Live in Offenbach 1978

The Weather Report DVD we've been waiting for!!
... To the previous reviewer: While it is bad that you didn't receive your DVD when you wanted, that really is no reason to give this release a one star... Did you happen to work for Downbeat Magazine when Mr. Gone was released??
Anyway, to anyone interested in this disc, I suggest buying it immediately, drop it in your player, then sit back and see Weather Report as they should be seen. But be sure your DVD player will be able to play this disc. It sells as "region 0" which is "worldwide" and includes regions 1 through 6. To be honest, I have no idea of the limitations that my player has (United States), and this disc played perfectly. On to the disc: This concert was during the tour when I first saw Weather Report live, so it holds some strong melancholy feelings for me, bringing back intense memories, so I am partially biased with my impressions. The disc has 18 (eighteen!) tunes on it, which I believe may be the entire show. If I'm wrong on this, please correct me. But it is...

Remastered reissue of a great show
I don't own the boxed set (Weather Forecast) from which this concert was originally included, but I do own a Sony-Legacy pre-release copy of the original DVD release. I can definitely say this is an improvement over that release. However, if you already own that copy I would say this reissue probably isn't worth it. That being said, the audio is markedly better and the video seems somewhat clearer, although inescapable videotape artifacts remain in places. Although the audio is labelled as "stereo" it sure sounds like mono to these ears. This material was carefully remastered by Marko Schneider and having been produced by Tony Zawinul, it's probably safe to say that this is the best version of this particular concert we will ever see. Of course the material is totally great, the material from the somewhat controversial (in its time,) Mr Gone benefits considerably from the expanded and highly spirited treatment it receives here. Bottom line: if you don't already own it (and if like me...

Jaco fans, THIS is the one Weather Report DVD you MUST own!!
This is an excellent concert and Jaco's solo segment during the show is worth the price of the DVD alone.

Picture and sond quality is excellent and the DVD is most certainly from the master video.

If you love Jaco and Weather Report I highly recommend this DVD.

For those "reviewers" here on Amazon that have rated this DVD one star you are all losers. First of all, go out and buy a REAL Blu-Ray/DVD player like an Oppo BDP-93, BDP-95 or better yet an Oppo BDP-105. You can play NTSC and PAL format discs in any and all regions either by purchasing an Oppo that is an all region unit or by performing a simple mod to your player for the cost of $25 and 15 minutes of your time. It's completely unfair to rate this superb concert DVD with a one star rating because you are too cheap to buy a real Blu-Ray/DVD player. If you are intelligent enough to be buying a Weather Report DVD in the first place then you should have more than enough brains to buy an all...

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Detective Dee Mystery of the Phantom Flame [Blu-ray]

A very Kurasawa-esqe type mystery. Great story and acting. Good even a non-genre fan like me. I enjoyed it. I say B+
"Men have weak points, just like weapons. They will also break when struck." Wu Zetian wants to become China's first Supreme Empress. While the stage and Buddah is being constructed for the inauguration strange things begin to happen. First Master Jia spontaneously com-busts, followed by more people bursting into flames. The empress wants this mystery solved before she takes over and there is only one person she can think of to solve it, Detective Dee (Lau) a prisoner in jail for treason. Can he put aside his feelings and solve the mystery of the phantom flame in time? This is not usually the type of genre I get into, but I did enjoy this movie. The tag-line says "Crouching Tiger meets Sherlock Holmes", it's hard to disagree with that statement. I will add that I think this is a type of modern Kurosawa film. The feel and the plot are something that he would do, and the ending very much reminds me of his style in the way that you aren't really sure if the ending is good or bad for...

What a cool little film
Tsui Hark is one of the most prolific directors in HK cinema history, and has churned out films like Seven Swords, Zu Warriors, the Once Upon A Time in China trilogy, Ashes of Time, and Peking Opera Blues. He's in top form in this movie, which is loosely based on a true story of an exiled detective who solves a series of murders that threaten to delay an Empress' inauguration. This movie is quite an achievement in visuals, with a great script and acting. Well worth seeing. This DVD is equally good with a crystal clear picture, and excellent sound and English subtitles.

TSUI HARK, OPUS 37
Tsui Hark is back, let the word be spread. Remember Robert Hans van Gulik's Judge Dee at Work: Eight Chinese Detective Stories (Judge Dee Mysteries) wonderful books ? DETECTIVE DEE is, if I'm not mistaken, the first full-length movie devoted to this character. If you like action movies, this one is clearly for you. Also note that the film was acclaimed by Positif as well as by Les Cahiers du Cinéma !! Masterpiece.

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