Les Miserables: The 10th Anniversary Dream Cast in Concert at London's Royal Albert Hall (1995) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This new edition of the Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Concert (taped in 1995 at the Royal Albert Hall in London) is a welcome new edition for any person who found the original concert enjoyable and thrilling. The 2-DVD set comes in a good quality hard case with new artwork. The performances continue to be mostly excellent and one really does not miss the staging too much. There are several new positive additions to this edition. First is the wide-screen presentation of the concert. It was painfully obvious at certain points during the original release (especially the bigger numbers) that you were missing some of the singers on the sides. The new wide-screen presentation opens up the experience so you can watch the concert as it was originally taped. The second positive aspect of this issue is that the whole concert is on one side of one disk, which makes it much more convenient to watch. The third is the inclusion of the "Stage By Stage" Documentary from the late 80s tracking the recording of the Complete Symphonic Recording as a supplement on the second disk. Finally, for those who want to, you can follow along with new (optional) on-screen lyrics.
However, this edition is not without its disappointments. The first and by far the biggest disappointment is how it's only presented in stereo and not Dolby Digital 5.1 or better. Not having a digital audio option in 2008 is ridiculous and I would have greatly put up with changing disks if it meant having a better quality performance. The second disappointment is the deletion of parts of the concert previously available, which include part of "Little People" and the speeches by the creative talent behind the show at the end of the concert before the encore. Even if space was limited on the first disk, these deletions could have easily been put on the second disk as supplementary material.
So, while the concert itself continues to be quite enjoyable and there are some new additions that makes it a must have for any Les Miserable fan, there are some basic disappointments that keep this edition from being perfect.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Les Miserables: The 10th Anniversary Dream Cast in Concert at London's Royal Albert Hall (1995)

A performance of Les Miserables by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, for a 10th Anniversary Concert celebration.

Get 34% OFF

Click here for more information about Les Miserables: The 10th Anniversary Dream Cast in Concert at London's Royal Albert Hall (1995)

Pocahontas II - Journey to a New World (Disney Gold Classic Collection) (1998) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)When I first heard that Disney was making a sequel to "Pocahontas", I wondered if they would do it jusice, or butcher it. Obviously, they got themselves in quite a predicament here. They couldn't be true to the original without murdering history and they couldn't be true to history (what gave them the urge to suddenly be loyal to history, anyway?) without murdering the original. The brilliant solution: murder both! Okay, let me put in more detail. First of all, they took John Smith, who was my favorite of Disney's male heros, and not only drained his brain, but drained his heart. He doesn't even care when he finds out that Pocahontas fell for John Rolfe! Honestly! And what's the big idea of making Pocahontas fall for him anyway! The Rolfe guy is a total jerk,and suddenly Pocahontas loves him!They didn't want us to like John Smith anymore, that's what it is! They didn't want us to say "Come on, Pocahontas, you know who you really love!" No, they wanted us to say "You go, girl! Dump him! Dump him!" So the movie rushes by without any real emotion, plenty of scenes where a wisecracking, swashbuckling John Smith uses his sword to show off, and a lame mix of fact and fancy. Forget history, Pocahontas and John Smith seem like the LAST Disney couple that would "divorce"! I refuse to believe that this guy is the same John Smith that was in the original! It simply can't be! You remember "Colors of the Wind" from the original? That was one of the most moving transformations that Disney ever cranked up! So how was Pocahontas's influence on him only temporary! The only logical explanations would be that John Smith was posessed by an evil spirt, or hypnotized between movies, or this is his evil twin! Although John Smith is the most notable butchering of the original, it's not the only thing they did to it. The animation is terrible, the songs are only so-so, and, with all due respect to Native Americans, Pocahontas acts like a jerk. In the final battle, she just sits around under Ratcliffe's sword, waiting to be rescued by John Smith. Honestly! I'm not a picky feminest, but that's ridiculous! Also, so many things are left hanging, such as why does Ratcliffe have such a strong influence on the king when he came home in chains? In short, this movie is murder. You can feel that Disney is walking through the film on tiptoe, not wanting to upset anyone. Well they upset me! Badly done, Disney!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Pocahontas II - Journey to a New World (Disney Gold Classic Collection) (1998)

All the magic of Disney's Academy Award(R)-winning film POCAHONTAS (Best Original Song, 1995) continues in a fun-filled adventure that finds Pocahontas setting sail for an exciting new world, England. With her comical companions Flit, Meeko, and Percy, along for the ride, this spectacular film promises plenty of thrills and laughter for everyone. As an ambassador of peace, Pocahontas is swept away by London's "curious" customs. Attempting to fit in, she makes friends with the dashing English diplomat John Rolfe, and Mrs. Jenkins, his lovable housemaid, both of whom help Pocahontas prepare for her debut at the celebrated Hunt Ball. There, she must convince the King of England that her people are truly civilized in order to stop an armada moving against them. Pocahontas soon finds herself at odds with the scheming Ratcliffe, but when a mysterious stranger comes to her rescue, the courageous Pocahontas must choose between the love of her past ... and the path to her future. Told through brilliant Disney animation, five incredible new songs, and unforgettable characters, POCAHONTAS II: JOURNEY TO A NEW WORLD, is alive with all the colors of a Disney classic.

Get 43% OFF

Click here for more information about Pocahontas II - Journey to a New World (Disney Gold Classic Collection) (1998)