Editorial Review

It is almost a quarter of a century since Maria Callas died. But theyears have done little to diminish interest in this most iconic of divas. Thedebate surrounding the real quality of that voice continues to be fanned by herdevotees and detractors, intermittently reaching fever pitch with the arrival ofanother biography or the commercial release of a newly discovered liverecording. Tony Palmer's 1987 film portrait, now available on DVD, towers overthe bulk of contributions to the Callas industry because it manages to be bothpassionate about its subject and objective about the forces that shaped a greatmusical talent and then left it in ruins. Read more

Features

• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (4)

Maria Callas - La Divina: A Portrait
I especially liked the approach in this film showing Callas the artist and Maria the woman. This theme carries throughout this wonderful Portrait. There is so little footage of this greatest Soprano of her Century, that every morsel is welcomed. Excerpts from her opera performances worldwide show off her professionalism and talent. A Greek Tragedy that even Euripides would have appreciated, yet the tragedy is ours for the loss of this talented Diva at her age of 53. Callas the artist so talented and Maria the woman, so beautiful yet so vulnerable.

not just for La Divina fans
Pretty good documentary on Callas phenomenon. One certainly gets an idea of what it was all about. A bit too much of shallow psychology (Maria the artist, Maria the woman), but all in all it works. Even though there is much overlap with another documentary (Callas - Life and Art) this one is definitely better executed and gives more. If you want just the art part get Hamburg or Paris recital DVDs.

Diva Of Divas.
I, admittedly, am not an opera expert, by any stretch... I've seen a number of productions, enjoyed the spectacle, the talent, but don't know a mezzo from a matzho. But everyone knows Maria Callas. The first time I saw a film of this Anna Magnani with a voice, I was transfixed. I became intrigued with the legend, so I bought this video. I have re-watched several times, and I found it to be informative and revealing. She has been dissected almost more than any public figure,"the greatest", "the worst", "tempermental" ...etc.., they're all here. There are interviews with people from the very beginning of her career, when the ugly-(very large)duckling had few admirers. From her first singing teacher and a fellow student, who, upon first hearing the young Maria sing, says "my own mouth fell open", in awe, from Franco Zeffirelli, who worked with and adored her, from her friends, her "swan" period, her "tantrums", her scandalous affair with and betrayal by Onassis, her decline, her public humiliation by talentless, envious critics who weren't fit to wipe her feet, her lonely end. "Those whom the Gods love, they also destroy"...It offers a candid look at the greatest opera legend ever, who left in her wake detractors, yes, but also many who said seeing and hearing her was a once in a lifetime exposure to an almost supernatural talent..."possessed", as Signore Zeffirelli describes her here. I found this over-all very pleasing, it helped me to understand and better appreciate the woman who revolutionized an art form, and who many consider to be the greatest artist of this century.This film helps explain the continuing fascination. There was only one "La Divina".Long may she live. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Movie    3. Performing Arts    4. Performing Arts - Opera   

Features

• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (2)

DVR video is one-of-a-kind!
There's nothing better than this. If you jive with the music, if you understand the history and background of the last 50 years of folk in America, buy this video. It's not for the casual fan.

Come on Dave we need more videos like this!
This video taped around 1980at Ohio university is outstanding for van ronk lovers out their. He is one of the last and greatest artists of the 60's folk revival. He demonstrates his excelent guitar fingerstyle methodsof the feel of Rev Gary Davis, Joni mitchell ect, and his own masterpieces,and takes you a tour of his past and present life in Greenwitch villiageand Queens NYC. Thank you Dave for this terrific video and I hope to seeyou at the club passim soon. Enjoy all! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Performing Arts - Concerts   

Features

• Classical
• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (1)

NOT worth the money!
This tape is only 31 minutes. It's not even a real"documentary." The camera team followed Carreras while the tenorwas making the film "Misa Criolla." The result is more like anews report, boring, impersonal, and without anything to offer. If you wanta good documentary of Carreras, get the video "JOSE CARRERAS: A LIFESTORY." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Classical Vocals    3. Documentary   

Features

• Black & White
• NTSC

Reviews (2)

i loved it
grew up in the days of anka and he is the best ever. 2this day he is still great, he gets better with age. here's 2 another 20 yrs of paul anka

i loved it
looking at this movie, i grew up in the old days and was there, in the audience, bring's back priceless memories ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Brill Building Pop    2. Documentary    3. Music Video    4. Performance    5. Pop    6. Pop Vocals    7. Teen Idol   

Features

• Best of
• Closed-captioned
• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (3)

Great for Elvis' movie fans
I noticed another reviewer said the sound of the DVD was bad. Honestly, I didn't notice that, but I may not have great sound on my TV! However, this is a favorite video of mine, so I was thrilled to have it on DVD. Basically, this covers his early (and best) film years. Everyone on the tape says Elivs was a much better actor that he was given credit for--and I agree. It also contains some of his best performances from "Jailhouse Rock," "Loving You" and "King Creole."

Dixie Chicks?
I really wanted to see Elvis; however, the DVD arrived with a nice blue printed side entitled "Elvis in Hollywood", but the actual content was "The Story of the Dixie Chicks" This is really messedup!

Horrible sound!
Love the content, because I am the biggest Elvis fan on the planet but geesh, the sound is awful. The bass is earth shattering, way too much bass, and the music sounds very soft and muffled. Poorly done DVD but great onVHS. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Music Video    2. Music Video - Pop/Rock    3. Oldies    4. Performance    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Rock    8. Rock & Roll   

Features

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (3)

so this is love
this movie showed me how determend grace more was .beautiful story great musicvery funny a pleasure to see. kathryn grayson was just meant for the part . thecostumes were beautiful.so this is love had had all the ingreatings for a great movie .annette degrandis of willoughby ohio

Interesting true story of one womans determination.
Although Grace Moore's true story is much more interesting than this movie the music alone would make me rent or buy this film. Grace was born in a small valley in the hills of Tennessee and became one of the most famous women in her time. It's too bad Columbia doesn't release all her films on video so that people can see and hear this true talent. This movie is famous for being the only film that had Merv Griffen as a romantic lead and featured the first open mouthed kiss on film (according to Griffen). There is also a great dance sequence in this film. Grace Moore was voted one of the 10 most beautiful women by Flo Zeigfeld and the lovely Kathryn Grayson does a superb job of showing Grace's beauty and determination at a time when women were not truly valued. I bought this movie and even gave one to a friend that loves musicals.

Singing
The picture can be dull but the singing by Kathryn Grayson is as usual spectacular. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Feature Film-drama    3. Movie    4. Musicals & Cast Recordings   

Features

• Black & White
• NTSC

Reviews (1)

Jazz is hell and paradise
They were two brothers who were both in jazz but so different that they could not work together. At least till after the death of their father which brought them together for the production of the concerto of Janet Blair's husband's concerto, and yet under the conducting of a third party. But when they were together they made miracles particularly in their trombone-saxophone duets. The film shows how difficult life was for jazzmen at the beginning, but also how the radio transformed the spreading of this music, and then this spreading was amplified by the recording of their music on records. Jazz is typically American in its use of rhythm and new instruments like the saxophone, and old instruments like the clarinet and the trombone which are perfectly transformed in the process. But most of all, jazz would not have existed if they had not used the radio and records to reach the wider public. Jazz is the first music of modern ages. It was also a great success because it expresses life in our modern times of cars, factories, machines, industrialisation and mechanisation. People expected a new type of music in phase with this new life and jazz provided it to them. This film is thus both historically and humanly true and sensitive.Read more

Subjects:  1. Big Bands    2. Classics    3. Drama    4. Movie    5. Musicals   

Features

• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (1)

"The King of Serials...VCI Entertainment ~ Perils of Pauline (1934)"
VCI Entertainment and Universal Pictures present..."Perils of Pauline" (1934) (Dolby digitally remastered), a 12 Chapter cliffhanger from an enjoyable early sound Universal serial era featuring an outstanding cast with Ray Taylor and Henry MacRae at the helm....will our famous scientist (James Durkin) and his beautiful daughter Pauline (Evalyn Knapp) find an ivory disc in a temple in Indochina...does this hidden artifact have the formula for a deadly gas engraved on it...will the evil doctor (John Davidson) and his gang of henchman succeed in lifting this from our heroine Pauline and her new found friend Robert Allen...could this Universal Serial be the start of something big that will keep growing decades hereafter...and is it very nice to keep us guessing during and after every episode...don't leave the theater until the final chapter is over and done with "Confu's Sacred Secret"....just remember double thrills, chills, mystery and suspense...hitting the bull's eye with excitement...don't miss a single spine thrilling episode..return next week to this local theater for another episode of action and adventure that will keep you thrilled until the next chapter
Read more

Subjects:  1. Comedy Video    2. Drama    3. Feature Film-comedy   

Features

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (3)

VERY IMPORTANT
THis is a Great Documentry on The Genius that is Count Basie.He was One Of The Greatest Musicians Ever.His Bands Were always Tight.He was Such A Down Too Earth MAN.Very Essential.

Portrait of a Nice Guy
Don't expect a music video--it's a documentary, and an excellent one, much of it in Basie's own words and those of some of his best sidemen.No serious Basie fan should miss it.

More narration than music.
Thisis anarration ofBasie's life. Too much narration throughout thevideo and not enoughmusic.Thereis not one song played from beginning to end completely. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Big Band    2. Jazz    3. Jazz Music    4. Piano Blues    5. Pop    6. Swing    7. Trad Jazz   

Features

• Black & White
• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (2)

Oh my, what a dog.
I am sure that the people that put this together are the same people that make the safety films we see at the papermill. One section of voiceover is repeated entirely in the next section. The voiceover sometimes has nothing to do with the picture on the screen. There is music with a picture of Sinatra singing something completely different. Very poor color, jumpy movement between scenes. If you want a Sinatra video, buy "A Man and His Music+Ella+Jobim". It is glorious.

A must for collectors
Frank Sinatra gives one of his finest performances. A master voice, and a remarkable showman. A must for all fans. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Drama    3. Movie   

Features

• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (16)

Look at the Title!!!
I have watched this documentary and though it may not be very good, it still does not deserve the kind of trash being written about it in the reviews. First and foremost, this is a documentary about Kurt Cobain ( I mean just look at the title!!!). So all those expecting concert footage or nirvana music or even spotlight on other band members are sure to be bitterly disappointed. THe documentary itself starts off with a note: "No nirvana recording or music feature in this programme". One's trash is another's treasure
I suppose the question you have to ask yourself when you watch this is "Am I a fan of Kurt's legacy, or a fan of Nirvana and the music?" If you are a fan of the music, you will be appauled and disgusted by this poor excuse for a documentary. If you are simply a fan of Kurt's, and have no respect or regardfor the other members of the band, then I suppose I can almost understand why you may enjoy this. In my opinion, I can't even say it was about Nirvana. I can't say much about it except waste of time and money. But others may like it.

Excellent..Great..Perfect
Matt tatti i totally agree wiv u..The film is a excellent well documented video of the greatest man in history..any one who rates this film badly and claim to be nirvana/kurt cobain fans..You are certainly not.." You are posers of MUSICAL freedom of NIRVANA" well said matt..You posers do not understand the true spirit of Kurt and Nirvana and are just posers..that say they like Nirvana..oh and let me guess your favourite songs is smells like teen spirit...yeah proberbly..Excellent Film A++..anything slighyly to do wiv kurt/nirvana has to be worth 5 stars...(RIP KURT) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Documentary    3. Grunge    4. Pop    5. Rock   

Features

• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (11)

Great insight into one of Simon's best...
I always wondered why he decided to do this album, how it came about.This is a setting in which Paul Simon honestly speaks about the details of the album and it's a very good look into his creative process.You get to see his lyric writing method and how he worked with South African musicians.The dvd addresses the controversy caused by people who accused Paul of stealing music from Africa, and the African musicians dispell that by pointing out that they collaborated with Simon the get their music heard by a wider audience, which it did.
excellent documentary
not graceland music videos ... this is a documentary and a great one.

excellent documentary
this isnt the dvd of graceland. its a documentary and a very good one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Music Video    3. Music Video - Pop/Rock    4. Performance    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Rock    8. Singer/Songwriter    9. Worldbeat   

Features

• Color
• NTSC

Subjects:  1. Documentary   

Editorial Review

Can an effective episode of Read more

Features

• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (21)

Okay, not outstanding
While this DVD is interesting and well-produced, it doesn't measure up to other releases in the "Classic Album" series. The great bulk of screen time is spent on talking head interviews. That in itself would be okay, but they focus more on praising Jimi than discussing the music and the nuts and bolts of its creation. There is a lot of material that didn't make it onto this DVD - extensive alternate takes and outtakes - that has been broadcast on the radio. That material would have provided a fascinating supplement and insight into the Electric Ladyland creation process, and the brilliance behind the compositions of the songs. But instead this disc shows too much reminiscing about Jimi and mourning of his early death.
Recounting The Journey
Classic Albums recounters the journey of the legendary music recordings.Classic Albums takes you a behind the scences look at one of jimi hendrix's most succesful albums. The story is told in rare archival film footage, music, and from a diary kept by a hendrix employee. Their are many great interviews from the members themself Mitch Mitchell, and Noel Redding as well as keyboard virtuoso Steve Windwood. I think the best part of the film is Eddie Kramer who engineered the electric ladyland sessions. This film is loaded with fascinating footage of Jimi Hendrix in the studio. I think from one perspective we can all appreciate how great Electric Ladyland really was.

Need more info
Does anyone know if CHRIS WOOD founding member of Traffic, renowned flutist, sax player and other wood winds master appears in this video??
Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues-Rock    2. Hard Rock    3. Music Video    4. Music Video - Pop/Rock    5. Performance    6. Pop    7. Psychedelic    8. Rock    9. Rock & Roll   

Features

• NTSC

Reviews (2)

Not bad!
This film is a trip for the true Mingus wanna-be.It is certainly not overly accessible, but please don't pass this by if you want to view Mr. Mingus in his own context.I loved every minute of this experience, especially chanting the poems along w/ the whole audience at the theatre I saw it in.For those who can't get enough of Mingus it's a treat.

Mingus, Ah...Um...
As a documentary, this is a mess.As a concert film, it isn't long enough.As an example of cinema concr�te, well, who knows...Read more

Subjects:  1. Avant-Garde    2. Jazz    3. Music Video - Jazz    4. Pop    5. Post-Bop   

Editorial Review

Don McGlynn's uncompromising and soulful documentary look at the tumultuous life of musician and rebel Charles Mingus is fascinating stuff. Mingus said of himself "I am half black man, half yellow man, but I claim to be a Negro. I am Charles Mingus, the famed jazz musician--but not famed enough to make a living in America." His statement summed up the conflict that plagued this musical genius his entire life: volatility, pain, prescience, and raw rage roiled inside a complex man, composer, bass player, and trombonist who transcended labels and refused to be pigeonholed into a single musical style--and who did not achieve real fame until late in his career. The documentary is full of well-preserved footage and contains interviews with many Mingus followers like Wynton Marsalis as well as performances by icons Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and Gerry Mulligan. The film traverses past the musical legend with insight and information into Mingus's personal life, his civil rights activism, and his final triumph in the music world--just as his body began to deteriorate from Lou Gehrig's disease--to his eventual death in 1979. Mingus left a legacy composed of genius, vulnerability, brilliance, anarchy, and, as one friend noted, "the entire range of human emotion that is reflected in his music." Read more

Features

• Black & White
• Color
• HiFi Sound
• NTSC

Reviews (13)

Brilliant musician - very good composer.
This documentary unapologetically has a mission: to elevate Charles Mingus' status to"great" composer. Whether he is or is not can be argued, but when compared with the likes of Duke Ellington who was unquestionably a great composer, he might move down just a notch. A "great" bass player? Unquestionably. Herein lies my complaint: not enough focus on Mingus the bass player. That being said, this documentary makes it clear that Mingus and music are one. The most introspective moments come in the form of home movies of Mingus sitting at the piano composing. One scene in particular has him playing "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" on an old upright to his daughter. Clearly this documentary was a work of love put together by those who revere his music and want to keep it alive. Make no mistake, the music is great and this documentary is a worthy effort.

Great Mingus Footage, Bad Documentary
I must agree with the review entitled 'disappointed'.I am an avid collector of Mingus records and am familiar with much of his career.This attempt at a portrait of Mingus is poorly constructed and fails to provide even a basic overview of his life and music.There is no chronology as tantalising snippts of film jump from the seventies back to the fifties, with scarce an opportunity to listen to an extended piece.Rather than allow the rare concert footage and original recordings to 'speak for themselves', the filmmakers lean heavily on ponderous and repetitive interviews that either emphasise how volatile a personality was Mingus or how he was an American equivalent of a Schoenberg.There is virtually no discussion of any one of his many innovative recordings, and the film moves briskly through his 'golden period' of roughly '55 to '65 with little mention of his many great achievements.We are told repeatedly what a great composer and bassist Mingus was, and yet the film includes precious little footage of Mingus and his bands performing.As mentioned, the chronology of the footage is so poorly arranged that there is no sense of what a remarkable period of activity Mingus sustained during that ten year period in which the vast bulk of his classic recordings were made. Outstanding!
Definitely ranks up there with "Straight No Chaser" and "A Great Day In Harlem".The interviews with Mingus' sidemen are priceless, as are the discussions with Sue and Celia Mingus.A crucial documentary for serious fans. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Jazz    3. Movie   

Features

• Color
• NTSC

Subjects:  1. Bop    2. Cool    3. Jazz    4. Music Video - Jazz    5. Pop   

Features

• Black & White
• Color
• NTSC

Subjects:  1. Documentary   

Features

• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (67)

pointless
imagine that you make it real big and die. THEN they go back to an old neighborhood you lived in and do interviews. that's all this is. people talking about pac. it was whack in my opinion cause for one a LOT of haters came out of nowhere talking mad noise about him. the thing is they were all rappers at one time so it came off to me as them being mad they were still in the same spot. one dude even said pac deserved to be shot. you want a real documentary then i recommend thug angel or Resurrection.

Don't Get Mugged by Thug Life
This video is a collection of interviews with minor characters in Tupac's life. Tupac never shows up in it! What they had to say about the performer could have been condensed into a 10 minute production--if that. Your money is much better spent buying the Tupac Resurrection video, which is really very good and actually has Tupac giving the interviews.

Trust me, This Video/DVD sucks.
Im a huge 2Pac fan, and Im here to tell ya' dont waste your money on this video/DVD. Its basically just no-thrills video footage of some old friends of Pacs from Baltimore, hanging around their neighborhood talking about Pac, some of their memories are funny and its amusing watching them clown around telling their stories, but most of it is entirely forgettable. Theres a few home made video segments that Pac and his boys took of each other back in the day, but nothing too great. If youre a crazy Pac fan that must own everything with his name attached to it, then go ahead and buy this Video/DVD.But, if youre just a big fan of Pacs who wants to pick up a video/DVD about him, I recommend the Tupac Movie documentary "Tupac/Resurrection" which is really a must own for any real 2Pac fan.Also although not all about just Tupac himself "welcome to Death Row" is interesting to watch, but do yourself a favor and save your money rather then spend it on this video/DVD. Trust me people, this video/DVD sucks, dont believe any of the reviews that said it was great or whatever. Pac himself would be the first to blast on this video/DVD saying that its garbage. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Movie    3. bargain_vhs   

Features

• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (48)

a documentary with not much depth
Possibly a good attempt at opening up some an a legendary and sick punker, but the problem here is that it was made by too much of a fan--in the end, GG shows himself to be sociopathic and cowardly (revealed more in the bonus footage of his last show than in the documentary itself), finding identity more from whichever personality he can leech onto at the time than presenting his own, but the film didn't seem to want to acknowledge this. There's a nice focus on the effect of GG Allin, and would have worked well as a documentary about those around him (band and fans), but this film offers you little on GG Allin himself, though it seems to want to make him its focus.

A damn shame!
The existence of someone like GG Allin is almost necessary at times.His mission makes us think about society and most of all government on how it imposes its will upon us trying to conform our lives into a "one size fits all" category.Right?Probably not!
Live it Up
If you are feeling psychotic, paranoid, p.o.'d at the world don't take it out on your friends or co-workers.Watch Hated instead.G.G. Allin may have been extremely destructive to himself and others (and yes Todd Phillips does kind of use his subjects in this film-so what, so did Warhol) but G.G. made the most of his life, albeit in a sick and twisted way. However, he really lived the life, not just making up hateful and obscene rhymes like Eminem and then backing down and saying it was a misunderstanding, G.G. Allin (though musically without talent)was a blast of raw hatred that promised "to put the danger in rock and roll". Yeah I wouldn't have wanted to meet the guy either but Hated is far more therapeutic than any "chicken soup for the" series. My only caveat emptor is not to watch the Gas Station footage because it is shot with a shaky camera and will make you dizzy. Otherwise have fun but don't try this at home. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Underground    2. Documentary    3. Hardcore Punk    4. Pop    5. Punk    6. Rock