Sybil Danning's Adventure Theatre: Seven (1979) Review

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(More customer reviews)B-movie veteran William Smith ("Invasion of the Bee Girls", "Grave of the Vampire") stars in this fast moving adventure as the leader of a small team of specialists assigned to break up a notorious Hawaiian crime syndicate.Amazonian action star Sybil Danning introduces the movie.Also starring Barbara Leigh, Art Metrano, Martin Kove, Susan Kiger, Guich Koock, and Richard Le Pore.Directed by Andy Sidaris ("Stacey!", "Malibu Express"). Great movie, must see advanture.

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Christabel (1989) Review

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(More customer reviews)While the edits in this DVD version of a 1989 miniseries aired on Masterpiece Theater in the US aren't blatant, to anyone familiar with the original version, they are striking by their absence. And the material that has been cut makes the plot much richer without detracting from the suspense of the plot.
The story hews closely to the biography of Christabel Bielenberg ( available as When I Was a German, 1934-1945: An Englishwoman in Nazi Germany or The Past is Myself, with a followup volume, The Road Ahead), an Englishwoman who marries a German lawyer and makes her home in Berlin in the early years of the Nazi regime. Her husband and their circle of friends deplore the Nazis (anti-Hitler conspirator Adam von Trott, later executed, is one of their circle) and the plot revolves around Christabel's growing recognition that it isn't possible to just live one's private life -- or leave -- when confronted with the kind of evil that the Nazis represent.
Even this edited version presents a kind of viewpoint that is rarely seen of 'ordinary' educated Germans facing the conundrum of how to react to evil and forces us to question how we would have fared in a similar situation. As Protestant pastor Martin Niemoller famously wrote, when the Nazis took away the communists, social democrats, trade unionists and Jews, people didn't speak up because they didn't fall into those categories. "Then," Niemoller wrote, "when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out." This film looks at a group of people who did speak out.
Dennis Potter's imaginative touches (such as the scene where Christabel imagines, in a nightmare, parachutists invading her home and bayoneting her elderly father) make this a rewarding movie to watch, while the recurring echoes of the song to which Christabel listens dressing for her wedding in the opening scenes recurs throughout, sometimes offering an odd or jarring commentary on the scene.
All in all, this is an excellent film of a little-known story. But it deserves to be seen in full, so for anyone who hasn't yet discarded their VHS player, I'd urge you to get the complete version.

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Based on a true story, an English girl marries a German lawyer in the 1930s and they try to live a normal life as they can in Hitler's Germany; when Allied bombs start falling on German cities, Christabel takers her two young sons to a village in the mountains. Then she learns that her husband and some of his friends have been arrested for plotting to assassinate Hitler. She travels to the prison where he is held; wondering if telling the commandant that she knows Winston Churchill will help her husband or seal his fate. Christabel Bielenberg's historical memoir, "The Past Is Myself", looking back on the years 1932-1945, was the source for this depiction of life in Germany during Hitler's rise. Daughter of middle-class English-Irish parents, Christabel became a German citizen in 1934 when she married German law student Peter Bielenberg of a prominent Hamburg family. The couple raised their two sons amid Germany's shifting political climate. I 1939, as the situation became acute; Peter joined a military organization planning to remove Hitler from power.

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Star Wars Trilogy with Exclusive Best Buy Tin (original theatrical releases) - Widescreen Review

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(More customer reviews)I had a chance to watch the Star Wars disc from this supposedly unaltered set and was bummed out that even these are not the version that were in theaters back when I saw them. I know this because when I was 8 I got to watch a bootleg Beta Max version of the first film nearly 50 times at a friends house. I had also seen it the year before in theaters in 1977.
This disc is missing 3 items that were in the original theatrical release. I will list all three.
1. When they are all in the control center(in the death star), C3P0 points and tells Kenobi where to release the tractor beam in 3 different points at the same location. (This was not on the DVD)
2. This one is the most obviuos ommission. When Luke and Leia are at the Chasm before Luke throws the grappling Hook to swing across. In the theater version , he puts the grappling hook in his gun and fires it at the ceiling so it will hook on. Unfortunately it misses for them and it falls down. Luke then needs to coil the whole cord up again with the hook and this time he tosses it and it catches. If you watch any version of the film you will see a really poor edit of Luke pulling up the cord from his belt multiple times as if it had fallen once. But Lucas couldn't just shorten the scene because it would have thrown off the music so he copied and pasted Luke pulling up the cord 2 times. For what ever reason, he felt the first time using a gun was not needed to be left in.
3. This one is minor but when they get through the blast door in the death star to avoid Vader, you can hear the Storm troopers tell the door operator (somewhere) to "Close the blast Doors" and then after it closes, you hear someone say "open the blast doors". In all the versions since the movie came out in theaters the "Close the blast Doors" line has been edited out. It is possible it is still on the non THX version of the Laser Disc.
There is also a shortened scene in the Return of the Jedi but that is for another day. George shortened that as well.
George if you are reading this (And I know you are not) Why don't you actually put the "REAL" theatrical version on DVD and not this Psuedo version of Theatrical. All these DVDS are is of a transfer from the THX Laser Disc Version. I think the original Laser Disc version might have a little more in them, but I am not sure.
BTW, George even did this with Episode III as well. He took out a 15 second scene of General Grevious climbing out side of the crashing ship as it was going down at the beginning of the film. he deleted it because he later realized that General Grevious could not breath outside in space. We know he breathes because of his coughing all through out the film. Those 15 seconds never made it to the DVD or the deleted scene section. Woops ;o)
I don't knwo why he does this to all of his films.
I wish my friend still has his Beta Max copy but it has been long gone for 20 years.

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All three original Star Wars film (episodes IV, V and VI) in the original theatrical form, presented in widescreen with Dolby 2.0 Stereo. Includes six DVDs, two versions of each film (new enhanced versions, as well as the theatrical versions). This was an ultra rare set sold at Best Buy that included an exclusive tin that holds all six discs! Also includes tons of extra features, including commentary tracks and more!

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Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker (1994) Review

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(More customer reviews)Vassily Vainonen's Nutcracker choreography was probably as influential in Europe as Balanchines Nutcracker was in the United States. Vainonen omitted the Sugar Plum Fairy altogether and instead made Clara's story a Romantic Awakening. Most European versions of the Nutcracker follow Vainonen's lead, although they may retain the Sugar Plum Faiy. From the Royal Ballet version (available on several videos, the latest with a truly enchanting Alina Cojocaru as Clara) to Grigorivich's dreary Bolshoi production and Nureyev's more surreal one, the Vainonen influence can be found. On the other side of the pond, Baryshnikov's film with Gelsey Kirkland is also based on the Vainonen, although with considerably darker overtones.
The Kirov video is the only tape I know that is actually Vainonen's choreography. Unlike the Bolshoi video with Maximova and Vasiliev, the Kirov's video is blessed with excellent production values. The costumes, sets, and performance are all pretty, sumptuous, and well-organized. I particularly love the Snowflakes scene in the Kirov, with its background of evergreen trees. The Kirov corps is as usual elegant and their use of their upper bodies is a real plus for the ethnic dances in Act 2.
I also like the cast for the Kirov video. A very young, waiflike Larissa Lezhnina is very believable as a teenaged girl. Of the "adult" Clara/Mashas only Gelsey Kirkland and Alina Cojocaru can match Lezhnina's youthful, innocent persona. Merle Park (on the Nureyev video), Ekaterina Maximova (Bolshoi), and Lesley Collier (Royal Ballet) are all way too mature to be believable as a teenager. Viktor Baranov is a very handsome, dashing Prince, who both looks like and dances like a young Mikhail Baryshnikov.
How is the Vainonen choreography? Generally, I like it a lot. The only thing I don't like is the abandonment of the original Sugar Plum Fairy kingdom concept -- in Vainonen's version, Masha and the Prince fall in love and marry in the Kingdom of Sweets. I think there's a way to preserve the Kingdom of the Sweets concept while also preserving a sense of romance between Masha and the Prince. But I think the divertissements are well-choreographed, and the Kirov dances them with the usual elegance and aplomb. I particularly like the Arabian dance in this video. While not as family-friendly as George Balanchine's (no Mother Ginger here!) once you get past the convnetion of adults playing children, I think the choreography is very beautiful, and emphasizes the more romantic aspects of Tchaikovsky's score. I also really liked the choreography for the Waltz of the Flowers -- it seems to mirror actual ballroom waltzing, with couples waltzing away. The effect is sweetly romantic.
That being said, there were a couple things which annoyed me about the video. One is the fact that in the Party scene there's little sense of a real family party. Everything seems a bit too grand, as if this were the Emperor's ball rather than a Christmas gathering. Balanchine's Nutcracker still is the gold standard in setting the tone of a real party. Second of all, there was a decision to have all the "children" danced by adults, and even more strangely, to have all the boys danced by female corps de ballet in long, Beatles-like wigs and pants. The Vaganova Academy has plenty of children, why not use them in the party scene? (And they have real boys too.) Also, the grand pas de deux is really a grand pas de six, with four cavaliers assisting Masha and the Prince. Lezhnina looks pretty being lifted from one cavalier to another, but the piece loses some of its romantic intimacy when there are so many people dancing with Masha in addition to the Prince. I also wonder why Soviet choreographers had to delete so much original Ivanov choreography, such as the Prince's mime, the dance of the hoops and Mother Ginger, things that were lovingly preserved in the Balanchine production.
A Nutcracker as a child's dream fantasy filled with sweets and fun (Balanchine) or a romantic dream of a teenaged girl (Vainonen)? It all depends on what you prefer, I guess. I like both. Unlike the Baryshnikov video there's no darkness here (the Baryshnikov video suggested romantic feelings between Drosselmeyer and Clara). The Kirov has since abandoned the Vainonen version for a darker Nutcracker so I count myself lucky that this is on videotape.

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The Jewel in the Crown (1984) Review

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(More customer reviews)This DVD set is a real heartbreaker!
The Jewel in the Crown is absolutely one of historic the highlights of "quality" television. An absolutely arresting story. Wonderful script, wonderful acting, etc. I can't add anything on that count to the reviews already here.
That makes the TERRIBLE quality of the DVD transfer all the more disappointing. This set has literally the WORST video quality I have ever seen on a DVD! Murky, muddy picture with visible scratches and dirt on the film. The soundtrack is a little better. On my home theater setup it sounds like its coming over a half-decent clock radio. Seriously, the picture looks like they took an old VHS tape of the show and just ran it through a disc burner.
No, I don't expect blockbuster quality from an 30-year old BBC film, but I would have expected something more like the recent DVD set of Elizabeth R, which is quite watchable.
Sadly, this is almost surely the only DVD we'll ever see of this marvelous series. I'm going to rent the old tapes of this. They might easily be better. If not, I guess this is what we're all stuck with.

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Studio: A&e Home VideoRelease Date: 03/27/2001Run time: 750 minutesRating: Nr

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Fantastic Festivals of the World:Euro Review

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(More customer reviews)I have seen 2 of these shows on Discovery HD Theatre.I am a Spanish teacher and I have not see a video that covers the festivals in Spain that does them any justice as these documentaries do. What is rare is that each documentary captures the "emotion" of the people and you feel you are a part of the festival. I highly recommend.

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The TRAVEL*ADVENTURE*NATURE line is an exclusive video series presenting the best from independent producers and filmmakers in 4-DVD box sets.Join our Emmy award-winning cinematographys as they take you to the modern celebrations of Spain and France in Fantastic Festivals of the World:Europe. Two countries and seven unique colorful and exciting celebrations await you on your journey to Fantastic Festivals of the World: Europe. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:MISCELLANEOUS/SPECIAL INTEREST UPC:781735602041 Manufacturer No:60204

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Muppet Show - Monster Laughs with Vincent Price (1976) Review

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(More customer reviews)I saw this episode when it originally aired in the states. Although Vincent Price does appear, the real guest for this one was Alice Cooper. Setting aside the shock-effect of his concerts, Alice and crew went for truly monster-laughs. Using Alice's "Welcome to My Nightmare" to set the mood, Jim Henson and company had the perfect opportunity to go wild with the camp-scare monsters. This must be the most fun episode of the Muppet Show ever done. Alice Cooper fans have been tracking this one down wherever possible. When it's available again, don't miss it! (PS: Save a CASE for me)

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Faerie Tale Theatre - The Princess Who Had Never Laughed (1982) Review

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(More customer reviews)THE PRINCESS WHO HAD NEVER LAUGHED is one of the lesser-known tales featured in the FAERIE TALE THEATRE series, though it's up there with the best.
In a kingdom where fun and frivolity is forbidden, a Princess will discover the greatest treasure is something she can't buy...
Princess Henrietta (Ellen Barkin) lives a life dominated by lessons, lessons and more lessons. Her only friends are her poe-faced father the King (Howard Hesseman), the tutor (Barrie Ingham) and governess (Mary Woronov). When her life becomes too much to bear she retreats to her room and won't come out unless someone makes her laugh.
Enter 'Weinerhead' Waldo (Howie Mandel), who's considered the most funny boy in the kingdom. Will he make Henrietta laugh, or perhaps even capture her heart? Wait and see!
Probably one of the strongest casts ever assembled for a single episode of FAERIE TALE THEATRE; Ellen Barkin is a delight as Henrietta, Howard Hesseman (DOCTOR DETROIT) is hilarious as the king and Mary Woronov (of Andy Warhol-CHELSEA GIRLS fame) is excellent as the strait-laced governess.

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When her sadness becomes so overwhelming that a princess refuses to leave her room, a king searches the land for someone to make his daughter laugh.

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All That Remains: Live (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)ATR is by far one of the top bands in the metal scene today, with some of the most brutal, awe-inspiring live sets I've ever seen. I'm not sure why this guy is complaining about a lack of 5.1, the sound quality is some of the best I've heard on a live metal DVD. Despite the extremely similar set lists of the two shows... your in for a unique experience with each. All the music videos are top notch, and the band/fan interviews make for good fun as well. If your a fan of live metal... or metal in general, everything in the ATR catalog is worth picking up, you won't be disappointed!

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Continuing the momentum of their breakout 2006 album The Fall Of Ideals, All That Remans return with their first live DVD, filmed atPhiladelphia's Theater of Living Arts and Baltimore's Rechter Theatre in early 2007.Shot by High Roller Studios (Lamb Of God, Killswitch Engage, Unearth) and mixed by Jason Suecof (Trivium, Chimaira, God Forbid, Sanctity), this is the DVD fans ave been clamoring for - it perfectly captures the raw power and excitement of the band on their first-ever headlining tour. There are songs fans have heard in videogames (Guitar Hereo 2), movies (Saw III), and on-line (3.5mm MySpace plays) in their raw, brutal form delivered by a band at the top of their game.

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Indigo Girls: Live at the Roxy (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am a huge fan of the Indigo Girls. And I'll stick by my opinion that Amy Ray and Emily Saliers are the best American songwriters today. Therefore, I had been anxiously awaiting the release of "Live at the Roxy", their latest DVD concert release. I watched it last night on my wide screen TV and with the sound turned up satisfactorily loud. I have to say, the whole experience was like being there! The picture quality is crisp and excellent, and the sound is downright perfect. If you are also a fan, then this is the definitive concert release that you must own.
The set list starts out with a number of acoustic versions of their songs. I was particularly happy to hear the songs "Run", "World Falls" (which is my favorite IG song of all-time) and "Money Made You Mean". Early on in the concert, Brandi Carlile joins the girls on stage to add backup vocals. Note: As a special treat later on, you get to hear what Brandi sounds like when she performs one of her songs "Cannonball", and the girls take their turn on backup. I did notice that like their latest albums, the songs seem to alternate between Amy and Emily on lead vocals. No problem with that. They each have their own distinctive quality that makes each of them an outstanding performer.
Things start to rock when Three5Human joins the stage (Brandi Carlile remains as well) and the set list turns more electric. I like the acoustic stuff, but I also like it when the electric guitars come out. From this point on, the build up of energy continues all the way through the end of the show. The versions of "Closer to Fine" and "Tether" are absolutely awesome! The Bob Dylan cover, "Don't Think Twice" was also outstanding.
What can I say? This is one good show!

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Indigo Girls: Live at the Roxy demonstrateswhy the GRAMMY award-winning folk-rock duo Indigo Girlscontinue to draw capacity crowds over twenty years intotheir career.Captured in crystal-clear HD, their July 2007 show at the historic Roxy Theater in Atlanta, Georgia is a true testament to the songwriting and performance prowess of Emily Saliers and Amy Ray, whose successful careers began in 1988 in the small clubs of Atlanta and Athens, Georgia and quickly evolved into performances at venues as diverse as Lilith Fair, Red Rocks, the Newport Folk Festival, and headlining Madison Square Garden.Saliers and Ray are joined onstage at various points in the show by singer-songwriter Brandi Carlisle, who enhances the duo's famous harmonies on songs such as "World Falls" and"Galileo".Later in the show, the Girls are joined byAtlanta-based rock group Three5Human, whose guitarist TomiMartin has played with an impressive list of artistsincluding Michael Jackson, Madonna, Eric Clapton, Outkast,and TLC.Three5Human front-woman Trina Meade lends herstunning vocal pipes to Indigo Girls classics like "Closerto Fine" and the fan favorite cover of Gladys Knight's"Midnight Train To Georgia".Other numbers include "ShameOn You", "Pendulum Swinger", "Little Perennials", and "Tried To Be True", as well as three special bonus tracks. Tracklisting: 1. Pendulum Swinger 2. Shame On You 3. Run 4. Little Perennials 5. Hope Alone 6. World Falls 7. Lay My Head Down 8. Three County Highway 9. Wood Song 10. Money Made You Mean 11. Fill It Up Again 12. Dairy Queen 13. Last Tears 14. Tried To Be True 15. Let It Ring 16. Cannonball 17. Trouble 18. Rock And Roll Heaven's Gate (electric) 19. Closer To Fine 20. Don't Think Twice [Encore] 21. Tether [Encore] 22. Galileo [Encore] 23. Midnight Train To Georgia [Bonus Track] 24. Rock And Roll Heaven's Gate (acoustic) [Bonus Track] 25. Land of Canaan [Bonus Track]

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The Ultimate Swan Lake / Bolshoi Ballet, Bolshoi Theatre Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a wonderful, classical version of Swan Lake. It has all the elements and parts I want to see in this ballet: most of the dance segments and artistic excellence and balance. Right from the beginning we can tell this is going to be a great, energetic ballet as Prince Siegfried comes onto the stage in the very beginning and joins his tutor and jester in a lively pas de trois. it is choreographed by Yuri Grigorovich, Natalia Bessmetnova's husband and the director of the Bolshoi Ballet at that time. He was a great choreographer and was especially gifted at staging the classics so that they fit the standards and requirements of today. The role of Odette and Odile is danced by Natalia Bessmertnova magnificently. She always danced with a combination of technical excellence and dignity. Another remarkable aspect of this performance is the uniform excellence of the dancing. Nowhere is there the slightest imperfection! Additionally, I was very impressed with the combination of youthful vigor and mature stature of all the dancing. All of the ethnic dances are included, and the Black Swan pas de deux follows the Petipa version. Rothbart is also given some great choreography here, something that is often neglected in other stagings. The sets and costumes are also at the highest standard--absolutely gorgeous. The image and sound are very good, as well, but keep in mind that this is a ballet movie on color film, so it has that special quality that film imparts. If you don't mind a Swan Lake on film, this is a fine Swan Lake to have in any collection.
Sadly, on February 19, 2008 Natalia Bessmertnova died of a grave, protracted illness, just a few weeks after the release of this DVD. After her retirement from the stage, she had been teaching until her illness.

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The Bolshoi Ballet Company in the Ultimate Swan Lake, Filmed Live at the Bolshoi Theatre, Starring Natalia Bessmertnova and Alexander Bogatyrev Classic ballet at its best! Video This performance offers a fine view of the liquid, lyric style of the Bolshoi Corps. Anna Kisselgoff Bessmertnova dances ravishingly and the camera work is beyond reproach. Ballet News This Swan Lake performs the most difficult promenades, leaps and pirouettes with commanding ease and poise. Dance MagazineThe aristocratic beauty of the Bolshoi makes The Ultimate Swan Lake alive with ennobling presence and artistry. Natalia Bessmertnova is soft and lyrical in the dual role of Odette and Odile; her eminently feminine quality makes her the ideal interpreter of this classic. The elegance and magnetism of Siegfried is masterfully created by Alexander Bogatyrev. The Ultimate Swan Lake is an exquisitely designed, opulently mounted production unlike any other. Choreographed by the critically acclaimed Yuri Grigorvich, with the Moscow Symphonic Orchestra under the baton of Algis Zhuraitis. Gene Kelly host-narrates this production, which is The Ultimate ballet treasure on video.CastNatalia Bessmertnova: Odette/OdileAlexander Bogatyrev: Prince SiegfriedBoris Akimov: Von RothbartChoreographed, Written and Staging & Choreography by Yuri GrigorovichMusic by Pyotr Ilyich TchaikovskyPerformed by the Moscow Symphony OrchestraUnder the baton of Algis Zhuraitis Swan Lake was Tchaikovsky's first ballet score and had its premiere on January 27, 1895.Act I:The Palace Gardens-During Prince Siegfrieds s 21st birthday party, his mother announces that it's time for the Prince to marry. The Prince is aghast and depressed; his friends suggest a hunt of the swans.Lakeside-The Prince meets Odette, Queen Of the Swans, who is under a spell of the evil Von Rothbart. It can only be lifted if a man swears to love her and be faithful. Only then can she appear always as a woman. The Prince swears to love Odette. Von Rothbart appears and the Prince takes aim, only to be saved by Odette who knows that Von Rothbart must live if the spell is to be broken. The Swan maidens dance their celebrated waltz and dawn breaks as the maidens return to their swan identities.Act II:The Palace Ballroom-The Prince Mother presents six potential brides. Von Rothbart (in human guise) and his daughter Odile arrive (she having been made by her father to look like Odette). The real Odette appears at the castle window and watches as the Prince, now under Von Rothbart s spell, swears to marry Odile. Von Rothbart then reveals his and Odile's true identities and Siegfried dashes off to find Odette.Act III:Lakeside-Odette believes Siegfried has broken his vow and determines to kill herself. The Prince begs forgiveness which she grants, but says she must die. Von Rothbart attempts to drive the Prince away and keep Odette for himself. Odette flings herself into the lake and is followed by Siegfried. Von Rothbart dies, mortally wounded by his act of love. The swan maidens watch as Odette and Siegfried journey on to everlasting happiness.

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A Yiddish World Remembered - The Emmy Award Winning PBS Documentary by Andrew Goldberg Review

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(More customer reviews)The DVD presents a beautiful yet balanced view of the Eastern European Jewish World before the Holocaust. This world was imbued with the spiritual and religious treasures of Jewish civilization, and bound together by the polyglot language, Yiddish. Visual remnants, including 'motion pictures' and interviews with the few remaining survivors from the area and period discussed, are included: these remove this forgotten world from the realm of rosy-hued myth, yet reveal the real loss our world suffered when this part of it was murdered.

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In A Yiddish World Remembered, the story of Jewish life in Eastern Europe is brought to life again by some of the remaining eyewitnesses. Narrated by Academy Award nominated actor Elliott Gould and accompanied by never-before-seen archival films, vintage photographs, and, of course, traditional Klezmer and cantorial music, the documentary takes a realistic and enlightening look at this unique and all-but-vanished way of life.For those in rural communities, there was often no running water or electricity. For many, anti-Semitism was a part of daily life. But for everyone, crowded conditions and poverty seemed to prevail. Despite these trials, through the eyes of the individuals interviewed, we learn that Jewish communities were close-knit and often even joyous places to live. This television special explores everything from the fascinating language of Yiddish to the Rabbis and Rebbes that often ran the communities to the powerful Jewish movements of Khasidism, Bundism and Zionism. Aired nationally on PBS.This DVD contains over 20 minutes of bonus footage and interviews not seen in the broadcast.

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Broadway's Lost Treasures Collection (Broadway's Lost Treasures 1-3 & The Best of the Tony Awards - The Plays) (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)We should be thankful for what we get on this DVD, so by all means, get it. By doing so, hopefully you'll encourage similar Broadway DVDs to be released in the future. (By the way, also consider getting "The Best of Broadway Musicals: Original Cast Performances from the Ed Sullivan Show," which captures some great 1950s-1960s performances.)
However, I have to agree with those who say this set is lopsided, even considering that the producers didn't have the rights to release other footage from the Tonys.
The saddest thing about some of the footage is that, while it claims to capture "sung" performances, in fact a few of the numbers are lip-synched. These include two of the numbers that I was most looking forward to seeing: Angela Lansbury in Sweeney Todd and Robert Preston in The Music Man. While it's great to see these performers in action, the lip-synching makes it an artificial experience.
But enough caveats. These aside, there's still plenty to enjoy.
The great John Raitt sings a definitive "Hey There" from The Pajama Game a couple of decades after its original run. He sounds just as exciting as ever. The song is shortened, but again, let's be thankful for what we have. And there's also a scene from 42nd Street with pre-"Law and Order" Jerry Orbach singing his heart out.
Some of the most enjoyable segments are in the DVD's "bonus extras" section. For example, in what seems the oldest segment on the DVD, the utterly charming Barbara Harris performs a number from The Apple Tree, a 1960s musical that is now essentially forgotten by all but fervent show fans. And to watch those ever-young old troopers Mickey Rooney and Ann Miller singing and dancing in Sugar Babies is a joy.
So, tap your way to Amazon's checkout and get this DVD in your hands ASAP!

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A comprehensive collection of great performances captured on film as part of the annual Tony Award® broadcasts. Broadway royalty and Tony® winners, including Lauren Bacall, Bebe Neuwirth, Robert Goulet, and Harvey Fierstein, serve as hosts and share their own Broadway and Tony® memories. Produced as PBS specials, Broadway’s Lost Treasures I, II, & III feature legendary stars-including Patti LuPone, Nell Carter, Jerry Orbach, Gwen Verdon, Ethel Merman, Kristin Chenoweth, Angela Lansbury, Joel Grey, and many more-performing musical numbers from legendary shows-including Anything Goes, Man of La Mancha, Guys and Dolls, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Chicago, Fosse, Miss Saigon, Crazy for You, and many many more. The Best of the Tony® Awards–The Plays features acting greats, such as James Earl Jones, Maggie Smith, Annette Benning, Kevin Kline, and Morgan Freeman, performing key scenes from 19 celebrated plays, including The Great White Hope, The Heidi Chronicles, Fences, Hamlet, and Long Day’s Journey Into Night. For theatre lovers, it doesn’t get any better than this!

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Max Raabe and Palast Orchester: Dance & Film Music of 1920s (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Max Raabe may not be everyone's glass of schnapps...still, since founding the Palast Orchester in 1986 as a 24-year-old music student who discovered he loved the popular music of the 1920s and 1930s, especially the songs written during the Weimar Republic, he has gone from success to success in his native Germany. He is a tall, reasonably handsome man with a trained baritone who can manage sustained high notes better than most tenors. This can give a rather odd, noteworthy texture to his singing...just like that of so many male singers of the period. His orchestra has 12 members, all male except for the gorgeous blond violinist. They always dress in formal attire, with Raabe changing from tux and wing collar to, after the intermission, full formal evening wear of white tie and tails. If he and his orchestra look like the classic, high society dance orchestras of the era he obviously loves and respects, it's because he chooses to. Most of the orchestra have been with him from the start.
While Raabe concentrates on the popular songs of the Twenties and Thirties, usually using the original orchestrations, he also writes songs himself and does pop covers of contemporary songs using the old orchestration styles. You can sample his stuff on YouTube. Britney Spears' "Oops, I Did It Again" is especially, ah, noteworthy. In other words, Raabe has a sense of irony and humor...and I suspect he doesn't think much of a lot of contemporary pop songs. So is he an old man of 44, living in a past he never had? Hardly.
In this concert piece, filmed at a packed outdoor amphitheater before 20,000 Berliners, Raabe and his orchestra demonstrate why they are as good as they are. Raabe believes less is more, and he does nothing to dispel the illusion that while he himself is contemporary, what he does comes with a clever blending of respect and humor from the past. He is dry and good-natured, but will use a cocked eyebrow or a glance as often as he'll use words. He is amusing (and brief) in his song introductions, and he notes the composer and lyric writer of each song he sings, as well as the year it was written. The pattern most often then is Raabe fronts the orchestra and sings, then he immediately steps back and leans casually against the grand piano while the orchestra pays the song again, then he steps forward for a reprise...then he steps back, applause, a bow...and he moves on to the next song with a slight smile. You need to watch carefully because quite often the orchestra will be up to something unobtrusive and amusing, but always in character.
For those who already like Raabe and the popular music of that period, or might just now be getting to know him, this DVD is a bargain at the price (and it's not cheap). Even with the applause pared down considerably, the disc runs nearly two hours. There are 32 numbers and Raabe sings each one. The audience loved it. When a downpour occurred for 20 or so minutes, no one left their seats. The songs are mainly from Germany of the period. There are four or five American songs. You'll hear irony, romantic opportunity, rueful experience and joy, even love and tenderness...and seldom much sentimentality.
The DVD has a fine, sharp color transfer. The case includes a 12-page booklet. There are three short extras showing Raabe and the orchestra preparing for concerts in New York, Tokyo and Rome. Unless you understand German, the optional English subtitles are essential.

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Danger: Diabolik (1968) Review

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(More customer reviews)Once upon a time films were made with low budgets and heaps of imagination, and this is one of them. Though given a whopping $3M by the ego-maniac Dino de Laurentis (King Kong the atrocious remake) the genius Mario Bava brought this 60s beauty in at $400K. Even converted into today's hard currency it would be hard to conceive of a modern day director either struggling out of bed for such a miniscule sum, or ever bringing a film in under budget. Instead Bava treats the eye and the mind to a dazzling psychedelic modernist fantasy.
There seems to be a common notion that many directors of the past were somehow more stupid than the giant intellects of the cinema of today and that they had no comprehension of what they were doing. Bava knew exactly what he was making with this movie version of a popular European comic and that was to make a film that was fun.
Pitted against a world of old stilted politics, bumbling police and chalk-stripe-suited Mafia villains Diabolik, a cool ultra-thief with an underground lair to be envied by Dr No and every other evil genius, outwits his pursuers time and time again with a manic laugh, a delicious girl-friend and his 'n' hers Jaguar E-Types.
This film is a two-hour trip; the score is superb and the images have a vivid organic feel unachievable with today's over-processed CGI FX. If you love the visuals of Barbarella you'll love this. Bava, though, has a more cynical view of the world and in one scene presents us with a nightclub where villains ply the "innocent" hippies with drugs making them dance in hysterically funny ways that is just as an incisive critique of that era as it would be of some rave scenes today. Some things just don't change.
Sure if you want to adopt the brave stance of the post-modernist and assume the sophisticated position of The One Who Laughs At Bad Old Films then you'll get some kind of kick out of this. But you won't get anything like the kick you will by just relaxing into the brilliantly-lit mad world of Mario Bava where nothing is quite what it appears and baddies win - almost.

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The suave, psychedelic-era thief called Diabolik (Law) can't get enough of life's good - or glittery - things. Not when there are currency shipments to steal from under the noses of snooty government officials and priceless jewels to lift from the boudoirs of the superrich. The elusive scoundrel finds plenty of ways to live up to his name in this tongue-in-cheek, live-action caper inspired by Europe's popular Diabolic comics. He clambers up walls, zaps a press conference with Exhilaration Gas, smacks a confession out of a crime lord while freefalling with him from an airplane, and pulls off the heist of a twenty-ton gold ingot.

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Much Ado About Nothing / New York Shakespeare Festival (Broadway Theatre Archive) (1973) Review

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(More customer reviews)I first saw this version of Much Ado about Nothing in the '70's, and have remembered it ever since, so I was delighted when the Broadway Theatre Archive made it available again. The setting, the "Rough Riders" era of the turn of the century, somehow suits the material better than any other I've seen, in particular Dogberry and his inept Watchmen, who appear here as Keystone Kops. Sam Waterston and Kathleen Widdoes are both completely believable, and the supporting cast is excellent.
This version is for those who want to savor every moment of the play. As far as I could tell, it includes almost every word of Shakespeare's text, and to that are added quite a few sequences without dialogue, making the entire length of the production closer to three hours than to two. For this play, this is definitely to my taste, but may not be to everyone's.
The DVD includes nothing but the performance and scene selections (by acts only). Since this play was originally filmed for television, the visual and sound quality are not exceptional, although they're not actually bad.

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Joseph Papp’s 1972 CBS-TV television production of The New York Shakespeare Festival’s Broadway staging of Shakespeare’s rollicking comedy is brassy, bouncy and all-together entertaining. Featuring Sam Waterston and the Tony nominated performances of Kathleen Widdoes and Barnard Hughes, Papp’s turn-of-the-century version has Teddy Roosevelt roughriders and bicycle-riding women suffragettes, but remains faithful to the classic tale: Beatrice and Benedick are still sparring partners fighting their merry war of words; the evil Don Jon continues conspiring to break up the wedding of Hero and Claudio; and it’s once again up to Dogbery to save the day. Critically acclaimed and enormously popular with audiences, "Much Ado About Nothing," originated at the open-air Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, was transferred to Broadway and was perceived as the first successful Shakespeare to play without a major star in Broadway history. The CBS broadcast was seen by twenty million people.

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Jerry Seinfeld Live on Broadway: I'm Telling You for the Last Time (1998) Review

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(More customer reviews)1. How many comics today can make people laugh at the most mundane things in life?
2. How often do you laugh until your belly hurts?
Or on the flip side:
3. How many times do you watch comedy routines and have to listen to "f" this and "f" that?
4. How often do you turn the TV off or feel offended by the content of the comedy routine?
If you want all of 1 & 2 and none of 3& 4, then this is the video to get! So often I'm turned off by comedians who focus on sex and language to get attention. Jerry Seinfeld needs only take real-life, everyday experiences and twist them into comedy genius as only he can. It didn't occur to me that grocery shopping, airline travel, and Halloween would be hilarious subjects. But Seinfeld makes it work. I've watched it many times already and plan to watch it many times more!

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