Product Details

• Actors: Meat Loaf, Jim Steinman, Karla DeVito, Max Weinberg, Todd Rundgren
• Directors: Bob Smeaton
• Producers: Jim Steinman, Bous De Jong, Elizabeth Flowers, Geoff Kempin, Jamie Rugge-Price
• Format: Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Rhino / Wea
• VHS Release Date: February 8, 2000
• Run Time: 58 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305713499
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #373,520 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

The songs and story of this classic album with contributions by Meat Loaf, Jim Steinman, Todd Rundgren, Ellen Foley and Karla DeVito. Since its release in 1977, Bat Out of Hell has gone on to sell an estimated 30 million copies and become one of the top five biggest selling albums of all time. Released during the days of the disco boom and the advent of punk rock, Bat Out of Hell totally bucked those musical trends, yet as Meat Loaf recalls, the record is "more honest than 99% of all records released." The remarkable story of Bat Out of Hell is told here by its leading contributors, including Meat Loaf himself, composer Jim Steinman, record producer Todd Rundgren, and backing vocalists Ellen Foley and Karla DeVito, together with others who helped in the construction of Bat Out of Hell's "wall of sound." Featuring archival footage, interviews and live performances, this is the compelling story of the making of one of rock music's finest hours, a true classic album. Featuring the songs "Bat Out Of Hell," "Paradise by the Dashboard Light," "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad," "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)." 58 minutes.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not for the music....but for the people, November 14, 2004

By 

J. Lyda (Raleigh, North Carolina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Classic Albums - Meat Loaf: Bat out of Hell (DVD)

I picked this gem up at Walmart on a whim. I convinced my wife to watch it with me...and 58 minutes later we were both overcome with good feelings. There is not one boring or dull moment on this CD. Listening to all the folks who made this wonderful album was a joy. I've now sat through it 4 times...and it just gets better. Many of the poor ratings are because this DVD does not provide full renditions of any of the songs from the album. What it does provide is the inside story from the wonderful people who created the music. Put this together with the original album, and you have it all. This disc reminds me of why Rock and Roll is so great.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Old album, New facts!, February 18, 2000

By 

Darren Murray (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Classic Albums - Meat Loaf: Bat out of Hell (DVD)

Awesome dvd for anyone who's owned & loved Bat for years and wants to know more about it. If you're looking to "see and hear" all the songs in their entirety, go elswhere (Hits Out Of Hell Or BatII Picture Show for example). As an avid Meat Loaf / Jim Steinman fan for years and thinking I knew just about all there was to know, I was expecting the usual tired stories I've heard a hundred times before... but what a pleasant surprise! The fresh look at the album was offered by producer/guitarist Todd Rundgren. I especially loved the way both Todd and Meat tinkered at the mixing desk, isolating tracks on the songs to hear just guitar segments, or just backing vocals. Also, the great Ellen Foley/Karla DeVito controversy is addressed (I never knew there was one!) Oh, and Karla looked great on the 'Old Grey Whistle Test' clips, and equally great today! This may not be on the "must buy" list for all of the 34 million of you that bought the LP/tape/cd, but for those who are curious to dig deeper it's a highly recommended purchase. Keep an eye out for more dvds in this series featuring other classic albums - on the strengh of this one, I'll be buying more.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic documentary -- NOT a concert or video collection!, December 20, 2004

By 

Aaron Silverman "DJ Kuul A" (Boynton Beach, FL, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Classic Albums - Meat Loaf: Bat out of Hell (DVD)

This is a really fascinating documentary about the making of the classic album. It's one of the real gems of the Classic Albums series, which are all pretty good (at least the ones I've seen). If you're a Meat Loaf fan, and are interested in the creative process behind an album, then this disc is really a no-brainer.

If you're looking for a concert or for video performances, then there are other Meat Loaf DVDs that will fill the bill. (The concert with the Melbourne Symphony doesn't have the greatest video transfer, and has a slight glitch in the DTS track, but is otherwise excellent.) Note that all the poor reviews of this product are from people who were disappointed that it wasn't a song collection. As a behind-the-scenes look at a piece of real rock history, this is a really great disc.