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Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird The Movie / Tribute Tour

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird The Movie / Tribute Tour

List Price: $14.98
Your Price: $11.98
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Great Skynyrd Performance
Review: The performance on this DVD is great. It's Skynyrd at their best. The video quality isn't excellent, but I'm not very picky about that. There are some other cons that others mentioned that I agree with: The chapter selection is kind of stupid. They should have separated each song as its own chapter, like most concert DVD's. And the menu design is kind of lame. I prefer the simple DVD menus, they should have had a picture of the band on one side, then all of the text on the other. But other than that I think this is a great DVD. The only thing I didn't like about the tribute tour part is that I was expecting to see an actual concert. It's cool to see the interviews with the band, but it always pisses me off when I'm watching a live performance by a band and they interupt the songs with interviews. They should show the entire song, then maybe stick the interviews between them. I am a huge Skynyrd fan, and I love to watch this DVD, mainly the Freebird Part. One more little flaw: I think it's kinda dumb for it to be called Freebird The Movie, because it's not a movie, it's a concert.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: First rate DVD- their best release
Review: This disc combines TWO films!- The "Freebird Movie" released in the late 1990's (which I also have on VHS) which shows footage of the original band's 1976/1977 tour, and another film originally released on VHS in the late 1980's titled "Tribute Tour" which contains concert footage of the first reunion tour in the late 1980's with Ed King on guitar!- since bassist Leon recently passed away, this disc is now the best available as it has the band's earliest material (1976-1977, 1987)- the rest of their recent DVD releases from their 1990 concerts are treading water at best. Three hour DVD and good sound and picture quality. This is a killer disc!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A must for true Skynyrd fans!
Review: This DVD is truely a must for real Skynyrd Fans. Although some
of the footage and sound isn't of the best quality, overall it's
great! It lets the fans relive some of the magic that they made.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great DVD from a Great American Southern Rock Band
Review: Well, what else did you expect from the band that brought us "Free Bird" and "Sweet Home Alabama?" This is a must have for all serious Skynyrd fanatics like myself. The only negative thing I can say about this DVD is that the camera man messed up on the Free Bird solo. Instead of focusing on Allen Collins, who is ripping it up on his Gibson Firebird, most of the camera work in this part of the movie is devoted to the screaming crowd. When Collins is shown, the shot is far away, making it difficult for a guitarist like myself to discern the notes he is playing. Still yet, I give this video five stars. You will also get an understanding of the Tribute Tour and how that came about. This is definitely a hot topic in Skynyrd history!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Surprisingly good quality for seventies footage
Review: The first thing that struck me about this footage was how clear it was ( as well as the stereo sound ). The Knebworth performances were all complete, sans annoying interruptions of stars reminiscing about bygone days ( more than a couple of DVD releases of other groups are plagued with incomplete songs, cutting to an interview snippet or, worse, sound suddenly muted with yet another voiceover ). I get the feeling that the only reason this footage was shot is that Skynyrd happened to be opening for the Rolling Stones, apparently the headlining act of this festival. Location videotaping during the seventies was VERY expensive and cumbersome ( check out the size of those cameras during the wide shots ). It certainly wasn't done as routinely as it is now. If the camera set-up was primarily for the Stones, then the director--who actually calls the shots on what camera fades to what--probably wasn't at all familiar with Skynyrd's material, evidenced by a tight shot of one guitarist playing rhythm while another was actually playing lead! I would've liked more close ups on Artimus Pyle, as well as Billy Powell...again, there weren't as many cameras to cover the angles we're used to today. Consider this for the period in which it was shot: most seventies footage of rock groups consists of grainy film stock, sound typically out of sync with the picture ( or worse, from a different performance altogether ), poor lighting, mediocre MONAURAL audio, etc. Again, I was very pleasantly surprised with the overall quality of the Knebworth footage. It's a shame they didn't use the Knebworth version of "Free Bird" ( Must have been quite a bad mistake during the performance; probably the same reason a portion of the Oakland version appears to have been edited! ). Lynyrd Skynyrd's performance was virtually flawless...if people are going to nit-pick over production imperfections, hey, I'd love to see some of their home movie footage...

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Disappointing and patchy
Review: The footage from Freebird...the movie doesn't live up to expected. I consider myself a huge Skynyrd fan, at least of their music, but if I was in charge of releasing this stuff, I would fire everyone involved in its filming. The whys are here:

-A lot of out of focus and grainy camera work, being Freebird the most scandalous case. During half of the performance of the song we are treated to the sight of the very young public, especially gorgeous girls in almost bathing suit, but once again we are not supposed to see this when a song is being played live. Powell's wonderful piano intro to the song is also missing from screen, because his hands are not shown and instead we have to settle for seeing him at the other side of the piano. How on earth the staff got away with making such a lousy filming is beyond me. And, to make matters worse, the song has been edited, which is plain to realize. To cut such a wonderful song is a crying shame and the director should be kicked out for doing or allowing this. Other examples of clumsiness include most of the T For Texas footage.

-Either the cameramen or the director and editor didn't like Billy Powell too much. Why on earth we miss all his piano solos, that on screen are replaced by footage of the audience. When I sit down to see a concert, I want to see the band playing, and not the public or some flag waved by them. This is NOT what I'm paying for when I buy a live dvd.

-All Steve Gaines and Allen Collins quotes are shown offscreen, maybe cause the staff thought it would be morbid or too sad to show them while talking, but this is...not true, since we get to see footage of Ronnie Van Zant speaking. Why not show the other two?

The part when we go into the plane I could do without, because it gets me kinda sad. I still want to know who the f*** chose such a lousy device to fly, despite the band's already healthy income. I apologize for the *** word, but even 25 years later I don't think the issue has been totally cleared.

All in all, a mediocre dvd, but Skynyrd fans will be fond of it regardless, like me at times. At least it's not expensive!!!!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Excellent Band - Horrible Movie
Review: As someone mentioned, if you can't go see the live band, watch this (Freebird - the movie).

I'm sorry, but don't even waste your time watching this thing. I definitely got the impression there was no organization at all when filming this concert. To many times the camera's are just wandering around, not on anything at all actually.

In the grand finale of "Freebird", you know when the band kicks in and there is some great guitar playing, for some reason the next few minutes are on the audiance. WTF. Some shots are from in the crowd looking at the band, BUT, you can't see the band. You see the back of some chick sitting on the shoulders of some guy. Again, WTF.

Sometimes there are good shots of the band playing, but for the most part, they are horribly framed.

Bad, bad movie.

If you have the patience, they have just recorded another concert (July 2003) for a upcoming DVD. Anything has to be better than this.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent
Review: If you like Lynrd Skynyrd, watch this movie. Excellent footage from early concerts, interviews, and of course lots of good Skynyard music.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Legend Live's On
Review: I've been fortunate enough to catch Skynyrd 3 times in the last 5 years.
I must say, they are one helluva band in concert.
These show's probably don't capture the escence of the band, but if you can't make it to the show, this is as close as you'll get.

Shame they have lost so many members. If I remember right, there are only Gary Rossington and Billy Powell left as original members now that Leon Wilkenson has passed.

At least I was lucky enough to be part of a generation that got to know there music. May it live on in infamy.....

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Brian cooks skynyrd review
Review: Hi there im brian cook and im 13 and i just love lynyrd skynyrd
they are the best band i ever saw i love frebird the movie i have it has well has the tribute tour one but the freebird movie is the best one yet i have the soundtrack and as well has 38 other cd's i have 3,099 photo's and 2 rare posters but freebird the movie is the best item i have yet i watch it all the time i alway's wonderd what it would be like if ronnie was still alive thats all i can do is wonder well for all you skynyrd fans peace out. " if i leave here tommorw would you still rember me"


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