Rating: Summary: Exceeded my expectations... Review: This is the best live release the Cure has ever done, and way up there as concert films go in general.I was in Berlin for both nights of the filming. Although the DVD could never capture the "essense" of the cigarrete smoke filled room (gasp!), far more detail is revealed in sound and vision on the DVD. I was very impressed the the filming, particularly some of the side stage shots where Robert, Simon and Perry are all in focus, as well as the editing which really captured the frenetic portions of songs like The Kiss. Very ocasionally video effects were used, but only on Pornography did I think it was over done. (Interestingly, although the the huge floor to ceiling projections were integral to the show, the dramatic images are lost since there are very few full stage scenes.) The sound was pristine, and for once Jason's drum sound had a powerful punch that I feel has been missing on the least few tours. My only fault with Trilogy is that the audio is so clean that at times it does not sound "live". This opinion is based on the stereo audio track. Perhaps the 5.1 audio track captures more of the ambience of the venue.
Rating: Summary: A Must Buy Review: Not only is this a great Cure concert film, this is one of the best concert films I have ever seen. The band spared no expense on this release. From the high definition video to the 5.1 digital sound, every last detail is magnificent. If you are a huge fan of The Cure or merely somewhat interested in any of these albums it would be a crime not to own this DVD.
Rating: Summary: Note on the Pornography Set Review: I bought this DVD solely for the performance of the Pornography album, my and many others' favorite Cure album. The only disappointment with the performance--and unfortunately it's a major one--is that the drummer plays behind the beat on nearly every song. This gives the impression that the band is constantly running out of steam. For such an intense album, this dragginess saps a lot of power from these songs. There are two exceptions, though: "The Figurehead" which sounds slightly more relaxed and melodic than the album version; and an absolutely amazing performance of "Cold"--if only the whole set could have been this good! On the minus side, "Short Term Effect" and "Pornography" don't come off too well because of the dissonant Arabic guitar lines that never quite match up properly. Generally, though, everything in the set sounds good but the drumming. In the interview section of the disc the drummer admits being slightly uncomfortable playing these older songs. Going to the Bloodflowers set you can hear how much better he is playing his own parts. As far as the rest of the DVD is concerned, I enjoyed: The Interviews, especially Robert's Stage, Light Show Simon Gallup's stage presence w/ low slung bass a la Paul Simonon/Peter Hook Definitely worth a rental...
Rating: Summary: WOW Review: "The Cure-Trilogy" is the best concert dvd I have seen and I have quite a few. It feels as if you are there watching the band play(and I must say the light show is dazzling). The "Pornography" set, featuring an album from 1982, sounds fresh and powerful. The drums and the bass on several of the songs sound punchy and crisp. There are also little camera effects which add so much to the show. The "Disintegration" set has an epic feel, with keyboards coming up front and tons of layered guitar. Many of the songs are emotional and the blue colors of the light show set a mood for the set. The final "Bloodflowers" set contains several wistful and beautiful songs as well as a few heavy, energetic songs. The show is definitely The Cure's best I've seen in a live setting. All of the instruments have room to breathe and there is a high amount of dynamics in each song. "The Cure-Trilogy" is the best purchase if you are a huge Cure fan. The 3 albums, although dark, are The Cure's best moments in their career. If you are a fan of the darker Cure albums, pick this up. If you are a fan of the happier Cure stuff like "Friday I'm in Love" or "In Between Days" you should still pick this up to see a different side of this wonderful band. Cheers to Robert and crew!
Rating: Summary: Very Good Review: Your response to this DVD will depend almost entirely on your previous feelings about the Cure, particularly the 'dark' albums - Pornography, Disintegration, and Bloodflowers. These discs document a one-off performance of this 'Trilogy' (a post facto descriptor; I don't believe Smith had a trilogy in mind when he recorded Pornography) in its entirety, in chronological order. That said, the performances and musicianship are top-notch, the camera work is good, and the stage set and lighting are nicely designed and pleasing to the eye. It's clear that a great deal of care went into the performance, recording, and packaging of this document. Disintegration and Bloodflowers sound very much as they do on the original releases - very fine and moving - with a bit of speed and energy added as a function of live performance. The Pornography set, however, is a real revelation - driven, aggressive versions of a well-written song cycle that was abjectly performed and produced on the original studio release. If you like early Cure, but have grown aurally discriminating enough to cringe at the stodgy production of their earlier work, this disc will open your ears to the truly excellent songcraft buried in the mix, particularly on Pornography. I believe this will become the 'definitive' version of Pornography, finally performed and recorded in the manner its creators intended. The extras are fine, but for the die-hard fan only, I suppose. I could only watch so much interview footage featuring the various band members mumbling about the performance. Robert Smith is kind of articulate and funny in certain spots, though.
Rating: Summary: Phenomenal....stunning....tears-inducing! Review: I've only had time to sample a little of each track on this 3-hour disc so far (what I really need is a cold, rainy, dreary night to really immerse myself in this DVD - oh, wait...I live in Vermont! That should be this weekend!!) What I've heard so far is stunning, not only in sound but in picture as well (and thankfully, the film is in 1:85 widescreen!) What I think I like most, though, is finally hearing "Pornography" with the lush, full-band sound it deserves - no drum machines or tinny production - putting it on a level with any of the band's later material. Of course, every bit of "Disintegration" is simply majestic - I didn't know whether I felt like crying or taking a shit, it moved me so much! "Bloodflowers" - well, what can I say?? If you're a "true" Cure fan (i.e., one who knows that these are their three best albums - well, ok, I gotta say I love "Wish" as much as these three), then you've gotta have this. One of the best concert DVD's I've seen yet, easily on a par with U2's "Elevation Tour" disc.
Rating: Summary: the cure trilogy: absolutely phenomenal Review: The Cure "Trilogy" live in Berlin is an unprecedented document of one of the most prolific and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music. "Trilogy" captures The Cure's performance of their landmark albums Pornography, Disintegration, and Bloodflowers, in their entirety. For those who are familiar with commercially-released Cure videos, "Trilogy" is comparably the epitome of The Cure's sheer genius. A brilliant light show, outstanding cinematography, and unparalleled sound quality effectively convey the melancholy and chaotic vision of Robert Smith as never before. The Cure's performance is alternately intense and subdued: Robert's vocals are consistently stunning, while subtle variations in musical arrangements breathe new life into familiar songs, rendering every performance superior to the album version while maintaining the essence of the original. Perry Bamonte's guitar work is particularly tasteful during the Bloodflowers set, while Simon Gallup's bass provides possibly the only semblance of cohesion during the near-schizophrenic Pornography set. Jason and Roger are once again acutely proficient at drums and keyboards, repsectively. Highlights of the Pornography set include unbelievable renditions of "A Short Term Effect," "The Figurehead," and "Cold." The Disintegration set is simply mind-blowing. Note the return of the original synth to "Pictures of You," as well as haunting versions of "Last Dance" and "Distintegration." "Fascination Street" and "Prayers for Rain" have never sounded better. Bloodflowers songs are even more concise and emotional than Dream Tour performances: standouts include "Watching Me Fall," "The Last Day of Summer," and a surprisingly improved "39." The inclusion of encore "The Kiss" is a wonderful asset to the set and a fitting end to the DVD. Even long-established Cure fans will be shocked by the intensity of "The Kiss;" I have heard many, many live versions and this one...WOW. Worth the price of the DVD for this performance alone. The Cure "Trilogy" DVD is a phenomenal testament to art-in-progress. The performance is timeless and classic, yet strangely contemporary. This DVD is a mere facet of The Cure's extensive catalog of music and is representative of Robert Smith's most ethereal, introspective work...casual fans would benefit from becoming familiar with less-demanding albums before watching "Trilogy" from start to finish (Cure Show might be a good place to start as far as concert footage.) "Trilogy" is a brilliant, unparalleled perforance...The Cure are successful in making three inherently dark albums sound, well...a whole lot darker. 10 stars.
Rating: Summary: Finally!!!!!!! Review: This is the ultimate Cure DVD! Their three most intense albums played live! I haven't even finished watching all of it, but i have to stay that i'm pretty impressed with most of it already. All the albums are faithfully performed and each performance is pretty close to the full album length, so there aren't any experimentation (and fortunately, no edits). I don't know if it was the film or the filmer, but this is a much more satisfying release than the live performance from their Wish tour. That one just seemed too "produced" (if that makes any sense) and didn't really seem "live" (compared to, say, U2's Zoo TV video, which looks like a tv performance but feels like a live performance, with no overdubbing, etc.....)and basically, "bloated." The band played really well, and i think i can finally appreciate Simon on Bass, seeing as how i can finally hear him (cheers to whoever mixed the sound). The final encore of the two Kiss Me tracks are also very well played, with the band "rocking out" on The Kiss. I probably would have also enjoyed "jupiter crash, faith, primary, push," but i guess they needed some downbeat tracks to fit in with the rest of the set. Also, there isn't any interaction between the band and the audience (which i suppose isn't really strange, but you'd think that during those three hours Robert would have something more to say than "thank you." So if you're a Cure fan, you probably already have this, but if not, go get it. These live performances are probably the best they've released either on video or cd, especially the Disintegration set (entreat was just bad). Now we'll just wait for them to release "In Orange" in DVD. Enjoy!
Rating: Summary: didn't hold my attention Review: I have been a fan of The Cure for almost 20 years. I have all their cd's and many imports, I was kinda disappointed when I bought this DVD, I found it very long and not to exctiting. Don't get me wrong The Cure is very entertaining, but I enjoy The Cure in Orange and Show much better then this one. He seemed to have less energy onstage in Trilogy. But over all I think it is great if you are a die-hard Cure fan. I do love them, but not this DVD. This is just my honest opinion!!
Rating: Summary: The Best at their best Review: There is not whole lot to say, this is The Cure at their best. You are not looking at crowd shots in this video, you are watching The Cure play out three of their greatest albums (recordings). This is a MUST!!!!!!, for a Cure fan.
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