Sept 5 release of The Right Spectacle?

selfmademug · Post by **selfmademug** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 2:02 pm

DrJ wrote:yup, they sent it just after I ordered it - here it comes!

DUCK!!

Dood, I thought you died! Good to see you back here.

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 6:55 am

Q, Oct.05

ELVS COSTELLO
The Right Spectacle
DEMON VISION

Main Feature: ***
Extras: ***

Video Best Of, from cheap and cheerfuI to glam and grumpy.

For such cheap affairs Elvis Costello’s early videos are still strangely diverting.

Costello’s knock-kneed nerd dancing and his band’s drunken falling about offer all sorts of new wave chuckles, while Hawaiian beaches and French marinas provide incongruously gamorous locations. Later, as the budgets increase, the fun level drops, though Costello’s eagerness to take the piss out of himself belies his reputation as a curmudgeon.

Extras: Voiceover and old TV footage.

ANDY FYFE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Print ad.
Record Collector, Oct. 05

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 12:27 pm

The Times ( London)
September 03, 2005

The Right Spectacle: The Very Best Of Elvis Costello

Costello is undoubtedly one of the finest songwriters this country has produced and a peerless live performer. But even his most ardent fan would admit that his promotional videos are, with a few honourable exceptions, rubbish, featuring Costello and his band lip-synching badly and dancing worse. Nevertheless, in these days of super-slick production and editing, it’s hard to deny their humorous appeal, particularly, as here, when accompanied by the singer’s wry commentary on his state of inebriation and/or dress at the time the video was shot.

DVD extras

Commentary on the videos by Costello, 70 minutes of rare TV performance footage, booklet by Costello.

NIGEL KENDALL

Extreme Honey · Post by **Extreme Honey** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 12:30 pm

When will it come to Canada? We're still loyal to The Man!!!!!!!!!!

lemo · Post by **lemo** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 12:46 pm

i got mine this morning!

the dancing in i cant stand up... is amazing!

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:11 am

Dublin stores are saying they are not getting it until Sept.19th - grrrrrr!

Fishfinger king · Post by **Fishfinger king** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 6:38 pm

Play.com delivered mine this morning.
Not got round to watching yet.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 4:26 am

I've got a birthday coming up soon so if any of you board members want to get it for me...

Unfortunately due to our house extension we have to disconnect the TV, DVD etc so I won't be watching it for a while. And then I'll be getting frustrated that you'll all be talking about it and I won't. Space permits me setting it all back up in the bedroom as many of our possessions are stored in three rooms!

John · Post by **John** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 5:40 pm

No 5 in this chart.
http://play.com/play247.asp?pa=navsub&page=front&r=R2M
Just ordered my copy.

DrJ · Post by **DrJ** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 5:36 pm

Arrived Monday morning, have pretty much watched the whole thing and it's great. The tv appearances are fantastic and it's a pity they stop at 1983, there's so much more they could have used to bulk it up to 1994: The Session from 1988, The Late Show Special from 1989, SNL from 1989 &91, Unplugged from 1991, Danny BAker Show from 1994, any of the Letterman stuff, but the sleeve note points out that they had limited resources and what they have is (a) rare and (b) as good as it gets.

I became an EC fan in 89 when I was 14 after hearing Spike and seeing him in concert (the gig clinched it). Not knowing exactly where to go next to enjoy the back catalogue I bought the video compilation which was out at the time which went up to 1984 and used that to decide how to get into the albums. Watching the DVD on Monday I realised that these videos are a great intro to EC for the uninitiated, particularly in chronological order and the tv footage backs this up. Makes a bit more sense than some of the compilations out there.

DrJ

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 6:41 am

Mojo, Oct.05

Elvis Costello

The Right Spectacle:
The Very Best Of Elvis
Costello — The Videos

With 27 original videos augmented by an additional 70 minutes of rarely shown TV appearances and a sarcastic, cutting commentary from Costello himself, this is near priceless stuff. Early clips show Costello poking fun at the medium, while the later MTVage material delivers mixed results.

Dave Oliver

Fishfinger king · Post by **Fishfinger king** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 6:49 pm

I don't really believe they were poking fun at the medium. In 1978 the medium didn't really exist as we know it. It's great fun to watch, but mostly in a "how could we/they be so niaive?" way. When the commentary to I can't stand up.. says he's holding a plate of whitebait, because he hadn't finished his lunch and took it from the restaurant, it seems highly likely - why else would you be dancing around with a plate of whitebait?
The EC comments are engagingly self-deprecating - for all the talk of his ego it's hard to imagine any other major artist taking the piss out of themselves so remorselessly (Sting? Michael Jackson? - now there are artistes truly full of ego and with no compensating humour). Good comparison to Lou Canova - hopeless crooner from Woody Allen's Broadway Danny Rose.
The other interesting thing is that the best songs/albums have the worst videos and vice versa. The two Goodbye Cruel World viseos are great in their own ways and I wanna be loved probably the best overall.
Other high spots are New Lace Sleeves and This Town, both of which I didn't know even existed (let alone This Town, which gave me my nom de plume, having EC dressed as a devil, Harry Enfield, the Spinning Songbook and the captain from Red Dwarf!!!)
All in all an essential purchase.

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 12:30 pm

I was familiar with most of the earlier videos through 'The Man' vcr, but some of the others are right treats, and This Town is hilarious. Still love the Possession vid, which is a kind precursor to the road trip thing on the memphis dvd.

The tv/live clips are excellent, although agree that some later stuff would have ben good.

Extreme Honey · Post by **Extreme Honey** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 3:12 pm

I agree with fishfinger king, sometimes artists get cocky and full of ego and they become talentless sluts like Madonna, Sting, Micheal Jackson and all the rest of 'em. Elvis is my kind of hero, cool, laid back and can take a joke.

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 3:38 pm

Plunged straight in the other day, I now have found how to turn the commentary on, brilliant. Also watched the Easter Egg, which is very interesting.

sweetest punch · Post by **sweetest punch** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 1:04 pm

The Rhino site has been updated and has 'The Right Spectacle' for sale:

http://www.rhino.com/store/ProductDetai ... ber=970409

John · Post by **John** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 5:18 pm

No 3 in a BBC Radio 1 chart
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/musicdvds.shtml
No 4 on Amazon UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/tg/ ... 37-4482014

The old hits still sell when packaged reasonably.

And No Coffee Table · Post by **And No Coffee Table** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 6:58 pm

Uncut , Sept. '05

(his bitching on the commentary about loathed ex-bassist Bruce Thomas is a treat)

BTW, this bit in Uncut's review is simply false. EC doesn't "bitch" about Bruce in the commentary. I am well aware of EC's various complaints about Bruce elsewhere, but there is no negativity about Bruce to be found on the DVD.

And No Coffee Table · Post by **And No Coffee Table** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 8:15 pm

A few screen grabs for anyone who may be interested:

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 3:47 pm

And No Coffee Table wrote:
Uncut , Sept. '05

(his bitching on the commentary about loathed ex-bassist Bruce Thomas is a treat)
BTW, this bit in Uncut's review is simply false. EC doesn't "bitch" about Bruce in the commentary. I am well aware of EC's various complaints about Bruce elsewhere, but there is no negativity about Bruce to be found on the DVD.

He did have a couple of Bruce digs during 'You Little Fool', but apart from that I didn't notice anything. He does continually take the piss out of 'Mr Nieve' though.

Has no-one else got anything to say about the DVD, or have you all not got it yet?

Post by **BlueChair** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 3:49 pm

It's still not out in North America, but I hope to get it when it is!

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 3:50 pm

ordered from the above link.

waiting.

not very patiently.

whar · Post by **whar** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 3:51 pm

Mine should be arriving on the 20th.

And No Coffee Table · Fri Sep 16, 2005 10:07 pm

An odd aspect of the new DVD is this shot from "You Little Fool":

On the '90s VHS release, you could see logos for Coca-Cola and Pepsi in the areas which are blurred on the new version.

I'm not sure if the blurring is entirely new though. I know MTV generally blurs logos for commercial products, so I wouldn't be totally surprised if the alteration was made in 1982. Anyone know?

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 4:34 pm

Stumbled across this via an Apple Quicktime link (a few bits and pieces of subtitled commentary included on the video samples they offer here):

http://www.video-c.co.uk/artistfeatures ... watch.html