whole film, just Daft Punks unique style of elctronic music and their lyrics. This pairing seems to work exceedingly well.

I actualy make fan music videos for some of my favorite anime an must say that this is very brilliant seeing somthing similar so professionaly done.

I call this best of both worlds because not only does it pair good elctronic music and great classic anime. It also joins some culture across the globe, Paris and Tokyo and gaining ground in the USA

Check it out, its welll worth it.

Ideal Symbiosis of Music and Anime.......2007-09-15

Director Kazuhisa Takenochi and Daft Punk have created a must-see video that combines the disctictive style of Daft Punk with eye pleasing Japanese animation. By themselves, each would hold their own in entertainment value. Together, it's a wonderful mixture of sci-fi and techno-pop. Must see (and hear).

Anime Daft Punk.......2007-09-11

This is one of my favorite movies I own, the DVD is the Discovery album set to animation with a really good story to go along with it. The entire movie just uses Daft Punks music there is no dialog or any other kind of music. The story, for the most part, is easy to understand if you just watch the movie from start to end. This really is a great buy if you're a fan of Daft Punk. To be honest I put this DVD on almost every night, it's great to watch and if you fall asleep you still have the great music of Daft Punk

Great movie... BRILLIANT SDTK!.......2007-07-29

Daft Punk is one of my favourite artist ever. they changed the game in house/dance music. DISCOVERY is one of my favourite LPs of all time. there was such a variety of music on the LP ranging from house to r&b to rock to funk that you cant label it just dance. when i saw the first 4 videos i didnt kno they were part of a movie. i finally bought the DVD and watched the entire thing and was hooked. there is no dialogue but you get so attached to each song/scene as the movie plays.

its just great how each scene going with the music that keeps you on the edge of your seat. my favourite song on the LP and my favourite scene in the movie is 'superheros'. i just love the was that they had the orchestra and the hero swooping down to save the aliens.

the only thing i did not like about the DVD is that the special features are hard to understand since they dont label them. so if you wanna watch the features then you HAVE to watch all of them just to know which one is which...

i recommmend this movie to anyone that loves a great anime with excellent music.

5 stars out of 5

Freedom from oppression and the power of Love - what more can you ask for?.......2007-07-03

As an adult who dislikes both anime and Techno music, I was vastly surprised by Interstella 5555. I viewed the first few videos on a popular video-sharing website, almost by accident. By the time I got through with installment 4 ["Digital Love"], I was completely and totally HOOKED. "OMG he CRASHED, oh no!... what now?!" One of the things that sets this DVD apart is how much and how quickly it makes you care about the characters. When was the last time you cared what happened to a character in a music video? I was doomed; I simply had to find out what happened, not to mention I wanted to see it in a more appropriate format, so I bought my own copy.

This saga of a kidnapped alien pop/rock band and the fan trying desperately to rescue them, no matter the cost to himself is a beautifully-done DVD with images that you will not quickly forget, people you will love and music that will stay in your head for days - if not weeks, and in this case, that is a positive thing. I think "brilliant" is not too strong a word for this project... and remember, that's coming from someone who has always hated anime. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

We Need a special Edition!
A thrilling thriller
Stand clear of the closing doors, and hang on!
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
Take this A Train

Taking of Pelham One Two Three
Starring: Walter Matthau , Robert Shaw , Martin Balsam , Hector Elizondo , and Earl Hindman
Director: Joseph Sargent
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0792843649
Release Date: 2000-02-29

Amazon.com essential video

Dog Day Afternoon. Annie Hall. Taxi Driver. In the pantheon of classic New York films, these three take pride of place. But there are, of course, others, some of which have fallen through the cracks over the years, criminally overlooked and unjustly relegated to commercial-riddled Saturday-afternoon TV broadcasts. Joseph Sargent's The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is just such a picture. This taut 1974 thriller about four armed men who highjack a New York City subway train and hold it and its passengers for ransom may be hopelessly dated (it's loaded with ethnic stereotypes, impossibly wide neckties, and bad hairdos--and there are no explosions!), but that's part of the fun. A gruffly sardonic Walter Matthau heads a fine cast that includes Jerry Stiller, Hector Elizondo, Martin Balsam, and a perfectly villainous pre-Jaws Robert Shaw. Think you'll find a better film that depicts a nearly broke city led by an inept mayor forced to deal with armed terrorists? Fuhgeddaboutit! --Steve Landau

Customer Reviews:

We Need a special Edition!.......2007-08-20

This is one of those films that it is so good but has not been able to acquire the DVD treatment it deserves!

Please if you have not viewed this film and love 70s thrillers please do yourself a favor... and don't buy it just yet rent it so you can buy the special edition when it finally comes out since I have been waiting since DVDs were created and became the mass market for movie viewers! :)

Juan

A thrilling thriller.......2007-07-24

This 70's thriller is an underrated film, more like 4.5 stars for me. With a good cast including Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw, taught direction, and a really good script.

There are a number of classic moments, and naturally with the film including Walter Matthau its not without some humourous moments. Perhaps most noteably after he insults some Japanese guests, who he thinks don't speak English...

The false names used by the villans in this film were the inspiriation for Quentin Tarantino's 'Reservoir Dogs'. It also has a classic music score by David Shire, which has one of the best movie themes of the 70's. Add this to its many other qualities and you have a great piece of entertainment which you will enjoy a lot.

Stand clear of the closing doors, and hang on!.......2007-07-24

I seen this movie back in the 70's as a young kid with my brother.
This movie was fantastic. Grabs you from the beginning, excites you in the middle, and
leaves you breathless at the end. Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw give an academy award
performence as the cat and mouse chase. Too bad they dont make movies as good as these
anymore.

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.......2007-07-06

Joseph Sargent's pulsating cat-and-mouse thriller gives off a potent seventies flavor, a time when the Big Apple was in fiscal crisis. Salty New York characters are in abundance, and dog-faced Matthau fits right in, effortlessly assuming the jaded, rumpled contours of veteran Manhattan cop. As Z's chief nemesis, Shaw's Mr. Blue is a study in contrasts: cold, sharp, organized, and ruthless. In a city already coming apart at the seams, can overextended authorities prevail over these audacious criminals?

Take this A Train.......2007-04-23

I was turned on to this movie after hearing David Shire's soundtrack from Jim Aquino's "Fistful of Soundtracks" internet station -- so I came to the movie wanting to get more music. I noticed that Hollywood is currently recycling the soundtrack for some goofy new crime movie (as of April 07) -- but here I get the music set to the original images.

One reviewer here compared it to the Diehard movies -- a good comparison. I told my wife it was it was Diehard without the action, more of a psychological test. The movie is extremely enjoyable for how it depicts criminals, the law, and the people caught inbetween -- specifically how New Yorkers circa the mid-70s were. There are many goofy jokes about gender and race that just reek of the movie's time (fortunately the film, at places, shows the ability to criticize itself for having those biases).

But the movie really works because, unlike the Diehard movies, you get this very local, very New York feel. Not only are the people racist or sexist -- they just about hate everyone they work with -- the antipathy every character shows makes this movie about a hijacked subway car work. People here do not lie down when pushed, and all of the characters (except for Shaw's brilliant British merc) have a ironic edge to most of what they say. Matthau and Stiller here work great together as a pair of transit detectives. And did I say the score is awesome?

Touch the Sound - A Sound Journey With Evelyn Glennie

Average customer rating:

Will open your eyes to what your ears often miss
Superb Inspiration
What a bore!!!!!
Listen Across The Border
Great film, BUT....

Touch the Sound - A Sound Journey With Evelyn Glennie
Starring: Evelyn Glennie , Fred Frith , and Jason the Fogmaster
Director: Thomas Riedelsheimer
Manufacturer: New Video Group
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000F0UUSM
Release Date: 2006-05-30

Amazon.com

Subtitled "A Sound Journey with Evelyn Glennie," German director Thomas Riedelsheimer's exquisite Touch the Sound is nominally a portrait of the Scottish musician known as "the first full-time solo percussionist." Glennie is certainly a fascinating subject. Profoundly deaf since childhood, she disdains the use of hearing aids and sign language, relying instead on lip reading and, more crucially, on the use of all of her senses, especially touch, to "hear" with her entire body. The film reveals Glennie's extraordinary skills in a variety of settings: playing a snare drum for bemused New Yorkers in cavernous Grand Central Station; improvising with guitarist Fred Frith in an empty warehouse in Cologne, Germany (their final vibes-guitar duet is one of the film's musical highlights); working with hearing-impaired students in her native Aberdeenshire; jamming with taiko drummers in Japan, and later delighting customers in a Tokyo bar with a spontaneous workout involving chopsticks, dishes, cans, and glassware (the woman can make music with virtually anything). But Riedelsheimer, who was also the film's editor and cinematographer, has a broader agenda here--namely, to intensify our awareness of the sounds that surround us everywhere, in every moment. From the streets of New York to the beaches of Santa Cruz, from the rocky Scottish coastline to a tranquil Japanese rock garden, he links heightened audio, as clear and natural as the best ECM recordings, to a succession of gorgeous visual images to create a balance of complex detail and overall sparseness, resulting in a kind of Zen feast. Even more of the same is found in a "making of" featurette that's the highlight of the bonus material, making Touch the Sound easily one of the most rewarding documentaries in recent years. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews:

Will open your eyes to what your ears often miss.......2007-08-24

I liked this. This documentary presents the concept of sound in a way those of us who can hear don't usually think about. Evelyn Glennie is a percussionist who is deaf - something you don't normally see. This video captures her work, her philosophy, her style in an easy to follow format. While deaf, Ms. Glennie can speak quite articulately, and one has no difficulty following what she is saying. Her love of her work is quite evident, and will, oddly enough, open your eyes to what our ears so often miss.

Children of a Lesser God

Superb Inspiration.......2007-08-14

This DVD is absolutely riveting. It's a true inspiration for anyone -- artists, musicians, writers. Evelyn Glennie's life is an inspiration and the film brilliantly tells us why.

What a bore!!!!!.......2007-08-07

I bought this movie from acorn media, and luckily they allow you to return it, which I did because it was just mind-numbing and tedious. The only redeeming part was a very small quip about her childhood, which the director should have developed on.

Yes we get it, sound is everywhere, and you can feel it in the vibrations. I don't need an entire movie to tell me this.

Listen Across The Border.......2007-07-31

This documentary is very much in the same style and aesthetic as "Step Across The Border," the 2003 documentary on Fred Frith. In fact Fred co-stars as he and Evelyn Glennie, the deaf percussionist, prepare tracks for a new album. Recorded all around the world, with at least three different hair colors, Glennie is a mesmerizing presence, attuned to sounds and rhythms that most of us pass over unconsciously. She gives quiet lessons in participating in life -- in accommodating so-called handicaps -- in striking out in new directions -- and in being connected to the instrument of your body.

Thought provoking, remarkably filmed and a damn sight more interesting musically than any of her CDs!

Great film, BUT...........2007-07-25

I find it odd that this video does not contain the almost ubiquitous DVD subtitles. Especially as this video would probably be of particular interest to hearing-impaired musicians.

Average customer rating:

New Favorite Director
Pop music kills!
Suicide Club
Something Stirs Beneath the Surface
What feardotcom shoulda been

Suicide Club (Suicide Circle)
Starring: Ryo Ishibashi , Akaji Maro , Masatoshi Nagase , Saya Hagiwara , and Hideo Sako
Director: Sion Sono
Manufacturer: TLA Releasing
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Horror | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

Independently Distributed | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0000CC885
Release Date: 2003-11-18

Description

A wave of unexplainable suicides sweeps across Tokyo after 54 smiling high school girls join hands and throw themselves from a subway platform into an oncoming train. Are the jumpers part of a cult? What is the connection to the website that chronicles suicides...before they happen? And, what is the connection to the Japanese all-girl pop group "Desert?" Suicide Club is a stylish, bizarre thriller that examines pop culture and disaffected youth.

Customer Reviews:

New Favorite Director.......2007-08-24

Sion Sono's "Suicide Club" is a riveting film, unlike anything I've seen. It has a sprawling horrific wackiness throughout and a plotline that will keep you guessing passed the end of the movie. I think I have seen some criticism of the message being too obscure, but if you watch it a few times it will start to become more clear. Those are the kind of movies I like, though. If you like horror, films that differ from the norm, and you like the challenge of ambiguous endings, you should check out "Suicide Club".

Pop music kills!.......2007-05-15

I've watched this movie twice now and its really not as weird or hard to understand as some of the other reviewers have said. Its actually really simple, people are so involved with trends and fads now that they've lost touch with who they really are, and the extremes(suicide)they will go to fit in. Good gore and good satire make this movie something special. Pop music is dangerous.

Suicide Club.......2007-05-15

This movie was an interesting one. It wasn't exactly what I expected but had an interesting plot. In a few spots it got a bit confusing but I was able to put most of it together in the end. Certainly recommended but not at a high price!

Something Stirs Beneath the Surface.......2007-05-02

Throughout the movie there's an epidemic of unexplained individual and mass suicides. The Tokyo police department tries to unearth the common thread between these tragedies only to be lead about by vague clues and an ever increasing complexity to the apparent suicides. At this point if you take this film at face value you're probably going to think it sucks because from basically the first 15 minutes of the film to the end more questions are going to be created than answered. I'm still pondering what the film was really about but I think that's what the intention of the director/writer was. It's not a movie necesarilly about closure and telling a story but more of a big "What if" kind of movie. It poses a series of questions to the viewer and only uses the movie as a vessel in which to deliver these queries.

I'm not going to go on here anymore because it's a hard movie to put in to words. I think it's meaning and quality are drastically going to change depending on the viewer. If you like movies that challenge you to think than I couldn't urge you to watch this movie more and I'll leave it at that.

What feardotcom shoulda been.......2007-05-01

This is what feardotcom shoulda been IMHO. The ending, without giving anything away, was wholly unexpected and something you'd expect from manga or anime. The concept of children being evil is not new to the big screen, or small screen (I'm thinking in particular of Serling's Twilight Zone with the child that wishes everything his* way), but one incorporating the internet/BBS'es (yes, I'm that* old LOL) is...and adds to the whole creepiness of the film. Several American movies have had similar plots to this, but the whole feeling I had while watching it was that of an anime with live characters -- especially the end (which I won't reveal). Personally this is a movie that I won't be ready for watching again for at LEAST 5 years; it was that* creepy -- though I'm glad I did* watch it, it belongs up there with the new wave of Japanese masterpieces IMHO. It's VERY intense.

Average customer rating:

Blends Animated Cuteness, Magic, And Harsh Realism In Another Studio Ghibli Masterpiece
Put this DVD in your pouch!
Full of Japanese Folk Tales Involved
Yeah, But Did I Mention the Raccoon Scrota?
Imaginative fantasy tale from Ghibli.

Pom Poko
Starring: Kokondei Shinchou , Makoto Nonomura , Yuriko Ishida , Norihei Miki , and Nijiko Kiyokawa
Director: Isao Takahata
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Animation | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video

All Disney Titles | Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment | Stores | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0009MAO3W
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Amazon.com

Isao Takahata's outré ecological fable Pom Poko was the no. 1 domestic film in Japan in 1994, and the first animated feature to be submitted for the Oscar for Foreign Language Film. In 1967, the raccoons in the Tama Hills find their homes are threatened with destruction when developers turn the rural area into suburbs. Under the leadership of their tribal elders the animals fight back with every resource at their disposal. Raccoons are shape-shifters in Japanese folk tales, and the members of this tribe can transform into objects, other creatures and even humans.

Unlike Takahata's deeply moving The Grave of the Fireflies, Pom Poko (the sound made by thumping the tummy of a comfortably full raccoon) is a broad comedy. The raccoons' efforts to understand humans, their evocations of traditional ghost stories to frighten construction crews, and their internecine quarrels offers plenty of laughs. But the story rambles, and the characters lack the depth needed to sustain the audience's interest until the film's belated, downbeat conclusion. The extras include Takahata's storyboards, which are interesting, but lack the magic of Hayao Miyazaki's drawings on other Studio Ghibli discs. Note: male raccoons have prominent testicles, which are shown in Japanese art, including the designs for Pom Poko. When the characters grow desperate, they swell their scrotums to enormous size and use them as weapons. (Rated PG, Parental Guidance Suggested: violence, scary images and thematic elements) --Charles Solomon

Description

Walt Disney Home Entertainment Presents A Studio Ghibli Film. POM POKO is a tale of the clash between modern civilization and the natural world. The Raccoons of the Tama Hills are being forced from their homes by the rapid development of houses and shopping malls. As it becomes harder to find food and shelter, they decide to band together and fight back. The Raccoons practice and perfect the ancient art of transformation until they are even able to appear as humans. In often hilarious ways, the Raccoons use their powers to try to scare off the advancement of civilization. But will it be enough? Or will the Raccoons learn how to live in balance with the modern world? Celebrate the magic of the forest and the beauty of the creatures who live among us in POM POKO — on DVD for the first time ever.~(c)1994 Hatake Jimusho · GNH (c)Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc.~~

Customer Reviews:

Blends Animated Cuteness, Magic, And Harsh Realism In Another Studio Ghibli Masterpiece.......2007-03-28

"Pom Poko", aka "The Raccoon War", is the story of various clans of raccoons in a region of Japan who, pressed for space and food as their world continues to disappear under the wheels of human 'progress', take to fighting each other for survival and later teaming up to resist the human encroachment. These raccoons morph back and forth from realistic-looking quadrupeds to stubby, Ewok-like bipeds with clothes and primitive weapons as the story demands, and it never seems the least contrived. More advanced shapeshifting is a more difficult skill to acquire, one known to foxes and a select few raccoons.

The raccoons are often cute and playful, their efforts to disrupt human demolition and construction often falls into what can best be descibed as 'hi-jinks'. And though the movie is, thus, tender and funny a lot of the times, most of the time that's a veneer masking a much grimmer story, one that sometimes takes center stage. "Pom Poko" is anime, and one of the things that means is that no amount of lovability or animated cuteness on the part of the film's protagonists guarantees a happy ending. The raccoons aren't just 'miffed' in a cartoonish way - they, and the other woodland creatures are starving and in danger of dying out. There are both whimsical and darker fantastic elements in their campaign of resistance against the humans: their 'poltergeist' hauntings on the construction sites, the 'parade of phantasms' in a major Japanese city, etc. But the story of envirornmental devastation being told is very real, and there are real consequences in the movie: both raccoons and humans sometimes meet with unfortunate fates. Eventually a breed of foxes who have given up their 'fox status' and shapeshifted to survive by permanently living as humans enters the fray, along with some very old, very powerful, magical raccoons. The array of choices available to the protagonist 'main' racoons increases, but each one has its drawbacks. The animation is, as usual for Studio Ghibli, a triumph of imagination.

In an interesting twist, at one point one of the main raccoons actually addresses the viewers of "Pom Poko" directly, apparantly seeking in particular to grab the attention of young tots. It may be a wise move on the raccoon's part to seek the attention of the generations that will one day have power; the generations that have power now and have had for the last decades have, despite some encouraging signs of late, not really amassed the best track records.

"Pom Poko" is many things - hilarious, lovable, fierce, globally relevant, tragic, triumphant and more. Parts may be too intense for very young viewers (the also-excellent "Once Upon A Forest" raises some of the same issues but does it in a way less likely to really frighten, say, a three year-old. And like "Pom Poko", "Once Upon A Forest" is great for older ages too) who will likely be attracted by the comedic charm of the box art - you should watch it with your young children when they see it the first time. Other than that - which really isn't a minus; it can't make its point if there's always a safety net - this is an outstanding movie for everybody. A Studio Ghibli marker might just be the greatest assurance of excellence you can look for on a movie.

Put this DVD in your pouch!.......2007-03-13

Pom Poko, the ninth feature-length animated movie produced by Japan's Studio Ghibli, is a brilliantly-made film with a powerful message of how man's progress can sometimes impact nature in harmful ways.

The raccoons ("tanuki" in Japanese) of the Tama Hills are suffering from the encroachment of human civilization (in the form of new suburbs of Tokyo) into their habitats, so they decide to fight back. Fortunately, the tanuki are one of the animal species in Japanese legend with the power to change shape. They can replicate inanimate objects, other animals and even people. The raccoons must learn to effectively use their abilities to dissuade the humans from destroying their homes.

Isao Takahata - a colleague and mentor of the masterful Hayao Miyazaki - created a moving film that runs the full gamut of emotions; there are a lot of funny moments, but other scenes will definitely tug hard at your heartstrings. Though the tanuki have these fantastic powers, their plight and anguish feel quite real... and the ending of the movie certainly reflects reality as well. By the way, Tama New Town is a real place - built in the hills southwest of central Tokyo in the 1960's.

The English dub is quite close to the original Japanese script (with a few cultural allowances), and the English voice actors did an excellent job.

I would probably not recommend this film for really young children as there is quite a bit of death and violence associated with the raccoon struggle, and a tiny bit of implied birds-and-bees stuff. The English dub creatively skirts around a sensitive issue related to the raccoons' reproductive organs. If your children are old enough to understand the larger environmental message, however, I would have no reservations showing them this magical film.

Full of Japanese Folk Tales Involved.......2007-01-16

In Japanese folk tales Tanuki or racoon dogs are believed to trick people in a mischivous manner. Takahata-san with the support of Miyazaki(Konchou Daimyoujin a tanuki god from Awa, Shikoku borrows the self-image of him I guess) puts out ecology-motivated film somewhat parodical of Naussica and Castle In The Sky with similar poignant message. Since MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO Takahata/Miyazaki team tries to bring back Japanese nomadic landscape seriously in danger of destruction by current development. Unlike Naussica and Castle In The Sky this work gets more to the point. Racoon dogs are now being deprived of the home by housing development and they work together to revenge human and try to stop the development. Takahata gives the poor racoons the every idea and folk legends to fight against humans. Japanese scenary was vividly recreated by the hands of kazuo Oga known by the brilliant works in Totoro and Mononoke. The story reminds me a bit of The Planet of Apes series and lost effort by radical activists trying to stop Narita Airport back in 70s and 80s. Overall it is well-crafted ecology-motivated movie and very fun as well. Tama hills area used for this film is used again as the location of Whisper Of The Heart. I just hope Shizuku can find the remaining tanukis.

Verdict: Fun movie yet with clear message
Rating: 87 out of 100
Recommended for: Essential for Kazuo Oga scenary work fans who love Mononoke and Totoro. And wide range of movie fans.

Yeah, But Did I Mention the Raccoon Scrota?.......2006-08-12

Pom Poko is the story of a group of tanuki ("raccoon-dogs" that feature in Japanese culture, and have a mythic ability to shapeshift) who fight back against the encroachments of developing Tokyo. The moral of the story is: work with nature, not against it. You know. Like every other movie out of this studio.

If this were a western cartoon, most of the reviews of this movie would tell you the following:

That this movie is cute, but very slowly paced.
That it is repetitive. (The tanuki rebel. Celebrate. Learn that the humans haven't given up yet. Mourn. Decide to rebel again. Repeat ad nauseum.)
That many of the characters kind of blend together.
That the movie is too preachy; not subtle enough.
That using a gigantic scrotum as a bludgeon is just plain weird.

However, people don't say these things because this isn't a western cartoon. It is anime, and anime gets a special pass. When there's something that is confusing in anime, we assume that it accounts to translation issues, or cultural backgrounds, and can't possibly be the fault of the writers. I will grant that tanukis are known for their large genitalia in Japanese culture; however, using one's scrotal sack as a parachute is odd no matter where you're born.

I don't mean to say that this is an awful film. It's cute (great animation), if too slow. But don't be fooled by those who insist that everything that comes out of Japan is genius (let alone Studio Ghibli, which is sacrosanct). Some anime is good, some is bad, some is in-between. This movie falls to the latter category.

Imaginative fantasy tale from Ghibli........2006-05-17

Magical badger-Raccoon creatures who can change into anything or anyone begin to feel that their forest is being damaged by humans whom are doing land development, the creatures begin to take drastic measure even other forms including on human form to stop the developers.

Fascinating and intriguing animated fantasy-comedy-drama from Studio Ghibli that is produced and story by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki and from the director of "Grave of the Fireflies" Isao Takahta. This movie has spectacular animation with some original interesting ideas based on a Japanese myth of magic raccoons blended with a Eco-protection message in the film to make it a one of a kind animated feature like you'd expect from Studio Ghibli, although the dubbed version with the voices of Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Maurice LaMarche and Clancy Brown ("Spongebob Squarepants" and " Shawshank Redemption") is good but the Japanese dub's better with the subs.

This 2-Disc DVD special edition has good picture and quality sound with both the English and Japanese language tracks with subtitles and the only extras are Trailers, TV spots and full length storyboards, it's still a must have if your into animation.

Jack Johnson - A Weekend At The Greek & Live In Japan [2 DVD]

Average customer rating:

Such a great DVD
If you like Jack Johnson...
Soul-Soothing Jack Delivers
A must buy !
Dissapointing, and I'm a fan!

Jack Johnson - A Weekend At The Greek & Live In Japan [2 DVD]
Starring: Jack Johnson
Manufacturer: Umvd Labels
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

( J ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000BRBAOC
Release Date: 2005-11-22

Product Description

Disc 1: A Weekend at the Greek

In Between Dreams Medley
Never Know
Taylor
Sitting Waiting Wishing
Flake
Breakdown
Bubble Toes
Staple It Together
If I Could
Rodeo Clowns
Mudfootball (For Moe Lerner)
Fall Line
No Other Way
Better Together

Disc 2: Live in Japan

Banana Pancakes
Gone
It's All Understood
Cookie Jar
Pirate at 40
Heading Home (w/Donavon)
Wasting Time
Horizon Has Been Defeated/Bad Fish (Live w/Money Mark)
The News
Inaudible Melodies
Times Like These

System Requirements:
This two DVD set includes two separate films, Live in Japan (shot in August 2004 at the end of the On & On tour) and A Weekend at the Greek (shot on August 19th & 20th, 2005 at Berkeley's famed Greek Theatre during the In Between Dreams tour). Both films blend concert performances with intimate interviews and behind the scenes footage as well as over 30 minutes of bonus material. Live in Japan captures Jack's band in its original trio form, with Bassist Merlo Podlewski and drummer Adam Topol touring Japan performing selections from Brushfire Fairytales and On and On. The film features guest appearances by Money Mark and Donavon Frankenreiter. Shortly after the completion of the Japan tour, the band convened in the Mango Tree Studio to record their most recent album In Between Dreams, with Zach Gill from Animal Liberation Orchestra (ALO) adding piano and accordion. A Weekend at The Greek, filmed over two nights at one of the band s favorite venues, captures the expanded sound of this four piece lineup as well as sit ins from the growing Brushfire Records family: G.Love, ALO, Money Mark and Matt Costa.

Format: DVD VIDEO

Customer Reviews:

Such a great DVD.......2007-08-11

I missed the concert for some stupid reason and have regreted ever since. Very worth buying.

If you like Jack Johnson..........2007-03-08

If you are a huge Jack Johnson fan, you will LOVE this dvd. It has tons of songs on it, with some extra stuff which is fun to watch. I 100000% recommend this!!

Soul-Soothing Jack Delivers.......2007-01-14

Take a peak into the life of the gracefully talented Jack Johnson. Bios on musician friends and Jack's personal tales mark the musical contribution he is making. I continue to be impressed by his message, his personal character and his grateful humility. This DVD will give his supportive fans a clearer view of this truly wonderful person with brilliant singer/songwriting prowess.

A must buy !.......2007-01-10

The Greek theater in Berkeley is a special place - sorry to have missed that concert - this DVD is the next best thing - a must buy !

Dissapointing, and I'm a fan!.......2006-12-21

Well, I've fallen in love with Jack Johnson's music couple of months ago and I really LOVE album In Between Dreams, heard it probably fifty times already. So I went and bought this DVD hoping it would be something special, just like JJ's music. But I could not believe! This is NOT a concert show, this is just a documentary with songs in between! What sense does it make to interupt the song line just to tell viewers things that could easily be put in a separate chapter on a DVD? Are you looking forward to hear JJ's best hit Sitting, Waiting, Wishing? Go on then! After one minute, this song is interupted by JJ's explanation of how was video for this song made! Then you go back to the song but guess what - not where it stopped before but almost to the end!
Well, some songs are good, I must admit - loved Banana Pancakes, No Other Way and Better Together.
I'm giving 2 stars only because I love his music so much but I don't think I'm gonna watch this DVD again.
If you want to see what a concert DVD should look like go for David Gray - Live At the Point, but the best one out there is definetely Seal In Paris - that's by far the best thing I've seen.

Average customer rating:

Deeply moving!
A dishonest portrayal of war's brutality
The Burmese Harp
One of the very best antiwar films ever made
New Harp

Burmese Harp - Criterion Collection
Starring: Rentaro Mikuni , Shôji Yasui , Jun Hamamura , Taketoshi Naitô , and Kô Nishimura
Director: Kon Ichikawa
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

All | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000M2E3FY
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Amazon.com

Kon Ichikawa's Buddhist tale of peace, The Burmese Harp, is universally relevant in various eras and cultures, although it comments specifically on the destruction of Burma during World War II. Based on the novel by Michio Takeyama, The Burmese Harp stars a Japanese platoon stationed in Burma whose choir skills are inspired by their star musician, Private Mizushima (Rentaro Mikuni), who strums his harp to cheer the homesick soldiers. As the troop surrenders to the British and is interred in Mudon prison camp, Mizushima escapes to be faced with not only his imminent death, but also the deaths of thousands of other soldiers and civilians. Relinquishing his life as a military man, Mizushima retreats into a life of Buddhist prayer, dedicating himself to healing a wounded country. Filmed in black and white, strong visual contrasts heighten the divide between peace, war, life, and death in this highly symbolic film. Scenes in which the Japanese soldiers urge opposing forces to sing with them portray military men regardless of alliance as emotionally sensitive. Showing the humanistic aspects of war, such as the male bonding that occurs between soldiers, doesn't justify war as much as deepens its tragedy. This release includes interviews with the director and with Mikuni, further contextualizing its place in Japanese cinema. The Burmese Harp, with its lessons in compassion and selflessness, is so transformative that viewing it feels somewhat akin to a religious experience. --Trinie Dalton

Description

An Imperial Japanese Army regiment surrenders to British forces in Burma at the close World War II and finds harmony through song. A corporal, thought to be dead, disguises himself as a Buddhist monk and stumbles upon spiritual enlightenment. Magnificently shot in hushed black and white, Kon Ichikawa's The Burmese Harp is an eloquent meditation on beauty coexisting with death and remains one of Japanese cinema's most overwhelming antiwar statements, both tender and brutal in its grappling with Japan's wartime legacy.

Customer Reviews:

Deeply moving! .......2007-09-15

There are many good reviews here so I won't go into the plot. I just want to add my vote of 5 stars (wish I could give it more)to this beautiful film. This is a movie that isn't just well made, but the sentiments are important. In an interview that is included on the disk, the director says that he felt it was a mission, like a divine imperative, that he make this film. He answered the "call" magnificently and has produced a work of art that will touch hearts for a long time.

The two main actors are wonderful to watch. They are both physically beautiful and have a simplicity and sincerity that is precious (and rare).

Despite the fact that the story takes place in the midst of human misery, there is the saving grace of beauty, in the splendid devotional art of the Buddhist culture and the music! The singing of the men, in their deep Japanese voices and the gentle sound of the Burmese harp, are incredible. (I'm running out of words to express my reactions to this film.)

The plight of the isolated soldier who undergoes a different kind of suffering than his "brothers" do is almost exquisitely painful...the decision he faces, to return to everything and everyone he has loved, vs. his perceived duty to bury the dead is really agonizing. I was voting with the parrot, "Let's all go home together."

My only wish is that it could have been made in color.

I found the interviews with the director and one of the stars to be a wonderful extra treat. They are both in advanced years and show a sweetbess and gentleness that is an extention of the spirit of the film.

I was reminded of another heart felt film, Les Choristes, in which the dismal, painful setting of a French boarding school for delinquents, is transformed by one man who teaches them to sing. If you like this, check that out!

A dishonest portrayal of war's brutality.......2007-08-27

Despite its Buddhist trappings, The Burmese Harp is not a film about Buddhism or religion, but a film about responsibility and atonement to the _Japanese_ war dead. Director Kon Ichikawa may have wanted to make a film with universal themes, but the message that comes through is for a much narrower audience.

The film tells the story of a Japanese soldier cut off from his unit who has a transformative encounter with death. Stealing the robes of a monk to disguise himself, Mizushima struggles through a broken landscape to return to his unit, along the way encountering one grizzly corpse after another, sometimes piles of them, some being picked apart by carrion eaters. He tries to bury or cremate those he finds but there are so many he quickly exhausts himself. Stumbling into town, his life is changed after witnessing a British medical team bury an unknown Japanese soldier, a scene which crystallizes for him his duty to stay in Burma to inter the corpses of Japanese soldiers.

In its broad themes, the film is humanistic and universal. Love of music and home is shared by all humans. We all shy from death and suffering. But look closer and you find that Mizushima sees only Japanese corpses. His primary motivation for remaining in Burma is to bury _Japanese_ soldiers whose remains might otherwise be thrown into unmarked graves by the British or Burmese. But what of Burmese corpses? British corpses? Not a one to be seen, nor commented on. To what degree can one atone for participating in war without realizing that all sides suffer, not just your own?

This Criterion release features an interview with Rentaro Mikuni, who plays the unit captain, in which he mentions that he was himself stationed overseas during the war and was made to take bayonet practice on live animals as well as prisoners of war. Yet nothing like this kind of behavior is ever suggested in the film. There is no whiff of the brutality visited on the Burmese by Japan's Imperial Army. On the contrary, the Japanese soldiers are portrayed as rather happy go lucky lads caught in a bad situation, which pretty much continues to be the national attitude of Japan toward its war time experience.

The Burmese Harp is a hollow piece of work that depicts suffering without addressing the causes of suffering. For more forthcoming accounts of Japanese experiences of WWII, see Minoru Matsui's "Japanese Devils."

#

The Burmese Harp.......2007-06-26

Ichikawa's absorbing study of soldiers under fire was one of the first films in any country to explore the spiritual impact of war. Heightening the effect, on one hand, is his brilliant use of music, via the transporting strains of Mizushima's harp and the infantrymen's morale-building chorale singing, taught to them by Inouye. But the director also frames indelible images of war's horror, such as one famous image of corpses piled and strewn across a desolate beach. Still, Ichikawa's message is essentially a humanistic one, and "Harp" is a tender, often profound meditation on the best and worst aspects of our inner nature.

One of the very best antiwar films ever made.......2007-05-19

The tragedy and the devastation of war has been the theme of many films.
Some of these films were making a simplistic attempt to glorify war and create heroes while some others made a serious attempt to recognize the war as an inevitable part of humanity however inhumane it might be.
Some other films made an effort to condemn war and try to influence the future generations of the importance of reconciliation and the avoidance of such devastating conflicts.
In each and every war film, the directors were always confronted with the dilemma of impartiality while trying to remain close to reality and present a believable story that can keep the audience interested.
Some critics suggest that the Burmese Harp is the most outstanding anti war film ever made.
I will not go to that extend but I can recognize the incredible talent and ability of the director Kon Ichikawa to present a war theme film so early after the Second World War to an audience in Japan freshly dramatized by the highs of Imperial patriotism and aggression, the suffering of the devastation at home and the realization of defeat.
He has chosen the music as the binding force among soldiers who are already at the lowest of their fighting spirit.
This is a story of a company of Japanese soldiers in Burma at the end of the Second World War facing the unavoidable defeat and the necessity to surrender.
Their captain, himself a music teacher, keeps the spirits high through music and singing and demonstrates an incredible humane approach.
One of the soldiers made and learned how to play a Burmese harp.
He is accompanying the chorus when they sing. Once the company surrenders to the British, the harp player, Musashima, undertakes a mission to negotiate the surrender of another company of Japanese soldiers but he fails.
In the aftermath of the battle that follows, he survives but never returns to his former company.
He becomes a Buddhist monk and goes around the war-ravaged country experiencing the misery of war, the devastation and the suffering.
Finally he is coming so close to his former company and yet he cannot return to Japan along with the rest of his fellow soldiers.
His duty as a Buddhist monk was to stay there and try to burry the many Japanese soldiers left in the battlefields.
In an emotional farewell, the monk with the Burmese harp is standing outside the fence of the camp where the rest of the Japanese soldiers are waiting repatriation.
They suddenly recognize him although they were thinking of him as lost in the battle and they sing for him one of the well known songs while he replies with his harp.
He disappears away from the possibility of repatriation to his new role as a monk and as the person to honor the dead soldiers.
A very powerful antiwar film, one of the very best; I could go as far as saying the very best but I have seen The Trojan Women directed by Cacoyannis and written by Euripides at 415 BC, and that can only be the yardstick.

New Harp.......2007-05-13

This is a superb reissue of an absolutely core movie. I have seen several prints - film and VHS - over the last 35 years but none as clean as this crisp digital version, which recaptures Ichikawa Kon's original tonal subtleties. The sound quality, so essential to the film's message, is also excellent.

Kodo - One Earth Tour Special (Bonus CD)

Average customer rating:

Kodo-One Earth Tour Special (Bonus CD)
Drums of Japan
Impressive
Best watched with headphones on, lights out, and late at night
Loved It!

Kodo - One Earth Tour Special (Bonus CD)
Starring: Kodo
Manufacturer: Red Int / Red Ink
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Japan | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music

General | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

International | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( K ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0006U3U6A
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Description

KODO has been exploring the limitless possiblities of the traditional Japanese drum, "Taiko" for over 30 years. In their pursuit of striving to take their theatrical art further, KODO has actively been seeking new collaborations with other musicians and mentors. One result of this can be seen in "One Earth Tour Special", a performance that has Tamasaburo Bando, one of Kabuki's most renowned performers, serving as artistic director. Under Tamasaburo's keen direction, KODO's aim is to reincarnate their performance, not just a mere improvement in quality, but to reinvent their performance with power and grace. It will show KODO's journey back to the basics of drumming to capture the beauty of simple movement. With sold our tours and over 500,000 units sold in the US, KODO will continue to captivate American audiences with the "One Earth Tour Special" release.

Customer Reviews:

Kodo-One Earth Tour Special (Bonus CD).......2007-07-13

I have seen Kodo live and this DVD is almost like being there. This group is at the TOP of my list for Japanese drummers and would love to see them again.

Drums of Japan.......2007-06-03

An excellent showing of the power of the drums and the strength and the skill needed to play these magnificent instruments. A glimpse into a very different side of the Japanese culture.

Impressive.......2006-06-30

Amazing playing. Both the sound and video are of excellent quality. Good variety of styles - I would recommend this dvd without hesitation.

Best watched with headphones on, lights out, and late at night.......2006-04-21

Having attended two recent Kodo concerts, with the great fortune of sitting front-row-and-center for their One Earth Tour performance in Philadelphia, I wasn't surprised when this DVD didn't faithfully recreate the primal `feel' and intense focus of a Kodo performance. Yet, when I tweak the viewing conditions to minimize distractions and outside sensory stimuli, I notice that many of the Eastern nuances of rhythm, precision timing, and economy of movement come into sharper relief. Yoshikazu Fujimoto's muscular performance on the monster odaiko is stunningly powerful (his facial expressions alone speak volumes) and by itself is worth the price of the DVD. Overall, this DVD does a very fine job of capturing the essence of Kodo (the Japanese word for `heartbeat').

Loved It!.......2006-03-18

This is a great DVD/CD package. I have seen the group live, and abd this DVD allowed me to see different pieces I hadn't seen before. The quality is outstanding, and ofcourse the group is just amazing. Very entertaining!

Average customer rating:

A DEVIL OF A PERFORMANCE
Magnifique

Gounod - Faust
Starring: Nicolai Ghiaurov , Alfredo Kraus , Renata Scotto , Anna Di Stasio , and Lorenzo Saccomani
Manufacturer: Video Artists Int'l
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

ASIN: B000RW3YMM
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Customer Reviews:

A DEVIL OF A PERFORMANCE.......2007-08-20

For a blast from the past, you can't beat the cast of this performance. Alfredo Kraus is at his creamy sounding best. Nicolai Ghiaurov brings down the house as Mesphistopheles and Renata Scotto is in beautiful voice milking all her applause down to the last clap. I wish the conductor, Paul Ethuin whipped up a little more zest and energy from the orchestra. A few of his tempos are painstakingly slow especially in the garden scene of Act Two. The sound quality from 1973 is first rate for its time and more then passable by today's standards. The video colors are slightly faded and grainy. My biggest problem was the subtitles. You can choose four languages that are superimposed on the Japanese characters which you cannot delete completely. Consequently it makes the bottom of the screen look like garbage. It was nice to see the Walpurgis Night scene done with all the ballet intact. The dancers are enthusiastic. The sets are of Wal Mart quality with most of the action taking place on a large tree stump. If you're going to buy this DVD it's because of KRAUS-SCOTTO-GHIAUROV. They don't make singers like them anymore!

Magnifique.......2007-08-14

Some allowances must be made in consideration of the DVD release of this 35-year-old Japanese television broadcast. The burned-in Japanese subtitles cannot be gotten rid of, although they become less distracting when those of one's own language are superimposed over them. Sound is mono, albeit good mono -- a bit dry and unatmospheric, but firm, absent distortion, and with a fine equilibrium between voices and orchestra having been achieved. You will have no trouble hearing everything you want to hear, at every point. Stage lighting levels were too low to begin with, and this conspires with age-related softness and color fade (and weak black levels) to create a pervasive murkiness. To call the production minimalist would be to credit it with a conceptual dimension it does not have; this is just rudimentary, no-frills staging. Props and decoration are scarce, and there is little evidence of the ordering intelligence of a strong director guiding the singers' movements and gestures, which are well-schooled but stock; the Japanese audience may not have seen them many times before, but you have. There are also things here that do not profit at all from a close-up format: the rubbery-appearing mask on Faust's face in the opening scene suggests advanced age less than it suggests advanced von Recklinghausen's disease.

For anyone with the slightest interest in this opera, all of the above together should give less than a moment's pause; this is an opportunity to hear and see Renata Scotto, Alfredo Kraus, and Nicolai Ghiaurov in spectacular, defining form. Though Scotto's role assumptions were never without interest, she sometimes (especially in the decade after this was taped) taxed her lyric instrument by taking on heavy assignments in which her success was dependent upon artistry and sheer determination. What a pleasure it is to hear her here, reveling in a role that could have been written with her voice in mind. Her Marguerite is a creation of immense charm, feminine grace, and (for all her shyness and naivete) deceptive strength of will. The soprano is in her freshest, loveliest voice -- her soft singing is ravishing enough to rival Caballé's -- and she has the control over it to illuminate each facet of a portrayal that is carefully considered yet never overtly calculated. I have heard Scotto often, from earlier and later than this, in a wide range of repertoire; I am unaware of her having done anything better. Kraus, the tenor whom she calls her "brother," owing to their parallel careers, long friendship, musical compatibility, and frequent joint appearances, matches her elegant address, if not her entire expressive spectrum. His singing has a beguiling ease and fluency, and when he must ascend to the top of his range, he surprises with reserves of power and ring. Ghiaurov gives the impression of having the time of his life. The great basso is not always as musically attentive as his partners (some rhythmic niceties are simply flattened with that Ghiaurovian black velvet carpet), and we are put on notice fairly early that whatever subtlety he may have had in his arsenal will not be wasted on the role of Mefistofeles. But this is a role that can take some bombast, and he has a wicked wit to go with the blockbuster strength. He also has, let it be said, as beautiful a lower male voice as emerged in the postwar era, and here he deploys it with magnificent color and security. This is, along with the Karajan Verdi Requiem, the only video recording I have seen that I would want to show to someone coming new to Ghiaurov -- he has more voice and is a more physically nimble performer here than one encounters on several DVDs from the 1980s (the Scala ERNANI, the Met DON CARLO, the San Francisco BOHEME, etc.), impressive though he was even in decline. He made two audio recordings of Gounod's devil, one earlier and one later than this; from 1973 we are treated to a happy synthesis of the best qualities of both.

One can imagine the Valentin, Lorenzo Saccomani, generating more excitement if he hit the scene today than he apparently did at the time, when solid Italian (and Italianate) baritones were thicker on the ground. He has to perform alongside some magnetic colleagues here, but his singing is rich and mostly satisfying, marred only by a tendency early on to reinforce notes singly when one longs to hear him bind them together into long-breathed phrases. As he does not seem to have a deficient breath line, this apparent eccentricity for the sake of emphasis is a bit frustrating. He is much improved in his second/final appearance, and the death scene is done with poise. There are also a good Siebel (Milena Dal Piva) and a superb Marthe (Anna di Stasio, who does so well with her part of the Garden Scene that you may wish she had more to do).

The unheralded conductor Paul Ethuin seems on the evidence here to have been a fine musician; his reading is smartly paced, long on dash and sweep, where opportunity for the latter arises (as in that stirring passage after the soldiers successfully repel Mefistofeles). He gets consistently fine work from diligent Japanese forces (the NHK Symphony Orchestra and NHK Italian Opera Chorus). The Walpurgis ballet sequence is included. The Tokyo audience challenges some cultural stereotypes by being anything but quiet and reserved (pace Ms. Scotto's memory). Western opera may have been a relatively new phenomenon to them, but they certainly show an instinct for recognizing great singing, and show only slightly more restraint and patience than their Milan or New York brethren when it comes to demonstrating their appreciation. Their protracted ovation for Alfredo Kraus's performance of "Salut! demeure chaste et pure" begins as soon as he closes his mouth, all but burying the orchestral postlude -- I would be grumbling at this if it happened in the house today, but in these circumstances it is rather heartwarming.

Scotto discusses her appearances in Japan (as Lucia, Marguerite, and Violetta; she makes some trenchant comments on those three heroines), her colleagues, the bad taste of modern productions, and her post-retirement directorial career in a 37-minute bonus interview so recent that interviewer Ernest Gilbert is able to reference something she said when hosting a Met Opera quiz in April 2007.

At some point, a new big-house FAUST with contemporary stars will surely emerge on DVD (there have been reports of one from the Alagna/Levine Met run of a recent season). It will have better sound and picture, more elaborate camerawork, and probably more orchestral sheen. It may be note-complete (there are a few cuts in Marguerite's music here), and for good or ill, the staging will have a stronger "Concept." But it is unlikely to be as memorable or as well performed as this one, by artists who believe so strongly in the work and know precisely where its effects lie; nor is it as likely to make one consider the opera's merits anew. Maybe it is true that in the best of all possible worlds, Gounod's music would be informed by a certain idiomatic Gallic style that all but vanished in the twentieth century (you have to go back to the earliest days of sound recording to hear what I'm getting at), and there is nary a native of France to be found on the stage or in the pit here. But this cast's sincerity, commitment, musicianship, theatrical flair and assurance are unlikely to leave lovers of great operatic performance wanting more. VAI's DVD is a model of how to release an artistically desirable but technically less than state-of-the-art performance, and everyone involved in both the 1973 and the 2007 portions of the undertaking has my commendation and gratitude.

Pat Metheny Group - Speaking of Now Live

Average customer rating:

Metheny group
A Masterstroke
Brilliant Music
You gotta hear the last track...SWEET
Cool concert

Pat Metheny Group - Speaking of Now Live
Starring: Pat Metheny , Lyle Mays , and Steve Rodby
Manufacturer: Eagle Vision USA
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

ASIN: B0000E2W0U
Release Date: 2003-11-18

Amazon.com

There's nary a flaw to be found in this lengthy (135 minutes) concert performance by guitarist Pat Metheny and his sextet, recorded in Tokyo in 2002. The musicianship is superb, the material (much of it drawn from the Metheny Group album of the same name) strong, the sound and visuals impeccable, the audience respectful... and therein lies the problem, such as it is. The whole effect is a bit sterile; there's little of the communication between listeners and players that can ignite jazz or rock shows in more intimate, less formal settings. Co-founders Metheny and keyboardist Lyle Mays, longtime bassist/co-producer Steve Rodby, and the three more recent members (multi-instrumentalists Richard Bona and Cuong Vu and drummer Antonio Sanchez) are all brilliant, versatile players. And it's nice to hear their interpretations of Jobim's "How Insensitive" and Metheny's lovely title tune from the film A Map of the World. But unless you get off on seeing a lot of close-ups of Metheny's facial contortions, listening to the PMG's recordings should suffice. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews:

Metheny group.......2007-07-25

A real masterpiece. I saw Pat Metheny live playing that CD it was a delight.

A Masterstroke.......2007-06-30

Just got this today and haven't finished watching it yet (Another Life is playing as I write this). I have only been a fan since Still Life Talking was released, but slowly discovering Pat Metheny's music has been a great experience. This concert is great and the musicians are top notch. The camera work is great with no weird angles, and the focus is on whoever is prominently playing at that moment. The DTS mix is very clean as well. There are no extras on this DVD, but 2 hours and 15 minutes of jazz well played is enough. This is the second Eagle Eye media concert I have purchased with Diana Krall's DVD being the first. Their production of both of these concerts is superb! Turn the lights down, crank up the surround sound, and enjoy!

Brilliant Music.......2007-03-15

Pat Metheny, like many Jazz musicians, is not for everybody -- especially those brought up on radio music. Personally I love a lot of what he does and what he has to offer a lister. While he enjoys taking his listeners on what can sometimes be long arduous journeys that may not be necessary, rarely will someone who appreciates music in its truest form have so many opportunities to hear something that they have never heard before. But with Metheny, it's not so much about hearing him play as it is seeing him play. He is seriously into his playing in a way that few guitarists are. And that is what makes this DVD special.

The DVD features the concert only, no interviews or extras. In this case, it is more than enough. The concert starts with Metheny alone playing his solo acoustic version of Last Train Home. And it is well worth listening to. It is quintessential Metheny in a lot of ways, ambient, complex, and filled with deceptive resolutions, particularly one towards the end. Listen to it, you'll know it when you hear it. Proof, The Gathering Sky, and Insensatez are other nice tracks that are well suited for general listening. Those that enjoy Metheny in his more bazaar and chaotic moments should enjoy A Place In This World, Scrap Metal, and The Roots of Coincidence. And those that run when they hear Metheny's name should promptly exit the room during these tracks.

One cannot talk about The Pat Metheny Group without mentioning Lyle Mays on piano and keyboards. Personally, the more I listen to Metheny, the more I wonder which one I like more, Pat or Lyle. It's a close call, but since both are fantastic I don't worry much about it. Mays' playing is nicely showcased throughout the concert. While all of the supporting musicians are fantastic, it's Lyle Mays who really make a lot of the music happen.

Speaking of the supporting musicians, this DVD also features some of the most moving vocal work I have ever heard from Richard Bona. The two songs that showcase his voice are You and On Her Way. Listen to these. They will change your life for the better. I usually do not respond to the male voice. But there is something about Bona singing in his native tongue (Cameroon) that positively angelic, haunting, and beautiful. Again, listen to these songs. And, as if they needed more, both transition nicely into Metheny's guitar playing. Bona is primarily a Bass player. However in the Metheny Group the Bass duties are covered by longtime Metheny Bassist Steve Rodby. Bona plays a variety of instruments throughout the concert including acoustic guitar, percussion, and brass. When Metheny introduces his band members by instrument at the shows end he appropriately credits, "Richard Bona on Everything."

As a rather crude guitarist myself I have always know about Metheny and gave him some brief listening time, but always found the work too complicated. This DVD really went a long way towards making me a Pat Metheny fan. As I mentioned earlier, one needs to see Metheny play as well as opposed to just hearing him play. For those wanting to take that step, this DVD comes highly recommended. It should have no trouble earning a spot amongst your favorite concert DVDs.

You gotta hear the last track...SWEET.......2006-12-10

Several weeks ago, I posted a review of the PMG's "We Live Here" DVD and remarked that many of the songs performed live by the group on the DVD were almost indistinguishable from their studio performance on the CD of the same title. The selection of songs on the DVD also closely mirrored those on the CD. With that DVD, the only thing you are really getting is the chance to see the performers (not just hear them). You're also treated to some short interviews from the band's members.

In contrast, this DVD is a significant departure from the CD of the same title. Although 7 of the 9 songs from the CD are included here, we're also treated to 9 other songs. Overall it's a very different experience from the CD, and for that reason alone I can recommend this DVD. But there are plenty of other reasons as well (particularly the last track).

As with other PMG live concerts captured on DVD, the audio is outstanding. As on the "We Live Here" DVD, this concert was recorded live in Tokyo and appears to use essentially the same videography team. The videography was a bit better this time around, but frankly it's nothing special and it's the audio rather than video that makes these DVDs worthwhile. My primary interest in watching, rather than just listening, was to get a better feel for the performers themselves...what they look like, how they interact with each other and their instruments, and who plays what on various songs.

One thing I liked about this DVD compared to "We Live Here" was that it captured a feel for the performance better, abandoning the annoyingly abrupt segues and interspersed interviews, and just letting the music roll exactly as if you were at the concert. It felt more cohesive to me.

PMG newcomers Richard Bona and Cuong Vu are smokin' here and each brings his own influences that, while retaining that classic sound we've come to expect from the PMG, also evolve it into something that reflects their fingerprints as well.

Bona, originally from Cameroon, is a truly gifted performer and were there nothing else worthwhile on the video, I'd still recommend it just to see him. His fretless bass/vocal scat solo on "Song for Bilbao" is phenomenal and an otherwise docile crowd comes alive for it. Second only to Pat himself, Bona is featured numerous times on the video as a spotlight performer. This guy is a major talent. He plays too many instruments to mention here. Suffice to say, they all play a part in giving a full, intricate sound to the group.

As a trumpet player myself, I was particularly impressed with Vu. I remarked elsewhere that his playing reminds me of a minimalist painting - nothing wasted, everything counts. He reminds me of the proverbial "man of few words." When he speaks, you're advised to listen...he's got something to say, something worth hearing. His playing often has a mesmerizing, haunting quality to it - sometimes almost like the midnight keening of a bird over the lake. It's also a very mellow sound, not unlike a flugelhorn in some ways. And as with previous incarnations of the PMG where the players outside "core" members of the group played a multitude of instruments, Vu adds to the sonic texture of the group with things like the marimba, bells, vocals, and percussion.

Next, let's talk about the drums. As a Paul Wertico fan, I was not sure what to expect from Antonio Sanchez. But let's put it this way: I was not disappointed. He knows his way around a drum set. Big time. I enjoyed his playing every bit as much as Wertico. Actually seeing him play, rather than just listening, was interesting for me. He's an extremely serious guy. Wertico strikes me as more of a "free spirit" when he plays - having fun, a bit of a wild child. In contrast, with Sanchez you get the impression of somebody at work ... almost a Carl's Jr. "don't bother me - I'm drumming" vibe eminates from the guy. He takes his craft very, very seriously. And he's very, very good at it. We're treated to a tasty solo from him on the last track, "Song for Bilbao." It's the epitome of what I think of when I think "jazz."

As usual, Rodby is rock-solid on the bass. When you take the time to tune out the rest of the instruments and just listen to the bass lines, he's as much a driving force in grooving the band as Sanchez. On one of the songs, "Roots of Coincidence," Rodby uses the bow on the upright bass, rather than the usual plucking - giving a symphonic-like sound to an especially dramatic section of the piece.

Lyle Mays as usual is terrific and he solos quite a few times on this DVD. Never known as being a real animated fellow, he does manage to crack a smile or two and lets us know that behind the poker face there lives somebody who really does enjoy what he does for a living. I've spoke of his talents in my other reviews, and won't repeat them here. Bottom line: he and Metheny form one of the most prolific and talented teams in jazz today, and Mays is huge part of what makes the PMG special. He even picks up the guitar and joins Pat for one of the tracks ("On Her Way")...I didn't even know Mays played the instrument.

Striped-shirt Metheny himself spends quite a bit of time on acoustic instruments on this DVD, and I have remarked before on his ability to deliver a poetic, poignant experience on those instruments. He does so here on numerous occasions. We even get to see that really strange-looking custom-made 42-string guitar commissioned by Pat to Canadian instrument maker Linda Manzer - dubbed the Pikasso guitar - that sounds like a cross between a zither and a sitar. He uses it on "Are You Going With Me" and it sounds so different than the version on the album "Offramp" that I had trouble recognizing it was the same tune. The same can be said for many of the other 8 songs that appear on this DVD and aren't from the "Speaking of Now" CD. They appear on other PMG CDs, but you have to listen carefully because they are orchestrated and performed totally differently here. They feel like entirely new songs rather than old friends. One song in particular, "Roots of Coincidence" has moments that have a distinctly hard rock feel to them - something I've never heard from Metheny before.

All in all, I enjoyed the DVD. If you're a Metheny fan, this DVD is worth checking out. You'll get things here you won't get elsewhere, not even on the CD of the same title. If you're new to the PMG, it's worth noting that the selections on this DVD were a bit more eclectic than what you'll find on most of the group's CDs, so you might want to listen to some of their other CDs before rendering an overall verdict on their music. I recommend "Still Life Talking." It's their all-time best seller and I've never met anyone who doesn't like it.

In closing, my pick of the litter for the DVD was the last track: "Song for Bilbao." It captures the signature PMG sound, putting them squarely in that sweet spot where they groove the best. The tune showcases the whole band, including a Gillespie-like solo from Vu, an amazing bass/vocal scat from Bona that I already mentioned above, and a chance for Sanchez to really show us his chops. I must have played that track 10 times in a row and still couldn't get enough of it. Indeed, that one alone was worth the price of admission as far as I'm concerned. If for no other reason, get the DVD so you can experience that t