Not A Photograph – The
Mission Of Burma Story
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Documentary: C+
Mission Of Burma is yet another Rock band that has
disappeared, only to reappear in a reunion.
It seems this is a new cycle, music acts reuniting to get together and
the programs are often only as good as the band. Fortunately, Not A Photograph – The Mission Of Burma Story is a good program
about a good band. Too bad this only
lasts 70 minutes as that is its big flaw.
The program is a crash course on the band and shows
why they broke up and reformed, which is not as predictable as you might
think. The oddest thing is the debate
about age and not doing what they did when they were young. That is a dilemma of the counterculture in
general, but its great flaw is assuming you have to be old, tired, boring and
not have fun or energy as you get older.
That killed that and Rock in general.
It is a lesson they do not learn in the end, though they come close to
it.
The 1.33 X 1 image was shot in analog NTSC video
and maybe digitally affiliated at that, serving adequately for this
presentation. The Dolby Digital 2.0
Stereo is also serviceable, but nothing to write home about. Extras include a 1983 news segment (WBZ-CBS)
on the band, 6 live 2002 clips, three archival live clips (1978, 79, 81) and ONoffON footage of the band
in-studio. A paper essay is also inside
the DVD case.
- Nicholas
Sheffo
