The Right Spectacle - The Very Best of Elvis Costello (2005)

Historical/Hysterical

Get this DVD for two reasons: First and foremost, these videos run the gamut from early crude white-backdrop to the more sophisticated storyboards for Spike's breakthrough "Veronica." There are also the really inspired moments, like the nakedly emotional photo-booth session for "I Wanna be Loved" (the effect copped by U2 for their "Numb" video) and the strikingly original animation for Armed Forces' "Accidents Will Happen." Even where some of the albums were a bit duff, the videos are still superb. While many fans look at Goodbye Cruel World as a weak EC album, both "I Wanna Be Loved" and "The Only Flame In Town" -- complete with its ridiculous Daryll Hall cameo -- are among the best clips here. Same goes for Mighty Like a Rose's "The Other Side of Summer," which finds Elvis in full-on Jerry Garcia mode with an unkempt beard and wild hair.

In addition, there's over an hour's worth of live footage. Again, it ranges from crude early stuff to polished TV performances (mostly European, like "The Tube," not lip-synched...and darn, not the infamous SNL "Radio Radio" spot). The standout for me was "Shot With His Own Gun," which made this DVD an essential for me.

What lifts "The Right Spectacle" above prior Elvis collections are the commentaries he adds to the clips. Like on his Rhino re-issues, the comments are wry and insightful...and mercifully brief. He also reveals some funny insider tidbits, like the fact that the two children in "Good Year For The Roses" (from Almost Blue) were there to insure that EC and the band would behave themselves. Elvis takes digs at himself, his bandmates and the entire goings on from his decades long career. If you're a fan, this is a must own.

Also recommened: Elvis Costello and the Imposters - Club Date - Live in Memphis and Hot as a Pistol, Keen as a Blade. December 8, 2007

Killer Commentary

The music is peerless, but as we all know, the videos themselves are hit and miss. There's a lot of early drunken clowning. But some of the later ones are sophisticated stunners. What makes this DVD classic is Elvis' commentary. It's similar to his Rhino liner notes - self effacing, dry, insightful and hilarious. September 9, 2007

So Fabulous!! A ton of fun to watch and worth every penny!

Sure, the early videos are super-cheesy. They are, nonetheless, really fun to watch. And in case we've all forgotten how things used to be...ALL videos from 1978 look like that. The songs are still all great, as is much of the live footage. In particular, "Clowntime is Over" from a show called The Tube is mesmerizing.

But the thing that really sets this video collection apart is the excellent commentary by Elvis. The stories he tells about the videos are smart, funny--really interesting behind-the-scenes tidbits. The commentary enhances the experience of watching the videos by an enormous amount--it was fascinating stuff. I watched the entire DVD in one sitting--I was riveted. And by the way, I really appreciate that Elvis doesn't say too much. He doesn't just blather on and on, as if often the case with these things. It's nice that you can listen to the commentary and still enjoy the videos.

Buy this DVD right now! You won't be sorry.



June 16, 2007

The "Attractive" Elvis

This is Elvis at his best - It's all here from the quirky to the polished. August 8, 2006

Some Things Are Better Heard Than Seen

I got suckered again by the typical Amazon 5 star "must have" reviews. Again I am disappointed to always take these blanket 5 star review's as the definitive word and not actually read what they say, just look at the 5 stars. Well here's a pretty honest review. I paid about 12 bucks for this, would I buy it again now that I saw it? Maybe, maybe not. As I write this I am listening to 200 or so of EC's songs playing on random so yes I really like Elvis's music after all these years from around 1979. The videos are in general unwatchable, I mean really really bad. The thing Elvis does great even today is write and play great music. His ego is on ultra drive in his video's, I mean couldn't he come up with any other idea than to show close up's of his mug and his small (at the time) frame jerking around? Two or three videos doing this I can understand but it seemed like there were at least 6 to 10 like that. No chicks, no themes, no stories, just EC making cute faces (close up on camera) like he's a real Johnny Rotten/Sid Vicious type. What can I say, I grew up and got into this music before there was MTV and I remember seeing videos in the dance clubs from bands like David Bowie, The Specials, The Stranglers, Split Endz, DEVO, I mean they were all crude (except Bowie and DEVO) but they were a lot more interesting than the monotony presented here. The 3 stars goes to the "live" footage, it's not too bad and offers us EC when he's best seen, playing his music to an audience. The videos are best for those curious but be prepared to be disappointed, I know what kind of videos were being made in this early (? not even early since rock videos started in the 60's) rock video stage and these are definitely on the forgettable side. The live stuff offers some redemption but even EC says in the liner notes that there is better stuff (SNL probably, surely the time I saw him do Veronica on The Tonight Show) available but he couldn't get the rights to release it. So this is not in any way THE BEST you can get of Elvis Costello on video, sorry to say. July 30, 2006

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