The Andrew Lloyd Webber Spotlight Performance Collection (2000)

The Andrew Lloyd Webber Spotlight Performance Collection includes Cats, A Royal Albert Hall Celebration, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Jesus Christ Superstar. The 1998 video version of Cats stars a cast assembled from London, Amsterdam, and New York productions, including Ken Page as Old Deuteronomy and Elaine Paige (the original London Grizabella, the Glamour Cat) whose version of "Memory" remains definitive.

A Royal Albert Hall Celebration (1998) features more than two hours of hits from star after star: Elaine Paige delivering "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" and "Memory" with her usual power, Michael Ball and Donny Osmond stretching the last vestiges of boyish charm to the very limits but still sounding great; Sarah Brightman performing an outstanding selection from The Phantom of the Opera; Antonio Banderas; and Glenn Close, stupendous and moving in songs from Sunset Boulevard.

In Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, the Old Testament tale of Joseph and his coat of many colors gets a splashy, vigorous treatment with an energetic cast, Las Vegas-style glitz, and catchy, eclectic songs, including "Any Dream Will Do" and the peppy "Go, Go, Go Joseph." Former teen icon Donny Osmond is perfect in the title role, while Maria Friedman performs well as the narrator.

The 1999 stage revival of Jesus Christ Superstar became the basis for this 2000 video production, which takes the show out of ancient Jerusalem to a mix of modern New York and timeless Rome. As Christ (Glenn Carter) sees his cult of personality overtake his message and struggles with the fears of his sacrifice, he reaches within for faith and forgiveness, giving the show the spiritual dimension it so often lacks. It's an entertaining, thoughtful, and well-sung production, avoiding the tepidity of Norman Jewison's solemn 1973 film. Amazon.com

what?

i want this dvd set 1.cuz i love the musicals josph,cats.and 2. i want to see superstar! i could care less for the albert hall thing. i want to see the musicals! also you must see phantom of the opera ( the best musical EVER!!!!) fiddler on the roof (not enough songs but still good!) July 15, 2006

Reasons

Cats - This DvD performance is a must have and that is all there is to it. A brilliant piece of work with very good bonus features. I am in awe of such raw and amazing talent that this DvD contained.

Joseph - This DvD perfomance was fine, actually more than that. Though the sound quality was not brilliant, but the over all performance was divine. Very very good!

Albert Hall - This DvD performance was good. Michael Ball was as ever out-standing as were the other members of this fine collection. HOWever I did feel that Michael Crawford was missing when it came to Phantom performances, even though Antonio Banderas did a respectable job, you will never be able to rid my love of Crawford's angelic yet haunting voice.

Jesus Christ - This DvD performance was laughable. Never in my life would I have imagined that the brilliant works of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice could be butchered in such a horrible way. After seeing Cats the DvD I had high hopes. I believe the phrase being "let down" does not even begin to describe the emotion caused by this sorry excuse of a musical.

Everything about it, was a piss ass poor job. Jesus was fine, not good, but able, Mary also was not too bad, and King Herod, despite his brillance as an actor was terrible in this. However I think the prize definately goes out to Judas. I do believe a tap-dancing mute giraffe would have performed much better than this over-acting, deaf-toned, poor excuse for a 'performer'. Not only do I feel that I should get my money back, I feel I should be able to be given money for enduring it as long as I did. I am honestly disgusted in how the editors didn't cut out majority of the musical. If they did so, they would have been left with possibly 15 - 20 minutes of film and it would have been passable.

I am literary in shock! I think I need to watch 'Cats' again and regain my love for theatre from scratch. If you love yourself and love musicals and especially Jesus Christ Superstar, I beg of you don't even consider looking twice at this absolute rubbish since it will burn your eyes right out of your head, leaving you in much disdain, like me, and confused as how talent has been replaced with used toilet paper.

Thank you. May 7, 2006

YAY!!!!

I love this entire collection. When I bought this, I wasn't very excited about Jesus Christ Superstar, because I thought it was the 1973 version. Imagine my delight when this was in fact the updated version of the show. An amazing cast draws you into the story, and finally Judas does not appear simply as a traitor or a psycho, but as someone tormented.
Royal Albert Hall Celebration--Wow! All I can say is I would love to have my 50th Birthday party like that. Hoards of stars appear singing ALW's wonderful compostions. December 7, 2005

Good collection

Good collection of A.L.Webber's most popular musicals + Albert Hall Celebration. Only problem to take into account when ordering from Europe: All DVD's are Area 1 (North America) encoded, so most DVD players in Europe would not play them (Philips, Samsung). September 5, 2005

Very poor sound quality for Joseph

We've watched Joseph a few times and it is visually captivating however the sound quality is awful. We have surround sound and even at full volume (maxed!) it's too low and is difficult to hear some of the singing. Then othertimes it's too loud. It's not me or my system; otherwise they work fine. The sound quality on this (as on Les Miserables Dreamcast 10th anniversary DVD) is a big dissapointment. Be ready to max your volume. May 25, 2005

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