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3.0 out of 5 stars
Could have been better..., January 26, 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: Harley Davidson: American Motorcycle [VHS] (VHS Tape)
The tape's now 11 years old in 2004, but it's about the Harley-Davidson history, which has not changed. "H-D: The American Motorcycle" careens all over the place, without ever really arriving anywhere. In an attempt to cram as many luminaries in as possible, we get the likes of Judd Nelson (Judd Nelson!) extolling HD riders as the new cowboys. How trite.
The tape steamrolls through the company history with only the barest details, and does little to inform casual viewers about the motorcycles themselves. Larry Hagman, one of the more entertaining celebs, admits he knows little about mechanics but at least explains how the "knucklehead" engine gets its name. The seminal 1936 HD model goes unmentioned, but HD's foray into golf carts is.
But the tape is not without merit, since it does have a marvelous collection of historical film clips featuring the HD, including the Three Stooges and Marx Brothers. It's got Marlon Brando's immortal response to the "What are you rebelling against" question: "What go you got?" And a fall-down-funny Peter Fonda melodramatically exhorting in the "Wild Angels": "We want to be free to ride, without being hassled by The Man!"
"American Motorcycle" is a curiosity for the HD enthusiast. Just don't expect to learn much about motorcycles.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Video Quality of Harley Show No Match For Their Bikes, July 18, 2003
This review is from: Harley Davidson: American Motorcycle [VHS] (VHS Tape)
The VHS jacket states "Official Licensed Product." So this must be the true story. Believe me, the content is wonderful and should be of great interest to all Harley entusiasts. In fact, this 73-minute version is a director's cut, totally re-edited and much improved from the 50-minute prequel or sequel that aired on TBS in the early 1990's. Content should get five stars.
The three-star rating is the result of "Quality Duplicaton in Extended Play Mode" (direct quote from the jacket). EP (6-hour) speed, not 4-hour LP or really good 2-hour SP, but the bottom of the barrel ... and the enjoyment level suffers from it. Why Cabin Fever, the releasing company, took a great show and turned out horrific dupes to save a few cents in tape costs is beyond me. However, if you do not mind watching through the generally marginal picture quality and episodes of tracking error, it is definitely a worthwhile video.
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