24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's About Time, November 23, 1999
This video would be worth the money if only for the inclusion of that legendary performance of "Fine And Mellow" for the Sound Of Jazz t.v. special -- probably THE most transcendent moment in music history! The commentary by Milt Gabler during this scene ("They were all champions . . . and SHE was a champion!") and by Billie's former colleagues and admirers throughout this video are distinguished by their intelligence and warmth. For example, the precious and aged Buck Clayton describing his trumpeting behind Billie as simply "filling up the windows". And the insights of the late, great and utterly dignified Carmen McRae are particularly invaluable. I cried more than a few times watching this beautiful documentary and recommend it highly. It's all we have on Billie, and God knows how we need her.
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Only 2 problems with this video - too short and not enough!!, May 7, 1999
It's too bad they waited so long to make this video; would have been perfect if they had been able to speak to Count Basie, Artie Shaw and (most importantly) Louis Armstrong. However, they have done a great deal of research and unearthed (!) some fascinating footage I have never seen before. So what is lost in live interviews with people she knew and worked with is helped by actually seeing Billie Holiday at different stages. I highly reccomend this video, especially anyone who has seen "that" movie,("Lady Sings the Blues")and felt as dissapointed with it as I was! Buy this video,you won't regret it!
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27 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Kultur, this time you missed it!, September 12, 2003
This review is from: Lady Day - The Many Faces of Billie Holiday (DVD)
If you are interested in the (ever fashionable) approach to Jazz, via the contemporary interpretation of the social environment in which the Jazz artists created, then there is a good chance you may like this DVD.
However, if real footage is what you are after, this DVD may well disappoint you too. In this latter case I strongly suggest you spend your money on "The Ladies Sing the Blues" DVD.
Being interested in a combination of real footage and adept commentary I got disappointed on both ends. In the whole DVD, there are at most three incomplete songs where Lady Day actually sings, yet there are a few too many (poor taste) instances when her voiced dubs some disconnected Jazz players/dancers. As well, in addition to some general socio-historical vignettes, I found the commentary to be just a suite of encomiums with no critical side to it.
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