Destroy All Monsters

DEMAND THE ORIGINAL AIP VERSION
I know this is a great movie and a pretty good DVD as well. But one thing is still wrong. THE DUBBING. This version has the lame (but admittadly not awful) international dub track done in Japan.
The American International version from 1969 had far superior
dubbing done in New York by Titra/Titan sound and featured
the voices of Peter (SPEED RACER) Fernandes, Jack Curtis and
Hal Linden amoung others. This is a tragic loss. The dialogue and
acting were so much better. What a shame.

KEEPING SCORE: The Monsters and where they came from.
Destroy All Monsters has a line-up of eleven giant monsters. Here are lists of the classic eleven, the ones who didn't make it into DAM and the ones who came later in the original series.
1) GODZILLA the king of all monsters from GODZILLA (1954-56)
2) MOTHRA giant telepathic caterpillar from the movie MOTHRA (1962)
3) RODAN flying pteranodon type creature from RODAN (1957)
4) ANGUIRUS armored...

Great movie...but not with the original AIP voice-tracks.
This is one of the greatest Godzilla movies ever produced, but this DVD version is far from perfect. Unfortunately, this is just a re-issue of the same DVD released a few years ago. The film transfer is exactly the same as the one previously released by ADV films, which has a recently re-dubbed mono soundtrack. The ADV soundtrack is much inferior to the one originally produced for American International Pictures in 1968, which featured an excellent voice-cast and a different script. Apparently the AIP version can't be published because the ownership rights are in limbo. Based on the cover notes, I bought this DVD believing it had the original AIP voice-tracks. No such luck. The folks at ADV deliberately stretch the truth. The cover art claims it's the "50th Anniversary Special Edition", but Destroy All Monsters was made in 1968, which makes this DVD issue the 36th anniversary for the film (in 2004). The 50th year, is a reference to the first Godzilla movie "Gojira" made in 1954, but...

A Review of the ACTUAL product
Unlike many of the currently posted reviews, I'm going to be reviewing the actual release, rather than speculating or complaining about the cover EDIT-Amazon now lists the proper cover shot as to what was used on the release).

I received my Blu Ray of Destroy All Monsters today and promptly dropped it into the Blu Ray player.

I commend Media Blasters/Tokyo Shock for releasing this one.

From a story perspective, all the giant monsters are collected on a single island (Monster Island) for research purposes. Contact is lost with the control facility and what is discovered is that a race of aliens has taken control of the giant monsters. The giant monsters are sent to many different cities across the world and the human race must then wrestle control of the giant monsters back from the aliens. Fun stuff!

Video:

I'm torn here. I really, really wanted to love this release. What is there is 1080p HD in name, but the detail quality seems...

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Power Systems The Ultimate Rotator Cuff Training Guide

Not what was pictured
The picture on the Amazon website showed 2 booklets and a cd. I received a DVD training video, which is ok, but then the booklets came as "E-Books" on the separate cd.

I would have take the booklet to the gym to use as a guide when doing exercises. Its not very practical to take my laptop to the gym to use the "E-Books".





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New Blood: Live in London Deluxe Import (Blu-Ray/DVD and 2CD)

Compelling!
Get a big screen TV, turn up the volume, push play. The next thing you know it will be over. The orchestral arrangements are so compelling and powerful that you can do little other than submit to them and not notice time passing by. I've seen the live concert a couple of times. In the theater I heard textural details in the mix that I didn't notice live, despite the live sound being great too. Details that, as a composer, blew me away. If you have a good sound system, and let yourself just be drawn in, you won't miss the drums and theater of previous tours. The visual effects are first rate anyway - no gimmicks required. The sound in the theater was as first rate as movie theater sound gets, so I would expect nothing less on a good home theater system.

The 3D in the theater was very effective.

In addition to PG fans, this is a MUST BUY for anyone into orchestral music or who wants an introduction to creative orchestral textures!

Peter at His Best!
I just received my blu ray copy and watched the concert. It is simply amazing! First of all, the video and audio quality is the best it can get. I don't care for 3D so I have the normal version. All the songs have been re-worked for orchestra and they are mind blowing. If I had to single out songs, I would say Biko, Rhythm of the Heat, and Single to Noise will blow you away. Just to sum up, Peter is a man in full control of what he does, this is an amazing concert and concept. It is not just a rock concert with orchestra, it uses the orchestra as the main elements. You need to experience it for yourself. Very highly recommended.

THIS Is How You Do a Concert on Disc
Wow.

I mean, WOW.

Just got done watching this on a Sony XBR-HX929 46" 3D TV -- 2 hours of pure Peter Gabriel goodness... in 3D. I would have a hard time believing that being AT the concert would be better than seeing it like this, with all of the different 3D camera angles and the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound. The selection of songs includes everything from Peter's "New Blood" CD, and then some. The picture is amazingly sharp and the 3D cinematography is top-notch -- so much so that if I want to demo 3D to someone, I'll use this instead of "TRON Legacy" from now on. Peter is a consummate showman and it's clear that he puts a lot of effort into making his concerts unforgettable experiences.

Other musicians need to watch this video and try to keep up. THIS is how you do a music concert on disc.

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TRX Performance: Train Like the Pros

Like it! Easy to follow
I've been using TRX for a year and like the instructor led video as an alternative to doing my own routines. This is easy to follow and has a few new exercises for me. There are plenty of intensity options, so I can vary the workout depending on how much I want to push.

This video, in particular, has more super setting and exercise integration than some of the others I've seen.

Love the workouts
I started using TRX at our health club and wanted some effective workout routines. The routines on the DVD were easy to follow and I take the booklet to the health club as a reminder on proper technique.

okay for people looking to have some activity in your life.
Not sold on the TRX phenomenon yet, the jury is still out on going from my usual weight training to using this equipment, I like the idea,but the workmanship and the exercises I am not satisfied with the results.

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Fanny and Alexander (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Two Releases of Fanny and Alexander Coming This Fall
The Criterion Collection is currently working on two separate editions of the Ingmar Bergman masterpiece Fanny and Alexander. The theatrical edition ($29.95) presents the Academy Award-winning 188-minute version of the film in a two-disc set with audio commentary by film scholar Peter Cowie, a collection of introductions by Bergman to eleven of his films, and an assortment of trailers. The special-edition five-disc boxed set ($59.95) includes the complete contents of the theatrical edition as well as the five-hour director's cut of the film, Bergman's own feature-length documentary The Making of Fanny and Alexander, a new 40-minute video of exclusive interviews with cast and crew, and Ingmar Bergman Bids Farewell to Film-a one-hour filmed interview with the famed director. Look for both editions of Fanny and Alexander in November!

True 20th Century Art!
Having very little basis for comparison (since my only prior exposure to Bergman has been The Seventh Seal), I don't feel qualified to judge this film against a "Bergman standard," but I do, however, doubt that he has directed another movie as perfect as Fanny and Alexander (F&A). It is more than worthy of the 4 Oscars, Golden Globe, Guldbagge and BAFTA awards it has received. Classic movies that are great on the whole may suffer from bad acting, directing, or even whole scenes that briefly go out of focus. That, however, is not the case with this film. It draws one in and keeps one alert and interested throughout. The directing and acting is surprisingly good. Mostly superb.
The story revolves around a wealthy Swedish family who run the local theater in Uppsala, and the severe upbringing of siblings F&A in the early 1900's (the story begins on Christmas, 1907).
Bergman seems to have a unique talent of combining drama with horror, fantasy, and comedy--this I also found to be...

Imagination Triumphant
Fanny and Alexander is a feast of a film, bursting with characters, ideas and emotions. In it, Bergman celebrates sensation, imagination and the power of illusion, pitting them against his lifelong anxieties about religion and the difficulty of human connection.

Set in the early years of the twentieth century, the movie tracks the fortunes of an upper-middle-class Swedish family, headed by the widow Helena Ekdahl. We first meet the Ekdahls at the exuberant Christmas feast that opens the film. Her son Gustav is a restraunteur, a lusty, sentimental man who loves his wife and paws the maids. Karl, a professor is the weak son, drunk, chronically in debt, and abusive towards his German wife. The oldest son, Oskar, manages the family theater in which his young wife Emilie is one of the actresses. While rehearsing Hamlet one winter day, Oskar falls ill, and soon dies.

Emilie is left with two young children, ten-year- old Alexander and Fanny, eight. Bereaved...

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Six Feet Under: The Complete Second Season

Another great season of one of the best dramatic TV shows
If you haven't seen Season One, stop reading this right now and go watch it. You're in for a real treat, as 6FU is one of the most well-written TV dramas ever.

If you watched Season Two when it originally aired and are considering purchasing this set, you should know that the DVD extras are not plentiful. Several of the 13 episodes have optional commentaries you can listen to while you're watching the episode; I find this is a big investment of time for a small payoff, but that's just me. Plus, the last disc contains a short documentary "anatomy of a stiff," which is worth watching once, but not really that compelling. Another factor that might affect your purchase decision is that the episodes themselves are rich and stand up to repeated viewings, unlike most of the tripe on television. Plus, watching the episodes on DVD - on YOUR schedule - makes for a much better experience than waiting a week or more between episodes as they are aired on HBO.

If you've...

Characters -- and viewers -- get addicted!
Like many viewers, I don't get HBO, so I got hooked watching Season 1's episodes all at once, on video. The DVD presentation adds commentaries of mixed quality. Writer Jill Solowey opens by wondering why anyone would spend an hour listening to her talk. "You must not have a life if you're here," she says. Unnecessarily demeaning to viewers, as commentaries add a whole layer of enjoyment to the viewing experience.

Other commentators pointed out the old-fashioned Addams family quality of the Fishers, which I hadn't noticed -- but now I see they have an avocado-colored refrigerator! And I see the contrast between the timeless, stifling ambience of the funeral home and the free-spirited world that the family encounters outside.

Season 2's writers faced a major challenge because plots need conflict and at least two sources of conflict have disappeared. Nate has now firmly committed to being a funeral director -- he gets his license early in the season --...

A TEN star series
This has to be my all time favorite TV show. I am counting the days until season 4 arrives on the shelves and it's been a long, hard wait. This family is the epitome of dysfunction and watching their lives unfold can only make you grateful for your own, hopefully more sane life.

I enjoyed the first season on DVD having never seen it on HBO and I don't think I ever got up to do anything else. I devoured all 13 episodes immediately went looking for season 2. I am afraid season 2 wasn't much different. I had to have it all at once and couldn't stop until it was over. This could be a problem I'll have to deal with eventually but for now, there's still season 3.

With its very adult subject matter, this is not a show for kids. Be prepared to get addicted

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Bizet: Carmen in 3D (presented by RealD and the Royal Opera House) [Blu-ray]

Spectacular photography highlights this sizzlin' Carmen!
If there was ever going to be a first true 3D filming of an opera, why not make it the most popular opera in the world? That's right, Carmen is the first commercial high definition release filmed entirely in RealD-3D by Julian Napier. Before I get to the reasons why this one should be on your wish list, I should point out that you must have all the necessary 3D components to view this disc. There is no 2D alternative. If you don't have a full 3D HDTV, bluray3D player, active shutter glasses, and a fully compatible high speed HDMI cable, don't buy this product. However, if you're all set to view 3D imagery on your entertainment center, by all means, don't hesitate to pick this up. So, now to the good stuff. How's the picture? In one word, simply stunning. Smooth, lifelike, breathlessly three dimensional. The stage is deep and Napier takes full advantage by creating layers of dimensions between all the goings on. As extras and principles move across the stage, there is a real sense of...

Outstanding Performance of This Classic
Christine Rice's performance as Carmen produces the most alluring, seductive and dangerous Carmen I've ever seen on stage or recording. This opera has been a favorite of mine for years and I thought it was all a little too familiar perhaps but this production of the opera opens new doors to the enjoyment of this famous classic opera.

All of the performers give the opera an energetic life that makes it sparkle with a newness waiting to be discovered. I hope it becomes available in 2D for those who may not have the setup for 3D; the musicality, the staging, and the acting place it in a special category that deserves as wide an audience as possible.

All four leads are well done as are the secondary roles so the overall impression is of a seasoned cast and crew who know their jobs perfectly.

This version is only viewable if one has the full 3D playback equipment so don't even think about it unless you do or are planning on jumping in soon.

The...

Julien Napier's gift to humanity--thank you!
November, 2011, marked the release of TWO 3-D Blu-rays with strong appeal to adults. Both are great successes. Cave of Forgotten Dreams is a fascinating documentary intended to be seen in 3-D. And this Carmen is absolutely mind-blowingly stunning!! The first (of many, I hope) stage productions in 3-D, it places the bar for future films EXTREMELY high. These discs make a strong case for owning 3-D equipment. The fortunate few already so-equipped will surely want them in their libraries. I have strong hopes that these will sell well and ensure a future for other grown-up 3-D projects.

I completely agree with agent_odd's excellent review which praises the singing, production (designed for 3_D from the ground up), digital sound, and picture quality. The ever-changing "magic carpet" perspectives that place you directly within the action rivet ones attention in a way that must be experienced to be believed.

Don't miss this one. It's thrilling and...

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Farscape: The Complete Season Two [Blu-ray]

Best Science Fiction Series Ever?
Yes, without a doubt. Even though fans of Trek, Babylon 5, and SG-1 might disagree, TV Guide says its the "...Best Science-Fiction series on TV..." Too bad it's not still on. Do you like intrigue, romance, passion, betrayal, technology without the techno-babble, wonderful characters and villians, impeccable editing and set design, and a story line that takes you from the highest highs to the lowest lows? Let's just put it this way. If you haven't watched Farscape you are missing out.

And you thought the first season was good!
Farscape reallly took off in Season 2. It has everything: gut-plitting comedy ("Crackers Don't Matter" and "Out of Their Minds"), a grand Farscape-style fairy tale adventure ("Look at the Princess" Part I, II and III), an action-adventure heist caper ("Liars, Guns and Money" Part I, II and III), high drama ("The Way we Weren't", "My Three Crichtons") and just plain unclassifiable ("Won't Get Fooled Again"). Even the weaker episodes have a lot going for them and as Farscape fans know weaker is definitely a relative term.

Just be prepared to lose a lot of sleep because the cliff hangers are sadistically brutal! You will definitely find yourself saying, OK, just one more. The two three part stories are truly cinema quality and are worth the price of the box set alone.

One more cautionary note is if you are married and want to stay that way, hook your spouse if he/she isn't already. Ladies: if you husband thinks this is a "puppet show", just tell him there's lots of action and...

Great Sci-Fi
Farscape season 2 continues the fine tradition set in the first season. After finishing the season one cliffhanger when nearly everyone was left for dead the show continues with some very good and some excellent episodes in season 2.

About the boxed set

The set contains all 22 season two episodes divided in 5 sets of DVD's containing 4 or 5 episodes each. Some DVD's contain bonus features but these are merely comments and brief promotional videos and are a bit disappointing.
The DVD's have a nice layout but a bit annoying is a wormhole sequence which is played at absurdly loud sound level everytime you select an episode.
The set is nicely packaged but the quality of the package remains questionable since it is made out of paper. I own the season 1 and 2 and for now the package is not damaged but we will see about that when the show gets in the hands of some of my friends.

About the show

The story is about a pilot named John Chricton which during an experimental...

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Band of Brothers / The Pacific Special Edition Gift Set

A Gorgeous Box Set That's Great As A Gift Or New Purchase, But Only Offers One New Feature If You Already Own The Shows
With a history aficionado (in general) and a World War II buff (in particular) on my holiday shopping list, I always face the inevitable crisis about what to get them. Arguably, HBO's 2001 miniseries "Band of Brothers" and the 2010 offering "The Pacific" are two of the most significant narrative works to emerge on the contemporary entertainment scene. Spearheaded by the powerhouse collective of Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, these two massive enterprises showcase different aspects of the Great War. While initially dubious of the hefty price tag (although I picked one up when Amazon had it deeply discounted), there is no denying that the appearance of the Special Edition Gift Set is both handsome and deluxe. As a gift or if you don't already own the two shows, this would be an easy recommendation. However, if you do have one or both of the programs--I'm not sure that this qualifies as a necessary upgrade.

I will make some comments about the programs for newbies in a moment,...

Great Set
I bought this for my husband who really enjoys reading history and war books. He was excited when he opened this. If you have to get your nose out of a book every once in a while, these DVD's are really worth watching. We have both really enjoyed watching them together.

Good combo pack.
Great way to get them both.Most places offer them seperately but this site offered both together at a FANTASTIC price.Postage was a really great deal also.

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Farscape: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]

A Fantastic Show With A Fantastic Makeover
I first started watching this program somewhere in the Second Season during its initial run on the SyFy Channel at the urging of my wife, who had been an avid viewer since day one. I had seen the Pilot when it was first broadcast, but never watched with regularity (at the time I was working a lot of overtime on Friday nights). I did come away from the Pilot very impressed by what appeared to be a great premise, excellent special effects, and potentially some great characters. Eventually my Friday evening schedule cleared up and once I started watching a couple of episodes I was completely hooked.

There is a definite 4 year story arc here; most of the episodes do tie together as the later seasons demonstrate. I won't elaborate on all the details of the program, mainly because there are many reviews here that do just that. What I will discuss is the quality of the box set that A&E has released, and has done an outstanding job of packaging and remastering the episodes. I...

Review for the Blu-ray: Pulled from PAL video it isn't true HD but it looks very good nevertheless
"Farscape" came at a good time providing a bridgeduring a key time when most science fiction on TV was "Star Trek" or nothing else ("Babylon 5" excepted) and it brought a much needed dollop of humor, fascinating storylines and great characterizations. It's true that the series presents a hodge podge of ideas that were successful in other shows from "Star Trek" to "The X-Files" but what was great as with all things that are an amalgamation of other ideas from other shows was how it was put together.

"Farscape: The Complete Series" is, well, somewhat incomplete. While it includes all four seasons it doesn't include the mini-series "Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars" due to licensing issues with Lion's Gate (which released that title)so you'll need to keep your DVD set for that until the latter is released on Blu-ray.

The Blu-ray presentation for "Farscape" suffers a bit from the fact that it was produced prior to studios thinking of high definition. The show was shot...

A nice set, but it won't be replacing my ADV discs
First of all, this is a nice, and very convenient set, well worth the money. If you've never bought any Farscape episodes before, or you have limited space to store a collection, then this set is probably for you. That said, there are some caveats. I did a back to back comparison of the original ADV discs and the newer ones in this set. There's three things that jump out.

1. The bit rate is about 2/3 of the ADV discs. I expected this to be lower since A&E is squeezing about twice the number of episodes onto a disc - ADV put two episodes while this set piles on four per disc. The only way to do this is to compress the programs more. Quality-wise, the image is still remarkably good, and I didn't hear any differences in the audio quality.

2. Unlike the ADV discs, these are not progressive scan encoded - the video is interlaced. Some players don't handle interlaced video properly when they try to convert it to progressive scan output, and jittering can appear in...

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Tom Cruise Blu-ray Collection (Collateral / Days of Thunder / Minority Report / Top Gun / War of the Worlds)

Great Movies, with one Minor Flaw
This is nothing more than a re-packaging of 5 blu-ray movies, all of which have been released individually. If you don't own any of these movies already, this is a very good deal, and these are all movies worth owning on blu-ray.

Unfortunately, there is one problem with this set: "Minority Report" was originally a 2-Disc release, but in this collection the studio has only included Disc One. This means that none of the bonus features for that particular movie are included in this collection. And that's a shame, because the "Minority Report" bonus features are really good in my opinion.

If you only care about the movies, then this is a great set. If you do like to see some of the behind-the-scenes goodies, it's still a pretty good deal - the other four movies will all have bonus material... but just be aware that you're missing out on the "Minority Report" extras.

VIDEO QUALITY:
++ "Collateral", "Minority Report", and "War of the Worlds" are...

Grainy but good value for your money
I was a bit disappointed to see the quality of these movies. Thinking the producers would have done a little extra to bring out these titles. They were grainy and seem to be just a flat copy over from DVD. True the picture had
more pop and more vibrant color but that is expected of all bluray transfers because of the higher bit rate. Sound was good though and due to this I felt keeping them was justifiable else I would have just kept my DVD's Top Gun and days of thunder. War Of The Worlds and Collateral is still decent flicks as well if the cost is worth it. As you can see I'm clearly mixed with this package.

Even non-Tom Cruise fans will enjoy this collection
I picked up this collection during a lightning deal for $25. At that price, it was a no-brainer. I've never been a Tom Cruise fan, but I'm happy I can separate my personal opinion of him from my respect for his work.

Collateral is my favorite film of this group. All the characters do a great job playing against type: Cruise as a murderous sociopath, Jamie Foxx as a nervous, frightened cab driver, and Jada Pinkett-Smith as a (blessedly) low-key, dignified attorney. The ending is far-fetched, but the ride is a thrilling one.

In the futuristic Minority Report, Cruise heads up the "precrime" police division, a group dedicated to stopping crimes before the perpetrator even knows he/she is about to commit one. It's assumed that the program is 100% accurate until Cruise finds himself on the other end of an investigation. The themes raised in this film are frightening but conceivable.

I enjoyed War of the Worlds more than most people I know, but I'm a...

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Maria's B Movie Mayhem: Teenage HitchHikers / Teenage Tramp

Great double feature!
This is what I'd call an awesome dvd release! Two classic (IMO) exploitation films that take ya right back to the drive in days. Teenage Tramp is so beautiful and beat up looking and while some complain about seeing scratches on a film, I love it and actually can't stand when the films are sharp looking like typical Hollywood garbage. Teenage Hitchhikers is a total blast!! Kind of a parody of the exploitation films of it's time frame and I loved every minute of it! Another excellent release from Code Red and I hope they're continue to release these type of exploitation films!





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Power Systems Pilates Foam Roller Workout DVD

This is an excellent pilates dvd!
My private pilates instructor recommended that I try this pilates dvd. She had confidence in their techniques. I really liked it and felt safe with my sometimes troublesome back doing this exercises. It is a beginner level.





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Mr. Magoo: The Television Collection, 1960-1977

Oh Shout! You've don it again!
By George! Shout! (along with Classic Media) presents onto you the Mr. Magoo on TV Collection! What will you find on it? You'll find the complete series of all 3 Mr. Magoo TV Shows (The Mr. Magoo Show, The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo, and What's New Mr. Magoo?) plus the TV Movie/Special Uncle Sam Magoo and all new extras! What it won't have? Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (but I found a listing that Classic Media will re-release it this year and I hope it has extras from the CE Blu-Ray). Now, I want to bring this to attention: The Mr. Magoo Show on this release might be the same from the previous individual and OOP set which means that some of the episodes featuring Magoo's houseboy Charlie might feature the dubbed soundtrack. That is, unless we help Jerry Beck stated on the August 10th 2011 airing of Stu's Show (radio program) that if we have original prints featuring Charlie and his original non-dubbed voice, we contact him immediately at Cartoonbrew.com. So your support counts to...

CENSORED AGAIN
I have just confirmed that unfortunately, this set has the same re-dubbed cartoons as the previous version. So the only new material is the rest of "What's New Mr. Magoo".

Devoted fan
Love Jim Backus as the near-sighted Mr. Magoo just as much now as when I was six years old. Hope to add further episodes to my collection.

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A Concert for New York - In Remembrance and Renewal - The Tenth Anniversary of 9/11 [Blu-ray]

a true event
Right off the bat, let me say that this is a recording of an event, rather than an eventful recording. I must say that the Mahler 2 is an inspired choice for this occasion,marking as it does the tenth anniversary of that awful day in 2001.

The main thought that I was left with was how affected I was with the reaction to this wonderful music by the outside audience.Talk about rapt attention. These people were transfixed, and frequently with tears rolling down their cheeks during the most moving moments. Initially I was bothered by the low-level "street noise" I could discern during the outside shots, but this soon melted away with the emotion of it all. Just think how many of the outside (and inside) audience members heard this life-changing music for the first time that night! How many will become new Mahler devotees? I remember when I first heard Mahler's music and it changed my life forever - and that was nearly 50 years ago.

Now to the performance, which was...

Yes, This Is Mahler's Second Symphony
All of a sudden, in this centennial year of the death of Mahler, there are now four Mahler Seconds on Blu-Ray.
ABBADO's Lucerne performance of 19/20 August 2003 was the first to appear on Blu-Ray. There was a sound problem with the initial release, but it has been fixed. My copy forms part of the boxed set of the first seven symphonies, where the First and the Second are combined onto one disc, the Third and Fourth on another, the Fifth and Sixth on another, while the Seventh is sole occupant of another disc. It is wonderful to have all the Mahler symphonies out on Blu-ray already so early in the life of the format, and the bulk of them presented by Abbado's handpicked Lucerne players. The contributions of Berlin veterans like clarinettist Sabine Meyer and flautist Emmanuel Pahud are highlighted in the Second, and their presence is missed in the First, which was recorded later. The blu-ray sound of the Second is astonishingly better than on the prior DVD release, and reveals...

Good, but not great
"In Remembrance and Renewal" of the tenth anniversary of 9/11 the New York Philharmonic under Alan Gilbert and with soloists Dorothea Röschmann and Michelle DeYoung as well as the New York Choral Artists fittingly performed Mahler's "Resurrection Symphony", recorded live in Avery Fisher Hall in brilliant audio and video (bravo Accentus!). I am not altogether happy with the filming: the camera takes us outside at times, to the listeners on the plaza at Lincoln Center, annoyingly to the large TV projection screen on which the concert is shown, and there are both panorama and street shots (the latter once even in rapid motion!), but these distractions from the musical event apparently are meant to convey a "village" atmosphere for this "Concert for New York". Now to the performance. Alan Gilbert has a firm grasp on the score's many emotional layers ranging from initial severe grandeur through the second movement's dance-like charm, the scherzo's whimsical playfulness, the...

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Melba

Classic film about an opera legend.
While the transfer from film to disc is a little grainy, the sound is great. Patrice Munsel never better vocally. Eventhough Melba didn't do everything on the film, the performances are very good. The story is a little corny, but I thoroughly enjoyed the film.

Should have been a 5 star movie but...
This should have been a 5 star DVD, but the visual quality is often inferior and it should have been remastered. Otherwise, Patrice Munsel is wonderful.

It's about time. Coming Soon!
This picture was on at the Busan theater in South Korea, 1955 when I was a boy. At that time I go to the this movie lead a elder sister by the hand. For my child's eyes, It has been amazing a reflection - beautiful fantastic stage costume, stage setting and songs.
The heroin of this picture is real character, Australian legendary soprano singer Nellie Melba. Actually this is a fictional biopic-movie. However has a interesting story-line, good plot.
The cast of heroin is Patrice Munsel who Metropolitan Prima donna of 1950s. Originally cast was planned Lily Pons, She refused cordially for reason of her own age.
I was wondering about distributor, visual quality good or poor and I'm afraid this DVD image is wrong.

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