Customer Reviews

Madonna Celebration: The Video Collection

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(19)

 

 

Before anyone gets on my case, I HAVE THE DVD and am watching it right now.

Let me start off on a positive note, the DVD set contains 47 videos on 2 DVDs. Some good ones are inexplicably omitted (Dress You Up, Oh Father, Bad Girl, Fever, This Used to Be My Playground, Substitute For Love, Nothing Really Matters, American Life, etc) but there is a lot of good material released here for the first time. The audio is generally excellent. The 5.1 track is not really a 5.1 mix, it is simulated and sounds terrible. Stick with the PCM stereo track, it sounds fantastic.

I won't comment much on the content of the videos. They are some of the most famous and influential music videos ever made. This is classic stuff. With the exception of Justify My Love (see below) all of the videos are uncut.

Now on to the picture quality...what the hell happened here? It's not as horrible as some people have claimed, but it is WAY below standard. There are serious compression artifacts throughout all of the videos. Pixellation, smearing, graininess, blotchy color, blurring, interlacing artifacts. It's all there and it looks bad. I am watching the DVD on an upscaling Blu Ray player on a 52" LCD 1080P television. It won't look as bad on a smaller TV, but it still won't look great. I have honestly seen VHS look better than some of the videos. The Immaculate Collection DVD, which was made from a 19 year old master, looks better.

The problem is that someone made the really, really stupid decision to use single layer DVDs instead of the industry standard dual layer DVDs. I suspect this decision was made late in the process to save a few cents and the program was re-compressed to fit in half the space. There is too much compression and too much picture quality lost. I'll bet the original master was for 2 dual layer DVDs and it probably looked very good. It is hard to believe that anyone at Warner quality control approved the picture quality on these DVDs. Didn't Madonna sign off on a release copy??

I thought it might have something to do with the age of some of the videos, but the most recent ones look just as bad. The brand new Celebration video only looks slightly better than VHS quality. And it is ridiculous that the widescreen videos are not in 16:9 format, even the recent ones filmed in 16:9 HD are in letterboxed 4:3.

There really is no excuse for this to happen, especially from a company as large as Warner and an artist as big as Madonna. Using single layer DVDs could have only saved them a few cents. On a $30 set, that is inexcusable.

I would strongly suggest not buying this DVD until Warner addresses the situation. I think outcry among the fans will (hopefully) cause Warner to do the right thing and release a corrected version on dual layer discs.

UPDATE - One more thing, the video for Justify My Love is CENSORED! This video was widely released uncensored as a video single in 1991 and sold millions of copies. And NOW, 18 years later, it is censored?? Just unbelievable.

Also, the Amazon description claiming the DVD has "unedited and never before seen footage of 'Justify My Love'" is completely false. There is no new footage at all. In fact, you actually see less because of the censorship.

If I could split my rating, it would be 4 stars for content and 1 star for quality.

They should recall this piece of garbage. Fake 5.1 mix (minimal difference in sound, if any) and highly compressed videos on single layered discs. The only saving grace to this set is that it contains over a dozen videos that have never had an official release. But then again, what difference does it make if the release is official when the quality rivals that of a bootleg? Those videos by the way, look MUCH better on the DVD-R my friend made for me years ago from DJ promo videocassettes. That's just pathetic. I'm sorry I wasted my time looking forward to this all month, and now wasting $25 of my hard earned cash.

In the days where MTV is playing pimps being lapdanced by topless strippers, Madonna releases her video collection with a censored version of Justify My Love and Erotica.
Once upon a time Madonna swore over and over she would rather cancel shows rather than change them or censor her videos.
Well apparently she's become even greedier with age because the "never seen footage of Justify My Love" that was taunted pre-release is nothing more but a black stripe covering the dominatrix's nipples in the video! And Erotica has no nudity.
So, I don't understand WHY she is realeasing two versions of this dvd collection, one in amaray case and one in digipack. Who wants that? Why not do something really smart and at least do one of those with a friggin' parental advisory sticker and give the grown-up fans what she knows they wanted?
Hopefully now that Madonna is no longer with Warner Bros they will milk her catalogue like a cow and release everything she's done and not care about this unspoken rule of "always keep some things unreleased so we can milk the fans in the future!".
My balls hit the floor when I saw that black stripe on Justify My Love.

1. Holiday (live concert version)
2. Love don't live here anymore
3. Bad girl
4. Fever
5. This used to be my playground
6. American Life
7. Nothing really matters
8. Dress You Up
9. Oh Father
10. You must love me
11. Don't cry for me Argentina
12. Drowned World

And like many many other fans have said here - the image quality is so~~o terrible! I have to think like this: Warner Bros. wanted to make a quick money with the last deal with Madonna. And Warner Bros ruined this DVD release. Don't you think so?

In this time of advanced DVD technology and Hi-Def, how can Warner release this piss poor transfers of Madonna Videos. This was highly anticipated and Warner dropped the ball. Why do studios keep doing this. Punish them by not buying this version and make them do it correctly. People work to hard to make money, Warner should respect their customers and do it right the first time. Send them a message and DON'T BUY.

For Immediate Release - August 26, 2009 - (Burbank, California) - Warner Bros. Records has confirmed the final track listing for Madonna's upcoming "Celebration" CD - The "Ultimate" Compilation - and "Celebration the Video Collection DVD" - both scheduled to be released on September 28/29th. The songs which were selected by Madonna and her fans have all been exquisitely remastered. "Celebration" will be available as a two-CD set as well as a single CD.

The "Celebration Video Collection DVD" will include unedited and never before seen footage of "Justify My Love" along with 27 Madonna videos to be released on a DVD compilation for "the very first time" including "Into The Groove" and "Give It To Me" as well as the just completed video of Madonna's new single "Celebration."

Madonna Celebration DVD Track Listing:

1) Burning Up
2) Lucky Star
3) Borderline
4) Like A Virgin
5) Material Girl
6) Crazy For You
7) Into The Groove
8) Live To Tell
9) Papa Don't Preach
10) True Blue
11) Open Your Heart
12) La Isla Bonita
13) Who's That Girl
14) Like A Prayer
15) Express Yourself
16) Cherish
17) Vogue
18) Justify My Love
19) Erotica
20) Deeper and Deeper
21) Rain
22) I'll Remember
23) Secret
24) Take A Bow
25) Bedtime Story
26) Human Nature
27) I Want You
28) You'll See
29) Frozen
30) Ray Of Light
31) The Power Of Good-Bye
32) Beautiful Stranger
33) American Pie
34) Music
35) Don't Tell Me
36) What It Feels Like For A Girl
37) Die Another Day
38) Hollywood
39) Love Profusion
40) Hung Up
41) Sorry
42) Get Together
43) Jump
44) 4 Minutes
45) Give It 2 Me
46) Miles Away
47) Celebration

In my opinion, there are some great videos missing: Holiday (American Bandstand Version), Causing A Commotion, Bad Girl (full version), You Must Love Me, Frozen, American Life (original/controversial version and flag/clean version), or any of her wonderful live performances

I was so happy to see this release when it was first announced. Finally, a bunch of the videos that have been missing from the previously releases are going to finally be on an official dvd. When I got the package, I hurried to open it and watch it and boy was I in for a big let down. The video quality is awful, really really awful. I had to look at the cover again to see if this was a 2 vcd set or something. How could a release from a big company and a major artist be so bad? As the previous reviewer mentioned, they should have released a two dvd set and not have compressed this. This is an item that's going to be bought worldwide by collectors expecting a great dvd collection and they will all be really disappointed. I am especially disappointed because since this collection is quite inclusive of a lot of her videos, I think this will be the last Madonna dvd collection. What a big time bummer about the quality!!! I can't return it so it's just going into my collection as a piece of junk.

I waited TEN YEARS for these videos to be released on DVD, and now feel shafted. What were they thinking? The video is disgraceful for 2009. The 5.1 soundtrack is pathetic. These are landmark videos and should be treated with the respect this artist deserves. Instead we have lousy sound, awful picture 'quality' and an edited version of one of her most beloved songs. Who in the world ordained Warners to be my censor?!

To edit art is fascism! May Warners burn in the flames of consumer damnation.

If I could've rated it 0 stars I would have. Save your money folks and DEMAND a remaster!

Besides Michael Jackson (may he rest in peace) there was no other artist besides Madonna that is as controversial, world-renowned, successful as a solo entertainer and known for not only her formative and innovational music-videos but for helping to invent the entire music-video genre, while also putting MTV on the map at the same time. With the appearance in her first music-video in 1980 (dancing backup to Patrick Hernandez in his club classic, the disco sensation "Born to Be Alive") over the last 30 years Madonna has appeared in more music-videos than any other entertainer, singer, performer, mother, woman, human being and dancing-queen. Through her videos Madonna not only defined a generation but also caused her viewers to question their own existence, importance and relevance. What child of the MTV generation does not remember the Madonna video marathons that they used host on a nearly monthly basis? Her videos were and are fascinating because like the star herself, they were all highly produced, over-the-top, dramatic, beautiful, sexy and very enigmatic.

Madonna has been the reigning Queen of Pop for 26 years (her debut album "Madonna" came out in the summer of '83) and Warner Bros. Records has decided to release this 2 disc DVD set, aptly titled "Celebration" in conjunction with Madonna's greatest hits CD by the same title. It's hard to believe that the most successful female entertainer in the entire world who has had more music-videos in rotation on MTV than any other artist only has 2 other video compilations (1990's "The Immaculate Collection" and the considerably less in your face, "The Video Collection 93:99" that came out at the end of the 20th century.) "Celebration" is a much needed shot of dance, entertainment and fun for both Madonna's gaggle of fans and for the casual listener of popular dance.

"Celebration" will include some of Madonna's most nonpareiled, short form music-videos. These videos are exclusive to this collection, having never been released on any other Madonna compilation yet:
1. Into The Groove
2. Who's That Girl
3. True Blue
4. Justify My Love
5. Erotica
6. American Pie
7. Music
8. Don't Tell Me
9. What It Feels Like for a Girl
10. Day Another Day
11. Hollywood
12. Love Profusion
13. Hung Up
14. Sorry
15. Get Together
16. Jump
17. 4 Minutes
18. Give It 2 Me
19. Miles Away
19. Celebration

Years ago the status symbol that said that pop stars had arrived was getting their video banned from MTV. It not only showed that they were not afraid to write their own rules, but it also showcased an entirely new form of art that everyone wanted to take part in. Today, about the only thing that these no-talent celebrities can do is walk around without any undergarments on and hope that their picture gets up on the net.

Although her "Papa Don Preach" video was very controversial for its time (because to some it polarized teen pregnancy, while others felt that she was not giving "modern" girls of the '80s the right to choose) MTV did not ban it. Instead, the music-video peaked at #1 all over the world and became Madonna's very first video single. In 1989 with the release of "Like a Prayer" Madonna almost got her long overdue wish. Although it was not banned in the US (MTV showed it every hour and every day for more than 3 consecutive months), it was banned on state-run Italian TV. Her next video, "Express Yourself" was at the time the most expensive short form ever produced. In this musical film we can see Madonna crawling on a floor, making love to a factory worker, pouring a white viscous liquid over her shoulder and watching a group of half naked men fight for her affections. However she didn't get her first banned video until the following year with "Justify My Love."

For "Justify My Love" Madonna booked up an entire floor at Parisian hotel to host a lavish sex orgy on film. Nothing was off limits, taboo, too risky or too vivid for the imagination. When the video was banned Madonna got Warner Video to release it onto home-video, making it the most successful video single in the entire history of the world while simultaneously making shop-lifters out of 10 year-olds all over the world who wanted to sneak a peak at this racy video. On the night of the premiere of "Erotica" MTV showed an entire block of Madonna videos, complete with trivia and news about her upcoming record and book of se'Xx'ual fantasies. When the video premiered at midnight Kurt Lorder introduced it saying, "What you are about to see is the music-video by arguably the most famous person in the world, this video depicts sexual acts between consenting adults. Some are not bothered by this, others are repelled by this. That is why MTV is not showing this video during regular rotation."

Throughout the mid '90s Madonna produced a core of extraordinarily cutting edge videos that are perhaps some of the very best of her entire career. In "Take a Bow" we see a thought-out love story involving a woman of the '40s and a Spanish bullfighter, the plot picked up a year later with Madonna's follow-up video "You'll See." In "Bedtime Story" Madonna takes us all on futuristic trip inside her mind. She shows her frustration in "Human Nature" and her softer side in "I Want You," "You Must Love Me" and "Love Don't Live Here Anymore." Perhaps one of Madonna's most mesmerizing videos of the '90s was her second VHS single, "Ray of Light" which also became one of her many signatures hits.

In the very first time of her career, Madonna used fast moving cinematography that showcased her darker side and caused some to wonder why she had so much anger and rage built up in "What It Feels Like for a Girl." After MTV showed the video once and then withdrew it from their regular rotating schedule Madonna released it as a video single (her second DVD single, since the avant-garde "Music"). Three years later in another first, Madonna showed a sense of decency, contrite and even respect by choosing to withdraw "American Life." Again Madonna's driving factor is no longer sexual imagery and personal fantasy, but rage, degradation and violence. In this clip Madonna skyjacks a fashion show as she holds everyone hostage. When the video was edited and redistributed to music channels around the US many were stunned. This time because Madonna wasn't nearly as outrageous or offensive or vulgar as before (she was only seen singing in front of an array of international flags).

Madonna went back to her roots in "Hung Up," performing in a retro pink leotard in a dance studio. She played the same part in the video that followed ("Sorry") which was again shocking for many to see. Not because Madonna was obscene or vulgar or undressing for the camera. This time no one could believe how youthful Madonna appeared, like she were 20 years younger. But no matter what she does, has done or will do Madonna shocks; it's a habit!

Recently I had the pleasure of speaking with a very successful entertainer and one of the most famed VJ's who was on MTV during the height of Madonna's popularity. We spoke about a lot of things but mostly about why Madonna's managed to remain so influential over the years. It is because like MTV, Madonna knew how to change with the times and "re-invent" herself with each passing year as her audience of listeners and viewers also changed. Unlike a host of other superstars of the past, Madonna learned early on that if she wanted to remain important and on the cutting edge she would have to keep her finger on not only what's commercial and what's successful but also on what's the biggest and the best. And, over the last several years since MTV stopped showing music-videos Madonna has even transcended a network that once encompassed her.

Madonna has done it all. She's been everything from a hooker to a missionary. And her videos have depicted all of her personas, nuances, fads, fashion transgressions, inner demons and retrogressions. So many of us idolized Madonna because she was the voice for the voiceless. We identified with her because not only was she speaking her mind honestly and artistically through her music and her videos, but she was also pushing the envelope in both an artistic and nonconforming manner. Who else besides Madonna could make it cool to sing on a traditional gondola, perform in a peep show, dance in front of burning crosses, show a close-up of a deceased person's stitched mouth, be chained to a bed, throw a grenade at the most powerful man in the free world or go hitchhiking in the nude?

No one else has that blatant nerve or inner desire to not only top herself, but to exceed the expectations of all of her contemporaries and protractors. They say fame is a very fleeting thing, but Madonna's legacy will live on forever, immortalized in her music-videos.

It is such an insult to Madonna for WB to release such a crap!! Does anyone realize that Celebration DVD is almost the entire Madonna's body of work that was released for the first time in her entire career? Imagine the hundreds and thousands of creative hours that went into these videos, not only from Madonna herself, but from everyone, the top directors, stylist, lighting specialists... and the list goes on. There is no excuse for the poor quality; some forgiving fans may accept it as there is no other choice. We are at a high tech age when we should be looking at top quality images and sound; why the quest for scientists to invent one format after another so that work of art can be perceived in the highest level for the senses, as close to live as possible; I am not impressed by poor quality movies that are passed as "artistic". I have recently watched a restored version of the multi Academy Award winning movie The Last Emperor on the blu-ray, it was a brand new experience even though the movie was made 22 years ago!!! it is like the movie was made yesterday with crystal clear image and perfect sound quality, especially the music soundtrack. My point is that we can, I think we should be able to, watch Madonna's masterpieces again at a much higher level of enjoyment, at least we should be given a choice. It is OK if we choose to watch her videos on a 32" TV, but it should also be good for a home theatre on a 100" screen. What is the point of having the video collection on DVD when we can get the same or better quality from TV, which I think many ardent fans would have recorded on their DVD recorders already, and mostly uncensored. We fans should all get together and make a petition to WB to get their act together to do a proper release, even on 3 DVDs if needed, even on blu-ray not not so much to ask for from Madonna as even Britney, along with a whole lot of others, has their videos on blu-ray already. I do wish that Japan will re-master the DVD themselves, they always do and they pay a lot of attention to quality. Someone in WB should be fried for this!!!!