David41275 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey. OK, kiddos, this review may sound a bit negative so don't get your panties in a bunch and let me finish because overall, I really enjoyed the DVD but there are a lot of niggles that are really bugging me about this DVD and I feel the need to air them and get everyone else's opinion. DEEP BREATH.... Here we go. I was really worried about the DVD prior to it's release after the first few clips were released on the internet because I felt that the manner in which the clips were filmed and edited was bordering on OCD. After the first couple of clips I actually stopped watching them because it was becoming a serious buzzkill. For a band so concerned about 'performance', they've done a real good job of making their 2 live DVD releases look a lot like something that's been directed by an 18 year old film student. Samuel Bayer did a phenomenal job with the videos for AI, BOBD, Holiday, WMUWSE, JOS but when he was let loose on the Milton Keynes gig (BIAB) he was like a kid in a candy store. Too many cameras, too many effects, cutting that was way too fast, too many different film stocks... On it went. The videos had a narrative, the concert didn't, so he showed no discipline in the way he directed it. I may be in the minority but when I buy a Green Day Live DVD I want to see my favourite band... play a gig.... live.... Is that too much to ask? What I don't want is a director trying to impress me by how many cuts and angles and colours of film stock he can throw into a three minute song. I don't want motion sickness. The more you fuck with the shots, the less time you have to connect with the band. Music is about connection. Get 5 camera's, Put one at the soundboard, one on a crane or wirecam, and three at the front of the stage... That's fucking it. That will record a show for you. And guess what? Keep them all in COLOUR as well in post-production. My favourite filmed gig is Jaded In Chicago from 94. Why? Because, even though it's MTV, it really doesn't throw cameras about. Nice static shots, steady pans, zooms. Nothing to detract from THE BAND and the music they're playing. Granted, a cameraman does manage to switch Billie's amp off during 2000 Light Years Away, causing BJ to scream obscenities and spit at the cameraman, but hey, he was in the zone. I always hoped that Awesome As Fuck (Or AAF as I will now refer to it) would move away from the OCD - Samuel Bayer school of directing and capture Green Day properly. After he ruined Green Day's DVD, he also ruined the Nightmare On Elm Street Franchise as well.... Good work Sam! This is fucking Green Day, they're an amazing live band, probably the most entertaining rock and roll show on earth right now (Don't call it punk... Don't get me started). This is a band that does not need bells and whistles to look good. Alas, this was not to be and, incredibly, the editing in AAF is even MORE frenetic that BIAB. It looks like Michael Bay directed it. I was waiting for that fruity burnt tobacco filter he uses on everything to crop up. Quite frankly, after 10 minutes, I was waiting for Optimus Prime to show up. Too many camera angles, the video has been transferred into so many different colours and textures that it takes you out of the moment. Case and point: 21 Guns. That blue filter that's used for 75% of the song looks like shit but as soon as the solo starts and the pyro fires up, we're back to full hi-def and it looks phenomenal. So why bother making Billie look like a member of The Blue Man Group for the vast majority of it? Also, as we all know, the DVD is a few nights cut together. The problem being, there's some horrible edits in it. They even make the cardinal sin of using audio from one night over the video of the other night so it isn't quite synced with Billie's mouth. NO, NO, NO. Don't do that. Pick the best version of the song from both nights and use it, don't use footage from both nights in the same song. POSITIVES 1. It's Green Day Live and they're awesome (as fu...) Yeah, I'm not going there. 2. The track list is good but could have been better because it's not long enough. Green Day also earn extra points for not putting King For A Day/Shout for this DVD. 3. The audio, although severely tweaked in places (helloooo auto-tune!) and obvious over-dub replacement in places, is amazing through a 5.1 system. 4. The video, when it's steady enough to view it and hasn't been messed with, is crisp and clean. 5. 'Cigarettes & Valentines' is a great song and reminds me of a more innocent time when Billie was fat and unattractive, Green Day were unpopular and their audience was made of people old enough to have pubes. 6. Billie Joe doesn't age.... It's weird. 7. Tre's getting fatter. Should you buy it? Shit, yeah, you should buy it. Don't download it from somewhere, that's illegal and makes you worse than Hitler. It is better than Bullet In A BIble? No, it's not. Do I love Green Day? Yes, yes I do. I know you probably don't think I do right now after reading that diatribe but trust me, I wanted to love and enjoy this DVD more than I can express, it just disappointed me. The same way Kerrang gave it 3 K's.... Don't knock the guy for an opinion. He likes, maybe even loves Green Day too, but this release could have been SOOOOO much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desensitized09 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 POSITIVES 1. It's Green Day Live and they're awesome (as fu...) Yeah, I'm not going there. 2. The track list is good but could have been better because it's not long enough. Green Day also earn extra points for not putting King For A Day/Shout for this DVD. 3. The audio, although severely tweaked in places (helloooo auto-tune!) and obvious over-dub replacement in places, is amazing through a 5.1 system. 4. The video, when it's steady enough to view it and hasn't been messed with, is crisp and clean. 5. 'Cigarettes & Valentines' is a great song and reminds me of a more innocent time when Billie was fat and unattractive, Green Day were unpopular and their audience was made of people old enough to have pubes. 6. Billie Joe doesn't age.... It's weird. 7. Tre's getting fatter. This review made me laugh quite a bit, so I give you a thumbs up for that: You make a lot of great points, which I honestly didn't even think about while watching the DVD. I think sometimes it's hard for people to criticize anything having to do with GD because then they think that they aren't as good of fans because they don't agree with and don't find fault in everything having to do with GD, lol. If that makes sense.. I'm sort of rambling. Anyway, to keep my review short and sweet, and to be honest, I was perfectly happy with the DVD and CD. I didn't really find anything wrong with it, but at the same time I wasn't really looking either. I do agree though, I think maybe too make filters were used for the filming, but I'm glad they put them in. It just gives it a funky effect. I just wish maybe they would have used it less? I already posted a little longer review in the Awesome As Fuck thread already made, and I'm too lazy to type it again, so this is where it ends, lol. It was very interesting reading this, so thanks for posting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spastic Socialite Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Seconded. what was disappointing for me was the visual didnt match up to the performance. Fair enough have fast cuts and interesting camera movements, but it needs to support the music and almost be unnoticable. what annoyed me was the change from 16:9 ratio to the square screen, obviously filmed on two seperate cameras that had not had their settings syncronised. However, maybe its possible they filmed the concerts with no intention of releasing for DVD; if they had no ideas to publish it for the public then why go the extra mile and plan every shot and camera movement? Im not having a go, i actually really enjoyed the DVD, it just visually wasnt what i was expecting. I think whoever did the MTV world tour one did a much better job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opezi Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Haha, so what if im worse than Hitler. Im cool with that. Pretty good review, I like your mentioning of Jaded in Chicago. One of my favorites as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo 39 smooth Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 LOL that was funny! The positives were pretty funny too. You could've said some more good things about though...it was all complaints. But hey, if there wasnt anything good to say then bitch away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lena549 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I really love the music of the DVD but they really overused the effects and I miss the backstage material so badly! I loved the interviews between the songs on BIAB and I was waiting for at least a little interview (or something like that) while watching it, but there was just this arrival-thing in the beginning... That's what disappointed me a bit, but the show itself is really really awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fashionvictim86 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Thanks for the review. But I think this would be of better discussion in the Awesome as Fuck thread. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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