Arts & Entertainment - Page 26

Manufacturer: White Star Brand: Kulter

This exciting program is the definitive Temptations DVD featuring many of their hits from the '60s, '70s and '80s.

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon Model: 2227898

Opera conducted by James Levine and featuring the Metropolitan Opera Ballet and Orchestra anc Chorus. Stars Dimitri Kavrakos, Dolora Zajick, Aprile Millo, Placido Domingo and Sherill Milnes.

Manufacturer: WarnerBrothers Brand: HAYES,ISAAC Model: 2232692

Wattstax: Special Edition, The (DVD)On August 20, 1972, more than 100,000 people attended what came to be known as "The Black Woodstock." Wattstax - The Special Edition is the 30th anniversary release of the film that documented that historic event and includes the once-lost original ending featuring Isaac Hayes' performances of "Theme From Shaft" and "Soulsville."]]> They called Wattstax the "black Woodstock," but there are many differences between that seminal hippie event and the 1972 concert documented in this 30th-anniversary special-edition reissue. Woodstock was all about peace, love, and music. Wattstax, held three years later in Los Angeles, had those elements as well; but as this 103-minute film reminds us, it was a more socio-politically charged event, with its emphasis on black pride and the simple opportunity for African Americans to assert that, in opening speaker Jesse Jackson's words, "I am somebody." There's also a good deal less music in this film than in the Woodstock movie. As the title suggests, a host of great Stax Records artists (including Rufus and Carla Thomas, the Bar-Kays, the Staple Singers, Albert King, and show closer Isaac Hayes) performed, but much of Wattstax doesn't even take place inside the L.A. Coliseum, where the concert was held, but rather in the churches and shops and on the streets of Watts itself (music fans would be better off checking out the Wattstax double CD). Wattstax, in fact, is much less a music movie than a chronicle of black life seven years after the Watts race riots, as well as what comedian Richard Pryor (who delivers several hilarious but scathing bits) calls "a soulful expression of the black experience." --Sam Graham

Manufacturer: Well Go USA Brand: Alfred Music Model: 4444603

Eight performers take the audience on a journey through sound and music, where rhythm is the only language...STOMP has grown from its beginnings on the streets of Europe into an international sensation, with touring productions all over the world, and long running shows in London, Las Vegas and Broadway. This special performance brings together performers from the West End, New York and Vegas for the very first time, to Stomp's home town and the theatre where many of the routines were originated: Brighton Dome.Instantly recognizable household objects take on new life as percussive instruments in the hands of each of the Stompers: brooms, cigarette lighters, water bottles, basketballs and more are each explored for their sonic potential. Dance meets rhythm in "Hands and Feet" and Stomp takes to the air in "Suspension", where the entire set becomes a musical instrument. The show climaxes with the "Bins" routine: a ten minute rhythm extravaganza in itself, using trash-cans, oil drums and plastic drums with trash-can lid combat sequences...Combining physical comedy and athleticism, it's a highly charged performance from an idiosyncratic group who could only come from the world of STOMP.

Manufacturer: Shanchie Records Brand: Documentary - Dokumentation Model: 2256643

This 95 minute DVD feature film traces the evolution, from folk roots in the Kentucky hills through innovations which shaped modern forms. Over 100 songs by Bill Monroe, Stanle y Brothers, Mac Wiseman, Jimmy Martin, Flatt & Scruggs, Osb ourne Brothers, "The story of bluegrass is the story of Bill Monroe's musical legacy." So begins this superb 1991 documentary, which frames its historical survey around Monroe, the father of Kentucky bluegrass. As Monroe visits his old Kentucky home, now dilapidated and full of memories, the film traces the emergence of bluegrass from Appalachian descendants of Scotch-Irish settlers, and a variety of bluegrass greats (including narrator Mac Wiseman) offer informative anecdotes, accompanied by evocative archival footage and concert performances from the bluegrass festival circuit. Monroe's dominance is duly acknowledged, but ample time is devoted to his contemporaries and successors, including the fast-pickin' duo of Flat & Scruggs, the Osborne Brothers, Jimmy Martin, and finally Alison Krauss, who passionately defends the music's acoustic purity. The rise, fall, and consistent revival of bluegrass is thus chronicled through oral history and visual record, resulting in a priceless film that even casual fans are sure to enjoy. --Jeff Shannon

Manufacturer: BBC Home Entertainment Brand: Warner Manufacturing

Riverdance: Live from Radio City Music Hall: Collector's Edition (DBL DVD)]]> Riverdance, the Irish hard-shoe sensation that took PBS viewers by storm, underwent its second incarnation with Live from New York City, a 1996 performance filmed at Radio City Music Hall. While most of the attributes from 1995's Riverdance: The Show remain--the dazzling ensemble choreography, Bill Whelan's energetic score, and the New Age-y view of Celtic mythology--the most significant difference is at the top, where Colin Dunne replaced bombastic lead dancer Michael Flatley. Though lacking Flatley's bravura, Dunne is a superb technician who works well with Flatley's former co-lead, Jean Butler. Flamenco dancer Maria Pagis returns, as do the Riverdance Singers (formerly known as Anuna) with soloist Katie McMahon and the orchestra with fiery fiddler Eileen Ivers. About a half-hour longer than the 1995 original, Live from New York City expands upon the second act's theme of the Irish leaving their homeland for other parts of the world. "Lift the Wings" becomes a set piece for the people who are saying goodbye (it's hard not to miss the original's solo voice of Aine Um Cheallaigh), and a new song, "Heal Their Hearts," is a showcase anthem for bass Morgan Crowley. In the most engaging new number, "Trading Taps," a trio of Irish dancers faces off against two urban American tappers. While much of this follow-up show will be familiar to those who know the original, it's different enough to be enjoyed on its own terms. It's also more stylishly shot, but that's also its biggest drawback--frenetic editing that allows only brief glimpses of the dancers and leaves the viewer dizzy. --David Horiuchi

Manufacturer: MPI HOME VIDEO Brand: MPI Home Video Model: 28919045

Acclaimed director François Ozon (Swimming Pool, 8 Women) helms this erotic tale of sexual awakening, featuring a luminous, star-making performance (David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter) from its young lead actress, Marine Vacth. After losing her virginity, 17-year-old budding beauty Isabelle (Vacth) takes up a secret life as a call girl, meeting older gentlemen clients for erotic hotel room trysts. But throughout her sexual escapades Isabelle remains curiously aloof, showing little interest in the encounters themselves or the money she makes from them. What then does Isabelle hope to gain by offering her body up to the whims of strangers? A sleek and sexy coming-of-age drama, YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL heralds the coming of a new talent as guided by the masterful hand of one of cinema s most assured artists.

Manufacturer: Warner/Reprise Video Brand: PETTY,TOM Model: 2231074

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers perform some of their best-loved songs, live from the Fillmore, San Francisco, on March 15th and 16th 1999. Songs include 'Room at the Top', 'You Wreck Me', and 'Runnin' Down a Dream'.

Manufacturer: White Star Brand: Kulter

Experience for yourself the one-of-a-kind performance of the classic songs that have made George Jones famous throughout a career.