Europa Europa

Starring:Marco Hofschneider, Julie Delpy, RenÃ© Hofschneider, Piotr Kozlowski, AndrÃ© Wilms, Ashley Wanninger, Halina Labonarska, Klaus Abramowsky, MichÃ¨le Gleizer, Marta Sandrowicz, Nathalie Schmidt, Delphine Forest, Martin Maria Blau, Andrzej Mastalerz, Solomon Perel, Wlodzimierz Press, Klaus Kowatsch, Hanns Zischler, Bernhard Howe, Anna Seniuk
Director: Agnieszka Holland
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

This wonderful film by Polish director Agnieszka Holland (Total Eclipse), based on an autobiography by Solomon Perel, concerns a Jewish-German boy who manages to conceal his identity from the Nazis and ends up a member of their Youth Party. An admirably full experience, the film is both black comedy and horror show, with the central character taking the full measure of everyone's perspective on the war and Nazi crimes. --Tom Keogh

Description

This "incredible, true story" (Los Angeles Times) is at once "eye-opening, harrowing and humorous" (Leonard Maltin) as it recounts the severe actions a young boy must take in order to survive the Holocaust. Based on the autobiography of Solomon Perel, a young German Jew, the film "bounds from one jaw-dropping episode to the next" (The New Yorker) and puts you in the middle of war-torn Europe where ingenuity, timing and luck are the key to survival. Separated from his family at the age of thirteen, Solly (Marco Hofschneider) takes on various identities to hide his Jewishheritage. First passing himself off as an orphan and later as one of the "Hitler Youth," Solly carries on his charade, hoping desperately to keep his identity hidden and make it through the war alive.

Customer Reviews:

Eek, Male Nudity! .......2007-07-04

War, Full Frontal Male Nudity, reasonable acting, what more could one ask for? Yes, definately a good addition to any homoerotic war movie collection ;)

Breathtaking.......2007-05-29

There are a lot of WW2 movies out, but few show the side that this one shows. The insight of the home front, along with the front lines of Germany is amazing. Great movie.

AMAZING!.......2007-04-30

An incredible film depicting how a young Jewish boy fought to stay alive in Nazi Germany. Well made and acted- not to be missed. This film is spoken in German, Russian, and Polish- so if reading subtitles is not for you, you'll be missing an excellent flick.

A truly memorable movie.......2007-03-24

I've watched numerous movies about the Holocaust, and each one always seems unique. Europa Europa is one such unique movie that stays with you long after viewing it. The fact-based story follows the adventures of Jupp [played excellently by Marco Hofschneider] a young Jewish teen who loses members of his family in Nazi occupied Europe, spends some time in a Bolshevik orphanage, and finally ends up amongst the Nazis, masquerading as an Aryan...I could not believe how often Jupp comes close to revealing himself, but always, he is pulled back from disaster in the nick of time. It may seem incredible and almost unbelievable, but if you happen to read true accounts by other Holocaust survivors, you will find that the incredible and miraculous plays a significant role in saving these victims of Nazi propaganda from certain death. The lead actor deserves credit for his portrayal of Jupp, and the movie itself contains enough nail-biting moments to keep you on the edge of your seat!

Holocaust survivor of a Different kind.......2007-02-14

OUTSTANDING!!!!!This is one darn interesting and fascinating true story of a survivor of the Holocaust of the 1940's.Just when Jupp thinks the "jig is up" there is something,perhaps "Unseen" that propels him forward out of harms way and into another unique and strange situation.I knew nothing about this film going into it, and that's how I want to review it.To give the plot away at any point spoils the surprise.A SUPERB FILM IN ALL WAYS!

Average customer rating:

Short on the Parkour and Freerunning

Yamakasi
Starring: Châu Belle Dinh; Williams Belle; Malik Diouf
Director: Ariel Zeitoun
Manufacturer: Europa
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000EHPXLU
Release Date: 2006-01-07

Description

Produced by Luc Besson, Yamakasi is a tale of a group of young men from Paris, all from different backgrounds, who jump off, across, and on buildings for fun. The movie kicks into gear when a kid with a heart condition attempts to re-enact a Yamakasi stunt, only to fall and be sent to the hospital. Low and behold, he needs a crazy amount of money for the operation to fix his heart and so the real Yamakasi go into action.

Customer Reviews:

Short on the Parkour and Freerunning.......2007-03-20

I bought this movie for the freerunning and parkour--and was disappointed. The first five minutes have the best tricks. From there this turns into a campy flick more focused on plot than tricks. There's not a lot of acrobatics and even when there is the camera work doesn't allow you to see much. Might be a good movie for adolescents not interested in parkour/freerunning. Fun, campy, feel good.

Claudio Abbado: Europa-Konzert From Palermo

Average customer rating:

Absolutely incredibly well engineered DVD
Claudio Abbado: Europa-Konzert From Palermo
I agree with all the others, except...
6 stars if I could...
Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic in Palermo...truly magnificent

Claudio Abbado: Europa-Konzert From Palermo
Starring: Berliner Philharmoniker , Shaham , and Abbado
Manufacturer: Euroarts
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Europa Konzert From Lisbon / Pierre Boulez, Maria Joao Pires, Berliner Philharmoniker
European Concert From Istanbul
Europa Konzert From Athens: Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1 & Piano Quartet No. 1/Daniel Baren
Mahler - Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" / Claudio Abbado, Eteri Gvazava, Anna Larsson, Orfeon Donostiarra, Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Beethoven, Mozart & Brahms Piano Concertos

ASIN: B0007ACVBY
Release Date: 2005-02-22

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely incredibly well engineered DVD.......2007-06-19

Oh, how I wish every concert DVD was made this well. Beautifully recorded sound and extremely well directed and edited visuals of the individual musicians and their hands.

This is a masterpiece. If you have a home theater, buy it today.

Claudio Abbado: Europa-Konzert From Palermo.......2006-03-18

Gil Sham's play was exellent as I have ever listened to. The combination between Abaddo and Berliner Philharmoniker made me a special comfatable space and time.

I agree with all the others, except..........2006-02-18

This is positively as wonderful a performance as everyone has said already. However, I cannot for the life of me imagine how a camera crew can be as skillfully directed as this one obviously is, yet spend so much time focused on the conductor. I like to see the instruments, and with the best orchestra in the world, I wouldn't care if the camera NEVER showed Mr. Abbado. A little bit would be fine, but this DVD spends literal eternities stuck squarely on him, missing so many important soloes and cues in the orchestra, it was instantly distracting, and after a while downright funny. I would still recommend the DVD, but be warned that you are in for more of the maestro than you can possibly believe! Someone buy that director a score!

6 stars if I could..........2006-02-03

No need to elaborate too much here: this is THE best concert DVD in my collection, period. Every single positive comment in the other reviews here is true. It is simply an incredible production, from whatever aspect you look at it - the repertoire, location, orchestra, video, sound, extras and everything else is magnificent. Don't know if I'll ever come across a concert DVD better than this one.

Well done EuroArts, Claudio Abbado and the BPO - from now on this will the benchmark on my home theater setup for all other DVDs I buy.

Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic in Palermo...truly magnificent.......2005-11-11

Another fabulous DVD from Euroarts

This disc, featuring the Berlin Philharmonic Symphony (BPO), is one of a series that has been recorded in May of each year from various European locales (To commemorate the founding of the BPO on May 1, 1882). This recording, in 2002, is from the glorious Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Sicily, with the BPO under the baton of Claudio Abbado.

The composers featured are the finest the 18th and 19th centuries had to offer; Beethoven (Egmont Overture), Brahms ( Violin concerto in D with Gil Shaham*), Drovak (Symphony # 9, From the New World) and Verdi (Sicilian Vespers)

Everything about this DVD is top notch...let me elaborate

The setting is sumptuous; the newly renovated (1997) Teatro Massimo is a show piece of consummate proportions. It has six levels of private wall lodges surrounding the entire outer edge of the main floor; this would make for spectacular, private viewing. The domed ceiling, with its hand painted, petal shaped design, is as much an attraction as the theater itself. How proud the people of Palermo must be of this magnificent structure.

The video is superbly done. There are close ups of individuals and instruments as well as panoramic views of the orchestra and also the inside of the theater itself. The editing reflects a knowledge of the music being played as evidenced by the switching of the camera to the most appropriate view; this was done with impeccable timing and great effect.

The audio: simply superb! Enough said.

The performance: As good as I could ever have hoped for; and what a bonus to have these 4 masterpieces on one DVD. It would be near impossible to pick one piece as the best on the disc; they are all that well done.

All in all, Euroarts has produced a recording that exemplifies why a DVD with its video capabilities, has so much more to offer than the same product with only an audio (CD). This recording would be great simply to listen to, but the video simply enhances the pleasure of viewing this wonderful recording. Highly recommended!

* Mr. Shaham plays the Countess Polignac Strad, built in 1699. It has, in my opinion, the finest sounding G and D strings I've ever heard on any Strad. (but then maybe it's the way Mr Shaham plays them)

Europa Konzert From Lisbon / Pierre Boulez, Maria Joao Pires, Berliner Philharmoniker

Average customer rating:

The Great Soul of Mozart
Wonderful DVD!
A French Reading of the Pieces
The Best 'Europa-Konzert' Yet!

Europa Konzert From Lisbon / Pierre Boulez, Maria Joao Pires, Berliner Philharmoniker
Starring: Berliner Philharmoniker , Maria Joao Pires , and Pierre Boulez
Manufacturer: Euroarts
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Mahler - Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" / Claudio Abbado, Eteri Gvazava, Anna Larsson, Orfeon Donostiarra, Lucerne Festival Orchestra

ASIN: B0002TNGWI
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Description

Pierre Boulez enjoys excellent reputation as one of the greatest Bartók conductors ever and Maria João Pires is one of the most soughtafter Mozart pianists. Together they perform at a spectacular location - the World Heritage Site "Mosteiro dos Jerónimos" - an impressive monastery built in the early 16th century.

Customer Reviews:

The Great Soul of Mozart.......2006-06-21

I was attracted to this because I had not seen any other DVDs of Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra.

Not only did this prove to be a fine recording of the Bartok, but I was also dazzled by the artistry of pianist Maria Joao Pires. As she performs Mozart's Piano Concerto No.20 with recurring smiles of beatific enjoyment, we get to see Mozart's playfulness in a dialog between the piano and the orchestra. It almost made me imagine the Great Soul of Mozart was sitting there on the piano bench, revelling in his conversation between the piano and orchestra.

Those familiar with the film will recognize the signature theme of Amadeus, as they enjoy the flawless hand-crossovers essential to playing the middle movement, Romance.

Just for the performance of the Mozart alone OR the Bartok, this DVD would be richly worth it. It has both, as well as Ravel's Le Tombeau de Couperin and Debussy's Fétes, equally well-done.

Please don't hesitate to add this to your collection and to share it with your friends.

Wonderful DVD!.......2005-11-28

I've listened all the "Europa Concerts" on DVD and I can really say this is my favourite together with the 1997 one conducted by Daniel Barenboim in Versailles (Paris), with an outstanding performance of Beethoven's "Eroica".

First of all this is a concert played in Lisbon, the charming, romantic and atmospheric capital city of Portugal, which I know very well. I've been at least four times in the monastery where the concert is played and recorded and I always wandered about a great concert like this in that place. Finally I can watch/listen it, even it's on DVD and the sensation is really fantastic, as the place gives lot of possibilities from the acoustic point of view (but very difficult to record; it's OK on this DVD) and because of the great church the Jeronimos is. Of course it could be much more appropriated for religious music, but even son, it's fine, great.

Having a beautiful place like this you only need a good orchestra and a great conductor to have the perfect day, and that's this case.

Berliner Philharmoniker is an outstanding orchestra, in my opinion best one in the world, as you can listen in this recording. They can adapt their style to Mozart, Ravel and Bartók with no problem, like the own Tchaikovsky told about the Berliner orchestra one century ago.

Those who didn't know very much about Boulez could be surprised by the fact of he conducts Mozart's Concerto for Piano in D minor (one of my favourites) on this DVD. Of course it's not the first time and Mr. Boulez has a long tradition in it, from the times he conducted the complete Mozart Pianos Concertos in Paris with Loriod. His Mozart, like all Boulez versions, is very clear, analytic, well balanced, clean and well done in classical style, without the "dust" of two centuries of romantic Mozart. Pires is a little more romantic in her style than Boulez, but they have great understanding and performs a wonderful interpretation, better than I could imagine.

Ravel's Le Tombeau de Couperin is a charming piece Boulez knows very, very well, as you can hear in his two recordings (CBS and more recently DG, with the Cleveland Orchestra). The performance we can listen here (Barenboim conducts this piece with Berlin too in Europa Concert 1997) is outstanding clearly and probably the best I know on CD or DVD. The Berliners play amazingly well and Boulez make another very clear version in which you can here everything perfectly and full of French taste. Everything is so light, well done and charming like in his two recordings, or like in the concert in which I listened this piece to him in Paris, 1997. The difference is now the orchestra, because having Berlin gives a plus to this performance. What a woodwind players!!!

Last piece is Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra, another outstanding performance, probably the one I love much more together with Riccardo Chailly (Decca). I prefer even this performance more than Boulez's one with Chicago (DG), which in my opinion has any problem and, even being very perfect from the technical point of view, doesn't work so great like his other Bartok's performances. Solti (Decca), Reiner RCA) or Fricsay (DG) could be another possibilities.

This performance is fresh and very strong, something difficult to do, but possible on Boulez's hands, that analyse all to the minimum and that give more folk and Hungarian taste than in his previous recordings. It's like Boulez becomes more free in his style in the last years, and not so "cold" like he was in years before. All the five parts of the concerto are jewels in this performance and the visual part give the best in order to make this DVD a wonder. The way the image is shot in the Third movement, for example, is marvellous, as the camera rise close to the columns in an atmosphere of mystery and emotion.

The visual part is marvellous and one of the most beautiful DVDs I've ever watched, because of the place, of course, but because of the way the church is illuminated and the shots done.

The sound is very, very good and gives you the sensation of being there, even with a little echo typical of churches like that. Anyway, it's not the echo you can listen in Europa Concert 1992 in El Escorial (Madrid, Spain), that is really too much, because of the giant church in which it's recorded).

Some extras shows another releases of this wonderful label.

A must have.

A French Reading of the Pieces.......2005-03-10

This is in fact the 19th European Concerts by BPO, a most world famous orchestra. It has now become a tradition that these concerts would either take the orchestra and as such, the viewers to various exotic sights of Europe, or at least playing exotic music from different part of Europe or else music with a particular theme. They are all fabulous. And I recommend this DVD for a number of reasons.

(1) For most of the previous concerts, we see Abbado wielding the baton. He is Italian, and essentially a pianist. This time it is different. We have basically a French composer as the conductor. The sense of balance and treatment are all different. Needless to say, this time we have some French music. I used to think I have had enough of Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra even when I was young. Well, now the music is read in a new light and is given a French touch. I don't find the accoustics of the cathedral special save and except that as a whole, the performance (specially the strings) reminds us very much of Furtwangler. All in all, the sensation is different.

(2) On this occasion, we have A French composer conducting BPO, playing some wonderful music in a 500 years old Portugual Cathedral. It is quite a sensation. The building, which occupies about 1/5 of the camera work, is particularly charming with the the special lighting. The photography is excellent in capturing its beauty. Moreover, on this occasion we have Boulez, BPO and Pires, and in the audience we also have the President of Portugul and all the VIPs of the country lighting up this Catheral.

(3) For pianists with relativey small hands, there is another point of attraction. Pires' hands, like Larrocha's aren't massive at all and yet both are fairly and squarely great pianists of the century. From this performance we can have sight and a better idea of her system, things like her hand positions, fingerings etc and it is amazing to see how well she copes with things, a point of special value for those who grumble for not having massive hands. And in case you find the sound different, you have to take into consideration of the fact that the piano she used here is a Yamaha: Something is of interest enough to Yamaha fans itself.
... So, how can you miss it?

The Best 'Europa-Konzert' Yet! .......2004-10-08

Every year since 1991 the Berlin Philharmonic has given a 'Europa-Konzert' ('European Concert') in a major European city to commemorate the founding of the orchestra. The 2003 concert was in Lisbon, Portugal, at the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (Monastery of St. Heironymus), a gorgeous group of buildings of golden hue built by a Portuguese king to honor the discoveries of Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama. I've seen several DVDs of these concerts and this one, led by Pierre Boulez, is the best one yet. The program plays to Boulez's strengths, namely his ability to delineate form, line and instrumental color, and both the orchestra and the piano soloist, Maria João Pires, are in topmost form.

The program consists of Ravel's 'Le Tombeau de Couperin,' Mozart's D Minor Piano Concerto, K. 466, and Bartók's 'Concerto for Orchestra'--three favorites well-loved by general audiences and cognoscenti alike. It's almost as if the program had been chosen to spotlight the BPO's extraordinarily talented principal oboist, Albrecht Mayer, as he does yeoman duty here, especially in the Ravel and Bartók, as well as in the encore, 'Fêtes' from Debussy's 'Trois Nocturnes.' Indeed, every department of the orchestra stands out, but it is the BPO's winds who are featured most prominently in this repertoire. The sound captured by the technicians is worth comment. It is rich and full, and in spite of a bit of cathedral acoustic with a moderately long decay-time, the inner voices and contrapuntal lines are crystal clear, even in the fastest passages. The monastery's acoustic, indeed, envelops the orchestra's sound in a warmth that is sometimes not heard in Boulez's often ultra-clinical-sounding recordings. Frankly, I liked it a lot, because we get the best of both worlds--clarity along with refulgent sound, the latter matching the glow of the monastery's rich interior.

This is one of the best performances of 'Tombeau de Couperin' I've ever heard. You have to hear Mayer's breathtaking presto in the opening theme to believe it. The overall shape and tempi are marvelously judged by Boulez. When I got to the end of the fourth movement, the Rigaudon, I simply had to go back immediately and hear the whole thing again.

Pires, a patrician pianist, is simply superb in the Mozart. Absolutely the only quibble I would have with her performance is at one point towards the end of the first movement cadenza when she suddenly speeds up as she approaches the cadence. I suspect this was because she had slowed down a bit to enjoy and elaborate the felicities of the admittedly marvelous cadenza Beethoven wrote for his predecessor's concerto. But it was a bit of a shock when she suddenly seemed to be racing for the gate. Nonetheless, her phrasing, utter control of dynamics, ease of technique made this a performance to treasure. She made the languorous middle movement, with its dramatic middle section, sound almost proto-Romantic, just as it should. The Rondo finale is joyous.

All of the 'Concerto for Orchestra' was superb, from the mysterious half-tones of the first and third movements, to the drollery of the 'Giuoco delle coppie' of the second and the Lehar quotation in the fourth, and of course oboist Mayer was to the fore again in that movement's main theme. The energy of the fifth movement was brought off by a precision that only great orchestras can manage. One of my acid tests for this movement is at the very end when the lower instruments of the orchestra rush upwards in parallel chords underneath an almost desperate upper-instrument melody. Most orchestras subdue that undercurrent, but the BPO and Boulez brought it out, emphasizing the mania inherent in this coda. Bravo!

Extras: PCM stereo/Dolby digital 5.1/DTS 5.1 sound. English, German, French subtitles (only available for the narration of the bonus features). A collection of still photographs of the orchestra during rehearsals in the monastery. A very nicely done documentary about Lisbon, featuring not only tourist sights, but also musical aspects of the city, including an illuminating focus on fado, the classic Portuguese popular song.

TT=120 mins.

Strongly recommended.

Scott Morrison

Europa Konzert From Athens: Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1 & Piano Quartet No. 1/Daniel Baren

Average customer rating:

Brahms honored by Barenboim and Rattle
A Lovely Account
Barenboim, Rattle, Brahms in Athens: A Triple Threat

Europa Konzert From Athens: Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1 & Piano Quartet No. 1/Daniel Baren
Starring: Brahms , Barenboim , Rattle , and Berliner Phil
Manufacturer: Euroarts
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Claudio Abbado: Europa-Konzert From Palermo
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Beethoven, Mozart & Brahms Piano Concertos
Itzhak Perlman: Beethoven/Brahms Violin Concertos

ASIN: B0007XHKTE
Release Date: 2005-04-19

Customer Reviews:

Brahms honored by Barenboim and Rattle.......2005-10-04

A stunning DVD!

The concert was recorded live at the Herodes Atticus Odeon in Athens, Greece on May 1, 2004, and features the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) under the leadership of Sir Simon Rattle. The works performed are Brahms' piano concerto No.1 ( with Daniel Barenboim at the piano) and the piano quartet No.1 (arranged for orchestra, by Arnold Schoenberg).

There are many positives to this performance... to mention a few

-the video: the technical team has produced a superior product. Multiple, great camera angles and the switching/editing was done with impeccable timing and great effect. Also the setting is unique, with this ancient amphitheater at the foot of the Acropolis providing an impressive visual backdrop.

-the audio: simply dazzling acoustics! (even with the occasional bird heard chirping in the background during some of the quieter moments)

Performance highlights:

-the third movement of the Piano Concerto, (Rondo, allegro non troppo).
What a wonderful meld between Daniel Barenboim, Simon Rattle and the BPO; the piano is played with pace, force and enthusiasum by Barenboim, while Rattle is having the time of his life (you'll understand what I mean when you see this DVD) conducting the BPO.

-the fourth movement of the Piano Quartet (rondo alla zingarese, presto) arranged for orchestra.
If ever a piece of music was written to put an orchestra through it's paces, this was it. Most of the 8-9 minutes of this moverment are played at a breakneck speed, that Rattle and the BPO handle with considerable aplomb. Simply breathtaking to watch and listen to!

This is one of those performances that having a video to accompany the audio adds so much to the enjoyment of the entire package. If you like Brahms then you will want this in your video/audio collection. Highly recommended.

A Lovely Account.......2005-06-27

Rattle is so different from either Karajan or Abbado: he is younger and more energetic to say the least. And when a traditional first rate orchestra is put under his baton the chemistry is interesting enough. That alone serves as a point of attraction. This time he was very picturesque in his treatment and rather dramatic too, particularly in the opening. On the other hand, Barenboim is one of the supreme pianists of our time someone. We ought to be grateful for the fact that he has not forsaken his pianism even after becoming a leading conductor of our time.

Note however that the concert was conducted in the open air. Yes, that might create a stronger sense of space as intended by Brahms. But that created a number of problems too. The accoustics of the venue is quite unpredictable. First, the viewers have to get in terms with the background noise. This time not coughings, but chirpings of birds when the music is getting soft. Such background noise would be surprising even if not queer. Second, probably due to poor engineering, the orchestra and the piano was somewhat out of balance: the piano tends to get overwhelmed. (Agree or not agree, Michelangeli opined that Brahms had not been giving the piano part enough room while Chopin's concertos went too much to the other extreme... ) Third, in any event there waere a few places when Barenboim almost overloaded the piano, particularly when the piano was leading or suggesting the theme ...

Having said that, the whole concert is exciting enough. Save and except for the above reservations, it is to be recommended in any event.

Barenboim, Rattle, Brahms in Athens: A Triple Threat.......2005-04-21

This is a DVD of the 2004 'Europe Concert' ('Europa-Konzert') by the Berlin Philharmonic at the Herodes Atticus Odeon in Athens, a huge, acoustically marvelous outdoor amphitheater dating back almost 2000 years. It is an all-Brahms concert, with Daniel Barenboim playing the First Piano Concerto in D Minor, Op. 15 and then the orchestra alone in the Schönberg orchestration of the First Piano Quartet (G Minor, Op. 25). Conductor is the then newly named music director of the BPO, Sir Simon Rattle. Interestingly, it's the first time Barenboim and Rattle ever played together. The 'Europe Concert' is a yearly concert played on 1 May to commemorate the founding of the Berlin Philharmonic on 1 May 1882 and each year it is in a different European location. This is the first of these that Rattle had conducted, but Barenboim has conducted the orchestra in three of them. The interesting documentary about the history of the Europa-Konzert includes clips from a number of them since their inception in the early 1990s. I have reviewed several of these here at Amazon.

Barenboim gives a heroic performance of the Piano Concerto and is matched brilliantly by the orchestra. Rattle is able to give the huge and dramatic introduction to the concerto the right amount of heft without it becoming shrill or muddy, as so often happens with lesser orchestras. The almost inhuman skill of this orchestra is on display repeatedly, never more than in the fugal section of the last movement where the thematic lines are handed off from instrument to instrument with quicksilver deftness. (But where did the always terrific principal oboist, Albrecht Mayer, get that godawful yellow necktie?) Barenboim caps his performance, earlier marked by both clarity and power, in the chain of cadenzas in the finale. A marvelous performance greeted with rapturous applause from the audience. In a nice gesture, when Barenboim is given a huge bouquet of spring flowers during the bows, he pulls out a couple and hands them to Rattle and to concertmaster Daniel Stabrawa.

Some people are surprised that that arch-radical Arnold Schönberg adored the music of Brahms who has come down to us as the epitome of cushioned and comfortable German romanticism. But of course Brahms was more classicist than romanticist and Schönberg not only admired him, he borrowed from him in his own music albeit transmuting its procedures (e.g. the 'developing variation form' from this work's first movement) for his own purposes. His orchestration of the First Piano Quartet (done at the request of Otto Klemperer) is, generally, fairly conservative and it is only in the Hungarian csárdás finale that he cuts loose with some decidedly unBrahmsian orchestration, especially in his use of xylophone, glockenspiel, side-drum and cymbals, as well as trombone glissandos, brass double-tonguing, and divisi strings! No one comes away from this finale without a smile, though, and surely that is reason enough to justify its existence. Needless to say the BPO play the whole thing with great élan. Rattle coaxes extraordinary expressiveness from his players throughout, molding phrases with utmost care. An exciting performance!

The videography is crystal clear, the editing unobtrusive and always apt, the sound very lifelike with the exception of some muddiness in the loudest tuttis, possibly a function of the concert's outdoors venue. This is of little importance in the overall impact, however.

Recommended.

TT=127 mins

Scott Morrison

Average customer rating:

One of the best films
Without a doubt my choice for 'best movie of the 1990s'
cinematic time capsule

Europa / Zentropa

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ASIN: B000ACNIM0

Product Description

PLOT SUMMARY: An American of German descent arrives in post-war Germany 1945. His uncle gets him a job on the Zentropa train line as a sleeping car conductor. The American's wish is to be neutral to the ongoing purges of loyalists by the Allied forces and do what he can to help a hurting country, but he finds himself being used by both the Americans and the influential family that owns the railroad. After falling in love with the railroad magnate's daughter, he finds that he can't remain neutral and must make some difficult choices. [ISDB - Ed Sutton] This officially licensed release from South Korea has region 3 printed on the package but is actually NTSC Region 0 (viewable in ALL regions).

Customer Reviews:

One of the best films.......2007-01-12

von Trier managed with film what Mankell has managed with mystery writing: portrayal of the psycho-social ills of society. See also 'Breaking the Waves', recommended to me by a Danish friend. In Zentropa the scene where our anti-hero overreacts (symbolically) with typically American anger to German formality and correctness is memorable. The movie ends with the time of the Werewolves.

Without a doubt my choice for 'best movie of the 1990s'.......2006-10-29

Having spent some time in Germany and having had some experiences on German trains I was eager to see this film when it first came out at the movies. The experience was breathtaking to say the least. When I came out of the movie theatre it was as if I had not truly seen film until that day. This movie is a surrealist visual and auditory masterpiece, but it's not just an art film - it works on many levels and the movie's fast pace and clear storyline will appeal to the casual viewer as well as the connoisseur of art in film.

In my view this is the best film of the 1990s and I think it's a crime that this great film is not available in a region 1 DVD with all the trimmings (director's commentary, actor's commentary, deleted scenes, etc.)

It says a lot about the US DVD industry when a great classic like this cannot make it to DVD yet appalling trash like the Scary Movie series have multiple releases, special editions etc.

cinematic time capsule.......2006-02-28

As a young boy at the age of 7 my mother took me to Germany in the early 1950s. Although to young to be aware of the political climate of post war germany, I do recall the plight of the average German in their efforts to rebuild. German was learned quickly by this american born boy who played in the ruins of bombed out buildings with his German peers. To me the director of this movie has encapsulated (through the lighting,use of black and white and other cinematic tricks)a sense of the time period involved. This is why I had to own Zentropa. Lars Von Trier is able to move the viewer past the story line (which is based more in surrealism than any historic event)to a different time period the way a painter can move a viewer with his skillful brush strokes beyond a two dimensional painting.

Average customer rating:

Misleading Cover!
I loved this DVD, Awesome!!
Save Your Money
Not what I was expected
Ricky Martin - Europa Tour

Ricky Martin - Europa (European Tour)
Starring: Ricky Martin
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music

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

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

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Ricky Martin - One Night Only
The Ricky Martin Video Collection
La Historia
Ricky Martin - MTV Unplugged
Sound Loaded

ASIN: B00005KH24
Release Date: 2001-07-03

Amazon.com

He shakes his bon bon! He lives la vida loca! He probably even bangs, too! But if you're expecting to see or hear Ricky Martin singing the songs by those names, you're going to be disappointed. That's because Europa chronicles the Martin phenomenon as it was in 1997, when his audience was still largely Spanish-speaking and before he recorded his huge crossover hits. And since the bulk of this 70-minute concert-cum-documentary was filmed in Spain (other countries such as Germany, Italy, and France are visited, but most of the actual performances appear to be in front of Spanish audiences), the Puerto Rico-born singer sings entirely in his native language.

That doesn't do much to improve the quality of the songs, which are standard-issue pop; only "Susana," with its gentle reggae vibe, and the international hit "Maria," with its catchy "Un Dos Tres!" chant, do much to distinguish themselves. And the truth is that Martin isn't much of a singer in any language. But he's a generous, enthusiastic performer who genuinely seems to love being on stage and to appreciate the adulation and various perks that come with being a pop star. --Sam Graham

Description

See Ricky Martin as you have never seen him before: up close and personal. Travel with him on his sold-out European concert tour. Feel like you're a part of the exuberant crowds that dance and sway to his mesmerizing rhythms and gyrations as he performs his songs in different venues across Europe. Swoon to his sultry songs and sensual charisma in this exhilarating production featuring eight great performances and a bonus video clip. A must-have collector's video! Songs: No Puedo Mas, Bombom De Azucar, Nada Es Imposible, A Medio Vivir, Susana, Dime Que Quieres, Maria, Te Extrano 2. 70 minutes.

Customer Reviews:

Misleading Cover!.......2006-03-24

What you see is not what you get with this DVD, it is not a celebration of the Artist at all! The layout and pointless editing detracts and destroys the performance!

I loved this DVD, Awesome!!.......2003-11-30

Even though I read a few bad reviews on this DVD I still went out & bought it & I absoulutely loved it! Here's the way I see it, if you are a spanish speaking fan of Ricky Martin & like his Spanish songs from the albums before Vuelve, Then you will absoulutely love this DVD. If you don't speak spanish & don't like his songs prior to his Vuelve album, the don't even bother to get this DVD because you won't enjoy it at all.
This shows the best of Ricky Martin's European Tour through Spain, Germany, Monacco etc. Show awesome concert footage which is edited together to look awesome & exciting, they showed only the best here. Then you get to see some awesome behind the scenes stuff of him talking about the tour life, etc. It's absoulutely awesome I totally loved it! I keep watching it all the time it's so good. I personally highly reccomend it if you are a Hardcore Ricky Martin fan & enjoy his early music.

Save Your Money.......2003-05-29

I'm a great fan of Ricky Martin's music. As an artist, he's hugely talented. I expected this video to showcase that talent and put the music first. I found the interspersed 'behind-the-scenes' cuts annoying, as well as the footage from a moving car. Visually, it's boring filler. That's a big failure considering what a wealth of raw material there was to work with. You buy the DVD to see the main event, not an endless parade of roadside scenery. It's like an hour long infomercial.

The concert footage is irritating with too many jump cuts and student-level, let's try-everything editing. I had to look away and just listen to the music; not exactly the point of DVD is it?. Simplicity would have saved it from mediocrity. His talent is big enough to do the heavy lifting here. All the tricks just weighed it down. Longer, sustained footage of Ricky performing would have helped.

End result: Poor production values, lousy editing, so-so sound quality and unimaginative directing made it ultimately very disappointing.

Not what I was expected.......2002-06-20

If you like Ricky Martin's music, don't expect this DVD is going to fill your needs. Music and production quality is poor. Seems that it was made by a low budget producer.

All songs are in spanish, so if you expect to see a live performance of Living la vida loca, you'll be upset.

Although I am one of his country fellowmen, I have to rate this DVD less than average....POOR!

Sorry, this is my honest opinion.

Ricky Martin - Europa Tour.......2001-11-22

I bought this video for a friend who is a major Ricky Martin fan and she flipped over it. After taking a look at it with her, I agree - - if you are even a minor fan of Ricky, his charisma, stage presence and performing skills are among the best of any performer.
I thought the backstage stuff was great and wanted more! The DVD features are well put together and add a lot of value. The best ones were the photo gallery and the bonus footage, which was great. I would recommend this DVD to anyone who is a fan of Ricky, who enjoys great dancing and stage work and Latin Music.

Europa-Konzert 2006 From Prague [Region 2]

Average customer rating:

Strangely unengaging
The Berlin Philarmonic Orchestra in Prague...A feast of Mozart

Europa-Konzert 2006 From Prague [Region 2]
Starring: Mozart , Baborak , Bpo , and Barenboim
Manufacturer: Euroarts
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( E ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

A Mozart Gala from Prague / Sharon Kam, Manfred Honeck, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra [Region 2]
Schumann & Martha Argerich
Karl Bohm & Wilhelm Backhaus
Grieg, Chopin & Saint Saens Piano Concertos / Previn, Rubinstein, London Symphony Orchestra
Bruckner/Beethoven - Symphony No. 7, Piano Concerto No. 3, Alfred Brendel, Claudio Abbado

ASIN: B000H4VZ4E
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Customer Reviews:

Strangely unengaging.......2007-04-27

I just saw the first half of this concert on TV last night here in Singapore, the Haffner and piano concerto no 22, and I must say it was oddly detached despite all the high credentials. Perhaps I'm just too used to the highly articulated period performances or it's just Barenboim who strikes me as just too calculated for Mozart. Of course the Berlin Phil can play the notes in the Haffner but it was the kind of monochromatic, one-idea-at-a-time playing with none of the subtle polyphonic density and tension that makes 'simple' Mozart interesting. The symphony was not as bad as the E flat (no 22) piano concerto, though. Barenboim was conducting from the piano and he just can't tell a story without the whole thing drowning in a generalized Wagnerian haze and clowning around. Only in the bombastic cadenzas (who wrote those things, Beethoven?) did Barenboim seem fully engaged. For truly great Mozart playing, oddly enough, you should listen to Horowitz and Giulini doing the A major (no 23). Wow, every phrase tingles and connects and surprises abound but make perfect sense after. Man, I miss that funny looking guy.

The Berlin Philarmonic Orchestra in Prague...A feast of Mozart.......2006-11-02

Another excellent DVD from Euroarts.

This disc contains the Berlin Philharmonic's annual European Concert for May 1 ( the date commemorating the founding of the orchestra many years ago); the 2006 concert site is Prague, Czech. The conductor and pianist for this performance is Daniel Barenboim and the guest soloist is Radek Baborak playing the French Horn. The entire concert features Mozart; there are two symphonies, (the 35th [the Haffner] and the 36th [the Linz]) bracketing the Piano concerto No. 22 and the Horn concerto No. 1

The concert took place in the Estates Theatre, Prague; a delightful horseshoe shaped theater featuring its huge chandelier, ornate domed ceiling and intricate decorative work ornamenting the five layers of loge boxes surrounding the perimeter of the main floor. Simply a magnificent structure!

An all Mozart concert is fitting for Prague because it was this city that embraced his music right from the beginning; his home town of Salzburg, often was less enthusiastic about his musical offerings. In fact, so popular was Prague with Mozart, that the first performance of "Don Giovanni" was performed at the Estates Theatre in 1787.

As with all previous Euroarts DVDs of the BPO's May 1st concerts, there remain certain constants over the years; that being, great music (of course), exceptional filming and editing, wonderful audio and above all, some of the greatest musical compositions played by arguably one of the best orchestras in the world, featuring world class conductors and guest soloists; this years DVD is no exception.

Highlights of the disc; (obviously a personal choice)

1.)Barenboim playing of the Allegro (rondo) 3rd movement of the Piano Concerto No. 22; (featured in the movie "Amadeus"); played with great sensitivity and emotion not only by Barenboim but the entire orchestra as well.
2.)The entire Horn Concerto with Radek Baborak as guest soloist; a wonderfully happy melody played to perfection and with great cheer.

In addition to the music on the disc, there is also a video clip about some of the history and musical events surrounding Prague; a short but interesting bonus on this DVD.

A wonderful DVD; a performance and recording of the highest standards. 5 Stars.

La Serva Padrona - Pergolesi Opera Movie

Average customer rating:

The best Opera I've ever seen

La Serva Padrona - Pergolesi Opera Movie
Starring: Sylvia Klein , José Carlos Leal , and Thales Pan Chacon
Director: Carla Camurati
Manufacturer: Europa Filmes
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Paisiello - La Serva Padrona / Tiziano Bracci, Gabirella Colecchia, Gianni Salvo, Marco Zuccarini, Teatro Massimo Bellini di Catania
Lully - Persee / Novacek, Auvity, Lenormand, Whicher, Laquerre, Coulombe, Niquet, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Toronto
Gluck - Iphigenie en Tauride / Juliette Galstian, Rodney Gilfry, Deon van der Walt, William Christie, Zurich Opera
Cavalli - La Calisto
Sallinen - The Palace / Veijo Varpio, Jorma Silvasti, Tom Krause, Jaana Mantynen, Sauli Tiilikainen, Okku Kamu, Savonlinna Opera

ASIN: B000AANWZK

Product Description

LA SERVA PADRONA, a landmark opera buffa from 1752, the story of a chambermaid, Serpina, deceiving her master into marriage is told in this operatic combination of pantomime, music and comedy sung in Italian. The storyis served here by the creative Brazilian director Carla Camurati as highly cinematic fare. Originally an intermission piece, it is therefore very short, intended as light entertainment between acts. In short, perfect for a true cinematic adaptation that is innovative without sacrificing its lyrical beauty and integrity. Although sung in Italian, this version of LA SERVA PADRONA is thoroughly Brazilian, from the soprano to the chamber orchestra down to the 18th century Brazilian baroque village and theater, where it was filmed.

Customer Reviews:

The best Opera I've ever seen.......2006-04-29

If you are looking for the Opera buffa from Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736), with beautiful musics, excellent singers, fantastic setting and outfit and a lot of emotion and fun, you must buy Serva Padrona right now!
It?s the best I've ever seen in my entire life!
Carla Camurati is a genius!
She is one of the best movie directors we know in Brazil.

Average customer rating:

Viva Garcia Lorca

Blood Wedding (Bodas De Sangue)
Starring: Antonio Gades , Cristina Hoyos , and Juan Antonio Jimenez
Director: Carlos Saura
Manufacturer: Editora Europa
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Flamenco
The House of Bernarda Alba
Carlos Saura Dance Trilogy Part 3 - El Amor Brujo
Yerma
Carlos Saura Dance Trilogy, Part 3: El Amor Brujo

ASIN: B000AATPVU

Product Description

Presented in almost a documentary fashion, Bodas de Sangre combines cinema and dance in a seamless manner that few films have achieved. The basic idea of the film -- a simple dress rehearsal in a bare hall -- does not sound like it has much cinematic potential, but director Carlos Saura turns the film into a beautiful cinematic tour de force, moving his camera with as much grace and rhythm as the dancers themselves (with, of course, the invaluable aid of cinematographer Teo Escamilla). Saura strikes just the right balance of using the camera to enhance the experience, while at the same time allowing the dance to speak for itself. He never intrudes on or competes with the dance, and indeed his touch is so light and subtle that at times the camera almost disappears. Only once does he noticeably misstep, when he makes the mistake of shooting a scene from a bird's-eye view, which is so distracting it temporarily shatters the illusion. He soon regains his footing. Saura has stripped the film of all of its inessentials, and created a perfect unity of dance and the cinema, the two art forms complementing each other. And in the climactic knife fight of Leonardo and the groom, Saura brings all of his techniques together, in a beautifully staged focus on pure dance and movement; at that moment, only movement is relevant and even music is insufficient to convey the passion of the scene. It almost goes without saying that the dancing is fantastic, and the contribution of choreographer and lead dancer Antonio Gades cannot be overstated.

Customer Reviews:

Viva Garcia Lorca.......2007-01-10

Outstanding performance. The adaptation of this master piece is admirable.Antonio and Cristina at there best. To bad that the sound feedback ruins the silent moments. But those were the resources in the Spain of the 80s.Other than that I would give it a five star.

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