Product: Rock & Roll Backstage Pass: Four-Movie Collection (U2: Rattle & Hum / Bob Dylan: No Direction Home / Rolling Stones: Shine a Light / Neil Young: Heart of Gold)
Rating: 5.0
Five classic discs: an excellent bargain
This collection is something of a grab-bag, encompassing as it does both the old and the new and both concert film and biographical documentary. All in all, however, it's a phenomenal value: four fine films retailing for the price of a single DVD. The rock legends that they profile hail from four different countries: Rolling Stones from England, Neil Young from Canada, Bob Dylan from America, and U2 from Ireland. They're captured at very different times in their careers: the Stones and Young in their late periods, Dylan very early on, and U2 at a midpoint. The Amazon description is not accurate when it states there are only four discs in this box ("No Direction Home" is actually a two-DVD set) and when it indicates that there are no extras. In fact, there are quite a few."Shine a Light" (122 minutes), directed by Martin Scorsese, presents a 2006 performance by the Stones at New York's Beacon Theatre, incorporating archival footage from the band's long tenure. Jack White, Buddy Guy, and Christina Aguilera join Mick, Keith, Ron, and Charlie for individual songs, and bonuses include backstage and rehearsal footage as well as four performances cut from the film: "Undercover of the Night," "Paint It Black," "Little T&A;," and "I'm Free.""Neil Young: Heart of Gold" (103 minutes) was directed by Jonathan Demme. It documents a 2005 concert by Young at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, during which he premieres the songs from his album "Prairie Wind" and, in an encore set, performs music from his back catalog. Emmylou Harris joins Neil on two duets. There are two bonus songs: "He Was the King" from "Prairie Wind" and "The Needle and the Damage Done" from a 1971 TV performance on "The Johnny Cash Show.""No Direction Home" (208 minutes), originally an "American Masters" special on PBS, is another Scorsese film, but this one is mainly a bio-doc with brief clips of Dylan performances. It covers the period from his arrival in New York as a folk singer in 1961 to his temporary retirement as a rock singer after a motorcycle accident in 1966. Extras include performances of "Blowing in the Wind," "Girl of the North Country," "Man of Constant Sorrow," "Mr. Tambourine Man," Love Minus Zero / No Limit," and "Like a Rolling Stone," in addtion to an unused promo for "Positively 4th Street.""Rattle and Hum" (98 minutes), directed by Phil Joanou, contains live concert footage from Denver's McNichols Sports Arena and other US venues as well as in the studio. It depicts U2 on their 1987 Joshua Tree tour, fusing American blues, folk, and gospel music with their signature sound. They're joined by Bob Dylan and B.B. King, among others, as well as a New York gospel choir that performs "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." This black-and-white and color film was the companion to U2's sixth album release. The only special feature is a theatrical trailer.A full list of scene selections follows:Shine a Light (released 2008)1. Preparations2. Before the Show3. Jumping Jack Flash4. Shattered5. She Was Hot6. All Down the Line7. Loving Cup8. As Tears Go By9. Some Girls10. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)11. Far Away Eyes12. Champagne and Reefer13. Tumblin' Dice14. You Got the Silver15. Connection16. Sympathy For the Devil17. Live With Me18. Start Me Up19. Brown Sugar20. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction21. Shine a Light (End Titles)Heart of Gold (2006)1. The Road to the Ryman2. The Painter3. No Wonder4. Falling Off the Face of the Earth5. Far From Home6. It's a Dream7. Prairie Wind8. Here For You9. This Old Guitar10. When God Made Me11. I Am a Child12. Harvest Moon13. Heart of Gold14. Old Man15. Needle and the Damage Done16. Old King17. Comes a Time18. Four Strong Winds19. One of These Days20. The Old Laughing Lady (End Titles)No Direction Home, Disc 1 (2005)1. No Direction Home2. Many Years3. A Musical Expeditionary4. One of the Mad Ones5. Greenwich Village6. The Crossroads7. The First Album8. Writing Truth9. Hammond's Folly10. A Pawn in Their Game11. Newport Music FestivalNo Direction Home, Disc 2 (2005)1. Bathe My Dog2. An Independent Minstrel3. State of Becoming4. The Need for Change5. Get Born6. How Does It7. I Ain't Gonna Work on Maggie's Farm No More8. Highway 619. Meet the Press10. Sick of the Scene11. End CreditsRattle and Hum (1988)1. Helter Skelter2. Van Diemen's Land3. Desire4. Exit / Gloria5. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For6. Freedom for My People / Silver and Gold7. Angel of Harlem8. All Along the Watchtower9. In God's Country10. When Love Comes to Town11. Heartland12. Bad / Ruby Tuesday / Sympathy for the Devil13. Where the Streets Have No Name14. MLK15. With or Without You16. Star Spangled Banner / Bullet the Blue Sky17. Running to Stand Still18. Sunday Bloody Sunday19. Pride (In the Name of Love)20. All I Want Is You (End Credits)