Product Details

• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005U8UR
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #210,075 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The future of music and animation blended together!, February 3, 2002

By 

"arxane" (Oklahoma City, OK United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Animusic- A Computer Animation Video Album (DVD)

This day and age, it's very difficult for something related to music to be unique. If you've heard one song, you're bound to hear something like it again. The same principle applies to animation; big-budget blockbusters loaded with special effects are becoming boring and tiring. But "Animusic" outshines all of this bloated blandness by giving us a completely new and unique experience unlikely to be found anywhere else.

Essentially, "Animusic" consists of seven music videos that, back to back, run for 33 minutes. Sounds boring, doesn't it? But it isn't. Though it is a little short, the presentation of the "Animusic" videos more than make up for it. Each music video is a computer-generated movie in which instruments play music. Interested yet? Then hear this: each and every instrument plays each and every note precisely and exactly. That's right. It's obviously easy to make perform the same illusion and do a sloppy job of it, but "Animusic" goes through great lengths to create a visual and musical masterpiece of sight and sound that is, to say the least, perfect.

Visually, "Animusic" rivals a lot of today's Hollywood blockbusters. Each video on the album is unique with different kinds of instruments to play the music. For example, "Aqua Harp" uses a harp combined with chimes, chellos, and pan flutes, "Future Retro" utilizes robot hand-played electric guitars and drums, and "Harmonic Voltage" plays using electronic lasers. The variety found here is so amazing it's difficult not to find something to like. And, as mentioned earlier, each instrument plays each note heard.

Musically, it's phenomenal. Each song accompanies each set of instruments perfectly. All music is played using MIDI sounds, but they sound so crisp and lifelike it's magical. And again, it's difficult not to find favorites.

Extras-wise, there's quite a bit here to find (if you have the DVD). Each video can be played indepedently, as a whole, or as a whole in a loop. There's also the option of listening to the entire thing with commentary by Wayne Lytle, the creator of "Animusic", who explains how "Animusic" was created and other things like that. A viewer can also watch a single video using a "Solo Cam", which focuses on a single instrument of the piece. Finally, a viewer can see galleries of early constructs of each video.

With all that said, is "Animusic" worth it? Answer: without a doubt, yes. For someone not to like this video album, he either has to be cranky or very limited on taste. Anyone who sees "Animusic" will be captivated by it, and some people will even want to see it again right afterwards. Despite its unfortunate length of 33 minutes, the lasting appeal will more than make up for it. I can only hope that "Animusic" will get the attention and respect it deserves and that Wayne Lytle will impress us again with another video album.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Animazing!!, December 8, 2001

By 

Dwight C. Purvis (Charlottesville, Virginia USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Animusic- A Computer Animation Video Album (DVD)

A quick piece of advice -- buy two. Otherwise the one you buy will never be home because you will loan it to everyone you know. This is simply amazing.

It's a video album. The music drives the whole affair, and the computer generated graphics depict instruments from simple drums to lasers, plasma tubes, three-necked guitars, and things I can't even describe in words. The instruments play what you hear. It is a truly amazing spectacle that captivated me and my two boys, ages 15 and 8. We sat speechless through the first view/hearing. Both boys have watched it repeatedly since.

This is the wavecrest of the future of multi-media. It's the "Dark Side of the Moon" to audiophiles, and the early "Synergy" efforts to computer music types, and the "Fantasia" of the modern world, all rolled into one.

Don't be put off by the 33 minute length. It's a short VHS, but worth every penny. In addition to the seven diverse tracks, the DVD version carries solo camera angle footage and still shots, and an incredibly accessible commentary from the director with tons of technical info on production methods, instrument construction, and something about "algo-rhythms." Check it out.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Whoo! Animusic rocks the house!, February 25, 2004

By 

Josh P. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Animusic- A Computer Animation Video Album (DVD)

"Animusic" stunned me the first time I had seen it! I kept seeing the "Future Retro" being shown over and over on TV along with the "Aqua Harp". I was amazed. My favorite music video on this DVD is "Stick Figures." There is the bass guitar with arms playing itself as you see on the front cover. It makes an awesome sound. As Wayne Lytle said in the commentary on this DVD, at first you might laugh and then say "Wow, that's pretty neat." He also said that some people called that "Mr. Bass Man." It's more than neat! It rocks all the way baby. Such neat details in all instruments. The instruments play themselves with such unbelievable realism. Neat colors, lighting, score, rhythm, and syncopation all the way! Here is how I rank the music videos with 1 being the best:
1. Stick Figures
2. Future Retro
3. Drum Machine
4. Pipe Dream
5. Acoustic Curves
6. Aqua Harp
7. Harmonic Voltage
If you agree with me or not on my choices you will agree they are all splendiferously superb! I reccommed this to anybody who loves computer animation and music, and to the people who don't and see what they think! This needs more recognition. Thank goodness for Animusic!