German Brass Goes Bach

You looking to find the "German Brass Goes Bach" Good news! You can purchase German Brass Goes Bach with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $98.97   

Product Description

German Brass, one of the most renowned brass ensembles, plays their own Bach arrangements for brass players in the Church of St. Thomas in Leipzig.

German Brass Goes Bach Review

I purchased this DVD on the recommendation of the principal trombone of the Dallas Symphony and have enjoyed it thoroughly. The playing is first rate (hats off to Enrique Crespo for the immaculate valve trombone work on track 3). The camera work is tastefully done with just the right amount of shots of the Thomas Kirche (including Bach's resting place). It is also highly interesting to view the large variety of instruments used throughout the performance. If you enjoy Bach and/or brass music you will not be disappointed.

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "German Brass Goes Bach" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from German Brass Goes Bach ...

So What

You looking to find the "So What" Good news! You can purchase So What with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $115.69   

Product Description

NTSC/Region 0. This DVD features two rare performances by the Jazz great: New York (1959) and Germany (1967). Seven tracks in all including 'Blues For Pablo' and 'Footprints'. 50 minutes. Salt Peanuts.

So What Review

This contains two different B&W television broadcasts, one from a 1959 American Television show called "The Sound of Miles Davis" produced by David Herridge, the other from Germany in 1967. The first broadcast is the same that's on Miles Davis - Cool Jazz Sound The show features the Miles Davis Sextet (or was supposed to - Cannonball Adderley was too ill to appear), with Wynton Kelly on piano, as well as the Gil Evans orchestra.

The small group plays "So What," with some support from the orchestra trombone section. It is a fairly long version, with good solos from Miles and Coltrane. Coltrane in particular gives a meaty performance, since this was his only solo of the program he gives it his all. Unfortunately, as is usual with these videos, the camera concentrates on Trane's face, rather than pulling back a little and allowing us to see his fingers too. The trombones play the head, then come back for a bit of arranged playing during Mile's second solo. It's one of the most interesting versions of "So What" I've ever heard, and I've heard a lot of them. The camera moves around quite a bit, occasionally getting shots of Miles on the side with the trombone section watching. We rarely get to see more than one band member in a shot, so that you can see the interplay between the musicians unfortunately.

Miles plays a number of tunes from "Miles Ahead" with the orchestra, which includes Frank Rehak, Jimmy Cleveland, Bill Barber, Ernie Royal, and Julius Watkins. It's a beautiful set of music, tho at times Miles hits a shrill tone - as many know, Miles had difficulty in the upper register, and even tho he can hit the notes, he sometimes loses that beautiful tone when he does. The sound of the big band in full throttle is not well contained by the television sound fidelity, but otherwise the sound is fine. The camera roams around the big band, as they are seated in two facing semi-circles. At times the camera will be on Miles when he is not soloing, which is odd. We do get shots of Miles playing so we can see his fingers. We also get some nice shots of Gil conducting. In general, for my taste, the camera is a little too active. I imagine when they taped it, they were more concerned with keeping the finicky television audience entertained, rather than creating an historical document for jazz aficionados.

The second broadcast is Miles's second great quintet before a live audience. They play a beautiful version of "Footprints," which is unfortunately cut-off after Wayne Shorter's solo (with no solo by Herbie). The band seems to still be playing, the video just fades. The creators of the original video get a bit cute with the production - at one point there is a nice long shot, with Miles on the left of the screen, Ron in the middle, and Tony middle right. It's a wonderful opportunity to watch the interplay between the three of them during Mile's incredible solo. Unfortunately, the video crew think they need to be "artists" rather than letting the artists on stage have the moment, and they plunge the band into darkness, leaving Miles in the spotlight. It's a pretty shot, with Miles lit on the extreme left, the rest of the screen in darkness - but the camera is too far away to see his fingers, and for those of us who buy jazz videos to see the interplay between our favorite musicians - as opposed to the artistry of some videographer - it is a disappointing moment.

They play three tunes and The Theme. There is a CD out Winter in Europe 1967 that contains music from this same show, but includes three other tunes, as well as a concert in Sweden. On the CD, "Footprints" cuts off in the same place - which isn't as jarring, because you can't see that the band is still playing. However, in both cases, it seems like a technical decision, rather than one made by Miles.

Tony plays an interesting drum solo on "Walkin'" in which he makes taffy out of tempo and time, using stops to create a solo full of tension and drama, that slows the time of the song imperceptibly. It is fun to watch Tony's facial expressions, which are quite animated. When Tony's done, he and Carter pick the pace back up to a blistering speed for Wayne's harmonically intricate solo. Herbie lays out, and eventually Ron and Tony do too, leaving Wayne the freedom to skip about merrily thru harmonic lily pads far and away from the original melody. Wayne ends his solo and walks away, leaving Herbie in the shot, with Miles watching in the background. Herbie begins his solo, unaccompanied, picking up on the harmonic hinterlands Wayne left him. The cameraman gets distracted by Miles, and focuses more on him, until Miles notices he is in the shot, and walks into the wings, forcing the director to call for a shot that focuses more on Herbie and his piano. Tony and Ron join in with Herbie, as he leads them back thru the harmonic wilderness toward the melody.

Next is a short version of "Gingerbread Man" at its usual cyclone pace. Herbie has his longest solo, working wonderfully off of Tony - and there is a creative shot with Tony's shadow on the wall behind Herbie as he plays. Throughout the video they use interesting lighting, and split screens. Sometimes there will be shot of the soloist from two different angles in the same picture. Sometimes the videographers creativity is distracting, at other times it adds to the experience.

The quality of the video for the European broadcast is so-so. Not as good as the Jazz Icons series by a long shot, but it is still watchable. The picture is clear enough, and there are no pixalations, but it hasn't been cleaned up much. The sound is mostly clear as well, only a few moments of static. The American Television footage is in better shape, and was very well produced originally. The play of shadows in the American show was done with the theatrical lighting in the studio, which does not shift during the music much, and there are no other technical fripperies.

The company, Salt Peanuts, that puts out these videos is from Spain. Their product is economically priced, takes advantage of some fluid copywrite laws in the EU, and they don't bother with much restoration. Dollar for dollar, the Jazz Icon series is a better value - extensive liner notes, beautiful restoration, and they make sure the families of even the sidemen get some payment from the sales of the videos. Considering all your getting with the Jazz Icons, I think they are a better deal, but these Salt Peanuts videos are the only place I've seen footage of the second Miles Davis Quintet.

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "So What" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from So What ...

Horror Collection 250 Movies

You looking to find the "Horror Collection 250 Movies" Good news! You can purchase Horror Collection 250 Movies with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

   

Product Description

HORROR 250 MOVIE PACK (DVD MOVIE)

Horror Collection 250 Movies Review

MILL CREEK's super-sized movie packs are always a bargain, and a great way to add some depth to a video library. Their boxed DVDs are individually housed in durable gloss-coated heavy paper sleeves that take up a minimum of space, yet provide excellent protection for the discs. This compactness of design makes possible the storage of literally thousands of movies on a single book shelf.

The HORROR 250 MOVIE PACK is the largest collection of public domain fright films currently available. All these titles were previously released by MILL CREEK. The following lists their box sets duplicated in total, or for the most part (some working links included):

Alien Worlds 20 Movie Pack
Apocalypse 20 Movie Pack
Bela Lugosi: Master of Horror 10 Movie Pack
Beyond the Grave 20 Movie Pack
Chilling 20 Movie Pack
Fright Night 10 Movie Pack
Horror 10 Movie Pack
Horror 100 Movie Pack
Horror Classics 50 Movie Pack
Monsters 20 Movie Pack
Nightmare Worlds 50 Movie Pack
Night Screams 50 Movie Pack
Sci-Fi Classics 10 Movie Pack
SciFi Classics 50 Movie Pack
Sci-Fi Classics 100 Movie Pack
Strange Tales 20 Movie Pack
Tales of Terror 50 Movie Pack

Clearly, this 250 movie pack is perfect for anyone interested in creating an instant PD horror film collection. For anyone who has purchased previous MILL CREEK fright and sci-fi boxes, duplication here is a certainty.

FOR COMPLETE DETAILS OF ALL MOVIES ON THE HORROR 250 MOVIE PACK, SEE COMMENTS #4 AND #5
(ACCESS THESE FROM "COMMENTS" LINK, LOCATED BELOW THIS REVIEW)

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "Horror Collection 250 Movies" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from Horror Collection 250 Movies ...

In Search Of History - A Deadly Deception (History Channel)

You looking to find the "In Search Of History - A Deadly Deception (History Channel)" Good news! You can purchase In Search Of History - A Deadly Deception (History Channel) with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $118.03   

Product Description

This one-hour documentary will explore how the greatest and most insidious hoax in human history came about and show to what extent it may have contributed to the genocide of the Holocaust. The Protocols of the Elders of Zion are a complete fabrication, created by a secret servant for Tsarist Russia and intended only to be a tool of disinformation designed to influence a single individual -- the Tsar. But it became public property after its publication and during the decades before World War II it grew to be one of the most popular books in history, rivaling the Bible as a publishing phenomena. Its influence spread beyond Europe to America, the Middle and Far East. It has been singled out as a causative factor in the genocide of the Holocaust -- and it still attracts believers today. As we trace the genesis and evolution of the Protocols across the span of the Twentieth Century, the arc of the story will follow the rise and decline of the influence of the Protocols. Along the way we will focus on the stories of individuals whose lives were defined by their relationship with the Protocols: The secret agent in 1890's Paris who created the Protocols: the brave individuals who struggled against the lies and distortions of the forgery (such as the German Journalist and scholar Benjamin Segel) in a vain attempt to reveal it as a hoax: those who used the Protocols to extend their influence and manipulate others (Hitler, Streicher, Goebbels, Henry Ford); and, finally their victims, numbering in the millions.

In Search Of History - A Deadly Deception (History Channel) Review

Documentaries on the antisemitic history of the The Protocols of the Elders of Zion proved difficult to find. I felt like this one was quite pricey, but given that there were few options I took a chance on it. I would have been much happier paying $20 instead of $40 but was pleased with the quality of the information and the detail provided. Not bad for a History Channel documentary. Glad I purchased it.

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "In Search Of History - A Deadly Deception (History Channel)" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from In Search Of History - A Deadly Deception (History Channel) ...

Kyo Kara Maoh!: Season 1 Box Set

You looking to find the "Kyo Kara Maoh!: Season 1 Box Set" Good news! You can purchase Kyo Kara Maoh!: Season 1 Box Set with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $179.95   

Product Description

Yuri is an average baseball-loving high school student. One day, Yuri tries to save his former classmate froma group of hoodlums. Turning on him, they drag Yuri into the bathroom and push his face into the toilet. When they flush the toilet, he is transported to another world. Yuri is taken to a castle and crowned King of the Demon World! Is he going to end up as the leader of the land, surrounded by his extraordinarily handsome lieges or will he make his way back home?

Stills from Kyo Kara Maoh!: Season One Box Set (Click for larger image)

	�

Kyo Kara Maoh!: Season 1 Box Set Review

You could certainly be forgiven if you were initially suspicious of any title that opens with the premise of a schoolboy getting a "swirly". In case you aren't familiar with the technique, it is one in which a bully or group of bullies take a weaker individual, flip them upside down, dip their face into the toilet and flush. In normal circumstances, aside from being terribly unhygienic, the only long-term affect to the victim is a bit of a tall, twisted hairdo. Believe it or not, Kyo kara Maoh! Opens with our lead character on the receiving end of one such tactic only rather than simply twisting his do, this toilet happens to be a transporter to a magical realm. We don't even want to know if it worked on the same principle for countless not-so-pleasant flushes, but either way...

Released in full season collections, Funimation is once again bringing the Geneon classic title to the masses. At the time of this review's writing both the first and second volume have been released. The first box set (Season 1) contains 39 episodes across nine discs (thin packs within a very attractive cardboard slipcase). The second box set consists of the 37 episodes that constitute the complete second season but since this review if of the first release, let's stick to those specs for now.

The collection comes in at a whopping 975-minute runtime and packs a nice host of special features. Among these are a conceptual art and image gallery, textless themes, memory slideshow, promos, and previews for upcoming Funimation releases.

Language options are of the sub & dub variety; original Japanese dialog and English dub each presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 and the choice of English subtitles below either.

The show wears an appropriate13 & Up rating. Appropriate because while there's nothing extremely offensive for the youngsters, it's quite possible that children around the age of 13 will get the most entertainment out of the multitude of gags presented here (after all, its doubtful they would have needed my above definition of a swirly).

The story goes something like this: Yuri Shibuya happens upon a new and wild world once bullies stick his head in the toilet. After encountering some nobles and discovering that the world as he knew it was no more, our hero discovers that he's the long-awaited Demon King (and here you thought he had it bad enough just surviving high school).

It turns out that in this new world (called the "Great Demon Kingdom"), humans are the enemy and though considered a human in our world, Yuri is classified as a demon there. Not just any demon at that; but rather the one who could balance out the tension between the humans and the demos.

After a brief return to Earth, Yuri is forced to contemplate which world is more to his liking. Long story short, thus begins young Yuri's reign as Demon King. Did I mention that magic is a fact of life in the Demon Kingdom but the catch is it only works in the thralls of battle? Yuri will learn these things just as the viewer does and more often than not: it's too little, too late.

If your still with me after all of this, let me just say that it was all be completely and hopelessly ridiculous except for one redeeming quality; It's pretty darn funny at times.

Kyo kara Maoh! has the distinction of combining fantasy elements with comedic charm to such accord that it harkens back to some of Monty Python's earlier works. Each episode is driven along by a fantasy inspired plot structure (find the magic sword, figure out a way to get back home, learn how to cast spells, etc.) but actually consists of dozens of silly humorous moments to connect the grander dots. Need examples? Well Yuri ends up accidentally getting himself engaged to be married (to another man) by the second episode, encounters some jiggly sumo wrestlers, pirates in schoolgirl uniforms, and gets up close and personal to a g-string by the fifth episode!

The offbeat and prevalent humor presented here depends heavily on its cast of characters. Luckily it works, much to the credit of the show's writers. Wolfram's snappish attitude makes a great counterpoint to Yuri's easygoing nature. The women aren't forgotten either, take Celi (the former Demon Queen) and her forceful personality and the eccentric inventor Anissina who has more tricks up her sleeve than a Vegas poker pro.

The music works really well with upbeat rock beats in the lighter moments that switch subtly to orchestral scores when the tension goes to red alert phase. Geneon's dub, though pale to the efforts of Funimation's more recent stuff, maintains the comedic intentions of the program. The script, however, does take a few ugly twists in effort to "Americanize" some of the jokes and puns. It is serviceable if you've only experienced the show in English but starts to lose ground once you compare it to the original Japanese script.

In all, this is a show that could be considered an instant classic or a blend of sheer strangeness depending entirely upon your mood going in. The fantasy elements work really well in both languages and the humor is equally addicting (especially in the Japanese version). However, if you were seeking a well plotted, fantasy adventure, you would probably better off looking into the much-less gimmicked One Piece series.

I came in not knowing what to expect and came out quite amused. It's silly for sure, but sometimes that's exactly what you were looking for, even if you didn't know it.

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "Kyo Kara Maoh!: Season 1 Box Set" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from Kyo Kara Maoh!: Season 1 Box Set ...