Angel's Dance

Starring:James Belushi, Sheryl Lee, Kyle Chandler, Frank John Hughes, Ned Bellamy, Mark Carlton, Mac Davis, Jon Polito, David Bickford, Timo Flloko, Joe Luis Garcia, John Bigham, Chris Barnes, Cameron Corley, Kevin Cooney, Caroline Alexander, Darlene Colaiuta, Sharon Saks, Shannon Welles, Holly Mitchell
Director: David L. Corley
Studio: York Home Video
Product Type: DVD

World Dance Workout: Bellydance, Bollywood, Salsa, Samba, Flamenco

Average customer rating:

It could have been better
Its okay
Fun, but not a great workout
Disappointing
So much fun!!!

World Dance Workout: Bellydance, Bollywood, Salsa, Samba, Flamenco
Starring: Elsa Leandros , Tanna Valentine , Gaby Kabul , Debbie Saliyah Mangual , and Angel Burgos
Manufacturer: WorldDance New York
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

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Island Girl Dance Fitness Workout for Beginners: Tahitian Cardio

ASIN: B000EUKRIQ
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Product Description

Burn calories and energize your body while learning dance movements from all over the world! This unique, multi-cultural program offers an all-in-one dance workout, plus instruction in some of the most alluring and popular dance styles. Sample diverse flavors and rhythms of dance, learn authentic steps - from basic to more challenging - and take them with you to the dancefloor!

World Dance Workout is designed by Elsa Leandros, a sought-after New York City dance coach and choreographer, based on her 25 years of experience as a performer and instructor of different dance styles. Elsa uses dance movement to improve your flexibility, enhance your natural grace of motion and deliver cardio benefits. The workout is accompanied by a tutorial section where Elsa breaks down dance steps to make it easier for you to follow. Many dance moves seem challenging only until you see how they evolve from the most basic steps.

The workout includes 7 segments: warmup and cooldown, salsa, samba, bellydance, Bollywood and flamenco. Not much time to exercise? Select individual chapters to create your own, shorter program - exactly what you need to save time and fit your mood. Leaving for a party? Go straight to the dance steps you want to try on the dancefloor to refresh your skills!

Customer Reviews:

It could have been better.......2007-06-15

I had high expectations for this dvd from the clips I saw on the World Dance New York website but, after watching the entire thing, I was disapointed. The concept is good - a dvd featuring small tastes of different dance styles from around the world - but for the most part the dances came off mundane and uninteresting. Elsa Leandros is a beautiful woman and an adequate dancer but I wasn't overly impressed with her instruction. World Dance New York produces fantastic bellydance instructional and workout dvds, it's sad that this one just seemed to fall short.

Its okay.......2007-05-11

The exercises and different dances were pretty cool....but honestly, its not on my top list of exercise dvds...I didnt get in the flow and motivation like I have with my other exercise dvds

Fun, but not a great workout.......2007-05-03

I purchased this DVD because it has a variety of dances in it and I really wanted a good workout that was fun. I like that this program is fun and especially like the Flamenco. I love the warm-up because it really stretches my back and hip area. I didn't need to do the tutorial to figure out the dance moves and have never watched Elsa's performance.

I thought some of the transitions between moves where they spliced together the DVD were not smooth, so I get messed up at those places. During Bollywood, she says "Your paradise to...(two names inaudible to me)" and in the cool down, she says something about touching the temple walls, so I wonder what she's getting to by saying those things. It didn't give me as good of a cardio workout as I had hoped and I also noticed that Elsa isn't as tone as I'd expect an instructor to be, so I added Jamie Brenkus's "8 Min. Abs" and "8 Min. Buns" from the "8 Minute Workouts" series to my routine (it's old, but good).

Disappointing.......2007-03-27

It seems this DVD put together by amateurs - it is organised quite clearly, but is very bland with predominantly one camera angle (as though the camera was left on a tripod while the instructor danced her routine). The instructions are fairly clear as well, but overall quite uninspiring. I normally am easily moved to dance, and I expected this DVD (at a minimum) to motivate me, but instead found myself bored and discouraged. I am regretful that I wasted my money.

So much fun!!!.......2007-03-08

I use this for days when I don't feel like working out and yet know I need to get off the couch and get my body moving. It's highly accessible, simple and sooooo much fun. Moreover, although it's hardly a full scope of all the styles it's made it easier to step into other world dance classes. (I'm the star of my salsa class for example, and am now really into flamenco). Elsa is very apprachable and really seems to be enjoying herself and aesthetically it works very much like a real dance class...the dancers aren't overdressed, exorbitantly skinny and their smiles are genuine rather than caked.

Of all my workout videos this one definitely gets the most mileage!

Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake / American Ballet Theatre, Murphy, Corella

Average customer rating:

Very American
Amazing!
Marcelo Gomes steals the show
Virtuoso
Another Swan

Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake / American Ballet Theatre, Murphy, Corella
Starring: Marcelo Gomes , Gillian Murphy , and Angel Corella
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Tchaikovsky - The Sleeping Beauty / Aurelie Dupont, Manuel Legris, Vincent Cordier, Nathalie Quernet, Laurent Queval, Paris Opera Ballet
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Balanchine - Jewels / Aurelie Dupont, Alessio Carbone, Marie-Agnes Gillot, Agnes Letestu, Jean-Guillaume Bart, Clairemarie Osta, Kader Belarbi, Paris Opera Ballet
The Kirov Celebrates Nijinsky / Sheherazade, La Spectre de la Rose, The Polovtsian Dances, The Firebird
Don Quixote / Baryshnikov, Harvey, American Ballet Theatre

ASIN: B000AYEI9A
Release Date: 2005-10-04

Product Description

Like all the best tales of enchantment, Swan Lake involves a beautiful princess, a passionate prince and a really major obstacle to their happiness. That obstacle is the wicked sorcerer von Rothbart (a dual role, danced by Marcelo Gomes and Isaac Stappas), who, in the prologue to Kevin McKenzie's adaptation, captures the Princess Odette and turns her into a swan by night. Only if a young man pledges his love and marries her, can the evil spell be broken. But should he betray her, she will remain a swan forever. Beloved by audiences for its exquisite performances and striking visuals, Kevin McKenzie's lavish new rendition of the timeless classic starring the exquisite young ballerina, Gillian Murphy, and the extraordinary Angel Corella now comes to DVD in all its enchanting glory. "The blockbuster production of the dance season" -The New York Times "A spectacle of shimmering light." -The Washington Post 5.1/DTS gi1.78:1 gi16x9 gi113 mins. "ABT returns the love story to Swan Lake?fast-moving splendidly detailed and delightfully entertaining!" -The Chicago Tribune

System Requirements:

Running Time 112 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Very American.......2007-04-24

Technically, it is amazing, all dancers are very energetic. Artistically, it is ...... . Murphy seems to be trying very hard, but obviously she does not fit the role. Corella is still like a boy. They all good dancers but not so good actors. It is more or less like a gymnastic show, watchable and maybe a bit exciting.

Amazing!.......2007-04-23

This production was one of the best ballets I have ever seen! The sets and costumes were beautiful and very elaborate adding to the dazzle of this performance. Gillian Murphy's Odette/Odile is stunning to watch.

Marcelo Gomes steals the show.......2007-04-20

While I love Angel Corella, this was not his best role. Gillian Murphy is undeniably a great technician but she has not earned the title of "Artist" in my opinion. She basically has 2 facial expressions throughout the whole performance. She has her sad Odette face and her scarey Odile snarl. While Corella and Murphy both dance the roles well, there is zero chemistry between them, almost to the point of awkwardness.

Marcelo Gomes as "Rothbart" however, steals the show with his beautiful technique and a commanding stage presence.

The DVD is beautifully shot and the staging is very well done but the performances themselves do not rank among my favorite Swan Lake performances.

Virtuoso.......2007-04-11

Loved it loved it loved it! ABT remains to be my favorite company simply because of the level of artistry and flawless technique. And all of these 2 qualities are displayed from the opening and definately into the white swan variation and black swan pas de deux.

Another Swan.......2007-02-25

I have many different versions of this ballet - each one has its own characteristics and charm. This one is not the best I have seen but it does has certain points that make it slightly different from others, and makes it interesting. It also is slightly American as it worries about rights of the individual and in ways being "politically correct". It is disappointing that a large chunk of act III is missing, but overall the dancing is good, costumes beautiful and presentation innovative and enthralling.

Average customer rating:

tango afficionados only
You can turn them off
Technical screwup makes this a disappointment
Tango Excellence
a disappointment

Tango
Starring: Miguel Ángel Solá , Cecilia Narova , Mía Maestro , Juan Carlos Copes , and Carlos Rivarola
Director: Carlos Saura
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0767835174
Release Date: 1999-08-03

Customer Reviews:

tango afficionados only.......2007-05-07

Wonderful and soulful. Very artistic and great sense of the real tang of Argentina. A must have for would be dancers of the tango. In Spanish with subtitles however.

You can turn them off.......2007-04-11

There is a way to turn off the subtitles...it makes the movie much more watchable trust me. We watched it in my college spanish class and it took us an entire day but you are able to turn them off, you just really have to play with the dvd remote you have, once the movie has already started...it won't work if you try to turn it off in the menu, don't ask me why, because that would actually make sense haha...but it IS possible to turn them off, try and then watch it, trust me it's better!

Technical screwup makes this a disappointment.......2007-04-11

Do not under any circumstances buy this DVD. This could have been a very interesting and beautiful film. It's beautifully photographed. The choreography is beautiful and the dancing is excellent. It's visually delightful. BUT, like many other viewers I was perplexed and mightily annoyed by the persistence of the director's commentary running through the entire film. What's up with that? I noticed that in the option for the director's commentary audio track was set ON by default, so I turned the option off, but then when I started the movie up the director's commentary track came on anyway! There is no way to turn it off. I think this is pretty clearly a technical screwup on the part of whoever did the DVD programming. They mistakenly made the director's-commentary-track option always on instead of making it a settable/resettable option which is normal for DVDs. And apparently they never tested the DVD before it was mass-produced, so this unfortunate error ended up being duplicated on zillions of copies of this film. It's a real shame because this mistake has totally ruined what would otherwise have been an extremely interesting movie.

Tango Excellence.......2007-03-19

Well conceived, directed and acted! Tango was inserted into this story seamlessly and beautifully. The story itself was excellent and had several fascinating twists. As for the dancing, all that can be said is "FABULOUS". Music and dance in this film is top notch. For me the final determination of a film is whether it can be watched more than once. Truthfully, this will be one of my favorites for all times.

a disappointment.......2007-01-10

This DVD was a complete disappointment. The cover says that this is "Flamboyant. Colorful. Sensual." There was no plot, or story. The whole DVD was a narrator talking about the film. Very boring, possibly the most boring DVD ever made. We've watched a few of Carolos Saura's flamenco videos and loved them. Perhaps there was a film with a plot, but this DVD is just narrative. Terrible.

Average customer rating:

old news

Madonna: Wild Angel
Starring: Madonna
Manufacturer: Eagle Vision USA
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000OT8KJ0
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Description

Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone never made any secret of her ambition to become the most successful female recording artist of all time. For two decades she has provoked storms of outrage and controversy through her songs, videos, stage performances, film roles and books - deliberately provoked as part of a superb exercise in self-promotion. Now her phenomenal work-rate and extraordinary ability to re-invent herself have seen her safely through to iconic status. Eagle Media examines the rise of Madonna in Madonna: The Wild Angel, from her life growing up, her early attempts at becoming a star and life as the megastar that she is today. Featuring interviews with journalists, authors and DJ's, along with vintage news clips, tells the story of Madonna like it has never been heard before. The program is approximately 63 minutes long and contains an additional hour of bonus features.

Customer Reviews:

old news.......2007-06-18

This DVD contains absolutely nothing that all Madonna fans already know and/or have seen and heard.

Average customer rating:

I Love Prince
A Prince fans unbiased opinion
Only if your a Prince Fan
unique
Terrible !

Graffiti Bridge
Starring: Jerome Benton , Michael Bland , Tevin Campbell , Ingrid Chavez , and George Clinton
Director: Prince
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0002CTSUO
Release Date: 2004-08-24

Amazon.com

A sort of fairy-tale sequel to Prince's enormously successful Purple Rain, 1990's Graffiti Bridge finds his purple highness not only singing and acting, but writing and directing, too. His performance suffers on all fronts. The film isn't a disaster, but it's safe to predict completist fans will make up most of its viewers. In the earlier film, Prince (known as the Kid) was fighting for his place on stage. This time he's fighting to keep his club safe from the money-grubbing hands of his musical rival, the Time's Morris Day, now a nightclub mogul. Day embodies spiritual, sexual, and economic corruption, while the Kid stands for salvation through music and a more redemptive form of lust.

The graffiti bridge conceit--a metaphor for a place of rejuvenation and artistic inspiration--is intriguing. Unfortunately, the bridge itself is merely a prop in a Paisley Park soundstage. Where Purple Rain was a movie that set new standards for lensing musical performances, Graffiti Bridge feels like a music video masquerading as a movie. Lucky for us, Prince cast the honey-voiced poet and performer Ingrid Chavez as Aura, part muse and part angel to both Day and the Kid. Her beauty and charisma ignite every frame she graces. --Michael Mikesell

Customer Reviews:

I Love Prince.......2006-12-28

I am truly a Prince fan. I think he is one of the greatest. This movie was not the best. Prince has so much soul, energy and life to his music. It might be a little different, but it makes him unique. I will continue to support his music and his movies. If you want to see something new and different then you should get this. I enjoyed it.

A Prince fans unbiased opinion.......2006-08-29

When I first saw this in 1990
at age 14 it seemed somewhat "cult like"
It grew on me
The more I looked passed
the cheesy acting and
followed the story
the more I enjoyed it
The same will happen 2 U
Give it a chance

Only if your a Prince Fan.......2006-08-17

In the early 1990's this movie was definitely made for that era. Just look at the clothing and hair. High top fades etc. Graffiti Bridge was definitely unique. It should have been released on cable t.v. instead of the theater. It was more of a musical then a actual movie. Prince somehow has his own ways of doing things in his own world. And he may not care about record sales or what people think of what he puts out, but it makes even the most loyal fans question what he is doing. The talent he has is amazing but he's become just a mediocur artist. This lack luster film may be remembered a hundred years from now. But as of now it's just what you call a get up and walk out film. I'm a prince fanatic, a die hard fan, but man the potential this guy has to be a mega star of our time he fails to meet. You haft to make people believe in you and really reach them and relate. If only Prince could relate to what people are feeling now and what they want. Prince somehow fell behind because the youth of this generation moved on while he stayed stagnet. I think he shut the world out and it just went on turning. Record sales may not matter to him, but fans you must keep loyal. Graffiti bridge is a film in my collection and I just look at it as my collection but nothing more. It's a film that makes you think. It's spiritual and there are some warm moments. Now Purple Rain is something not to be missed. I recommend that one. Enjoy!

unique.......2006-08-07

i found the movie to be very creative and unique. i thought the appearance of the movie was very similar to how a stage set-up for a play would be. i thought that this was intentional and it helped to place the focus on the words/message. there was a lot of different things going on in the movie which i enjoyed: greed; true love; spirituality; determination; self-esteem issues; and jealousy. i am not a prince fan, but i love the contrast in personalities between prince and morris day, and how this contrast plays out as they pursue the same woman, who happens to be an angel who was sent to change both of them (clever). i gave the movie a 4 and not a 5 because although it was very artistic, morris day lost a battle i feel he should have won.

Terrible !.......2006-06-20

This film is a huge waste of celluloid. It is horribly disjointed and the acting is awful by everyone throughout. The sets are abysmal meaning it is all too obvious that this was shot on a soundstage somewhere, there is no ambience or atmosphere at all. There is nothing to lift the spirits or get you involved in the lives of the one dimensional characters, it just leaves you feeling hollow.

The soundtrack is uninspired (with the possible exception of 'Joy In Repetition')

It's a stinker....pure and simple.

I can't understand why any movie studio would agree to release such poor work.

Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet / Corella · Ferri - Kenneth MacMillan (Teatro alla Scala 2000)

Average customer rating:

Splendid!
i never get tired of it
Angel Corella and Alessandra Ferri shine as the star-crossed lovers!
Corella and Ferri...A great couple!!
Ferri and Corella shine in Prokofiev's ballet... but

Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet / Corella · Ferri - Kenneth MacMillan (Teatro alla Scala 2000)
Starring: Alessandra Ferri , and Angel Corella
Manufacturer: Euroarts
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Ballet & Dance | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake / American Ballet Theatre, Murphy, Corella
American Ballet Theatre Now - Variety and Virtuosity (Dance in America)
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Minkus - La Bayadere / Guerin, Hilaire, Platel, Paris Ballet
The Kirov Celebrates Nijinsky / Sheherazade, La Spectre de la Rose, The Polovtsian Dances, The Firebird

ASIN: B0000TWMNY
Release Date: 2003-11-25

Description

The revival of the classically choreographed version of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet by senior choreographer Kenneth MacMillan enjoyed a phenomenal success at La Scala in January 2000; it was the first time that Alessandra Ferri and Angel Corella, the acclaimed stars of the American Ballet Theatre, had danced together on stage. Hailed by the Italian press as the "new star couple," they both brought to their roles the youthfulness and innocence reflected in Prokofiev's music: Juliet, the young, inexperienced adolescent girl who puts all her faith in her feelings of love and undergoes the heights of passion as well as the depths of despair, and Romeo, the carefree young man certain of his feelings as a lover, ready to turn the established order on its head as a result, and knowing no bounds in his love for Juliet. The intensive role-play of the two protagonists turns the lovers' tragic end into a disaster we experience with them, transcending the conventions of the story's familiar close.

Customer Reviews:

Splendid!.......2007-05-07

I have watched this ballet at least a dozen times. Corella and Ferri are spectacular of course. The music is mesmerizing. Ferri does seem to have lost a little of her edge since her pairing with Eagle years ago, but she is still wonderful and the best Juliet that I've ever seen. Who can say anything bad about Corella? He did seem to struggle a little with one part where he lifted her over his shoulders, but still, GREAT. Anyone wanting to see a truly great version of Romeo and Juliet should have this in their collection.

i never get tired of it.......2006-04-16

As a musician and serious fan of all things Prokofiev, I was familiar with the music long before the dancing. To see the MacMillan choreography, with the la Scala company, and Corella and Ferri, AND this glorious music makes for an artistic event beyond compare! The acting is wonderful. Corella and Ferri will rip your heart out, aided by the score, of course. The swordplay is thrilling and sooooo fast. The balcony and bedroom scenes are almost unbearably lovely--and will make you remember your youth. And the death scene: well, see if you don't feel a howl rising up from within your ribcage just like Juliet when she discovers Romeo's body. Every. time. you. watch. it. You can't ask more of art than that!

Angel Corella and Alessandra Ferri shine as the star-crossed lovers! .......2006-03-14

WOW! This DVD of La Scala's Romeo and Juliet (2000) is worth every cent. I cannot stop watching it. Though several of the lesser characters are without interest, that does not take away from me the sheer joy I receive when watching Angel Corella and Alessandra Ferri... was there ever a better casting than this? I think not! Angel Corella, one of the best dancers the world has ever seen, plays his Romeo with just the right amount of boyish naïvety and innocence... after all, Romeo is a dreamer. And Ms. Ferri never fails to impress me, her stunning line and beautiful feet are just amazing. But what makes this R & J work for me is the high level of Ferri and Corella's acting abilities, which really come through at this performance.

Corella and Ferri...A great couple!!.......2005-08-01

Hi..
This is an amazing ballet which includes great romantism and love, great emotion, great dance, great coreography and great music!

Ferri is a gifted ballerina...Her fragile appearance makes her the greatest juliet! With her strong techinuque, this fragile appearance seems more realistic. Her way of telling things with her body language is extremely enthusiastic and reliable.. The first dance with Paris(Act 1-15) shows her innocent happiness and excitement. Julliet is not experienced and Ferri shows that clearly. Then in the 3rd Act there is hopelessness, anxiety, again an "innocent" hate,and a desperate dance. This is the same dance but with totaly different emotions. The way Ferri acts especially in these two dances is amazing!

And Corella!! First of all he is an amazing dancer with amazing acting ability.. There is this immature, childish side of Romeo which makes us see Angel Corella's ability to act..His way of holding Rosaline is innocent but passionate..The way he holds Julliet is as if he knew her, like she will never leave him and he trusts her with his deepest honesty and love! And he loves and respects her for the familiar feeling that burns his heart. Angel with his great technique, has both sides of Romeo's personality: innocence versus passion.

There are 4 parts of the ballet that SHOULD be watched. The first is the bedroom scene. They have this passionate connection between them. The love scene(22) is the perfection itself. The first combination makes me feel like there is the sun rising and their love is blessed with God's light!

The 2nd is the bedroom scene. Ferri does an arabesque then Corella pulls her and then she turns and hugs him with hope/hopelesness,passion/innocence,trust/fear..She asks God "why" with her hands and the desperate look on her face while both of their faces are brightened up...

The 3rd one is the one at Friar Laurence's. It is all about music and love...

And the 4th scene is the death of Juliet(51/52)...Corella performs exceptionally in these episodes...After the great scenes of love, hate, selfishness, and jealousy, this is the greatest end!

The coreography is based on music,innocence and emotions.. I watched it as a ballet and as a movie.. If more details are wanted Nureyev's coreography should be watched as well.

Lastly.. The music is just great! With the libretto, it is the perfection itself. The sarcastic tone of the music gives the clues to the end..And its importance lies in the irony during the most important parts of the ballet while the music is laughing and crying at the same time...

Every ballet lover should watch it!

(Note: Nureyev's coreography is just great with its details and extremely passionate scenes.. Manuel Legris(!) and Monique Loudieres's ballet is worth watching!)

Ferri and Corella shine in Prokofiev's ballet... but.......2005-01-04

This DVD features Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet performed at the La Scala in 2000. It has all the ingredients to make a superbly entertaining video with Alessandra Ferri and Angel Corella starring as the principal dancers. It also has great scenery, fine costumes and better than average filming and editing.

However, to me, it has one glaring drawback, that being the music (not the way the music was played for this performance but rather the composition itself)...let me explain

To have great ballet, I associate thoughts of outstanding dancing and beautiful music that go together; things that compliment one another, things that seem to be made for and could simply not exist without the other. Such is not the case here (with the exception of the two pas de deux mentioned below).

To be honest, I'm not sure this music is meant for ballet. It's got a symphonic quality that is heavy and ponderous; it's just not "pretty"! For instance, in Act I there is a lot of festive activities going on featuring the corps de ballet: they are happy and smiling but its hard to understand why, with the decidedly cheerless music that they must dance to. Even the audience seemed to feel restrained during this entire presentation: their applause consistently subdued and short.

On the plus side there is Ferri and Corella!

Ferri seems to have blossomed into one of the better actress/ballerinas of our time; her facial expressions and body language compliment her gifted dancing abilities. She and Corella carry this performance from beginning to end; they have two outstanding Pas de deux during this ballet, that being the "Balcony Scene" at the end of Act I and then the "Bedroom Scene" starting Act III. Other than these two magnificent dances, Sir Kenneth Macmillan (the choreographer) has done about as much as possible to "fill in " the rest of music with a ballet performance. Even under ideal circumstances it must be an arduous task to try to choreograph dance to music that, dare I say, is a challenge to become enthusiast about; one can only compliment him in completing this difficult endeavour.

All in all, a 5 star presentation in all things but the music. If not for Ferri and Corella I probably would have given this disc a 1 or 2 star rating; in fact, if not for Ferri and Corella I'd have regretted buying this DVD at all. However, that being said, the two Pas de Deux ARE worth the price of this disc and the menu allows you the option to go directly to these scenes should you wish.

Average customer rating:

Von Sternberg's The Blue Angel
Suprisingly good quality DVD for one of the best 30's German flicks.
nothing to review
DVD of Blue Angel
...And God Created a Woman

The Blue Angel
Starring: Emil Jannings , Marlene Dietrich , Kurt Gerron , Rosa Valetti , and Hans Albers
Director: Josef von Sternberg
Manufacturer: Kino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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The Last Laugh

ASIN: B00005QW59
Release Date: 2001-11-13

Amazon.com essential video

For director Josef von Sternberg and Marlene Dietrich it all began with The Blue Angel, one of the masterpieces of Germany's Weimar cinema. This landmark film thrust the sultry and unrestrained Dietrich on an unsuspecting international film audience. She plays the prototypical role of Lola, the singer who tempts repressed professor Emil Jannings (the king of expressionist actors) into complete submission night after night at the Blue Angel nightclub. The film perfectly captures the masochism and degradation of the Weimar Republic, just before the rise of Adolf Hitler. And yet the moral confusion exhibited by Jannings is really due to his own torment. Dietrich is merely an instrument of his innermost desires, standing on stage in top hat, stockings, and bare thighs singing "Falling in Love Again." This is the original German version, newly remastered and subtitled. --Bill Desowitz

Description

The crowning achievement of the Weimar cinema, The Blue Angel is an exquisite parable of one man's fall from respectability, presented in both the newly-restored German and English-language versions.
Emil Jannings, the quintessential German expressionist actor, stars as Professor Rath, the sexually-repressed instructor of a boys' prep school. After learning of the pupils' infatuation with French postcards depicting a local nightclub songstress, he decides to personally investigate the source of such indecency. But as soon as he enters the shadowy Blue Angel nightclub and steals one glimpse of the smoldering Lola-Lola (Marlene Dietrich), commanding the stage in a top hat, stockings and bare thighs, Rath's self-righteous piety is crushed. He finds himself fatefully seduced by the throaty voice of the vulgar siren, singing, "Falling in Love Again." Consumed by desire and tormented by his rigid propriety, Professor Rath allows himself to be dragged down a path of personal degradation. Lola's unrestrained sexuality was a revelation to turn-of-the-decade moviegoers, thrusting Dietrich to the forefront of the sultry international leading ladies, such as Greta Garbor, who were challenging the limits of screen sexuality.

Customer Reviews:

Von Sternberg's The Blue Angel.......2007-06-21

Von Sternberg's breakthrough vehicle for Marlene Dietrich was a smoldering drama in the Weimar era, and still packs some heat now (especially in the superior German version). While veteran Emil Jannings hams it up a bit, Dietrich is mesmerizing. She appears a shade darker and plumper than in later roles, since she'd yet to receive the Hollywood treatment, but a luminescent star quality shines through. Lola's rendition of what would become Dietrich's signature song, "Falling In Love Again," is a highlight. A piercing study of obsessive love.

Suprisingly good quality DVD for one of the best 30's German flicks........2007-05-12

Deitrich's first and best, Sternberg's best. Jennings second best, after Greed. One of the first sound German movies. If all this arouses your interest...I strongly advise you to not hesitate and add to your library this DVD. Excellent cinematography, editing, costumes, casting, sets and screenplay. The Deitrich screen test is a terrific bonus, really. The quality of the DVD is one of an excellent restoration. You get two DVD's. I never watched the second, the dubbed version for America. This is the one that comes with the Fmaous Satrs collection, and it is pale in comparison to the German version.
Hey, maybe more extras on the second DVD. I should look, but as long as I have the Blue Angel to watch once a year, I am happy.... and you will be also.

nothing to review.......2007-05-07

I would like to review this film but I can not because I have not received it yet. Apparently, you have sent it three times but never got to me. It is like a joke. Can you check your tracking mail number and make a claim to whoever in the post?

Regards,

Jose

DVD of Blue Angel.......2007-03-08

A classic film from the 1930's in both English and the original German language, with subtitles.

By modern standards the plot may seem a little tame but the film is a vivid insight into the era of pre war Germany.

The quality may seem poor and the production techniques limited but again, this enhances the film's ability to portray life is it was some 70 years ago in a mid European country.

...And God Created a Woman.......2007-02-20

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

The film which was released in 1930 had propelled Marlene Dietrich (and her singing and her legs) to the international stardom. But the film belongs to Emil Jannings in the role of the respected, straight-laced, balding, aging, and portly High School English Professor who became absolutely obsessed by Dietrich's Lola - a cabaret's singer and dancer. His first step toward cabaret "The Blue Angel" was his first step to humiliation, madness, ruin, and ultimately, death. It is not the first time in the history or in Art when a man falls for a wrong (for him) woman ("Carmen", anyone?) and loses his mind, his status, and his life because of her but it is certainly one of the most heartbreaking stories that started as a light musical comedy and came to the sad but inevitable ending.

4.5/5

Average customer rating:

Power
Madonna - Ciao Italia ( live from Italy).
At he top of her game
such a fun show!
how could she earn anything less than 5 stars?

Madonna - Ciao Italia (Live from Italy)
Starring: Madonna , Donna DeLory , Niki Harris , Debra Parsons , and Adolfo Quinones
Director: Egbert van Hees
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
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Release Date: 1999-03-09

Customer Reviews:

Power.......2007-02-23

For my opinnion this is the most powerfull performace of Madonna, the energy and her smile always over the face is beautiful.

Madonna - Ciao Italia ( live from Italy)........2007-02-16

This concert dvd is well worth watching.
It is enjoyable, but definately not in the same league as concerts that came along after this one.
It is great to be able to look back on Madonna performing in concert in the 1980's.
Not a bad buy and people should enjoy.

At he top of her game.......2007-01-10

Before she became so outrageous, she was really a good entertainer. This is her at her very best, and includes all of her most popular hits. Don't really like her now, but loved her then. Lots of memories. A great show, very enjoyable.

such a fun show!.......2006-10-25

What can you say? Madonna - full of fire, energy and spirit. Could she know how big she would become? Who knows. But this was the era of the "fun" Madonna. No politics, no message. Simple fun! She had a great band backing her, and the dancers were fun too. Before the spectacle of the Confessions Tour, this was the kind of show to catch. Madonna at her most playful period.

how could she earn anything less than 5 stars?.......2006-08-20

Awesome performances as always. I like all the close-ups of her profile, where you can see sweat dripping down by her hairline and ears. I don't know, it's just something that makes her more human and less of a quasi-immortal being.

Love the message on the screen at the end of Papa Don't Preach (SAFE SEX)...and the wild dress she wears, complete with fuzzy dice and a small baby doll attached, in the Dress You Up/Material Girl/Like a Virgin medley. Also liked the gun sound effects in White Heat.

Her creativity clearly has no bounds.

This is an excellent workout video if you like to dance (and sing) along.

American Ballet Theatre Now - Variety and Virtuosity (Dance in America)

Average customer rating:

A Must Have for 2 main highlights, but not the best
Great variety and picture quality.
Angel Corella dazzles in the Don Quixote Pas de Deux!
A gala record, reference point, and joy to watch
WOW!!! Wish i could give it TEN stars!

American Ballet Theatre Now - Variety and Virtuosity (Dance in America)
Starring: Natalya Makarova , Susan Jaffe , José Carreño , Kevin McKenzie (II) , and John Gardner (XIV)
Director: Judy Kinberg , and Thomas Grimm
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
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Release Date: 2002-03-19

Amazon.com

This is a dazzling display of choreographic and dancing virtuosity, presenting nearly 20 soloists and an excellent precise corps in traditional and modern ballet highlights. The American Ballet Theatre is a thoroughly international company, "bringing together," as Natalia Makarova says in an introduction, "the best dancers and choreographers from all over the world."

That ambitious claim is fully justified by brilliant performances, ranging from Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake to the world premiere of Nacho Duato's postmodern Remanso for three rather athletic male dancers, Anthony Tudor's exquisite The Leaves Are Fading, the sentimental Cruel World of James Kudelka, and the dreamlike Balcony Scene from Sir Kenneth MacMillan's (and Prokofiev's) Romeo and Juliet. Most of the numbers are pas de deux; women are spotlighted (notably Susan Jaffe, Amanda McKerrow, and Julie Kent), but men get in some impressive steps besides doing the heavy lifting. --Joe McLellan

Description

Variety and virtuosity are the key qualities of American Ballet Theatre's tradition. The company has long distinguished itself through its artistic eclecticism and its star power. In this dazzling program, leading American Ballet Theatre dancers are joined by guest artists to perform highlights from the company's 20th century repertoire, including romantic, classical and contemporary pieces as well as the premiere of a new piece by Nacho Duato.

Customer Reviews:

A Must Have for 2 main highlights, but not the best.......2007-02-02

POLONAIS/Sleeping Beauty: other than showing off a whole lot of sparkling costumes and blond wigs, all this does is show a company giving due tribute to Natalia Makarova (one of the greatest ballerinas). I usually skip it.

BLACK SWAN/Swan Lake: I've always liked Susan Jaffe, so it's a pleasure to see that another of her performances was preserved before she retired. And I hate to say this, but she does show her age here compared to other younger dancers' versions of this same grand pas de deux. Jose Carreno (sp?) is fabulous! His technique, artistry, musicality, and expression are always among the best.

THE LEAVES ARE FADING: It was also nice to see another of Amanda McKerrow's performances preserved. She has such a lightness of being on stage. And being partnered by her husband John Gardner made this tender and loving. But in terms of technique, Assylmiratova's version in "Essential Ballet" is far superior.

CRUEL WORLD: I'd never seen this pas de deux before, and I like James Kudelka's choreography, so I was very happy to see this included. Julie Kent is lovely and polished, as always. Robert Hill didn't have much actual dancing; he's more of a glorified porter for Kent in this. But it is a beautiful piece with equally beautiful music.

REMANSO: one of the great highlights! I was also unfamiliar with this, so it was a true treat; especially in that it features Vladimir Malakhov (as well as Parish Maynard and Keith Roberts). Beautifully danced to an almost simplistic piano solo, it is both sweet and passionate. The dancers do an exceptional job, considering that some of the choreography could come off as downright silly if danced by lesser men.

BALCONY PAS DE DEUX/Romeo and Juliet: I adore watching Alessandra Ferri dance, and she is always well paired with Julio Bocca. But in this particular performance, both seem a bit jaded as if relying more on muscle memory than anything else to get through the piece. I've seen them perform the full ballet live (and it blew me away), so perhaps this is why my opinion is what it is. Perhaps to fresh eyes, it will look as lovely as they ever perform it.

GRAND PAS DE DEUX/Don Quixote: the other highlight, and the real reason why I gave this DVD 5 stars! Angel Corella is the epitome of Basilo, and Paloma Herrera is a cute and kittenish Kitri. They show us how Don Q should always be performed: full-out bravura dancing with playful acting and sexual chemistry. I also liked the musical rendition of Kitri's solo (the usual form in the Nureyev versions is so tinkly and tinny), and that Paloma uses Baryshnikov's choreography.

THIRD MOVEMENT/Bruch Violin Concerto No 1: beautiful costumes in this piece, but the dancing was mediocre compared to other ABT company pieces. Ethan Stiefel shows us his great technique, and the Kent/Hill partnership is well done here. But I tend to skip this one too.

While I'm always interested to hear what other dancers feel and think about the roles they represent, I wish all of the interviews had been collated and put in a separate bonus feature rather than interspersed throughout. It would have left more time for actual top notch dancing, and that's what we look to ABT to see.

Great variety and picture quality........2006-12-05

I love this DVD. But despite a wonderful display of virtuosity, these dancers still don't compare to the great Russian dancers of the Kirov and the Bolshoi (companies which both need to be producing more DVD's). Highlights of this DVD are the amazing Don Q pas de deux with stunning balances and turns, The Cruel World pas de deux with awesome choreogaphy and artistry, and Romanso with strong male dancers, beautiful choreography and music. One of the lowlights of this DVD are the Leave are Fading pas de deux with Amanda McKerrow and husband. If you want to see a truly artistic and technically accomplished version of this piece, see Assylmiratova's version in "Essential Ballet". Susan Jaffe's black swan is also weak compared to many other versions available (namely Julia Makhalina, Gillian Murphy and Svetlana Zakharova), though Jose Correno is magnificent.

Angel Corella dazzles in the Don Quixote Pas de Deux!.......2006-03-14

Angel Corella, unquesti