Reagan

Starring:Reagan
Studio: Pbs Paramount
Product Type: DVD

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Serving as an introduction for neophytes and a refresher course for experts, The History of Rock and Roll is a mammoth and, when considered on its own terms, frequently successful undertaking. The series, which was first presented in 1995, consumes some 578 minutes, with 10 episodes (there are no bonus features) spread out over five discs. Its pedigree (executive producers include Quincy Jones, while respected writers Peter Guralnick and Greil Marcus are listed as consultants) is impressive, as is its scope, beginning in the pre-rock days of bluesman Muddy Waters and boogie woogie master Louis Jordan and continuing through the death of Kurt Cobain and the birth of the Lollapalooza festival in the mid-1990s. Along the way, dozens of big-name performers (with the notable exception of the Beatles) are on hand to lead us through the story.

On the minus side, the format--clips of musical performances cut short by a parade of talking heads--while typical of the genre, will frustrate those who come for the music alone. Nor is it likely that anyone who studies such things will find much here that hasn't already been seen. To be sure, there are some terrific moments, like the profile of Bob Dylan (in part 5, "Plugging In"), some cool clips of relatively obscure legends like James Burton and T-Bone Walker (in part 7, "Guitar Heroes"), and rarely seen live bits with Jimi Hendrix, Steely Dan, Iggy Pop (goofing on the Dinah Shore Show in '77), and many others scattered throughout the set. Part 8, which chronicles the '70s, is surprisingly compelling (one forgets how many major artists--Bruce Springsteen, Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder--came into their own in a decade remembered largely for disco and faceless arena rock), while part 9, "Punk," is arguably the most entertaining of the lot.

In the end, it's the lack of complete musical performances that is the set's Achilles' heel. Then again, with their appetites whetted here, perhaps viewers will move on to other, more detailed looks at their heroes--beginning with, say, The Beatles Anthology. --Sam Graham

Description

Ten titanic hours of the greatest rock extravaganza ever! This definitive 10-part documentary covers rock 'n' roll history from its humble beginnings in the '50s to Lollapalooza in the '90s. Fans can experience their favorite rock 'n' roll moments all over again through hundreds of exclusive interviews, classic footage, and unforgettable in-concert performances from rock 'n' roll's biggest stars. A must-own for any rock 'n' roll fan!

Customer Reviews:

Just Right for the Generations Who Missed It!.......2007-04-18

This is a well-paced documentary, appropriately held in the secure embrace and commentary of Quincy Jones who has proven to have the deepest and widest influence on nearly all popular music.

Interviews by key witnesses from the story and event of Rock and Roll add legitimation to the international story that it has become. History at its best, may not so much be performance as it is a passionate retelling and revisiting the story in the hearts and souls of the brothers and sisters who poured their lives into the state of the art of Rock and Roll (including good coverage of Soul and R&B in all of its various expressions).

You get to taste the sights and sounds of the experience, thanks to some choice footage and video, but you get to hear how the pioneers of Rock and Roll impacted the artists that inherited it.

While the material is dated, it gives the essential information right up to the post alternative and pre American Idol age in which we find ourselves now.

Not every artist can be included and at times less significant ones are, but the the mainstream of the story remains in-tact.

For those who are willing to listen to the story and get a substantial take on how the art of Rock and Roll that has touched so many lives, this series will likely be the defining DVD overview of Rock and Roll History until something better comes along.

Great set for classroom use.......2007-01-11

I teach music appreciation and music history at a university. I used this set as research material in preparing my lectures for a class unit and a seminar on Rock and Roll, and have been using brief excerpts for classroom examples for 10 years. I finally had to upgrade from the VHS version when one of the tapes broke from overuse! The commentary from artists looking back on their own history is excellent. I especially like David Bowie, looking like he just left a photo session for GQ, commenting on a clip of himself as Ziggy Stardust. Gene Simmons of Kiss (out of makeup) commenting on his problems with hairspray is also wonderful, as is Alice Cooper (also out of makeup) talking about the notorious chicken event. While someone looking for extended performances will be disappointed, the short clips with extended commentary by people who experienced the events are perfect for classroom use. Every semester I get a couple of students who want to know where they can get a copy, and one of my graduate students in the seminar was so impressed he chose a series of lesson plans based on the set as a final project!

The History of Rock and Roll.......2007-01-04

A great compendium intertwining music and culture. I use this in the classroom and my students love the anecdotes and the music. My high school students see how their personal music tastes fit into the historical development of the medium they love so much. A wonderful addition to any collection.

Just not as in depth as expected, a let down.......2006-08-31

I just finished this series today, and I just don't feel I walked away with any new knowledge than when I started watching the series. It has many stars scattered throughout the film, but none really said anything that was groundbreaking. Big theme, rock is here to stay. Yeah, I got that after tape two. The first 4 episodes in the series (rock & roll explodes, Good rockin' tonight, Britian invades america/america fights back, and Plugging in) did a fair job at looking at the roots of rock. But I got a sense in part two that this was going to get somewhat repetitive. I think it concentrated to much on these basic roots in the first two, and missed many opportunities to highlight the groups and music. The british invasions really again seemed to just highlight groups, but never had much depth in the scenes or development. Episode 5, Sounds of soul, Just don't know why this was in the set. Yes, its was an important development along with Rock, but really a seperate genre. This episode could have been chance to expande on the Beatles, stones, and their development, as well as the who, and Pink Floyd. Yes, they briefly had david Gillmoure in Episode 6, but that was about it. Episode 6 (My generation) was to short, and very superficial, just not much said. Again, the 5th episode could have bridged the gap between episode 3-4 and 6. Episode 7, guitar heros, Just a dissapointment. I don't think it covered much at all. It concentrates on the fact people used electric guitars, rehasing the rise of Hendrix. But it really missed the boat to expand itself as an episode showing how these first bands gave rise to Metal, and the 80's rock and punk. Real dissapointment to not see a tape following this one going into the genre of Hard rock/metal. The have a nice 70's episode 8, again, just vauge. I thought it would have concentrated on the many different branches of rock that came out of the era. It did a fair job at showin how the industry changed, and marketing took off. Episode 9, Punk, Not bad. did a fair job at covering the scene. Episode 10, up from the underground....When did Rap become rock and roll, this tape concentrated over half of it to the rap scene. It did cover MTV, and eventually got to "alternative rock" and briefly mentioned grundge and nirvana, but completly skipped over Hair metal and Hard rock.

In all, I think this series had set high goals, but just missed its chance. they needed naration, more history, more development of the scenes of rock. They over did the roots of rock, then continued to drag in many genres that really are more R & B, and rap, and missed the boat on 80's rock (hair, metal), and not even getting much of the pop scene, or even new wave (new order, Duran duran etc) I guess I must have seen the other "rock and Roll" series that was on pbs by "the experience project" that someone else mentioned in a review (which had a limited release availability I guess). I guess this will spark me to try and see some other series, like the new one on VH1 Heavy, the story of metal, as well as look at the classics like the decline of western civilization I & II. worth a viewing if a friend has this set, but not really worth the buy.

More Negatives than Positives.......2006-08-31

While the scope of such an attempt at compiling the history of rock and roll onto film is an advantageous venture, the producers of this documentary fail at so many different points it's hard to tell if there are any redeeming qualities. For instance, the very minimal mention of The Beatles is abysmal, but that would still better than what we have here, which is nothing. Whatever the issues (legality, no breadth to discussable material, or sheer need to avoid the Liverpoolites altogether, etc) something would be better than simply avoiding the issue altogether, which speaks volumes to rock and roll purists. Note, also, that this diatribe on The Beatles isn't simply my fanaticism coming in to play; they were simply just that good. As a result of their innovations, we now consider making popular music an art form. That had never happened before John, Paul, George, and Ringo! Now, there are many other factual explanations for why this DVD set is inadequate and inept. Another reason this video-log fails miserably is for the simple reason that there is not enough music; there's a lot of talk about music, but not enough of the actual music that we love. This rock piece is supposed to be about the architecture, foundation, and rise of rock and roll. What this DVD set does is talk about what was cool and why it was. There are some valuable aesthetic qualities (seeing the artists performing their hits, for instance). All in all, a beautiful concept that, with brilliance and thought, could have been a remarkable keepsake for avid music aficionados. But, what we got is a rock and roll doc that sorely misses the mark.

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Roger & Me
Starring: James Bond (IV) , Pat Boone , Anita Bryant , Karen Edgely , and Bob Eubanks
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009YXAS
Release Date: 2003-08-19

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Roger and Me is a loose, smart-alecky documentary directed and narrated by Michael Moore, an everyman host with a devastating wit and a working-class pose. When his hometown is devastated by the plant closure of an American corporate giant (making record profits, one should note), the hell-raising political commentator with a prankster streak tries to turn his camera on General Motors Chairman Roger B. Smith, the elusive Roger of the title, and the film is loosely structured around Moore's odyssey to track down the corporate giant for an interview.

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Whether your intellect is completely engaged or passively detached, any viewing of Naqoyqatsi is likely to provoke a fascinating response. You can view it as a magnificent, visually stimulating music video (as critic Roger Ebert suggested you should), or in context as the third and most unsettling film in director Godfrey Reggio's "qatsi" trilogy, each titled from the Hopi language, and preceded by Koyaanisqatsi and Powaqqatsi ("Life out of Balance" and "Life in Transformation," respectively). "Life as War" is the translation of this film's title, and Reggio's theme is not one of conventional warfare, but of daily life as warfare in the age of rapidly evolving technology. The entire trilogy views humankind as a blight on the pristine nature of Earth, but here the theme is taken to its inevitable extreme: a constant flow of new and archival images--manipulated with solarization, digital enhancements, thermal effects, 2-D and 3-D animation, etc.--combine to convey athletic and military regimentation, culminating in the doomsday flowering of missiles, rockets, and all varieties of nuclear weaponry. The cumulative effect, when combined with Philip Glass's mesmerizing score (his best of the trilogy, with cello solos by Yo-Yo Ma) is one of doom-laden portent, but, as Stephen Holden observed in the New York Times, the film is also arrestingly beautiful as it weaves its hypnotic, apocalyptic spell. For those who wish to delve further, Reggio, Glass, and editor/visual designer Jon Kane provide valuable insight in a bonus panel discussion. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Miramax Home Entertainment and Oscar(R)-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh (Best Director, TRAFFIC, 2000) present NAQOYQATSI ("Life As War"), from filmmaker Godfrey Reggio, in collaboration with composer Phillip Glass, whose original score features renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma. In this cinematic concert -- the concluding film of the Qatsi Trilogy preceded by the critically acclaimed KOYAANISQATSI ("Life Out Of Balance"), and POWAQQATSI ("Life In Transformation") -- mesmerizing images reanimated from everyday reality, then visually altered with state-of-the-art digital techniques, chronicle the shift from a world organized by the principles of nature to one dominated by technology, the synthetic, and the virtual. Extremes of intimacy and spectacle, tragedy and hope, fuse in a tidal wave of visuals and music, giving rise to a unique artistic experience that reflects Reggio's visions of a brave new globalized world.

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War Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection
Starring: Ronald Reagan , and James Stewart
Director: Frank Capra
Manufacturer: Mill Creek Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0001HAGWO
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Product Description

The War Classics 50-MoviePack features an incredible mix of stirring war movies and fascinating documentaries that detail the greatest battles and campaigns of World War II.

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Material Girls
Starring: Hilary Duff , Haylie Duff , Maria Conchita Alonso , Anjelica Huston , and Brent Spiner
Director: Martha Coolidge
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000JFY05W
Release Date: 2006-12-12

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Glamour girls Hilary and Haylie Duff (featured in Lizzie McGuire and 7th Heaven, respectively) star as cosmetic heiresses Ava and Tanzie Marchetta, whose lives get turned upside down when their deceased father's company is accused of selling toxic products. Wouldn't you know it, Ava and Tanzie decide to go all Erin Brockovich and investigate. Material Girls should be awful--but it isn't. It's not a great film, it may not even be a good film, but it's more watchable than it has any right to be, thanks to the confident and thoughtful guiding hand of director Martha Coolidge (Rambling Rose, Valley Girl). It's hard to say exactly how a director can keep something like Material Girls from being as insipid as, say, New York Minute. Coolidge injects some hint of awareness of what it actually means to be poor, casts some surprising actors (like Anjelica Huston, Prizzi's Honor; Brent Spiner, Star Trek: The Next Generation; and Lukas Haas, Brick), and somehow makes the Marchetta sisters both vapid and sympathetic--all of which is some impressive cinematic alchemy. The result is the most enjoyable film of Hilary Duff's career. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Sisters Tanzie and Ava (Hilary and Haylie Duff) have it all ? designer clothes to wear, hunky guys to date and millions of dollars to spend. Their life has been one big party since inheriting their dad's cosmetics company... but the party ends when a product scandal leaves the celebutantes without a penny to their name. It's a hilarious riches-to-rags tale as the girls go from maximum fun to minimum wage. Co-starring Anjelica Huston and Lukas Haas, MATERIAL GIRLS proves that laughter is always in fashion.

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Millennium Actress
Starring: Miyoko Shôji , Mami Koyama , Fumiko Orikasa , Shôzô Îzuka , and Shouko Tsuda
Director: Satoshi Kon
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000AK80C
Release Date: 2003-10-28

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The second film by director Satoshi Kon and screenwriter Sadayuki Murai recalls Perfect Blue, but Millennium Actress is a more complex, subtle, and sophisticated work that evokes the history of Japanese cinema. After nearly 30 years of living in strict seclusion, the aged film star Chioyoko Fujiwara grants an interview to journalist Genya Tachibana. As their conversation begins, Kan intercuts scenes from Chioyoko's films with her memories of pursuing the mysterious artist she met as a young girl. Accompanied by his blasé cameraman, Tashibana finds himself within Chioyoko's memories and films, alternately observing and aiding the woman he adores. Kon's skillful direction and subtle use of color strengthen the intriguing story: Chioyoko's memories are rendered in shades of gray, with hints of muted color highlighting the overall composition. American viewers will find their appreciation of this shimmering, spiral narrative deepens with repeated viewings. (Rated PG: violence, mature themes) --Charles Solomon

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Kissin' Cousins
Starring: Elvis Presley , Arthur O'Connell , Glenda Farrell , Jack Albertson , and Pamela Austin
Director: Gene Nelson
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000QXDEF4
Release Date: 2007-08-07

Description

Man tries to convince his hillbilly cousin to allow a missile site to be build on his land.

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Knute Rockne All American
Starring: Pat O'Brien , Gale Page , Ronald Reagan , Donald Crisp , and Albert Bassermann
Director: Lloyd Bacon
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000FTCLSA
Release Date: 2006-08-15

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Long before Rocky Balboa went the distance, there was the original Rock--as in Knute Rockne. His story, a classic 1940 biopic, combines vintage gridiron action with heart-tugging sentiment. Yup, this is the film with the famous halftime pep talk and Ronald Reagan's "win just one for the Gipper" deathbed plea. Yeah, it's corny. But so what. Lloyd Bacon, one of Hollywood's ablest craftsmen (42nd Street), directed with just the right scrappy disregard for genre conventions. Reagan, in his third best vehicle (behind King's Row and The Killers), plays George Gipp, the Fighting Irish's first All- American, who died of pneumonia in 1920; the always-reliable Pat O'Brien plays Notre Dame coach Rockne as a living, breathing icon--part father confessor, part Patton, part idealized father figure. Before he spurs the lads to victory, he changes the face of the sport--by inventing the forward pass, no less. --Glenn Lovell

Description

"I've decided to take up coaching as my life work," Knute Rockne says. Coach he does, revolutionizing football with his strategies, winning close to 90 percent of his games, and helping establish the University of Notre Dame's Fighting Irish as a gridiron powerhouse. But victories alone do not mean success to Rockne. He wants to shape his players into responsible and honorable men. This famed sports biopic combines a passion for the game (and footage of actual Notre Dame contests) with two superb performances: Pat O'Brien in the title role and Ronald Reagan as George Gipp, the gifted but doomed halfback whose deathbed plea is "win just one for the Gipper." The line remains one of cinema's most memorable. And for the rest of his life, Reagan would often be called the Gipper.

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Boss of Bosses
Starring: Chazz Palminteri , Angela Alvarado , Jay O. Sanders , Clancy Brown , and Daniel Benzali
Director: Dwight H. Little
Manufacturer: Turner Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005NRNU
Release Date: 2001-10-23

Description

The powerful and unexpectedly moving true story of the rise and fall of the infamous crime boss Paul Castellano. Castellano's visionary plans to evolve the Cosa Nostra into a legitimate business ultimately lead to his assassination by members of the family, who lived and died by the mob's unwavering dedication to tradition.

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Hearts and Minds - Criterion Collection
Starring: Clark Clifford , George Coker , Kay Dvorshock , Daniel Ellsberg , and J. William Fulbright
Director: Peter Davis (II)
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006673L
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Description

A courageous and startling film, Peter Davis' landmark documentary Hearts and Minds unflinchingly confronts the United States' involvement in Vietnam. Using a wealth of sources-from interviews to newsreels to documentary footage of the conflict at home and abroad-Davis constructs a powerfully affecting portrait of the disastrous effects of war. Explosive, persuasive, and shocking, Hearts and Minds is an overwhelming emotional experience and the controversial winner of the 1974 Academy Award® for Best Documentary.

DVD:

DVD

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