The ChickenFish Speaks - DVD Reviews - The best independent and music themed movies

.moneen. - It All Started with a Red Stripe - DVD
(Vagrant Records) "In Review"
-- (2008)

Bryan Adams - Unplugged - DVD
(Universal Records) Much like the Best of Me collection I feel that this release was basically pop fluff. There were a few songs which I liked on this release, however I think he presented too much of his soft rock side and didn't dive into more rock oriented tunes. This is one of the better Unplugged releases which I've seen, but it still really didn't do it for me. If you like Bryan Adams soft side then this is a must have, but if you like his more rock side you will be disappointed.
--Grog (2002)

Alice Cooper - The Nightmare Returns - DVD
(Universal Records) I remember discovering the music of Alice Cooper while looking through my aunt's album collect in the late '70s. Something about his look and music made me a fan from the beginning. I have always wanted to see him in concert, and when my chance finally came a few months ago when he was playing in town, I just happened to be on vacation in Boston. So I was thrilled when this DVD came in.

Watching it made me realize just how cheesy things were in the '80s, especially hair metal. Alice himself looked fine, but his band is another story. The muscle man lead guitarist looked a bit ridiculous with his band rocker hair and tiny guitar. While the drummer with his half-jacket/leather bra or whatever you want to call it was just laughable.

The sound and film quality could have been better and most of the film shots were from the same angle time and time again. How many times do we actually need to see the drummers back, really. The two video extras consist of scenes throughout the entire concert spliced together over a song and are sort of lame.

Still, I think this video needs to be viewed as a document of the time period and the watcher needs to keep in mind that they are using equipment that isn't spectacular by today’s standards, was probably what everyone else was using at the time. The songs themselves are great and still hold up today even though the fashion and other cheese didn’t.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

Anarchism in America - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) Let me start out my saying I love documentaries and I am a history nerd. I really looked forward to watching this DVD and had good expectations for it. Now, with that said, this was one of the most boring documentaries I have ever seen in my life and I have gained more confusion about anarchy than I have knowledge.

This documentary looked into the history of anarchism in America from WWI to the 1980s, but focused more on individual stories than the actual topic at hand. Two men traveled around the country to discuss anarchy with anarchists. Each anarchist seemed to have a different idea of what anarchy was and what it stood for. Some believed that it was based on individualism (which is also part of the American standard) while others believed it was based on communalism. The idea behind anarchy that was posed in this film reached all ends of the spectrum giving no consistent definition of the term, just that anarchy does not trust the government.

Many times, I could not help but think that anarchy was the exact same thing as Marxism (I mean the real Marxism as described in The Communist Manifesto by Freidrich Engels and Karl Marx). Other times I was just thinking of the radical protestors against Vietnam, still other times they just seemed like hippies.

Besides the content of the documentary, I was not impressed by the format either. There was too much focus on specific individuals instead of on a specific portion of anarchy’s history. The time that was spent on peoples’ stories was way too long to keep my attention. With the focus on the individuals’ ideas of anarchy they never seemed to explain the importance of those individuals. When I watch a documentary I want to know why a person is being interviewed, not just what their name is. Tell me what protest they were involved in, what years they were active anarchists, etc. Let me know why I should care. This did nothing of the sort.

Then there was the content, which was not really in chronological order and had a disjointed timeline. With most of the footage, I had no idea of when it was occurring. Other footage of protests seemed to randomly show with no explanation of when, where, or what event the footage was of. This topic had some great potential, but the presentation seemed to take that all away. I will never watch this again, nor would I ever recommend it to anyone else.

Free Voice of Labor: The Jewish Anarchists This film was a bit more interesting than “Anarchism in America” but it was still not great. It discussed the history of a Yiddish anarchist newspaper among other Jewish anarchist activities from the 1880s – 1980s and has more focus than the previous documentary. However, it was still inconsistent with naming people and their importance, but it had much more music, images and explanations.

“The Free Voice of Labor” shows progress in the documentary careers of Steven Fischler and Joel Sucher, but not the talent necessary to actually entice audiences into wanting to learn about the topic of anarchism.
-- Simi Mutant (2006)

Andrew W.K. - Who Knows? - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) When I went to Warped a few years ago I asked many of the artists performing which band they want to see on the tour. Every single person said Andrew W.K. After seeing him perform that year, I can see why he was the musician that all the other bands were hyped about. The word intense doesn't even begin to describe this man and his band. This DVD seamlessly combines footage of the band at various concerts throughout 2000-2004, all the while trying to answer the question of just who is Andrew W.K.

What is so refreshing about Andrew W.K. and his band is that no matter if it's a small club, large stadium and everything in between, they bring the same amount of manic energy to every show. Andrew W.K. has the attitude that his music is for everyone, there's no musical elitism that so many other bands have, it's all about good energy of coming together and having a good time. He doesn't separate the audience from the performance, they become part of it, all the while the energy level grows as both the audience and band feed off each other.

The energy level is so powerful that it was a wise choice to break up the concert footage with small narratives where Andrew W.K. tells us about the beginnings of the band, his life philosophy, as well as small cinematic clips. While there is no substitute of seeing this band live, this DVD comes close is showing you what the experience is like. The conviction that Andrew W.K. and his band show on this DVD is nothing short of impressive. There are many shots of Andrew W.K. performing in a wheelchair after he broke his foot during an early show, and the same level on intensity remained. Get this, you will not be sorry.

Extras include bonus footage and outtakes.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

Kate Bush - Under Review - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) Okay, this DVD did its job. Even though I like some of Kate Bush’s music, it was never to the point where I wanted to know much more about her. Then I watched this video and immediately went out and got two of her CD’s to listen to. This 90-minute film, which reviews the music and career of the most unique female artist ever, is yet another wonderful release in the “Under Review” series. This overview is a bit different from the others I’ve seen in that on top of the various experts talking about Kate’s career, Kate Bush herself (though the inclusion of rare interviews) plays a larger part as compared to other artists in this series. Bonus material includes extra interview material, experts’ biographies and Kate Bush trivia. Throughout the film we get to see clips of Kate’s videos, and I kind of wish that the full-length videos would have been included as bonus material on this release. Then again, they could be saving them for a DVD of just her videos’. This release helped me gain an appreciation for Kate Bush that I never had before.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

Candido - Hands Of Fire - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) While I have no doubt about Candido's amazing ability as a conga player and his contribution to jazz music, this DVD doesn't do a great job of making that interesting enough for me to find out more about him. The problem is due to two things, language and editing. Instead of having two language tracks, the film makers decided to put subtitles throughout the documentary, so when a person is speaking English there's Spanish subtitles and when they're speaking Spanish, English subtitles. This combines with poor editing made the pacing of the movie seem slow and I found myself losing interest to the point where I just stopped the movie on more than one occasion. The only reason I finished the entire DVD is that I watch everything in it's entirety that I review. The DVD is also lacking in any extras. So unless you are a hardcore jazz enthusiasts, I would recommend you stay away from this release.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

Captain Beefheart - Under Review - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) I have always heard of Captain Beefheart, but knew nothing of the band, so when we received this film, which is a brief overview of the man, I couldn't wait to watch. What I came away with after watching this is that even though I didn't enjoy his music so much, Captain Beefheart he had a very interesting career. I wouldn't go as far as some of the people interviewed and call him and his music genius. And I guess that's the only problem I had with this release. It seems like some of the people interviewed were a bit too nostalgic about the "good ol' days" and that seemed to taint my believability in what they had to say. This is especially true for the fellow who chose to be interviewed in a tree while lamely talking into a telephone. Some people just try too hard to seem weird.

Still, this is another fine film for anyone interested in getting a quick overview of the legendary Captain Beefheart. Bonus material includes contributor biographies, interview extras and quiz.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

Charlie's Death Wish - DVD
(Vital Fluid / Go-Kart Films) This movie starred Phoebe Dollar (Charlie) and Ron Jeremy (a detective), the infamous porn star. Charlie goes around avenging her sisters death after she was killed in a prison cell. The death scenes reminded me of Bad Taste, Peter Jackson's 1st movie. Charlies Death Wish, however was not a porn. The acting was worse than any porn I have ever seen and there was no nudity. There weren't even any boobie shots to entice you to watch the entire movie. Really, unless you are a fan of bad movies, it is not worth watching.
-- Simi Mutant (2005)

Jerry Clower - Clower Power - DVD
(Universal Records) Jerry Clower was a storyteller/comedian that was a popular act at the Grand 'Ol Opry for many years, and after watching this DVD I can't even begin to figure out how he became so popular. His stories are long-winded. He emphasizes them with snorts, hollers and down south whelps. His build ups lead to nowhere. He preaches during his act. And he likes to make fun of "big city folk," while emphasizing to the audience that he rides in big limos and stays in fancy hotels. At first I thought that my just not liking his act was a generational thing, but when I asked my dad (who is from the south) if he ever heard of Jerry Clower, he said "Yep." I then asked him if he liked him. He said "Nope." I feel the same way.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

Como Se Forma Una Rumba (How To Create A Rumba) - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) "Como se forma una Rumba" (How to Create a Rumba) is a documentary on the origins of Rumba. The DVD explores the various styles and artists who helped create this rhythmic dance style. While the material is interesting I wished the producers would have made an English version dub instead of just using subtitles. Having to read took a bit away from my ability to concentrate on the music. I did loan this release to my friend from Honduras and she enjoyed it immensely.

The artist featured on this disc includes Maestro Chico OFarrill, Jos Fajardo, Juan Pablo Torres, Alfredo Valds Jr., Candido Camero, Horacio El Negro Hernandez, Israel Kantor, Malena Burke, David Oquendo, Vicente Sanchez, Aguedo Valds-Luna, Carlos y Marta, Art Farmer, Los Santos and more.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

The Dead Kennedys - In God We Trust, Inc. - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) I tend to agree with Jello Biafra in his thinking that the release of certain Dead Kennedys materials (and tour) are just ways of bilking nostalgic punks out of their cash. But then again, I'm sure the band didn't make all that money in the first place, and are capitalising on opportunity. Still, I think they should give a 60% discount on this DVD from the get go. Because only about 40% of it was any good. The part of the CD where we are taking inside the recording studio while the DKs do the first recording of In God We Trust, Inc. (The first real punk album I ever heard) is pretty interesting as well as the brief history of the session that is included on this release. However, except for a couple of the songs that are presented on the "live" sections of the DVD, the quality was just piss poor. It wouldn't have been so bad if there were more goodies on this release, but there's not. The end feeling is that this was just a rush job done for a quick buck.
-- Mite Mutant (2003)

DJ Me DJ You - People Together - DVD
(Eenie Meenie Recordings) The song has a new age hippie feel to it, and while the music itself and the production quality on this DVD is fine, the lyrics are kind of sad. Sadder still is that the used these lyrics as part of the video concept, which ends with two Rasta cops getting crushed by a giant buffalo wing. The rest of the video is fine, especially with the topless hippie chicks dancing around and running through nature. As everybody knows, I appreciate a good pair of natural boobies, even painted ones.
-- Mite Mutant (2003)

The Dreams of Sparrows - DVD
(Vital Fluid / Go-Kart Films) This movie is about the occupation and rebuilding of Iraq through the eyes of five independent Iraqi filmmakers. The Dream of Sparrows is a powerful film that goes beyond what you see on the news and into the heart of how the people of Iraq have been effected by the war.

What I liked best about this film is that it shows all sides of the story. There are some Iraqi's interviewed in the film that think George Bush is great, one even carries his photo in his wallet. Many of these people had felt the direct effect of Sadam's wrath as they had been tortured and driven insane or had relatives tortured, driven insane and killed by Sadam and his regime.

Others in the film expressed that Sadam was wonderful and that things were better when he was in power, more controlled and safer.

No matter what your thoughts are on the war, this is a film that should be seen by everyone because it gives an unfiltered human dimension to the conflict in Iraq.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

Dylan, Bob - Don't Look Back - DVD
(Docurama) My favorite books to read are biographies. I'm also a sucker for documentaries. And of course my big love is music. So when I got this DVD in the mail I was more than thrilled. However, right after I received it my DVD player on my computer died (followed shortly by my entire computer). When I finally managed to get everything up and running again, the first thing I did was put on this release.

Filmed in the spring of 1965, it documents Dylan's three-week tour in England. While this sort of filmmaking is common today, it was something that was unheard of when it was released in 1967. The makers of the film do a wonderful job of focusing more on behind the scenes activities and various interactions between people. The camera makes one feel like they were actually on the tour with Dylan.

What I found so interesting is the slew of people who appear in this film who were on the cusp of becoming so well known later on in life (Joan Baez, Marianne Faithful, Donavan, etc.). My absolute favorite scene has to be the one involving the "science student". The confrontation between him and Dylan would echo throughout the film. What would happen is that Dylan would seem very defensive with people and then play with them like a cat does a mouse. When things seems like they would end in a big blow up, Dylan becomes friendly and a cool calmness takes over. At the end of the film we find out that the "science student" ended up being one of the co-founders of Chrysalis Records.

One thing that I love about DVD's is the special features that you get, most notably, the commentary. It comes in handy on this release and actually enhanced the overall enjoyment of the release, by giving a deeper perspective of what is going on. It also includes the infamous "Subterranean Homesick Blues" video, as well as an alternate version. A must for any music lover's collection, this is by far my favorite DVD in my collection.
-- Mite Mutant (2001)

Melissa Etheridge - Live...and Alone - 2DVD
(Universal Records) The title of this DVD says it all. It's basically Melissa, her guitar, a microphone and an audience. The synergy of the four, along with Melissa's tremendous stage presence makes this one of the best concert films I have ever seen. While I have found the sound quality of other concert films lacking, I have to say I have no complaints about the quality here. Everything about the two hour concert film is top notch.

Along with the usual bonuses, this disc also contains a rare 1987 solo club performance that should be an inspiration to anyone trying to make it today. What we see is a very young Melissa at a bar with not a lot of people paying attention. The contrast when compared to the main feature shows you what one can achieve with perseverance and believe in one's talents. A truly inspirational release.
-- Mite Mutant (2002)

Frog-g-g! - DVD
(Vital Fluid / Go-Kart Films) A cheesy movie that I never thought would be as enjoyable as it was. The plot is based around a town that has had a poisonous chemical leak seep into the aqueduct. A lesbian EPA scientist travels to the town to see what is wrong in the community after reports of strange sightings. Long story short, the chemical leak caused a strange mutation of a frog. In order for this new frog species to survive, it must breed with a human female. Interesting plot, pretty bad dialogue and action scenes, but fun nonetheless. Plus, there is the added bonus of seeing two chicks make out and two sets of boobies. Be sure to watch the credits for dancing Frog-g-g! style.

The extras on the DVD include original theatrical trailer and the making of documentary complete with interviews.. Features Mary Woronov (Principal Togar in Rock n’ Roll High School) and a cameo by James Duvall (Frank the rabbit in Donnie Darko). This is the Grand Jury Prize Winner Best Feature at New York Film and Video Festival 2004.
-- Simi Mutant (2005)

Funk You Very Much - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) When I think of funk, I picture bands like James Brown, George Clinton and Bootsy Collins. I have to say that this DVD opened my eyes too how diverse the world of funk is and its universal reach. Thirteen bands are featured on this release, which is composed of clips from the Ohne Filter concert series. Which as far as I can tell, is a music show in Germany in the '80s or '90s.

You have your better known funk artists like Tower of Power represented here, as well as lesser knowns like Steve Lukather. One thing can be said of all of the artists on here, and that is they are all great. The big surprise for me is seeing '80s one hit wonder, Terence Trent D'Arby doling out some kick ass music. And while they all were excellent, I would say the standout performer was Johnny "Guitar" Watson, who really knew how to work the crowd as he tore though the tune "A Real Mother For Ya".

While this DVD doesn't contain your better known powerhouse funk bands, it still should be a part of any funk enthusiasts collection.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

G.B.H. - City Baby Attacked By Rats - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) While this isn't the most striking concert DVD in terms of sound and picture clarity, it is wonderful in that it does a great job on capturing the essence of the reputable punk band, G.B.H. Yeah the video might be a bit too dark in some places and the vocals hard to hear at times, but for some reason it works with this band. I think it's in part because it helps to give the viewer a sense that they are actually at the show. Because, if you have ever been to a punk show you know that most of the time the music is so loud you can barely make out vocals. The concert footage also reminded me of the all-age punk shows I would see in the early '90s.

The bonus material includes behind the scenes on the road footage and an interview with the band. What I found most interesting is how mundane the road footage is. I also found it interesting of how it took awhile for the band to open up during the interview. You can tell this is a band that more comfortable performing their music than talking about it.

I wouldn't say this is the best concert DVD, but it's not the worst either. It is a good representation of what it is like to be at a punk show, and if you are a hard core punker then go ahead and give this a try.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

The Goo Goo Dolls - Let Love In - DVD
(Warner Brothers Records) Say what you will about the Goo Goo Dolls, but videos like this help me to keep my faith in them. I've been a fan since Hold Me Up back in '90 when they were a fun, loose college rock band. Now, Johnny is considered by many to be a pretty boy and they are best known for having pop powered hits that make adult alternative fans swoon. However, seeing a video like this helps me think their minds are still in the right places like they were almost two decades ago.

This video is in black & white and while it shows the band memebers at times it starts off shows scenes of war, destruction and poverty with bold red words displaying the negative points of the world and humanity at large. After the break two thirds through the song, the focus brightens and the text gives way to words of hope and the best parts of humanity and live. Nothing too deep, just a reminder of all that is ugly in this life but that there is hope and many wonderful things out there.
-- Grog Mutant (2007)

The Goofa Man Collection - DVD
(Goofa Man) Well, I loved the comic he sent and judging by the autobiographical nature of it I can tell that digital animation is his main love. So, after a false start I popped this disc in my player and was treated to seven shorts of comedic digital animation.

There is one video a year from 1999 to 2006 and since he did these alone, I'm assuming they took about a year to do each one due to their complexity. I thought the overall animation was decent, but my favorite aspects were the story lines and the interesting and whimsical aliens. It was nice to see that not all people think aliens should be humanoid in structure.

I did see a progressive improvement in skill and technology on each subsequent video which is great. I was also impressed by the fullness of each short incorporating music, sounds, voices and story lines along with the animation. By biggest complaints are that the DVD menu structure is weak, should be able to play all and have it set on a chapter basis, and that on a few of them the music was mixed too high in regard to the voices.

Overall, I am very impressed by this package and am thrilled that he sent me all this great work. I don't see this having all that much mass market appeal, but for those who can appreciate great DIY and good sci-fi then this is a must see.
-- Grog Mutant (2006)

Jimi Hendrix - Blue Wild Angel - DVD
(Universal / A&M Records) This is definitely a DVD for a hard core Hendrix fan. For me it was only a bit interesting. The problem I had with it begins with the mucky quality of the sound. The performance of Hendrix and his band was lacking as compared to other films of Hendrix that I've seen. Actually the only thing I found interesting was the action that was filmed before the concert. The one bit of info that stood out is that the management for Jimi Hendrix demanded that his name be at the top of the publicity list for the festival where this movie was filmed. The reason it stood out is that it shows the corporate decline of the "hippy era", because the bands playing the festival were supposed to be listed alphabetically to show that they were all equal. So in the end what you get is a prime example of why communism will never work.
--Mite (2002)

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Live at Monterey - DVD
(Universal Records) "In Review"
-- (2007)

Honeymoon - DVD
(Brink DVD) Japanese television, you gotta love it. I have only been exposed to their game, hidden camera and particle joke shows via YouTube and Spike TV's Extreme Elimination Challenge. This DVD entitiled "Honeymoon" has now exposed me to the world of Japanese Porn as shown on the 24-hour a day sex channel Paradise TV.

The focus of this release is supposed to be a slacker porn actor turned first time director, Ono. He is directing a show has a Christmas theme with the camera man filming the girl from viewpoint of the viewer. Makoto is a first time porn actress who is the star on a live interactive program. The most she stripes down to is her panties, which is sent to one lucky viewer after the show is over. Her nervous laughter during the pre-shoot and during the actual shoot as well as the blank look on her face during the actual shoot speaks volumes.

While the subject matter is somewhat interesting (if not a bit strange) this DVD was quite boring. What it looks like the director did was take the actual television shoot along with the pre-shoot run through and spliced them together with a title cards breaking things up. The special features are not really that special. If this were tightened up and was part of an expose on the Japanese porn industry it would be perfect for an episode of HBO's Real Sex, bust as it is now it just doesn't stand on its own.
-- Stig (2007)

Jodi Jett - Pretty Girl - DVD
(Jodi Jett) This is a music video for the single “Pretty Girl” off of Jodi Jett’s Revelations CD. It takes place in a bar where a movie cliché Jodi all dolled up in a red dress lustfully sings to the camera. First off, while the song is somewhat catchy, the lyrics could use a little work. The lyrics “I’m a pretty girl. I’m a psychotic bitch” also lose their bite after the oh so many repetitions in the song. Jodi herself also seems uncomfortable in the roll of the sensuous temptress that she plays in the video. I just wanted to make her wipe off the greasy makeup and be more of a tough girl. There’s also a part where she crawls across the bar where her cleavage is on full display and the angle makes her look more like a desperate frump than a tantalizing sexpot. Mind you, I’ve seen worse, but I’ve seen a whole lot better as well.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

John & Yoko - Give Peace A Chance - DVD
(Universal Records)
-- (2006)

Alix Lambert - The Mark Of Cain - DVD
(Alix Lambert) "In Review"
-- (2007)

Landmarq - Turbulence Live in Poland - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) I have never heard of Landmarq, but by the looks of this dvd they have quite a following in Europe. The members of the group might look like a middle-age ‘70s cover band, but as the saying goes looks can be deceiving. Landmarq is a fantastic prog-rock band, which is evident from the opening tune on this concert DVD. Recorded live at the Wyspianski Theatre in Poland, the production is top notch. The camera work and cuts aren’t jumpy like most live concert films, the director lets the cuts flow with the music. The audio is magnificent, made even better by the fine musicianship of the band.

Bonus material includes an interview, photo gallery, and in depth band history. This was a wonderfully surprising DVD that will more than please the prog-rock geek that’s lurking below the surface in us all.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

AdriAnne Lenker - Live At The Southern - DVD/CD
(AdriAnne Lenker) "In Review"
-- (2007)

Love Dolls Superstar: Fully Realized - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) Lovedolls Super Star: Fully Realized is the sequel to the movie Desperate Teenage Lovedolls, which was about a the rise and fall of a female rock group in mid '80s L.A. This movie picks up as the remaining two members run into each other years later. One is a religious guru, Patty Christ, who has a group of zealot followers. The other is just down and out. The two meet up, pick up a new guitarist and get the band together again and begin their rise to stardom again.

Along the way the mother of a girl murdered by one of the Lovedolls in the first movie is out for revenge, the cult kills the band's ex-music producer, a crazed fan, Carl Celery, is on a mission to kill "Brews Springstein", while Earthchild-man, Rainbow is set on getting his own revenge on the band, only to become the lead singer of their opening band. It all sounds a bit cheesy, but then again that is the appeal of this movie.

The acting throughout the movie is sketchy. However the two characters that stood out were Rainbow and Celeryhead, which are played wonderfully weird by the McDonald brothers from the band Redd Kross. If Crispin Glover is ever too busy for a film roll, Steven McDonald as would be the perfect stand in. His mannerism and look as the hippie Rainbow is so much like Crispin Glover that it's scary.

One of the best scenes has Jeff McDonald as Carl Celery being attacked and bitten by a Gene Simmons doll. He then becomes a skinny God of Thunder and Rock N Roll, who then completes his hallucinogenic mission of killing "Brews Springstein" for the Lovedolls.

While this in not high cinema, it's is a fun movie to watch especially for the wonderfully eccentric acting of the McDonald brothers and it's mid '80s punk soundtrack which includes songs by Redd Kross, Sonic Youth, Meat Puppets, Dead Kennedy's and more. There is also a brief appearance by Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedy's and Vicki Peterson of the Bangles.

Bonus Material includes theatrical trailer, featurette: A Tribute to director David Markey and a commentary track.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

The Mark of Cain - DVD
(Destroy Entertainment) This DVD postures itself of being a documentary on Russian prisoner tattoos. This is kind of misleading, because it is really so much more. While the information about tattoos and their meanings is a large part of this film, to me it seemed more like an excellent documentary on the Russian Prison sub-culture as a whole.

My only complaint about this release could all boil down to the fact that the disc I was sent was a mass produced promo disc, because there was quite a bit digitalization and disc skipping going on while I was watching the film. I also didn't like that the whole film was basically one track. At one point I had to stop the DVD and when I wanted to watch the rest of it I had to start at the beginning again. I had to do this twice. What made it more frustrating is that I wasn't able to fast forward either.

With that said, this DVD is well worth watching. The tattoo info is fascinating. The film shows how the ink for the tattoos is made (basically burnt heals of shoes and urine) as well as the meaning behind the tats. But like I said earlier, there's so much more. The prison conditions are deplorable. I couldn't even imagine a prison system like that in the US . I would also think that such conditions would make anyone do everything in their power not to go back, but there were many examples of people who did go back many times. You also get a glimpse at the communication system and class system that help make up the sub-culture of Russian prisons.

While the film does focus more on the male prison population, they do explore the female prisons as well. I would actually like to see this film expanded and go more in depth on the sub-culture of both the male and female prisons. Hopefully the producers of this release do better with the general public version of the DVD and hopefully they'll add bonus material as well. Still, I highly recommend it they way that it is. -- Mite Mutant (2007)

The Maxwell Multiple Climax - DVD
(Climax Well) "In Review"
-- (2007)

Metal Mania - 2005 - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) This DVD/CD combo features the heaviest metal bands around as they performed at Metalmania in Spodek, Katowice in March 2005. Many of the bands performing on both the DVD and CD are of the hard and fast guitar driven vocal growling death/dark metal variety, which I’m honestly not that much into. However, with the video and sound quality as exquisite as they are on this release, I would say this DVD is a must for fans of the genre.

I actually like the lead singer’s voice for the band ANJ, it’s just that his vocals and the music seemed off key. The straight on heavy sound of the band Pain (not to be confused with the punk ska band of the same name) was a refreshing break to listen to. Turbo with a sound similar to Iron Maiden minus the Bruce Dickinson vocals is another standout. My favorite part of the concert was when the lead vocalist of Dark Funeral would announce each song, which he did in a broken English/German monster voice. The pinnacle is when he says, “This next songs goes out to all the ladies. It’s called “The Goddess of Sodomy.”

The CD part of this pack has 12 tunes, most of them of the growling vocal and machine gun guitar & drum variety. I have to admit that there were times where I actually enjoyed the music, but either the vocals or the same old rapid fire delivery made me lose my interest. I’m the same way with reggae. Still, I enjoyed a few of the bands here. Quo Vadis have a nice goth rock thing going on “Siodmy Krag,” while the melodic and loud dichotomy of Naumachia’s “Muertos” worked well. I also enjoyed “A Blind is Leading a Blind” by Dead By Dawn which sounds to me like the musical accompaniment of a demonic chase in the old west.

Extras include a band info section, photo gallery, MetalMania history and more.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

Metal's Darkside - The Hard And The Furious - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) When I first received this release I got excited. Cannibal Corpse, Satyricon, Death Angel and Damageplan are enough to get the adrenaline pumping. All that AND a former porn star? Hell yeah, Im into this! Jasmin St. Clair doesn't host well. Her interviews are the usual fare of an amateur metal mag, but she just doesnt have an ounce of class. Ms. St. Clair's enthusiasm seems phony and her use of the word fuck is overused.

Don't expect any in depth interviews on this DVD, they're all generic, but for fans of the bands it serves as slightly entertaining filler between the videos. There is a tribute to Dimebag Darrell, which is a slideshow of pictures featuring the metal guitar icon doing what he did best, that any fan should appreciate.

The videos were cool, except there wasn't one for Nevermore, just clips. The bonus material was equally second-rate like Jasmin's Asylum featuring a bubble coated dumb-ass in a bath tub talking to the camera about very bland and unintelligent things like how certain people should die just because she doesn't like them. The additional interview footage was more of the same airhead banter that didn't add anything to the DVD, especially the Gun to Your Head segment for Nevermore (an unimaginative schoolgirl game, Who would you fuck if someone was holding a gun to your head?). I came away from this DVD thoroughly disappointed. Pass on this one.
-- Chavez Trepas (2006)

Poison - Seven Days Live - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) Poison is one of the few late '80s hair bands that I didn't get the opportunity to see in concert during their heyday, so I was excited when we got this DVD in to review. I popped the disc into my player and started watching. The concert started, but something didn't seem right. Then it hit me, Where's C.C. DeVille. Instead it looked like they had the guitar player from the rival rock band in the movie "School of Rock" playing lead guitar.

The reason people get DVD's like this is mainly for nostolga, and a Poison concert without C.C. just isn't a Poison concert. It's like going to see Aerosmith and Joe Perry isn't the guitarist. It's just lame. and that's what this DVD was in the end.

The band just didn't have the interaction that it should have had. Just about every shot of the guitarist (Richie Kotzen, who replaced C.C. for a bried stint in the '90s) were of him doing cheesy hair flips, which had become cliche at that point in the hair metal scene. What the DVD ended up being was basically the Bret Michaels show, which wasn't enough to keep me interested.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

The Police - Synchronicity Concert - DVD
(Universal Records) Now that the band has been on their reunion tour for quite some time now, I thought I would finally review this DVD focusing on the time when they were at the height of their popularity.

Directed by '80s dynamic producing duo, Godley & Creme, this concert video is a bit different from others of the era in that the directing team focuses on the crowd as much as the band and use various cheesy '80s effects to add a bit to the filming. What they end up doing is capturing the look and feel of the '80s as well as capturing a great performance by the Police.

All the songs are great. The camera angles and sound are wonderful. I also liked how the focus was pretty much even on all the members of the group. You could also see the tension a bit that the band was experiencing during the time. There's very little interaction between the members of the group.

The bonus material includes a concert trailer, a brief interview in Australia and four multi-angle tracks where you can control the camera angels with your remote. As far as concert videos go, this is one of the best.
-- Mite Mutant (2007)

Portishead - Roseland New York - DVD
(Universal Chronicles) I absolutely love Portisheads music and was stoked when Grog told me we got this DVD in. However, after watching this release I realized that this isn't a band that I would want to see live. Filmed live at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City in 1987, Portishead performed in front of an audience accompanied by a full orchestra. While the music is top notch, the visual was boring. The cameras focused on band members who just stood there playing their instruments a singing. The only movement was the grabbing of the mic, the moving of the mouth to sing and the movements needed to play the instruments, that's it.

The accompanying short films and videos weren't much better. Just boring visuals with Portisheads music playing. So while I still love their music, I would say that this DVD is only for the real hard-core fans of this group. For me, this was a big disappointment.
-- Mite Mutant (2002)

Rock Opera - DVD
(Vital Fluid / Go-Kart Films) Rock Opera has got to be THE dumbest flick on the face of the planet. Let's see... nobody did anything except drugs, have sex with dryers at the local Laundromat and, oh yeah... drugs. I turned it off halfway through. I had to. It was either that or suicide and well, I want to live, dammit!
-- Chavez Trepas (2006)

Rush - Replay x3 - 3DVD
(Universal Records) "In Review"
-- (2006)

The Scorpions - A Savage Crazy World - DVD
(Universal Chronicles) Even though I loved them as a teen and thought they were great, I never really noticed just how dorky and cheesy the Scorpions were. I was into them ever since the first time I heard "The Zoo". Soon afterwards came their big hits like "Big City Nights" and "Rock You Like A Hurricane", both of which my cheesy high school cover band played. So now decades later I watch their live performance and especially their videos and laugh my ass off. Who are these clowns? How did I ever see this as cool? Oh wait, it's because I was a dork too. I noticed that all but two of their videos features the band playing live on stage and their one attempt at a theme video comes off as a cheesy low grade as close to porn as you can get without upsetting the '80s censors. Still maybe I am heaping too much ridicule on this band. For their time they were seen as one of the greats and sold out stadiums across the world. My big question now is what's going on now? Are bands now a days so serious that they can't be goofy dorks...or is it that all metal heads were secretly nerds? I guess only time will tell...
-- Mite Mutant (2002)

Seksu Roba - Live Document - DVD
(Eenie Meenie Recordings) One is a sexy female singer, who dances around seductively and sings phrases is a sultry voice. The other is a syth-beat wiz. Together they form Seksu Roba, a futuristic sci-fi electronic dance music band. This video consists of two parts; one is a video of this two person band live, the other is a music video bonus.

The "Live" part is rapid fire cuts of the band in action as they perform the same song at different venues. Since the band is basically two members, with one of them playing synthesizers you can imagine how boring it looks. They make up for this by having video images flashing on a sheet hanging behind them. Combine this with the female vocalist's sexy attire and frantic dancing it does make things more interesting. However, the repetitive nature of the music and stage shots got boring after awhile.

The "bonus" video made up for all of this. The video consist of flashing images from various Japanese sci-fi movies, television shows, B-grade American movies and other mish-mash, which combine together to make a surreal, sci-fi experimental soft-core porn. It made the perfect visual companion to Seksu Roba's music.
-- Mite Mutant (2003)

Sham 69 - Hersham Boys - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) Sham 69, lead by the wild Jimmy Pursey, is a punk band that originated a sound that was the forerunner to oi! and is what many people think of when they think of punk. This DVD captures the reformed band in concert, which was filmed in Brighton, UK, at the Concorde 2. The concert tracks are interspersed with interviews with Jimmy and guitarist, Dave Parsons, another long time band member. Looking like a combination of Iggy Pop and Peter Murphy, there's something strange about seeing Jimmy Pursey still singing the songs with the same gusto of his youth. The interviews also help give the viewer a personal look at the meaning behind various songs as well as the history of punk music. Bonus material includes a more indepth interview with Jimmy Pursey, discography and biography of the band. If you want to get a look at a band that truly was in it for the music and hasn't turned into a bitter git (like the lead singer of a more famously known punk band), then you will definitely enjoy this DVD.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

The Smiths - Under Review - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) Yet another great release in the “Under Review” series. This DVD uses the various recordings of The Smiths as focus points as it traces the bands history and beyond. Like the other releases in the series the DVD uses old television clips as well as interviews with knowledgeable experts and people who were connected with the band during their rise and fall. What I like best is that this release isn’t about passing judgment or exposing some dirt concerning the turmoil that eventually broke up the band. (Morrissey recently said that there was no way The Smiths would ever play together again.) It’s goal is just to present a quick overview of the great music that this band helped to create. Like the other releases in the “Under Review” series, the main parties (Morrissey and Johnny Marr) aren’t among those interviewed for the overview. The DVD also includes biographies of the people interviewed, and gives their relevance to the band, a Smiths trivia section and a few bonus quips. This release is a must for any music fan and a necessary for any fan of The Smiths.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

Todd Snider - The Devil You Know - DVD
(Universal Records) I need to start out with a positive on this release. I loved the CD. I've also have seen Todd a few times, a couple in a small club setting and once in a concert hall. He was terrific both times. I have also heard him various times on the syndicated morning radio program "The Bob and Tom Show." Once again, great. This DVD? Not so good.

Not only do Todd's terrific songs make him such a joy to see live, but his between song banter and dry wit are part of it as well. That is what's missing on this DVD. What you do get on this release are intermixed videos of Todd performing live at an in-store performance, rehearsal performances, and a few not too spectacular videos, which look more like home movies. It's just not interesting visually. I so wish this was better, but it's not.
-- Mite Mutant (2007)

Stiff Little Fingers - In Concert - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) This concert DVD of the band Stiff Little Fingers taken from their " Hope Street" tour is disappointing to say the least. The DVD is mostly shots of the band in concert with some behind the scenes and interview footage stuck in. The video quality is sub-par throughout. For the most part the images are twitchy, jagged and out of focus, especially during the concert footage. Most of the shots of the band are obscured by the glaring lights which quickly becomes distracting. They tried to use quick edits and shots of the audience to help out, but it ended up just adding to the twitchiness.

The bonus materials consist of an interview which isn't too revealing. I have to say that this is a video for hard core Stiff Little Fingers fans only, everyone else will just be bored.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

Sublime - Tribute: Look At All The Love We Found - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) This DVD consists of concert footage of a second Sublime tribute from 2005 in Hollywood, Ca. And while a lot of the performance on this release didn't really blow me away, it is still a nice package overall. The biggest problem that I did have with the release is how the sound quality would ebb and flow in and out, which becomes very annoying after awhile. The DVD follows the format of showing a band in concert playing a Sublime song, then cut to a brief behind the stage banter, then a song from another band. The concert starts off slowly but gains speed with each progressive bands. The standouts here include Unwritten Law's take on "Saw Red/Save Me", Fishbone on "Date Rape" and Abstract Rudde & Josh Fischel with their live cover of "Waiting for My Ruca".

Bonus material includes a narrated slide show of both tribute concerts, concert footage from a release party and a video for Fishbone's version of "Date Rape". And as a special bonus, an CD of Sublime covers. While there are a few decent covers by the likes of The Banned feat, Chuck D. "Ebin", Mishka "Roots of Dreation" and Brain Failure "Burritos". The covers that Fishbone and AWOL One, Abstract Rudde, & Josh Fischel did on the DVD are on here as well. A must for any Sublime fan.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

The Sun - "The Worst Movie Ever..." - Video
(Warner Brothers Records)
This video takes us behind the scenes of a band that was recently signed to Warner Brothers Records. Making waffles on the burners of a stove, sleeping on a dirty futon on a filthy floor and the glories of spit are just a few of the behind the scenes tidbits that are examined here. And you thought being signed to a major label was glamorous. This is an honest look at what it means to be dirt poor and in a band.

While there isn't any cocaine flowing or playboy bunnies to be found here, there is naked guitar playing and a thong-wearing princess sitting on a stool for no apparent reason. The band consists of talented dorks, where the lead singer reminds me of Garth (Wayne's World) and the drummer looks like a plump Peter Brady. All in all, the music was good, the visuals somewhat interesting and the naked ass frumpy.
-- Simi Mutant (2002)

Supertramp - The Story So Far... - DVD
(Universal Records) As you can tell by the last four reviews we got quite a bit of Supertramp in and I tackled them all since I have always been a fan of theirs. Go ahead and laugh...I'm comfortable with who I am. No really I am. This release had both its good points and bad points. First lets hit the bad. I think the biggest problem was the lack of flow. There are interviews, clips of songs, eleven of their biggest hits played live (from various shows) on their 1983 tour and five videos all from their post Roger Hodgson lineup. What this left was a feeling of trying to tie together good parts that all the members could agree on instead of having something that works as a whole. My biggest problem was with the videos which are OK, but since they are all after Supertramp's prime they lack that special spark that Roger Hodgson added to the group. The live shows also had the problem of being from too many places. I would have preferred seeing one show, but I know they didn't make this just for me.

On the good side they tell the history of the band in a VH1 behind the music sort of way, but without the slams. I think they presented their career well and it never got boring. The live songs were good due to the fact that most of their best songs were included: "Crazy", "Ain't Nobody But Me", "Breakfast in America", "Bloody Well Right", "Give A Little Bit", "From Now On", "The Logical Song", "Goodbye Stranger", "Dreamer", " School" and "Crime of the Century". The videos included were from the end of their career such as "My Kind of Lady", "Cannonball", "Better Days", "Free As A Bird" and "I'm Beggin' You". Overall I liked this DVD and think I'll keep it in my private collection...but I know I won't take it out much unless I finally find somebody else who can stand an occasional Supertramp fix.
-- Grog Mutant (2002)

Tears For Fears - Scenes From The Big Chair - DVD
(Universal Records) This DVD weaves together live concert footage, music videos, interviews and behind the scenes footage to create a nice document focused on the creation of on of the most solid music release on the ‘80s, Tears for Fears Songs from the Big Chair. The film maker does a wonderful job of presenting the music in a way that is interesting and nostalgic. The extras include music videos and a somewhat boring fixed camera interview with the producer. For anyone who is a fan of ‘80s music, this is for you.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

Tiamat - The Church of Tiamat - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) I have never heard of Tiamat before we received this release, so needless to say I didn't know what I was in for. The music is churning guitar gloom with deep male vocals. This is pretty much a straight on concert DVD. The quality of the film as well as the audio is wonderful. This is one of those releases for people who love the band but can never get to see them. This is mostly for the fact that the film does a great job of conveying the concert experience.

Bonus material includes an okay interview, discography and other such goodies. This CD was so good that my dog decided to have a taste. She liked it as well.
-- Mite Mutant (2007)

Tom and Francie - DVD
(Vital Fluid / Go-Kart Films) Tom & Francie is a mockumentary about two former kids show hosts, Tom Levinworth (Chris Charles Fields) and Francie Deleuth-Peterson (Annie Golden) as they struggle to launch a new children’s program called Accepting Everyone through Music twelve years after their last endeavor The Flower Shop ended due to a public scandal involving Tom. As far as mockumentaries go this falls somewhere in between “Best in Show” and “A Mighty Wind”. The leads are painfully clueless, and the cast they surround themselves are not much better off, which is one of the things that make mockumentaries so fun. Most of the actors do an adequate job, but the two leads steal the show. They manage to catch the underlying creepiness that most children’s programming host seem to have. Annie Golden’s Francie comes off as the grown up version of Jeannie, which she portrayed in the movie musical Hair. Bonus material includes deleted scenes, a theatrical trailer and the short film Wonderful Slapstic World of Child Care. This is a well-done spoof which shows us that children’s television is not dirty, it just smells funny.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

The Toy Dolls - Our Last DVD? - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) Filmed during their "Our Last Tour?" tour in Holland in 2004, this is the best concert DVD I have ever seen of a band that I have never heard of. The Toys are a three-piece British punk band that has been around since 1979. Their songs are excellent and their musicianship is top-notch. The lead singer and constant mainstay of the band throughout its 25 year existence is Olga, who has a snotty British punk singing voice which is a combination of Johnny Rotten and Eric Cartman from South Park.

I have to say that whoever directed, shot and edited this DVD did an excellent job. The feel on the sold out show, from the crowd joyfully singing along to the songs to the fun synchronized stage antics, was captured perfectly. The picture and sound quality couldn't be better. At times the picture quality is a bit too clear, since Olga seems to have a tendency to sputter and drool phlegmy saliva while he sings. It was hanging in strings off of his chin almost the entire concert, which I have to say was a little gross. Other than that, the entire concert footage is wonderful.

Bonus material includes a great interview with the lead singer, band biography, photos from the tour and behind the scenes video shot on the road. I have to say that The Toy Dolls have a new fan and this DVD has my high recommendation of being for any punkers, young or old, video collection.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

Tricky - A Ruff Guide - DVD
(Universal Chronicles) The documentary part of this DVD is like home movie taken by a close chum. This helps to enhance the feeling that you are just hanging out with Tricky for a bit of his life. Interwoven with family and friends recalling the history of Tricky, this release has an air of honesty that I have rarely seen concerning the separation of an artist's personal and private persona. The fact that Tricky is a heavy pot smoker clearly shows in the hazed pace in which he conducts himself. We also get to see his love for his music and beats, and how he enjoys sharing his love with others. This is most apparent during a segment in which he visits his old school and works with students during a music class.

I wasn't too impressed with the video segment of the DVD, because, while a couple stood out, most of the videos looked the same. Overall, I would say this release is a great behind the scenes at a talented individual as well as a must get for any Tricky fan.
-- Mite Mutant (2002)

Robin Trower - Living Out Of Time - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) Filmed in Bonn, Germany in fall of 2005 at the Rockpalast Crossroads Festival, this DVD captures the unique guitar playing in one of the lesser known but still great guitarist, Robin Trower. A member of the band Procol Harum from 1967 to 1972, Robin's blues and psychedelica guitar playing style is truly his own.

The audio and visual clarity are great. The music is classic and Robin's guitar playing is superb. And while I was drawn to Robin and his guitar playing, the rest of the band had little stage presence. This could be because I'm not to familiar with the musicians, I'm not sure. If that is the case, then I can see this DVD appealing more to the people who came of age during the early '70s if not for the music, for the nostalgia of seeing one of the greats from that era.

Bonus material includes photos and an interesting one-on-one interview with Robin Trower, which I enjoyed a bit better.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

TV Party - The Heavy Metal Show - DVD
(Brink DVD) Do you like watching early '80s semi-celebs (Fab5 Freddy, Jean Michelle Basquiat, Chris Stein of Blondie) and nobodies spew nonsense while wanking off their guitars with heavy distortion and feedback? This sort of mind numbing crap can be yours just by picking up this useless DVD where you can view it in the privacy of your own home. But wait, there's more! Bonus material includes home movie footage of Debbie Harry that is as exciting as watching your great-aunt Edna's vacation slide show of her trip to Gatlinburg.
-- Mite Mutant (2007)

Tweeked - DVD
(Vital Fluid / Go-Kart Films) Tweeked is a story of two girls, Carrie and Michelle, and their downward spiral into meth addiction, one more severe than the other. When Carrie's male roommate kills himself, Michelle blames local drug dealer, El Diablo. During a confrontation, Michelle shoots his finger off and the two girls go on the run.

Michelle then goes deeper into her addiction, while Carrie meets a fuzzy thong wearing normal guy, who helps open her eyes to the evils of addiction. They then must help Michelle see the light.

While the plot was interesting enough and made me want to see what happened in the end, the acting was a bit on the shakey side. At times the charaters were believable, but more often they weren't. The reactions just didn't seem believable to me, so I couldn't get into the movie as much as I wanted.

There's not a lot to the extra's however, just a couple of trailers and deleted scenes. Still there are a few funny moments in the movie, El Diablo's devil outfit, the fuzzy thong wearing normal guy's dance of seduction, that make it worth your time.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

U2 - Zoo TV - DVD
(Universal Records) I actually saw this tour when it passed through Cleveland. I remember four things about the show. One is that even though I had a friend who worked at Ticket Master at the time get my seats right when they went on sale, I was still at the back of the arena and the show sold out within minutes. Two is that friends of mine got into a minor wreck going to the show and ended up missing the whole thing. The third thing is that I finally got to see the Pixies. The fourth is that the show was awesome.

This DVD let me relive a bit of my college years and how great the music was at the time. This release does a great job of capturing U2’s performance. And you can say what you will about Bono, but this DVD does support the fact that fellow does have charisma. The songs are great, and you realize just how many good songs they have as you find yourself singing to every one.

The bonus disc includes four extra tunes from other stops along the tour, as well as audience member video confessionals and “Numb” karaoke. There are also are three documentaries which are forgettable, including a look behind the scenes of ZooTv.
-- Mite Mutant (2007)

The Velvet Underground - Under Review - DVD
(Music Video Distributors) This is an excellent DVD which gives a basic and solid overview of the band, The Velvet Underground. The best thing I liked about this release is that the individuals that the film makers talk to are either members of the band, experts on the band or were part of the scene during the band's existence. This is a striking contrast to other pseudo-overviews where a celebrity of the moment or b-list comedian is there only to provide brainless sound bytes, while having little knowledge on the subject. I also liked the fact that the focus was on the music and not "gossip column dirt" that is the recipe for other documentaries of this type.

Many people might complain that this release would have been much better is they would have included interviews with the two main components of the band, Lou Reed and John Cale. This might be true, but then again their legendary egos, which probably was the reason they weren't included (even though I'm sure they were asked) would probably have overshadowed the what this release set out to accomplish, which is to present an overview of the band.

This release includes rare interviews, musical performances and vintage behind the scenes footage, as well as interviews with Moe Tucker, Doug Yule, Billy Name and other very informative experts. Add on the extras which includes bio's on the people on the documentary, interview outtakes and a Velvet Underground quiz and you have a DVD that is a must have for any music lover.
-- Mite Mutant (2006)

Roger Waters - The Wall Live in Berlin - DVD
(Universal Records) Pink Floyd's The Wall is on my top ten list of favorite albums, and the movie is on my top ten as well. So when the live concert which this CD come from was shown live on MTv, you bet I was watching, and now it's finally out.

What amazed me about this release is that all the artists that performed in this concert is still pretty well known today, unlike other all-star events like Live Aid. From the Scorpions performance of the opening number, to Cyndi Lauper's energetic performance of "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" and Sinead O'Connor's heartfelt version of "Mother" while being backed by The Band, to the finally of the trial with Tim Curry, Thomas Dolby and Marianne Faithful, it was all top notch.

The theatrics that went into the production were just as spectacular. The 60ft animated balloon characters, the projected images, and Thomas Dolby as the teacher dangling like a puppet from the sky are just a few of the visuals that made this such great viewing. My favorite was seeing the destruction of the wall that was built between the performers and the audience throughout the concert.

My only disappointment with this release was with the extras, which included a behind the scenes look at the making of the wall. I found the content here to be lacking. I think I would have enjoyed it more if they had interviews with the various performers concerning the event.

Still, this is a nice release for any music concert DVD collection, especially since it's built around such an historic event, the destruction of the Berlin Wall. It's also a great addition since it a sort of concert that will never be done again.
-- Mite Mutant (2003)

V/A - The Eastpak Resistance Tour Volume III - DVD
(I Scream Records) This DVD is not too bad. Not a lot of hardcore DVDs are coming my way these days, so this was refreshing, although the quality of the music is a little mixed. Bands like Sick of it All, Slapshot and Heaven Shall Burn are at the top of their game, while some of the other bands are a lot less interesting. Nice to hear the melodic punk of The Bones alongside some of the other more harsh hardcore music.
-- Hans Mutant (2007)

V/A - Pure 80's the DVD- DVD
(UTV Records) Unlike "Pure 80's Rocks" this collection features bands that are primarily new wave / pop. There are thirteen bands doing fourteen videos the way they were orginally done. Cheap & Cheesy. This is what I grew up with and remember from the days when all MTV played was videos. Starting off the disc is The Buggles with "Video Killed the Radio Star" which was the first video to appear on MTV. Then it kicks into ABC doing "The Look of Love" which is one of the goofiest videos I have ever seen. Up next is Tears for Fears with one of their two songs on this compilation "Shout" also included is "Everybody Wants to Rule the World". I never really liked them and couldn't even stand to watch the videos. Big Country came next which was one of my favorites from the era with "In A Big Country". Dexys Midnight Runners are included with their big hit "Come on Eileen" which is one of the only videos with an actually story line...well sort of.

Two more bands that I really don't care for are Dan Hartman "I Can Dream About You" and Swing Out Sister "Breakout" who are better left forgotten. '80s forgotten supergroup Asia has "Heat of the Moment" on the disc which includes the only band member who is in two of the groups, Geoffrey Downs, who was also in the Buggles and way back was in Yes. Next was one of my favorite bands of that time Night Ranger with "Sister Christian", it isn't my favorite song of theirs, but it was a huge hit and the video is actually good.

Animotion breaks in with "Obsession" a song that featured a blonde singer who was the inspiration for many fantasies of mine. Also it included one of the most ridiculous lines sung in a song; "Now my fantasy has turned to madness, and my goodness has turned to badness". Berlin has the only true story video on this collection with their depression era gangster themed "No More Words".

Finally two of my favorite songs of the mid 80's pop era show up with Level 42 doing "Something About You" and Squeeze with "Tempted". Level 42's video makes the singer look very disturbed and may have turned people off from the group, while the Squeeze video seemed to capture their laidback soulful groove that made them so appealing. Overall I really enjoyed this release and am happy to have most of the videos available for my personal collection. Now if I could just replace those two VHS tapes full of videos from the 80's I'd be set.
-- Grog Mutant (2002)

V/A - Pure '80s The Ultimate DVD Box - 3DVD
(Universal Records) This three DVD collection makes me grin and feel ashamed at the same time. I remember all of these songs growing up, especially during my awkward teenage years. After I received this I played it at a few parties we had and almost forgot to review it. This collection breaks the 80's into three groups: New Wave, Pop and Metal.

It is fun seeing videos from back in the day and talking about how our perceptions have changed on several of them. Bands who I thought we cool at 14 (Dio - Holy Diver) now seem pathetic and cheesy. Others still stand up to the passage of time like Queensryche doing "I Don't Believe in Love". My favorite disc is the new wave one with greats like: "Whip It" - Devo, "Rapture" - Blondie, "Hungry Like the Wolf" - Duran Duran, "Steppin' Out" - Joe Jackson, "Tainted Love" - Soft Cell, "A Million Miles Away" - The Plimsouls, "One Thing Leads to Another" - The Fixx, "Our House" - Madness, "The Safety Dance" - Men Without Hats, "Big Country" - Big Country, "Cruel Summer" - Bananarama, "Relax" - Frankie Goes to Hollywood and "Take on Me" A-Ha. The full version of "Relax" would kill off any TV sensors today with its over the top homo-erotic club scenes and the cheapness of "Rapture" makes it a really good laugh.

The pop disc had a few songs that I like in a vague way, but not really thrilled about like: "Centerfold" - J. Geils Band, "Harden My Heart" - Quarterflash, "Heat of the Moment" - Asia, "Sister Christian" - Night Ranger, "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" - Wang Chung, "Luka" - Suzanne Vega and "She Drives me Crazy" - Fine Young Cannibals. I was never too thrilled with these songs back then and even less so now. This disc would have been better served for me to have more new wave or a punk disc. But alas, this is a Universal comp and they didn't sign punk bands to their label at that time.

The metal disc was where I knew all the songs, but what had once made me bang my head now makes me snicker. I realize now that regardless of how cool I thought these bands were when I was 14, they were pretty much dorks. Most of these bands should feel lucky to have even gotten laid. But back then things were different… Regardless, most of the videos are at least good for a laugh and the songs aren't all bad. Other than the aforementioned Queensryche video I also really liked "Epic" - Faith No More and "Street of Dreams" - Rainbow even if it was a bit creepy in a bad way. Other tracks to take you back are: "Rock You Like A Hurricane" - Scorpions, "Summertime Girls" - Y&T (complete dorks w/ hot girls in bikinis), "Shake Me" - Cinderella (Aerosmith clones), "10,000 Lovers (In One)" - TNT, "Get It On" - Kingdom Come (Led Zeppelin clones), "Heaven Tonight" - Yngwie Malmsteem (Guitar Wanker), "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" - Great White (Cool cover song and hot girls) and "Never Enough" - Bang Tango.

Overall this collection is a riot. Some of the songs are great, but the main attraction is looking back at the '80s and cracking up at the videos. So many of these bands seem weak 20 years on. A few of them, especially in the new wave section, are now classics and shows what areas were just short lived fads and which were actually well written song
-- Grog Mutant (2007)