Eagle Rock Gives Audiences Its All In Its New Sinatra Bio

Courtesy: Eagle Rock Entertainment

On December 12, 1915 one of America’s greatest entertainers was born.  His name was Francis Albert Sinatra.  He was more well known as Frank Sinatra.  That was just a little more than a century ago.  And this past December America stopped to mark the 100^th anniversary of the late, great entertainer’s birthday.  Tributes were paid throughout both the music industry and Hollywood since Sinatra’s career spanned both worlds.  There were even television specials that put the spotlight on some of Sinatra’s greatest achievements in his life and career.  And just ahead of the anniversary Eagle Rock Entertainment released a very special retrospective on the music legend’s life and career in the form of Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All.  The title lifts from his hit song of the same name.  And even while the hundredth anniversary of Sinatra’s birth has passed it does not detract from the importance of this bio.  As a matter of fact, with the milestone anniversary in question having passed, this documentary actually takes on even more importance.  It is such a thorough look at Sinatra’s life and career that the standard DVD presentation requires two discs to cover everything.  The main feature presented in Eagle Rock’s new bio of “Old Blue Eyes” is just one part of what makes this presentation a must have for fans of Sinatra’s life and work.  The bonus material included in the presentation adds even more enjoyment to the documentary’s overall presentation.    It is made up of various interviews with those that were close to Sinatra. But the anecdotes that are shared in each interview serve to make the portrait painted in the program’s main feature all the richer. The companion booklet that comes with the double-DVD set rounds out the set’s presentation. It gives even more background on Sinatra’s life and career, even including Sinatra’s own note written to fans announcing his retirement and then return from retirement. Each element plays its own important part in the whole of Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All. Altogether they make this presentation a piece that any Sinatra fan should have just as much as any lover of the true classics.

Eagle Rock Entertainment’s new Sinatra bio Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All is a presentation that any Sinatra fan should have just as much as any lover of music’s golden age. That is because it in fact gives its all over the course of its nearly two and a half hour run time. Specifically speaking its run time comes in at two hours and twenty-one minutes. Note this is in the case of the presentation’s DVD and Blu-ray presentation. There is so much information provided in the course of that time that the DVD portion requires two discs in order to cover everything. In other words Eagle Rock Entertainment doesn’t just give a quick over view of Sinatra’s life and career here. Rather, they present Sinatra the man, the myth, and the legend. The story doesn’t pull any punches along the way, either. Audiences are presented with the full picture of Frank Sinatra as a man that loved doing what he did and fully appreciated his audiences for their love of his work. They are also presented with a man that was a social activist of sorts, openly noting in interviews that he disagreed with segregation in every form. There is also plenty of mention of his support of America’s military. For all of the positives that audiences see here, audiences also see a portrait of Sinatra as a man that was a playboy of sorts, much like so many male celebrities of his time and who had a little bit of a controlling side, too. This and so much more is presented in the documentary’s main feature. From his birth in New Jersey right up to his final days, Eagle Rock presents in the bio’s main feature what is one of the most thorough Sinatra bios presented on DVD or Blu-ray in a very long time. As important as that thorough presentation is to the overall presentation of Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All it is just one part of what makes this presentation well worth the purchase. The bonus “interviews” included in the presentation add even more enjoyment to the presentation.

The central feature of Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All is in itself plenty of reason for audiences to add this video bio to their home DVD/Blu-ray collections should they not have access to the extended Deluxe edition of Eagle Rock’s new Sinatra bio. The bonus “interviews” that are included with the bio’s main feature are just as important to the overall presentation here as its central feature. The “interviews” are not that long. In all they total roughly thirteen minutes. But even in that short time, audiences get even more background on Frank Sinatra the performer and the man. Ex-wife Mia Farrow notes in her interview how casually he suggested they get married, laughing as she recollects the suggestion. And close friend Jerry Weintraub recollects Sinatra telling him at one point that he [Weintraub] needed to get his heart checked, only to end up getting him drunk shortly thereafter. Weintraub’s recollection of what Sinatra said days later will leave audiences in stitches. That won’t be revealed here for the sake of those that haven’t yet heard this anecdote. But it is funny needless to say. Jill St. John shares her own interesting bit of info in her interview noting that Sinatra did not like doing multiple takes when recording. She notes that he was more of a one-take type of person. It really showed his dedication to getting the music right and getting it the best that it can possibly be. Comedian/entertainer Jerry Lewis offers what is one of the most enlightening and moving memories of Sinatra as he recalls going to Richmond, Virginia to perform at a private benefit show for a fireman that had died doing his job. Lewis recalls that Sinatra never answered his question as he asked about people knowing that he [Sinatra] was a good man. The response that Sinatra gave will both leave audiences laughing but also being moved. It’s just one more way that the bonus “interviews” included in the presentation of Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All prove to be their own collectively important way to the documentary’s overall presentation. Together with the program’s central feature both elements show even more clearly why this latest Sinatra bio is one of the best to come along in a very long time. Even as important as both elements are both by themselves and together, they are still not the only elements worth noting in the program’s overall presentation. The companion booklet that is included in the double-disc DVD presentation rounds out said presentation.

Both the main feature of Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All and the bonus “interviews” included in the package are equally important to the documentary’s overall presentation. As important as they are to its whole, they still are not all that make it an interesting program to watch. The companion booklet included with the package rounds out its presentation. The booklet offers even more history for fans and audiophiles alike. It gives a much shorter version of the bio presented on the program’s discs. But it is still just as concise, offering up the most important parts of Sinatra’s life. It even includes Sinatra’s own to his fans announcing his retirement. That is followed by the history of his return from retirement, including his own explanation as to why he came out of retirement. His humble explanation plays even more in tandem with the statements made by his friends and family in the program’s main feature and interviews. He notes that, “After the so-called retirement I was struggling, I was really fighting my way out of the doldrums because when I quit, I let everything go, and it all fell down. He goes on to offer more in his explanation for his return. But that will be saved for audiences to discover for themselves when they purchase this documentary or its deluxe edition. Those statements couple with everything else presented in the program’s companion booklet to prove in whole why the booklet is more than just a booklet. It is its own important part of the bio presented in Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All. Together with the program’s main feature and bonus “interviews” all three elements combine to show with full clarity why this documentary is, again, a must have for any Sinatra aficionado and for any audiophile in general.

Eagle Rock Entertainment’s new Frank Sinatra bio Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All is a must have for any Sinatra aficionado and for audiophiles in general. That is because it is one of the most thorough bios presented about the music legend in a long time. That depth of information is centered on the program’s main feature. The main feature comes in at nearly two and a half hours. And it is nearly two and a half hours that will keep audiences completely engaged from beginning to end. The bonus “interviews” and companion booklet that complement that feature complete the presentation, giving even more background and history on Sinatra the man, the myth, and the legend. Each element plays its own integral part to this documentary. Altogether they make it a documentary that any Sinatra fan should have in his or her own home DVD/Blu-ray library. That is especially the case for those that can’t get their hands on the documentary’s deluxe edition. That edition gives audiences the fullest experience. That is not to take anything away from this presentation of course. It offers its own entertainment and value. It is available now in stores and online. It is available on 2-DVD, 2-Blu-ray, Deluxe Edition and digital formats. The 2-DVD and 2-Blu-ray presentation will both retail for MSRP of $29.98 while the Deluxe Edition will retail for MSRP of $69.99. That is because of the expansive amount of material included in the Deluxe Edition. It features the All or Nothing At All Documentary on two DVDs, Sinatra’s complete 1971 “Retirement Concert” on both DVD and CD platform, a one-on-one interview between Sinatra and famed newsman Walter Cronkite originally recorded in 1965 (on one DVD), a reproduction of the 1971 Life Magazine article discussing Sinatra’s “Retirement Concert,” a separate bonus booklet, and six art cards housed in their own envelope. More information on Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All and other titles from Eagle Rock Entertainment is available online now along with all of the latest news from the leading name in live recordings at:

Website: http://www.eagle-rock.com

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/EagleRockNews

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New Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts DVD Another Example Of Comedy Done Right

Courtesy: StarVista Entertainment/Time Life Entertainment

The world is in a tough place, right now.  Political and economic strife dominate the news every day.  And television and movies are more dominated by sex and violence than ever before.  Thankfully, StarVista has stepped up once again to offer audiences what is a great escape from all the death, destruction, sex and violence dominating television and movies.  StarVista Entertainment has stepped up and offered an escape from it all in the form of the latest Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts box set.  This collection, the second in a set of three boxes, is just as worthy of applause as the first Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts box set.  That is the case first and foremost because of the laughs that fill each episode in this set.  Audiences will also appreciate that the episodes contained in this set are presented just as they originally aired.  And last but definitely not least, the packaging itself is well worth mentioning, too.  StarVista Entertainment has once again quite wisely packaged each of the six discs that comprise this box set.  The company has also included as part of the packaging, a bonus booklet that serves as an episode guide for viewers.  That inclusion as part of the set’s packaging, along with the equally impressive quality of the show’s footage and the nonstop laughs, makes The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Fully Roasted one of this year’s best new box sets for adults.

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Fully Roasted is one of the year’s best new box sets for adults.  The primary reason for that is the fact that these roasts are just as funny today as they were in their original broadcasts so many decades ago.  Given, some of the jokes are a little bit off color.  Case in point, actress Lawanda Page’s (Sanford & Son) jokes aimed at her fellow roasters in the roast of Betty White (Password, Golden Girls, Hot in Cleveland).  But there are just as many jokes that are pure laugh riots throughout each of the set’s sixteen total episodes.  One great example of this is in the celebrity roast of George Washington.  Yes, George Washington.  Famed historical impersonator Jan Leighton played the role of the nation’s first president.  And Audrey Meadows filled the role of George’s wife, Martha.  This roast is one that every viewer will love.  Whether it be the roast of George Washington, Betty White, or any of the others included in this box set, every one of the included roasts will most certainly leave viewers in stitches.  They will find themselves laughing so hard that they cry.  And that’s just the starting point of what makes this box set so fun.  The quality of each show’s footage makes the set even more enjoyable.

The jokes churned out throughout each of this set’s sixteen total episodes are certain to leave viewers laughing tears of joy.  If not for the work of those charged with restoring and transferring each episode, the set (and its predecessor) would not be worth the purchase.  Thanks to their work, the decades old footage still looks just as good as it did in its original broadcast.  StarVista made certain to include a disclaimer on each disc informing viewers that there may be some issues with the footage quality.  But this critic will attest to the fact that any issues with the quality of the episodes’ footage are minute at best and barely noticeable.  To that extent, the quality of each episode’s footage will create a welcome sense of nostalgia for older viewers that order this box set.  That sense of nostalgia in turn adds even more overall charm to the set, making it even more of a must have for any classic TV lover.

The impressively restored footage and the nonstop laugh riot roasts together are the collective cornerstone to The Dean Martin Roasts: Fully Roasted.  They aren’t all that make this new release such a joy.  There is still one more factor to consider in the success of this set.  That factor is the overall packaging of the set.  StarVista Entertainment  established a tradition of smart, quality packaging with previous box sets including the previous Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts set and all of its current Carol Burnett Show sets.  That tradition has been carried on in this set.  Each of the set’s six discs receives its own spot on either side of a handful of “inserts” inside the set’s box.  This protects the discs from scratching one another and it helps to save a certain amount of space on any viewer’s DVD rack.  Add in a bonus booklet that serves as an episode guide and gives background information on each episode, and viewers have what is another complete and completely impressive package from StarVista Entertainment and Time Life.  They flesh out a package that is in the eyes of at least this critic, one of the year’s best new box sets for adults.

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Fully Roasted is available now on DVD and can be ordered online direct from Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HHVFW6M/ref=s9_simh_gw_p74_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=11FD228VXVZ0KKRE2FY4&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846.  More information on this and other releases from StarVista Entertainment is available online at http://www.facebook.com/TimeLifeUS and http://timelife.com.  To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Dean Martin Celebrity Roast Collection Is A Laugh Riot

Courtesy: Time Life Entertainment/Star Vista/NBC Universal

Groundbreaking and hilarious.  Those are the best two words that one can possibly come up with when one thinks of singer/actor Dean Martin’s celebrity roasts.  There was nothing else like this series on television when it was spun off from his equally entertaining Dean Martin’s Comedy Hour.  And even today, when one watches Comedy Central’s celebrity roasts, one can’t deny the influence of Martin’s show on today’s celebrity roasts.  Martin’s celebrity roasts were just as irreverent as anything broadcast on Comedy Central today.  Anyone that has any knowledge of classic movies and television will attest to that.  And that’s just one reason that audiences will appreciate the recent release of Dean Martin’s Celebrity Roasts: Collector’s Edition.  Decades have passed since these shows aired.  Despite that, the jokes are still as biting today as they were back then.  While the celebrities and jokes featured in each of this set’s shows are the most important aspect to the set, they’re only part of what audiences will appreciate about this new laugh riot collection from Time Life Entertainment and Star Vista.  Viewers will also appreciate the bonus features included in each of the set’s six discs.  And last but definitely not least, Time Life and Star Vista are more than deserving of praise for the packaging of this set.  The manner in which each of the set’s discs was placed protects each disc, and is ergonomic for any DVD rack.  When one takes into consideration everything noted here, one will see just how important it is to the history of television and movies that Star Vista and Time Life Entertainment have released this set.  It’s a set that any fan of true, pure comedy must see at least once.

The celebrities and jokes that fill each episode of Dean Martin’s Celebrity Roasts: Collector’s Edition are the most important aspect of the episodes culled for the set.  Audiences that are more familiar with classic television and movies will appreciate seeing big names such as Rich Little, Don Rickles, former President Ronald Reagan, Sammy Davis, Jr., and so many others.  Little’s impersonations of some of Hollywood’s biggest names are among the many highlights.  Audiences will roar with laughter as he impersonates Johnny Carson.  Carson does everything that he can to not do the mannerisms that Little lists off one at a time.  The funny thing is that he can’t help but do those same mannerisms.  It shows just how closely Little studied his subjects.  It’s just one of so many moments that will have audiences laughing so hard that they cry.  There’s actor Kirk Douglas’ joke comparing fellow actor Don Rickles to a weasel, Rev. Billy Graham’s golf joke about Bob Hope, and even Foster Brooks’ ever entertaining drunk act from one show to another.  Somehow that act never loses its shine, no matter how many times he does it.  There is plenty more material from which audiences will be able to call their favorite moments.  Everything listed here is just a small sampling of that to which audiences can look forward with this collection of hilarious roasts.

The celebrity lineups and jokes that fill each of Martin’s celebrity roasts easily make Dean Martin’s Celebrity Roasts: Collector’s Edition make it an easy contender for the top spot on this year’s list of the best new box sets.  One can’t make such a statement without examining the set’s bonus material.  Bonus is a word that is bandied about far too often with DVDs and Blu-rays today.  But the additional content included in this set couldn’t be more properly labeled than bonus material.  Audiences are offered interviews with those that shared the stage throughout Martin’s Celebrity Roasts and bonus shows, too.  The interviews with the likes of Carol Burnett, Rich Little, and others show just how honored the chosen celebrities were to have been chosen both for the celebrity panel, and as the subject of the roasts.  The celebrity interviews included across this set are definitely worthy of being called bonus material.  Audiences will also appreciate the bonus segments of The Dean Martin Show, as well as a comparison between Martin’s celebrity roasts and what is offered today on the likes of Comedy Central.  It’s very interesting to note Carol Burnett’s own words, stating how today’s comedy is “mean” versus Martin’s roasts being just good clean fun.  She makes a valid argument.  One can really tell that Martin’s celebrity roasts were really meant all in good fun.  There were some off color material.  But even back then, the comedians on the panels didn’t have to work blue unlike today’s comedians.  It’s a telling statement.  And when they order this set, audiences will see that and more for themselves.

The bonus material included in Dean Martin’s Celebrity Roasts: Collector’s Edition puts this set way over the top.  Unlike the extra material crammed into other sets by other companies, the extra material included in this set is more than deserving of the title of “Bonus.”  When set next to the celebrity lineups and their jokes, it makes this set one that any classic TV and movie fan absolutely must add to their own home library.  Those same fans will notice in adding this set to their home DVD library that the packaging is another plus.  The box itself takes up a small amount of room on one’s rack.  That’s because of how the discs inside the box were themselves packaged.  The discs are placed on either side of a group of “inserts” inside the box.  They are given their very own space on either side of each insert.  This not only saves space, but also protects the discs from scratching one another at the same time.  This means being able to share the laughs again and again for years to come.  They are laughs that will be welcome with every watch.  And they can be enjoyed when audiences order the set from Time Life Entertainment and Star Vista online at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D2UMI9Q/ref=s9_simh_gw_p74_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0JVYS83R0PH9M3VZQVZP&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1630083502&pf_rd_i=507846.  More information on this and other releases from Time Life Entertainment and Star Vista is available online at http://timelife.com and http://www.facebook.com/TimeLIfeUs.  To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.