Elvis - The '68 Comeback Special (Deluxe Edition DVD)

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Released in conjunction with a two-disc deluxe edition of Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii, the three-disc deluxe edition of Elvis's '68 Comeback Special is another incredible treasure trove of footage documenting a high point of the King's career and a milestone of televised musical performances. Taped and broadcast in 1968 after Elvis had seemingly abandoned live performing in favor of a movie career, the '68 Comeback Special was a remarkably intimate show, Elvis singing his old songs on a small stage, often alone, surrounded on all sides by a rapt audience. The show's numbers fall into three general categories: the black leather stand-up shows, in which Elvis performs solo on stage; the black leather sit-down shows, in which Elvis jams with former bandmates Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana and others; and big production numbers, often overdone and now looking as dated as any other 1960s variety show.

In addition to the complete, uncut TV special (with the bordello number that was deemed too daring for TV), this DVD set includes both of the original stand-up shows and both of the original sit-down shows (the first was released mostly complete as One Night with You), and multiple takes of numerous production numbers. The numerous glitches and stumbles of the production numbers have limited replay value, but the complete stand-up and sit-down sessions are like gold for those who couldn't get enough of them during the 73-minute television special. Decades after the original telecast, Elvis has made another comeback. --David Horiuchi

Description

1. Trouble/Guitar Man - SHOW OPENER; Trouble\ Guitar Man (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 2. Lawdy Miss Clawdy (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 3. Baby, What You Want Me To Do (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 4. Heartbreak Hotel/Hound Dog/All Shook Up; Heartbreak Hotel\ Hound Dog\ All Shook Up (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 5. Can't Help Falling In Love (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 6. Jailhouse Rock (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 7. Can I borrow your little whatchacallit?/This leather suit's hot (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 8. Love Me Tender (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 9. Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 10. Rock & roll music is . . . (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 11. Gospel Production Number; Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child\ Where Could I Go But To The Lord\ Up Above My Head\ Saved (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 12. Baby, What You Want Me To Do (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 13. Blue Christmas (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 14. Man, I just work here./No strap. (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 15. One Night (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 16. Memories (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 17. Guitar Man Production Number; Nothingville\ Guitar Man\ Let Yourself Go\ Guitar Man\ Big Boss Man\ It Hurts Me\ Guitar Man\ Little Egypt\ Trouble\ Guitar Man (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 18. If I Can Dream - Show Closer. (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 19. Credits Roll (Original December 3, 1968 Broadcast (Adapted)) 20. Elvis takes the stage. (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 21. Elvis introduces band-mates. (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 22. That's All Right (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 23. Heartbreak Hotel (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 24. Love Me (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 25. Swapping axes./Are we on television? (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 26. Baby, What You Want Me To Do (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 27. Touching body with hands./Rock & roll music is . . . (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 28. Blue Suede Shoes (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 29. Baby, What You Want Me To Do (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 30. Something wrong with my lip./He's gotta be crazy. (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 31. Lawdy Miss Clawdy (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 32. Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 33. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 34. Blue Christmas (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 35. Trying To Get To You (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 36. One Night - Somebody pulled the plug, man. (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 37. Baby, What You Want Me To Do (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 38. Man, I just work here./No strap. (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 39. One Night (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 40. Memories (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1) 41. Audience warm-up./Mr. Elvis Presley. (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 42. Elvis talks. (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 43. Heartbreak Hotel (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 44. Baby, What You Want Me To Do (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 45. Elvis refers to script./Introduces band-mates. (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 46. That's All Right (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 47. Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 48. Baby, What You Want Me To Do (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 49. Can't even touch myself./You gonna get arrested, boy. (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 50. Blue Suede Shoes (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 51. We don't have a strap?/Lines from MacArthur Park. (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 52. One Night (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 53. Love Me (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 54. Hanky flies about./The new music./My style came from . . . (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 55. Trying To Get To You (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 56. Lawdy Miss Clawdy (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 57. Girl saves Elvis tissue lint./Never ceases to amaze me, baby. (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 58. Santa Claus Is Back In Town (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 59. Blue Christmas (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 60. Tiger Man (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 61. Another tissue girl./MacArthur Park lines. (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 62. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 63. Memories (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 64. Credits Roll (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 65. Audience warm-up./Here's Elvis Presley. (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #1) 66. Medley: Heartbreak Hotel/One Night - Sound Goes Out.; Heartbreak Hotel\ One Night - Sound Goes Out (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #1) 67. Medley: Heartbreak Hotel/Hound Dog/All Shook Up; Heartbreak Hotel\ Hound Dog\ All Shook Up (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #1) 68. Can't Help Falling In Love (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #1) 69. Jailhouse Rock (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #1) 70. Don't Be Cruel (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 71. Blue Suede Shoes (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #1) 72. Love Me Tender (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #1) 73. Anybody got a handkerchief? (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #1) 74. Trouble (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #1) 75. Baby, What You Want Me To Do - Impromptu Jam. (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #1) 76. If I Can Dream - Lip-Synch Performance. (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #1) 77. Audience warm-up./And it stars Elvis Presley./Heartbreak Hotel - False start.; Audience warm-up./And it stars Elvis Presley.\ Heartbreak Hotel - False Start. (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 78. Medley: Heartbreak Hotel/Hound Dog/All Shook Up; Heartbreak Hotel\ Hound Dog\ All Shook Up (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 79. Can't Help Falling In Love (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 80. Jailhouse Rock (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 81. Don't Be Cruel - Moby Dick! (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 82. Blue Suede Shoes - False start. One more time, gently. (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 83. Blue Suede Shoes (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 84. Can I borrow your little whatchacallit?/This leather suit's hot. (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 85. Love Me Tender (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 86. Preparation./Who's that strange man out there, Elvis? (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 87. Trouble - Should I be on the microphone here? (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 88. Trouble - I got my lip hung on the microphone. (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 89. Trouble/Guitar Man; Trouble\ Guitar Man (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 90. Lines from MacArthur Park and Tiptoe Through The Tulips (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 91. Trouble/Guitar Man; Trouble\ Guitar Man (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 92. If I Can Dream - Lip-Synch Performance. (Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2) 93. Trouble/Guitar Man (920 Incomplete Take. Slings chord at end.) 94. Trouble/Guitar Man (921 Incomplete Take. Ran outta breath.) 95. Trouble/Guitar Man (922 Incomplete take. You watch my clacker.) 96. Trouble/Guitar Man (923 Incomplete Take) 97. Trouble/Guitar Man (924 Incomplete Take) 98. Trouble/Guitar Man; Trouble\ Guitar Man (925 Completed take.) 99. Trouble/Guitar Man; Trouble\ Guitar Man (926 Guitar inserts. Close-up shots of hands and guitar.) 100. Trouble/Guitar Man; Trouble\ Guitar Man (927 Stills. Performance insert shots.) 101. If I Can Dream (915 False start.) 102. If I Can Dream (916 Completed take.) 103. If I Can Dream (917 Completed take.) 104. If I Can Dream (918 Completed take. Chosen for the TV special.) 105. Huh-Huh-Huh Promo (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 106. Elvis Closing Credits Without Credits Roll (Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2) 107. If I Can Dream - Special Music Video 2004 108. DVD Credits Roll (A Little Less Conversation) 109. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child/Where Could I Go But To The Lord/Up Above My Head; Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child\ Where Could I Go But To The Lord\ Up Above My Head (501 Completed take. Declared a good rehearsal.) 110. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child/Where Could I Go But To The Lord/Up Above My Head; Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child\ Where Could I Go But To The Lord\ Up Above My Head (502 Incomplete take. Dance solo problem.) 111. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child/Where Could I Go But To The Lord/Up Above My Head; Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child\ Where Could I Go But To The Lord\ Up Above My Head (503 Completed take.) 112. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child/Where Could I Go But To The Lord/Up Above My Head; Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child\ Where Could I Go But To The Lord\ Up Above My Head (504 Incomplete take. Dance solo problem.) 113. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child/Where Could I Go But To The Lord/Up Above My Head; Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child\ Where Could I Go But To The Lord\ Up Above My Head (505 Incomplete take. Elvis misstep on the stairs.) 114. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child/Where Could I Go But To The Lord/Up Above My Head; Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child\ Where Could I Go But To The Lord\ Up Above My Head (506 Completed take.) 115. Up Above My Head/Saved; Up Above My Head\ Saved (507 Incomplete take.) 116. Up Above My Head/Saved; Up Above My Head\ Saved (508 Incomplete take.) 117. Up Above My Head/Saved; Up Above My Head\ Saved (509 Completed take. Elvis flings tambourine to sky.) 118. Up Above My Head/Saved; Up Above My Head\ Saved (510 Completed take. Elvis wants another one.) 119. Up Above My Head/Saved; Up Above My Head\ Saved (511 Completed take. Elvis gives "outta here" thumb.) 120. Up Above My Head/Saved; Up Above My Head\ Saved (512 Completed take. Waiting for Darlene.) 121. Saved (513 Incomplete take. Problem with dancers' cue.) 122. Saved (514 Incomplete take.) 123. Saved (515 Completed take. Elvis missed his 'ho-ho, yeah.') 124. Saved (516 Completed take.) 125. Saved (517 Completed take. You got it!) 126. Saved (518 Erroneous 518 slate. 601 called but not slated. Cast chatter.) 127. Saved (602 Incomplete take. Elvis can't hear the playback.) 128. Saved (604 Completed take.) 129. Big Boss Man (101 Incomplete take. Match doesn't go out.) 130. Big Boss Man (102 Incomplete take.) 131. Big Boss Man (103 Completed take. Guitar doesn't break.) 132. Big Boss Man (104 Completed take.) 133. Big Boss Man (105 Incomplete take. Guitar strap comes undone.) 134. Big Boss Man (106 Incomplete take. Elvis cracks up.) 135. Big Boss Man (107 Completed take. Guitar doesn't break.) 136. Big Boss Man (108 Completed take.) 137. Big Boss Man (109 Completed take. Guitar doesn't quite break.) 138. Big Boss Man (110 Completed take.) 139. It Hurts Me (111 Incomplete take.) 140. It Hurts Me (112 Incomplete take. Elvis splits his pants.) 141. It Hurts Me (113 Completed take.) 142. It Hurts Me (114 Completed take.) 143. It Hurts Me (115 Completed take.) 144. It Hurts Me (116 Incomplete take. Bottle doesn't break.) 145. It Hurts Me (117 Incomplete take.) 146. It Hurts Me (118 Incomplete take. Did I anticipate?) 147. It Hurts Me (119 Incomplete take. Somebody's gonna have sore arms tomorrow.) 148. It Hurts Me (120 Completed take.) 149. It Hurts Me (121 Incomplete take. I don't know upstage from downstage.) 150. It Hurts Me (122 Incomplete take. ". . . Too blind to see" is where you walk in, Elvis.) 151. It Hurts Me (123 Incomplete take.) 152. It Hurts Me (126 Completed take.) 153. Let Yourself Go (605 False start. 601 slate label corrected. Gospel label not.) 154. Let Yourself Go (606 Completed take.) 155. Let Yourself Go (607 Completed take.) 156. Let Yourself Go (608 Incomplete take. Gospel label on slate corrected.) 157. Let Yourself Go (609 Completed take.) 158. Let Yourself Go (610 Completed take.) 159. Let Yourself Go (611 False start.) 160. Let Yourself Go (612 Nearly completed take.) 161. Let Yourself Go (613 Nearly completed take. Not to mention Bones Howe.) 162. Let Yourself Go (614 Completed take. Did I miss the lip-synch on the very last line?) 163. Let Yourself Go (615 Completed take.) 164. Let Yourself Go (616 Completed take.) 165. Let Yourself Go (617 Completed take.) 166. Bordello - Insert Shots (619 Grapes (No 618 slate) Put your warm, red grapes on mine.) 167. Bordello - Insert Shots (620 Palms together. Andy Williams sings "Downtown") 168. Bordello - Insert Shots (621 Dip) 169. Bordello - Insert Shots; I Get A Kick Out Of You\ Blues In The Night\ I Enjoy Being A Girl\ My Man\ I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair (Spooning. Phyllis Diller medley.) 170. Bordello - Insert Shots (623 Ladies dance with chairs.) 171. Bordello - Insert Shots (624 Ladies dance with chairs.) 172. Bordello - Insert Shots (625 Ladies dance with chairs.) 173. Bordello - Insert Shots (626 Ladies dance.) 174. Bordello - Insert Shots (627 Ladies dance.) 175. Bordello - Insert Shots (628 Ladies dance.) 176. Bordello - Insert Shots (629 Ladies dance.) 177. Bordello - Insert Shots (631 Ladies lounge about.) 178. Nothingville (901 No take. Elvis wants to walk this through.) 179. Nothingville (902 Completed take.) 180. Nothingville (903 Completed take.) 181. Guitar Man (904 Completed take.) 182. Guitar Man (905 Completed take.) 183. Guitar Man (907 Completed take. Plus tax. Wanna do another one, Steve?) 184. Guitar Man (908 False start.) 185. Guitar Man (909 Incomplete take. Swingin' little mother grabber.) 186. Guitar Man (910 Completed take.) 187. Guitar Man (911 Completed take.) 188. Guitar Man (1001 Completed take. My boy, my boy.) 189. Guitar Man (1002 Completed take. My boy, my boy.) 190. Guitar Man (1003 Incomplete take. Guitar strap comes undone.) 191. Guitar Man (1004 False start.) 192. Guitar Man (1005 Completed take. My girl, my girl.) 193. Guitar Man (1006 Completed take. My girl, my girl.) 194. Little Egypt/Trouble; Little Egypt\ Trouble (1007 Incomplete take. Watch that cobra. Growl and grin.) 195. Little Egypt/Trouble; Little Egypt\ Trouble (1008 No take. Topless lady band/LBJ imitation/Tinkling of Tanya/My belly, my belly.) 196. Little Egypt/Trouble; Little Egypt\ Trouble (1009 Completed take. Another one for myself.) 197. Little Egypt/Trouble; Little Egypt\ Trouble (1010 Completed take.) 198. Trouble (1011 Incomplete take. Sh--.) 199. Trouble (1012 Completed take. To spend one night witchoo.) 200. Trouble (1013 Completed take. I sho hope I got a little voice left.) 201. Trouble (1014 Incomplete take. Elvis eyeballs the mike and cracks up.) 202. Trouble (1015 Completed take. More laughter.)

Customer Reviews:

Elvis DVD.......2007-09-08

A DVD for Elvis collectors/lovers to purchase for yourself or as a gift. Many memorable unscripted scenes to enjoy. Dressed in black leather, includes my personal favorite, One Night With You. This is the time period that he looked so healthy and enjoying life.

Could have been better.......2007-09-06

Elvis of course was great as usual. Loved seeing all of the black leather stand up and sit down shows in their entirety with cuts and retakes, but this could have been done so much better. I wanted to see exactly the show that finally aired in Dec. 1968, just as it was shown on TV from beginning to end, but that didn't happen. They could have minimized all the repeated retakes on the 3rd disc to just bloopers and the funny things. Instead, they did a million takes of the same thing.

Elvis Comeback Special.......2007-08-13

Simply put it is great. It is worth the money to see both stand up and both sit down shows. Elvis at this best! Buy it, you won't regret it.

Awesome as Always.......2007-08-13

'68 Comeback Special

As a diehard Elvis fan, this program did not disappoint me. Seeing Elvis in his black leather outfit was spectacular, and he did a phenomenal job with all the songs he sang. Proving once again - he is the KING!!!

Elvis at his best........2007-07-14

The "sit-down sessions" are among my favorites. The versions of songs like Lawdy Miss Clawdy, That's Alright Mama,One Night, Love Me etc. are in my opinion the best. I am so thrilled with this dvd that I bought the cd. This collection is a must have.

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South African tragedy,Justice and Enlightenment
Visual Aid for Discussing book
James Earl Jones Shines in Noble Performance
Cry The Beloved Country
A simple film about two fathers that leaves you amazed.

Cry, The Beloved Country
Starring: Tsholofelo Wechoemang , James Earl Jones , Richard Harris , Charles S. Dutton , and Dolly Rathebe
Director: Darrell Roodt
Manufacturer: Miramax
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ASIN: B00008979J
Release Date: 2003-07-01

Amazon.com

This moving 1995 adaptation of Alan Paton's celebrated novel stars James Earl Jones as a beloved, rural minister in South Africa who makes his first trip to Johannesburg in search of his son. The latter's destiny has been linked with that of a doomed, young white man, whose racist father (Richard Harris) is approached by Jones's character in the spirit of mutual understanding. Directed by Darrell James Roodt (Sarafina!), the film is most powerful in those scenes featuring Harris and Jones together, though early sequences grounded in the hard life and times of Jones's community are colorful and dramatic. It's impossible not to be touched by the cautious but real connection made between the principal characters and by the moral authenticity of the actors. --Tom Keogh

Description

Powerful and uplifting, CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTRY was widely hailed as one of the best films of the year! In a land torn by hatred and injustice, James Earl Jones (CLEAR & PRESENT DANGER) and Richard Harris (GLADIATOR, THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO) are two fathers -- one a man of peace, the other a man of power and privelege -- whose lives seem destined for a violent collision. But instead, in the wake of a tragic killing, these extraordinary men form an unlikely union ... and together find the kind of understanding that could heal a nation! Based on the acclaimed novel, this electrifying motion picture will both entertain and inspire you!

Customer Reviews:

South African tragedy,Justice and Enlightenment.......2007-08-20

Excellent movie. A black preacher(Jones) and a white wealthy landowner(Harris) played their roles astoundingly.
Living in an environment of apartheid or pending apartheid, both have experienced their own personal tragedies. Being complete strangers to each other, they eventually met face to face in a friendly atmosphere.Then as he was about to leave, the preacher turnd around and told the landowner, "My greatest sorrow is your greatest sorrow."
A definitely "must see" movie for everyone, young or old. Most certainly 5 stars for this DVD.

Visual Aid for Discussing book.......2006-11-10

The film follows the book extremely well. Minor changes do not affect the author's purpose. Emotional performances by recognizable actors such as Jones and Harris are appealing to current audiences. The film makes thoughtful discussion easier than simply reading and discussing Paton's novel.

James Earl Jones Shines in Noble Performance.......2006-02-09

Darrell Roodt chose carefully when it was time to direct the first film of South Africa after the abolition of Apartheid. Alan Paton's novel was first filmed in 1951, and "Cry the Beloved Country" is a tale that seems as much a part of the South African collective zeitgeist as Twain or Hemingway or Steinbeck is part of America's.

This film version is centered around perhaps James Earl Jones' most powerful screen performance. He stars as the Reverend Stephen Kumalo, a clergyman from a small town in South Africa. He is a strong man of faith and leads a congregation in matters both religious and practical. His son ran away to Johannesburg to work in the mines, and his sister went away also to join her husband. His brother, John, is also in the city, an outspoken black activist who has abandoned the ways of religion because religion is not creating justice for blacks. The film opens with Reverend Kumalo receiving word that things are not all well in Johannesburg.

Richard Harris has the role of James Jarvis, a wealthy white landowner from the same small town. His son has also gone to Johannesburg, where he works as an activist trying to improve the repressed condition of the South African Blacks who are only starting to come under the evil thumb of Apartheid.

The whites and blacks are so separate that although they are two of the most prominent figures in a small town, Mr. Jarvis and the Reverend Kumalo have not even met as the movie opens. Tragedy strikes, more than once, and without spoiling the plot I'll just reveal that it involves the two sons of these two characters.

Roodt goes out of his way to display the noble suffering of Reverend Kumalo. He never speaks a discouraging word, even when confronting terrible injustice. The story hinges on Kumalo's innate goodness, and Mr. Jones brings this to life in a way that carries the story along.

It is worth mentioning a single scene - the one in which Kumalo and Jarvis first meet. The previously mentioned tragedy has already occurred and both men are in a kind of mourning. Kumalo knows Jarvis while Jarvis vaguely recognizes Kumalo. The Reverend confides in the powerful white man that "My greatest sorrow is also your greatest sorrow". The performances by these two great actors in this powerful scene would be reason alone to watch this film, but I would still recommend the movie with that centerpiece scene removed.

It is clichéd to say that the world would be a better place if we were collectively more understanding and tolerant of those who were different from us, but "Cry the Beloved Country" brings this sentiment forward in a way that is realistic and powerful.

Cry The Beloved Country.......2005-07-27

Very excellent movie, James Earl Jones did a wonderful
job. I read the book and the movie stayed true to it.

A simple film about two fathers that leaves you amazed........2005-06-29

Talk about a relief from our sardonic, nihilistic world. I felt like I popped in a handful of Poignant Pills after I saw this film.

I could use words like captivating, rapturous or brilliant to describe the screenplay, the acting, the mood of this film; but I'm not going to. To do so would be wrong, for this film does something that most films can not - it speaks for itself.

In it, we have two fathers. One, a minister (Earl Jones) during apartheid in South Africa. Another (Harris) is a rich man who never understood his son. When the pastor's son fearfully and regretfully kills the rich man's son, we witness the human condition at its frailest core. The pastor's shame all but consumes him while the rich man is more pained by the fact that he never was able to know his son who so painstakingly worked to restore racial harmony long before it was popular. Instead of adding to the pastor's guilt, grief and pain at what his son has done, he restores him by graciously forgiving the man and his child. It is as if each man knows his place and is unwilling to move above it. Jones' character cannot forgive himself for what his son has done and Harris' character cannot forgive himself for refusing to reach a bit further into his boy's life. They find healing in one another, and this adds to the tone of the film.

This film is altogether amazing, both story-wise and visually. Both men tread upon great pains in this film, pains that cut them to the heart, but both persevere.

One of the top twenty-five films I've ever watched and one of the most under appreciated movies of all time.

5 out of 5.

Solomon Burke: The King Live at Avo Session Basel

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Solomon Burke: The King Live at Avo Session Basel
Starring: Solomon Burke
Manufacturer: Mvd Visual
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000R348VM
Release Date: 2007-08-07

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Sweet Georgia/Country Hooker
Starring: Marsha Jordan , Barbara Mills , Gene Drew , Chuck Lawson , and Bill King Jr.
Director: Edward Boles , and Lew Guinn
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000777HVQ
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Description

Country-Western Wildcats! Marsha Jordan - the first real star of Sexploitation - is Sweet Georgia, the sex-crazed nympho wife of rancher Big T. Unfortunately, because Big T is an ugly, abusive drunk, Georgia looks for her lovin' elsewhere - starting with Cal, the stud ranchhand, then moving on to Virginia, Big T's daughter, who spends her days riding her horsey in the nude. Of course, since Georgia's only Virgina's stepmom, the two think a little down-home girl-girl action is perfectly fine, especially around a romantic campfire. But when Georgia makes it with dumb ol' Leroy, everything gets violent. Yup, just when you think you've got this film figured out, an accidental death somehow escalates into one grisly murder after another. Plus: See what happens when a country singer meets a Country Hooker as Dave and his pal Billy B get detoured from a gig at a country-western bar by sexy hitchhikers Jen and Sue (played by cinema sex kittens Sandy Dempsey and the legendary Rene Bond). The girls, however, are actually in the employ of sleazy Mike, The Singing Pimp, who wants the boys waylaid so he can continue polluting the bar with his prostitution racket and rotten music. But when Jen and Sue end up falling for the two dumb lugs, Mike adds "strangler" to his already unsavory resume'.... So saddle up and ride with these two Drive-In classicks direct from the vaults of producer Harry Novak (Country Cuzzins) featuring plenty of sex, violence, and godawful singing!

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"I can not hear what you are saying, for the thunder that you are."
In My Country I was a Snake Myself
A fascinating look at some African cultures.
The final Herzog/Kinski collaboration
Haunting...

Cobra Verde
Starring: Klaus Kinski , King Ampaw , José Lewgoy , Salvatore Basile , and Peter Berling
Director: Werner Herzog
Manufacturer: Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 6305972796
Release Date: 2000-10-24

Amazon.com

In their last film together, director Werner Herzog drew from actor Klaus Kinski a performance that grounds Kinski's volcanic passions with a new gravity--perhaps age was bringing Kinski down to earth. He plays Cobra Verde, a notorious Brazilian bandit, whom a plantation owner hires to keep his slaves in line. After Cobra Verde impregnates all his daughters, the owner and the authorities conspire to send the bandit to Africa to reopen the slave trade. They expect him to be killed, but through a mixture of his own cunning and the volatile politics of West Africa, Cobra Verde ends up leading an army of women to overthrow the king. Cobra Verde is disjointed, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth watching. Kinski is magnetic in scene after remarkable scene, and though the whole isn't satisfying, the parts certainly are. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

"I can not hear what you are saying, for the thunder that you are.".......2007-06-08

The last and least of his volatile collaborations with Werner Herzog, Cobra Verde is possibly the one movie where Klaus Kinski isn't the maddest person on screen - he's out-madded by not one but two African kings who make him look a model of logic and reason: when even Werner Herzog describes one actor as a "very odd man," you'd better believe it. After a hypnotic opening the first third is sluggish at best, but once Kinski's South American barefoot bandit ("I don't trust shoes") reaches Africa to reopen the slave trade - more in his employers' hope that he'll be killed than any belief he might succeed - it's a rollicking yarn and the most spectacular of Herzog's films, ending with an image that's almost Fitzcarraldo in microsm as Kinski struggles to pull a longboat into the sea while a native cripple watches him. It's a mad film in many ways, with Kinski finding himself leading an army of Amazons because the men simply aren't good enough warriors, but like all Herzog films it has its rewards, including some striking and haunting imagery, not least a shot of Kinski in the sea watching the sky.

Sadly, this has the least satisfying transfer of any of Anchor Bay's Herzog films - acceptable, but with niggling image problems, particularly in the early scenes. Extras are limited, though Herzog's audio commentary is, as always, captivating.

In My Country I was a Snake Myself.......2007-04-08

Klaus Kinski, always on crazy duty, here shows up as Cobra Verde, a slave leader who seriously ticks off his master by going on an impregnation spree and is thus sent to Africa on a suicide mission. His stated goal is to revive the slave trade but everybody involved knows that he is being sent there to die. Verde is only too excited to get dressed up in his Christopher Columbus get up and sail the ocean blue, not bothered in the least by the fact that nobody ever expects to see him again. Once there he has some initial luck with the natives until it runs out and he is kidnapped for being white. Quickly thereafter he is rescued by a man who feels as though the throne is his and wants Verde to help him seize it. So just like Emilio Estevez did with those darned Ducks, Verde takes a group of losers and transforms them into winners, only instead of being good at hockey these guys are turned into a maniacal killing machine.

Since this is a Werner Herzog movie we know that the focus will be on the uncaring ways of this Earth of ours. Both leaders, the plantation owner in Brazil and the king in Africa, are shown to be the same despite the color of their skin. They both lack morals and believe their own hype. But Herzog isn't interested in building these guys up as evil doers; his films don't need pre-packaged villains because to him we are all villains. When the plantation owner bemoans the fact that he has yet to impregnate every mulatto girl in his fields it is not with the intention of painting him a racist or a rapist. Rather the point is that all men in power are the same. They always want more and will stop at nothing to get it. Verde is an interesting character because throughout the film he is constantly in a position of power, always lording over a large number of blacks, and yet appears to be uncorrupted by it. We never learn his motivations, whatever they may be. The final shot is very telling however; as Verde runs away from a cripple he is unable to make his getaway because he can't move a boat from the beach to the water. Here is a man who overthrew a king, but only because of those he ruled over. Without them he can't even escape the hell he created.

The charge of racism has been leveled against Herzog on more than one occasion and this film couldn't have helped. Dozens of extremely dark blacks fill the landscape as slaves who live under the boot of a white man. A white man who spends his days teaching them how to fight like savages. That said, and let me be very clear; this film is an ugly glimpse into the primitive nature of humanity not an attempt to proclaim white superiority. If the roles of the races look stereotypical it is because stereotypes are based on facts. There is all the difference in the world ever between being racist and reflecting a racist world. In the film the whites view the blacks as nothing more than slaves and sex toys, and the blacks view the whites as the devil. I would say that that is a fair assessment of race relations circa 1850. I liked "Cobra Verde" but in no way did I love it. The first 30 minutes are dull but after that the plot gets rolling. There are also some awesome shots of the African countryside which become even more impressive when Herzog fills them with the sheer number of extras he had on hand. Not one of Herzog's greatest films, but a strong, unblinking look into our past. ***1/4

A fascinating look at some African cultures. .......2005-11-13

'Cobra Verde' is at times a confusing and awkward story about a bandit who finds himself trapped within the slave trade business. What begins as a story of a feared outlaw turns out to be a story examining African cultures and the issue of slavery itself. What makes this movie more interesting than other American films about slavery is that the viewer gets to see the other side of the story; the story told from an African viewpoint.
International star Klaus Kinski stars a Cobra Verde. He is a feared bandit whom many people fear. When he appears in a small town, all the people runs inside their houses becasue they are scared to death of him. Many things are missing from Cobra Verde's past. How did he become such a feared bandit? The movie does not answer that question. Through a series of odd circumstances, he is eventually put into the slavery trade business by a group of rich aristocrats.
He is sent to Africa, where it is hoped he will be killed because of the slave trade conflicts going on there. What happens is th exact opposite. He gains the trust of the African villagers and eventually trains an army to kill and enemy foe. All the while the viewers are treated to an inside look at some African customs, religions, superstitions, and society. A beautifully made film that is a little marred by changes in the sequences of the story and many things missing from the plot. Even though 'Cobra Verde' contains flaws here and there, it has one of the most memorable death scenes I've ever seen. Bravo to Klaus Kinski.

The final Herzog/Kinski collaboration.......2004-12-15

Klaus Kinski, the mercurial actor and star of hundreds of films both big and small, attained his grandest stature when working with German director Werner Herzog. They collaborated on several films together, including "Aguirre, the Wrath of God," "Fitzcarraldo," "Woyzeck," "Nosferatu," and "Cobra Verde." I've seen three of these films now, and the formula is the same in all three. Kinski plays a driven personality who attempts to perform some grand feat that no one else can achieve. In "Aguirre" he set out with a contingent of Spanish soldiers to find the fabled city of gold. "Fitzcarraldo" saw Kinski playing a wealthy rubber baron in Brazil in search of finding a way to build an opera house on the banks of the Amazon. "Cobra Verde" continues the tradition with Kinski starring as a former South American plantation owner and bandit leader in search of a way to restart the African slave trade against crushing odds. There's something magnetic about Kinski in these Herzog movies that makes you believe no other actor could play the character. Perhaps it is his volcanic personality shining through onscreen, a personality that Herzog had great difficulties in restraining. Whatever the case, film fans could do worse than spend an evening with a Herzog/Kinski collaboration.

In "Cobra Verde" Kinski plays Francisco Manoel da Silva, a man ruined when family catastrophes and a bad drought cost him his plantation. In an attempt to recover his property and put his life back together, he takes a grinding job with a mining company. When the owners try to shortchange him after a hard day's work, he stomps off in a rage and begins a career as the notorious bandit Cobra Verde. While we don't see his subsequent career as a robber and killer, we do learn that all of Brazil--indeed, all of South America--has at least heard of his great exploits. Fortunately for Kinski's character, the wealthy sugar baron Don Octavio Coutinho (Jose Lewgoy) doesn't recognize him when Cobra Verde somehow calms a dangerous runaway slave. Impressed by the man's talents, Coutinho hires da Silva to work as an overseer on his enormous estates. Everything seems to go gangbusters until da Silva impregnates every single one of Don Coutinho's mulatto daughters. The sugar baron goes ballistic, and gets even angrier when he discovers he is dealing with the great Cobra Verde. Coutinho and his fellow kingpins devise a plan to rid themselves of this potentially dangerous force. They decide to send him to Africa.

Why? Because the land barons in South America want more slaves in order to work more land. There are obstacles to the mission, including a ban on the importation of slaves and a hostile African king who kills all of the European mediators. Da Silva knows none of this, or very little of it, before agreeing to go to Africa. He doesn't have much of a choice since the sugar barons will kill him if he refuses. His ship sets him ashore at Elmina, a gigantic barracoon on the coast of present day Ghana. Cobra Verde discovers that an attack on the fortress wiped out all but one man, a chatty free African who agrees to help da Silva negotiate with the King of Dahomey for more slaves. And it works, at first, when da Silva convinces the representatives from Dahomey to trade slaves for new rifles. Then problems set in. The king brings Kinski's character before him and threatens him with death. Da Silva escapes and makes an alliance with a prince who wishes to take over the throne. Thanks to Cobra Verde's manic military training of thousands of African women, the prince captures the throne and allows the slave trade to continue. Once again, the situation deteriorates after a time, forcing Cobra Verde to flee from Elmina with nowhere to go. The last shot we see of him is one of the more memorable scenes I've had the pleasure to see in a film. It stays with you.

The plot of "Cobra Verde" isn't nearly as interesting as Herzog's visuals and Kinski's performance. As always, Kinski captures emotional extremes extraordinarily well. He's subdued when Don Coutinho shows him the brutality of the plantation or when he converses with the Don's daughters. When training the prince's army, he's practically frothing at the mouth. Kinski is never anything but entirely believable in both situations. Of course, it takes a performer of Kinski's caliber to stand out in films where the visuals are often more important than the human elements. Such is the case with "Cobra Verde." I have two favorite scenes in the film, but there are many just as memorable. The first situation takes place when da Silva refuses to visit the king because he says he must stay where he has one foot in the ocean. When the king's men tie da Silva up, they take a jug, fill it with seawater, and tie it around his foot for the long trip inland. There's your one foot in the water! The second scene involves sending messages from Elmina to the new prince. A line of Africans extending for miles along the coast, each man separated by a few feet, send codes by waving enormous red flags. Herzog's camera lingers on this incredible imagery for minutes at a time.

Included on the disc are a trailer and a commentary track with Herzog. The director discusses his tempestuous relationship with Kinski (always a fan favorite), his experiences with Bruce Chatwin and how he convinced this author to let him use "The Viceroy of Ouidah" as source material for the film, and the difficulties of shooting in so many harsh environments. While I liked "Cobra Verde," and think it is obligatory for Klaus Kinski fans, I much prefer "Aguirre" and "Fitzcarraldo" to this film. Still, this one will make you think long after that last, lingering shot on the beach.

Haunting..........2003-02-21

COBRA VERDE marked the fiinal collaboration (not counting the director's elegiac documentary MEIN LIEBSTER FEIND) between Werner Herzog and actor Klaus Kinski. It's one of their most haunting works, quietly epic in its scope, fueled by gorgeous cinematography and and an enigmatic lead performance. Herzog's commentary is wonderful. COBRA VERDE is one of those films I find myself rewatching in bits, if only to recapture for a moment the funereal magic of a lost world.

Average customer rating:

Not that great
Not what I thought
The Lost Elvis Home Movies
private Elvis

The Lost Elvis Home Movies

Manufacturer: Family Value Collection
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000ANGXZS

Product Description

Elvis Presley was the King of Rock & Roll and the most influential entertainer of the last century. But what was he like behind the scenes? What kind of man was he? Now, for the first time, Elvis' Home Movies takes you behind the scenes to show you the hidden side of the King you never knew.

Customer Reviews:

Not that great.......2006-10-16

I thought this was going to be home videos from graceland. Instead it was the daughter and son talking about the video they took of Elvis and his friends when he would come visit their father when he was stationed in Dallas for the Army. It could of been good - but the daughter and son were so boring and i wish they would of stopped talking and just let us watch the home movies. Don't waste your $$

Not what I thought.......2006-04-28

I thought this would be footage from Graceland or home movies made by his friends. Instead it's from a family he stayed with temporarily. They're on here more than Elvis is. I also thought the sign that tipped over was funny, but that's about it. I got bored. They also should have improved the quality of the home video before releasing it on DVD.

The Lost Elvis Home Movies.......2005-12-02

The King Rocks! He was the most influential entertainer of the 20th century! I always wondered what he was like behind the scenes. What kind of man was he? This DVD features his home movies which show a hidden side of the great man we would never know elsewise. Good stuff I've not seen elsewhere!

private Elvis.......2005-09-03

For Elvis Presley fans this is a rather short but great DVD which shows a private Elvis and not Elvis he superstar.Great stuff

King of Bluegrass: The Life and Times of Jimmy Martin

Average customer rating:

Farewell dear friend.
Heartfelt look at a bluegrass legend
Real Deal!!!
GREAT MOVIE
Not enough music - too much talk

King of Bluegrass: The Life and Times of Jimmy Martin
Starring: Jimmy Martin
Manufacturer: Thrill Jockey
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Country | Styles | Music

General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music

Traditional | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00015YVEU
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Description

This DVD documents Martin's lifelong quest to become a regular member of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Known for his flamboyant dress and brash behavior, Martin is the rebel figure of bluegrass. From 1949 to 1954 he was the lead singer and guitarist for bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys, helping form the "high lonesome sound" that's so widely regarded today. Martin went on to a successful solo career, recording for Decca, but the Grand Ole Opry eluded him all his life. "King Of Bluegrass" features interviews, exclusive live footage, and rare historical footage of Jimmy and many of country music's early pioneers.

Customer Reviews:

Farewell dear friend........2005-08-03

Knew Jimmy in Nashville and had breakfast every morning with him for over a year at Cracker Barrel, I knew the man and he was wonderful, this is a fiting tribute to a man who was a giant and snubbed by the Opry because he didn't fit their profile, warm, friendly, generous and a true King of Bluegrass, highly recommend you have this if you love Bluegrass as I do, he was larger than life and should be remembered for who and what he was.

Heartfelt look at a bluegrass legend.......2004-05-01

As a bluegrass fan, but new to Jimmy Martin, i really appreciated this look at both the man and the music. The director captures a both Jimmy's irrespressible spirit and his music. The behind the scenes music and practice shots are gems. Fans of quirky characters / documentaries will relish the coon hunting, Vernon the goat, and squirrel stew. I just saw the movie in Madison, where, as the bass player in the Nob Hill Boys (who used to be in Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys and knows Jimmy) put it, George nailed it.

There are some great DVD extras, too. You'll find plenty of bonus music and media there; they did a nice job of treating the DVD parts almost like an extra CD ROM.

I should mention that George is a friend of mine, but will also mention that Bill C. Malone, author of Country Music, U.S.A. gave the film a glowing review at the Madison show, suggesting that George continue making country music movies, because he gets it. Here's to hoping that George listens. If you like bluegrass, southern culture, or just good documentaries, check this one out.

Real Deal!!!.......2004-03-02

I really like this DVD, because it gives us a look into the "life" of Jimmy Martin, the "real deal" behind the sceens; which is something that many of us have not had a chance to view. We all see the musician on stage, but what about all those crazy wild stories about Jimmy? Well this is a great DVD to see him as a person, and helps us understand and define him. As a side note: I like the way this DVD was directed and put together; it is an interesting and easy story to follow that even non-grass-ers will enjoy. I hope in the future to see more from this "real deal" director on bluegrass artists, and may I sugguest the next topic: Larry Sparks.

GREAT MOVIE.......2004-03-02

For any Jimmy Martin fan or bluegrass fan for that matter, this is a movie to own. He's an interesting character and this movie proves it. He reminds me a lot of my late grandfather(my dad's dad). I was thoroughly impressed with this movie. It was so good to see Jimmy "in action". It shows that Jimmy is not just someone who has become a parody of himself or someone else, he's still a bluegrass/country "artist" after all these years. I had the privilege of seeing Jimmy at the bean blossom bluegrass festival in 2002, but it was great to see an in depth look at the man behind "the legend". I don't think you'll be disappointed with this film. Mr. Goehl worked very hard on it, and it shows. I just hope he can someday make a sequel!!! :-)

Not enough music - too much talk.......2004-02-24

I love Jimmy Martin - always have. I wish this DVD would have focused more on his music. Most of the music that they do play is cut into with dialogue of hunting trips, or Jimmy's negative thoughts of the Grand Ole Opry. It was interesting to view Jimmy's life, but once I have seen the documentary part, I do not need to view it again - whereas I would love to go back and play the music over and over again. Maybe he will make a volume 2 showcasing his music.

Average customer rating:

Losey & Bogarde's worthy follow-up to The Servant
Bad sound and no subtitles
a very powerful anti-war film

King & Country
Starring: Dirk Bogarde , Tom Courtenay , Leo McKern , Barry Foster , and Peter Copley
Director: Joseph Losey
Manufacturer: Vci Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

World War I | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: 630598946X
Release Date: 2000-09-19

Description

In Joseph Losey's stirring anti-war film, a tough, no-nonsense British Army lawyer (Dick Bogarde) is assigned to defend a lowly private (Tom Courtenay) at his court martial. The private has been accused of desertion during battle. The lawyer, Captain Hargreaves is convinced this young man should fry. However, as the trial progresses and the strain of three horrible years endured at the Allied front is revealed, the more he is compelled to spare the youth from a firing squad. Winner of the British Academy Award for Best Picture of 1964. Courtenay won the Best Actor Award at the Venice Film Festival. Bonus Features: Scene Access| Cast Bios| Original Theatrical Trailer. Specs: DVD5; Dolby Digital Mono; 86 minutes; B&W; 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 1964; SRP - $14.99.

Customer Reviews:

Losey & Bogarde's worthy follow-up to The Servant.......2006-06-17

The year prior to making King & Country, director Joseph Losey and actor Dirk Bogarde had made their break-through film The Servant and scored a major critical success, becoming one of the leading actor-director teams of the English-language art-house circuit of the 1960s. King & Country was their follow-up, and it was a worthy one. The film concerns a private (Tom Courtenay) who deserts and is court-martialed during WWI. Bogarde plays the officer who defends him -- reluctantly at first, more sympathetically as he gets to know the private and the stressful battle conditions that led to his desertion.

As an anti-war film, King & Country holds few surprises, but that's not the point. Losey had worked with the great dramatist Bertolt Brecht, who believed that the content of a story mattered less than the way you told it. That logic is on display here. Losey is primarily concerned with criticizing the bureaucratic nature of military thinking and with exploring the dynamic contrasts between the upper-class officers and working-class enlisted men, each of whom understand duty and fate in very different ways. The movie is deliberately paced, but the running time is quite short, and the performances of the ensemble cast are uniformly excellent. Losey also avoids inadvertantly glorifying war, as so many otherwise sincere anti-war films do when they give us the vicarious thrill of battle by aestheticizing military conflict (like Kubrick's Paths of Glory) or when they give us solace in the male cameraderie of soldiers (like Milestone's All Quiet on the Western Front). In that regard, King & Country is one of the more successful anti-war films because we never want to be with these characters even though we do sympathize with them.

VCI's DVD is pleasing but flawed. The print is very clean and in the correct 1.66:1 aspect ratio. Unfortunately, VCI used a short-cut by simply porting over the British transfer (which was released on DVD by British Home Entertainment, I believe). The drawback is that British TVs use the PAL system, whereas American TVs use NTSC. As a result, VCI's DVD runs a little too fast and exhibits "ghosting" (a slight blurriness during panning shots). The print is good enough and the movie is static enough that it isn't distracting on regular tube TVs. It's just a shame that VCI didn't pay for a better transfer.

I also sympathize with Robert's review below: There is indeed no subtitle option on this DVD. That's unfortunate because the combination of various British accents with the poor recording equipment of the British film industry of the 1950s and 1960s means that making out what's being said can be difficult. (I lived in Britain for a time, where I got used to some of the accents, but even I had to concentrate very hard.) Finally, VCI has not anamorphically enhanced this film, which means it won't fill up a widescreen TV. That doesn't bother me with films in 1.66:1. Apparently, many labels have difficulty making that aspect ratio anamorphic.

In sum, this is a thoughtful movie that deserves wider appreciation. It serves as one of the more accessible of Losey's "difficult" films, and the DVD is worth purchasing, especially since you can regularly find it for under $10 now.

Bad sound and no subtitles.......2002-12-19

Despite its interesting subject this DVD release is a technical failure. The sound is bad and forsomebody that English is not his mothertongue it is very difficult to understand. Why the producer of this important DVD did not work a little bit harder to to put a subtitle feature for hearing impared people as well for less knowledgeable people in English. The subtitle feature should be a routine feature no matter what language is spoken in the movie. I was very disappointed by its quality.

a very powerful anti-war film.......1999-06-29

The horrors of real war experienced by soldiers are vividly explored in this excellent movie. There are few, if any, neutral scenes as the film shows typical conditions that fightingmen go through. And, Courtenay's performance as a normal person in uniform is credible and compelling.

Average customer rating:

Killer video of Freddie in his prime!

The Beat 1966
Starring: Freddie King
Manufacturer: Vestapol
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00005NC52
Release Date: 2001-08-28

Customer Reviews:

Killer video of Freddie in his prime!.......2007-02-03

Excellent collection of performances by a young Freddie King guesting on a local Dallas knock-off of Shindig (but aimed at a black audience). And get this. The leader of the house band is Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown! The show's host is a jive talking white DJ and they have high school girls in go-go boots as dancers. The sets look like they were borrowed from Laugh-In (think "flower power") and the whole thing is just a hoot, but right in the middle of all this weirdness is Freddie his own-self. Complete with pompadour, shiny suit, and sweat (LOTS of sweat), Freddie pumps out some of the rockingest, most soulful blues you will hear anywhere. There are NO bad cuts and you can clearly see Freddie's hands during most of his time on camera. The only disappointment on this DVD is the 1970s performance footage of Freddie playing in Europe tacked (gratuitously) onto the end of the video. Sporting a 'fro and looking bored, Freddie turns in a meandering, perfunctory set. After seeing him absolutely smoking hot in his earlier performances on "The Beat" the later work looks tired by comparison. That said, this DVD is absolutely worth the money. I've watched this video many times and always enjoy it.

Average customer rating:

Where's the ' surround sound '?
poor!
Great late 60s TV
THE KING AT HIS BEST!
Elvis '68 ComeBack Special , ( THE KING RETURNS )

Elvis - '68 Comeback Special
Starring: Elvis Presley , Tanya Lemani , Susan Henning , Barbara Burgess , and Charlie Hodge
Director: Gary Hovey , Steve Binder , and Todd Morgan
Manufacturer: Lightyear Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Rockabilly | Oldies & Retro | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00004VVN6
Release Date: 2000-08-01

Amazon.com essential video

Five years before he achieved broadcast history with his legendary 1973 global satellite telecast, Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii, Elvis Presley brought a less grandiose but far more urgent mission to this Christmas season network special: isolated from his original audience after a long sojourn on Hollywood soundstages, and threatened by the vibrancy and social gravity of rock, the King sought nothing less than to reclaim his throne.

More than three decades later, what has since become known as Elvis: '68 Comeback Special looms as the Memphis icon's most substantial achievement as a stage performer. If the candy-colored sets and hyperactive choreography of its larger production numbers smack of its network packagers' desperation to be hip, Elvis himself rises to a riveting, assured performance at the peak of his powers. Looking fit and relaxed, and sheathed in black leather, he covers a shrewd song list encompassing early rockabilly hits, gospel (albeit rendered unintentionally hilarious by its florid dance routines), and comparatively restrained ballads.

Standout performances include two intimate stage sets that put him literally within his fans' reach, most strikingly in a brief reunion with four of his earliest bandmates (including guitarist Scotty Moore and drummer D.J. Fontana). The latter segment is only a brief sample of a session posthumously released on video as One Night with You, which is, if anything, even better than this terrific portrait of a towering American artist. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews:

Where's the ' surround sound '?.......2005-02-17

I originally purchased this item in May 2004.
I gave the disc oly 3 stars because of its Monophonic soundtrack!It had been advertised as 5.1, NOT 1.0 !!
Video was OK but not spectacular.
Caveat Emptor !!!
Edd
iegolden@shaw.ca

poor!.......2005-02-05

Elvis Presley's 68 Comeback Special is a poor concert. Many songs are turned into medley's(who only wants to hear a partial song?). Also Elvis's performance just isn't anygood, and the setlist leaves a lot to be desired. Not enough big hits, and I hate the gospel medley, awful!

Great late 60s TV.......2004-04-19

This program was taped at the NBC studios in Burbank. If you notice, some of the shots are clearer than others. This is because NBC was transitioning from one (older) set of color cameras to a newer set of color cameras. This was a real shift in technology at the time.... from tube cameras to transistorized cameras. You can see the different cameras in the background, behind the audience.

THE KING AT HIS BEST!.......2004-04-12

The 1968 comeback special is Elvis at his best. After years of
Elvis doing movies,this special shows Elvis in front of a live
audience singing some of his number 1 hits. Also you see different segments with his original band members. A cool karate
number but the coolest thing is the opening number.(If your looking for trouble you come to the right place.) Trust me, this
dvd is a must for any Elvis fan.

Elvis '68 ComeBack Special , ( THE KING RETURNS ).......2003-05-03

Elvis The 1968 ComeBack Special I Think Was Great But This DVD Edition Cuts Out 2 Parts And I've Got The Original VHS By Virgin Video But I Also Have The DVD Edition The DVD Is Not Bad I Think Elvis Looks So Cool And So Great After All His Movies In Hollywood I Think The '68 ComeBack Proved He Was Still The King Of Rock 'N' Roll And To Me And I'm Only 12 But That's Not The Pont Elvis Will Always Be The King Of Rock 'N' Roll To Me.
Clinton Horton

DVD:

DVD

DVD