Urban Cowboy
from Paramount
John Travolta traded in disco duds for a cowboy hat in this corny love story about a working man who breaks up with his girlfriend (Debra Winger), then plays out their relationship's turmoil inside a huge honky-tonk called Gilley's. The story essentially parallels Travolta's prior hit film, Saturday Night Fever, in its blend of ordinary life, incomplete relationships, and personal pride channeled into niche stardom at a neighborhood club. But for all its regional flavor, Urban Cowboy never enjoys the immediacy and urgency of Fever, and after awhile you can't help but feel bemused by the macho silliness of ongoing "mechanical bull" competitions (basically a faux rodeo device only brave men can master at great chiropractic risk). The Travolta-Winger relationship is pure soap, as well. But this film really is a kind of time-capsule piece on a lot of levels--notably Travolta's career and late '70s Western kitsch--and while it's silly, it's certainly not disagreeable. --Tom Keogh
Lightning In a Bottle: A One Night History of the Blues
by Antoine Fuqua
from Sony Pictures
On February 7 2003 renowned artists across music genres and generations commandeered the stage at New York City's Radio City Music Hall to pay tribute to their common heritage and passion: the blues. Shared with thousands of fans in attendance legendary performers from the roots of rock jazz and rap joined forces for a once-in-a-lifetime salute to the blues benefit concert whose proceeds went to musical education. Executive produced by Martin Scorcese produced by Alex Gibney and directed by Antoine Fuqua LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE captures the night's magic and weaves a history of blues through the juxtaposition of performers backstage interviews rehearsals and archival clips of some of the greatest names in American music from blues royalty like Buddy Guy and B. B. King to their musical heirs ranging from John Fogerty and Bonnie Raitt to Mos Def and Indie.Arie.System Requirements:Running Time: 108 Min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. Rating: PG-13 UPC: 043396069183 Manufacturer No: 06918
Part concert, part history lesson, part summit meeting, and all blues, Lightning in a Bottle puts a bright spotlight on this quintessential American music. There are some heavy hitters at work here, both behind the camera (Martin Scorsese executive produced, while the film was directed by Antoine Fuqua of Training Day and King Arthur) and especially in front of it, with a superb house band and a mind-boggling array of musicians (including B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Solomon Burke, Keb' Mo', Macy Gray, the Neville Brothers, Robert Cray, and John Fogerty, to name but a few) performing at New York's Radio City Music Hall in February, 2003. The idea was to trace the music from its beginnings; thus we get an African song (by Angelique Kidjo), some early gospel blues (the great Mavis Staples), acoustic Delta blues, and so on, right up to blues-drenched electric rock and even some rap (a riveting version of Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor" by Chuck D.). Virtually all of the immortals who defined the blues (Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, and even Jimi Hendrix, whose fiery style is re-enacted by Buddy Guy) enter the picture, either through vintage film clips or new performances of their songs. One might wish for more insight into the influence of the blues on jazz (Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit," sung here by India.Arie, is a fine song, but it's not a blues tune) or country, but overall, Lightning in a Bottle is an edifying and, most important, highly entertaining portrait of the music and its heritage. --Sam Graham
Les Paul - Chasing Sound
by John Paulson
from Koch Vision
Guitar wizard, inventor, architect of rock n roll...the legendary Les Paul tells his own rags-to-riches story in this feature-length documentary shot in HD. From his hometown in Waukesha to Chicago, Nashville, Hollywood and the National Inventors Hall of Fame, follow the life and times of this irrepressible superstar. Featuring a wall-to-wall soundtrack of greatest hits, American Masters - Les Paul: Chasing Sound! also includes interviews with B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Tony Bennett, Jeff Beck, Merle Haggard, Steve Miller and many more.
Includes 90 Minutes of Exclusive Extras:
Full-length performances from the Iridium Jazz Club with Les Paul and his Trio.
Vintage duets with Keith Richards, Kay Starr, Merle Haggard and Chet Atkins.
Classic TV appearances (Les Paul & Mary Ford at Home, Omnibus and more.
Extended conversations with Les Paul.
Photo Gallery.
Roy Orbison - A Black & White Night (DTS)
by Tony Mitchell (II)
from Image Entertainment
Few early rockers were more gifted or less honored in their prime than the late Roy Orbison, whose vaulting tenor and vulnerable love songs conjured heartbreak and desire with operatic intensity. This 1987 concert special, originally broadcast on Showtime, came two decades after Orbison had retreated from pop's front lines, yet neither Orbison nor his music coasts on mere nostalgia: in every respect, A Black and White Night survives as a triumphant performance and a superb video production, as well as a first-rate retrospective of Orbison's hits.
Filmed in black and white against the streamlined art deco stage of the since-demolished Coconut Grove in downtown Los Angeles, the concert is buoyed by a remarkable cast of A-list Orbison fans who signed on as his accompanists. Under the direction of producer T-Bone Burnett, the stage band thus includes Jackson Browne, Burnett, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, and Jennifer Warnes, along with the rhythm section from Elvis Presley's fabled late '60s and early '70s touring band. That astonishing lineup is all the more noteworthy for the restraint with which they collaborate--it's evident that those superstars came to honor Orbison, not upstage him, resulting in a gratifying cohesion to the performances.
Orbison himself sounds as powerful as ever, his soaring falsetto cresting as dramatically as it did on the studio versions of the hits that inevitably dominate. Those songs meanwhile confirm that his blue chip admiration society came as much for the caliber of his writing as for his ravishing voice: if he remains best known for the jaunty come-on of "Pretty Woman," Orbison was first and foremost a rock balladeer, capable of bringing lumps to our throats with such classics as "Crying" and "Only the Lonely," or conjuring romantic trances through such gentle charmers as "Dream Baby." On this night, he handled all of them with fervor and finesse. --Sam Sutherland
Few early rockers were more gifted or less honored in their prime than the late Roy Orbison, whose vaulting tenor and vulnerable love songs conjured heartbreak and desire with operatic intensity. This 1987 concert special, originally broadcast on Showtime, came two decades after Orbison had retreated from pop's front lines, yet neither Orbison nor his music coasts on mere nostalgia: in every respect, A Black and White Night survives as a triumphant performance and a superb video production, as well as a first-rate retrospective of Orbison's hits.
Filmed in black and white against the streamlined art deco stage of the since-demolished Coconut Grove in downtown Los Angeles, the concert is buoyed by a remarkable cast of A-list Orbison fans who signed on as his accompanists. Under the direction of producer T-Bone Burnett, the stage band thus includes Jackson Browne, Burnett, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, and Jennifer Warnes, along with the rhythm section from Elvis Presley's fabled late '60s and early '70s touring band. That astonishing lineup is all the more noteworthy for the restraint with which they collaborate--it's evident that those superstars came to honor Orbison, not upstage him, resulting in a gratifying cohesion to the performances.
Orbison himself sounds as powerful as ever, his soaring falsetto cresting as dramatically as it did on the studio versions of the hits that inevitably dominate. Those songs meanwhile confirm that his blue chip admiration society came as much for the caliber of his writing as for his ravishing voice: if he remains best known for the jaunty come-on of "Pretty Woman," Orbison was first and foremost a rock balladeer, capable of bringing lumps to our throats with such classics as "Crying" and "Only the Lonely," or conjuring romantic trances through such gentle charmers as "Dream Baby." On this night, he handled all of them with fervor and finesse. --Sam Sutherland
A special one-time event documenting one of rock and roll's greatest and most unique performances. Recorded live at the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, Roy Orbison is joined by an eclectic ensemble of rock and roll superstars. Highlighting this all-star line-up are Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, T-Bone Burnett, J.D. Souther, Jennifer Warnes, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits. Orbison and fellow performers spend a scintillating hour performing many of his greatest hits. Songs: Only the Lonely, Dream Baby, The Comedians, Ooby Dooby, Leah, Running Scared, In Dreams, Crying, Candyman, Go Go Go, Mean Woman Blues, It's Over, Oh Pretty Woman, Dream You, Blue Bayou, Claudette.
A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan
by Gary Menotti
from Sony
Already a legend among musicians, Stevie Ray Vaughan was bringing new relevance and popularity to the blues when his career was cut short in a fatal helicopter accident following a 1990 concert appearance. His music offered the drama and sheer firepower of rock, and his flamboyant live shows likewise proved well suited to arena-sized crowds, yet there was little argument that Vaughan's fealty to the blues remained at the core of his style. This 1996 concert tribute underscores that common denominator through muscular performances from contemporary blues masters who readily (and appropriately) confirm the Texas guitarist as a true peer--it's no small matter that bona fide influences Buddy Guy and B.B. King cite the honoree on an equal plane with Vaughan's most obvious rock forebear, Jimi Hendrix.
King and Guy are among the stars who interpret Vaughan's own songbook in live performances backed by either his old band, Double Trouble, or the larger Tilt-a-Whirl Band. Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Dr. John, and the late guitarslinger's big brother, Jimmie Vaughan (himself a major figure since his days with the Fabulous Thunderbirds) all pay gritty musical homage noteworthy for powerhouse guitar work. Whether clad in coveralls (Guy) or Armani (Clapton, of course), each reaches the same common ground in the soul-deep language of the blues; equally important, the choice of material points up Vaughan's sure sense of blues song form and a penchant for tough, frequently witty lyrics that fit snugly into blues traditions. The 80-minute concert also intersperses brief interviews with the principals, with the music building toward a satisfying climax in three high-octane jams featuring the headliners in lively exchanges. The DVD optimizes the full-frame visuals of the original videotaped special, and the 5.1 audio mix likewise fine-tunes the straightforward stereo mix with some added ambience. --Sam Sutherland
Roy Orbison - Black & White Night (DVD & SACD)
by Tony Mitchell (II)
from Image Entertainment
Few early rockers were more gifted or less honored in their prime than the late Roy Orbison, whose vaulting tenor and vulnerable love songs conjured heartbreak and desire with operatic intensity. This 1987 concert special, originally broadcast on Showtime, came two decades after Orbison had retreated from pop's front lines, yet neither Orbison nor his music coasts on mere nostalgia: in every respect, A Black and White Night survives as a triumphant performance and a superb video production, as well as a first-rate retrospective of Orbison's hits.
Filmed in black and white against the streamlined art deco stage of the since-demolished Coconut Grove in downtown Los Angeles, the concert is buoyed by a remarkable cast of A-list Orbison fans who signed on as his accompanists. Under the direction of producer T-Bone Burnett, the stage band thus includes Jackson Browne, Burnett, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, and Jennifer Warnes, along with the rhythm section from Elvis Presley's fabled late '60s and early '70s touring band. That astonishing lineup is all the more noteworthy for the restraint with which they collaborate--it's evident that those superstars came to honor Orbison, not upstage him, resulting in a gratifying cohesion to the performances.
Orbison himself sounds as powerful as ever, his soaring falsetto cresting as dramatically as it did on the studio versions of the hits that inevitably dominate. Those songs meanwhile confirm that his blue chip admiration society came as much for the caliber of his writing as for his ravishing voice: if he remains best known for the jaunty come-on of "Pretty Woman," Orbison was first and foremost a rock balladeer, capable of bringing lumps to our throats with such classics as "Crying" and "Only the Lonely," or conjuring romantic trances through such gentle charmers as "Dream Baby." On this night, he handled all of them with fervor and finesse. --Sam Sutherland
Few early rockers were more gifted or less honored in their prime than the late Roy Orbison, whose vaulting tenor and vulnerable love songs conjured heartbreak and desire with operatic intensity. This 1987 concert special, originally broadcast on Showtime, came two decades after Orbison had retreated from pop's front lines, yet neither Orbison nor his music coasts on mere nostalgia: in every respect, A Black and White Night survives as a triumphant performance and a superb video production, as well as a first-rate retrospective of Orbison's hits.
Filmed in black and white against the streamlined art deco stage of the since-demolished Coconut Grove in downtown Los Angeles, the concert is buoyed by a remarkable cast of A-list Orbison fans who signed on as his accompanists. Under the direction of producer T-Bone Burnett, the stage band thus includes Jackson Browne, Burnett, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, and Jennifer Warnes, along with the rhythm section from Elvis Presley's fabled late '60s and early '70s touring band. That astonishing lineup is all the more noteworthy for the restraint with which they collaborate--it's evident that those superstars came to honor Orbison, not upstage him, resulting in a gratifying cohesion to the performances.
Orbison himself sounds as powerful as ever, his soaring falsetto cresting as dramatically as it did on the studio versions of the hits that inevitably dominate. Those songs meanwhile confirm that his blue chip admiration society came as much for the caliber of his writing as for his ravishing voice: if he remains best known for the jaunty come-on of "Pretty Woman," Orbison was first and foremost a rock balladeer, capable of bringing lumps to our throats with such classics as "Crying" and "Only the Lonely," or conjuring romantic trances through such gentle charmers as "Dream Baby." On this night, he handled all of them with fervor and finesse. --Sam Sutherland
A special one-time event documenting one of rock and roll's greatest and most unique performances. Recorded live at the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, Roy Orbison is joined by an eclectic ensemble of rock and roll superstars. Highlighting this all-star line-up are Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, T-Bone Burnett, J.D. Souther, Jennifer Warnes, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits. Orbison and fellow performers spend a scintillating hour performing many of his greatest hits. Songs: Only the Lonely, Dream Baby, The Comedians, Ooby Dooby, Leah, Running Scared, In Dreams, Crying, Candyman, Go Go Go, Mean Woman Blues, It's Over, Oh Pretty Woman, Dream You, Blue Bayou, Claudette.
Make It Funky!
by Michael Murphy (XXVI)
from Sony Pictures
Rollicking piano. Infectious horns. Hypnotic drum beats. Rocking guitar licks. Put them all together and you've got the exuberant sound of New Orleans music! Join a world-class lineup of artists, including the Neville Brothers, Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, Lloyd Price, Bonnie Raitt and Keith Richards, as they slip, slide, strut and glide their way through the spicy gumbo of sounds that took over the world, influencing the course of popular music for over a century. From "Fire On The Bayou" to "Let The Good Times Roll" MAKE IT FUNKY! is a raucous tribute to the musical heritage of the Crescent City, chock full of blazing performances, fiery archival footage and red-hot conversations with the remarkable men and women who created it. Let good times roll!
Saturday Night Live: Lost and Found - SNL in the '80s
from Universal Studios
Following the departure of the show's original cast and creator after five seasons SNL in the '80s is a look back at a decade of turbulent often uncertain times that included the hiring and firing of several casts numerous writers producers and ultimately the revitalization of the show with the return of executive producer Lorne Michaels.Documentary filmmaker Kenneth Bowser juxtaposes '80s musical acts from the show to illustrate the mood of the times with interviews and stories from SNL alumni Billy Crystal Martin Short Gilbert Gottfried Jim Belushi Julia Louis-Dreyfus Al Franken Kevin Nealon Nora Dunn Jon Lovitz Dana Carvey Robert Smigel and Conan O'Brien to give you a first-hand look at the highs and lows that occurred behind the scenes.SNL in the '80s also features rare performances by artists James Brown Queen Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Bonnie Raitt Roy Orbison Elvis Costello Harry Connick Jr. Don Henley and The Kinks as well as interviews and footage that have never been seen before!System Requirements:Running Time: 87 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY/STAND-UP Rating: NR UPC: 025195017961 Manufacturer No: 61102317
DVD Dance Pack Collection (Grease Rockin' Rydell Edition / Saturday Night Fever / Footloose / Flashdance / Urban Cowboy)
by James Bridges
from Paramount
Includes:Grease: Rockin' Rydell EditionFlashdanceFootloose: Special Collector's EditionSaturday Night FeverUrban CowboyFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: NR UPC: 097361198644 Manufacturer No: 119864
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