Jazz - A Film By Ken Burns

Amazon.com essential video

Accompanied by a menagerie of products, Ken Burns's expansive 10-episode paean, Jazz, completes his trilogy on American culture, following The Civil War and Baseball. Spanning more than 19 hours, Jazz is, of course, about a lot more than what many have called America's classical music--especially in episodes 1 through 7. It's here that Burns unearths precious visual images of jazz musicians and hangs historical narratives around the music with convincing authority. Time can stand still as images float past to the sound of grainy vintage jazz, and the drama of a phonograph needle being placed on Louis Armstrong's celestial "West End Blues" is nearly sublime.

The film is also potent in arguing that the history of race in the 20th-century U.S. is at jazz's heart. But a few problems arise. First is Burns's reliance on Wynton Marsalis as his chief musical commentator. Marsalis might be charming and musically expert, but he's no historian. For the film to devote three of its episodes to the 1930s, one expects a bit more historical substance. Also, Jazz condenses the period of 1961 to the present into one episode, glossing over some of the music's giant steps. Burns has said repeatedly that he didn't know much about jazz when he began this project. So perhaps Jazz, for all its glory, would better be called Jazz: What I've Learned Since I Started Listening (And I Haven't Gotten Much Past 1961). For those who are already passionate about jazz, the film will stoke debate (and some derision, together with some reluctant praise). But for everyone else, it will amaze and entertain and kindle a flame for some of the greatest music ever dreamed. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

This Is a mess,made by non Jazz People.......2007-08-31

The worst thing about this mess,isn't that there's way too much Wynton Marshals making BS sound like History,Or the Fact that Burns and the
People who put this together aren't Jazz People,
Its the fact they were too cheap to buy any full clips of Jazz artists
preforming!!
Something's will make a true Jazz Fans stomach turn,One talking head
made some stupid statement about Bix being held back because there
weren't any White Musicians who were up to his level,

They are good at History not Music,
Want to learn something about Jazz get the Jazz Icons series

Partial History of Jazz.......2007-08-03

This is a great series but it is not a true history of jazz. It omits the crucial fact that jazz was driven by songs and vocalists and not by instrumentalists. An example would be the 'canaries' who were the singers who got big bands their audiences in the swing era. Jazz songwriting comes mostly from Broadway musicals which is also an overlooked point. Still, it's got some great commentary on all the instrumental greats.
Uh, then it falls utterly flat in the last episode. Never mind.

A slanted, one-dimensional view on a complex subject.......2007-05-31

The Ken Burns Jazz series attempts to compile the entire history of jazz and the world surrounding it into ten two-hour films. You have to give them credit for trying, but the series has some serious flaws and presents a view on jazz history that many, including myself, would consider inadequate or just plain wrong. Biased views are presented as fact (such as the comment that Miles Davis' electric period was not innovative and that he was "playing tennis without a net"). Also, much time is wasted on commentators who seem to have nothing interesting to say, and who present their opinions on the music and their musings on the musicians, most of which are entirely speculative and out of place. PLUS they try to cram everything after '61 into one film, while any jazz fan knows that a whole lot was happening to the music during and after that time. They spent three films on swing; couldn't they have given some of that time to the 60's and 70's?
All that being said, these films are informative in some parts and contain some AMAZING footage. Worth seeing, but be wary: this is just one way to look at jazz, and not a great one in my opinion.

Long and often interesting but finally a disappointment.......2007-05-03

Jazz is music. This documentary only occasionally notices the music. It focuses on people who were important to it, on racism, on the hardships of being a musician, on the historical progression of jazz musicians, but it seems like the music gets lost. It is as if one were to write a biography of Lincoln by studying the clothes he wore or the food he ate. The substance is just not there. There is also a sense that Burns is using the musicians to tell the story he wants to tell so that someone watching this will know that Stan Getz used drugs and little else about him, that Bill Evans was booed for being a white man in Miles Davis' group but not anything about his piano style or how it connects with other styles or how these styles evolve or vanished or blossomed into something entirely new. That is frankly because this is not a documentary about jazz. I am not sure really what it is about. Even as a history of the musicians, I doubt few could say that anyone watching this film in its entirety would be conversant on the subject. It is a really sad misfire. There is plenty of good stuff buried in here but I think it would take someone less focused on having social consequence and more focused on the enigma of music to make a film like this work. If jazz is the question, this film has not found the answer.

There is more to Jazz than just on Bourbon Street.......2007-02-25

After 7 years of stalling, with the help of a coupon, I finally completed the Burns' boys cycle by buying this set for myself for my birthday. I had only watched it in spurts previously, but after watching 1/2 of Episode 1 uninterrupted last night, I had to ask myself, "Pregosin, What the hell took you so long?" In that half hour alone I learned more about the New Orleans atmosphere of the late 19th early 20th century that I never knew before. And now with Louisiana still in recovery from the scars of hurricanes in 2005, it's important to know about that city's history as well as the music that was born there. This epic of our man Ken tells both stories at once and well worth the view for anyone (but especially those who like his work in general). Gerald Early was right back in Episode 1 of Baseball when he said that in 2000 years when the American civilization is studied in detail 3 things will standout; The Constitution, Baseball and Jazz. Although I think Kenny might have grinned if instead of the Constitution, Jerry would have said The Civil War. I'm glad I finally bought it, and am looking forward to buying his new work coming this fall on World War II.

Average customer rating:

Great Elvis Movie
Not Really Good...But Definitely Not the Worst
Makes you go on a beach holiday
Another Formulaic Plot For Talentless Presley
Elvis DVD's

Fun in Acapulco
Starring: Elvis Presley , Ursula Andress , Elsa Cárdenas , Paul Lukas , and Larry Domasin
Director: Richard Thorpe
Manufacturer: Paramount
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ASIN: B00007ELFB
Release Date: 2003-01-07

Amazon.com

In 1963 Elvis could still be energized by the music in his movies, and the production values hadn't yet descended to budget-crunching level. Thus the breezy pleasure of Fun in Acapulco, which sees the pelvis-swinger coming to life for a rousing "Bossa Nova Baby" and a clutch of faux-Mexican tunes. Nice scenery of the fabled resort, but the movie has a strange disconnect (which becomes weirdly fascinating if you keep track of it): Elvis himself is limited to standing and singing in front of rear-projection Mexican vistas, while his hard-working double bicycles down streets, strides across beaches, etc. The newly hot Ursula Andress keeps Elvis and his double company. Elvis's jobs are among his craziest movie gigs: he begins as a deckhand, is hired as a nightclub entertainer/lifeguard, but is revealed to be a trapeze artist in his former life. By the end, of course, he is also a cliff diver. --Robert Horton

Description

Rocking and rolling south of the border, "Fun in Acapulco" finds Elvis starring as Mike Windgren, a recently unemployed boat hand who finds work as a lifeguard and singer at a local hotel. Clashing with a rival lifeguard who resents Mike's competition of who can impress the women the most. Tempted by a lady bullfighter (Cardenas) and a beautiful temptress (Andress), Windgren must rely on his ability to croon Latin love songs including "You Can't Say No in Acapulco" and "Bossa Nova Baby" to prove his romantic prowess.

Customer Reviews:

Great Elvis Movie.......2007-07-29

This is a great Elvis movie. The singing is awesome and the cliff diving brings an edge to the movie. not your typical fall in love with the girl and sing to her all the time.

Not Really Good...But Definitely Not the Worst.......2007-04-09

I recently watched this movie with my young niece and nephew. They like Elvis but most of his movies are pretty hard to take. To keep them occupied, I told them that Elvis never left Hollywood to make this movie so they needed to spot the real Elvis shots and the other location shots that featured a double. It worked. Between songs, they had fun picking out the real locations from the bad rear-projection shots of Elvis.

"Bossa Nova Baby" is the only real song worth anything (like "Return to Sender" was the only real song in GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS!). The rest all sound like bad Mexican tunes about bulls or bullfighters. Ursula Andress is hot but she's a long way away from Honey Rider in DR. NO.

The best of Elvis's post-Army movies was VIVA LAS VEGAS and the worst--and there are a lot of them--would be HARUM SCARUM. FUN IN ACAPULCO would fall directly in the middle.

Makes you go on a beach holiday.......2007-01-12

Great Elvis movie, my favorite after Roustabout ( Story wise ). Makes you feel like going on a beach holiday, the scenery is lovely

Another Formulaic Plot For Talentless Presley.......2006-12-16

I've come to the conclusion that Elvis fans are simpletons. Here's another in a long, line of Presley vehicles that combines a juvenile plot, silly acting, and endless three chord songs with inane lyrics. This guy's acting was worse than his singing---and that's saying something. The most conspicuous thing about the movie is the amount of grease is Presley's hair and the repetitiveness of his monosyllabic dialogue. He was a real cornball with a gnat's IQ and no talent. Truly, do his idol-worshipping fans realize that Presley's IQ was under 80? If it wasn't for Colonel Parker, Presley would have spent the rest of his days driving trucks and eating fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Uh huh, uh huh.

Elvis DVD's.......2005-07-19

Received products in perfect condition and quickly.
It doesn't get any better than that!

Average customer rating:

will cure insomnia
Entertaining, but........
Nothing New Here - Just Good Entertainment
Finally - new material about Elvis.
Bravo - Priscilla!

Elvis by the Presleys
Starring: Elvis Presley , Lisa Marie Presley , Priscilla Presley , Danielle Riley Keough , and Ed Parker (II)
Director: Rob Klug
Manufacturer: Bmg Marketing
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00094ASEK
Release Date: 2005-05-17

Amazon.com

The King of Rock and Roll would have turned 70 in 2005, the same year Elvis by the Presleys was released. An impressive number, but it's a pea in the ocean compared to the amount of posthumous products bearing his name; and the really amazing part is that some of them actually manage to shed new light on this much-studied icon. Assuming one has the time, stamina, and interest to wade through the enormous amount of material presented on Elvis by the Presleys, this ambitious, well-made documentary-reminiscence certainly falls into that category.

The presence and participation of Presley's ex-wife, Priscilla, and daughter Lisa Marie, as well as Priscilla's parents and sister, Elvis' first cousin, and "Memphis Mafia" member Jerry Schilling, lend an air of authenticity to the project. There isn't a lot here about Elvis' music, although the interpolation of many clips from his TV appearances, movies, concert performances, and recordings more than adequately convey the singer's ineffable (and apparently eternal) appeal. Elvis by the Presleys is more specifically designed to provide an inside look at the day-to-day life of Presley, his family, and those in his immediate orbit, and on that level it succeeds rather well.

There is a lot of talk here--nearly four and half hours' worth (including bonus material), spread out over two discs. Some of the territory covered is yawn-inducingly familiar: Elvis was well-mannered but moody, he was exceedingly generous, he loved Christmas, he appreciated his fans, and on and on. But there are more surprising (at least to the casual fan) revelations as well: Presley was an accomplished horseman; he was not only a good Christian but a voracious reader with an interest in spiritual as well as purely religious matters (he even joined the Self-Realization Fellowship in Los Angeles); and he suffered mightily from insomnia. Moreover, while this is a loving tribute, it's not hagiography. Priscilla makes it clear that she and everyone else around Elvis were expected to surrender their own lives to suit his needs and whims, a demand she eventually found unendurable. Nor do they gloss over Elvis' final years, when he was fat, drug-ridden, and disillusioned. Little matter that Elvis Presley is dead. Long live the King! --Sam Graham

Description

ELVIS BY THE PRESLEYS, a new entertainment special that will feature a collection of new, intimate interviews with his former wife, Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, and their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, includes exclusive, never-before-seen television performances, photographs from the Presley Estate archives and Presley family home movies.

In the special, Priscilla and Lisa Marie speak with unguarded candor about their lives with the legendary Elvis Presley and offer an intimate look at their family and private life. Rare interviews with Elvis's first cousin, Patsy Presley Geranen, and Priscilla's parents, Ann and Paul Beaulieu, are also featured.

Vintage, never-before-seen performance footage will be interwoven with photographs from the Presley Estate archives and press coverage of Elvis over the years. Private home movies of the Presley family illustrate and illuminate his story with vivid detail, honest insight and great warmth. Different aspects of Elvis's life, including his tours, his time in Hollywood and his home life, are depicted with the insight that only his family can bring. His career ups and downs, his kindness and generosity and his human frailties are all brought to light as well as a reflection on his place in entertainment history and his enduring legacy.

Customer Reviews:

will cure insomnia.......2007-07-13

Having crossed the country twice to visit Graceland, I certainly love the King. However, I can only recommend this DVD to those who suffer from "incurable" insomnia. When my friend and I watched it, we were out cold....and we weren't even tired! The documentary is too long, too one-sided, and monothematic. How many times can the interviewees say the same thing? How many different people can say the same thing? Elvis was a great guy, generous, insulated with the "Memphis Mafia", etc. The producers of this DVD were too close to the subject to give it any objectivity. The only saving grace of this work is that we get to hear from Priscilla's parents, and they attempt to give their side of the story of Elvis dating their 14-year old daughter, then whisking her away to the U.S. (to finish high school) from Germany. I'm afraid that they didn't really explain how that could make any sense. I'm sure that are a slew of Elvis documentaries which do the King more justice.

Entertaining, but...............2007-04-20

This is a very entertaining, honest documentary and very beautifully done. However, it is blatantly obvious that this was made by Priscilla for Priscilla. She must have needed needed another Elvis cash injection. It should have been called the Beaulieau's and Jerry Schilling on Elvis.

Nothing New Here - Just Good Entertainment.......2006-05-05

Nothing new here...remembering that it is in Pricilla & Lisa-Marie's interest to retain Elvis' name in good light, as Lisa is sole-owner of Elvis' estate and Pricilla a salary-earner from the estate...this was always going to be a one-sided account of his life...no drugs, very little on his extra-maritial affairs, a good father etc....Nevertheless, the music retains the magic and the man retains his charisma...Some input from Pricilla's parents, which you never get to hear....Good light entertainment, with Elvis' image remaining intact.

Finally - new material about Elvis........2006-04-20

I have seen and read everything I can find about Elvis. I like this film by the Presley's. We have not seen nor heard from Priscilla's family before nor have we heard Priscilla speak about Elvis in this way. Priscilla's parents and sister and Lisa Marie join her and I was surprised how they felt about Elvis. They loved Elvis and thought he was a great son in law and I would have thought they would be the ones saying "I told you so". Priscilla explains what it was really like to be married to Elvis and why she could not be herself as long as she was with him. She joined Elvis' life and had to conform to his ways. It was all about Elvis and that was to never change. Priscilla is much more mature and tells things in a different light today and will always defend his honor. Priscilla like everyone else will always have respect for Elvis as an artist. He wasn't the best husband but he was always good to Priscilla and they had a better relationship after their divorce than anytime that she was with him. The pressure was being Mrs. Elvis Presley was off. They found they liked each other any way. They were close until the day he died.

Bravo - Priscilla!.......2006-02-18

I think most Elvis fans want a reason to like Priscilla. She gives us one in this DVD. Priscilla, all grown up - older and wiser, now shares her private times with Elvis. Any fool can watch this DVD and see that Elvis was deeply in love with Priscilla. When she is near him in the home movies, his face lights up, and he shows happiness. Priscilla - if you love Elvis, then love his God. Not a cult created by a science fiction writer.

Priscilla's parents - what a delight! I enjoyed them talking about Elvis. They seem to be everyday people, and Priscilla's father was having a great time talking about Elvis.

Patsy Presley - still a beauty! I'm interested in anything and everything this woman has to say. She knew Elvis from the very beginning. I'd like to have seen more of Elvis' family speak. And I would like to have seen more of Graceland inside and out. Maybe next time.

Lisa Presley - I'm not interested in anything she has to say. Most Elvis fans are very disappointed in Lisa's interviews with her vulgar and trashy language. Why would Elvis Presley's daughter lower herself to appear on the Howard Stern show and use the explicit sexual language she used? She is not going to be the one to continue her father's legacy. Elvis fans are already angry that his own daughter sold him for millions of dollars. Something just doesn't add up about Lisa. There is something very wrong here.

What is going to happen to Elvis when Priscilla is gone? Who is going to be there to protect him the way she does? Who is going to take care of business the way she does? Elvis fans say, it won't be Lisa - or her children. One day Priscilla will leave this earth, and many Elvis fans say Graceland will be sold - for millions of course.

Average customer rating:

This Is a mess,made by non Jazz People
Partial History of Jazz
A slanted, one-dimensional view on a complex subject
Long and often interesting but finally a disappointment
There is more to Jazz than just on Bourbon Street

Jazz - A Film by Ken Burns
Starring: Wynton Marsalis , Duke Ellington , Keith David , Branford Marsalis , and Gary Giddins
Director: Ken Burns
Manufacturer: Pbs Home Video
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ASIN: B00004XQOU
Release Date: 2001-01-02

Amazon.com essential video

Description

The story, sound, and soul of a nation come together in the most American of art forms: Jazz. Ken Burns, who riveted the nation with The Civil War and Baseball, celebrates the music's soaring achievements, from its origins in blues and ragtime through swing, bebop, and fusion. Six years in the making, this "soundbreaking" series blends 75 interviews, more than 500 pieces of music, 2,400 still photographs, and over 2,000 rare and archival film clips. The 10-part musical journey spotlights many of America's most original, creative--and tragic--figures, including Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis. Special features of the PBS DVD Gold include bonus performances and The Making of Jazz documentary.

Customer Reviews:

This Is a mess,made by non Jazz People.......2007-08-31

Partial History of Jazz.......2007-08-03

A slanted, one-dimensional view on a complex subject.......2007-05-31

Long and often interesting but finally a disappointment.......2007-05-03

There is more to Jazz than just on Bourbon Street.......2007-02-25

Average customer rating:

Elvis By The Presleys
Elvis Presley
Manufacturer: BMG
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000852G4U

Average customer rating:

This Is a mess,made by non Jazz People
Partial History of Jazz
A slanted, one-dimensional view on a complex subject
Long and often interesting but finally a disappointment
There is more to Jazz than just on Bourbon Street

Jazz - A Film By Ken Burns
Starring: Wynton Marsalis , Duke Ellington , Keith David , Branford Marsalis , and Gary Giddins
Director: Ken Burns
Manufacturer: Pbs Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Documentary | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

( J ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0002KPI2I
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

This Is a mess,made by non Jazz People.......2007-08-31

Partial History of Jazz.......2007-08-03

A slanted, one-dimensional view on a complex subject.......2007-05-31

Long and often interesting but finally a disappointment.......2007-05-03

There is more to Jazz than just on Bourbon Street.......2007-02-25

Average customer rating:

Like nothing else
Elvis Fans: This is a must see
well done
Brilliant!
Not your average Elvis

Altered By Elvis
Director: Jayce Bartok , and Tiffany Bartok
Manufacturer: Vinyl Foote Productions, Blarma Productions
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Collectibles | Categories |
Product Features:

In addition to the hour long documentary, the 45 minutes of special features include: deleted interviews with Gellar, Wertheimer and more.
Footage includes beautiful photos of The King Himself
Original rockabilly score
Rare interviews with Dixie Locke, Al Wertheimer and the man they love to hate- Jimmy Denson

ASIN: B000IOU9FY

Product Description

Comb your hair, curl your lip, and swivel your hips! Get ready to take a course in Elvisology. The hit of the 2006 Memphis International Film Festival and many more, Altered By Elvis is a moving and often hilarious exploration of lives fathered, fufilled, and even destroyed by the King of Rock and Roll. Almost 30 years after Elvis has "left the building" his impact on our culture is as big as ever. From extreme fans to loyal loved ones and even those who make their living off the king, Altered By Elvis digs deep to expose those he left behind. Listen to Larry Gellar recount styling Elvis' hair for the stars funeral, Vicki Fritz explain why she moved from Milwaukee to Memphis, and Jimmy Denson reveal his explosive reasons for hating Elvis more than any man alive!

Customer Reviews:

Like nothing else.......2007-03-10

I loved this film! Especially interesting is the look at 'Graceland Too' and the astounding lengths that some people have gone to preserve the memory of a true original, Elvis Presley.

Elvis Fans: This is a must see.......2006-10-19

A great mix of interviews with those closest to the king and unique fans whose lives have been dedicated to Elvis. Entertaining in every way, be sure to see this one.

well done.......2006-10-05

Julia Child's advice for the good life was "Find something you're passionate about and keep relentlessly interested in it". Well here are eight stories about people's passion for Elvis and each one is interesting. If you're looking for some new gossip about Elvis's eating habits get yourself a cheap magazine. But if you want to meet some interesting people with fascinating stories see this documentary. The producers found a wide variety of Elvis's fans, friends, associates and colleagues. Then they skillfully interviewed them and let each one tell their own story. The stories are woven together with still pictures, news footage, original music and comments from Memphis personalities. The filming and editing keeps the stories moving and keeps the viewer engaged. In case the movie leaves you wanting more check out the additional features that include 45 minutes of expanded interviews and photography. Well done.

Brilliant!.......2006-09-18

I felt as though I was literally walking the steps of Elvis's life as this documentary tore through Graceland... amazing interviews with the heart and sould of Elvis's fans and those that knew him well!!

Not your average Elvis.......2006-09-18

"Altered by" is a much different experience than what Elvis fans and collectors are used to getting in a documentary about the King. This is a hilarious portrait of a handful of the King's lesser known servants, jesters, princes and paupers living in the wake of one of America's greatest performers. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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