Aerosmith: Rock For The Rising Sun (2011 Concert/Eagle Blu-ray)/Filly Brown (2012/Gaiam Vivendi DVD)/Song Of The South: Duane Allman & The Rise Of The Allman Brothers
Band (2013/Chrome Dreams/MVD DVD)
Picture:
B-/C/C+ Sound: B-/C/C+ Extras: C/C+/C Main Programs: C/C+/B
Now for
some recent music-oriented releases…
Though
their early HD-shot Unplugged performance for MTV remains in mothballs, we
finally get to see Aerosmith: Rock For
The Rising Sun (2011), a concert in Japan meant to raise immediate funds
for the mega-disaster that is the massive flooding that also caused the Fukushima
Nuclear Plant disaster. The 17-song show
is competent, forceful, forward, deliberate and lacking in any energy beyond
that, is joyless and even in the two bonus song performances, stiffly dull.
The band
has been played out for years, as this review of their Honkin’ On Bobo album of more than a few years ago reminds us:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/1376/Aerosmith+-+Honkin%27+On+Bobo
However,
I give them points for being charitable, but even the tired likes of Bon Jovi
have been often charitable, but that does not make their music that good
either. In the 1970s, Aerosmith was a
great, important Rock band, but since their plastic, mechanical comeback (being
clean of drugs cleaned them of their better Rock Music facilities), they have
been very formulaic, cynical and their music for the likes of Armageddon and bizarre CGI appearance
in Polar Express are among the
nadirs of said comeback.
Fans may
enjoy this one, but I was surprised how flat the long 105 minutes really were
here. Oddly, Steven Tyler still has the
voice, but worse than Rod Stewart and almost as bad as Peter Cetera, does not
know what to do with it or really cares to push it all the way.
Switching
to Rap for a moment, Youssef Delara and Michael D. Olmos have co-directed Filly Brown (2012), a drama about a
young lady (Gina Rodriguez) whose life is in a bad way with a mother (the late
Jenni Rivera) in prison, a younger sister to look after with her struggling
father (Lou Diamond Phillips) and other urban prejudices and entanglements in
Los Angeles and surrounds areas. She has
a knack for words and could be a major Rap Music artist, but can she get a
record made without selling out or being used up?
Though
some of the moments are familiar, what sets this apart from most urban dramas
is its cast, with good performances all around (is Phillips really this old? Say it isn’t so!) and Edward James Olmos (who
also co-produces) in another good supporting turn. Also, we get a female urban discourse often
that rings true and is all too rare in the genre, music or drama-wise. I have a feeling this is one that will be
discussed years from now. Maybe having
two directors caused this one to be uneven, but that is the only other major
complain in an otherwise ambitious and interesting production.
Extras
include feature length audio commentary tracks by the Directors, Music
Commentary by the Music Producers, Reza Safinia & Gina Rodriguez and
Extended & Deleted Scenes that includes the original opening to the film
that I thought was far superior and far more cinematic, plus more footage of
the late Miss Rivera.
Last and
not least at all is Song Of The South:
Duane Allman & The Rise Of The Allman Brothers Band (2013), yet another
remarkable documentary from the Chrome Dreams production house in the U.K.
talking about how the Country and Southern music that helped make Rock possible
was ironically absent for many years in the national music discourse until the
rise of The Allman Brothers and how Duane Allman, a great singer who happens to
be one of the greatest guitarists of all time, made that possible in his
all-too-short life.
Robert
Christgau and a group of Allman friends and other music scholars tell the
remarkable story in opinions, events and music on how it all happened and al
the original music has been licensed as usual for two engrossing hours. This includes early recordings that failed to
chart, the band that put him on the map finally coming together and his
historic work with Eric Clapton on the legendary masterpiece Layla (the song and album) ensuring his
legacy forever. Don’t miss this one!
Extras
include text on the contributors and two video interview clips: Willie Perkins: Life Amongst The Brothers
and Recording The Allmans: The Albert
Brothers & Criteria Studios.
For more
music tied to the documentary, try these links:
Gregg Allman – I’m No Angel – Live DVD
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/11939/Color+Me+Obsessed:+A+Film+About
Derek & The Dominoes: Layla
& Other Assorted Love Stories Super Audio CD 5.1 (SA-CD, ultimate sonic digital edition
of the album)
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/2327/Derek+&+The+Dominoes+-+Layla+&
The 1080i
1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image on the Aerosmith Blu-ray may have some detail issues, color limits, slight
noise and motion blur, but it is visually the most competent as expected as the
only HD entry on the list. The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image on Filly
should be the next best, but despite a shoot that has some good editing and
visual form, this transfer is just too soft for its own good and motion blur is
a problem, but I bet a Blu-ray might correct some of these issues. That leaves the 1.33 X 1 on Allman looking better with some great
classic film clips, stills, video and new interview tapings, which are edited
together well and more seamlessly than most can do in the music documentary
area,
The
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix on Aerosmith is also the best presentation among all the releases here
sonically, but the soundfield is a little compressed and inconsistent,
confirmed by the PCM 2.0 Stereo tracks, meaning it is an engineering/production
issue. This is not the best I have heard
the band either.
The lossy
Dolby Digital 5.1 on Filly Brown has
the same issues, but also some location audio is too low, the dialogue too much
in the center channel and transfer just on the weak side, even noticed when the
Hip Hop sound kicks in. Maybe a lossless
mix on a Blu-ray would fare better, but until then, the lossy Dolby Digital 2.0
Stereo on Allman is the second-best
sonic presentation here, even when some sound is monophonic. Of course, the music is fine, but cannot
match an audiophile source like the amazing Layla SA-CD.
-
Nicholas Sheffo
