Reviews (67)

Spectacular account of the event that deffined the era
No words can describe how wonderfully this film has captured the moment in the event which defined the Hippie Movement, which amazed the world by truley and fully living up to its catch phrase: "Three days of peace, love, and music", and which made those who did not attend wonder what they were thinking.
The music, first and foremost, is truley wonderful. Spectacular performances by CSN, Joe Cocker, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Ten Years After, Richie Havens and so many more. I most especially enjoy watching Joe Cocker's rendition of "With A Little Help From My Friends". His voice and the energy which radiates from him as he performs is truley mesmerizing. And of course who could forget Jimi Hendrix famous performance where he tore up his guitar with his captivating version of the National Anthem. I also love Country Joe's performance of "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die-Rag". A wonderful performance, it truley captivates the peace and love of the event as, toward the end of the song he encourages the audience to stand and sing to end the war...and the majority of the 500,000 or so audience members stand and sing along.
But it's not just the music that make's this film wonderful. The film show's the organization of the event, the building of the stage etc... We meet the people who made the event possible. And when the people begin to enter the site without paying for tickets....and the producers realize how much money they've lost...they shrug it off and say that they don't mind because the event and the people loving eachother and sharing everything is such a beautiful thing...and that the money doesn't matter. Do producers of rock concerts (or producers of anything for that matter) ever say that money doesn't matter these days? It truley shows what a wonderful generation it was. The audience is beautiful as well, everyone being themselves, everyone having a good time and sharing the experience that was the last bang (and what a bang it was) for the Hippie Movement.

3 Days at Yasgur's Farm
The Woodstock Festival was a defining for the counterculture movement. The young hippies showed a nation that they could exist together in a peaceful, communal state. The Woodstock documentary captures the essence of those three days on a farm in upstate New York. We see hippies skinny-dipping, the locals looking around in amazement on the deluge of people who descending on their quiet, little town, kids, cops and others are interviewed and of course we see the music. From Richie Havens' opening things up with "Freedom" to Jimi Hendrix's defining "Star Spangled Banner", we are treated to a 60's rock who's who. Joe Cocker, Santana, CSN&Y, John Sebastian and Sly & The Family Stone particularly standout and we get bonus material not in the original release from The Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin and others. Director Michael Wadleigh's film won a deserving Best Documentary Oscar and a young Martin Scorcese was an editor on the film. Some of the acts are woefully dated and long forgotten, but Woodstock is an impressive snapshot of a memorable moment in our history.

A Document of a Feeling
It's inevitable that arguments will take place, as they do in these reviews, about what the meaning of Woodstock really is -- many have evoked peace and anti-vietnam sentiments and a great social movement, while others take a more mocking tone and dismiss it as a kind of upper middle class fantasy camp, a sewing of the oats before beginning corporate life.

Not having been alive in the 60s, I only know what I've read and been told by those older than myself, but I'd guess that the first assessment is a bit idealistic, while the second is unfair, and that the truth is "somewhere in between," to fall back on the cliche.

What the film does successfully document, I gather, is what it felt like to be young and hippie and excited about music and social protest and all the things Woodstock at least appeared, at the time, to represent. The feeling is what's embodied in the filmic techniques, the scenes chosen, and the performances themselves, and this makes Woodstock a successful documentary.

The 60s were many things, and no film could capture all of them. Actually, in spite of the fact that it allows itself to get very much caught up in the excitement, I think the film has its moments of ironic distance and sobering reality, such as the port-a-san scene (particularly the extended shot of the average joe cleaning the things).

For a good counterpoint, I recommend the Isle of Wight festival film, which captures the darker, more selfish side of the hippie generation.

Beautiful and dirty
Although I was a teenager soon after this concert, I somehow never got around to seeing the moving until this year. (I guess concert films don't get screened frequently on terrestrial TV.) So over the years I've become more familiar with the triple LP of the movie and, of course, the many posters the rock stars in heroic poses that dominated the early 1970s -- i.e. the Who's Roger Daltrey, Jimi Hendrix and Ten Years After's Alvin Lee.

Despite the mud and the squalor, this is an extraordinarily beautiful film, with the screen often breaking up into two or three segments. (Note on the closing credits the name of Martin Scorsese on the production team.)

It's well worth contrasting this movie with the DVD of the 1970 Isle of Wight festival. Only a year separates the two concerts, but the late 1960s idealism of Woodstock gets replaced by prototype British vandalism. The Who perform at both concerts, and make an equally good account of themselves. Daltrey's emotional delivery of 'See Me, Feel Me' helps to explain why 'Tommy' became such a phenomenon in America. Hendrix also performed at both, but his meandering solo at Woodstock was not of the highest standard.

The other highlight of the show was Santana, a Latino band only just beginning to establish themselves in California at the time. As others have noted, the drum solo by Mike Shrieve is impressive for one so young. As with the Who, Santana's album sales will have multiplied as a result of their Woodstock performance.

It's interesting how many great acts weren't at Woodstock -- e.g. Joni Mitchell (despite her song about the concert!), the Doors, Bob Dylan or the Stones. The first two clearly realised how important these festivals were in the breaking of artists into markets, and so they appear on the Isle of Wight DVD.

For most of my life, Woodstock has been a set of static images, largely taken from the cover of the album. But as this film reveals, there is so much more imagery than pictures of beautiful women bathing in the lake. Quite apart from all the idealism of passing whisky bottles and reefers around, of sliding in the mud, the film shows the flip side: of people queuing in the mud to phone home, of helicopters rescuing the sick, of helpers cleaning toilets, and of barefoot stragglers looking for a pair of shoes amid a post-concert site that looks more of a wasteland than the trenches of the First World War.

Enjoy it in all its glory and all its grime.

Woodstock
Woodstock was a great documentary. It had everything from split screen to wonderful music. The sound was great. So many bands in only 3days. It was a time where skinny diping and doing Pot and acid was ok and understandable. Police were not filling the jails with people who did drugs and broke laws. They were letting them be free and discover peace. Woodstock is something that will go down in history as a time of love and peace and understanding. In the end it was more then just the music it was the love and the way freedom brought it. ... Read more

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Originally broadcast on CBS in March 2002, 9/11 is an extraordinary record of that fateful day in New York City. This one-of-a-kind documentary was originally conceived as a portrait of 21-year-old Tony Benetatos, a firefighter trainee at Manhattan's Duane Street firehouse, located seven blocks from the World Trade Center. By the time filming was finished, brothers Jules and Gedeon Naudet had captured history in the making, including the only image of the first jetliner striking Tower 1, and the only footage from within the tower as it collapsed. This is not, however, a film about the murderous nightmare of terrorism. It's the ultimate rite-of-passage drama, more immediate and meaningful than any fiction film could be, with Benetatos and his supportive colleagues emerging as heroes of the first order. Sensitively narrated by codirector and fellow firefighter James Hanlon, 9/11 will endure forever as a tribute to those, living and dead, who witnessed hell on that sunny Tuesday morning. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (126)

No sugar coating here
I watched the TV broadcast of this film not knowing what to expect. What I got was an excellent documentary which started out mildly enough with two French film makers following the training of a probationary firefighter in New York City. Unfortunately for them, it looked as if they were going to make a rather run-of-the-mill, uneventful documentary. It apparently had been a slow summer for the FDNY. Then came the morning of September 11, 2001 and a routine call to check out a gas leak on a city street. What followed is the most important film of that day ever. There are no talking-head news reporters. There are no politicians making speeches. What we see are the firefighters in the lobby of the World Trade Center, having no idea what is really happening above them. From their position inside the building they couldn't see what we were seeing outside. They were kept guessing. But they could see enough to know that people were jumping out of the building. Although they had to wonder what could be so bad above that jumping from those upper stories was preferable to waiting for whatever happened, these firefighters also knew that it was their job to go up and meet headon with whatever those who jumped were fleeing. This documentary shows a side of September 11 that we were not allowed to see in the media. Everyone should see this at least once.

An Amazing Story
This was truly one of the most powerful and personal stories I've ever seen aired about the September 11th tragedy.

Originally planned to be a documentary about a probationary firefighter, the filmmakers, two French brothers, just happened to be filming at the firehouse on that horrible morning. The first brother was actually riding along with some of them firemen who were on a call right near the World Trade Center. He managed to capture on film the roar of the first plane overhead and the startled looks of the firefighters hearing it, then actually followed the first plane's path into the building. He stayed with the team and actually has footage of being inside the lobby of the Tower. He stayed there until the second building was evacuated. The second brother also managed to capture some truly remarkable film, as he stayed with the "newbie", then set off to find his missing brother, who he assumed was killed.

This film is not about gore, but just a very real, very personal story of a bunch of guys who were just doing their jobs and what happened to them that morning and in the days following the disaster.

This is a great story.

Examine the details of plane's impact frame by frame
Ask yourself to be objective. Watch the impact of the plane and look at the plane closely. What do you see? Watch it a few times. I'm not sure that most of us are ready to scrutinze the images of the planes hitting the towers objectively to make sure that what our eyes tell us jibes with what we have been told to believe. I see disturbing anomalies that have yet to be explained. The second plane, Flight 11, has something unusual attached to the right side of the fuselage. That's what I see.

Priceless
Michael Moore "thinks" he makes documentaries. He needs to take lessons from Jules and Gedeon Naudet. This film left me with tears in my eyes and a new found respect for those who are Firefighters, police officers, paramedics and the like. MUST SEE, MUST SEE, MUST SEE!!!!!God Bless America

When God Directs a Film...
Of all the disaster films I've seen, they all seem to have a basic sequence of events. Introducing the characters, initiation of the disaster, struggle in the midst of the disaster, "just when you thought it couldn't get any worse", and the aftermath. This accidental disaster film is no different.

Only God, knowing what was going to happen, could have placed the Naudet brothers exactly where they needed to be to fully cover this horrific event. With the brothers separated, one inside Tower 1 and the other outside anxiously trying to get to his brother, we are able to witness what the firefighters and New Yorkers experienced on September 11, 2001. We also see the trauma of loved ones separated from each other as the filmmakers try to find each other.

The suspense of waiting for each of the firefighters to return to the station at the end is also well orchestrated by God with the initial focus of the film, Probationary Firefighter Benetatos being the last to arrive.

WELL DONE JULES AND GEDEON NAUDET! PTL! ... Read more

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The 1964 Olympics in Tokyo were a milestone as much for the intense athletic competition as the joyous commemoration of Japan's recovery following its defeat in World War II. Director Kon Ichikawa (The Burmese Harp, Fires on the Plain) created an epic film of the event, a documentary that covered the entire athletic competition while also capturing the surrounding atmosphere. Early in the film is a stunningaerial shot of Hiroshima, which first shows the devastated area, where destruction from the atom bomb has been preserved, before focusing on a beautiful park where an Olympic ceremony was being held.

The scenes of athletic competition, some of which were shot by cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa (Rashomon), work beautifully on two levels. The camera frames the extreme effort expended by such athletes as the great American runner Bob Hayes, and thus the film functions as a credible sports documentary, yet the camera also goes in for close-ups, lingering on the athlete's muscled forms to provide images that would look perfectly at home on the wall of a photography gallery. The narration in Japanese is accompanied with English subtitles, and this edition retains the widescreen lookof the original theatrical release (in a letterboxed format) as well as thecomplete 170-minute running time. --Robert J. McNamara ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The human side of sport without the sap...
A lemon placed as a totem on a starting block. The torn feet of drained marathoner. The fleshy cheek of a shooter oozing over the butt of his rifle. The turkey-like jowls of older spectators. The squint against blinding lights of an athlete from Chad as he steps off a plane and into the alienation of city life for perhaps the first time. Rain on a sopping wet track. Trains clattering over bridges. The splat of a hammer in wet turf. The almost obsessive-compulsive preparation of a shot-putter has he prepares for his throw. The nonchalant strength and focus of a winning judo expert. A yachtsman, while leaning far out over the water to balance his craft, capricously dipping his hand into the water as it passes inches from his face. The giddy excitement of a little girl spectator clapping and cheering for the sake of it. A member of the American delegation breaking the solemn ranks of the opening ceremonies to chase away a pigeon.

All these things, and countless other human details, are elements that make up director Kon Ichikawa's loving portrait of human aspiration: "Tokyo Olympiad".

At least as important as what it does, is what "Tokyo Olympiad" does not do. Unlike television coverage of the last few Olympic games, it does not plead for our sympathy by drowning us in "human interest" stories of hardship, cancer and family tragedy. Unlike in newspaper and television coverage of the games, the politics and ambition of individual nations' teams is far in the background. Unlike Leni Reifenstahl's "Olympia", it does not hold the athletes up as demigods, asking us to fawn over the glorious perfection of their shining bodies and heroic achievement. And, most importantly, it does it seek present a complete account of the final results of the events. Doing so in a 2 1/2 hour film would be impossible anyway.

More important to Ichikawa is the experience of the event itself- from both the spectators', and participants'- both winners and losers- point of view. Each event that that falls under the directors gaze, is presented in its own idiosyncratic way- with much attention given to the composition and visual texture of events as well as the human elements of each sport.

In one of my favorite segments- the women's 80m hurdles- Ichikawa begins by showing us an almost abstract close-up of the race we are about to see. In this way, the director seems to be saying that it's not the official result, but the intense feeling of being in such a race, which is important. Cutting back to before the race, the camera follows the athletes as they pace the field and go through their often quirky preparations. The Japanese runner, psyching herself up, jerks her head from side to side, does a childlike summersault, jerks a few more times, then does a cartwheel. In the next shot, with no explanation, we see that she places a lemon on the staring block, which Ichikawa allows us to consider for a second. With the runners lined up, the camera goes into extreme slow motion. We witness the sinew, focus and tension at the starting block. The din of the crowd is faded out, and all that remains is the sound of ropes rhythmically clanging against the stadium's flagpoles in the wind. Then even that fades out, the gun fires, and, as the runners powerfully push out of the starting blocks, silence. We are shown a front view of the brief race in extreme slow motion. The mood is pierced once by the bang of a single runner hitting her hurdle. Then, as the final hurdle is cleared, the roar of the crowd swells and the lead hurdlers break the tape.

Compared to this, who ended up winning the race is mere trivia.

Each event is treated in own careful manner- revealing not the sporting drama of scores, distances and times, but the feeling of human aspiration embodied in motto "citius, altius, fortius". The dramatic marathon, the last event to be shown, is a masterwork, into which is impossible to not be drawn in.

Ichikawa views the Olympics idealistically. Through stunning images, and the color-commentary-like narration (in subtitled Japanese) we come to experience the Olympics as an event about human beings (instead of nationalistic athletic juggernauts) coming together to compete in an atmosphere of peace. After seeing athletes and spectators from all over the world cheerlly mingle, cheer, and celebrate, one sees the Olympics as a reminder what world peace can look like. It's just the sort of thing that the planet needs from time to time. It gives us something to work towards.

The DVD is mastered beautifully, and the colors are subtle and rich as a documentary film from 1964 can be. The sound is excellent. The enclosed liner notes by sports-writer legend George Plimpton are vivid and enlightening. (Can you tell I like this DVD?) The commentary by Peter Crowie provides the fascinating back story of the film through stories of the athletes of the Olympics themselves- though I would recommend watching the film without it the first few times. He also makes comparisons between today's Olympics (Sydney) and these games- relatively (though not entirely) untainted by the politics of performance enhancing drugs (though it is quite likely that they were used extensively) and the excessive commercialism of the modern sporting world. The finely sculpted, corporate sponsored, bodyguard protected, superstars of today seem, somehow, less human than these athletes- allowed to walk freely around the field before their heat, who were not ensconced in some distant, private training camp away from the lesser mortals from lesser countries, and who were allowed to experience the Olympics in much the same way that Ichikawa wishes to portray them- as a big celebration of what it feels like to have something in common with new friends from all over the planet.

In the included 1992 interview in Tokyo Stadium- where the track events had taken place 28 years earlier, Kon Ichikawa was asked how he would film today's Olympic games, if commissioned to do so. "Pretty much the same way", was his reply. I would love for this to happen.

Greatest of All Olympic Films
I am ordering this post-haste.

I had the extreme thrill of seeing this film several times on the huge movie screen of a theatre Toho operated in Los Angeles when the film was released. About five years ago, I saw it in a smaller theater and it holds up wonderfully.

This is one of the most majestic films I've ever seen, but it is also dramatically compelling with sequences that will always be memorable. Perhaps most memorable is the real sense of caring and comradre among ALL the athletes AND spectators. Since these Olympics, the games have degenerated into political doo-dah of the worst sort. These games and this film have a dignity, humaneness and spirit that has all but been lost.

This is worth owning just for the Ethiopian's winning of his second Olympic marathon in a row. I seldom care about sporting contests, but the marathon literally had me grasping the theatre seat and verbally pulling for this incredible man--who along with Ali--is the greatest athlete I've ever witnessed.

The American version praised by another reviewer here, was IMO one of the worst desecrations of a masterpiece I can imagine. It was cut from the almost three-hour original version to about 90-minutes and accompanied by the most inane sports announcing ever. If you saw this atrocity, you haven't seen "Tokyo Olympiad."

If you are an Olympic fan or love breathtaking, intelligent and humane filmmaking, Ichikawa gives you the royal treatment in this film.

Thank you, Criterion, for re-issuing this. My only regret is that it isn't being re-released in big-screen theatres, where it can be properly appreciated.

See this. I think most of you will be cheering this monumental achievement.

Memories of good ol' Tokyo
I was only 2 when the Olympics was held in Tokyo in 1964 but had various opportunities to view excerpts on TV. It was really nice to see what people wore, drove, etc during that time. It was especially exhilarating to see footage of Abebe Bikila running thru the streets of Tokyo and winning the Gold Medal two Olympics in a row. I think he is one of the greatest atheletes who ever lived and they don't make them like him no more.

Perhaps more appeal for the cinephile than the sports fan.
there is something about sport that seems to lend it to abstraction. Once you have removed the familiar 'narrative' elements (start/finish, victory/defeat, struggle/result etc.), what is left - movement, bodies - becomes formalised, ritualised. The 1964 Olympics were the first mass live TV Games, so when Kon Ichikawa came to assemble his film, he knew millions had watched the 'real time' experience of the events, and so could be freer in his own interpretation.

And so he magics the most extraordinary visual architecture, constructed from a blueprint of pure lines - the gestures of the human body; its movement (or that of sporting implements) through space; the markings on tracks, pitches, courts, pools etc.; the structure of arenas and halls; the urban grid of Tokyo itself, its buildings and roads - all captured in exquisitely formal widescreen photography, in which the most banal element, be it the colour of a pair of shorts, or an official carrying a towel, becomes a vital part of its design.

Ichikawa's most obvious predecessor for this aesthetic is Leni Riefenstahl's 'Olympia', a film under whose shadow he clearly operates: like Riefenstahl, he breaks up the narrative by disjoining the soundtracks and image, by freeze-frames or sudden jump-cuts; the amazing gymnastics sequence, a sport which can be most readily appropriated for abstraction, is a case in point, colour, form and movement turning athletics into a kind of live action painting.

Of course, 'Olympia' was created to glorify the Third Reich; the Tokyo Olympics were specifically a celebration of Japanese pacificism and post-war economic recovery, as the opening shots of a blinding dawn sun and the ruined buildings of Hiroshima suggests. These Olympics were fraught with political significance - East and West Germany competing as one team, for example, or the debut of many newly independent African states - but Ichikawa films everything with relative, unportentous calm and detachment, especially compared to the over-determined, bludgeoning fascist aesthetic of Riefenstahl. Ichikawa had to negotiate similarly formidable logistics (over 100 cameramen etc.), but the resultant film seems effortless, whereas 'Olympia' flaunts its technical impossibility.

for the non-sports afficanado, the marathon is always the most fascinating event - its gruelling length seems to expose and reveal human nature more starkly, the struggles, the waiting, the glimpses of agonising failure after superhuman effort. Ichikawa creates a supreme mini-epic out of the marathon here, with the refreshment stalls acting as a strange opportunity, like a hidden Candid Camera, to see how individual, unwitting athletes behave. The montage of bodily decay and exhaustion is somewhat at odds with the ennobling, 'official' sentiments of peace and brotherly harmony. By the end of the film, though, you're as exhausted as the athletes.

Athletics as powerful art
Having seen version dubbed in English (I believe David Wolper was involved in some way) I beg to differ with Leonard Maltin's assessment that the English text was "insipid." In fairness to his review, I haven't yet seen this version, but I will remember forever the power, the grace, the photographic artistry . . . and the beautifully-written English text for the film. I am not a sports "fan," but if any film made the case for organized athletics, this one did! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

life and debt
If you can get yourself past the heavyhanded judgment now and then (of nearly all tourists in Jamaica, for example), this movie does an excellent job of quantifying the questionable role of the World Bank in Jamaica's domestic affairs. Under the guise of assistance from above for the island to join the world economy, instead what we witness is a systematic deterioration of Jamaican business enterprises while the "world" takes advantage wherever it can.
I must say that previous to viewing this film, I was hardly convinced that the demonstrators at World Bank events weren't ideologues of the type I usually find painful to listen to. Now, I'm not convinced still, but I sure am interested to investigate the veracity of this film's thesis.
I much enjoyed the scenes of everyday workers in various enterprises on the island. Their testaments have the ring of truth to them. The montage of the film is well balanced. The overall effect is compelling.

Required viewing for all first world citizens
This is an extremely poignant view of how our thirst for luxury puts the majority of the world at our whim, making them our invisible slaves. The people who sew our shirts, pick our bananas, and make our shoes are caught in a vicious cycle that keeps them bent to our oppression. It is something we never see -- and because of that, we never care. In this film we are forced to look at things we've never been told about and to understand the reasons and events behind our global poverty crisis. This is a fantastic film for youth groups and it sparks great discussion. Every highschooler should be required to view this in their economics class. Every adult should be required to view this before they decide to take an all-inclusive vacation. This IS the real Cancun -- ahem, Jamaica. We need to learn that our decisions as consumers and as a country affect the lives of millions of people, and that we, as consumers, could make those lives better by choosing to live differently. This film can do that, and it is absolutely required viewing for all first world citizens.

It is what it is
There are no invisible slaves here, just arrogant caucasions who refused to accept the facts about being savages who killed their way to the top, and yet manages to call this being civilize. tsk tsk If anyone hasnt seen Michael Moore movie about the 911 I suggest that you all go see it to see the truth of the matter. Indeed, nothing has change with ol'Euro-corporate mentality ( survival of the fittest is a joke). Its more like who kills and gains first will be in control when the war ends. We all know that Europeans were not handed ppls resources, the Europeans took ppls resources and use ppl as slaves to enrich their own lives, as can still be seen today in third world countries were the ppl are kept in concentration camps and are forced to work in most cases and are under paid to survive even to the minimum level with their countries cost of living. There are a lot of European companies who are benefiting from these crimes against humanity. So, this movie is just one out of many showing the psychological differences between ppl based on how they developed and what they inherit to survive. It will be many more yrs before humanity is on the same page, and to get there, chaos cannot be in the equation. Nor excuses..................

Indebted
The other reviews here are elegant, and I'll ask you to trust them when they urge you to see and support the film. I will add, however, that it's strikingly clear we're witnessing a new era of slavery and servitude here, one that is less direct yet equally immoral. The argument that some critics have posted, stating that Jamaica's problems could be solved by a better tourism industry, is akin to contending that a violated woman ought to "pretty herself up and enjoy it more." Before we offer suggestions, maybe we should first put ourselves in her shoes - and that's what this film gives us a chance to do. And I'm indebted.

Not persuasive enough...!
I should first explain that I had very high expectations for this movie, thinking it would make a good case for how free markets and globalization can sometimes destroy peoples lives in a merciless fashion. This movie was aimed only at trying to elicit anger at corporate greed, or at the IMF, but fails miserably in examining the root causes of Jamaica's problems.

Where it succeeds: I was shocked at how high the interest rates collected by the IMF/World Bank are. I would have thought they would be on a par with an American "student loan"...! Also, the going-ons in the Free-trade zone certainly showed the dark side of corporate greed, and outlandish abuse of basic human rights of workers... For these, the movie gets 2 stars.

Where it fails: Attempting to make tourists seem as uncaring, selfish, and self-absorbed, surely will not help the much needed tourist industry in Jamaica. Why shouldn't a tourist desire a trouble-free, guilt-free, and relaxing vacation? But, more importantly, did not do a good job of proving or even examining whether the industries affected by globalization are industries in which Jamaica WOULD enjoy a competitive advantage, given better fiscal policy or less restrictive conditions by the IMF and the World Bank.

The film never answers what any sensible viewer might ask themselves: Why can't Jamaica develop a similar tourist economy, such as those present in Hawaii and Tahiti, which enjoy much higher standards of living, despite being further isolated, and also having to pay high prices to import most goods? If they are very different, how so? How could this difference be used to an advantage? ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A good, short work
A comment was made that this film is derivative of Koyaanisqatsi, which is a silly and ignorant statement at best. Anima Mundi covers a completely different subject: the diversity of life on earth, where as Koyaanisqatsi was a reflection on the affect of technology on nature. Anima Mundi has no time lapse photography and Koyaanisqatsi has no animals. They are quite different. Yes they have the same style, but why should a film maker be blasted for having a distinct style? The footage is striking and it is very well put together. Much of Philip Glass' music actually isn't instantly recognizable as Philip Glass music. It's short and not as evocative as Koyaanisqatsi and Baraka but it's a fine piece on it's own merits. The DVD could be better quality... the dark shots have some unfortunate digital artifacts... but the brighter shots look quite nice.

"Fantasia" in real-life, (world-spirit/life of the earth)
I was first blown away by "Koyaanisqatsi", which was meant to be seen on the big screen. Then "Powaqqatsi" from the local video store. I first saw "Anima Mundi" on the local PBS station in conjunction with their pledge drive. Of the three films in this trilogy, this is by far the best. The music is some of Phillip Glass' most accessible - even found myself humming it at work. Seeing the life within the eyes of the animals, the intelligence, the beauty of life in the wild was stunning. There were many instances when similarities in disparate species were brought into focus: the multiplying bacteria juxtaposed with schools of fish, for example. The one let-down to this film is that there is only 30 minutes of it; it could have been easily stretched to an hour and not fallen into repetition of images. If you are unfamiliar with this trilogy, "Anima Mundi" gives the best introduction. This does for photography what "Fantasia" did for animation. Truly, a 5-star movie. (Also, a real treat for kids who love to watch the nature programs)

poor quality hurts this film
This film is good, its not the best though because at thirty minutes it really cuts its self short. Sure its a short film, but the subject matter it is trying to deal with just can't be properly covered in thirty minutes. Even so its worth a watching,
but too bad the DVD is poor in the visual quality. Glass is great with the music, as usual. The film Microcosmos and the film Baraka are actually better films in dealing with nature.
Check them out too.

The Greatest Documentary On Planet Earth
1991: Anima Mundi is Latin for "Soul of the World". In this dazzling documentary, the life of animals from land and sea are captured with exquisite precision and beauty. The careful attention to detail makes this documentary simply the best about life on planet earth. The shots of wildlife in Africa, the foliage, the various life forms under the sea are all in perfect union, making this film a reminder to us that planet earth is a living being, complete with its own intelligence, biological function and even its own spirit.

I recall seeing this in both film format and in the extra large IMAX screen. The cinematography to the documentary is breathtaking. Although it is only 30 minutes long, there is much to learn about the life on this planet by watching this documentary, which is very short but meaningful. The music is composed by none other than the brilliant 20th century composer Phillip Glass- whose technique of minimalism is haunting and effective, particularily in the shots of the sea creatures. Phillip Glass' work for this short film ranks as one of his finest, although it is very short and precise. Phillip Glass and Anima Mundi go together almost like two blending chemicals. Finally, on DVD, the greatest documenatary, albeit the shortest, is available for viewing.

Amazing insight
If looking into animals' eyes feels a bit on the disturbing side, perhaps the point of this incredible compilation of film footage is to invite the audience to view the complex balance of this planet from the animals' eyes.
This (albeit short) video entices you in with the grace of leaping gazelles, pulls you along with the overwhelming strength of the ocean and transports you to a new perspective of life, from the bellowing breath of an industrialized city down to the excited dance of the most basic cells under a microscope, and magically returns you back into the gaze of the animal's eye.
The beautifully powerful music combined with equally compelling images are guaranteed to stay with you for years!
Excellent investment! ... Read more

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This hip look at the Seattle music scene of the past decade treats thehype with bemused humor but treats the music with respect. Packedwith witty interviews with band members, record execs, and Seattle music aficionados, much of the film places a welcome spotlight on the bands that didn't become part of the national "grunge" phenomenon and scores of live clips and rare recordings show that "the Seattle Sound" didn't begin with Nirvana or end with Soundgarden. You don't have to be a fan to enjoy this ebullient rockumentary, and if you're not careful, director Doug Pray's infectious love of the music may even make you one. This video features performances byBlood Circus, Coffin Break, Crackerbash, Dead Moon, Fastbacks, Flop, Gas Huffer, The Gits, Hammerbox, Love Battery, The Melvins, The Mono Men, Mudhoney, Nirvana, The Posies, Seaweed, 7 Year Bitch, Some Velvet Sidewalk, Soundgarden, Supersuckers, Young Fresh Fellows, and Zipgun, and includes Nirvana's first live performance of the grunge anthem "Smells Like Teen Spirit." --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (23)

A raw look at the Seattle music scene and its exploitation
HYPE! is one of the best documentaries of the last decade, bar none. Growing up when "Grunge" was all the rage I was automatically psyched to see HYPE! and did so the first chance I got. But, what HYPE! does is suck you in with the music and the personalities and proceeds to show you how the Seattle music "scene" was expolited by corporate America and eventually destroyed.

Most of the bands you see in HYPE! are exciting, energetic, talented musicians both on record and stage, but the travesty of the situation is that no one knows who they are until now. In that aspect HYPE! is a great showcase of all the talent of Seattle musicians, not just a document of Kurt Cobain and the triumph of Grunge in the mainstream.

The most interesting aspect of HYPE! is its depiction of SubPop records and how they instigated the hype that ultimately lead to the over-commercialization and downfall of grunge -- whether it was done out of calculated marketing or misguided satire, the result is evident.

HYPE! is a testament to the great people involved in the Seattle music community, whether they be musicians, producers, artists, or just acquaintances.

HYPE! is a document of counter culture explosion that we were lucky enough to be a part of.

One of the best documentaries ever
This film is amazing beyond words. It gives all of the infomration one would need about the greatest musical scene of the 90stold by the artists/producers/record company CEOs themselves. A lot of the people interviewed were humorous, others very serious, but either way it was a really candid interview.

It gives insight to the origin of grunge around 1984 or 1985 with bandslike Green River and the U-Men, to the fomration of its core bands like Soundgraden and Alice In Chains, the grunge explosion of the early 90s, and its demise with the death of Kurt Cobain and the fall of other great Seattle bands.

In addition to excellent interviews, and some great live performances, it has the very first performance of Nirvana's classic song "Smells Like Teen Spirit," about 100 tiumes more raw and abrasive than the version on Nevermind.

great documentary
this is my favorite film.if your a nirvana, soundgarden, or pearl jam, i highly recomend this movie. for the nirvana fans, theres a clip of the first preformance of 'teen spirit' with alt lyrics. for the soundgarden fans, theres a whole big scene where it shows the process of setting up a show while one of their songs is playing in the backround. for pearl jam fans, theres an interview with eddie veddar, but no live stuff. aside from the bands who made it, it focus much on all the bands that didnt and stayed indie. those bands (ie: the gits, monomen, coffin break, supersuckers, etc) are way better than the three above. great humor from the interviewee's. this is an excellent movie, so go rent it or buy it, and enjoy it.

Satisfying Documentary
I don't habitually relish watching documentaries, because I've barely found any that I enjoy viewing, that does not include "Hype!" They mention an immense amount of good bands and interesting facts about them in this excellent film. I missed the first fifteen minutes of the movie and don't recall seeing anything about Nirvana in this. It is a satisfying documentary about grunge music, but would probably be tedious to someone not interested in it's roots.

Boring overated documentery
If you're a fan of that genre of "music," I guess this movie is for you. For me, it was nothing more than a cure for my insomnia.

Blech! ... Read more

Description

In the fall of 2000, Wilco entered the studio to record their highly anticipated fourth album. Building on three critically acclaimed albums and a reputation for phenomenal live shows, the band seemed posed to cement its reputation as one of the great American rock groups. So how is it that one year later, with completed record in hand, the band found itself rejected by its corporate record label and missing two of its original members? First-time filmmaker and award-winning photographer Sam Jones was on-hand, chronicling this turbulent chapter in Wilco's history as it unfolded. The recording process is always rife with tension. That's to be expected, especially when the band is as ambitious as Wilco. The real surprise comes when the band delivers the final album to Reprise and all they get in response is two weeks of ominous silence. Soon, contracts are being broken and partnerships are being severed as Jones discovers he has a far more tumultuous tale to tell than he originally envisioned. Throughout the film, Jones tempers the backstage dramas and unfathomable corporate shenanigans with inspired live performances, as frontman Jeff Tweedy and company perform songs from the beleaguered "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" album, recently released and already considered a modern classic. Shot in luminous black and white, I AM TRYING TO BREAK YOUR HEART is a riveting portrait of a band making the best music of its career. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Spell Binding
A great Documentary to go along with a great album. The story could not have been scripted better than the reality of the situation . . .

A band records a brilliant album, which the evil record company wants them to change. They say no, and get the shaft. The band struggles, plays some gigs, kicks out a member, and finally finds redemption. Does this stuff happen in real life!!

Any fan of Wilco, any fan of documentary filmmaking, and any fan interested in the workings of the music industry will love this film.

Best music documentary I've seen in a long time
I was aware of Wilco when I went to see this movie, but not a huge fan. I couldn't have told you the name of their albums or any of the members of the band - just that I had heard a song or two and like it.
That is the beauty of this film, it is just good whether you are a Wilco fan or not (but you probably will be by the end of the movie). What was supposed to be a "making of" for the band's latest album - yankee foxtrot hotel - turned into an insightful examination of the music industry today. Wilco had enjoyed moderate success and was allowed much more freedom than most in the recording of Yankee Foxtrot. When the record company heard the album, they wanted some changes made. Eventually, they dropped Wilco and gave them back their album.
What you see in this movie is the commercialism of the music industry- which is a necessary part of the industry- fighting with the artistic integrity of making music that means something to you and not compromising (sp?) that. The music industry has to balance artistic integrity and market savvy, however the industry is currently over focused on the commercial and financial side of things.
The movie shows a band that keeps its vision in sight and stays true to their music, and, ultimately, winds up victorious.
I would highly recommend this movie to any music fan.

corrections
i am a wilco fan and i enjoyed this film.
but i wished it had been more about the music and less about the industry.
now i just wanted to point out two [things](...): first, the scene in which tweedy speaks of firing his stock broker is not a sign of tweedy's wealth. it is obviously a staged, comedic scene -- as the would-be interviewer to whom he is speaking is the musician/comedian fred armisen, formerly of the band trenchmouth and now of saturday night live fame, who in the scene is doing one of his sketch-comedy characters. second, jay bennett, who was fired from wilco in this film, was not tweedy's cowriter and bandmate of sixteen years. wilco has barely been around half of sixteen years, and bennett is not even an original member of wilco. perhaps that reviewer is mistaking jay bennett for jay farrar, who was tweedy's longtime friend and "original" cowriter before the band uncle tupelo, ummm, disbanded.

YES!
This documentary is just beyond words. not to rave, but this changed my whole perspective on things. It was amazing watching Jeff and the band play and make music together. My only complaint is there wasn't more of the actually songwriting/recording process. JEFF TWEEDY IS A ROLL MODEL TO US ALL.

A Fantastic Film About A Fantastic Record
I agree with what others here have said. I would just add that, the real strength of this move is that it doesn't exploit any false "good guy"/"bad guy" dichotomies. Both Tweedy and Bennett come across generally as decent and extremely talented guys, at other times they come across as insecure, pretentious jerks obsessed with money and/or attention. Given the record's eventually success, it would have been easy to cut this film into an inch-thin morality play. It's to the filmaker's credit that he lets us see everyone's ugly side. ... Read more

Description

Now, in an inspiring video event, we probe the secrets of Niagara Falls. From helicopter and speedboat, at high-tech labs and at rope's end, we join Earth scientists as they struggle to piece together the epic life story of North America's most celebrated natural wonder. We experience the Falls that daredevils and stunters could never tame -- the Niagara that is a vertical battleground between water and rock.Most think of it as a vision eternal, but in fact, Niagara's life has been a geological blink of the eye. Only a hundred and twenty five centuries ago it was unleashed, born of the last glacial surge that swept the continent. Since then, it has traveled more than seven miles upriver, cutting the Earth's crust like a knife. Its relentless procession has granted scientists a breathtaking window into the past. Soon enough, they've discovered, the Falls and its raging rapids will see to their own destruction. But not without leaving their lasting impression on the world, and on Niagara's admirers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The political, social, and theological history of Russia and its peoplecan be traced through the study of its most ancient art form: icon painting. Inthe first volume of the three-part documentary series The Face of Russia,this beautiful and symbolic practice of colorfully depicting Christian figuresis highlighted to show how significant and influential a nation's art can be toits culture. Enduring throughout Russia's turbulent history of revolution,bloody warfare, and totalitarian governance, painted icons (and the stunningchurches that house them) provide hauntingly aesthetic reminders of thestabilizing strength of the Russian Orthodox church. All but destroyed by 13th- century Mongols, Bolshevik revolutionaries, and Communist leaders (most notablyLenin and Stalin, who demolished countless churches in their drive to become thenew icons of the people), this form of art has lived on and now even flourishes.Modern restorations, present-day icon painters, and the influence icons have hadon various modes of art all testify to the vitality of iconography and ofRussian Orthodoxy itself. This documentary delivers this message convincinglyand shows that, while Russia remains in political and social upheaval, it is thefoundation of art and religion that truly defines the great faith, loyalty, andresiliency of the Russian spirit. --Ed Noble ... Read more

Description

In January of 2001, American director James Longley traveled to the Gaza Strip.His plan was to stay for two weeks to collect preliminary material for a documentary film on the Palestinian Intifada.It was during his stay that Ariel Sharon was elected as Israeli Prime Minister.As violence erupted around him, Longley threw away his return ticket and filmed for the next three months, acquiring nearly 75 hours of footage.

Gaza Strip, his first feature documentary, is an extraordinary and painful journey into the lives of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip struggling with the day-to-day trials of the Israeli occupation.Filmed in verité style and without narration, Gaza Strip at last gives voice to a population largely ignored by mainstream media. ... Read more

Reviews (50)

Not Fox News ...
... And I for one am very thankful that this documentary takes the time to show some detail on the Palestinian side, rather than play this silly, false game of "fair and balanced". The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not a fair or balanced conflict between equals -- it's a situation of brutal military occupation of Palestinian land by Israel that has gone on for the last 35 years in the case of the Gaza Strip and West Bank. So "bravo!" to a film that is finally courageous enough not to pretend that the Palestinians and Israelis are on an equal footing, or that good journalism means showing both sides as if they are the same. They aren't the same: One side is living under occupation, the other side is the occupier. The shame of it is that many Americans don't seem to know which is which.

The most illuminating documentary
A documentary film this strong about the Middle East conflict -- and particularly about the Palestinians -- is bound to attract a lot of strident pro-Israeli-occupation critics. You can read their 1-star reviews posted here. You can read silly statements about Palestinian children throwing "deadly" rocks at Israeli tanks. You can read utter hogwash about Palestinian children spending their days tunneling to Egypt.

Or you can get this film, and see Palestinian life in Gaza as it really is. This documentary is as close as it comes to showing the Palestinians in Gaza in a true light. Though it's not perfect, you will not find a better film about Palestinian life and death in Gaza. I have spent time in the Gaza Strip, and I can vouch for the accuracy of the portrayal in this film. Get it and show it to your friends.

Great film
This documentary was a huge relief after watching so much useless Hollywood product. "Gaza Strip" is a real film about real people and real issues -- the best film I have seen about the Palestinians. Anyone looking for the inside track on what's happening in the Gaza Strip need look no farther!
Be warned: Some of material is too graphic for children.

Watch the bitter truth - Thank you Mr. Longley
I would like to begin by thanking Mr.Longley for his efforts in making this much needed documentary.

This documentary is hard to watch as the inhumane conditions that the Palestinians live in under the Israeli occupation are very distrubing and painful. It's about time an issue like this is being addressd in vivid detail and it's time for people to deeply think why when you criticize Israel in any way, you're automatically labeled as Anti-Semite..could it be so that we don't pursue the painful truth further? we live in a world where "Democracy" and "Antisemiticism" are words used for political purposes and to hide the truth. I still can't believe Israel gets away with all this and we Americans give a big chunk of our taxes to further prolong the occupation, build more settlements against international law in Palestinian lands and make the already complex situation in the occupied etrrtories even worse for these poor people.
I stand ashamed and appauled at our ignorance to the outside world and our gullibility to the unbalanced and unfair news covering here in the U.S. Apparently censorship and biased news are embedded with us here at home and many don't realize it.

A Portrait of Life in the Gaza Strip
This film allows you to see the daily life of the people of the Gaza Strip, how the current war is affecting the daily routine of their lives, and the more basic conditions of human existence: food, shelter, basic health, and safety. You see the widespread violence that constitutes their environment, the difficulties they face in simply travelling within the Gaza Strip, and the less obvious victims of this incredibly stupid war-- for example, a young boy plays with a "glove" which detonates, killing him and wounding his friends. It's not just rockets and automatic rounds; it's homelessness; despair; landmines; amputations.
This is a great way to see the other side of the conflict. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Bakhtiari people of western Iran annually embark on an astounding migration that takes a half-million people, their livestock, and all their possessions across 200 miles of intensely difficult mountains. And this is no simple stroll: the Zagros Mountains, which must be crossed to reach the summer pastures, are as tall as the Alps. This documentary, which was shot on film in the 1970s, focuses on one particular tribesman whose words, translated into English and read by the actor James Mason, tell the timeless story of the great migration. The photography is often spectacular, and the widescreen format is well suited to the sweeping mountain panoramas (though there's no denying the footage would look much more imposing on the big screen). The film moves at a slow pace, and though it can lag, in fairness it should be noted that the pacing does fit in with the rhythms of these rugged mountain people. The tribesman relates the traditional rituals of life for the Bakhtiari, from how they tend their animals to their elaborate wedding feasts, and over the course of the film the tribe's unique mountain culture emerges. Though a viewer maywonder how (or if) the migration has changed in present-day Iran, this film is the original production of 1976 and offers no update. --Robert J. McNamara ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Bakhtiary's Journey
This documentary is most interesting film I have seen in recent years about this forgotten people. This film is about Bakhtiary tribe annual journey from their winter pasture into their summer highlands. The movie takes you on a wonderful trip into the most rugged, yet beautiful scenery of inner Iran. The music only amplifies your joyous odyssey from numerous river crossings and mountainous trails. A must have collection for anyone with a kin eye for beauty.

A TRIP TO BE REMEMBERED...
This is an engrossing documentary of the Bakhtiari migration in which about 500,000 men, women, and children, along with approximately one million animals, spend eight weeks of hardship in their struggle to cross the Zagros mountains in order to reach summer pastures for their livestock.

Their two hundred miles odyssey is told in the words of the leader of the Babahdi tribe. His words are voiced over by actor James Mason. His story is as compelling, as it is amazing. It is difficult to believe that a people would so endure a journey of such hardship year after year.

There is no road through the mountain, only trails or passages worn over time. It is, indeed, rough and rugged terrain over which to cross. The people climb, unroped, these 15,000 foot peaks, herding along their livestock, in clothing and footwear that does not inure them to the ravages of frostbite and illness. You see young children herding animals on precipices that would give most people pause.

It is a primitive, yet communal way of life. The film provides the viewer with a fascinating glimpse into a lifestyle which would be foreign to most. It is compelling, documentary film- making at its best. It is a film that would appeal to all those interested in other cultures, as well as in the human condition.

Like living the nomad life yourself
If you've been fascinated by gypsies and other nomads, this is a real treat. You're right there with them, seeing the hardships, the awesome countryside, and the colorful clothing & jewelry, getting a feel of what it's really like. I felt right at home, and understood my heritage better. A gorgeous film. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Quite informative and not technical
This DVD leads us through time to examine the strength of the Earth¡¦s magnetic field through various perspectives, from potteries to volcano rocks. It also briefly describes the consequences of Earth without the protection of the magnetic field, how Earth generates the magnetic field, and when the next reversal of magnetic field occurs.

I find that the information on the DVD is not detailed enough. However, the PBS website (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/magnetic/) gives me a better understanding of the Earth¡¦s magnetic field.

Compass will point to South
This film probes the problem of the Earth's magnetic field. The nature of the Earth's magnetic field provides a shield to protect us getting bursted from cosmic rays and radiation. Scientists have found that the Earth's magnetic field is rapidly weakening, and even reversing in some future. Yes, compass will point to south someday. The film only focuses on the reversing of the Earth's magnetic field; however, it does not cover much of the details about the damages to our people and our earth during this reversing phenomena. It does not mention any government special project groups working on solution or prevention to this magnetic storm. Strong contents on telling how the Earth's magnetic field works and the reversing fact, but weak on covering the consequences from the reversing cause.

Unlike NOVA's Elegant Universe, this DVD only gives a 55 min. show and does not provide extra feartures and educational softcopy materials. I recommend you may get a copy from your local library, watch it and decide your purchase.

Very interesting without resorting to false anxiety
This is an entertaining, informative, and even-handed look at the Earth's magnetic field, how it has changed over time, what it is doing now, and what it all might mean.

The computer graphics used are interesting and effective, but the most interesting part was the (previously unknown to me) magnetic history stored in volcanic rock. Some of the conclusions they draw from this work can really make you think.

Although documentary DVDs are usually not very cost effective, giving you a (if you're lucky) 1-hour program for the price of a 2-hour blockbuster movie, this one is worth a try. And as the Earth's magnetic field continues to change (it's clearly in the midst of a fast-moving decline right now), this could be a good source of entertaining info to review later. ... Read more

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This third and final volume of the Face of Russia series begins with video footage of a Russian Orthodox service taking place in a church that, due to communist subjugation, has not held mass for some 70 years. This scenario typifies art and culture in modern Russia--a reclamation of the old brought to life through new media of expression. In this study of 20th-century Russian music and cinema, we are shown how historical events are portrayed in a larger-than-life fashion characteristic of Russian artists, and how this heightened sense of drama has actually altered Russia's view of its own reality. For example, filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein's thundering depiction of Lenin's revolutionary forces overtaking the Hermitage was greatly exaggerated--it was actually a quite subdued "storming"; more people were injured in the making of this film than in the event itself. Nevertheless, it is now perceived by Russians as an accurate summary of the final day of the Bolshevik revolution. The world of music is given equal time in this video, highlighting composers such as Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, and Shostakovich, and their endeavors to capture the Russian voice in their characterizations of historic events.

Also addressed in this film is the idea that, now that communism has faded, Russia must set out to form a new cultural identity. As difficult a task as this must be, "Facing the Future" offers the hope that Russia will come to see itself as more than "a caviar of faces" and as a nation of individuals. With this change in perception, along with increasing acceptance of foreign cultural influences, Russia is certain to adopt exhilarating new forms of art and self-expression. --Ed Noble ... Read more

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The second volume of The Face of Russia documentary series concentrates on the architecture and literature of Russia and how these have helped define the nation's complex personality throughout history. Most prominently featured are the architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli and the poet and satirist Nikolay Gogol, both of whom are considered Russia's finest in their respective fields.Rastrelli's works are shown here to be opulent and formidable, not surprising in a culture where the gigantic is often favored at the expense of the practical. With their golden halls and spectacular fountains, the palaces he designed for Czar Peter I and his wife and successor, Catherine, are masterpieces of extravagant artifice. Their intention, like much of Russian architecture, is to convey a sense of grandeur of almost unearthly proportions. This is not lost in the film's presentation of these marvelous structures, which simultaneously appreciates their beauty and deems them to be "facades of power."

The exploration of the life and writings of Gogol emphasizes the dark humor and taste for the absurd typical of the suffering Russian character behind the facade. Interviews with literary scholars and dramatists reveal how much influence Gogol has had on Russian art and politics, and how accurately his work reflects the hidden soul of Russia. A good portion of this video is devoted to a study of Gogol, which, while fascinating, seems odd in a documentary that touches on many other areas of Russian culture only superficially. Despite this, the second volume of this enlightening series does a good job of further unveiling "The Face of Russia" to the curious eyes of the West. --Ed Noble ... Read more

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Norman Mailer may have come up with the title Advertisements for Myself, but in this case, Madonna is the one who really wrote the book. Truth or Dare, an engaging behind-the-scenes look at the pop star's Blonde Ambition tour, is a feature-film advertisement for herself that Roger Ebert cleverly dubbed "an authorized invasion of privacy." How much of it is calculated and how much of it is genuine, what Madonna chooses to reveal about herself and what she actually reveals in the process, are up to the viewer to decide. Patterned in part after the classic D.A. Pennebaker documentary of Bob Dylan Don't Look Back, the black-and-white sections of Truth or Dare offer glimpses into her offstage life, while excerpts from the show are seen in color. Madonna's relationship with her father and brother, the maternal control she wields over her dancers, her giggly friendship with Sandra Bernhard, her crush on Antonio Banderas (later to become her costar in the movie version of Evita), the waning days of her relationship with Warren Beatty (who accuses her of wanting to exist only for the camera)--all of it becomes self-conscious fodder for a fascinating examination of modern pop stardom. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (66)

The Uninhibited Truth
This documentary is a personal look into Madonna's private life, thoughts, and dilemmas behind the scenes. It has clips from the "Blonde Ambition Tour" and black & white footage of her interacting with the crew, dancers, family members & back-up singers. Madonna handles the pressures of technical difficulty, bad weather, moral issues & undeserving fans in the front seats with a funny but sure attitude. You see glimpses of her nature to be like a mother to her fellow dancers as she hugs each & helps them with their dilemmas. You meet her dad, brother, Warren Beatty, & Sandra Bernard. You see a more emotional Madonna when she is talking about her mother's tragic death, and when she cries at her last NY concert that was dedicated to her friend who died of AIDS. She loves people and the stage is her passion. She is a natural, a Marilyn Monroe of this generation! "See the truth, Madonna dares you."

For Madonna's fans only
Madonna's controversive career and publicity mounted at a top point in early nineties following her video release of #1 single LIKE A PRAYER, her appearance in Warren Beaty's blockbuster DICK TRACY, the year 1990's sold-out BLONDE AMBITION world tour, and the subsequently unapologetic music video from self-title studio LP EROTICA. However, to date, no official video remastering has been worked on the VHS of BLONDE AMBITION tour. TRUTH OR DARE is the best recap of Madonna's best onstage performances, rehearsing, and period life spent offstage during the promotion of her multi-million dollars tour across Europe, American, and - Japan!

This documentary captures all the tell-truth interviews and self-reflections of the superstar as much as the roles of the people and her family who were there with her touring at some point. There is a scene where she shrugged off Canada's banning of her lewd concert act and way passed the officials with her background singers Niki Haris and Donna DeLory. There are plenty of laughters, celebrations, and tears too. She also visited Antonio Banderas and the Spanish film giant Pedro Almodóvar when the tour stopped by Madrid. As a matter of fan's interest, the behind-the-scene film also reveals the unusual closeness between Madonna and her seven queer dancers who invented the "House Of Extravagenza" dance culture for her #1 world-frenzy hit VOGUE.

I only hope there could be more recaps of her performaces in Japan especially, when her long blonde ponytail were once making a wave!

TRUTH OR DARE is Madonna's best entertaining work to offer for those who appreciate her artistic musical expressions thoughout the eighties. You'll love this DVD, do not miss it.

One of the worst movies I've ever seen in my life
This is one of the worst movies I have ever seen in my life. The way Madonna exploited her mother's death for her benefit, well, it was just exploitation at its finest.
Also, the way she treated Warren Beatty and her hairdresser was very self serving.
I suffered through this movie. It stank, imo.

Spectacular and intriguing
As with everything Madonna does, it sets out to be thought-provoking and honest. This documentary is an insight into the world of Madonna on the road and in between, looking at other aspects of her life and personality.
It shows her as a brazen and self absorbed personality, as with all great performers, but you also get to see a very vunerable human behind this exterior.
It's a great idea, especially for an artist such as Madonna, because she's a very interesting artist and performer.
She may come across as self-indulgent and narcisstic, but she's every bit a stunning and talented performer.
Madonna is often complex and often contradictory, I think she had a lot of irony in mind when the concept of this documentary was thought up, but it shows Madonna at her very peak as an artist, a decade where she wasn't afraid to say and do what she pleased. It's essential for every Madonna fan and for any casual fan interested in knowing more and observing her as a performer and personality.

Great Classic Madonna, a keeper!
This is Madonna at her best. Anyone who has growen up with her music will appreciate this movie. I watch it every so often and not only does it bring back happy times, it's an excellent documentry of what it's like t be rich and very famous. Even if you don't have a liking for Madonna, I find it hard to beleive that you would not at least have a better respect for her after watching this DVD. This will always be on the living room DVD case! ... Read more

Description

A stylized and vivid account of how renowned Asian artists, Huang Miaozi, and Yu Feng, survived the turbulent years of the 20th century in China.Christopher Tuckfield's award-winning film is a moving record of their resilience and the tenacity of their creative spirit in the face of extreme hardship.Married since 1944 the artist's story is told in six chapters covering their respective childhoods, vibrant youth in pre-war Shanghai, the rise of the cult of Mao, solitary confinement for seven years during the Cultural Revolution, and their resettlement in Australia after Mao's death. ... Read more