Tuesday, August 31, 2010

August DVDs

None of this leaving the best till last - this is THE BEST DVD you will see in a long time - IF you like dancing and energy.  Wow.  I will say straight up - I have seen the live show four times.  YES - four times!!  Once in Sydney, twice in Canberra and once in Brisbane.  This is over the span of some ten years mind you.  And yet I STILL loved seeing it all again on DVD.  The Tap Dogs are wonderful tap dancers - but not in that stilted old school way - no there is fun, interaction, characters, energy, modern music, stunts - it's all there.  A terrifically imagined and realised show.  Rush out and see it for yourself.

I loved seeing this series on TV and it didn't pall the second time through.  The scenes are set in the bedrooms of neighbours as they are about to go to bed or to sleep - whichever.  The interactions between the couples is fascinating, and as the series progresses there is good character development and the odd twist or two.  Wonderful pacing, wit and pathos.  Real life magnified.  Highly recommended.

The HUGE shoulder pads are a giveaway that this was filmed in the 80s.  But that's OK, because the music is still as wonderful as ever.  There are scenes of Sting composing and talking with fellow musicians, scenes of him and his wife and the birth of their child - and of course lots of music.  I found it very enjoyable.

I borrowed this because I wanted to educate myself about this group - but to be honest I found it very boring.  The music was not stirring or emotive and I didn't finish watching it.