Rating: Summary: 110 minutes of guitar-smashing, mic-spinning fun! Review: I am so glad to see this movie finally rereleased on DVD. This is the original documentary how it was meant to be seen. From the early performance of My Generation on The Smothers Brothers' TV Show (in wich Keith blows up his drumset and Pete smashes Tommy Smother's guitar) to the magnificent finale of Won't Get Fooled Again (wich was the last time they ever played with Moonie) this movie leaves all of it's viewers with their jaws flat on the floor. One of the best features this new DVD has going for it is that we finally get the full-length performance of A Quick One While He's Away on The Rolling Stone's Rock 'n' Roll Circus, (the previous DVD edited four minutes off of it and took out Keith Richards introduction and a short interview clip of Pete describing how the Mini-opera came to be) wich has been regarded as the best show of The Who's career. The interviews in this documentary are great, the bands extrovert personalities are displayed perfectly. Pete Townshend gives various indepth descriptions on his songwritings among other things, that's one of the great things about Pete, he has an accute (even anal-retentive) attention to detail that gives everyone a better idea of the what goes on in his mind while he's writing, playing, and so on. Pete has an incredible stage presence, he's never still, he's jumping and running around, smashing his guitar, put all this over his raging feedback and ear-popping power chords and you have a formula that can't be beat. Pete is like a modern day Da Vinci or Edison, like them, his groundbreaking creations have changed the world and will always challenge and inspire future artists, but his most amazing creations are the ones that never came to be (the Lifehouse Project, better known as Who's Next). Roger Daltrey has got to be the best Rock 'n' Roll singer of all time, I don't see how someone can scream like that without their vocal chords shredding to pieces. He was truly the face of Rock in the Seventies, Jagger and Plant should be jealous. John Entwistle's flawless musicianship is what makes the Who's music more than just noise, he holds down the beat and allows the other members to shine. Onstage, he stands perfectly still, gazing down at the audience like a gargoyle. He is certainly the prototype to wich all other bass players originate from. But as always, Keith Moon steals the show with his hilarious personality (the little chat with Ringo Starr), and most of all his incredible drumming (every single performance he ever gave). It's not often when a drummer get's the same star status as a frontman, especially when you're in a group like The Who, but Keith is the first to ever really draw your gaze away from the Singer or the Guitarist and onto the back of the stage. The picture and sound on this new release are fabulous, the collectible booklet is an interesting read, and the special features are as good as the movie, and that doesn't happen too much. A new interview with Roger, it's cool to see him reflect on things now. There is a video and audio comparison so you can see just how much better this new remaster is. But without a doubt, the coolest new feature is a 100 minute, multi camera angle, featurette, we get to focus on each individual member, it's alot of fun. This is what every Who fan has been waiting for, don't think twice and get this DVD, you certainly won't regret it.
Rating: Summary: THE DEFINITION OF ROCK DOCUMENTARY Review: This is the definition of a rock documentary. All to be measured by in both Metric and Imperial. Thankyou Jeff Stein.
Rating: Summary: IT'S ABOUT TIME THIS CAME OUT Review: I'm basing the five stars on the film I watched twenty times in a single week when it played at the Quad-eight Theaters in Saginaw, MI when it was first released. I'm basing this on the copy I recorded off MTV when it aired. I'm basing the five stars based on the slightly edited and tinkered version that came out on laser disc several years ago. Even edited, and tinkered and toyed with, THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT is one of the greatest band documentaries ever made. What made it so special was the fact that Jeff Stein was a fan of the band and made this film because of his love of THE WHO that he wanted to share with the world. Now, with the restoraton complete, the additional footage, the interviews attached, and the audio made even better with the 5.1, a great film about a great band has become even better.
Rating: Summary: FINALLY!! Review: I've been waiting for a reissue of this movie for years. The movie is really great, and is vital for any Who fan, you'll enjoy it, I promise.
Rating: Summary: Finally, The Best collection of live Who performances on DVD Review: I first saw this movie in 1983 at a 'Who Film Festival'. To see it on the big screen was incredible. This film cemented in my mind, who was the best live band ever. Have been waiting for this DVD release patiently for a few years now. I am blown away by the special features that come with this movie (DTS surround, director commentary, Roger Daltrey interview, alternate camera angles, 5.1 mix of the studio version of "Who Are You", assorted featurettes). The producers of this DVD really did a great job with the mastering and packaging of this product. You WILL NOT be disappointed. Reasons why you should buy this DVD: 1. You will not find a better live version of any of the songs in this movie, on any other Who release. Trust me, I own every Who release there is, and many bootlegs. 2. Interviews with the band - Townshend and Keith Moon are in rare (not sober) form. These really show the four distinct personalities within the band. 3. Rare performances from the very early years & television programs that have not been released on anything else. 4. The special features mentioned above. Check out the multi angle feature for "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" - 4-6 camera angles are available on each, so you can watch any member of the band for the entirety of the songs. Also contains a feature to view/listen to the same two songs with John Entwistle's bass part on an isolated track. Besides being an interesting feature, imagine this would really appeal to somebody that has tried to learn his bass lines. 5. The 'My Generation' opening on the Smothers Brothers show. If that kind of performance went down on Leno or Letterman today, it would probably result in authorities shutting down the show and some arrests being made. 6. Song selection - Live cuts from every Who studio album through Who Are You, except Quadrophenia. Plus some off cuts thrown in like 'Cobwebs and Strange', 'Success Story', 'Shout and Shimmy'. 7. The tour scene through John Entwistle's home, showing off his guitar collection and gold record skeet shooting ability. 8. Last live performances of Keith Moon before he died in 1978. There may be other bands with better production in the studio, such as Led Zeppelin or the Rolling Stones, but this movie does a great job of showing you who the best live performance band is. Hands down it has to be The Who. Live performance was and is the Who's niche. Production can't hide what other bands are not capable of on stage. If you need your live fix of Quadrophenia songs, I strongly recommend 'The Who: Live at Royal Albert Hall'. Townshend acoustic version of 'Drowned', Entwistle "BASS Cam" solo on '5:15' is a masterpiece.
Rating: Summary: Best Rock N Roll Movie Ever ! Review: This is a "must see" Rock N Roll movie, there are not bands like this anymore. Thankfully, the movie has been fully restored,and the quality far exceeds the cinema release. Although I would have loved it if Jeff Stein could have located more concert footage or even added more of The Who's Woodstock performance. I know for a fact that 5 songs were filmed, as I have seen them, years and years ago.
Rating: Summary: Finally! Review: It took far to long for The Kids Are Alright to get out on DVD. After seeing and hearing the new special edition, it was worth the wait! Keith Moon has to be seen to be believed. The extended A Quick One really shows how amazing and entertaining he could be. The Ox Cam on the 2nd disc is a fitting tribute to the man who held the band together, but is rarely seen compared to his more flashy band-mates. This is a great package with great content and should be required in every home where music is played. Just don't smash your TV when it's over.
Rating: Summary: Amazing Journey... the standard for rockumentaries... Review: There have been other releases on VHS (Max R&B, Who's Better Who's Best) that should also be released and contain a lot more songs.
This is a tribute to the classic Who when Keith Moon was the drummer, and contains a mix of interviews, sketches, promo videos, and performance footage that ranges from fun to mesmerizing.
A lot of the pre-"Tommy" material is represented, a few "Tommy" and "Who's Next" tracks, as well as seeing them in the studio recording "Who Are You". You see Moonie trashing hotel rooms, John Entwhistle shooting gold records, and Pete in full pontificating mode, with Roger taking a back seat in most of the interviews... considering that Pete wrote the songs and Keith was the joker there was little room left for Daltrey to get a word in. However when he gets on stage, he takes over.
But they also manage to avoid being a "Spinal Tap" by poking fun at themselves and having fun. And it is F-U-N.
It's great to finally see the theatrical version after being used to seeing videotaped copies over the years and the "Who's Next" songs just leap out at you like a band with something to prove.
Rating: Summary: No Better, No Worse Review: How do I access the video for the song "The Kid's Are Alright". My copy of this double disc set states that there is a "Director's Cut" version on disc one (that would presumably include the video for the song TKAA). However, when you go to the special features section of disc one, it asks you to go directly to disc two (but I didn't find the "Director's Cut" version there either). Otherwise this version of the film is no better, or no worse than other versions, as there is no "real" bonus footage. Most film information on The Who is generally grainy, and somewhat sloppy, but isn't that why we loved The Who all along anyway?
Rating: Summary: "Are these guys for real?" Review: That's what my younger, still-uninitiated friend asked me about 15 minutes or so into the movie...I guess if you're on the outside looking in, I suppose one might percieve that The Who were The Monkees before The Monkees. But never fear, my friend soon "got" it, and now The Kids Are Alright is one of his favorite rock movies. The band's playful, over-the-top antics was actually a strength & seemed to be a reflection of their powerful live shows--at first. But as the film progresses, you can witness the ramifications of those antics, ultimately becoming a weakness too noticible to ignore...it's quite sad seeing Keith Moon, once indestructible, deteriorate before our very eyes. But this movie is not a cry-fest, but rather a celebration of what made The Who, well, The Who. There's many great live performances here, but the "Won't Get Fooled Again" finale is an emphatic exclamation point...if you've seen it, you know what I mean. Essential viewing, this movie belongs in any rock fans' collection.
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