Customer Reviews

Crystal Gayle - A Crystal Christmas in Sweden

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm stumped by the bad reviews people have been posting on this DVD. It is what it is - Crystal's 1987 CBS Christmas special filmed in Sweden. She is beautiful as always of course and sings heavenly, what more could you want. Well, I agree she is saddled with some not particularly talented guest stars, although David Hasselhoff seems like a likable California version of a good ole boy and he certainly was a good-looking hunk of man in his thirties. He may not be the world's greatest singer, foreign record sales to the contrary, but he works well with Crystal. It's kind of nice to see an old Christmas show on DVD in a fine print, this was likely one of the last "old fashioned" Christmas variety programs before they got hip and trendy and as false as a fake Christmas tree.

Crystal Gayles "shines" in this Christmas special filmed in Sweden. She sounds beautiful singing several Christmas Carols with help from her guest stars John Davidson and David Hasselhoff. The special really fills you with the Christmas spirit!

I've had this video for a number of years. Sadly, each time I watch again at Christmas I notice one more example of bad filming and writing. No doubt, Crystal is a favorite of mine, and this being from her younger days, she shines in vocal abilities and beauty. But throughout the special, the writing is just plain bad, the lines corny, and the interactions awkward. It is mentioned that Crystal's guests are friends- David Hasselhoff, John Davidson, and Michael Damian. I don't mean to sound overly critical, but she didn't exactly choose gifted singers here. There is one scene with Crystal, David, and John singing together in a church, and at the end of the number, John goes totally off-key in his harmony attempts- and they didn't even cut it!

We get an education of sorts of some different aspects of Sweden. Good attempts, but there are times when Crystal is what you could call the interviewer of sorts. She seems a bit unsure of what to say, and the scene just seems awkward. I couldn't help wonder how some of these scenes slipped through.

The scenery does have its beauty. And without a doubt, Crystal Gayle's richness, power and vocal ability lend themselves beautifully to "White Christmas," "O Little Town of Bethlehem," and a host of others. If it were an hour-long video of Crystal singing those holiday gems, I would give it six stars if I could.

I am a big Crystal fan, and am always looking for something new from her, but I was really disapointed with the DVD. It was recorded several years ago, and many of the songs were dubbed from her Christmas CD, and were not even re-recorded for the DVD. In a word, stick to her Christmas CD.

I've been a Crystal Gayle fan since I saw her in concert in San Diego many years ago and feel some of the songs she sang in this DVD were good. The part where John Davidson sings to the kids outside the homes should have been cut. I would have liked to hear more songs sung by Crystal Gayle. It was hard to get into a flowing Christmas feeling.

THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO SAY...AWFUL! THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ROOM TO SAY HOW AWFUL.