Rating: 
Summary: Looking Back to the Beginning of Time
Review: Mike Nesmith's mother invented Liquid Paper. People inhale Liquid Paper films and get high and hurt themselves.Mike Nesmith invented MTV. People ingest MTV and hurt themselves worse than the ones who sniff Liquid Paper. But this wonderful "video album", as Nesmith called it, represents what MTV *could* have been, if he had developed it himself instead of selling the idea to a Major Corporation. The three or four videos scattered thru the show are uniformly excellent; i'm not sure whether i prefer "Cruisin'" or "Blue Carioca" (i think that's the title), but it's all good. Of the comedy/surreal material, i think that my favourite piece is the "Elvis Drugs" ad -- "Let's face it, running the world is a bitch, and they were totally unprepared ... All Shook Uppers, Love Me Tenderisers and Blue Suede Ludes!" A short-lived and virtually unknown teevee series, "Television Parts" that was developed from this and sort of ran on NBC (i think) eatured more of the same; it was also available on VHS at one time and would be worth looking for. Great stuff form one of the more original minds in the field.
Rating:
Summary: It's just funny.
Review: mmm...It's funny, it's entertaining, some of the skits, like him hunting in the supermarket, or the bee gees disease, there's alot of this pieces, that keep me laughing even when I'm not watching it. Plus, there are a couple of music videos that also keep me humming the tune. The video was good when it first came out, I thought I'd buy it now and see if what I was watching years ago, was still funny to me, and it was. It was actually a bit funnier, which I thought was a good sign. Oh, I thought I'd add that I can't forget the Pirate Alphabet, that I keep doing an impression of to my friend.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, one of my favorites!
Review: My brother and I have recited this movie word for word. I have it on both Beta and VHS. I am looking forward to watching it on DVD with a margengrenier and a coff of coppee!!!
Rating:
Summary: A great late-nighter
Review: My husand and I first watched this years ago when we were dating. It has become a family cult film! We love this. Better than Holy Grail! :)
Rating:
Summary: Classic nonsense, great music.
Review: Since Amazon lists two versions of this disc, let me make it clear I'm referring to the Anchor Bay release. Everyone else's reviews hit the high points; for me the music videos were always the shining stars in this program. Let me add that the picture quality is indeed a bit "soft" but that's the way this program has always looked (I've had it in various formats since it was first released--anyone remember CED discs?). The commentary is indeed pointless, but I can't think of any other DVD commentary that isn't pointless. But no one has mentioned that this release has an extra comedy bit that wasn't in previous releases! That alone should make this DVD just a bit special. Now we need a complete Television Parts set.
Rating:
Summary: Sunshine Sam shines on(nuclear neighborhood superiorior)
Review: The son of a mother who invented white-out takes my bic. Felt by many to be the inventor of, AND the creator of music videos Mike Nesmith is great; my watchcap off to him. Any thoughts M.T.V.?
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Summary: When Video Was an Art Form
Review: These days a concert clip passes for a "video" of a song, and very few artists take the time and trouble to make a video that is in itself a piece of art, further developing and enrichening the song it is showcasing. Michael Nesmith stood at the forecastle of the video ship, sailing her into port with the production of this comedy album/collection of video clips, "Elephant Parts." Yes, some of the comedy is a little dated; some of it is just plain silly. But Michael never claimed it was anything more than silly; plus, amidst all the late 70's jokes you'll find the extreme timelessness of his opening monologue, discussing the fact that "there's something funny about the gasoline prices!" rings hysterically true today, as does "The Large Detroit Car Company." The words of his closing song, "Tonite," also speak to a 2000's audience. Enclosed with these comedy skits are five of Michael Nesmith's video clips, some of the best videos ever made in a time when video was truly its own standalone art form--made by the pioneer of video art. "Light," "Magic," and "Cruisin'" are all from Nesmith's "Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma" album (as is the above-mentioned "Tonite"), with "Cruisin'" being remembered fondly for its quirky lyrics and a young Hulk Hogan in his first major role. "Rio" is from the album "From a Radio Engine to the Photon Wing," and was probably the first major video clip release (although groups from the 60's had been doing it since, well, The Monkees cribbed from The Beatles). "Rio" is funny, it is thoughtful, and it is brilliant. "Elephant Parts" went on to become a short-lived NBC series called "Television Parts," which would give some early television exposure to such luminaries as Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, Whoopi Goldberg, and Garry Shandling. Michael has a bizarre sense of humor, and you do have to be a fan to laugh out loud at his director's commentary (which we did). It's extremely silly and delivered deadpan serious, and I do believe you need a steeping in The Monkees, Monty Python and some of Michael's mid-80's work such as "Tahiti Condo" (from the CD "The Newer Stuff"). I thought it was hilarious, and laughed so hard it hurt. To be honest, I bought my copy direct from the source...-- it's cheaper here at Amazon, but Papa Nez will autograph it for you if you buy it from him. All in all, Elephant Parts is a classic -- nothing more, nothing less. "First Grammy for Video Music" notwithstanding, "Elephant Parts" was the beginning of the video age, spawning M-TV and its subsidiaries, VH-1 and CMT and GAC and all the rest of them. Just put your mind on hold and enjoy it for what it is.
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Summary: Good, clean fun
Review: This collection of sketches and commercial spoofs stands in the same tradition as "The Kentucky Fried Movie" and "Amazon Women on the Moon"; only "Elephant Parts" is a lot less dirty! It's refreshing to see a genuinely funny film which doesn't rely too heavily on profanity and sex to get its yuks (there are a few drug jokes, but even those don't dominate the piece). Unlike so much of what passes for comedy nowadays, the laughs aren't cheap in "Elephant Parts". My favorite sketches are Rock 'n' Roll Hospital, Neighborhood Nuclear Superiority and the vegetarian guy hunting for his food. The music videos are visually intriguing. My husband remembered the Sunset Sam video from SNL many years ago. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Good, clean fun
Review: This collection of sketches and commercial spoofs stands in the same tradition as "The Kentucky Fried Movie" and "Amazon Women on the Moon"; only "Elephant Parts" is a lot less dirty! It's refreshing to see a genuinely funny film which doesn't rely too heavily on profanity and sex to get its yuks (there are a few drug jokes, but even those don't dominate the piece). Unlike so much of what passes for comedy nowadays, the laughs aren't cheap in "Elephant Parts". My favorite sketches are Rock 'n' Roll Hospital, Neighborhood Nuclear Superiority and the vegetarian guy hunting for his food. The music videos are visually intriguing. My husband remembered the Sunset Sam video from SNL many years ago. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Funny Show Terrible Commentary
Review: This is the DVD release of a VHS tape Nesmith made years ago and won the first video grammy with. There is some genuinely funny material here, although some of it is a bit dated. The director's commentary is a terrible joke. Yes, I know that Nesmith was kidding around with it, but it's a very bad joke taken way way too far. A couple of things are obvious - 1) Nesmith made it up on the spot 2) he didn't have enough material to fill the time. Without a doubt this is the worst director's commentary I've ever heard. Nesmith has a sense of humor, but he fails miserably at this attempt to kid around.
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