Returning to the original rushes the concert is restored to its full length and presented, for the first time, in its entirety. This amounts to an additional 47 minutes of previously unseen material! Not released on Video, this is the first time this 1982 concert will be available for the public to buy. The pictures are restored and colour graded. The sound will be offered in both a brand new PCM stereo mix, and a fabulous DTS 5.1 surround sound mix.
Being as this features the best band in the world, ever, in the history of music, ever, fronted by the most talented front-man to pick up a microphone (...ever), you can rely on me to give you an objective review. These upstarts are going to have to earn their five stars, dammit.
Seriously, ratings are moot in this case. If you like Queen, buy the DVD. If you don’t like Queen, buy therapy. But assuming you are one of the intelligent majority, yet inexplicably haven’t bought this, I’ll try and put it in context.
Queen made two soundtrack albums: Flash Gordon and A Kind of Magic (for Highlander). Flash was a bit silly really and is difficult to listen to stand-alone. It’s their most famous work though from a lean period that saw them experimenting with euro-pop (or “funk black” as Freddie calls it) in the Hot Space album. A Kind of Magic is entirely opposite and features some of their best work. That return to form starting with The Works, coincided with their performance at Live Aid, where they blasted everyone else off stage. They then followed that with the Magic tour and much live material comes from that.
So Live at the Bowl is quite unique, especially as there are no releases of their early years, certainly not to this video quality anyway. Filmed in 1982, just after the release of Hot Space, it finds the band almost in limbo, though it hasn’t dulled their confidence. It’s mainly old classics peppered with Hot Space stuff, but nothing from their second phase (Radio Ga Ga, etc). So this is a fairly rare opportunity to see Action This Day, Dragon Attack, Back Chat and even Get Down Make Love performed live. But they really perform the shit out of both new and old! They were always unpredictable on stage and willing to mess a little with the music, so you got something worth seeing and not just video versions of the records. No-one else got audience interaction of this level either, so you get a real sense of being there, enhanced by the amazing DTS audio.
It starts properly with Hero, a filler track from Flash expanded to a brief rip-roaring rocker. They follow with the rare “fast” version of We Will Rock You. An amazing start! Other stand-outs (difficult to find when they are all fucking superb) include a gorgeous alternative intro to Somebody To Love which also gives Roger Taylor a drum solo. May gets his first show-off point in Now I’m Here, as you’d expect. Soon it settles into the much loved classics, with other rarely seen live versions, like Sheer Heart Attack.
Freddie shows off constantly of course! Playful and full of attitude throughout and in great form from the off, typical of the born performer, and changing occasional lyrics here and there. A week after Hot Space’s release and they’re all ready getting flak, so he has a screw you, nothing to prove demeanour. Stage was home and he is sorely missed. Their range as a band is unsurpassed.
Sorry if this isn’t balanced enough for you. If you wish to complain, please sod off and watch Westlife or Celine Dion instead.
The Muppets Take Manhattan, a review by Dragonfire
My Thoughts
This is another fun Muppet movie that I still love. I do remember going to see this one in the theater. I also remember when it was on HBO when I was staying at my grandmother's in the summer. I think I watched the movie every time it was on. This movie has the characters just graduating from college and deciding to head to Broadway. They end up sleeping in lockers at the bus station while trying to sell the show before they go their separate ways. Everyone felt they were putting too much pressure on Kermit. He continued to try to sell the show with help from new friends while Miss Piggy had to try to control her jealous fits. Piggy was really funny in this one, though her hair didn't work that well. The movie was silly, but it worked. This is a great family friendly movie.
I did get a review posted on Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.
Title:He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Volume Three Year: 2002 Director: Rating: NR Length: 286 Min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78 Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo Subtitles:
Plot:Extras: 2 Masters of the Universe Collectible art cards Commentary DVD-ROM Content Featurettes Interviews Photo Gallery Scene Access
My Thoughts:
This finishes off the 2002 He-Man series. This volume has some great episodes in it (like the one where we learn from where He-Man's powers originate). It also introduces the Snakemen. Although I think it is great, that the series took on the snakemen, which were available in the 80's comics and toyline, but I think they overstayed they welcome. I didn't find them that interesting and the fights were rather repetitive. Also it brought some changes to the series with it, which I didn't like. Like the renaming of the series to "Masters of the Universe vs. the Snakemen" (including an inferior opening sequence) and the new armor of He-Man. The fight against the snakemen would have been the focus for the rest of the season but the series got cancelled halfway through the season. I would have liked very much a third season. Things which were planned: Teela learns who her mother is. She-Ra would probably have been introduced at some point. And it is very likely, that Hordak would have returned.
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May 17, 2024, 11:21:44 AM
My Thoughts
