Rating: Summary: Poor Video Quality Review: The dancing and music were great, but the quality of the video was terrible. It looked like a tape of a tape. I felt as if I were trying to see the dancers through a cloud or mist.
Rating: Summary: Your Only Chance -- Grab It Review: I loved the various camera angles. I found them to enhance experiencing as much of the excitement as a camera could allow. Lord of the Dance is "raw" Michael Flatley -- the guts, the grit, and the glory of his talent. And the fact is, that Michael hung up his dancing shoes in 1999. I saw Riverdance live on stage for the 1st time lately. Sure, live is always better. But if you're expecting to see Flatley perform live, you'll have a long wait. He has retired from performing -- so the videos Lord of the Dance, Feet of Flames, and Riverdance are your only chance to see his genius now. Unlike Riverdance, the Show (which is also totally amazing in its own right, including the hauntingly beautiful singing, the drumming, fiddling and collage of ethnic dance), Lord of the Dance has more plot, more story. A beginning, middle and end. I think Michael Flatley is probably the most talented dancer that ever lived -- and if you want to experience the magic, get this video! I doubt that there will ever be another like him. (I especially liked the camera angle from under a transparent floor section. Awesome.) The Riverdance phenomenon and Flatley's dancing have touched and changed my life forever. Grab these while you can.
Rating: Summary: A Celtic Dream Review: After seeing Lord of the Dance live in Indianapolis, I had to get the video, because I was amazed with the show. After viewing the video, I believe that the best experience you could have, is to see it live. Because the video quality is only a fraction of what it is live. The images cut every few seconds, which can be somewhat distracting, and sometimes, the lighting in the video can be too much, and makes the entire screen look fuzzy blue. But, if you are an avid Lord of the Dance fan, I suggest buying this video, especially since Michael Flately is not preforming this show anymore.
Rating: Summary: Lord Of The Dance Review: Very poor picture quality. Show taped in Ireland ..would have liked to see a recording from US
Rating: Summary: Forget taste Review: If you want to see what the stage show was like, do not get this video.If you want to see something enjoyable, do not get this video. If you want to see how a great show can be massacared by poor taste, get this video. This video reprents the excesses of a narcisstic editor who is more interested in creating an abstract hurly burly of juxtaposed images than in helping the user enjoy a great visual feast. It is like somebody doing a video about an artist's paintings insisting on placing colored and distorting lenses on their cameras to misrepresent the artwork. Yes, this style is OK for a 3-minute music video where the star of the show is the music. This style is completely unacceptable when it is an hour long video that is supposed to show a dance. This video represents the peak of poor taste and bad editing. If you want to see dance on video, get the video "Riverdance." If you want to see "Lord of the Dance" (which is great), you have to see it on the stage.
Rating: Summary: Enjoyable Show Review: Excellent music and dance performances. Personal favorites in the program are "Gypsy" (great instrumental) and "Siamsa" (very nice traditional routine). Michael Flatley dominates the stage with his flamboyant dancing, but other performances in the show prevent his presence from being too much. Almost comparable to "Riverdance" that remains the original and best show of this type of genre. Ronin Hardiman's music is remarkable and his CD is a worthy addition to the music collection. DVD sound and imagery are very good.
Rating: Summary: Horrible filming! Review: This video is filled with horrible camera angles and terrible editing! The camera angle changes every second! This aspect alone is horribly distracting! The lighting is overpowering and you can barely see the dancers-is it a dance performance or a light show? Poor artistic choice with their lighting design! If you actually want to SEE what the performers are doing...I suggest that you get the Riverdance video! I must agree that Flatley has an ego that distracts from the performance.
Rating: Summary: A whirlwind of sight, sound and passion. . . Review: When the name Michael Flatley is mentioned, many people immediately call to mind the heart-pounding rhythms and intoxicating melodies of Riverdance. That's all fine and dandy, but resist the temptation to consider Lord of the Dance an extension of its popular predecessor. This show concentrates exclusively on Irish dance, incorporating many of the darker aspects of the Celtic heritage into its story and imagery. A consummate showman, Flatley dominates the stage in a fiery, breathless performance of boundless energy. There is a raw edge to this music and dance portrayal of the battle between good and evil. Lord of the Dance runs the full gauntlet of emotions; occasionally tender, often sensual, frequently aggressive to the point of near violence. For one who takes the time (and the required concentration) to carefully observe, Flatley's technical brilliance is apparent in the speed, difficulty and perfection of form which he brings to his dance routines. Amazingly, the supporting dancers are almost equally as skilled. However, the enjoyment of this show is not in its technical merit, but in its artistic wizardry. It is an intricate performance which frequently intertwines the movements of many dancers, yet maintains its cohesion and flow, never losing the simple beauty of skilled bodies in constant motion. The single flaw is in the editing of the video, which occasionally cuts between camera angles so quickly and so often as to be distracting. Within this minor problem, however, are some visual gems, such as seeing the feet of the dancers from BENEATH the stage, a unique perspective that gives a true appreciation for the power and skill of the cast. Lord of the Dance is not, as occasionally suggested, a repackaging of Riverdance. It is a completely different visual experience, one that stands rightly and proudly on its own. In this performance, Michael Flatley more than proves that he is worthy of the title.
Rating: Summary: Review of the new DVD version of LOTD Review: I must admit that I am a fervent fan of LOTD and Riverdance. I have seen both shows twice and listen to the music and watch the videos almost daily as I do some cardio work after a weight workout. I also play the music at my office. So am I am hooked. Thus, it was with great anticipation that I ordered the DVD version of LOTD. I am glad I ordered it. I play it on our notebook computer as I bike or Nordictrack (and use headphones). The program is just as fine as it ever was. The video is clear. There is some background static that can be heard when the music is low or between scenes, but it is not too bad. It remains an amazing show that simply confounds the imagination. The colors are sharp, the music is hypnotic, and of course, the dancing is amazing. I understand Michael Flatley is a rather confident fellow, but I must say his talents are extraordinary, as are his costars. No one is a paragon of virtue, so just enjoy his show and the DVD for what it is--spellbinding entertainment. There is some additional background material included on the DVD; basically an abreviated version of the Making of LOTD. It is a nice extra, though it would have been nice to have some new material or interviews with the DVD. All in all, worth every penny.
Rating: Summary: Wretched. Review: The ensemble effort that makes Riverdance wonderful is vastly superior to this One Man Vanity Exposition. Michael Flatley's stupid inflated ego completely eclipses his very fine dancing, and the dancing of his equally fine supporting cast, until the dancing becomes secondary to his head. Add to that, a completely vapid, pointless "plot," and a ridiculously overblown finale, and you have yourselves a big Loser.
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