The Man, His World, His Music

Starring:Johnny Cash
Studio: Sanctuary Records
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

An Intimate Portrait
Real Life Portrait.
A Rare Glimpse into the Man in Black's Life
Straight from the heart
one long, scratchy behind-the-scenes home movie

The Man, His World, His Music
Starring: Johnny Cash , Carl Perkins , Mother Maybelle Carter , Bob Johnston , and Bob Dylan
Director: Robert Elfstrom
Manufacturer: Music Video Distributors
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Cowboy | Country | Styles | Music

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

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Biography - Johnny Cash (A&E DVD Archives)
Johnny Cash - The Anthology
Johnny Cash At Town Hall Party 1958-1959
Johnny Cash - Live at Montreux 1994
The Unauthorized Life of Johnny Cash 1932-2003

ASIN: B00004TBTJ
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Amazon.com

This has the unmistakable whiff of opportunism about it-there is no structure, no narration, nothing by way of accompanying information, and much of the concert footage looks like it was filmed by someone whose other eye was engaged reading the instruction manual for the camera. Despite--or, just maybe, because of--these limitations, it offers some genuine revelations of its subject. And, in fairness, the concert footage that is filmed properly is marvelous.

The material collected here was apparently filmed in the late '60s and offers a series of snapshots of Cash on one of his famously interminable tours. He is shown playing to audiences of fans, maximum-security prisoners, and feather-clad Native American dignitaries, and he is shown away from the stage, playing cards on the tour bus, jamming with friends, and further reinforcing his then-unfashionable interest in Native American issues with a visit to the site of the Wounded Knee massacre. Also of interest are the other performers that wander through this random travelogue: Cash's wife, June Carter Cash, in a duet with him on "Jackson"; Cash's lead guitarist, Carl Perkins, taking the spotlight to sing his creation "Blue Suede Shoes"; and, best of all, Cash, grinning from ear to ear and quite unabashedly overawed, recording a glorious duet of Billy Edd Wheeler's "Blistered" with an insouciant, gum-chewing Bob Dylan. --Andrew Mueller, Amazon.co.uk

Album Description

UK DVD in 0 format features a 90 minute program with many rare clips including classic duets with June Carter, Carl Perkins & Bob Dylan. Featuring 21 tracks as well as unique footage of Cash relaxing with family & friends. This is a fascinating 'fly on the wall' documentary mainly shot on tour in the late '60s. Extra features include a discography & the facility to play individual tracks. 2000 Cherry Red release.

Customer Reviews:

An Intimate Portrait.......2006-04-12

I accidently came upon this film and it made me feel like I was five years old and opening a gift on Christmas morning. A life long fan of Johnny Cash, I found myself mesmerized by the intimate feeling created by the amatuer effect of the filming . There was something quietly magnificent about Johnny Cash that came through in his music, this film showed that magnificence through filming the quiet moments, whether it was as he listened to a hopeful singer or walked thoughtfully around the property and through house where he grew up.
I found the scene with his father riveting in light of what we now know of that relationship. It wasn't a long scene but in it John convinced his father to sing a short song, at first reticent, his father conceded and sang, he began to sweat so profusely that you had to feel sympathy for him but when the camera cut to John you could see in his eyes what it meant to him to have this moment with his father and family. I really loved the interactions he had with the diverse variety of people he came into contact with, it was a little like being a fly on the wall.
The performances were something to behold, especially the duet with a young and confident Bob Dylan. There was a scene where Cash was sitting in his living room talking about a song he had just written called "You are What I Need", which of course became the song Flesh and Blood. It was a beautiful thing to watch him sing this while it was still being fleshed out, and when he said that he wrote it while he was in one of his "long moods" I felt I understood something beyond words.
If you are not a true Cash fan, this DVD might not be for you. But for those out there who, like me, loved the music and the essence of it, Cash himself, this will be something you will treasure.

Real Life Portrait. .......2005-02-21

This is more a snapshot of one of America's greatest icons during his real life than it is a narrated documentary. The film is a compendium of homemovies that showcase Cash as an entertainer and as a man. Predictably, Johnny is accessible and friendly to just about everybody and you see that while he's "adjusted well to prosperity," he's still an honest country man inside.

This is also a ninety minute performance video. Most of its segments include some kind of singing or impromtu recital. We see Johnny playing at country fairs and at a prison (not Fulsom).

What pleased me the most about this film was the inclusion of Cash's duets with Bob Dylan. Watching the two of them record together was riveting. Also, I forgot how great June Carter's voice was. Hearing her sisters and June as Johnny's opening act was a great highlight. I may give a listen to some of her music in the future.

A Rare Glimpse into the Man in Black's Life.......2004-05-15

"Johnny Cash -- The Man, His World, His Music" might adequately be called a period piece. Filmed in an age when music and film were decidedly low-tech, this DVD, which was released in some theaters as a film, captures a raw image of the Man in Black. Indeed, the picture and sound suffer a bit, but I don't imagine anyone anticipated a DVD release (or DVDs for that matter). That makes this film all the more worthwhile: it's not showy. All the focus is on the music, and there's plenty of that. The DVD is a bit "campy", but I like it.

Straight from the heart.......2003-11-24

Yes, the footage is ragged in spots, and there is nothing slick about this one. But there are gems you won't find elsewhere. Much of the concert footage is riveting, including Carl Perkins' rocking "Blue Suede Shoes." Some of the reasons for Johnny Cash's broad appeal also emerge here. Combined with his onstage showmanship and bravado are his backstage kindness and affection toward his fans which seem remarkable in today's era of chic contempt. He called his shots straight from the heart, and this DVD gives us the pleasure of watching that in detail. A must for the Cash fan, and for anyone who wonders what all the fuss was about.

one long, scratchy behind-the-scenes home movie.......2003-10-04

This was not at all what I expected, but it was a rare treat. It really is like one long home movie, scratchy, not at all slickly produced or well-edited, with footage of Johnny going about his daily routine, at home with his parents, walking through his now-vacant childhood home, on a farm with his children, visiting the gas station owner & other folks in his home town, interspersed with footage of Johnny (and others, including June Carter & her sisters) performing. The performances are powerful, of course, but the real treat is seeing Johnny in his element, with his family & old neighbors. The only odd aspect of the film is that it devotes significant time to other aspiring performers who want to play for Johnny -- It's interesting, but what it shows about Johnny (his reaction to these aspiring writers & performers) seems to be limited in comparison to the time given to others performing entire songs. If you're looking for a slick musical production of Cash performing, you'll be disappointed. If you want a behind-the-scenes look at the Man in Black, this is well worth the money.

Average customer rating:

An Intimate Look at a Music Legend!
The best no-holds-barred video out there on Cash
Simply the best Johnny Cash DVD available
Dissipointed

The Man, His World, His Music
Starring: Johnny Cash
Manufacturer: Sanctuary Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Country | Styles | Music

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

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Biography - Johnny Cash (A&E DVD Archives)
Johnny Cash At Town Hall Party 1958-1959
Johnny Cash - Live at Montreux 1994
Johnny Cash - The Anthology
Johnny Cash - A Concert Behind Prison Walls

ASIN: B0001XANFI
Release Date: 2005-03-08

Customer Reviews:

An Intimate Look at a Music Legend!.......2006-04-21

I admit it I'm a newbie. A bandwagon jumper. I only got into Johnny Cash's music after seeing the biographical major motion picture, "Walk the Line". But since then I've been collecting his music like crazy. I have been especially enamored with the 'Man in Black's' live recordings ("Folsom Prison", "San Quentin". "Madison Square Garden"). In those live recordings he comes across as so genuine, plain spoken & honest. He really seems to put himself out there. Was it for real or was it just a persona done for the stage? Well after viewing the Robert Elfstrom documentary, "Johnny Cash The Man, His World, His Music", I can only only come to the conclusion, that Johnny Cash was as real as it gets. The film is done in a Cinema Verite' style. We are like a 'fly on the wall' as we see the life of Johnny Cash, circa 1969. During the course of the film we see him at home with his family, in the recording studio, traveling on tour in his bus and most importantly performing live on stage. Cash expounds about the things that are important to him including his music, family and his faith. The film looks at his roots, when the singer takes a trip to Dyess, Arkanasas where he grew up. He comes to town, but there are no 'star trips'. Cash acts like just a hometown boy come to meet some old friends. He gives an impression that he was person comfortable in his own skin. This seems to translate on stage as we view various 1969 concert performances, and hear many of his hits including "Ring of Fire" (with Miriachi horns!), "Folsom Prison Blues", "Daddy Sings Bass", "Big River", ETC. One of my favorite concert moments is during the religious spiritual, "(Were You There) When They Crucified My Lord". During the course of the song, there is break, where the female back-up singers (the Carter Family??), sing the chorus off camera. There is a close up of Johnny Cash's face as he turns to them. The sweat is pouring down his cheeks and he just has a look of such intensity on his face. It's an amazing scene! You just know he really believes in this song and its' message. Other great moments include rare studio footage of Cash dueting with folkie/rocker, Bob Dylan on "One Too Many Mornings". It didn't seem to matter to these two, that they came from opposite ends of the cultural spectrum. I think they both recognized, they shared a common spirit and had a deep respect for each others' talent and love of music. When they get together it's pure magic! Finally mention must be made of the footage of a concert at a local prison. There is something about Johnny Cash performing behind prison walls, that just makes his music come so alive. Maby he viewed the imates as underdogs and identified with that. In the footage we see him perform "Walls of a Prison", "Big River", "Long Back Veil" and a simply estactic, high energy duet of "Jackson" with his wife, June Carter Cash. I loved the film but if I had but one complaint, it would be with the condition of the sound & picture. This film is over thirty years old and the condition it's in makes that fact evident.The film is both grainy & scratchy. Maby this adds to the Cinema Verite' feeling? Couldn't they had at least done some color correction in the concert footage or remastered the sound for the DVD? While I might have issues with this, the footage is really priceless and will delight both Johnny Cash fans and fans of good music alike. You really get an intimate view of a music legend, who was at the peak of his talents. Highly recommended!

The best no-holds-barred video out there on Cash.......2006-04-06

If you like Cash like I do, this is bar-none the best DVD to add to your collection.

You feel like you're riding along with him & the band.

There is no narration, and there didn't need to be.

I can't stress how good this DVD is to add to your collection. It's as if you were riding along with Cash back in his heyday, no commercialism, no fancy packaging, just raw footage of him & what he was doing at the time.

In later years I've seen a lot of the footage from this DVD on other shows, and even in the coveted "Hurt" video.

It's just a really great piece of archival-type DVD footage that actually tells a story. It's a must have for any Cash fan.

Simply the best Johnny Cash DVD available.......2005-12-05

Let me start off this review by stating that this is a fairly low budget, almost amateurish production. The sound and the pictures leave a lot to be desired...and in comparison to today's slickly produced documentaries, this effort would be laughably dismissed by most people. Most of the footage is shot with a single handheld camera, often in poorly lit rooms. Also, the film negative appears to have been stored in someone's garage for about three decades, resulting in a scratched-up film. Plus, the DVD is low on extras.

So why the five star rating? Because no other film is available that documents Johnny Cash as well as this one does. Taken as a snapshot of Cash during 1969, it show him at the very pinnacle of his popularity and creative powers. The filmmaker follows Cash in several importants aspects of his life and career, so we see glimpses of Cash onstage, backstage, on the road, at home, and in the studio. One gets the feeling this is part documentary, part home movie. There is no narration, just the natural sound captured by the filmmakers. But there is such an honesty to the footage, that you get the feeling Cash is hardly aware of the camera. We truly get to be that "fly on the wall" and see a legend in our midst.

Highlights include:

1. Cash in the studio with Bob Dylan...I was amazed that film of these sessions existed at all...and am surprized this footage doesn't get more airings. You hear them record a song that never got officially released, making this footage all the more interesting.

2. Cash performs for an audience of Native Americans, then makes a visit to the battleground at Wounded Knee...being inspired enough to compose a song about Bigfoot.

3. Cash performs to a prison audience. This appears to have taken plan before the San Quentin show, but (obviously) after the Folson show. As such, this is probably the only place to see or hear this performance.

4. We see Cash with his family (including a young Rosanne in the background). His parents are present and Johnny convinces his Dad to sing a tune he learned during World War I. Note that the real Ray Cash doesn't come off as the cold hearted man portrayed in the Walk the Line film.)

5. Cash also returns to his hometown and we see him visiting old friends and relatives. His visit to his hometown culminates in a visit to his childhood home, now abandoned. Cash fans will recognize several bits of this footage as being used later on for the music video to "Hurt," released in 2002.

After about 5 minutes, you forgive the film for its technical flaws and are taken up into the world of Johnny Cash. No other film out there does this much justice in documenting the most important year of Cash's career. For that reason alone, this is a priceless DVD. Any Johnny Cash fan will be happy to have this in their collection. And while there are many Cash DVDs out there to choose from, this is clearly the best of them all.

P.S. - Another reviewer correctly stated that a longer version of this film does exist. The Sanctuary version from 2005 is 70 minutes long. However, the Cherry Red DVD released in 2000 (and again in 2003 in the UK) is the full 90 minutes long. Extra scenes in the 90 minute version include: 1) Johnny Cash out hunting, wounding a crow (then singing to it, as he takes it to be mended), 2) Two backstage scenes with aspiring songwriters pitching songs to Cash, hoping to make it big, and 3) Longer scenes with the Carter Family (and June's somewhat ribald introduction of their prison concert). While most of the best scenes are on the 70 minutes version, it is still worth tracking down the 90 minute version if you can. Amazon UK has the 90 minute version available (look for the yellowish cover with a photo of Cash singing into a microphone)...and since it's encoded as Region "0," it should play on all American DVD players. It plays just fine on mine...

Dissipointed.......2005-03-12

When i heard that this was gonna be reissued on Dvd i was pretty excited,I Purchased this on Vhs back in 1992 when i found it in a bargain bin and it was one of the best music video purchases that i've ever made so that made the Dvd issue much anticipated.The Dvd purchase left me dissipointed,the Vhs running time was 90+ minutes, The Dvd running time on this is only 70 minutes, over 20 minutes of the original video are not included even the footage with Johnny Cash singing to a crow in the woods are not included along with a few other segments. The picture & sound quality are A+++ Just the fact that some of the original footage is not included is a dissipointment,The running time on the dvd was nowhere to be seen,For the diehard fan stick to the original,if you are a fan and have never seen this then i recomend it.

Average customer rating:

The Man, His World, His Music
Starring: Johnny Cash
Manufacturer: Music Video Distributors
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Cowboy | Country | Styles | Music

General | Country | Styles | Music

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Johnny Cash - The Man, His World, His Music

Average customer rating:

An Intimate Portrait
Real Life Portrait.
A Rare Glimpse into the Man in Black's Life
Straight from the heart
one long, scratchy behind-the-scenes home movie

Johnny Cash - The Man, His World, His Music
Starring: Johnny Cash , Carl Perkins , Bob Dylan , Rosanne Cash , and Dale Evans
Director: Robert Elfstrom
Manufacturer: Video Music, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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

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

( J ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Biography - Johnny Cash (A&E DVD Archives)
Johnny Cash - The Anthology
Johnny Cash At Town Hall Party 1958-1959
Johnny Cash - Live at Montreux 1994
The Unauthorized Life of Johnny Cash 1932-2003

ASIN: 6305915997
Release Date: 2000-05-30

Amazon.com

Description

This 90 minute program contains many rare clips, including the Man in Black singing classic duets with his wife June Carter, Carl Perkins, and Bob Dylan This fascinating fly o n the wall documentary shot mainly on tour in the late '6 0's includes 21 song performances in many different setting s, plus unique footage of Cash relaxing and visiting with f riends and family. DVD Extras: No regional coding, compete Johnny Cash CD discography, complete list of Johnny Cash-re lated books & video, facility to play individual tracks.

Customer Reviews:

An Intimate Portrait.......2006-04-12

Real Life Portrait. .......2005-02-21

A Rare Glimpse into the Man in Black's Life.......2004-05-15

Straight from the heart.......2003-11-24

one long, scratchy behind-the-scenes home movie.......2003-10-04