Customer Reviews

Divine Madness [VHS]

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I saw "Midler on the Hoof" the Broadway title of this show twice, the theatrical realease of this film at least as many times.I'd already seen the abridged video tape , so knew what to expect from this DVD.What I didn't expect however was the atrocious sound quality ,specifically the recorded volume level on this DVD .Even at full volume you can barely hear her.The contrast on the video wasn't monitored either.Someone just didn't care enough to do quality control on this one.Muted Midler ! What a shame.

Watching this years ago on TV (and, thank heavens, recording it on tape to re-watch) showed me what a talent Bette Midler really is. She moves from stand-up monologues to the 40s big-band "Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy" to the moving "We Shall Be Released" that ends the show, all without missing a beat. She does "Stay With Me" and you think she must have completely shredded her vocal chords, then gets up and says "Okay, change your head" and moves into a comedy number. What a performance, and what a performer!

And what a disappointment that "Shiver Me Timbers" and "Rainbow Sleeve" are not included. "Shiver", especially, is a wonderfully whimsical and poignant number. At less than 90 minutes running time, there's plenty of room to include these. Hopefully someone will resolve whatever difficulties led to their omission and re-release the full show. It deserves to be seen!

The Divine Miss M was Bette Midler's follow up the hugely successful The Rose. Its a concert film from mid 1980 that was part of her Divine Madness tour. The concert truly is a cinematic experience, telling you a story and lifting you up and down. The movie setlist includes Big Noise From Winetka, Paradise, The Rose, Fire Down Below, Stay With Me, My Way, Chapel of Love, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, E Street Shuffle, You Can't Always Get What You Want, and ends with I Shall Be Released. Ofcourse peppered throught the movie is Bette's unmistakable talent and humour with many comic relief moments including her lounge act, Deloris Delogo The Toast of Chicago, a washed up mermaid in a wheel chair, and a few great R rated Sophie Tucker Jokes. The only flaw is the wacked out editing which took away the songs from the original theatrical release, Shiver Me Timbers, and Rainbow Sleeve. Also edited are Mother's Eyes, and Friends from the orignal tour setlist. If you like Bette Midler, then you'll surely experience the intensity and energy of this concert.

"Divine Madness" is a fabulous concert, very much Bette Midleresque...but a hoarse voice and the flu kept Bette from doing her very best. But it's still one of the most entertaining concerts ever filmed. A better "Bette" is "Art or Bust" released in the 1980's. Gotta love her--she's the greatest!

Midler is simply the best at singing, acting, and keeping the audience with great entertainment to make them cry and laugh at the same time. Her witty-ditty performance as Delores DeLago, the trashy mermaid, to the terrible jokester Sophie Tucker are just milestones of the best concert ever.

Bette Midler's 1980 concert video Divine Madness celebrates the spirit of the classic Miss M in all her glory. This video tape shows a show woman at her best.

This is the DIVINE MISS M at her best, classic fifties remixes with her classic's like the Rose. This dynamic concert video was directed by Michael Richie, who also directed the Bad News Bears. Ten cameras were used to capture all the actions

When you see Midler so alive and active, you wish you were in the audience watching her. There are a few cuts in transference in film from stage, one could only wish you could see it breaks and all. In over 90 minutes, you feel the heat and excitement that is the Divine Miss M in concert and in her heyday

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

"Divine Madness" captures the brilliant Bette Midler in full-flight in one of her earlier live stage performances. You'll laugh yourself silly! Two questions though: Why have some songs/scenes been deleted from the DVD version? And when will "Diva Las Vegas" be released on DVD?

This is Bette Midler at her outrageous best, doing all her early songs with lots of hilarious comedy inbetween. My favorite is the risque mermaid scene with Delores Delago, the Sensation of Chicago. It may be a bit dated, but it still raises a lot of belly laughs.

Some people say that they are Miss M's biggest fan. THEY ARE WRONG!!! I am the "Ultimate Bettehead!!!" People at my work have to put up with my CD's all day, everyday. My 7 year old daughter loves this movie (of course, I had to censor some of it) but she love all the songs. We watch it together and sing every song. This is the beginning of her overwhelming extroidinary stage prescense. Her heart and soul pores out in each and every song. Do yourself a very and buy this movie!!!

For starters, to get a better understanding of Bette at her best in concerts one needs to try to get their hands on a copy of her 1997 HBO special Diva Las Vegas which shows Bette tearing the stage up. This 1980 performance in which Bette was 34 years old and sick from the flu doesn't show her at her best in particular mainly because her full voice is not there due to sickness. There are points where she had to overrecord on certain songs because they sounded that horrible. The comedy routines work well and so does some of the songs that she sings. However, it seems as if she is very tired as well as the color of the concert is rather dark similar to her 1979 movie THE ROSE. A nice indicator of Bette in the late 70s and early 80s though. So get it for that reason too.