Music of Japan DVD

Studio: Educational Video Network, Inc
Product Type: DVD

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

Awesome Movie (whether you're a fan or not).......2007-06-27

This movie rocks. It's basically an animated movie, somewhat in the American style of Anime (but not Animation, i.e. cartoons). The unique point is the fact the whole movie is pretty much synced up with Daft Punk's Discovery album which in itself is pretty awesome. There are no voices, the whole story tells itself visually and with the music. I love it, I've watched it many times myself, and my children who are 10 months, 3, and 4 (boy, girl, boy) also love it, whenever I play it on my pc or tv, my kids come running, they stop screaming, stop running around, stop hitting each other, and will just stand or sit, pretty much memorized and watch the entire movie that way. There are just so many vibrant colors and the music again, is great.

Moving.......2007-06-24

As a fan of both Anime and Daft Punk this item is just about as good as it gets. At first it seems like a beautiful way to present a musical album, a nice screensaver as it were. However after watching this a few times and really embracing the story and relating the scenes to the lyrics or melody, Interstella 5555 becomes quite a moving experience. You will travel through a range of emotions with each song, uplifted and happy with "One More Time" to quiet and emotional with "Something About Us". My favourite track is "Face To Face", and it always tugs at my heart-strings towards the end.

Beautiful picture. I rate it alongside "The Castle of Cagliostro" as my all time favourite Anime films.

Just what you should expect...that's a good thing.......2007-06-24

The movie is basically just a backdrop to the album 'Discovery' from Daft Punk. More specifically it would be imagining the reversal of creating a soundtrack around a movie, and instead creating a movie around an album. It is an interesting concept, and it works very well in this instance.
If you are a fan of Daft Punk it is a bit of a no-brainer...if however you are looking for a deep tranquil film concerning the problems of today's society mired in soul searching agony...well keep looking. This is entertainment!

great movie.......2007-06-11

For lovers of Daft Punk... great story, very good manga, perfect design, all matches very nice!!!

Average customer rating:

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
Take this A Train
Cooltastic
Train Thriller That Roars into Action
Terrific "Diehard" type film, but it is not a 2 hour movie.

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

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ASIN: 0792843649
Release Date: 2000-02-29

Amazon.com essential video

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cooltastic.......2007-01-21

This movie is not for those who like to hear the f-bomb a lot. It's pretty funny and creative though! Great ending!

Train Thriller That Roars into Action.......2006-11-16

Despite its being dated, espeically with regard to such political incorrectness as making yellow-man fun of a Japanese business delegation, this thriller is an extraordinary example of how storytelling can overcome its own defects. From a beginning that feels harsh and over-the-top, and a set of New York characters you'd RUN to avoid, the momentum builds to a frantic 3-way intercut chase that will leave you glued to the screen and breathless--a masterpiece of directing that clearly influenced Tarantino in more than just the "Mrs" "White" and "Green."

Terrific "Diehard" type film, but it is not a 2 hour movie........2006-07-24

I am writing this review having just viewed this DVD. I noticed on the DVD package that the running time is supposed to be 124 minutes. But when playing the DVD, the actual runtime was 104 minutes. I am curious if anyone knows if there actually was a longer version or if this is really a typo. Robert Shaw is the Hans Gruber character - European with lofty ambitions, Another bad guy is the one with the knowledge of the system, another is a blood hungry trouble-maker. Walter Matthau is the perfect anti-hero John McClane character as the befuddled Subway detective. This movie is a great portrait of how New York works, as well an insight into the workings of the Subway system. I saw a man in NYC wearing a t-shirt that said "Let me drop everything I'm doing and help you with your problem", which kind of sums up the attitudes of the major players in this race-against-the-clock hostage drama. I give it a 7 out of 10.

Average customer rating:

The Burmese Harp
One of the very best antiwar films ever made
New Harp
Perspective on war - Burmese Harp
Challenging, thought provoking, beautifully made film

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

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ASIN: B000M2E3FY
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Amazon.com

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

Description

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Perspective on war - Burmese Harp.......2007-05-12

I first saw this as part of a collection of classic Japanese films shown on PBS back in the 1970s. This film was awesome - very engaging. Seeing it gives one perspective on what is involved with war and its impact on humanity and a way to rise above it.

Challenging, thought provoking, beautifully made film.......2007-05-12

The common to all of us, as shown in this film, is certainly greater than cultural differences, local symbols, tribal predispositions which take part in defining and shaping our emotions, thoughts, and patterns of behaviour. Among other powerful features of this film, it was a moving shock to hear Bach's music, lamenting to loss of life of Japanese soldiers, in a Japanese film, made by a Japanese Master; yet another sign that the ultimate meaning of life, hope, loss, and death transcends any narrow division of East-West, White-Yellow, which are there only to protect misconceived "Us" from imaginary "Them". As fresh on repeated watching as in the first time, only more powerful, and more moving.

Touch the Sound - A Sound Journey With Evelyn Glennie

Average customer rating:

A Great Sound Escape
Beautifully filmed, cool improvisations
Her music took my breath away
Beauty and Mind Expansion
how does she do it?!

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

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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Andy Goldsworthy's Rivers & Tides
Evelyn Glennie a Luxembourg
Her Greatest Hits
The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
Shadow Behind the Iron Sun

ASIN: B000F0UUSM
Release Date: 2006-05-30

Amazon.com

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

Customer Reviews:

A Great Sound Escape.......2007-04-14

This movie really captures the way sound influences our body and how limited of a view we have of an important source of information in our environment. Evelyn is truly gifted and this window into her world is fascinating. This is a slow movie compared to the usual sound bites we're used to in this day and age and I like that about it.

Beautifully filmed, cool improvisations.......2007-03-17

Other reviewers have already described the inspirational aspects of this DVD..I agree. Of particular interest to me are the many improvisational scenes between Fred Frith and Evelyn. The extra feature scenes are terrific. If you enjoy Frith's earlier improvisational outings, ya gotta get this. It's a real pleasure to see Evelyn in an improvisational setting. Many of her available recordings are not as improvisatory...also great imagery and ambient sounds.

Her music took my breath away .......2007-02-10

Okay, so I have been in a learning mode recently. I don't want to learn things a school might teach me. I find myself wanting to learn about the human spirit and things that are not talked about.

I brought home yet another documentary tonight. As I watched it I was kind of taken back by the artist's child like reaction to sound, in general. As the show went on I started feeling as if her reaction to "all" sound was what made her an exceptional artist.

A long time ago my ex introduced me to a guitar player. That is all this artist did. I remember listening to the CD and being totally captured by a particular song. It would literally sweep me away and make me feel so unbelievably sad. There were no lyrics, I didn't know the artist, nor did I know the song. It turned out to be Joe Satriani's "Cry".

This is how Evelyn's music makes me feel. I don't necessarily mean that it makes me want to cry. I am saying... there are no words but you know exactly what she is expressing.

Towards the end a guy quotes Richard Long. He said something like, "Artists are people who are in touch with the energy they had when they were children. They never lost it."

Evelyn later asks, "What really makes you be you?"

I don't own anything by her at this moment, but I will! Her music took my breath away and literally gave me chills.

She also said, "We need to eat, we need to sleep, and we need music."

Incredible!

Beauty and Mind Expansion.......2007-02-09

An utterly absorbing portrayal of an artist who discovers and produces beauty out of unusual materials, and whose work expands one's sense of what music is (and what sound is). The result is not just the chance to hear beautiful music, but also an enrichment of one's sense of living in a world of sound, and an attentiveness to an aspect of life often unnoticed. The documentary includes generous selections of music and interviews with Evelyn Glennie, who is not only charming and very articulate, but who also has thought deeply about her work and consequently has a lot to say about it. The film was made by the filmaker of Rivers and Tides (about the artist Andy Goldsworthy), and has the same mixture of wonder, mind-expansion, and sheer pleasure as that film. In this golden era of documentaries, this film standfs out as one of the best.

how does she do it?!.......2007-01-25

In this documentary about her life and work, the percussionist Evelyn Glennie (a Grammy award-winner) does for sound what her fellow Scot and environmental artist Andy Goldsworthy did for sight in the film Rivers and Tides (2002). In fact, both films were directed by Thomas Riedelsheimer. "My whole life," says Glennie, "is about sound; it's what makes me tick as a human being." That's a remarkable statement when about thirty minutes into the film you learn that by the time she was a teenager she was profoundly deaf. From playing a snare drum in New York's Grand Central Station, improvising with Fred Frith in an abandoned warehouse in Germany, visiting her brother at their family farm in Aberdeenshire, or staging an impromptu session in Tokyo using chop sticks on restaurant paraphernalia, Glennie explores the aesthetics, psychology and physicality of sound. Splattering water, pneumatic hammers at construction sites, a tap dancer, and general urban din all provide material for her reflections. Most of the sounds in the film are experimental, eerie, and dissonant, but to her credit Glennie amazes us with the complex miracle of one of our five senses.

Average customer rating:

Pop music kills!
Suicide Club
Something Stirs Beneath the Surface
What feardotcom shoulda been
It was good but had so much potential

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

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Battle Royale

ASIN: B0000CC885
Release Date: 2003-11-18

Description

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It was good but had so much potential.......2007-04-19

Well, only in Japan it seems can a director comfortably make star-studded features such as this. This rather remarkable career trajectory belongs to Sion Sono, whose Suicide Club stars high-profile actors Masatoshi Nagase (Stereo Future, Electric Dragon 80,000 V) and Ryo Ishibashi (Audition, Brother). Knowing this, it is no surprise that watching Suicide Club is a special experience indeed. What to think of an opening sequence in which 54 uniformed schoolgirls commit simultaneous suicide by jumping hand-in-hand in front of a rush hour train at Shinjuku station, covering shocked commuters in geysers of blood that washes in red rivers over the concrete platform? Welcome to tonight's main attraction, don't bother buying popcorn.

"Suicide Club" starts out as a rampant satire on fads and consumerism, with suicides portrayed as just another trend and the blood and scattered body parts as its by-products. The addition of the straight-faced police investigation sits rather awkwardly with the exaggerated tone of what's come before, providing only the first of many distractions and unfortunate decisions on the part of the director. For all its incidental impressive moments, "Suicide Club" remains disappointingly unstructured. Bits and pieces are scattered throughout the film (often literally, given Sono's love for lingering on gory details), but they never add up to a coherent whole. The story is peppered with a more than generous helping of red herrings, but these soon start to obscure the already muddled central intrigue (particular when they to come out of nowhere like the Rocky Horror-esque interlude halfway through).

This is a big shame, because some the underlying themes in Sono's film are interesting: the middle-aged police officers who know where to find the clues, but who are unable to get to them because they are hidden inside the bubble gum pop music and internet chat rooms which their generation doesn't understand; the representation of suicide as a superficial fad - there are seeds aplenty for a potentially great and truly confrontational satire, but the closest thing to being confrontational Suicide Club comes is when the buckets of schoolgirl blood flow in the already notorious opening scene, covering everyone and everything, the screen included.

With its combination of outrageous shocks and earnest intentions, "Suicide Club" could have followed in the footsteps of Audition and Battle Royale as a film to appeal to critics and cult fans alike. But with Sion Sono's confused handling of the material, it's unlikely to reprise the overseas success of either of these films. Some people may get a kick out of its portrayal of blood and gore, but even then its appeal is probably limited to shocking your friends with those opening five minutes.

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

Average customer rating:

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

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

General | Rock | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Sing-A-Longs & Lullabies for the Film Curious George (Jack Johnson)
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Thicker Than Water

ASIN: B000BRBAOC
Release Date: 2005-11-22

Product Description

Disc 1: A Weekend at the Greek

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

Disc 2: Live in Japan

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

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

Format: DVD VIDEO

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GREAT!.......2006-08-18

What else can we saw from J.J...
excelent DVD...amazing show and perfect 2nd DVD... is a must have..

Average customer rating:

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

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

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Similar Items:

My Neighbors the Yamadas
Whisper of the Heart
My Neighbor Totoro
The Cat Returns
Howl's Moving Castle

ASIN: B0009MAO3W
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Amazon.com

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

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

Description

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kodo - One Earth Tour Special (Bonus CD)

Average customer rating:

Drums of Japan
Impressive
Best watched with headphones on, lights out, and late at night
Loved It!
Enjoyment for the Uninitiated

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

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Stomp Out Loud
Blue Man Group - The Complex Rock Tour Live
TAIKOPROJECT:(re)generation Special Edition Taiko DVD
Live: Les Tambours de Tokyo
Pulse: a Stomp Odyssey

ASIN: B0006U3U6A
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Description

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoyment for the Uninitiated.......2006-03-17

Through the years, I've enjoyed listening to Oriental music from time to time. This DVD intoduced me to a form of entertainment I was previously ignorant of and found it most enjoyable. My son, who really likes drum presentations but has no appreciation for oriental music, also enjoyed this DVD.

Pat Metheny Group - Speaking of Now Live

Average customer rating:

A Masterstroke
Brilliant Music
You gotta hear the last track...SWEET
Cool concert
Uniquely Talented

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

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Pat Metheny Group - We Live Here
Pat Metheny Group - The Way Up - Live
Pat Metheny Group - Imaginary Day
Dejohnette, Hancock, Holland and Metheny - Live in Concert
Joni Mitchell - Shadows and Light

ASIN: B0000E2W0U
Release Date: 2003-11-18

Amazon.com

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cool concert.......2006-11-27

I am a hit and miss Metheny fan. I think some of his music is excellent and some just loses me in the voice/synthesizer ooo-aaa sea. However, this is a superb performance even though it contains a few elevator music tunes.

It starts with the accoustic guitar piece "Last Train Home" done solo that is really awesome. Next it rolls into this insanely fast, million note jazz jam with Pat and the drummer. At this point I was impressed and realized Pat's a better guitar player than I thought, and the drummer is awesome. Then he rolls on the rest of his band. I'll just make comments on some of my favorites: The next song that really grabs me is "Proof". It has great solos by Pat and Cuong. "How Insensitive" is next and is with the trio - Pat, Steve and Antonio. This contains some really beautiful playing by Pat. Next song that catches my ear is "A Place in the World". I like the main melody line. "On Her Way" has a really cool intro done by Richard Bona using voice, delay and various odds and ends that he layers together. Next Pat plays this solo song on this guitar that has 4 guitars in one - looks like it includes a sitar and 2 harp guitars.

All in all, this group delivers a very dynamic and complex performance. I'm especially impressed with Antonio and Richard. I'm no drummer but I think Antonio is an awesome jazz percussionist - he plays these complex syncopated patterns on cymbals and drums that totally lay in a groove and liven up the music. Richard adds in many great voice parts and effects and accompaniment that rounds out the performance.

My only disappointment was that Pat didn't talk at all, or even acknowledge his band at the conclusion of the show. Come on guys, come up front and take a bow and show some love.

The audio quality of the DVD is high and it sounds good on a good 2 channel stereo system. The video quality and editing is pretty good too. If you like the Pat Metheny Group, you'll love this DVD.

Uniquely Talented.......2006-11-11

I've been encouraged by Pat Metheny's music since 1980... that's a long time to follow one guy's music track, but through it all he has always grown and done more than you would expect. His trio record set the standard in the early days, with Bright Size Life (w. Jaco and Bob Moses), and his PMG work has been unusual and different and refreshing. One reviewer mentions "cheesy tunes" - in what sense? In the sense that they don't conform to a rigid set of jazz sounds that we've come to expect (swing+sax+trumpet+upright bass + x y and z=jazz)? Great jazz musicians are innovators, and what PMG has done consistently through its life and continues to do is to create it's own genre of music unto itself - completely unique. Are you going to find 14 other groups sounding like this? No way. Not even one. I know cheesy music when I hear it, and there are plenty of so-called mainstream jazz artists that are guilty of it in addition to the usual suspects. Most jazz musicians will be remembered as that guy or gal that sounded kind of like Miles or kind of like Coltrane or Brecker or whatever. The great ones are the ones others are compared TO, and Pat Metheny falls in that category.

If you are open-minded to creative music and want to enjoy great musicians at the top of their game, creating art together as a team listening well and bringing fresh new ideas to life, then buy or rent this DVD. If you want to hear what one kid from Missouri who was by age 15 determined to play with Gary Burton (and he did) was able to do with the guitar by just doggedly pursuing it year after year, creating fresh new material, taking the beauty of the guitar to new levels each and every year, then listen to this DVD and be a part of his history. Because Pat is one of the true geniuses of our age. His relationship with Lyle Mays persists to this day - what a story of loyalty working together though a lifetime.

And Pat is able to draw more talent out of his musicians than most bandleaders. A lot of jazz artists have used Richard Bona over the years as a talented fretless bass player, but Pat Metheny gave him a stage to share the whole range of his talent. He does a solo with himself and some percussion and a delay pedal that is amazing - he harmonizes with himself and creates a tapestry of sound... Cuong Vu did something similar on this DVD with his trumpet.

The drummer and bass player (Antonio Sanchez and Steve Rodby)are just on it - this is a great band. If you get a chance to hear their Austin City Limits performance, I think it is slightly better in the sense of how raw it is; this performance is more polished, and of course a lot more time was taken in the mastering of this. Both live performances are worth checking out.

Average customer rating:

OK for a peek
Overall worth watching, but no need to buy.
GENTLEMEN PREFER GEISHAS
Fascinating History about Geisha
A biased but interesting documentary

The Secret Life of Geisha
Starring: Susan Sarandon
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The History and Art of the Geisha
Memoirs of a Geisha (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
Geisha
Japan: Samurai, Geisha and Technology
Geisha of Gion

ASIN: B000BB150C
Release Date: 2005-11-29

Description

Exotic, sensuous, exquisitely mysterious. For centuries, the seductive grace of the Japanese Geisha has fascinated and confounded outsiders who attempt to fathom this secretive world of tradition, intrigue, and pleasure. Now, enter a realm once known only to the rich and powerful. Go beyond the popular Western misconception of the Geisha as little more than a high-priced call-girl. And discover the 400-year history of a profession where women devoted decades to the mastery of music, conversation, and the fine art of massaging the male ego. Witness the darker side of the Geisha, from tales of sexual treachery and suicide to their role in the fall of a hierarchy of political leaders as recently as 1989. From legendary Geisha of the past, to young women devoted to the profession in modern Japan, THE SECRET LIFE OF GEISHA offers an unprecedented glimpse into this ancient, enigmatic phenomenon. DVD Features: Glossary; Geisha Points of Distinction; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

Customer Reviews:

OK for a peek.......2007-06-06

I more or less made it through this documentary, finally getting past the annoying first 15 minutes with its repeated tease about how secret and exclusive the geisha life is, yet the life of the geisha eludes this film and the veil of secrecy is not lifted.

Liza Dalby provides spirited commentary with a soulful appreciation of the geisha life, and Arthur Golden (whose book "Memoirs of a Geisha" actually gives a much more accessible look at the hidden world) also discusses context and background. But not being able to understand any of the untranslated Japanese banter between geisha and customer makes us have to take on faith that they're charming conversationalists.

It's a good historical overview and the kimono are beautiful, but, again, there's little technical discussion even of the wardrobe, and one gets the sense that the subjects agreed to be filmed but also privately decided not to let the viewer pass through the mystique into real understanding.

Overall worth watching, but no need to buy........2007-03-15

A good documentary for its time, featuring Arthur Golden, Liza Dalby, Peter MacIntosh, and others (a selection of geisha and maiko from Gion, Atami, Tokyo, Shimoda, etc.). Susan Sarandon's accent is tolerable for American ears, but you probably won't want to watch it more than twice. Despite the candid presentation, there is a clear sense of a cultural 'gap'. As Golden recounts his questions about mizuage, the infamous de-flowering of a virgin maiko (and pre-WWII practice), he was reminded that Japanese traditionally don't kiss on the lips - a shocking revelation for the Western audience. Similarly the presentation of the Kyoto geisha Oyuki (who would be the unlikely wife of J.P. Morgan's nephew, George) is given somewhat sentimental treatment. Clearly the target audience of this documentary must be old enough to remember that 'people just didn't marry Orientals in those days'.

If you're thinking about getting the DVD over the VHS, it's really not worth it unless you don't have a VCR. The special features are little more than a brief glossary of terms, a side-by-side comparison of maiko-geiko and geiko-oiran descriptions. Perhaps they give American audiences too much credit, since the average Westerner wouldn't know all the differences between a maiko vs. geiko vs. courtesan without images. Also, the DVD cover art is stock photography of a poorly costumed woman. Trust me - you don't want a closer look at the ratty wig, bizarre hair ornaments, and butchered kimono - crossed right over left no less.

GENTLEMEN PREFER GEISHAS.......2007-02-27

Wonderfully informative ! Colorful and exciting lives of girls whos only goal is to please gentlemen of wealth and culture. The highest officials and diplomats certainly enjoy the pleasures of Geisha!!! Its an eye opener!

Fascinating History about Geisha.......2007-01-27

I bought this DVD after reading Memoirs of a Geisha for our book club. This was a fascinating DVD and a great accompaniment to the book, because it describes and shows real Geisha. It includes interviews with the author of Memoirs and also the first Caucasian geisha. It delves into the history of the geisha and explains the differences between them and prostitutes and where the belief that they were one and the same probably originated. Susan Sarandon narrates this DVD and does an excellent job. Her voice is perfect for the voice-overs.

Highly recommended for anyone interested in the history of the Geisha.

A biased but interesting documentary.......2006-08-08

"The Secret Life of Geisha" is not going to surprise or amaze anyone who has done a bit of research on Geisha, say by reading Liza Dalby's book "Geisha" or Mineko Iwasaki's autobiography "Geisha : A Life." However, to those uninitiated who still believe that Geisha are some sort of high-class prostitute, then perhaps a secret or two might be unveiled.

This DVD is a pretty standard A & E presentation, with interesting interviews and stimulating visual images. The approach seems to very much be "How Westerners approach Geisha" rather than "How Japanese approach Geisha," as the majority of people interviewed seem to be Westerners such as Liza Dalby, Arthur Golden and western patrons of Geisha. Granted, Liza Dalby deserves to be interviewed on any such presentation, but it did come off a little bit too much like an add for Golden's "Memoirs of a Geisha," a book of dubious authenticity. Although he was used as a primary source, there was no mention of Mineko Iwasaki's lawsuit against Golden for mis-representing her life story in his book.

The nicest thing about a video such as this, as opposed to a book, is the ability to see the costumes and beauty of Geisha in living color, moving around in kimono and dancing and playing their instruments. Geisha are very visual, and a video brings this out better than a book. Susan Sarandon's narration was a bit distracting, and I would have preferred a Japanese narrator, as well as subtitling of the Geisha rather than over-dubbing.

Also missing from the video is that, in modern Japan, women also attend Geisha parties, with the staff of a school perhaps hiring a Geisha and a few Maiko to entertain both genders during a particularly special occasion. The only time I have been to a Geisha party has been mixed-gendered, and it is not unusual in modern Japan.

Still, with few videos of this sort around, for all it's flaws "The Secret Life of Geisha" is worth watching by anyone who is interested in Geisha. Just don't use it as your primary source of information regarding this fascinating world.

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