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Pure 80's: The DVD

Pure 80's: The DVD

List Price: $19.98
Your Price: $17.98
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Great Quality, WIth One Exception
Review: For the collector and those nostalgic for a better zeitgeist than the present sorry one, this is a worthwhile showcase of music video baubles from the era that made the form famous, featuring excellent quality transfers to DVD. The one sour note in this otherwise sweet symphony is the clip of Dan Hartman's "I Can Dream About You", which is not the one familiar to veteran vid viewers of the 1980s, who remember actor Stoney Jackson and a backing group lip-synching the song on a stage, punctuated by dandy Motown-style dance moves. Well, what we're given here is a heavy dose of authenticity...too much, actually. For shown rendering the song in this rather stolid version is the person who actually wrote and sang it, the late great Dan Hartman himself, who, in point of fact, never appeared in the original release of the video (nor the feature film "Streets Of Fire," from whence that original on-stage video was largely excerpted). The result is something akin to promoting on the slipcase the inclusion of a video by Milli Vanilli and then showing a clip of the individuals who REALLY sang their numbers, not the two bogus yet magnetic performers who actually appeared in the videos and whom one associates with the music. All of which proves that sometimes we're better left with our illusions, rather than exposed to the harsh glare of reality.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Very Good
Review: Growing up in the 80's, I didn't realize how ludicrous and low-budgeted some of the music videos were until I watched this DVD. Regardless, I enjoyed every minute of it. The sound was crisp and clear and the picture quality was good although it varied depending on each video (some videos were grainy or soft). The menus are easy to navigate, with options to play the entire DVD, individual songs, or continuous play. On a couple of songs (Shout-Tears for Fears & No More Words-Berlin) the video wasn't in sync with the audio which was annoying at times. The choice of music videos could have been better considering everything that's out there, but if you're into collecting 80's music videos or want to watch something fun & simple this DVD is a must. Hopefully there will be additional volumes released in the near future.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: It's hard to go back
Review: I had been away from home and had no access to a television from 1979-1981. When I came home, my parents had cable, and I discovered MTV.

This was before Michael Jackson electrified the nation. The VJs played a lot of Madness and clips from Elephant Parts. My first favorite video was the Little River Band's The Night Owls, but I digress.

Perhaps Pure 80s should be called "Mid 80s New Age." Most of the videos in this collection of the post Madness/Pre George Michael variety.

As fairly early attempts at a new medium, the videos in Pure 80s are flawed. The music and production values in the two Tears for Fears selections are great, but videos are dull. "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" is a great song, but watching the guys sing and drive cars...

There are no breakthrough videos in this collection, no Billy Jean, no Jenny I've Got Your Numbers, no Jesse's Girl--all videos that helped shape the art form. (I claim not expertise--just deep nostalgia.)

Many of the songs in this collection bring back good memories, however, so it is hard to complain.

If you want a random sampling of good songs, this is the perfect collection. If you want something more, keep waiting. MTV has to release a "Year's Best" collection some time... I hope.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: It's hard to go back
Review: I had been away from home and had no access to a television from 1979-1981. When I came home, my parents had cable, and I discovered MTV.

This was before Michael Jackson electrified the nation. The VJs played a lot of Madness and clips from Elephant Parts. My first favorite video was the Little River Band's The Night Owls, but I digress.

Perhaps Pure 80s should be called "Mid 80s New Age." Most of the videos in this collection of the post Madness/Pre George Michael variety.

As fairly early attempts at a new medium, the videos in Pure 80s are flawed. The music and production values in the two Tears for Fears selections are great, but videos are dull. "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" is a great song, but watching the guys sing and drive cars...

There are no breakthrough videos in this collection, no Billy Jean, no Jenny I've Got Your Numbers, no Jesse's Girl--all videos that helped shape the art form. (I claim not expertise--just deep nostalgia.)

Many of the songs in this collection bring back good memories, however, so it is hard to complain.

If you want a random sampling of good songs, this is the perfect collection. If you want something more, keep waiting. MTV has to release a "Year's Best" collection some time... I hope.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: YUCK
Review: I love the 80's, have a huge collection, used to host a 80's music radio show, and have a fairly large video collection. This DVD stinks. First its one of those funny discs that wont play in every player. Second, titles, if I pay this much for music videos I want them clean. And third the quality is poor. I have most of these songs elsewhere and the quality there is much better. I know that video quality in the 80's wasn't always the best, this DVD is worse than the originals. Its a nice collection, but save the cash and buy it on VHS instead.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A SLICE OF 80's COTTON CANDY
Review: I was happy to find this video slice of 80's cotton candy. While most of these videos are not "classic clips" (the exception being The Buggles because it was the first one aired on MTV), it's a nice addition to my musical DVD collection. I remember seeing all of them over the years with the exception of this version of "I Can Dream About You". The one I'm familiar with is the one that is made up entirely from Streets Of Fire film clips. While Night Ranger and Asia seem out of place here, my big question is : who did Tears For Fears sleep with to get 2 videos included here. All in all, a great collection from the past. I can only hope that there are further volumes in the works. Pass the remote please.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A SLICE OF 80's COTTON CANDY
Review: I was happy to find this video slice of 80's cotton candy. While most of these videos are not "classic clips" (the exception being The Buggles because it was the first one aired on MTV), it's a nice addition to my musical DVD collection. I remember seeing all of them over the years with the exception of this version of "I Can Dream About You". The one I'm familiar with is the one that is made up entirely from Streets Of Fire film clips. While Night Ranger and Asia seem out of place here, my big question is : who did Tears For Fears sleep with to get 2 videos included here. All in all, a great collection from the past. I can only hope that there are further volumes in the works. Pass the remote please.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: I love 80's music
Review: I was only a kid during the 80's but I guess listening to the music back then with my mom got me hooked because i still love 80's music. this DVD had a lot of my favorite songs on it like The Look of Love, In A Big Country, and Tempted and it allowed me to see the music videos for them which CDs and radio don't let you do. So if you want to have some 80's nostalgia get this DVD the only problem was that their where only 14 songs but I guess that goes along with the CD they have by the same name

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: 80's Bliss!
Review: If you LOVE Music of the 80's like I do, then this DVD is for you! This is one of the BEST 80's DVD's out there! From 2 Videos from Tears For Fears(Shout-This is DEFINITELY My Personal TFF Fav! & Everybody Wants To Rule The World) to Animotion(Obsession) to Asia(Heat Of The Moment) to Swing Out Sister(Breakout), and MORE!!!! Universal has outdone themselves this time, and I really do hope that they do more and more and more DVD's like this for a looonngg time to come!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: pass this up
Review: The idea of classic 80's videos being available on DVD is great, but this isn't worth getting.


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