THE EPITAPH VOL. 89: CHRISTMAS, TOONS, TV AND ROCK N' ROLL EDITION!
THE B-52s: LIVE AT US FESTIVAL (1982) - A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1951) - SANTA CLAUS (1959) - YOUNG SHELDON: THE COMPLETE SERIES (2017-2024) - THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS: THE COMPLETE SERIES (2001-2017) - SILENT BITE (2024) - THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME CONCERTS (2009)
This 7-title edition of The Epitaph is chock full o' goodies, including a trio of Christmas flicks - it is December after all - that range from a total classic, a Tarantino-esque bloodsucking Christmas caper, and perhaps the most bizarre Santa flick you've ever seen! There's also complete series sets by way of a long-running (and slightly annoying) Nickelodeon animation, a prequel comedy-drama series that really won me over, and a nearly six-hour, star-studded rock & roll concert from 2009, and a terrific 1982 performance from new wave royalty.
THE B-52s - LIVE AT US FESTIVAL (1982) Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 59 Minutes 32 Seconds
Audio: English PCM 2.0 Stereo with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Fullscreen (1.33:1)
Director: Glenn Aveni
Cast: B-52s
Athens, Georgia new-wavers The B-52s: Live from the US Festival 1982 arrives on region-free Bu-ray from from Icon Music Television, capturing the original line-up of the band as they performed in the scorching heat of n 1982 of San Bernadino, CA.. This represents the original line-up of the dance party quintet; featuring vocalist/percussionist Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson on vocals and keyboards, Cindy Wilson on vocals and percussion, Ricky Wilson on guitar, and Keith Strickland on drums, guitar, keyboards, plus a terrific two-piece horn section backing them up. This is a snapshot of the band at the peak of their dance-rock powers, performing songs from their first two classic albums The B-52’s, and Wild Planet, and a pair of songs from the Mesopotamia EP, plus the as-of-then unreleased song "Big Bird". They kick off with "Party Out of Bounds" and it gets the part started good and proper, the band giving a terrific turn, then into "Give Me Back My Man" with Cindy Wilson and her big-with taking centerstage. The band sounds great, tight but loose, and quite energetic, but obviously hot as hell as early on before the blazing sun starts to go down, those kooky outfits and Cindy and Kate bouffant wigs looks hot! So much so that Fred ends up stripping down to a wife-beater t-shirt pretty early on, just a few songs in. When they kick into "Planet Claire", my personal favorite for their catalog, I was in ear-candy nirvana, the B-52s alien-party rock sounds always gives me goosebumps. I loved seeing original guitarist Ricky Wilson doing his thing on the guitar, he was a true original and played guitar like no other, with weird tunings, and sadly he would be dead just a few short years later.
Video: 1080p HD Fullscreen (1.33:1)
Director: Glenn Aveni
Cast: B-52s
Athens, Georgia new-wavers The B-52s: Live from the US Festival 1982 arrives on region-free Bu-ray from from Icon Music Television, capturing the original line-up of the band as they performed in the scorching heat of n 1982 of San Bernadino, CA.. This represents the original line-up of the dance party quintet; featuring vocalist/percussionist Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson on vocals and keyboards, Cindy Wilson on vocals and percussion, Ricky Wilson on guitar, and Keith Strickland on drums, guitar, keyboards, plus a terrific two-piece horn section backing them up. This is a snapshot of the band at the peak of their dance-rock powers, performing songs from their first two classic albums The B-52’s, and Wild Planet, and a pair of songs from the Mesopotamia EP, plus the as-of-then unreleased song "Big Bird". They kick off with "Party Out of Bounds" and it gets the part started good and proper, the band giving a terrific turn, then into "Give Me Back My Man" with Cindy Wilson and her big-with taking centerstage. The band sounds great, tight but loose, and quite energetic, but obviously hot as hell as early on before the blazing sun starts to go down, those kooky outfits and Cindy and Kate bouffant wigs looks hot! So much so that Fred ends up stripping down to a wife-beater t-shirt pretty early on, just a few songs in. When they kick into "Planet Claire", my personal favorite for their catalog, I was in ear-candy nirvana, the B-52s alien-party rock sounds always gives me goosebumps. I loved seeing original guitarist Ricky Wilson doing his thing on the guitar, he was a true original and played guitar like no other, with weird tunings, and sadly he would be dead just a few short years later.
The hits just keep on comin' at this performance, the crowd are eating it up and in-between a few of the songs there are interview clips with Fred, Kate and Cindy from 2019 who talk about the festival, the genius of Ricky and how he achieved his unique sound, and the state of the music industry. The show was captured in 1.33:1 fullframe on SD video using multiple cameras, and while it's not HD perfection the upscaling looks solid enough for me, and the uncompressed stereo audio sounds terrific though. The only extras is listed as a trailer, but it's actually just one the interviews that pops up between songs, not an actual trailer. The single-disc release arrives in a clear keepcase with a 2-sided wrap, not reversible, but a track list, song credits and band line-up are listed on the reverse side. If you're a B-52s fan this is pretty essential stuff, the performance captures a zesty and dynamic show from the bad who were at the peak of their powers with the original line-up.
Track List: 1. Party Out of Bounds 2. Give Me Back My Man 3. Planet Claire 4. Throw That Beat in the Garbage Can 5. Lava 6. Mesopotamia 7. 6060-842 8. Big Bird 9. 52 Girls 10. Dance This Mess Around 11. Private Idaho 12. Rock Lobster 13. Strobe Light
Special Features:
- Trailer (1:05)
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A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1951)
Region Code: Region-Free
This is what I would say is the definitive version of Charles Dickens' story A Christmas Carol, wherein notorious cheapskate Ebenezer Scrooge (Alastair Sim, The Ladykillers) is visited on Christmas Eve by his late business partner Jacob Marley (Michael Hordern), the specter warns him that that he now suffers tortures beyond measure in the afterlife because of his moral failures in life, and that if Scrooge doesn't change his ways a worse fate awaits him after death. Marley also tells him that three ghosts, the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come will all visit him this night, to teach him the errors of his ways. Sure enough, they arrives, and throughout the night he is transported through time and space, along the way the callous miser discovers the heart he sacrificed through the years while he pursued wealth over personal relationships and family. What makes this one such a treasure is the turn from Alastair Sim, who both captures the depth of his cold cruelty of the curmudgeon early on and the complete and utter joy when he rediscovers his heart, the transformation is utterly captivating from start to finish. Sim is also aided and abetted by some terrific black and white visuals with off kilter framing and some German expressionistic shadow play that make this not just a heartfelt and fantastical Christmas classic, but a visually pleasing one as well. This 2-disc Blu-ray/DVD set from VCI looks terrific and has been restored from a new 1080p, HD transfer master produced from the 35mm negative and fine grain, plus it's loaded with some terrific extras, including intro by film critic Leonard Maltin, audio commentary, silent film Dickens adaptations, featurettes, interviews radio plays and more! This is as essential a Christmas film as any there are, an absolute must-own.
Label: VCI Entertainment
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 94 Minutes 32 Seconds
Audio: English or Spanish PCM 2.0 Dual-Mono, 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.78:1)
Director: René Cardona
Cast: José Elías Moreno, Cesáreo Quezadas 'Pulgarcito', José Luis Aguirre 'Trotsky', Armando Arriola, Lupita Quezadas, Antonio Díaz Conde hijo, Nora Veryán, Polo Ortín, Manuel Calvo, José Carlos Méndez, Jesús Brook
While A Christmas Carol (1951) is a true cinema classic here we have a true cinema WTF! by way if the Mexican film Santa Claus (1950) aka Santa Claus vs the Devil, a bizarre children's fantasy film wherein Santa (José Elías Moreno) lives in a floating fortress of solitude above the North Pole in a Toyland castle, where he seems to have kids from around the world making toys in his workshop. He's only allowed to come to Earth once a year on Christmas Eve, but he keeps tabs on the good and bad kids by using a telescope, the Cosmic Telescope and Master Eye, to peep on kids and see their deeds all year long. That's not his creepiest contraption though, that would be the Tele-Talker, a super-computer of sorts with a huge pair of red lips on the wall that look like some sort of giant-sized flesh Light, eww. It really brought to mind something you would have seen on Peewee's Playhouse. Meanwhile, in Hell Lucifer sends his minion Pitch (José Luis Aguirre), a red-devil demon, to corrupt the children and turn them against Santa, whispering in their ears to break windows and steal dolls they covet.
THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS: THE COMPLETE SERIES (2001-2017)
THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME CONCERTS (2009) 2-Disc Blu-ray Set
Duration: 86 Minutes S1 Seconds
Rating: Unrated
Rating: Unrated
Audio: English PCM 5.1 Surround, 2.0 Dual-Mono with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Fullscreen (1.37:1)
Director: Brian Desmond Hurst
Cast: Alastair Sim, Kathleen Harrison, Mervyn Jons, Hermione Baddeley, Michael Hordern, George Cole, John Charlesworth
This is what I would say is the definitive version of Charles Dickens' story A Christmas Carol, wherein notorious cheapskate Ebenezer Scrooge (Alastair Sim, The Ladykillers) is visited on Christmas Eve by his late business partner Jacob Marley (Michael Hordern), the specter warns him that that he now suffers tortures beyond measure in the afterlife because of his moral failures in life, and that if Scrooge doesn't change his ways a worse fate awaits him after death. Marley also tells him that three ghosts, the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come will all visit him this night, to teach him the errors of his ways. Sure enough, they arrives, and throughout the night he is transported through time and space, along the way the callous miser discovers the heart he sacrificed through the years while he pursued wealth over personal relationships and family. What makes this one such a treasure is the turn from Alastair Sim, who both captures the depth of his cold cruelty of the curmudgeon early on and the complete and utter joy when he rediscovers his heart, the transformation is utterly captivating from start to finish. Sim is also aided and abetted by some terrific black and white visuals with off kilter framing and some German expressionistic shadow play that make this not just a heartfelt and fantastical Christmas classic, but a visually pleasing one as well. This 2-disc Blu-ray/DVD set from VCI looks terrific and has been restored from a new 1080p, HD transfer master produced from the 35mm negative and fine grain, plus it's loaded with some terrific extras, including intro by film critic Leonard Maltin, audio commentary, silent film Dickens adaptations, featurettes, interviews radio plays and more! This is as essential a Christmas film as any there are, an absolute must-own.
Special Features:
- Introduction by Leonard Martin (5:02)
- Dead To Begin With: The Darker Side of a Classic - Featuring British film historian and culturalist Sir Christopher Frayling (26:31)
- Scrooge By Another Name: Distributing A Christmas Carol - Featurette with US distributor, Richard Gordon (9:47)
- The Human Blarney Stone: Life and Films of Brian Desmond Hurst with Allan Esler Smith, the great-great nephew and biographer of Hurst. (41:14)
- Alastair Sim Version: Too Good to be Shown only at Christmastime” - by Fred Guida, author of “A Christmas Carol and Its Adaptations” (32:36)
- Silent Dickens - a collection of early examples of Dickens on film in HD. Scrooge (1922) (10:17) and Bleak House (1922) (10:14)
- Introduction by Leonard Martin (5:02)
- Dead To Begin With: The Darker Side of a Classic - Featuring British film historian and culturalist Sir Christopher Frayling (26:31)
- Scrooge By Another Name: Distributing A Christmas Carol - Featurette with US distributor, Richard Gordon (9:47)
- The Human Blarney Stone: Life and Films of Brian Desmond Hurst with Allan Esler Smith, the great-great nephew and biographer of Hurst. (41:14)
- Alastair Sim Version: Too Good to be Shown only at Christmastime” - by Fred Guida, author of “A Christmas Carol and Its Adaptations” (32:36)
- Silent Dickens - a collection of early examples of Dickens on film in HD. Scrooge (1922) (10:17) and Bleak House (1922) (10:14)
- Original British Theatrical Trailer (1:43)
- American Trailer (1:42)
- Scrooge Revisited (2:29)
- Bonus DVD Disc includes: Full length standard definition “A Christmas Carol” (86:31) plus: ”Campbell Playhouse: A Christmas Carol”- Original 1939 radio dramatization, narrated by Orson Welles and starring Lionel Barrymore (59:22)
- Plus: “Bibliographic Essay” by Fred Guida (15:08)
- Bonus DVD Disc includes: Full length standard definition “A Christmas Carol” (86:31) plus: ”Campbell Playhouse: A Christmas Carol”- Original 1939 radio dramatization, narrated by Orson Welles and starring Lionel Barrymore (59:22)
- Plus: “Bibliographic Essay” by Fred Guida (15:08)
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SANTA CLAUS (1959)
Deluxe Collector's 2023 Edition
Label: VCI Entertainment
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 94 Minutes 32 Seconds
Audio: English or Spanish PCM 2.0 Dual-Mono, 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.78:1)
Director: René Cardona
Cast: José Elías Moreno, Cesáreo Quezadas 'Pulgarcito', José Luis Aguirre 'Trotsky', Armando Arriola, Lupita Quezadas, Antonio Díaz Conde hijo, Nora Veryán, Polo Ortín, Manuel Calvo, José Carlos Méndez, Jesús Brook
While A Christmas Carol (1951) is a true cinema classic here we have a true cinema WTF! by way if the Mexican film Santa Claus (1950) aka Santa Claus vs the Devil, a bizarre children's fantasy film wherein Santa (José Elías Moreno) lives in a floating fortress of solitude above the North Pole in a Toyland castle, where he seems to have kids from around the world making toys in his workshop. He's only allowed to come to Earth once a year on Christmas Eve, but he keeps tabs on the good and bad kids by using a telescope, the Cosmic Telescope and Master Eye, to peep on kids and see their deeds all year long. That's not his creepiest contraption though, that would be the Tele-Talker, a super-computer of sorts with a huge pair of red lips on the wall that look like some sort of giant-sized flesh Light, eww. It really brought to mind something you would have seen on Peewee's Playhouse. Meanwhile, in Hell Lucifer sends his minion Pitch (José Luis Aguirre), a red-devil demon, to corrupt the children and turn them against Santa, whispering in their ears to break windows and steal dolls they covet.
It's one of the most demented Christmas offerings I have ever seen, with Santa enlisting the help of Merlin the Wizard, who provides him with magic sleeping powder to keep the kids asleep, and a flower that makes one disappear, and he commissions a a magic key that will unlock any door on Earth the Roman God Vulcan - damn, Santa keeps some strange company! This is directed by René Cardona (Night of the Bloody Apes), it's wacky good time with so many strange elements packed into it's runtime that it boggles the mind, you certainly have not seen a Christmas flick with this many images from Hell and of a very stereotypical looking devil-demon running around trying to corrupt little kids, it's just bizarre stuff, and I recommend it whole-heartedly, that it ends with Santa being treed by an angry dog and having to be extracted by the fire department is the least weird thing about it. This single-disc release from VCI offers both Spanish and English language versions of the film with PCM 2.0 audio and 1080p HD widescreen. The source looks to be in excellent shape, and while it does look fairly scrubbed of grain the image is sharp looking. Contrast runs a bit hot, and the color space looks almost like a 2-strip technicolor flick in how limited the colors are, favoring grays, blues and eye-searing reds, with Santa's suit and Pitch's red-devil skin are retina-burning vivid, and it give the flick an even more surreal feel. This is loaded with extras, we get a terrific Audio Commentary by Daniel Griffith (K. Gordon Murray Historian), Santa Clause Conquers the Devil featurette by Daniel Griffith and Bayyhoo Motion Pictures, featuring cult film enthusiasts Charles Kilgore, Mexican Film historian David Wilt, Brian Henry, filmmaker Larry Blamire, Kevin Murphy and Paul Chaplin from MST3K; Deleted Scenes, the “A Howdy Doody Christmas” classic Castle Films short film, a black and white episode with Howdy, Buffalo Bob and Clarabell who hop in a rocket ship and head to the North Pole to check in on Santa who's running late on Christmas., as well as a selection of Santa Novelty shorts and more. This is one for the weirdos who love culty oddball Christmas novelties for sure, and it would pair well with something like Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964) or as a chaser after a classic Rankin/Bass Christmas offering, recommended!
Special Features:
- Contains both the American K. Gordon Murray and Original Mexican Versions on one disc
- Audio Commentary by Daniel Griffith (K. Gordon Murray Historian)
- Making of Featurette
- Animated Stills Gallery
- Original Santa Claus Theatrical Trailer (2:40)
- Contains both the American K. Gordon Murray and Original Mexican Versions on one disc
- Audio Commentary by Daniel Griffith (K. Gordon Murray Historian)
- Making of Featurette
- Animated Stills Gallery
- Original Santa Claus Theatrical Trailer (2:40)
- TV Spot (1:01)
- Radio Spot (0:59)
- Deleted Scenes (12:15)
- Photo Gallery (4:32)
- “A Howdy Doody Christmas” – classic Castle Films Short Subject (8:32)
- “A Howdy Doody Christmas” – classic Castle Films Short Subject (8:32)
- Santa Clause Conquers the Devil featurette by Daniel Griffith (14:00)
- Bonus Santa Claus Novelty Short Subjects: Santa and His Helpers (12:50), Santa's Enchanted Village (12:49), Santa's Magic Kingdom (12:49)
- Wonder World (K. Gordon Murray Documentary Teaser)
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YOUNG SHELDON: THE COMPLETE SERIES (2017-2024) 14-Disc Blu-ray Set
Label: WBDHE
Region Code: A
Rating: PG
Duration: 2763 Minutes
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 with Optional English Subtitles Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.78:1)
Cast: Iain Armitage, Zoe Perry, Lance Barber, Annie Potts, Montana Jordan, Raegan Revord, Emily Osment, Jim Parsons
This Blu-ray set collects all seven seasons of Young Sheldon, a spin-off prequel to The Big Bang Theory, offering a coming-of-age story of the character of Sheldon fromThe Big Bang Theory set n the late '80s through the '90s, starring Iain Armitage (TV's Big Little Lies) as the genius-level adolescent Sheldon growing up in East Texas. Armitage is terrific, capturing the still-forming character traits of the grown-up version of himself from TBBT but also with an innocence and a surprising amount of sweetness. The rest of the cast is also terrific, we have Zoe Perry (TV's The Family) as Sheldon's Southern Baptist mother Mary Cooper, Lance Barber (TV's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) plays his dad George Cooper Sr. who is the coach of the highschool football team, and then we have his older brother George (Montana Jordan, TV's George & Mandy's Fist Marriage) who struggles to deal with his brother's intellect while looking for attention from his parents, and of course, the show's secret ingredient, his twin sister as Missy (Raegan Revord, Wish Upon) who is just a sarcastic bundle of joy. And lets not forget Annie Potts (Ghostbusters) as Constance "Connie" Tucker, maternal grandmother Connie aka "Meemaw". The sitcom is a single-camera show and is total comfort food, and as someone who only ever watched five or so episodes of TBBT i was surprised how easily I fell into it. I would put this series right up there with comedy-drama TV classics like Roseanne, Malcolm in the Middle, The Wonder Years and Everybody Hates Chris. All 141 episodes arrive in a 14-disc Blu-ray set housed in a high capacity Epik-Pak DVD-sized keepcase with a slipcover featuring the same artwork as the wrap. The reverse side of the wrap offers an season by season episode and special features guide. The HD transfers looks wonder and the uncompressed audio is flawless. If you're in the mood for something nostalgically nerdy and surprisingly heartwarming this excellent series should be your next weekend-binge.
Special Features;
- S1: Young Sheldon: An Origin Story (9:45)
- S1: Sibling Revelry (4:06)
- S3: The Coopers, East Texas, and the '80s (5:29)
- S4; Cooped Up with the Coopers (8:23)
- S5: Time Flies When You're Having Fun: Young Sheldon at 100 (8:16)
- S7: Sheldon's Secret Origin and Easter Eggs: The cast and producers of Young Sheldon look back on the series’ journey. They share some favorite Easter eggs and Cooper family origins hidden along the way. (11:36)
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35-Disc DVD Set
Label: Paramount
Region Code: 1
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 4103 Minutes
Audio: Seasons 1-8 & Wishology: Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0, Seasons 9-10: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles
Video: Seasons 1-8 & Wishology: Fullscreen (1.33:1), Seasons 9-10: Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)
Cast: Tara Strong, Susanne Blakeslee, Daran Norris, Carlos Alazraqui, Grey DeLisle, Maddie Taylor, Kari Wahlgren
I honestly cannot say I am a huge fan of the Nickelodeon animated series The FairlyOdd Parents, even upon revisiting select episodes on this complete 10-season DVD set. In it young Timmy Turner, a 10-year old who has fairy godparents named Cosmos and Wanda who have the ability to grant him wishes to solve his everyday problems. My kids watched this one fairly often when they in the early '00s, and I would sort of tune in, but it was not in the Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack or Jimmy Neutron, shows that actually sucked me in as an adult. It was fine, I would giggle a little bit but it was not for me. I was after all at the start of start of the show in 2001 a near 30-year old man trying to raise three young kids, and I feel this show just skewed much younger, obviously, but this is an animated show that had legs, c'mon it went on for 10-season over the course of 16 years, even though it came to an end in 2006 initially and was revived in 2008. It's the longest running show on Nickelodeon after SpongeBob SquarePants and has even spawned a live action/animated sequel series The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder in 2022 on Paramount+, which I watched an episode of on YouTube and couldn't stomach, sorry, and a new animated sequel series The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish in 2024 on Netflix. Anyway, if you're a fan or interested in diving in, all 172 episodes of The Fairly OddParents arrive DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment spread across a 35-disc DVD set that arrives in one of those DVD sized Epik-Pak high-volume keep cases.
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SILENT BITE (2024)
Label: Cleopatra Entertainment
Region Code:
Rating:
Duration: 90 Minutes 8 Seconds
Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0, 5.1 with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.39:1)
Director: Taylor Martin
Cast: Simon Phillips, Luke Avoledo, Michael Swatton, Nick Biskupek, Dan Molson, Sayla De Geode, Camille Blott, Louisa Capulet, Kelly Schwartz, Sienna Star
A gang of bank robbers in Santa-suits, Prancer (Luke Avoledo, Womb Envy), Grinch (Nick Biskupek, What Lurks Beneath), Father Christmas (Simon Phillips, Butchers), and Snowman (Michael Swatton, TV's Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War), take shelter during a winter storm at the The Jolly Roger Inn and Resort after a Christmas Eve bank heist. A fifth robber nicknamed Rudolph (Dan Molson, Butchers Book Two: Raghorn) meanwhile leads the police on a wild good chase to throw them off the fact that the thieves are hiding out just down the street from the bank they just robbed, and will later rendezvous with the others to escape the area.
They're unaware that a group of gorgeous vampires are also taking refuge in the snowbound hotel, where coven mistress Mother (Sayla de Goede, Once Upon a Time at Christmas) and her flock of female vamps, Lucia (Louisa Capulet, Butchers Book Three: Bonesaw), Victoria (Kelly Schwartz, The Bermuda Triangle Project), and Selene (Sienna Star, Fear Street: Prom Queen), are holding the initiation rites for new bloodsucking recruit Genie (Camille Blott, My Husband's Worst Mistake). There's also a shifty desk clerk Colin (Paul Whitney, Mania: The Intruder) who seems to be working both sides to his own advantage.
This one is pretty obviously influenced by From Dusk Till Dawn, Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs, with maybe a touch of Dog Soldiers, this is one bank heist flick unafraid to wear it's influences on its sleeves, pant legs, and even it's socks, straight-up replicating the argument arguing over codenames from RD and the "Say What again Motherfucker!" scene from PF, plus the whole criminals versus vampire thing from FDTD. That's alright though, they do it with humor and obviously from a place of love for Tarantino. If you're looking for a new Christmas terror this year this low-budget hardened criminals versus vampire chicks tale was entertaining, if not exactly a classic, plus I love the snowbound setting, it's just good pulpy Christmas terror fun, and is easily a top five flick coming from Cleopatra Entertainment, who I am not always hot on to be honest.
Special Features:
- Trailer
- Image Slideshow
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Label: Starvista
Region Code: A
Duration: 330 Minutes
Audio: English 5.1 Surround
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen
Director: Joel Gallen
Cast: Mick Jagger, Jeff Beck, Sting, Paul Simon, Crosby Stills & Nash, Aretha Franklin, Metallica, Art Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Smokey Robinson, John Legend, B.B. King, Patti Smith, Buddy Guy, Billy Gibbons, Fergie, Will.i.am, Ozzy Osbourne, Darlene Love, Jerry Lee Lewis, Billy Joel, Lou Reed
Originally aired on HBO the 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concerts happened on October 29th and 30th, 2009 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This 2-disc Blu-ray set features 16 performances that were not seen on the HBO broadcast for a total of 51 performances. The performers are wide-ranging, we have Hall of Fame inductees Crosby, Stills and Nash, Simon and Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Jeff Beck, Metallica and U2 not only performing their own songs but also playing songs originally performed by other Hall of Fame inductees, who star-studded guests joining them on-stage to perform the songs.
Intro'd by actor Tom Hanks the first performance is Jerry Lee Lewis with a somewhat creaky rendition of "Great Balls of Fire", but still cool to see this elderly wildcat still getting' it on before performatively kicking over his stool at the end. After that Crosby, Stills & Nash bring on the Nash led "Woodstock" and Crosby-crooned "Almost Cut my Hair", aged but still harmonized, Nash's guitar sound particularly tasty on "Woodstock". After that they CSN bring out Bonnie Raitt for a rendition of the traditional ballad "Love Has No Pride", followed by Jackson Browne for a version of his "The Pretender", which I have always found dull in all it's iterations, the same can be said for when they bring out folk legend James Taylor for "Love the One Your With", dullsville, but's that just me. Next up, soul icon Steve Wonder, opening with "For Once in My Life", later joined by Smokey Robinson for "The Tracks of My Tears", John Legend for :The Way You Make Me Feel", BB King joins him for the King-classic "The Thrill IS Gone", a terrific version of the funky "Higher Ground" wit Sting on bass, that evolves into The Police's "Roxanne", made all the better by some tasty keys from Wonder and soulful back-up singers, before coming back into "Higher Ground. Wonder's set is finished up with a version of "Superstitious" feature guitar icon Jeff Beck, who it turns out was a last minute replacement for Eric Clapton who had to bow out after gallstone issues, and it's all the better for it, his unique soloing is bonkers good.
A real treat is when Paul Simon comes out, opening with "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard", a personal favorite, wonderfully rhythmic and textured, then into "You Can Call Me Al", and sadly Chevy Chase did not emerge to reprise his music video cameo, but it still brought a smile to my face. Also quite a treat, a wonderful version of The Beatles "Here Comes the Sun" with CSN coming onstage to harmonize on the track. This doesn't even come close to bringing the same magic I feel when George Harrison sings it, but still a highlight. Next, a fun rendition of Dion's The Wanderer featuring none other than Dion himself! After that Little Anthony and the Imperials take the stage to perform their own "Two People in the World", a wonderfully plaintive and soulful performance, still hitting most of those delicate notes, too.
Following that Simon & Garfunkel emerge, with two of their best known, "The Sounds of Silence" and "The Boxer and "The Bridge Over Troubled Water", Simon's guitar accompaniment and their harmonizing is total ear candy, this is a song that's so well-known and renowned, it's sort of a joke, but hearing these guys together performing it seriously brought a tear to my eye when the plaintive songs begins to swell and crest, so uplifting, goosebumps I tell you. The same can be said for the gorgeous lament "The Boxer", and "Bridge...". It;s here that I really began to notice the well-balanced sound mix, kudos to the live sound engineers for the terrific and delicate mix for the whole show, and the sound mixing on this Blu-ray set. Disc one is buttoned up with a buoyant turn from Aretha Franklin, opening with "Baby I Love You", then dedicating Ben E. King's "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" to the later Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun who co-wrote the song, closing with "Chain of Fools" joined by powerhouse Annie Lennox.
Disc 2 opens with with what for me, being a metalhead from way back, is the inarguable highlights was Metallica peculiar performance, opening with " Ride the Lightning's "For Whom the Bell Tolls, tearing off a sturdy rendition with bassist Robert Trujillo bass offering some thundering undercurrent, unfortunately I felt the mix on this was a bit flat, taking the edge of the crunchy riffs and the snap of Ulrich's drums, but still a solid turn. I was less enthused by their rendition of Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane" with Lou Reed and "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks with Kinks-singer Ray Davies.
Things improve when they bring out the living embodiment of metal Ozzy Osbourne, looking and sounding fucking great in 2009,clearly having an fantastic time, spouting explicatives from the get-go, admonishing the crowd to "Clap your fucking hands!" for a spirited renditions of the Black Sabbath classics "Iron man" and the chug-tastic "Paranoid" sounding beefy as Hell with excellent lead work from Kirk and riff-master Hetfield on rhythm. Closing with what else, "Enter Sandman" which to be honest has always been a bit of a dud for me, but they nail it.
Up next, Irish rocker U2 opening with what I arguably call their last solid banger "Vertigo" from the Dismantle an Atomic Bomb album from 2004 with The Edge's shimmering guitar, Adam Clayton's dirty bass and Larry Mullen Jr's buoyant drumming, then into the less thrilling No Line on the Horizon's "Magnificent", which was their current album at the time. Then they bring out the guests, we get a pretty thrilling rendition of Bruce Springsteen's and Patti Smith's "Because the Night", featuring both The Boss and the Punk Rock Poet herself, and it was a pretty thrilling with some fiery soloing from The Boss! Jersey's favorite son sticks around for a rendition of "Where the Streets Have No Name", intro'd by a typically full-of-himself Bono. Surprisingly not terrible is their tackling of The Rolling Stones "Gimme Shelter" featuring Fergie and Will.i.am from Black Eyed Peas, made all the better when the strutter himself Mick Jagger shows up! Jagger like Bruce sticks around to lend his voice to "Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of" from the All That You Can't Leave Behind album, it;s pretty meh, but you know Bono loved the idea of Jagger and Springsteen covering his band's songs! The boys from Dublin bring it to a proper close with the uplifting barn-burner "Beautiful Day" which I would say was their last epic anthem.
Guitar icon Jeff Beck gets his own set, starting off with a version of The Impressions "People Get Ready" featuring Sting, legendary bluesman Buddy Guy joins in on his won tune "Let Me Love You Baby", both guitarists dueling in their own histrionic styles, the ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons comes out for a Texas boogified version of Hendrix's "Foxy Lady", closing with a gorgeous instrumental take on The Beatles ""A Day in the Life" turning into a sweeping "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" homage building to a funky crescendo.
Springsteen and the E Street Band brings it all to a close as only they can, an all-star, star-studded happening, starting off with bringing out Sam Moore for his own "Hold On! I'm Coming!" and "Soul Man", then Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello tackles Springsteen's "The Ghost of Tom Joad", and if you only know Morello from RATM you might be surprised by his soloing here. Next up, John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival joins the band for a rocking rendition of the CCR classic "Fortunate Son" and Roy Orbinson's "Oh! Pretty Woman". The band then launches into "Jungleland", featuring a great sax solo from the late Clarence Clemons, who died just two years later. Darlene Lobe joins the band to belt out "A Fine Fine Boy", then The Piano Man himself, Billy Joel's Own comes out to joining Springsteen and the E Street B and for Joel's signature tune "New York State of Mind" before heading into Springsteen's signature "Born to Run", trading vocals on both tunes; and bringing the show to a close with Jackie Wilson timeless "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" with all the Springsteen guests joining the band on stage.
This 2-disc set looks good and sounds superb, the gathering of talent on-stage during this historic 2-day event was staggering, and while not all of it was directly appealing to me, and perhaps a bit self important and bloated, the stuff that hit, hit deep, and even the stuff that wasn't quite my taste, well, I could at least appreciate the significance of it all, a wonderful document of this event and of several generations of legendary musicians from all corners of the rock world.
Buy it!
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