Swamp Thing Finally Gets Some Deserved Respect, Attention In ‘The Return of Swamp Thing’ Re-Issue

Courtesy: Lightyear Entertainment/MVD Visual

No respect, I tell ya.  No respect at all.  For those who don’t already know that famous line, it was spoke by the late great comedian Rodney Dangerfield.  It is a line that has been spoofed so many times in so many avenues, too.  It is a line that applies so well to the lesser-known DC superhero Swamp Thing.  DC’s own big green giant (who is also so much cooler than Marvel’s Incredible Hulk – yes, this critic went there), he has received far from the respect that he deserves when it comes to cinematic adaptations of his comic book.  The only big screen takes on Swamp Thing that have ever been released came out in 1982 in the form of Swamp Thing in 1982 through the independent studio, Swampfilms and its 1989 sequel, The Return of Swamp Thing, which was released through another indie studio, Lightyear Entertainment.  Yes, there were a couple of TV adaptations in 1990 through a live action series that ran for three seasons on USA and a kid friendly version that lasted one season on Fox, and even a rebooted series in 2019 that ran for one season on CW, but again, that is about the extent of the respect that Swamp Thing has ever received.  Now thanks to MVD Distribution and Lightyear Entertainment, Swamp Thing is getting a little bit of renewed attention and respect through a recent re-issue on a Blu-ray 4K UHD combo pack.  Released Feb. 7 through Lightyear Entertainment and MVD Visual, the re-issue is a surprisingly run watch for anyone who grew up with this rendition of “Swampy.”  That is due in part to the movie’s central story, which will be discussed shortly.  The collective acting and special effects that went into the presentation make for their own engagement and entertainment.  They will be discussed a little later.  The bonus content that accompanies the movie in its new re-issue rounds out the movie’s most important elements and will also be discussed later.  Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of the movie’s presentation.  All things considered they make this new re-issue of The Return of Swamp Thing a presentation that finally gives Swamp Thing at least a little of the respect he deserves.

Lightyear Entertainment and MVD Visual’s recent re-issue of The Return of Swamp Thing is a presentation that the most devoted comic book (and especially Swamp Thing) fans will find enjoyable.  That is due in part to its featured story.  The story here is pretty simple.  Dr. Anton Arcane (Louis Jordan – who Swamp Thing – wants to find a way to stay young forever.  So in his twisted mind, he decides to kidnap his stepdaughter, Abby Arcane (Heather Locklear) and plug her into a machine that sucks her life force out of her and transfers it into his own body.  It’s up to Swamp Thing (played once again by Dick Durock) to stop the evil doctor and save Abby.  Along the way, Swamp Thing makes some new fans when he saves a hunter and a pair of kids from a giant half leech/half human creature that was created by Dr. Arcane in a pair of separate incidents.  Obviously the whole thing has a happy ending, but not before there is plenty of action, such as high speed chases, explosions, and other standard comic book fare, as well as some really dumb henchmen that our big bad employs to hunt down the not so jolly green giant.  It all unfolds over the course of just under 2 hours in relatively solid pacing.  The story and its execution form a solid foundation for the overall presentation that is certain to engage and entertain the noted audiences.

The story and its execution are just part of what makes the new re-issue of The Return of Swamp Thing so surprisingly enjoyable.  The collective special effects and acting make for their own appeal.  From start to finish the cast’s work on screen is so campy.  As a matter of fact, the acting is so campy that in reality it is cringeworthy.  Yet even with that in mind, that campiness is actually surreally enjoyable.  Maybe that is because audiences have been so overwhelmed in recent years by all of director Zach Snyder’s gloomy, gritty superhero fare.  It takes audiences back literally and figuratively to a better era of comic book movies and movie making.  In the same breath, the dialogue that the cast had to deliver is just as campy, and that plays right into the acting.  Listening to the lines and the delivery, audiences won’t be able to help but laugh at how bad the writing is.  Again though, it is so bad that it is actually fun, which again is welcome in some bizarre fashion.

The special effects that are used throughout the movie are a stark contrast to the CG-based effects that are so overly prominent in so many of today’s superhero flicks.  Case in point is a moment late in the movie when Swamp Thing works to heal Abby.  The moment won’t be given away, for the sake of those who have yet to watch this flick, but instead of anything over the top, like in today’s movies, a little video effect is used to make it look like some kind of lights are flowing through her body as Swamp Thing touches her.  There is just something that even here is campy, but also just as fun because of its simplicity.  On a similar note, the special effects that went into the creation of Dr. Arcane’s monsters is just as worthy of applause.  The prosthetics and general designs of the mutants is so outrageous.  It obviously took a creative mind to come up with the monsters featured in this movie.  By comparison, a creative mind seems hard to come by today, considering how so many superhero movies look so much alike in this aspect of costuming, what with the spandex and leather form fitting outfits on the men and women alike.  That includes the bad guys, too.  Keeping that in mind, the special effects in general are just as important to this movie’s presentation as the acting, obviously.  All things considering, they make for all the more entertainment and in turn, reason to watch this movie at least once.  It is, collectively just one more reason to check out this re-issue, too.  The bonus content that accompanies the re-issue rounds out its most important elements.

The bonus content featured with the re-issue comes in multiple forms.  There is an archived feature-length audio commentary from 2018 and a separate commentary from 2003, each of which provides its own insight into the movie.  The separate interviews with director Jim Wynorski, editor Leslie Rosenthal, and composer Chuck Cirino are just as much the gems.  Audiences learn through the interview with Wynorski that the movie’s campy stylistic look and feel was wholly intentional on his part.  He reveals in his interview that he did not want to duplicate the darker, heavier approach taken by Wes Craven, who wrote and directed the movie’s predecessor, Swamp Thing in 1982.  For those who maybe have been living under a rock for the past 30 years or so, Wes Craven is most well-known for his work on the infamous Nightmare on Elm Street franchise.  Of course, its first installment did not come until two years after Swamp Thing, in 1984, so one could argue that maybe Swamp Thing was sort of a training ground for what would become Craven’s much scarier horror fare to come.  Wynorski also reveals that he appreciated the costumes and general effects used in The Return of Swamp Thing and that he is anything but a fan of the overuse of CG in so many superhero movies out there today.  That in itself is sure to be a starting point for any cinephile and superhero movie fan’s discussion with friends and others.

For those who focus primarily on production values, audiences will appreciate Rosenthal’s discussion on what she believed was the hardest scene to create in The Return of Swamp Thing.  She also talks about the amount of time and work that had to go into the movie’s action sequences.  She said those sequences took a long time to assemble because of the different camera angles that had to be established.  It makes for an appreciation for the work that goes into any movie’s creation behind the scenes.

Cirino offers his own brief interesting insight as he reveals in his interview that the score for this movie (which is in fact just as cheesy and campy as the acting and dialogue) was written in a spare bedroom in his apartment.  There is just something entertaining about this.  Rather than being composed at a piano, in a professional studio, etc. it was composed in an apartment bedroom.  It makes one wonder how he came up with the score in such a run of the mill setting.  That revelation alone makes Cirino seem just so personable and “real.”  It’s just one more example of what makes the bonus content so important.

On yet another note, Arnie Holland, Lightyear Entertainment executive, offers his own anecdotes in his own interview.  One of the most notable stories he shares is that of how the company had Heather Locklear appear on The Howard Stern show to promote the movie, and the surprising result of her experience on the show, which was quite trashy at the time.  Again, the story will not be revealed here for those who have yet to watch the movie and its bonus content.  It goes without saying though, that the story is surprising in the best way possible.  It is yet another example of what makes the bonus content that accompanies the re-issue so important.  When this and the other insights offered through the separate interviews are considered along with the insight offered through the feature-length commentaries, the whole makes so engaging and entertaining.  The addition of the retrospective featured on the 4K UHD disc makes that even clearer.  When this is considered along with the campy but so surprisingly story, acting and special effects, the whole leaves The Return of Swamp Thing an overall surprisingly enjoyable offering for the most devoted fans of comic book-based movies.

Lightyear Entertainment and MVD Visual’s recent 4K UHD/Blu-ray combo pack re-issue of The Return of Swamp Thing is a must watch for the most devoted fan of the comic book-based movie realm.  That is because it is so much unlike so much of what is filling theaters and store shelves (and even streaming outlets) today.  That is proven in part through its story.  Unlike so many superhero movies out there today, the story is simple.  It has a bad guy with one core familiar bad guy mission, and a good guy who has to stop the bad guy and save the girl.  It’s a tried-and-true approach.  The acting and special effects presented in the movie are just as simple (and campy), and that makes for its own share of surprise enjoyment, especially in comparison to so many movies out there that take the acting and special effects over the top.  The bonus content that accompanies the movie in its new re-issue adds so much insight into the movie’s creation, making for even more engagement and entertainment.  Each item examined here is important in its own way to the whole of the re-issue’s presentation.  All things considered they make the re-issue of The Return of Swamp Thing a welcome return for an underappreciated comic book superhero.

More information on this and other titles from Lightyear Entertainment is available at:

Website: https://lightyear.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lightyearent

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‘The Illusionist’ Maintains Its Cinematic Magic In Its New Latest Re-Issue

Courtesy: 20th Century Fox/MVD Entertainment Group/MVD Visual

MVD Entertainment Group has added 20^th Century Fox’s period drama The Illusionist to its MVD Marquee collection.  The company is scheduled to re-issue the movie, which stars Paul Giamatti (Sideways, Cinderella Man, 12 Years A Slave), Edward Norton (The Incredible Hulk, American History X, Birdman) and Jessica Biel (I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, 7^th Heaven, I’ll Be Home For Christmas) in its lead roles, on June 25.  The movie itself is one of the most underappreciated movies of the 1990s, and the upcoming re-issue serves to remind audiences of exactly that.  That is due in part to the movie’s story, which will be addressed shortly.  Its bonus content,  which will be addressed a little later, adds even more interest to the re-issue’s presentation.  The collective work of the movie’s cast and crew also adds to the story and will be addressed later.  When it is coupled with the movie’s story, all of the elements together show why this latest presentation of The Illusionist is more cinematic magic.

MVD Entertainment Group’s forthcoming re-issue of 20^th Century Fox’s period drama The Illusionist is a positive offering for most audiences.  That is due in part to the movie’s story.  The story — based on a short story crafted by author Steven Millhauser — is a fully-engaging and entertaining presentation that is full of magic, murder, mystery and romance.  Those elements are all expertly balanced throughout the course of the story, too.  It is set in 19^th Century Vienna, Austria (but was actually filmed in The Czech Republic – this will be discussed later) and features Norton and Giamatti as Eisenheim and Inspector Uhl respectively.  Eisenheim, who was friends with the Duchess Sophie van Techen (Biel) when the pair was much younger, wants to reconnect with the Duchess.  The problem for Eisenheim is that Uhl, who is working for Crown Prince Leopold (Refus Sewell – A Knight’s Tale, Dark City, Tristan + Isolde), stands in his way.  Eisenheim and Uhl eventually develop a certain almost friendship as the story progresses while tensions between Eisenheim and Leopold increase right up to the story’s climactic conclusion.  The story’s run time is listed at 109 minutes (1 hour, 49 minutes), but because of the pacing, feels longer than that noted time.  What’s truly interesting is that usually when pacing makes a move feel longer than it is, that is a bad thing.  In the case of this story though, it is the exact opposite.  Somehow, writer/director Neil Burger, who adapted Millhauser’s short story to the screen, managed to make the story work even despite that feel.  That is a tribute to his work.  Even with the pacing seeming slow at times, the story is still able to keep viewers engaged and entertained with ease.  The movie’s twist ending gives viewers a finale that is completely fulfilling.  That fulfillment finale, and the ability of the movie’s story to keep viewers engaged and entertained creates a strong foundation for The Illusionist and gives viewers more than enough reason to watch this movie.  As much as the movie’s story does for its presentation, its bonus content adds even more to the movie’s presentation.

The bonus content featured in MVD Entertainment Group’s forthcoming re-issue of The Illusionist is carried directly over from the movie’s most recent release, its 2007 release.  That includes not just the brief making of featurette and equally brief conversation with Biel, but also the feature-length audio commentary from writer/director Neil Burger.  The commentary is listed, in this re-issue, as an audio option instead of a bonus extra, unlike the 2007 home release, as an added note, but it is still the most important of the movie’s extras.  Burger  presents a lot of information in his commentary, such as the revelation that most of the movie was recorded on site in Prague, Czech Republic and that his adaptation of the original short story The Illusionist is quite different from its literary source material.  Considering the number of differences that he addresses, it makes one want to find said story and see just how different the two stories are.  That is just some of the content revealed through Burger’s commentary. He also reveals that Norton and Biel were not the first choices for their respective roles.  Those discussions are themselves certain to generate plenty of discussion, and in turn are more proof of why Burger’s commentary should have been featured in The Illusionist’s latest re-issue.  They are certainly just the tip of the proverbial iceberg that is his commentary.  As the movie progresses, he shares far more that audiences can discover for themselves.  Keeping that in mind, Burger’s bonus commentary builds on the foundation formed by the movie’s story and strengthens it that much more.  It is still not the last of the movie’s positives.  The collective work of the movie’s cast and crew couples with the story and commentary to give audiences even more to appreciate.

The work of all four of the movie’s lead cast members is worthy of applause in its own way throughout the movie.  Burger notes in the movie’s audio commentary (along with so much more already noted) that he made Eisenheim more of a sympathetic character by using Inspector Uhl more than he was in the movie’s source material.  The thing is that Norton’s abilities as an actor did not even call for more inclusion of Uhl.  Given, Norton and Giamatii were just enjoyable on-screen together as they were on their own, but Norton’s own abilities were more than enough to make his work engaging and entertaining in its own right.  His emoting during his time on stage in front of Eisenheim’s audiences is just one example of that talent.  His tears were just as believable as he reaches out for Sophie’s hand in the final act when he is on stage.  The pain that he displays translates so well, even if it is all part of his act to trick everyone.  Much the same can be said of Giamatti that is said of Norton.  When Giamatti is set alongside Sewell, he [Giamatti] shines even more while Sewell, as more of a supporting character, makes it just as easy for audiences to dislike Leopold.  Burger discusses this, too, in the commentary. Viewers will agree with his comments here, too.  What’s more, viewers will also appreciate the discussions by Burger on the amount of research that was done to make The Illusionist look just like 19^th Century Vienna in terms of costumes and even buildings.  That research clearly paid off, as the resultant work of the movie’s costume and set designers created an environment that was just as believable as the work of the movie’s cast, getting back on track.  It is even noted by Burger, that Eddie Marsan (who played Eisenheim’s manager) was in his 30s when the movie was crafted, yet he looked like he was in his 50s.  That is another tribute to the work of the movie’s crew.  If one did not know what Burger revealed in the commentary, one would in fact think Marsan was in his 50s.  Getting back on the matter of the cast and crew’s work, it couples with Burger’s work on the movie’s script and his commentary, to make the movie appealing for everyone.

MVD Entertainment Group’s upcoming Blu-ray re-issue of 20^th Century Fox’s The Illusionist is a work that will entertain any true movie buff.  That is due, as noted, in part to the movie’s story.  The story expertly balances elements of magic, murder, mystery and romance to make a whole that will keep viewers engaged from beginning to end.  That is due in part to the movie’s story, adapted by writer/director Neil Burger to the screen and to the commentary provided throughout the movie as a bonus commentary.  The work of the movie’s cast and crew adds to its enjoyment, too.  Each item is important in its own way to the whole of The Illusionist.  All things considered, they show why The Illusionist is its own magical cinematic diamond in the rough.  More information on this and other titles from MVD Entertainment Group is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://mvdvisual.com

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Twitter: http://twitter.com/mvdentgroup

 

 

 

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MVD Entertainment Group Re-Issuing ‘The Andromeda Strain’

Courtesy: MVD Entertainment Group/Universal Pictures

MVD Entertainment Group is bringing Universal Pictures’ adaptation of the late Michael Crichton’s novel The Andromeda Strain back to home video.

The movie is scheduled for re-issue Tuesday on Blu-ray.  Originally having made its theatrical debut on March 12, 1971, the movie’s story follows a group of scientists who are working to stop an alien virus from wiping out mankind after a satellite carrying the virus crash lands on Earth.

The movie was nominated for two Oscars and a Golden Globe Award, and lauded by the revered film critic Roger Ebert.  Ebert said of the movie, that it is “splendid entertainment.”

The movie’s upcoming re-issue will feature a variety of extras, such as a feature-length audio commentary from critic Bryan Reesman, The featurette, “A New Strain of Science Fiction: A newly-filmed appreciation by critic Kim Newman” and original 2001 featurette, “A Portrait of Michael Crichton,” which features an interview with the late, great author.  The full list of the movie’s extras is noted below.

Bonus Materials

• New restoration by Arrow Films from a 4K scan of the original camera negative
• High Definition (1080p) Blu-Ray presentation
• Original uncompressed mono audio, newly remastered for this release
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Audio commentary by critic Bryan Reesman
• A New Strain of Science Fiction, a newly-filmed appreciation by critic Kim Newman
• The Andromeda Strain: Making The Film, an archive featurette from 2001 directed by Laurent Bouzereau and featuring interviews with director Robert Wise and screenwriter Nelson Gidding
• A Portrait of Michael Crichton, an archive featurette from 2001 directed by Laurent Bouzereau and featuring an interview with author Michael Crichton
• Cinescript Gallery, highlights from the annotated and illustrated shooting script by Nelson Gidding
• Theatrical trailer, TV spots and radio spots
• Image gallery
• BD-ROM: PDF of the 192-page “cinescript” with diagrams and production designs
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Corey Brickley
• FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Peter Tonguette and archive publicity materials

The Andromeda Strain can be ordered online via MVD Entertainment Group’s official online store.  More information on this and other titles from MVD Entertainment Group is available online now at:

 

Website: http://www.mvdvisual.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MVDEntertainmentGroup

Twitter: http://twitter.com/mvdentgroup

 

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‘Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes’ Re-Issue Proves Again The Importance Of Re-Issues In the Movie Industry

Courtesy: Four Square Productions/MVD Entertainment/MVD Visual

“The worst movie of all time.” That is the wording that has often been used to describe Four Square Productions’ 1978 camp cult classic Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. Yes, the movie is bad, but the fact of the matter is that it is meant to be that bad. It’s too bad that so many people have missed that point over the years. Early this week, MVD Entertainment Group’s movie branch MVD Visual re-issued the so bad it’s great flick on a new DVD/Blu-ray combo pack with brand new bonuses, giving those who still hate the movie another chance to change their minds and see the light while also giving true fans (such as this critic), a brand new opportunity to finally add the movie to their home libraries. There is so much to like about this movie beginning with its story. This will be discussed shortly. While there is a lot to like about this brand new re-issue, there is one minor qualm that must addressed — the sound mixing between the movie’s main menu and the rest of the presentation. It’s minor, but cannot be ignored, and thus, will be discussed later. While the problems with the sound mixing cannot be ignored, they are luckily the movie’s only negative in its brand new re-issue. The bonus material included in this re-issue rounds out its most important elements. Each element is, in itself an important part of this reissue’s overall presentation. All things considered, this cult classic still proves once more why re-issues can be — and often are — just as important annually as the new theatrical releases that fill theaters.

MVD Entertainment/Visual’s brand new re-issue of Four Square Productions’ 1978 camp cult classic (say that five times fast) Attack of the Killer Tomatoes is one of the best movie re-issues that will be released this year. That statement is supported easily in no small part through the movie’s story. The story, in a nutshell, follows the events of an attack by a bunch of…well…killer tomatoes on an unidentified town and the attempts by a rag-tag group of people to stop the fruity (remember, tomatoes are fruits, not vegetables) attack. The only explanation of how the tomatoes came to be was an opening scene showing an experimental garden. Audiences are left to assume that it’s a government establishment. Even as little as it is, it’s still funny, considering that they decided to change the tomatoes’ origin in the movie’s sequel. If that isn’t enough proof of how wonderfully silly this movie’s story is, then the random musical numbers, tickers at the bottom of various scenes with nonsensical phrasing and completely outrageous, over the top acting definitely show why this movie is just a fun, turn-off-your brain ride. Ironically enough, as random and outrageous as this story is, one can say to its benefit even more that the story actually manages somehow to stay on track through it all. It never allows itself to get so sidetracked with its zany material that it gets bogged down. Those behind the story’s creation are to be commended for that, especially as much as is thrown into the mix. Keeping all of this in mind, it should be clear why the movie’s story is so important to its presentation. It’s just a dumb, fun movie that is a laugh riot because it is so dumb. Hopefully those who missed that in the movie’s previous release (and those who have never seen the movie) will see it this time around now that the story is seeing the light of day again. While it is obviously important, it is only one of the reissue’s key elements. One cannot ignore the one glaring issue presented in the movie, its sound mixing.

The sound mixing involved in the movie’s new home re-issue is problematic to say the very least, for the movie’s presentation. As soon as the movie’s main menu comes up, audiences are presented with a decidedly ear-piercing whistle that opens the movie’s main theme. The whole thing is so loud that it forces audiences to push down the volume on their televisions. From there, audiences are then forced to turn the volume back up once the movie starts in order to be able to hear. the same discrepancy happens when going back and forth between the main menu and the bonus material included in the new re-issue. The bonus material is presented at a very low volume while that main menu music was obviously recorded at a very high level. The only option that this critic has found to work is to keep the movie and bonus material at one level and then mute the TV while choosing either so as to not have to endure that overpowering sound of the music on the main menu. It should be noted that this critic has nothing against the movie’s theme. The problem here is the seeming lack of attention that was paid to the audio balance between the movie, menu music and bonus content. If more attention had been paid to balancing each piece’s audio, this new presentation of Attack of the Killer Tomatoes would be perfect. If the movie should ever get another re-issue, hopefully this will serve as a reminder to those re-issuing it next. Now, having discussed this one issue, it should be noted that it is the movie’s only negative. The bonus material is its other positive.

The bonus material included in the movie’s re-issue adds so much to its overall presentation. Audiences are treated to the original 8 mm take of the movie that would serve as the basis for the big screen feature that has gone on to become a cult favorite. They are also treated to the very first movie made by those behind this movie, called Gone With The Babusuland, which is supposed to be a spy movie, and is almost as outrageous as the original take of Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. There’s even mention in the included commentary that it could be seen in watching this “movie” how the latter movie could be made. That speaks volumes about each movie’s entertainment value. The audio commentary included in the main feature adds its own depth to the movie’s presentation, too. Right off the top, audiences learn through the commentary that the tomatoes splat so well on the opening credits because they were boiled ahead of time. There’s even note of the meeting scene with the military officials being stolen from a Marx Brothers film. If that doesn’t add some appreciation to this movie, nothing will. Viewers also learn as Mason Dixon is first introduced that the cast did its own stunts and that for some of the shoots, the crew didn’t even get permits, but shot guerilla style. That was brave, and clearly paid off. This is all within the movie’s first 20 minutes or so. The insight and entertainment continue nonstop throughout the movie. As if all of the entertainment and insight offered through the already noted bonuses wasn’t enough, audiences are also treated in the bonus es to a faux doc following where the movie’s cast went after the movie was made including a hilarious short pseudo-conspiracy piece, a sing-a-long feature, in which audiences discover from Director John DeBello that it even gained fame on Dr. Demento’s radio show. Between this and all of the other bonus material included in the movie’s re-issue audiences get so much extra enjoyment, and the movie gets so much more depth to its presentation. It really is the finishing touch to the movie’s presentation in this case. When it is joined with the simply outrageous story at the center of the movie, the whole of those elements makes this presentation more than worth the watch and easily one of the year’s best DVD/BD re-issues. That is the case even despite the issue of the sound editing and mixing here.

MVD Entertainment/Visual’s brand new re-issue of Four Square Productions’ 1978 cult classic Attack of the Killer Tomatoes is one of this year’s top new DVD/BD re-issues hands down. Between its laugh riot story and its expansive list of bonuses, the entertainment factor is high here. There is also plenty of insight offered through the commentaries included with the movie and its bonuses. Even with the problems clearly raised through the movie’s lack of audio balance, those noted elements are more than enough to make the movie’s new re-issue worth the watch. It is available now in stores and online. More information on this and other titles from MVD Entertainment Group is available online now at:

Website: http://mvdentertainment.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MVDEntertainmentGroup

Twitter: http://twitter.com/mvdentgroup

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‘Alive At 25’ Is Enjoyable For Its Visual, Not Audio, Experience

Courtesy: MVD Entertainment Group

This past August, veteran rock act Jane’s Addiction marked a major milestone with the 25^th anniversary of the release of its seminal 1990 studio recording Ritual de lo Habitual.  Originally released Aug. 21, 1990, the album has gone on to become one of its most important albums if not its most important album.  In celebration of its release, the band released Alive at 25 Aug. 4 of this year.  The recording captures the band performing Ritual de lo Habitual in its entirety at Irvine, CA during its 2016 Silver Spoon Anniversary Tour.  There is plenty to say good about this recording.  As much as there is to say to the positive about the recording, it is not without at least one major flaw.  That flaw – the recording’s audio – will be discussed later.  Getting back to the positives, the very fact that the band is performing one of its most important albums in whole in one set is obviously the most important of the recording’s elements.  This will be discussed shortly.  The recording’s other positive is, interestingly enough, its collective cinematography and video editing.  Each of the elements noted here is important in its own right to the recording’s whole.  All things considered, they make Alive at 25 a concert that is okay, but sadly could have been better.

Jane’s Addiction’s latest live recording Alive at 25 is an enjoyable recording, but only to a point.  The recording’s audio is a factor that cannot be ignored.  It would of course, be unfair to focus only on that negative in examining the recording in whole.  Keeping that in mind, the recording does have its positives as well as its negatives, not the least of which being the fact that the concert presents the band performing Ritual de lo Habitual in whole in one set.  From start to finish, audiences get the band’s landmark album in whole plus some of the band’s more recent works to boot.  What’s really interesting to note in the concert is that front man Perry Farrell makes more than one mention of the band playing at Irvine “one last time.”  Considering that the band is still touring, such statement leaves one wondering what that statement might have meant since there is currently no word on any new music from the band on the way.  Regardless of whether or not that means anything for the future, the very fact that the band has presented here one of its most important albums in whole is still undeniably critical to the recording’s whole.

What’s more, audiences will enjoy the stage presence of guitarist Dave Navarro, bassist Chris Chaney and drummer Stephen Perkins throughout the show.  The trio puts on quite a performance, thankfully making up for Farrell’s seemingly blasé demeanor as he sways around the stage almost listlessly throughout the show.  Their collective work, coupled with the recording’s set list, cinematography and editing serves to give the concert what energy it does have and in turn giving reason to watch the recording at least once.  Of course even with the noted positives, the recording does suffer from the previously noted negative of its audio.

From start to finish, it is clear that this recording was recorded at an extremely low level.  Audiences are forced to nearly max out the volume on their televisions in order to be able to hear the concert.  This is the case even with the pre-show interviews with the band members and applies regardless of the sound setting on viewers’ televisions and whether or not they have home surround sound systems.  Audiences should not be forced to nearly blow out their televisions’ speakers in order to enjoy a concert and then push that volume all the way back down before switching the television back to regular settings.  This may not seem overly important on the surface.  But when examining the recording’s overall presentation, it is just as important to note as the recording’s cinematography and editing, which proves far more impressive.  It is part of the recording’s overall production values, and should have been addressed far more seriously than it apparently was here.  Keeping that in mind, it is the one element that could potentially keep this recording from being named among the year’s top new live recordings by critics next month.  Despite this, the recording is still not a total loss. The aforementioned cinematography and video editing make up for the problems caused by the recording’s audio issues.

The cinematography and video editing exhibited throughout the course of Alive at 25 serves as one of the recording’s cornerstones.  Thanks to the work of those behind the cameras, audiences are presented with a concert experience that visually is not just another run-of-the-mill recording.  Certain fades and visual effects are used throughout the concert to keep audiences engaged and entertained — effects such as black and white shots, slow fades and dissolves, and even the use of slower shutter speeds.  The editing mixes those elements and shots, which are largely presented around the stage, to make the concert here not just a concert, but a standout visual cinematic concert experience. When that is considered along with the previously discussed stage presence of Farrell’s band mates, the two elements together make even more important the concert’s visual elements.  It is that overall visual experience that, when coupled with the show’s set list, makes this recording worth at least one watch.  If the audio had been better, it would have been worth far more.  Ultimately though, that one negative keeps the concert from being worth more than that much.  Keeping all of this in mind, Alive at 25 likely won’t be alive in audiences’ minds far beyond that one watch.

Jane’s Addiction’s latest live recording Alive at 25 is a valiant effort from one of the rock community’s most pivotal bands.  It offers a set list that presents one of the band’s most important albums in whole in one setting, and a performance of that album by most of the band, that is certain to entertain audiences.  The concert’s video work is just as certain to entertain audiences.  Even with all of this in mind, it still is almost not enough to make up for the problems raised by the recording’s audio issues.  If audiences have to nearly max out the audio on their televisions in order to hear the concert, there is not a lot of point to even take in the show. At the same time, audiences should not have to push the volume on their televisions way back down after the concert ends in that continued effort to not blow out their televisions’ speakers.  Keeping all of this in mind, Alive at 25 sadly likely won’t be alive in audiences minds after just one watch.  That is painful to say considering the quality of the band’s past live recordings.  Hopefully the band will take all of this as a learning experience for its next live recording, when and if there will be another live recording from the band.  Alive at 25 is available now in stores and online.  More information on Alive at 25 is available online along with all of the band’s latest news and more at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.janesaddiction.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JanesAddiction

Twitter: http://twitter.com/janesaddiction

 

 

 

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Lionsgate’s Von Trapp Biopic Makes Beautiful Music On Phil’s Picks 2016 Top 10 New Independent Movies List

Courtesy: Lionsgate

The mainstream movie industry this year has not offered audiences much of anything memorable with its theatrical offerings.  Finding Dory, Hail, Caesar, Barbershop: The Next Cut and so many others are clear proof of that.  It seems for the most part, the “Big Six” has once again relied on nothing but prequels, sequels and remakes for its offerings.  Yes, there have been some good movies out there such as Dr. Strange and the latest entry in the Star Wars franchise, Rogue One.  Sadly though, the mainstream movie industry this year has honestly not offered audiences very much memorable fare.  That is where the independent movie industry comes into play.  The independent movie industry has turned out a rather impressive number of titles this year.

Titles such as Little Men, Marguerite, In–Lawfully Yours and others have proven to be standout offerings this year.  Some of the movies included in this year’s list of top new independent movies made their debut overseas last year, but were officially released domestically this year, so exceptions have been made.  IFC Films’ biopic Born To Be Blue is one of those movies released last year but debuting domestically this year.  Marguerite, which is a French offering, debuted in its homeland last year but made its domestic debut this year.  The Von Trapp Family: A Life of Music is another example of one of those foreign/domestic exceptions.  It is German in root, but was released domestically early this spring and tops this critic’s list of the year’s top new independent movies.

As a reminder, this year’s list once again features this critic’s top 10 choices plus five honorable mention titles for a total of 15 titles.  That being said, here for you is Phil’s Picks 2016 Top 10 New Independent Movies.

PHIL’S PICKS 2016 TOP 10 NEW INDEPENDENT MOVIES

 

1. The Von Trapp Family: A Life of Music

 

2. In-Lawfully Yours

 

3. Backtrack

 

4. Synchornicity

 

5. Marguerite

 

6. Born To Be Blue

 

7. Little Men

 

8.  Stagecoach: The Texas Jack Story

 

9.  Endgame

 

10. Men & Chicken

 

11. Die Fighting

 

12. Listening

 

13. Weaponized

 

14. Earthrise

 

15. High Rise

 

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‘Star Paws’ Is A Stellar Miss For Ruthless Studios, MVD Visual

Courtesy: MVD Visual/Ruthless Studios

MVD Visual has a real knack for releasing impressive documentaries.  This year’s crop of new documentaries is proof of that.  It includes the likes of: Raiders: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made, Zydeco Crossroads: A Tale of Two Cities and Back in Time just to name a few titles.  That’s just a few titles from this year.  It has released a number of enjoyable documentary titles in past years, too.  While MVD Visual has succeeded quite well in the documentary realm, its cinematic releases are another story.  Those releases have been hit and miss with its foreign import Men and Chicken being one of its rare hits most recently.  Later this month, MVD Visual will release a new children’s flick from indie studio Ruthless Studios called Star Paws that sadly is one of the company’s misses.  This CG/Live Action hybrid is a disappointment not just in the world of children’s movies but in general, too.  There is not a lot to say to the positive about this largely forgettable flick other than it is a good way to get young viewers interested in dinosaurs and paleontology.  Other than that, there is not much that can be said positive about this movie.

Star Paws, the new family flick from Ruthless Studios and MVD Visual is a real miss for MVD Visual in its lengthy list of cinematic features.  There is not a lot that can be said positive about this largely forgettable work.  While it does have at best one positive, that one positive isn’t enough to make up for its negatives, which begin with the very issues of its production values.  The movie’s production values (or lack thereof) make this work look like something that was crafted by a middle school student.  That is evident in an item such as the “time machine,” which is clearly just a box covered in tin foil.  This is only the tip of the massive iceberg that is the movie’s poor quality production values.  Even more troubling is the total imbalance in the movie’s CG elements and live action elements.  The dogs and chickens (yes, chickens) are the only actual animals that are used in the movie.  The dinosaurs and cats are all CG as are the space battle scenes and most of the backgrounds.  Sometimes, the backgrounds are little more than blue screens placed behind the dogs, which gives the movie an even cheaper, low-budget look.  That hurts the movie even more.  At other times, the movie’s crew just used random footage for scene shots.  It only gets worse from here, but that will be discussed later.  For all of the movie’s many negatives, it does have at least one positive.  That positive is the educational content centered on the dinosaurs.

Star Paws is marred by problems from the beginning to the end of its 78-minute run time.  From completely low-budget, amateurish production values to a total historical inaccuracy in its mention of the Civil War (audiences will have to see the movie to understand this) to the abhorrent voice acting, there is little to nothing that can be said to the positive about this movie.  Its one noticeable positive is its educational content centered on dinosaurs.  The movie is to be commended for teaching a very elementary level lesson about dinosaurs that will entertain 4 and 5-year-olds.  While those audiences likely won’t be able to properly pronounce the names of the dinosaurs presented, the information provided about them makes for a good starting point in lessons for teachers and parents about dinosaurs. Other than that one positive, there is nothing else that can be said about this movie, other than the fact that it at least doesn’t even come close to the 90-minute mark.

The educational dinosaur content that is presented in Star Paws is a good starting point both for teachers and parents in developing lessons about said creatures for 4 and 5-year-old audiences.  Other than that one element, there is honestly no other positive to this disappointing extremely low-budget family flick.  It has already been noted that the movie suffers greatly from its production values in so many ways.  The issues that it faces with its embarrassing production values are not the only issues from which it suffers.  It also suffers from poor writing; more specifically a poor story.  The story centers on the race between an evil cat called Adventure Cat and a group of dogs to get a magical prehistoric bone.  The bone in question gives its owner untold power.  Both parties have to travel back to prehistoric times to get the bone, all while dodging dinosaurs (CG dinosaurs for that matter who look like they came from a late 90s video game).  The story ties in the concept of a time loop as a means for Adventure Cat and the dogs to return to their own time.  Even that element’s use can be brought into question in the movie’s overall story.  So much more could be said here.  But the fact of the matter is that there is just not enough time or space to point out all of the problems with this movie’s story.  It is that problematic.  The same can be said of the voice cast’s work, which throughout feels so forced and cheesy to say the very least.  Between these issues, the issues associated with its cheap production values, and other issues, it can be determined that there is no saving Star Paws.  This is even with the one positive in its educational content.  It is a disappointing cinematic offering from MVD Visual and Ruthless Studios.

MVD Visual and Ruthless Studios’ new family flick Star Paws is a disappointing offering from the two independent organizations.  There is sadly little to nothing positive that can be said about this extremely low-budget, live action/CG hybrid story.  It suffers greatly from issues in its writing, its acting and its production values.  Between its writing, voice acting and production values, this movie feels like it is all over the place from start to finish.  Even the one positive—its educational dinosaur content—is not enough to save it, considering its overpowering negatives.  All things considered, Star Paws proves to be a disappointing offering from MVD Visual and Ruthless Studios.  It is more proof, considering MVD Visual’s record with cinematic release, that maybe it should stick with documentary films rather than cinematic works.  More information on this and other titles from Ruthless Studios is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.RuthlessStudios.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ruthlesspictures

Twitter: http://twitter.com/RuthlessMovies

 

 

 

More information on this and other titles from MVD Visual is available online at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.MVDvisual.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MVDEntertainmentGroup

 

 

 

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MVD Visual’s New ‘Back To The Future’ Doc Is Worth Seeing “Time” And Again

Courtesy: MVD Visual/MVD Entertainment Group

Thirty-one years ago this year, Universal Pictures released a movie that since its release has gone on to become a cultural phenomenon.  That movie goes by the titled of Back to the Future.  It is a movie that has led countless masses to dress up like their favorite time traveling characters at conventions around the country.  It has led to an animated series and any number of documentaries, too.  The latest of those documentaries, OUTATIME: Saving The DeLorean Time Machine was released this past July.  This coming Tuesday, Sept. 13, another documentary centered on the now “timeless” (bad pun completely intended there) will be released MVD Visual that branches out on the movie’s significance even more in the form of the simply titled Back in Time.  The ninety-five minute documentary, while another independent release, is another piece that cinephiles and Back to the Future fans alike will appreciate.  That is due in part to the documentary’s story.  That will be discussed shortly.  The manner in which the story is told is just as important to note in the program’s presentation.  Last of note in the doc’s presentation is its pacing.  Each element is important in its own right to the documentary’s presentation.  Altogether they make Back in Time another Back to the Future feature that, again, cinephiles and Back to the Future fans alike will want to see “time” and again.

MVD Visual’s new Back to the Future retrospective Back in Time is hardly the first documentary centered on Universal Pictures’ “timeless” movie.  Regardless it still proves over the course of its ninety-five minute run time that it is another presentation that both cinephiles and Back to the Future fans alike will appreciate.  That is due in no small part to the program’s story.  The story presents the role that Back to The Future has had, and continues to have, now thirty-plus years after it made its big screen debut.  It tells that story through interviews with the movie’s cast and crew—including Lea Thompson, Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Donald Fullilove, Claudia Wells, Steven Spielberg, and even Robert Zemeckis—and interviews with a small handful of the movie’s fans among others.  Viewers learn through the interviews some very interesting facts and stories connected to the movie.  One of the most interesting revelations made in the interviews comes from Bob Gale.  Gale, who was one of the creative forces behind Back to the Future reveals that the movie was shopped around to every one of Hollywood’s major studios but none would take it.  He said it was even shopped to Disney because that had been recommended by those other studios.  Gale reveals in his interview that when the movie was presented to them, executives with the studio refused to touch it because they thought the topic of Marty’s mom falling for him in the past hinted at incest.  This is funny to note because Gale said no other studios had even begun to take that angle in reviewing the movie’s script.

Another interesting revelation comes from an interview with Michael J. Fox.  Fox recollects in said interview that none other than Princess Diana actually sat next to him at the movie’s premiere.  He reveals in his interview that he didn’t know she would be sitting next to him and because of certain protocol about being around her, he couldn’t even use the bathroom, so when he started feeling nature call, he couldn’t even respond to its call.  Throughout that anecdote, audiences can’t help but laugh along with Fox as he recalls that silly story.  In the same moment, Fox also recalls Princess Diana’s reaction to one scene in particular in comparison to her reaction to other moments.  That is worth its own share of laughs, too.  It is just one more of the interesting tidbits that make the documentary’s story so interesting.

There is also an outright statement from Robert Zemeckis himself at one point that he has zero intention of making a fourth Back to The Future movie.  Considering the way that most of Hollywood’s “Big Six” studios are taking right now, one can only hope that he will hold true to that even today and that no one else will ever try to make another movie.  Keeping in mind all of the revelations noted here and all of the other interesting and intriguing information shared throughout the program, it becomes clear why the story at the center of Back in Time is so important to its presentation.  Even with its clear importance to the doc’s presentation the story is just one of the program’s key elements.  The manner in which the story is told is just as important to note as the story itself.

The story at the center of Back in Time is clearly an important element in the program’s presentation if not the program’s most important element.  That means that even potentially being the program’s most important element, it is not the program’s only important element.  As important as the story is, the manner in which the story is told is just as important to note as the story itself.  The story is told through two clearly separated segments, which span the course of the doc’s ninety-five minutes.  The first segment focuses on the movie and its significance through the eyes of the cast and crew.  It should be noted specifically here the focus is strictly on Back to The Future, not the two sequels that followed or even the short-lived animated series that it spun off in the early 90s on CBS.  Though there is an indirect connection to the work done by the restoration team in OUTATIME: Saving The DeLorean Time Machine in this segment.  Two members of the build team are interviewed about the work put in to restore the trilogy’s “A” car with footage from that do directly incorporated into this segment.  The program’s second segment examines the significance of Back to The Future through the eyes of some of the movie’s devotees.  The fans in question are not just your average fans either.  One of the fans in question owns the actual VW bus that was used in Back to The Future as well as the truck that Marty won in the movie, as well as other memorabilia.  Another fan has one of the DeLorean replicas incorporated into his own nine-hole mini-golf course at his home.  He uses the car, and the golf course, to raise money for good causes every year.  In another case, viewers are introduced to a young pair of fans who ended up getting married at a Back to The Future convention.  It just so happened that Christopher Lloyd was in attendance as the young man popped the question to his bride to be.  He wasn’t the only one who was there, either.  Harry Waters, Jr., who played Chuck Berry’s cousin Berry (from the movie’s high school dance segment), was also there and sang to the couple after the young lady said yes.  It is a moment that will put a smile on any viewer’s face.  Through it all, the documentary does a laudable job of balancing each segment with the other.  The end result is a story that, thanks to that solid division, will keep viewers completely engaged and entertained.  Of course the segments’ division and the story together are not the only factors that will keep audiences engaged in this presentation.  The program’s pacing is important in its own right, too.

The story at the center of Back in Time and the general manner in which the story is told are both key to the doc’s presentation.  That is because both elements work together expertly to keep viewers completely engaged and entertained from the story’s beginning to its end.  While both elements are clearly important both in themselves and jointly, they are not the program’s only important elements.  The program’s pacing is just as important to note as the story and how it is told.  The program’s pacing is so important because without proper pacing there would be no reason to sit through either of the program’s two segments.  Thankfully the program’s pacing is relatively solid from beginning to end.  The topics that are discussed within each segment are many.  But they do not move so fast that audiences will feel left behind nor do those behind the lens allow the program to lag at any point within any discussion either.  That being the case, the documentary’s pacing joins with its story and its segmentation to make the program in whole one that will keep audiences completely engaged and entertained.  In turn audiences will come out of the program agreeing that while it is not the only Back to the Future to ever be released, it is one that cinephiles and Back to The Future fans alike will enjoy watching “time” and again.

Back in Time is not the only Back to the Future documentary to ever be released.  But in considering all that went into assembling the program it is safe to say that it is another enjoyable piece centered on the landmark movie.  Its story explains not just the significance of the DeLorean (as in OUTATIME: Saving the DeLorean Time Machine) but the cultural significance of the movie in whole.  That is examined through interviews with both fans and with the movie’s cast and crew.  The division of the story into two distinct segments adds to the enjoyment of the program’s presentation.  The pacing of each segment rounds out the doc’s most important elements.  It should be clear in reading this analysis why each element is so important to the program’s presentation.  All things considered, it is clear that the documentary is, in whole, another retrospective centered on Universal’s iconic movie that cinephiles and Back to The Future fans alike will appreciate.  Back in Time will be available in stores and online this coming Tuesday, Sept. 12.  It can be ordered online direct via MVD Entertainment Group’s online store at http://mvdb2b.com/s/BackInTime/MVD8722D.  More information on Back in Time and other titles from MVD Entertainment Group/MVD Visual is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://mvdb2b.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MVDEntertainmentGroup

Twitter: http://twitter.com/mvdentgroup

 

 

 

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Mugge’s Alligator Records Doc Will Bring Pride And Joy To Every Blues Enthusiast

Courtesy: MVD Entertainment Group

Robert Mugge is one of the hidden gems of the documentary world.  For more than four decades he has recorded the history of American music in all of its various forms.  Films such as The Kingdom of Zydeco, Sonny Rollins: Saxophone Colossus, and Hawaiian Rainbow & Kumu Hula: Keepers of a Culture have made Mugge an authority on American music.  They are just a few of the many projects that Mugge has helmed.  This past April MVD Visual re-issued yet another of his any films when it released Pride & Joy: The Story of Alligator Records.  Its release on Blu-ray marked the second time that it had ever been released, the last time being on Laser Disc in 1993.  Considering the relative failure of the medium and the more widespread success today of Blu-ray, the label’s story will hopefully reach a more widespread audience.  That is because for any music (and more specifically blues) enthusiast, it is an enjoyable presentation.  That is due in part to the manner in which the story is presented.  It isn’t just a documentary.  It is in fact one part documentary and one part concert recording.  This will be discussed shortly.  The history presented within the program’s documentary side is another important part of the program’s presentation considering the program’s title.  Last but definitely not least important in the program’s presentation is the program’s overall editing.  This will be discussed later.  It rounds out the program’s presentation.  Each element shows in the end to be a highly important part of the program’s overall presentation.  Altogether they make Pride & Joy: The Story of Alligator Records a story that any blues aficionado will agree hits all of the right notes.

Robert Mugge’s Pride & Joy: The Story of Alligator Records is yet another impressive presentation from the documentarian.  It is a presentation that blues aficionados will agree hits all of the right notes in telling the story of the famed blues label.  This is due in part to the program’s general presentation.  It is more than just a documentary.  Rather it is both a documentary and a concert experience.  It is not the first time that Mugge has gone this route with his documentaries, either. Deep Blues, The Kingdom of Zydeco and its recent follow-up (sequel) Zydeco Crossroads are also both presented in this same fashion.  Many of his previous films were presented in similar fashion, too.  So even having originally been released in 1992, using such a format at the time was nothing new for him.  The documentary side features interviews with Alligator Records founder and owner Bruce Iglauer and a handful of famous artists that at one time called the label home as well as some of the artists that once called the label home.  The other side of the program, its concert recording documents a handful of performances from one of the shows included in the label’s 20^th anniversary tour.  The featured performances were from the artists listed on the documentary’s cover art.  They are expertly edited into the program throughout its presentation, making the two elements a solid collective foundation for the documentary.  Having noted this, the history presented within the program makes that foundation even more solid.

The foundation established by the two-part presentation of Pride & Joy: The Story of Alligator Records is a solid base for the program.  That foundation is strengthened even more through the history presented within the documentary’s interviews.  Speaking more specifically, the interviews with label founder and head Bruce Iglauer provide the bulk of the label’s history.  The label’s history is not told in just one sitting.  Rather it is split over many segments, throughout the program’s hour-plus run time, thus ensuring audiences’ maintained engagement from beginning to end.  This is tied in to the movie’s editing (another of the program’s noted key elements) and will be discussed later.  Audiences will be interested to learn of the label’s humble beginnings in Iglauer’s tiny apartment and how it grew from there into an operation based in a multi-story house to a full blown record label.  Again, this is all divided up over the course of the program’s presentation.  It is coupled throughout with performances by the program’s featured artists.  As if all of this isn’t enough there are plenty of other discussions linked to the label’s history including Iglauer’s practice of hiring staff right out of college due to new graduates’ mindset about the industry and how the label has maintained its place over that history as an independent label, thus allowing maintained control over distribution, recording processes, and more.  That and so much more is explained as part of the discussion on the label’s rich history.  That history couples with the documentary’s two-part presentation to make for even more enjoyment for blues fans.  That is not even having counted the many other interviews included in the documentary from its featured artists.  These are not the only elements that make Pride & Joy: The Story of Alligator Records such an interesting program for blues enthusiasts and music lovers in general.  The program’s editing might not seem all that important on the surface.  But in the bigger picture of the program it is one of the most important of the program’s elements.

Both the general presentation of Pride and Joy: The Story of Alligator Records and the history presented therein are key in their own way to the program’s overall presentation.  Even as important as they are to the documentary’s presentation, they are not its only important elements.  The program’s editing is just as important to its presentation as those noted elements.  It was previously noted in this review that the label’s history is presented not through one long interview and extensive history lesson.  Rather it is broken up over the course of the label’s hour-plus run time.  It is mixed in with performances by the artists featured on the cover of the documentary’s box and with interviews with said artists.  Sometimes the connections between the performances and interviews are relatively random.  But at other times they are far more noticeably deliberate.  Case in point the interview with Lonnie Brooks and his son.  The pair discusses the differences in its musical styles.  Brooks notes that his style is more rooted in pure blues while his son notes that his style is more rooted in rock and roll.  Immediately after, the story cuts to a performance by the pair.  The performance allows each man to display his own noted roots and influences.  In another key moment Koko Taylor discusses the link between the blues and the lives led by the artists who perform the music.  She notes that blacks have always lived the blues.  That is why it is so pure.  She goes on to note that despite this there is a need to connect to the audiences because other people have their own difficult situations in life, so it’s important to be able to reach them regardless.  That is coupled immediately with a decidedly powerful performance by Taylor exhibiting exactly what she had just discussed.  This is just one more example of the importance of the program’s editing in its presentation.  There are other interesting moments not tied to the program’s concert recording that exemplify the importance of the program’s editing just as much.  Case in point label founder Bruce Iglauer’s discussion on having control over the recording process and his philosophy of recording.  He notes in this interview segment that he likes to try and give every record a feeling like it has been recorded in a small club.  From there the program cuts to footage of Iglauer behind the glass as he works with Lil’ Ed in recording one of his songs.  This moment serves very well to illustrate that noted mindset.  It is exhibited through the energy exuded by Lil’ Ed and company in recording the song as well as the song’s sound.  Even though it is being recorded in a studio it truly does exhibit a feeling of a song that might be played in a club setting.  It is just one more of so many examples that could be cited in exhibiting the importance of the film’s editing.  When those other moments are set alongside the moments all noted here, the whole of the documentary’s editing proves to be just as important to its presentation as its featured history and its general two-part presentation.  All things considered Pride & Joy: The Story of Alligator Records shows in the end to be a program that every blues aficionado should see.  It is a program that hits all of the right notes for blues lovers everywhere.

Pride & Joy: The Story of Alligator Records is a documentary that every blues aficionado should see.  It is a program that hits all of the right notes for blues fans everywhere.  That is due in part to its general presentation.  Much like so many of Mugge’s other documentaries it is presented as not just one long documentary/history lesson.  Rather it crosses information and entertainment by making the documentary one part history lesson and one part concert recording.  The history in question is presented over the course of the program’s hour-plus run time.  It is mixed in with interviews with label founder and head Bruce Iglauer and some of the label’s most well-known names, and with the presentation’s concert recording.  This approach ensures audiences’ engagement and entertainment from beginning to end.  Staying on that note (no pun intended) the program’s editing is just as important to its presentation as the other noted elements.  The documentary’s editing seamlessly ties everything together and in turn brings everything full circle.  Each element proves, in the end, to be important in its own right to the overall presentation of Pride & Joy: The Story of Alligator Records.  Altogether they make this documentary re-issue a presentation that every blues aficionado should see.  It is available now in stores and online.  It can be ordered online direct via MVD Visual’s online store and via Amazon.  More information on this and other titles from Robert Mugge is available online now at:

 

 

Website: http://www.robertmugge.com

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More information on this and other titles from MVD Visual is available online now at:

 

 

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Michael Schenker Releasing New Live Recording Next Month

Courtesy: MVD Entertainment Group

Michael Schenker will release his new live recording next month.

Michael Schenker recently announced that he has a new live recording on the way.  On A Mission: Live in Madrid will be released Friday, May 6^th.  On November 19^th, 2015 Schenker rejoined his former Scorpions band mates bassist Francis Buchholz and drummer Herman Rarebell on stage in Joy Enslava in Madrid, Spain for one of a number of performances together that the musicians presented last year.  The performance in question featured songs that spanned Schenker’s extensive musical resume with numbers such as UFO’s ‘’Lights Out’, Scorpions’ ‘Coast To Coast,’ MSG’s ‘Victim of Illusion,’ and Temple of Rock’s ‘Live and Let Live’ among a number of other hits.  The concert, which is available now for pre-order via MVD Entertainment Group’s online store, will be presented in separate standalone 2CD, 2Blu-ray, DVD and deluxe collector’s edition.  The show’s set list is exactly the same on both platforms and in the same order.  However, the DVD will come with a pair of bonus features.  There will also be a special limited Deluxe Collector’s Edition of the recording on the DVD that will feature band interviews, sound check footage, rehearsal footage, and much more.  The complete set list and bonus material included in the DVD platforms is noted below.  A trailer for the recording can be viewed online now via YouTube  at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJkMqUCuS14.

CD Track Listing:
 
Disc: 1 
1. Ocean Odyssey – Intro
2. Doctor Doctor
3. Live And Let Live
4. Lights Out
5. Where The Wild Winds Blow
6. Natural Thing
7. Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead
8. Victim Of Illusion
9. Lovedrive
10. Coast To Coast
11. Vigilante Man
12. Rock My Nights Away

Disc: 2 
1. Saviour Machine
2. Too Hot To Handle
3. Only You Can Rock Me
4. Lord Of The Lost And Lonely
5. Rock You Like A Hurricane
6. Rock Bottom
7. Horizons
8. Attack Of The Mad Axeman
9. Communion
10. Blackout

DVD Track Listing:

Ocean Odyssey – Intro
Doctor Doctor
Live And Let Live
Lights Out
Where the Wild Winds Blow
Natural Thing
Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead
Victim Of Illusion
Lovedrive
Coast To Coast
Vigilante Man
Rock My Nights Away
Saviour Machine
Too Hot To Handle
Only You Can Rock Me
Lord of the Lost and Lonely
Rock You Like A Hurricane
Rock Bottom
Horizons
Attack Of The Mad Axeman
Communion
Blackout
Searching For Freedom – Outro

Bonus Materials:

Outside the theatre
Soundcheck sketches

Additional Bonus Materials Limited Deluxe Collector’s Edition:

Rehearsal
The tour starts
Michael and his guitars
Individual Interviews With Band Members

 

More information on On A Mission: Live in Madrid is available online now along with all of Michael Schenker’s latest news and more at:

 

Website: http://www.michaelschenkerhimself.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MichaelSchenkerRocks

 

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