The Beatles – Rare & Unseen (MVD Visual DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C Main Program: C+
Though it
can live up to its name, The Beatles –
Rare & Unseen is flashier and gaudier than it needs to be, trying too
hard to tell us about the biggest Rock band of all time despite having some
good interview subjects (Phil Collins rambles too much as usual, but having
Hurricane Smith is a big plus) and fine footage makes this bearable enough to
sit through while fans will love it.
Unfortunately,
the rare footage is accompanied by too much talking or faux instrumental music
that wants to sound like the band (we never get to hear their music, though we
do hear John Lennon from a 1975 French interview) and the footage is not in the
supplements silently. Also, the footage
is often cut into by other images which are sloppy and distracting, the least
of which is other interviewees. Some of
this should remain unseen, but for the better footage and interview pieces, it
is worth a look.
The 1.33
X 1 image is on the soft side with silly analog graphic too often, but also
shows the footage looking good, while the Dolby Digital 2.0 sound is barley
stereo and considering the bad music, we are the better for it. Extras are just more interview segments,
including three more (noooooooooo!!!) with Collins.
For more
on the band, try this link for an excellent book and more links:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/6334/Can%E2%80%99t+Buy+Me+Love
- Nicholas Sheffo
