Customer Reviews

Bangles Greatest Hits [VHS]

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First, the 4 star rating has nothing to do with the Bangles, but rather the DVD itself. It is obviously NOT a "remastered" version, but an obvious VHS-DVD transfer, and not a particularly good one at that. You would think that, as long as it took to release this, that they would have done a better job. I can only rate it as "Very Good" VHS quality. It's in 4:3 aspect, but that's certainly because that's the aspect the videos were shot in. There are no features other than what was available on the VHS edition, and the sound quality is about the same.

That having been said, it's still nice to finally have this collection on DVD, so that I don't have to worry about it degrading like a VHS would.

**A later note: After playing around with my T.V. settings, I was able to make this look like a "Fair" quality DVD. I had to raise the sharpness level way past what it is for other DVD's, or my cable channels, especially with a good DVD player, and a LCD T.V. Still, at least it looks good, even if I have to adjust settings.**

The Bangles were a favorite group of mine at the time because, for me at least, they transcended the title of "girl group" to "band" status. This is because they all played their instruments well, sang well, and of course, looked great. They also had more range in their musical style than other groups, from the cute/silly "Walk Like an Egyptian", to the sexy "In Your Room", to the romantic "Eternal Flame", to the rocking "Be With You" (Which makes me wish I had been able to see them perform live). They had a unique sound, but weren't locked in to a particular style.

For those who haven't seen the VHS version, the playlist is:

1. Hero Takes a Fall
2. Going Down to Liverpool
3. Manic Monday
4. If She Knew What She Wants
5. Walk Like an Egyptian
6. Walking Down Your Street
7. In Your Room
8. Eternal Flame
9. Be With You

I wish they had included the groups later, individual, efforts. I know Susannah put out one video, plus it would have been fun to have her efforts with Austin Power's group "Ming Tea" on this, but we take what we can get. I was beginning to think this would NEVER be released.

For Bangles fans, this is a worthwhile purchase, for the reasons I have stated, but be prepared for less than we had hoped.

As earlier reviewers have noted, this disc offers up the bulk of the Bangles' music video output, and true fans of the group will likely gobble up whatever crumbs that they're given. But the word crumb isn't used indiscriminately here, for the mastering job done on this collection truly is, in a word, crummy.

Another reviewer on this page correctly pointed out that the DVD itself is identical in content to the release of the same title on VHS back in the early '90s. Where that individual is slightly mistaken is in characterizing the DVD as a VHS-to-DVD transfer, when obviously, a large outfit like Sony Music Video, inheritors of the rich CBS Records catalog, would never use a VHS tape as a master -- even though, in the case of this disc, it might look like it. No, clearly, better source materials were used, but whatever party or parties were responsible for the encoding process should be ashamed.

It's also hard to understand why this happened, since Sony has remastered other legacy titles from the old CBS canon, including music video collections from Sade, Billy Joel and Cyndi Lauper, that look just fine, even if their sound is more than a bit overmodulated.

But it's sight, not sound, that's at the heart of the problem with this Bangles compilation. As the owner of both the original VHS release and now this newer DVD iteration, I can attest unequivocally to the overall superiority of the former over the latter. The image quality of the DVD version is perhaps a mite sharper, but that improvement is more than offset by the significant amount of graininess visible throughout all of the videos contained on the disc version. And with the VHS and DVD having equally fine audio, on balance, the VHS version comes out on top.

The bad news here is that it's out of print. The good news is that it's still widely available from a number of vendors, including some very reasonably priced ones right here on Amazon. If you really love Susanna and company and want to own an audiovisual souvenir of this great girl group of the '80s, do yourself a favor and pick up the videocassette while it's still available. It's either that, or wait and hope that Sony realizes the error of its ways and remasters the DVD.

The video includes earlier hits such as my favorite "Hero Takes a Fall" and "Going Down to Liverpool." I was dissapointed that "Hazy Shade of Winter" is missing from the collection, but the video is a must-have all the same. Also, even though we all love Susanna Hoffs, it's nice to see videos with the other band members singing as well. I own and frequently watch the video. It is reminicent of the time period as well as a great rock band with women who could really play their instruments, not to mention looking cool at the same time. No all-girl band ever looked cooler.

I agree with the other statements about this DVD collection. It is better than nothing but why such a shabby treatment to a great band. I was a huge fan of the band and had seen them many times. Look for the good looking guy holding the bangles1 License plate in the "Be With You Video? I have the VHS copy and was excited to see it was coming out on DVD. It looks ok then really grainy and then ok again. They added nothing on the DVD that would make you want to buy the DVD instead of the Video. With the release of "Doll Revolution" I thought we might actually get a quality DVD. The fans got slapped in the face. We can hope that they will redo the DVD the way it should be made. If you can find the VHS copy get it instead.

I expected a lot more from this DVD. Way back in 1990, I eventually bought two copies of the VHS version. I was content with the one copy until I read that the Bangles had "broken up." I bought the backup copy in the event the first video cassette was ever damaged.

Several months ago, while searching the official Bangles website, I read about the impending release of THE BANGLES GREATEST HITS on DVD. Unfortunately I must admit that I am disappointed with the DVD release. It is little more than a disk version of the old VHS transfer. I was hopeful that the recent release would have included additional material like HAZY SHADE OF WINTER, or possibly The Bangles' live MTV Pittsburgh concert. There was also a missed opportunity to include music video from DOLL REVOLUTION. Alas, the new release is little more than circular plastic version of my existing Mylar cassette.

The bottom line is that if your VHS version is still in good repair, wait for the next Bangles release before you invest in the DVD. On the other hand, if you missed acquiring the cassette version 15 years ago, I encourage you to pick up a copy of Greatest Hits on DVD.

The Bangles are one of the best girl bands ever!

Unfortunately, this DVD really does them a great disservice. First, it is only stereo, and even then, it doesn't sound quite as good as they do on a regular CD. Since it is the only thing the studios have offered, I recommend it anyway at this time.

We can only hope that the powers that be see fit to do them justice with higher quality video and multi-channel sound.

By the way, The Bangles are available on SACD - However, that too was comprimised by being released as stereo only...

What a terrible shame. They deserve so much better; and so do the fans!

I can only give this compilation of videos of the Bangles' pop-rock confections three stars due to its poor video quality and lack of "extras" like interviews or live cuts. It is also a reminder that the Bangles were a could have been, should have been great band. Here we see four talented people, for whom, never-the-less, the sum was greater than the parts. If egos had not intervened, the Bangles might have made several more quality albums that perhaps would have established an important place for them in a pantheon that has a dearth of all-female rock bands. Instead they are a group that had a place in the sun for a few years and a handful of pleasant hits, as this collection of videos wistfully attests.

I've been dying to get this video collection for ages, plus it has three Bangles video I've never seen before. True, the video for "Hazy Shade Of Winter" would have been a nice addition, intercut as it was with performance clips and footage from the Less Than Zero movie, but it's sadly not here.

"Hero Takes A Fall" is a nice performance clip done on a busy sidewalk, where coins tossed into the empty guitar case are gradually joined by dollars. By the end, the case is close to bursting. The girls interract with a bunch of mannequins, all who represent male stereotypes of heroes and end up crashing to pieces or losing their heads. It's also funny to see the girls with shorter hair and especially Vicki Peterson with black hair--dyed obviously. (Rating: 4 out of 5)

As for "Going Down To Liverpool"-- oh dear! This is a case of, "well, what is the point of this video?" All it consists of is the girls sitting in the back of the car singing, while Leonard Nimoy sits in the driver's seat looking either befuddled or annoyed--at one point he turns the radio off before Vicki turns it back on. At least we get to see them performing at the very end. (Rating: 2 out of 5)

The collage of images that form the "Manic Monday" video mirrors the recurring idyllic piano melody and the song throughout. The calendar pages of Mondays, the white clocks, tunnels, stop-motion footage of going down a road, the to-do list, the girls singing on the grassy hillock, colour and b&W footage of the girls, it's just magical. (Rating: 6 out of 5).

"If She Knew What She Wants" is a performance clip set on a dimly-lit stage, where the girls are close in a circle. Shot in colour and black and white, it also features the usual closeups of guitars, drums, and the girls. There's a great scene where a B&W closeup of Susanna is interposed with a rotating colour shot of the other three playing. And symmetrically, the video begins and ends the same way, the girls silhouetted against the light. (Rating: 5 out of 5)

Now then, "Walk Like An Egyptian." I love the portions where the Bangles are performing onstage or dressed like harem dancing girls, but the footage of bunch of people moving their hands at right angles and doing silly walks like an Egyptians, is a bit lame. Although I do like the special effects of Princess Di and Muammar Qaddafi doing the Egyptian hand-shift. (Rating: 4 out of 5)

The Bangles, billed as the Lovebeats, win a contest to open for Little Richard and the resulting video for "Walking Down Your Street" which has them travelling to said gig. It climaxes with all four upstaging Little Richard, who is doing a slow burn on the sidelines waiting to come on, while the girls keep on playing to the joy of the crowd. (Rating: 4 out of 5).

The Bangles' take on 60's-style psychedelia is shown in the weird but wonderful "In Your Room." Brightly coloured doors, spiralling patterns, swirling colours, the Bangles dressed in 60's fashion, Michael even playing a sitar, grainy footage of the girls playing in a bright white room in white clothes, with a faceted blue window resembling the window of the Millennium Falcon or a TIE fighter. Then they play in the woods in certain shots. My second favourite video after "Manic Monday." (Rating: 5 out of 5).

The melodic and lush ballad "Eternal Flame" is equally low-key, with the ladies dressed in black, serious faces lit in shadows and by firelight. Susanna also sings before a beach and the video ends with them dancing on said beach. (Rating: 5 out of 5).

"Be With You" is great concert footage of the ladies dressed in black playing before a cheering crowd, with alternating grainy and normal colour footage. (Rating: 5 out of 5).

While I like all of them, Susanna Hoffs is clearly the most photogenic, and I get a real warm feeling inside whenever I see her--heck, I really had a crush on her back then. Playing these videos not only cheers me up but brings back some fond memories. Overall rating: 4.4, rounded down to 4.

When I first learned there was a Bangles Greatest Hits video I was thrilled. I had taped the videos off VH1 and they were cut....not drastically of course...but they were missing bits and pieces. The Greatest Hits video presents all of the Bangles' videos save "Hazy Shade of Winter", "Everything I Wanted" and "The Real World" in complete form with the exception of "Walk Like an Egyptian" which I am told had a brief three second intro before the music starts. From "Hero Takes A Fall" through "Be With You", you see the Bangles' magic onscreen. You see them having fun together in the majority of videos, there is an element of comedy in a few of the videos as well.....Vicki Peterson goofing around in her cowgirl outfit, Leonard Nimoy driving the Bangles around, Michael Steele trying to find her car, Susanna Hoffs feeding her fish, Debbi Peterson ignoring Little Richard....these moments are cool, the videos are fairly interesting and the music is great....HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

People can have Lady Gaga, Britney, Jessica, etc. Personally, I don't think that any of them can hold a candle to Susanna Hoffs. Music videos have grown into a genre unto themselves, and there's a lot of things you can do with them. But, for sheer sexual charisma and beauty, there's noone I'd take over Susanna.

There was something about that wild, tangled mane of gorgeous dark hair. And those enormous, seductive eyes. She had everything else, too-the adorable smile, the perfect skin, the feminine curves. But it was those two shimmering erotic orbs, gazing out from that river of cascading curls, that really set her apart. While she could seem fun and flirtatious, her looks exuded something dark and mysterious, as well. If she had lived in antiquity, you could easily imagine her as a gypsy princess. Or the kind of woman who would be accused of sorcery, because she had bewitched all the men in the village.

With regard to anyone else, this could come across as hyperbole. But I am utterly sincere. She is one of those rare women that I never get tired of looking at.

Of course, there are other reasons a person could purchase this dvd. But I have the feeling that if you DO buy it for any other reason, you're probably a woman. I imagine most men who purchase this will do so for the same reason I have.

It may sound completely superficial. But there's just something very special about Susanna Hoffs.