Rating: 
Summary: To think of what it could have been...
Review: ...I think it's ultimately a good set to own it is a great disappointment and, dare I say, a bit of a ripoff? First of all, Rhino could have easily kept this collection at well under 7 or even 6 discs, but no, they just had to pad it and make it seem like you're getting more bang for your buck, which you not. Second, why some of the duplication (which is inexcusable), and I really would like a clarification from Rhino as to whether they actually did shorten the clips themselves, or are we seeing them exactly as they aired? Also, where are the other performances that were left off? I am not familiar with everyone who was on the show but where are The Byrds and The Seekers? Who knows what other great artists were omitted? They could have put ALL of The Beatles' Sullivan show performances on one disc, including the ones that were left off altogether. Another question I have, although it is not related to the quality of the discs, is why some bands performed their songs live and some lip-synched. Even the Stones performances were lip-synched, albeit Mick does a good job of faking it. All in all this could have been a truly spectacular collection but it merely ends up as little more than a marketing ploy.
Rating: 
Summary: An eyeopener for a Brit music buff
Review: As someone who in England never saw the Ed Sullivan Shows in the 1950s/1960s or 1970s, this was therefore a brand new experience with little knowledge beyond the stories of the Beatles initial performances helping break them in America and the Rolling Stones falling out with the man, in keeping up their image at the time. The sheer range of the artistes represented makes it an amazing trip down memory lane and accepting all the restrictions of Sunday evening TV shows and tight time slots, I certainly did not find the layout format with introductory comments so each artiste or song is put into context a problem or that some of the performances are repeated (very few given the sheer number on this boxed set). Highlights having watched several times are the Elvis and Beatles performances, the amazing range of Tamla artistes appearances though a heavy reliance on the Supremes, Jackson 5 and the Temptations (and their even more amazing stage costumes as the 1960s went on!)which are in turn blown away by the James Brown sets; plus some real great individual sets notably Creedence and Animals. If this box set is representative of what the show represented musically (knowing also that each show had a host of other family entertainment acts) then Ed Sulivan and his producers are belatedly being recognised in a great way for their major contributions in popular music. In UK the equivalent 1960s show (Sunday Night at London Palladium) was apparently not archived properly so the Beatles, Stones and many other 1960s acts appearances are lost forever making this an even more important release. Bummers for me were no major Stax/Atlantic artistes; too much Hermans Hermits (even if Ed did like them a lot)and a bias to late 1960s - more 1950s and early 1960s acts would have balanced better but these are small complaints for what has been a real eyeopener and pleasure to watch and listen to. Now when is Rhino going to get the long deleted (in UK anyway) Tami and TNT video onto a good DVD reissue!
Rating: 
Summary: Very Disappointing set!!!!
Review: Buyers beware! Most of the performances on this Ed Sullivan DVD box set have been cut. How in the world can you take a 2 minute song and cut it? Well, Rhino found a way. This would have been a great set if all 144 songs were complete. Surely they had enough space on each DVD (60 minutes per disc? Come on). I'm sending my set back for a refund.
Rating:
Summary: A great trip back in time
Review: First the negatives,as other reviewers have pointed out:Too much repetition, this could have easily been a 5 or 6 disc set and the fact many of the songs are heavily edited. That said, I did enjoy this package..a wide variety of music including shows devoted to Elvis,the Supremes and the Temptations..by shows I mean the half hour syndicated shows that make up this collection.I enjoyed the background information along with the historical clips and the narration by Jay Thomas..same guy from Murphy Brown and Cheers and a very good disc jockey.This is probably the most comprehensive music set put together and those Sullivan intros are priceless. He once forgot the Supremes name and said "here are the girls!" There are a lot of great artists represted and goes back to 1955 right through the end of the show in 1971/The asking price is a bit steepbut if you can find it for under $100..go for it. A better rock and roll time capsule you won t find.
Rating: 
Summary: ED SULLIVAN ROCK AND ROLL CLASSICS
Review: Great Memories.....but a price ... This would have been a wonderful buy at [$$$] for the set....but the people at Rhino have really gouged you with the price. Each disc only runs 60 minutes.....they could easily have combined the music to 4 discs
and offered the set for half of what they are charging. Why is it that major companies like FOX can offer an entire season of 24 episodes of a classic TV shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show or Malcom in the Middle for [$$$] and a company like Rhino feels they have to spread the shows on several discs to ... As for the content.....it is excellent...no question about it and if you have [$$$] to spare and don't mind being taken to the cleaners then enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: A Pretty Good Collection
Review: I enjoyed this boxed collection of rock appearances by different groups, mostly in the 60s with a few 50s appearances. I was a little annoyed that some of the songs appeared on more than one disk, so there are repeated songs. Still, there are several disks worth of music, with quite a cross section of artists. Motown is strongly represented here and if you like that music, you'll love this collection. There is a disk devoted to the British invasion artists also. I would have liked to see more of the Beatles appearances; the only one I saw was the initial one. Overall a fine collection, but it could have been a bit better.
Rating:
Summary: A Pretty Good Collection
Review: I enjoyed this boxed collection of rock appearances by different groups, mostly in the 60s with a few 50s appearances. I was a little annoyed that some of the songs appeared on more than one disk, so there are repeated songs. Still, there are several disks worth of music, with quite a cross section of artists. Motown is strongly represented here and if you like that music, you'll love this collection. There is a disk devoted to the British invasion artists also. I would have liked to see more of the Beatles appearances; the only one I saw was the initial one. Overall a fine collection, but it could have been a bit better.
Rating: 
Summary: "Live" Show Demands
Review: I had a ball watching this set! I can only speak for some of the Motown segments that I taped on my reel-to-reel audio recorder back when they were first aired. I can't hear any editing other than some shortening on the intros and exits of the performers. I remember reading somewhere that it was not unusual for the Sullivan show to give a definite number of minutes to each act, and that some performances had to be shortened- and some performers were disappointed. Most were so happy to be on the Sullivan show that they would have done anything to please him. He was a brave man who did alot of good things. But, if you rubbed him the wrong way he could be tough. I really miss him, and this box set has been a terrific way for me to escape back in time and relive some wonderful moments...
Rating:
Summary: I can't stop watching it.
Review: I Just got this Ed Sullivan collection in the mail today.. I couldn't believe I was seeing all of this in one DVD set... Most of the popular rock acts from the 1950's to the late 1960's are displayed here on DVD. There are so many musical groups and songs that some of them are bound to be among your favorites of all time. Some surprises on it were the showing of what was going on in the world when certain songs were new and when they were heard on the Sullivan show..
I also liked seeing Lucille Ball (in color)(who was sitting with her Mother and her daughter Lucie in the audience), being asked to stand up when her son Desi Arnaz Jr appearing with his rock group (at the age of around 12, believe it or not)Dino, Desi, and Billy... The Elvis clips are great.. The Beatles too.. The Stones are great... The Motown stuff is the best. The Mama's & Papa's.. and Beach Boys are great too.
So Much to not only enjoy listening to, but also enjoy Watching...
A lot of things are filmed in Color on this collection. Though the black and white stuff is great as well..
I like it even better than I thought I would.
Nice box it comes with...
I do think they could have put more artists on here, (since the DVD's are only about an hour long each... They could have put an extra hour of performances on each DVD(none of the following 1960's greats are included on this 9 disk set: like the Seekers, Dusty Springfield, Nancy Sinatra, Dave Clark 5, Simon & Garfunkel, Rascals, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, The Turtles, The Byrds). I wish they had put these artists and more in this collection as well. This DVD collection is good, but it could have been even better.
Rating:
Summary: SAVE YOUR MONEY!!!
Review: I know there seems to be an ongoing debate whether
these performances are full-length or not, but take
it from someone who watched this show faithfully
every week, and then later saw the chopped-up,
syndicated versions. THESE PERFORMANCES ARE NOT
COMPLETE. Some of them end just as they are pick-
ing up steam. It's a shame the way Rhino or
whoever has butchered this legacy. This set is a HUGE disappointment!
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