Pink Floyd - Live at Pompeii (Director's Cut) (Jewel Case)

Rating:
Summary: Synergy and Symbolism amid the ruins...
Review: First off, let me set something straight. Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii is "live" in the loosest sense of the word. What much of the running time of this film consists of is Pink Floyd playing to an empty relic of a coliseum, there is no audience (aside from the viewer and a few sound techs). The track selection is utterly amazing and the execution is flawless: Echoes Parts I and II open and close the film and are undoubtedly the highlights of Live at Pompeii. The remaining tracks are some of Floyd's most challenging material such as Careful With That Axe, Eugene, Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun and Saucerful of Secrets. All of these tracks are interspersed with gorgeous landscapes and computer animation. But the real treat is being able to watch Waters, Gilmour, Wright and Mason flow off of each other's energy during performance. One of these Days is pulled off flawlessly with Gilmour's guitar wailing over Wright's pulsating keyboards. What really fascinated me about Live at Pompeii was the look inside the studio as Floyd was recording The Dark Side of the Moon. Just being able to watch David Gilmour solo over an unfinished Brain Damage should be reason enough for you to own this DVD. The interviews throughout the film have caught the band usually while eating. Waters is still content to be a jerk most of the time by mocking the director or the interviewers questions. Nick Mason has some prophetic words concerning the inner relations of the band which would eventually erode to nothing. Overall, this is a must own for any Pink Floyd fan and a fine addition to any classic rock fan's DVD collection.

Rating:
Summary: The best Pink Floyd recording I've ever heard
Review: ...is probably on "Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii" VHS videocassette (Dolby, Hi-Fi stereo, digitally mastered). I was stunned by the sound quality- the bass is tactile and warm through my large subwoofer. This is the only recording where the drums sound natural and uncompresed. One must assume that most videocassettes sound lousy because the engineers don't care about the sound; P.F.L.A.P. demonstrates that the potential for good sonics is certainly there. I am listening on my home theater today, using the "Dolby Pro Logic II-Music" setting. I think this will make a great copy on 2-channel audio CD, to play on my music systems (car, home & office)

The band is at their peak of intensity. The VHS version is worth the $5-6 it costs just to have the recording of 'Careful With That Axe Eugene.' The sleeve says the video was made during the same time the band was recording "Dark Side of the Moon," and the D.S.O.T.M. riffs woven in make you do an occasional double-take. Before you deride the cheezy 1972 special effects, know that they have a way of transporting the mentally susceptible back a few decades. Spectaular, a must-have for even the casual P.F. fan!

Rating:
Summary: Worth buying for the Original Concert feature.
Review: I tried to watch the Directors Cut with an open mind, setting my expectations low. The graphics didn't bother me the way that they appear to have bothered a lot of reviewers. I actually thought that they were kind of cool. However, the shots of Gilmour and Wright singing in the studio during Echoes Part 1 completely ruined the flow of the movie for me, especially when they were shown making mistakes. These shots would have made great special features or perhaps they would have fit in nicely between songs. However, I thought that Maben's decision to insert them during the song was inappropriate and I am unable to understand what prompted that decision. Fortunately, as many reviewers have pointed out, the Original Concert is still included as a feature. Another bonus is that the shots of Wright recording the piano for Us And Them and Gilmour recording guitar for Brain Damage are given their own tracks in the Directors Cut. Regardless of whether these were actual recording sessions or staged for the movie, they are very cool and I am glad that I can choose to go directly to them instead of having to rewind or fast forward to them. This allows me to treat the Original Concert as the main feature and the Us And Them and Brain Damage tracks from the Directors Cut as special features. If it were packaged this way, I wouldn't have any hesitation giving it five stars. Because it is packaged with the Directors Cut as the main feature and the Original Concert as a special feature, I am deducting one star. If you like Pink Floyd, this is definitely still worth buying. In addition to the Original Concert and the Us And Them and Brain Damage tracks from the Directors Cut, I think the Maben interview makes this a worthwhile investment for Pink Floyd fans. I found it very informative. However, reviewers that warn fans of The Wall are correct. If you are not familiar with the music that Pink Floyd did before Dark Side Of The Moon you are in for a bit of a surprise. Hopefully it will be a pleasant one. :)

Rating:
Summary: Best Concert DVD Ever. (but be warned)
Review: For those who are fans of Floyd - or rock and roll in general, this is a must see. The footage and sound is fantastic and the behind the scenes look at them recording "Dark Side of the Moon" is downright priceless.

Be warned however. After watching through the video I was really upset with the new additions that were made to it - with all the cheesy computer animations of space and Pompeii. Do yourself a favor and watch the "Original Theatrical Release" version of it. It's in the menu there somewhere, and it's MUCH much better.

By the way - for those unaware, the Beastie Boys riffed on this video in their "Gratitude" video. Check it out.

Rating:
Summary: For want of 5.1 Dolby Digital Stereo
Review: Ya know, if this disc were in 5.1 Stereo, I would give it a '5 Star' rating, easily. This is Pink Floyd at their finest. This is before they became the 'Rock Gods' they now are. Not that their 'Rock God' status is a bad thing.

I really love the interviews and everything they recorded at the studio. As much fun as they have there, it's really too bad they had to end in a feud with Roger Waters.

But the real feature can be found in the 'Bonus section.' The 'Original Concert Film' is the main reason to buy this disc. Amazing performances of terrific songs are all around. I really like the versions of all the songs here. "Echoes" would almost beat the studio version if they hadn't split it in half. The version of "Careful With That Axe, Eugene" is the best I've heard. Plus, "A Saucerful of Secrets" is really good here, and this is coming from a guy who is NOT a fan of the studio version.

Buy this disc. Even though it's only in 2.0 stereo, it's one of the best concert discs out there. If only they'd release PULSE or a concert from the ANIMALS tour on DVD.

Rating:
Summary: best DVD i have
Review: if you really think duran duran is better than Pink Floyd, go screw your gramma and then hang yourself. hermm, sorry had to get that out. anyways....this dvd is kickass footage. The songs are performed flawlessy, and matter of fact are even better than the ones on the original albums (the jam part in "echoes" for example). You are able to see the band close up, especially waters and gilmour (i figured out how to play the guitar solo is Echoes just by watching the movie). The best about this is that there is nothing from The Wall here. It's mostly from Meddle and some of their ealier stuff, before Waters got control of the band. Overall a must have for any music fan

And a note to all of you who like the original better: the directors cut comes with the original footage in the special feature section. look around for it!!

Rating:
Summary: Five Stars for 1972 concert film
Review: Pink Floyd, not Stink Floyd as The Cranky Reviewer alias Scissor Sisters Fan states, could possibly be the greatest group in existence. This DVD proves it as the band played live in Pompeii without an audience. Songs like Echoes, One of These Days and Set the Controls are worth purchasing the DVD! FYI SSF/Cranky, Floyd disbanded. Even more David Gilmour was called upon by Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor of Duran Duran to help out on two songs during the recording sessions of Arcadia's pathetic lone album. The DVD plays fine in all players. The millions of music listeners out there deserve Pink Floyd and not those faux Roxy Music buffoons Duran Duran's Greatest DVD.

Rating:
Summary: [...]Pink Floyd
Review: Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii was a great concert film. Filmed in Pompeii, Italy in October of 1971. This DVD contains great songs like Echoes, Set the Controls, One of These Days and a few others. Contrary to what the foolish last reviewer said, David Gilmour did not quit Floyd, Floyd disbanded in 1983 and appeared with Arcadia(the poor Roxy Music facsimile Duran Duran spinoff) as a guest musician on only TWO songs so he didn't join as Floyd reunited in 1986. Anyhoo, this DVD is recommended!