Today I had the privilege to have a sneak preview on the Dutch BMG headquarters of both the new DVD’s. They were test-disc's from the factory so no packaging yet.
"The 68 Comeback" is just stunning. There is so very much to see! The menus are very nicely designed, picture quality is great and the sound is super! And the sit-down shows in this complete format are such a pleasure.
They have really tried to give us Elvis, Elvis, Elvis and Elvis. There are some split screens that are very good and useful. "Baby What You Want Me To Do" is fantastic but the "If I Can Dream'" 2004 music video will bring tears to your eyes, magnificent!
"Aloha From Hawaii" - what can I say: brilliant!. The sound is fantastic! The new camera angles are great. The show gets a much better feeling, not as static as it was. The ending of "Burning Love" can now be seen in full format(great) and "Suspicious Minds" is so much better! I only saw the January 14th show by the way.
Very interesting are the after show parts: a great musician at work! Much fun and even a "goddammit" from Elvis! Though the part with Glen D. Hardin playing Fats Domino on "Hawaiian Wedding Song" is not on there (or so it seems).
I can't wait to get my hands on these DVDs, they will bring you the ultimate Elvis experience. We are in for a treat! Going to see it again in a week in the "Stairway To Heaven" (where I just was :-)), see you Dutch fans there (get your tickets through the link below).
Comeback And Aloha Preview Review
By Rogier van Luyken, June 08, 2004 | Video
Related links
macuser wrote on
June 09, 2004
So it seems that Rogier has beaten me to it when it comes to the preview.It would have been nicer of there were some pictures taken of that preview you just had,even without the packaging cause that says more then a 1000 words.
Anyhow what matters is that Elvis is getting all the attention he deserves here in Holland trough the media and his fans that it would surprise me if the screening on wednesdaynight june 16th 2004 in Utrecht isn't soldout.
Hopefully things will follow-up in Europe and elsewhere to cause infact Holland is more like a Beatles and Rolling Stones country.Still here the following is greater if one checks out the On Tour Concerts compared to other countries around the world wich claim itself bigger Elvis countries then us.
macuser wrote on
June 16, 2004
Ok, here it goes! I bought them both today a the specially held Elvis 'World' premiere party at the Stairway to Heaven club in Utrecht for € 50,- wich will later be higher when the 2 DVD's hit the shelves on june 19th 2004 at the Free Recordshop Rotterdam and the Megastore in Amsterdam for national sale.
NBC TV Special: This is a great 3 DVD set with a small black booklet inside on the left containing all the inns and out's of the whole DVD box-set.The first DVD is black and contains the orginal TV special segment and the 2 sitdown-shows with all the hoopla. The second DVD-the white one- contains both standup-shows, the alternate Trouble/Guitarman segments all outtakes of the show closer If i can dream, the Huh huh huh TV special promo and as special gift! If I can dream Music video of 2004! The 3rd and final DVD- red one- contains the leftovers/scratches if you will of the whole show and is more like a after-dessert with the Gospel and Guitarman production number.
I myself found the 2nd video the most entertaining cause it contains all the WOW ... I've never seen him that raw before segments.
In all worth it's 5 stars and beats hands down the That's The Way It Is SE DVD when you are talking on a entertaining level.
The Aloha from Hawai deluxe set is all in white with red letters and Elvis his name in Gold and inside decorated in Hawaiien-colours and has 2 DVD's. One in white containg the Concert's: Jan 12th the rehearsel concert and the wellknown Jan 14th 1973 concert.Also included the segment were you see the fans at the beach waiting for the King to arrive.Remember this is a kindda long segment and not really that entertaining.
Both concerts are fine and yes there are indeed certain camera differences as mentioned by someone else but unless you are not biased when it comes to Elvis, it is just a small matter and not that a bigger deal as some like to make.
Both concerts though are more entertaining then the previous releases of the Aloha and Alternate Aloha show on DVD. Let's say it is That's the Way it is SE without all the extra-segments. In all I liked how they refurbished this Satellite show and give it a 3 stars.
Oh yeah whatabout the sound: The sound of BOTH DVD's
are excellent, crisp and clear and gives the whole show when played on a surround-cinema system like I have at home and on a cinema-screen a bombastic effect for the viewer.
In all both DVD's are worth your money but the one wich is really a blockbuster is the NBC TV special!