Reviews (85)

They really tried. They really tried their best. But...
This concert should have been one of the greatest concerts ever. Roger Waters' show about an isolated rock star slowly building a wall between himself and his audience is truly the most original idea and concept and of the best shows in history. However, this show had one major flaw. GUEST STARS. I hate it when someone takes something as great as the Wall and have an all star cast perform it. The only people who should perform the wall are Waters, Gilmour, Mason, and Wright. The music also seemed flawed at times, For example the accordian in Mother, it didn't seem to fit in quite right. But the worst part of all is OH MY GOD WHAT A FABULOUS ROOM. That actress really and I mean REALLY overdid it. . Another flaw was that they cut out Outside the Wall. Why? That would make the show complete, especially what happens after the Trial. Thats another thing, the Trial is way better with the animated prosecuter, wife, mother and most of all, Worm your Honor. The live action trial didn't have the effect that the animated one in the film did. Anyway that is enough of my complaints. Roger's performances in this were nothing short of amazing but Waters was the only good thing. They should of let him perform the songs instead of screw ones up, like when Cyndi Lauper does Another Brick in the Wall part II . Is there anybody out there? is way better. (Yes I know you don't have the visuals for that musically it is better) I'll stop complaining now so you can blast this review.

Better than I could imagine!
When this record was first released, I rejected it on the sole fact that it included Sinead Oconnor. I didn't care about her politics, but her vocals were more annoying than a teacher's new chalk on a squeaky clean board. As a huge Pink Floyd fan, I couldn't understand the watering down of such great music by Waters, and it obviously took me several years to overcome that.

When I saw this DVD on special, I bought it, stuck it into my surround sound system, and proceeded to fall into another day and time. The lyrics and music transcended everything that they had come to mean to me and became symbols for a movement. Regardless of what the others have said below, every song was performed with power and passion. I never would have dreamed that I would enjoy "Comfortably Numb" performed by the same man known for such club favs as "Brown Eyed Girl" and "Domino", but Morrison was superb. Even the dreaded Oconnor was convincing as a character in "The Wall".

No doubt that this performance was every bit as politically accurate then as it is now. Whether the wall was coming down in Germany or the Middle East looks for peace, these songs speak to us just as universally.

Great work, Mr. Waters. Now where is a DVD of "The Wall" to go with "Is There Anybody Out There?"?.

It's just not floyd...
As a die-hard Pink Floyd fan, I wasn't very stunned by this DVD.
It's a big spectacular show and it must have been fabulous to all of the people who were there, but I'm not really fond of all the 'stars' like Brian Adams or Cindy Lauper who just don't fit in.
The Wall is a very good but also a very dark album, and it's not the right album to be played by a bunch of famous rockartists.
Most of the time I skip to the parts that Waters sings, for me, these are the highlights.

I really hope someday the original Wall-show (of '81) will be released on DVD of VHS.

roger waters - The wall (live in berlin)
I was floored with this concert. I sat in awe as I watched and listened in surround sound. If you haven't seen it, you are missing one of the best concerts ever. It is an unbelieveably huge production. It was so good I bought the CD as well.

Roger Waters - The Wall (Live in Berlin)
Very well put together, Roger Water's inner child comes out again! Mind stimulating, With your'e eyes open or closed. Two thumbs-up ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Pure genius!
This unplugged is a work of art. "Heaven" and "Back To You" are especially magical. I've been an Adams fan since I was a wee tike and this reaffirms all my love for the music he creates.

brilliant!
Unplugged albums just don't come any better than this excellent show of Bryan & band performing some of his biggest hits as well as some never before heard songs, all pants down. The atmosphere in New York's Hammerstein Ballroom seemns like that of a living room. Simply the best unplugged video ever! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Collection
A superb collection of older material live concert excerpts and video clips of Brian's hits. Highlights certainly are the very rare heartbreaking "Diana" video, a love letter to the "Queen of Hearts" with rude attacks on the Prince of Wales including rare documentary material - and the "All for Love" with Sting and Rod Stewart from the motion picture "The Three Musketeers".
A must not only for Brian Adams' fans. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Bets Movie of 2002
This film deserved an Oscar but as always the academy does a horrible job at giving credit where it is deserved. This movie is one of the best anti war movies of the last 40 years it is on par or above such classics as "Full Metal Jacket" but just below "Apocalyps Now", it really is a great movie to watch and enjoy. Filled with symbolism and Fellinian characters that you cannot help but laugh and cry with them on this crazy journey. It makes a stronger case against war since you really see the absurdity of it all and how people become entagled in a vicious circle of death and absurdity. The ending is very symbolic as a soldier finds salvation in embracing the crazies since they are the only ones sane and humane in a crazy world.
P.S. The other two guys whom gave this movie 4 out of 5 stars really need to expand their cinematographic understanding and familiarity with good movies because this movie is not on par with loosers like "As good as it gets", I saw their reviews. Its like saying that Steven King is on the same level with Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, big error.

Mad Good!
what can i say? this is one of the most odd and amazing and beautiful and gorgeous movies i have ever seen!! With its beauty and literal insanity all rolled into a Russian film, you will find yourself moving from emotion to emotion. Try to catch it on tv (as i have done) and wait to buy it later because, honestly, $73.00?? that;s a little much. but you definitely need to see this Russian treasure!

Awesome.
Excellent film. Everything from the story line to acting is absolutely outstanding. In fact, I have a really hard time coming up with something negative to say... The only thing that I can pick at is the scene where a helicopter falls to the ground - it was obvious that the fall was staged. But other than that small technical nitpicking, it's an awesome film.

An exquisite, hauntingly beautiful Russian masterpiece
I come to this review with as much humility as I can muster, knowing that I cannot possibly - no matter how many fantastic things I say about this Russian movie - truly do it justice. House of Fools is a flat-out masterpiece, in my opinion. Some critics express dissatisfaction with the film, and I believe their dissatisfaction stems from a desire, be it conscious or unconscious, to make this film "say" what they want or expect it to say. Thus, some criticize the movie for a failure to truly examine or perfectly satirize a problematic war; some say the film is too disjointed to adequately express any kind of serious message; some seem disappointed this isn't some sort of reborn King of Hearts; others call it pretentious and over-done. I personally carried very little baggage with me into this film, which allowed me to let the film communicate whatever it wanted to communicate to me. Certainly, warfare is central to the story and there are scenes that wonderfully depict the horror and inanity of war, but House of Fools is so much more than an anti-war movie. This is a story about nothing less than the heart of humanity itself, and I believe multiple viewings would impart an almost limitless number of emotional epiphanies for the serious viewer.

The background for this powerful motion picture is the war in Chechnya in 1996. We meet the residents of a Chechen psychiatric hospital (oblivious to the war being waged outside their protected walls) just before their ordered, insulated lives change forever, and each of the many characters touches your heart in some way. Of course, none grab the viewer's attention as forcefully as Janna (Julia Vysotsky). Janna can at times seem quite sane, and the care and love she has for those around her can easily be seen in everything she does. She is always quick to help out, shares a strong bond with even the most uncommunicative of patients, and in no small way holds the group together with her beautiful attitude, ethereal charm, and spirited accordion-playing. When conflict or trouble rears its head, she reaches for her accordion, and we are provided a glimpse into her own momentary vision of everyone enjoying themselves as she plays; of course, reality intervenes all too quickly, but her kind-hearted efforts normally do help ease the tension. Janna is clearly delusional, though; she has a veritable shrine to singer Bryan Adams in her room and believes she is his fiancée. Clearly, I wasn't expecting Bryan Adams cameos in a Russian film, but these segments of the film are masterfully done.

One night, the splendidly-lit train that the patients all love to watch does not come, and the next morning the hospital staff is gone. The institution quickly becomes a radically different place, and the patients have little choice but to stay there when war finally knocks on the door in the most unmistakable of ways. Chechen forces eventually take over the hospital, treating the patients in quite a humane manner. One of these soldiers jokingly asks Janna to marry him after she plays and dances for the men, not realizing that Janna would take his offer seriously. We watch her undergo the agony of saying goodbye to her friends even as they transform her through clothes and makeup into a strikingly beguiling young woman. From here on out, the movie really pulls on the old heart-strings. Janna is as endearing a character as I have come across in a long, long time. While her troubled state of mind continues to reveal itself more and more emotionally, we can do nothing but helplessly watch her endure heartache, pain, and numb terror in the face of spiritual as well as military warfare.

This was Julia Vysotsky's first starring role, and I personally would give her any best actress award she asked for. Some critics feel as if she did not truly blossom into the role or succeed in giving it the depth it required; these are obviously some of the most demanding people on the planet, as I don't think any actress could have given a better performance than Vysotsky delivered in this film. House of Fools did win some prestigious awards, and rightly so. At the Venice Film Festival, it took home the jury grand prize. It was also Russia's official submission for consideration by the Academy Awards in the Foreign Language category, but the Academy did not nominate it for the award (proving once again how capricious and questionable Academy Award nominations can be). I don't know if this was the best foreign language film of the year or not, but I can't possibly understand how House of Fools did not merit nomination.

Just as I suspected, I have not been able to communicate at all satisfactorily my sense of the power, exquisite beauty, and poignant grace of this film. A number of scenes remain vivid in my mind: for example, the meeting of opposing Russian and Chechen leaders in which the two discover a strong bond from the past, as well as the scene in which Janna states that we are all alive because someone somewhere is praying for us. As far as I am concerned, writer and director Andrei Konchalovsky - a name already familiar to Western audiences - is a cinematic genius, Julia Vysotsky is one of the most impressive young actresses in the world today, and House of Fools is a film that all who love movies and hold them up to the highest of standards should see and experience.

Great Russian Import
"House of Fools" deserving received an Oscar nomination for 2002's Best Foreign Film. It combines war action, drama, and fantasy wonderfully. The plot was written beautifully. They desplict the true story of a woman staying in a mental institution while in the middle of the Russian-Chechian War. Her high spirits are the only hopes of everyone else's survival. The writer's creative side shines in the scenes of her dreams about Bryan Adams. The creates another war: her love for Bryan Adams vs. her newfound love for a war soldier. Such conflicts combine as one brilliantly. Yuliya Vysotskaya, the lead actress, played her role emotionally. She could become a worldwide success someday with such level of talent. All other actors also played their roles wonderfully. The special effects in the war fighting scenes were created realistic looking. The elaborate scenes desplict the realisms of war gruesomeness. This allows the characters' deathly fears to be expressed much more. Such movie quality makes "House of Fools" worth watching. Many will enjoy this regardless of genre favorite. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The most unique Video of the Music Video Era
In general, I'm not a fan of music videos - especially "conceptual" (story-like) videos. To me the "conceptual" video often ruins my own vision of a song. If anything, I prefer a simple music video where they give me the appearance of a concert performance (even though I know its lip synched). However Bryan Adams' "Reckless" video is different. It is probably the most unique collection of music video I have ever seen. Producer Simon Fields and Direcor Steven Barron manage to find a way to take six music videos and blend them into a single story. The six videos are both a mix of "conceptual" and "pseudo concert" that are like none I have ever seen before. It is the blending that is going to make this pretty special.

There are six videos contained on tape. Five of the videos are from "Reckless" ("Summer of 69", "Somebody", "Kids Wanna Rock", "Heaven", and "Run to You") and one video is taken from "Cuts Like a Knife" ("This Time"). "It's Only Love" - the duet with Tina Turner is not included on this video, but "Kids Wanna Rock" which is a less seen video is included. At the end of the video during the closing credits, the music of "One Night Love Affair" from "Reckless" is played.

The story tells of a teen romance between Bryan Adams (who plays himself) and a girl named Natalie. Natalie is played by actress Lysette Anthony who was seen as 'Sarah' in the 1995 movie "Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde". The opening videos of "This Time" and "Summer of 69" talk about Bryan's 'younger' days of his romance with Natalie. Eventually, as childhood romances go - time often becomes a separator. Eventually Natalie hooks up with another guy (who is either her boyfriend or husband) while Bryan becomes a Rock Star. Bryan never forgot about Natalie and Natalie didn't forget about Bryan. The remaining four videos focus on how they find each other again. The final video is "Run to You" which is probably Bryan's best video and features a very emotional finish to the Bryan and Natalie romance.

This video is a masterpiece because they manage to take 6 videos which could easily stand on their own and "fuse" them into this single storyline. Even though the video for "This Time" took place a couple of years before the "Reckless" ones, we see a woman from her waist down that we believe is Natalie. Each video flows very nicely into the next one and the continuity is there. Band members Keith Scott and Dave Taylor are also prominent in the videos. It is disappointing that regular Adams band members Mickey Curry and Tommy Mandel are not in the videos (they were not credited as the video performers, but are given song credits). Although "Kids Wanna Rock" isn't my favorite Bryan Adams song, it probably is the best video overall on the tape - especially the jamming that takes place between Keith, Dave, and Bryan.

I would highly advise getting this video if you are a Bryan Adams fan or even a music video fan. It gave me a new appreciation on what can be done with the music video. Plus I think its one of a kind the way it blends the stories together. Too bad its not available on DVD. A must have. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Top-Notch performance by the king of Sentiment.
If you love Bryan Adams this is must at any cost.The music is everlasting and infact grows on you as you listen to it more.The way Bryan Adams has experimented with the instruments its just fantabulous.It would be all time No.1 for me.

This Video is a must for any Bryan Adams fan.
This video is remarkable. It is a great concert where Bryan Adams perfroms his best songs. Anyone who loves his music should definitely buy this musuc video. ... Read more

Description

For millions of fans around the world, The Who has defined the quintessential rock band for nearly four decades. The band's extraordinary music and lyrics have left an indelible imprint on music history, and their live performances are legendary. On November 27, 2000, The Who crowned their six-month North American and U.K. tour with a special evening at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Bryan Adams, Noel Gallagher, Kelly Jones, Kennedy, Eddie Vedder and Paul Weller joined The Who on stage for a once-in-a-lifetime performance for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Songs:
I Can't Explain, Anyway Anyhow Anywhere, Pinball Wizard, Relay, My Wife, The Kids are Alright, Bargain, Magic Bus, Who Are You, Baba O'Riley, Drowned, Heart to Hang Onto, So Sad About Us, I'm One, Behind Blue Eyes, You Better You Bet, The Real Me, 5:15, Won't Get Fooled Again, Substitute, Let's See Action, My Generation, See Me Feel Me. ... Read more

Reviews (64)

This is what a music DVD should look like
This is a great concert with fabulous sound. I saw the Who 3 months before this was filmed and this captures their then-present sound and show. As for the guest stars, don't be afraid of Bryan Adams! He actually sounds good doing Behind Blue Eyes, he has a bit of a sneer to his singing, and doesn't sound like you'd expect. The reason I gave this 4 instead of 5 stars is because of the omitted songs. There were 2 or 3 songs played at the concert that were edited out of the DVD. One of them was a perfect version of Getting in Tune with Eddie Vedder singing along with Roger. I've heard a bootleg recording of it and it is appalling that they would leave in Kelly Jones doing a terrible vocal on Substitute on the DVD, and cut out this great song with Ed Ved. Kelly Jones sings the song with all the annoyance of an Oasis cover version. Also the guitarist from Oasis should be ashamed of standing next to Pete Townshend and only being able to play a wimpy 2-note solo on possibly THE rock anthem of all time, Won't Get Fooled Again. He should not have been invited to the concert. I think many of the guests were used to appeal to the British audience, which is fine, but then don't cut out Getting in Tune, which sounds leaps and bounds over Substitute. Yes, we get a fine version of Ed Vedder singing on Lets See Action and I'm One, and also on the end jam, but Getting In Tune should have been in this DVD. Kelly Jones should not have.

Other than those complaints, what was left in the DVD is a great performance. The editing of the video is a little to quick/MTV. But the sound is great and the Who is awesome.

Long Live The Who For Godsake !!!!!
The Who were the greatest live band ever between 1969-1976? or they still are? Well, The Who here seems like it.
This is truly amazing stuff. The selection of the songs is great too, since includes some rare songs hard to get on video, like "Relay" or "Bargain", and the versions here are awesome.
Keith Moon will be so proud of Zak Starkey (as his dad is for sure). He just has the "Keith Moon" spirit, and that's why The Who are like in the old days in this concert.
John Entwistle as always, superb!!.
Daltrey's in great shape, with a stronger or deeper voice than in the 80s concerts like "Rocks America" or "Tommy Live - 20 anniversary".
Pete Townshend is very inspired and wild. His acoustic performance for a couple of songs in the middle of the show, is superb too.
John "Rabbit" Bundrick is excellent as always and adding the right keyboards for the songs that originally didn't include them.

The only thing I don't like about this concert is the guest singers. I would prefer to listen to Roger singing "Substitute", for example. The only one I enjoy here is Noel Gallagher in "Won't Get Fooled Again", seems he limits to play the guitar (which adds a lot of power to this particular song) and adds backing vocals to the chorus.
Buy this DVD or VHS. The Who were back and this was their testimony. Unfortunally John Entwistle passed away :-(

Very Good
On November 27, 2000, the Who closed their tour with a concert at the Royal Albert Hall. In my opinion they've never played a better concert. The looseness of the group makes for a relaxed atmosphere and some really great rock and roll. There is a lot of improvisational jamming in between songs. The band acts very free onstage. For instance, when Roger sings the line, "Can I buy your magic bus" Pete screams out "No!" All in all a wonderful performance and a great DVD.

John to Pete: You Really Think You're Going There Without Me
During the playing of John's song, "My Wife", the cameras capture a sequence that literally, says it all. The band has just entered an instrumental break. Pete is introduces the line, John tosses his pick to the wind and grabs up great handfuls of bass strings. From there, it's a race. At their best the Who were always like that. They played as if they were trying to run away from the each other but kept landing in the same place. They were evenly matched and "read" each other so well it usually worked. Mistakes happened, but hell, those only showed how many chances they were willing to take. Crowds loved that and it literally, cemented their reputation as the greatest live band ever. When Keith died they were still an excellent band but his part of that chemistry was lost. John (Rabbit) Bundrick was (and still is) fine with it, but Kenney Jones wasn't. It was that simple.

Then Zak Starkey came along. When (yet) another tour was announced for the spring of 2000 critics were quick to label it to end up as another zip-less grab for money. Little did they know. Zak had been with the band for a few years and largely restored the vitality Keith had injected. More important, he gave Entwistle and Townshend someone they could "run" with again. When they stripped the band back down again the old fire came back. In the spring, summer and fall of 2000 they hit north America with a roar that hadn't been seen from anyone from any genre in decades. New material or no, the most explosive live band in rock was back!

Live at the RAH more than illustrates this. That it's a "greatest hits" set (with an "all-star" guest list to boot) put me off for a while. Don't make the same mistake. The catalogue the Who have to offer is a great one. When it's performed this amount of passion by a band like this it never gets old. Roger can't quite hit all the high notes any longer, Pete doesn't jump a often, or as high and John's singing voice, never great, by this time was close to shot. All of this matters little. Roger has enough passion for ten singers. As well, he brings a level of intelligence and understanding to the material that's rare in the industry. And don't forget, he never takes any nights "off". What Pete lost in leaping ability he's gained in musical finesse. This man is playing the guitar the way he did thirty years ago but with all the skill that time and practice have added. Nobody plays like him. Nobody! John was a fabulous player. Ultimately this band may end up missing him even more than they missed Keith. His ability to pick up Townshend's threads and add immediately add to them was the glue which held them together.

The importance of John (Rabbit) Bundrick can't be overstated. He's played with the Who since the late 1970's and it shows. It's hard to imagine keyboard player better suited to working with this outfit. He's literally all over everything Pete and John do as fast as Keith ever was. The guest stars, for the most fit in well. Eddie Vedder is a long time friend of Townshend and a fan. To watch him up there you could swear he knows their music as well as they do. Brian Adams looks a little nervous (for about ten seconds) but then cuts loose. His rendition of "Behind Blue Eyes" is classic. Nigel Kennedy comes in and plays the violin part from "Baba". He and Townshend have so much fun it has to be illegal (somehow anyway). Noel Gallagher doesn't leave the impact on "Won't Get Fooled Again" that Eddie Vedder leaves on "I'm One" but he doesn't hurt anything either. The only guest stars who fall a little short are Paul Weller and Kelly Jones. Weller and Townshend just don't mesh all that well. Kelly Jones, unfortunately, leaves you wanting Roger back on the mike to remind everyone what "Substitute" is "supposed" to sound like. The only other problem lies with the neck mounted camera used to spotlight John's bass solo. This was just a bad idea. It was supposed to give a close look. All it does is give wide angle close-ups that make Entwistle seem disembodied from the rest of the concert. It's too bad. The solo was a good one. Thankfully that camera was only used on the one segment.

This is nit picking though. The performance is a great one. The camera work is superb and the sound quality is fabulous. Buy it, turn it up and enjoy a great rock band doing their thing.

The kids are alright
This dvd rocks and they sound great. zack starkey the son of ringo star,is great but is no keith moon. the acoustic section with Peat Townsed is awsome he does one song from quad and one for lifehouse. the late john entwistle "the ox" is one of the best bass players. Bryan Adams does Behind blue eys with them and he sounds awsome he can really sing that song. so if you like the who you will like the dvd ... Read more

Reviews (85)

They really tried. They really tried their best. But...
This concert should have been one of the greatest concerts ever. Roger Waters' show about an isolated rock star slowly building a wall between himself and his audience is truly the most original idea and concept and of the best shows in history. However, this show had one major flaw. GUEST STARS. I hate it when someone takes something as great as the Wall and have an all star cast perform it. The only people who should perform the wall are Waters, Gilmour, Mason, and Wright. The music also seemed flawed at times, For example the accordian in Mother, it didn't seem to fit in quite right. But the worst part of all is OH MY GOD WHAT A FABULOUS ROOM. That actress really and I mean REALLY overdid it. . Another flaw was that they cut out Outside the Wall. Why? That would make the show complete, especially what happens after the Trial. Thats another thing, the Trial is way better with the animated prosecuter, wife, mother and most of all, Worm your Honor. The live action trial didn't have the effect that the animated one in the film did. Anyway that is enough of my complaints. Roger's performances in this were nothing short of amazing but Waters was the only good thing. They should of let him perform the songs instead of screw ones up, like when Cyndi Lauper does Another Brick in the Wall part II . Is there anybody out there? is way better. (Yes I know you don't have the visuals for that musically it is better) I'll stop complaining now so you can blast this review.

Better than I could imagine!
When this record was first released, I rejected it on the sole fact that it included Sinead Oconnor. I didn't care about her politics, but her vocals were more annoying than a teacher's new chalk on a squeaky clean board. As a huge Pink Floyd fan, I couldn't understand the watering down of such great music by Waters, and it obviously took me several years to overcome that.

When I saw this DVD on special, I bought it, stuck it into my surround sound system, and proceeded to fall into another day and time. The lyrics and music transcended everything that they had come to mean to me and became symbols for a movement. Regardless of what the others have said below, every song was performed with power and passion. I never would have dreamed that I would enjoy "Comfortably Numb" performed by the same man known for such club favs as "Brown Eyed Girl" and "Domino", but Morrison was superb. Even the dreaded Oconnor was convincing as a character in "The Wall".

No doubt that this performance was every bit as politically accurate then as it is now. Whether the wall was coming down in Germany or the Middle East looks for peace, these songs speak to us just as universally.

Great work, Mr. Waters. Now where is a DVD of "The Wall" to go with "Is There Anybody Out There?"?.

It's just not floyd...
As a die-hard Pink Floyd fan, I wasn't very stunned by this DVD.
It's a big spectacular show and it must have been fabulous to all of the people who were there, but I'm not really fond of all the 'stars' like Brian Adams or Cindy Lauper who just don't fit in.
The Wall is a very good but also a very dark album, and it's not the right album to be played by a bunch of famous rockartists.
Most of the time I skip to the parts that Waters sings, for me, these are the highlights.

I really hope someday the original Wall-show (of '81) will be released on DVD of VHS.

roger waters - The wall (live in berlin)
I was floored with this concert. I sat in awe as I watched and listened in surround sound. If you haven't seen it, you are missing one of the best concerts ever. It is an unbelieveably huge production. It was so good I bought the CD as well.

Roger Waters - The Wall (Live in Berlin)
Very well put together, Roger Water's inner child comes out again! Mind stimulating, With your'e eyes open or closed. Two thumbs-up ... Read more