Product Details

• Actors: Tracy Chapman, Alanis Morissette, Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen, Youssou N'Dour
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Image Entertainment
• VHS Release Date: June 15, 1999
• Run Time: 120 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305395926
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #399,142 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

One of rock's nobler dividends has been a legacy of ambitious fund-raising concerts that carry on the social consciousness that first entered the music in the '60s as a byproduct of that decade's urban folk music. Even after much of the music retreated to safer, less partisan themes, the right crusade has been able to mobilize artists to raise funds and awareness, and Amnesty International has proven among the most reliable of these missions: from The Secret Policeman's Ball shows produced in England, to more recent tour packages helmed by '80s superstars such as Peter Gabriel and U2, the human rights organization has inspired bold concerts.

This production, mounted December 10, 1998, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a milestone underscored with between-songs informational segments that succinctly promote the beneficiary's themes of tolerance and social responsibility. Filmed and live cameos mix celebrities with sage comments from the Dalai Lama (whose impish "thumbs up" to the crowd elevates the entire affair) and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. An underlying fervor also sparks much of the music, particularly from Peter Gabriel, Youssou N'Dour, Tracy Chapman, and a solo Bruce Springsteen, whose songs all allude to the human rights agenda. Alanis Morissette's brief set likewise takes on a spiritual glow consistent with both her second solo album and the context at hand, while jubilant sets from Kassav and the Asian Dub Foundation serve as potent multicultural celebrations.

The show isn't without its rough spots: an opening rendition of Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up" by Chapman, Gabriel, N'Dour, and Springsteen is more awkward than transcendent (especially in Springsteen's wooden delivery), and Gabriel's subsequent duet with N'Dour starts out shakily. Two Led Zeppelin classics from Jimmy Page and Robert Plant incite Zep fans but seem nearly irrelevant here, as does Shania Twain's slick but shallow stint. But Radiohead's three-song set restores the two-hour concert's generally thoughtful and thought-provoking substance. --Sam Sutherland

Product Description

In 1998, a host of internationally acclaimed artists performed a landmark concert celebrating Amnesty International and the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Songs: Get Up Stand Up (Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman, Bruce Springsteen, Youssou N'Dour), Baba, Hand in My Pocket, Thank U (Alanis Morissette), Medley, Se Dam Bon Jou (Kassav), Black White, Buzzin', Free Satpal Ram (Asian Dub Foundation), Signal to Noise, In Your Eyes (Gabriel, N'Dour), New Beginnings, Fast Car, Baby Can I Hold You (Chapman), No Surrender, Born in the USA, Working on the Highway (Springsteen), When the World Was Young, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, Gallows Pole, Rock & Roll (Jimmy Page & Robert Plant), You're Still the One, Black Eyes Blue Tears (Shania Twain), Karma Police, Bones, Paranoid Android (Radiohead), Shaking the Tree (N'Dour, Gabriel), 7 Seconds (N'Dour, Gabriel, Chapman, Jocelyn Beroard).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A more objective review, February 24, 2001

By 

David White - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Paris Concert for Amnesty International [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Unlike the first reviewer above, I thought the purpose of these reviews was to give people an idea of what the video is like, rather than writing a completely parochial view of your musical taste - complete with advertisement. People can check the list of artists and decide for themselves if the other acts are "truly terrible". Most of them don't appeal to me either, but, as far as I could tell, they generally hit the right notes and didn't forget the words.

The picture and stereo sound quality of the video are excellent. Note that there are no more than three songs from any one artist. Also, the following songs are included in the description but are not actually on the video: In Your Eyes, Baby Can I Hold You, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, Gallows Pole, Paranoid Android.

I hope this was actually helpful.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Good video, lousy audio, July 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Paris Concert for Amnesty International (DVD)

Being a Peter Gabriel fan, I was looking forward to watching this DVD. It supposedly is encoded with Dolby 5.1 surround. I was very disappointed. The concert video footage was good, but the audio was horrible. The vocals were muffled and unintelligable and several times one instrument or another would overpower the vocals. I guess this could all be blamed on the fact that it is a "live" recording. Every set has a small "commercial" following it for Amnesty International which is annoying, but I realize that is the whole gist of the disc. Seeing the Dali Lama on stage is a real treat - although I would have loved to hear him say "Rock On, Dudes!"

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great DVD, Great Concert, Great Idea, June 20, 2002

By 

Mauricio Sougarret (Lima, Peru) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Paris Concert for Amnesty International (DVD)

The first reason why you must buy this DVD has nothing to do with it's content or quality, it's just because it's an Amnesty International Concert and this world is in profound need of this kind of institutions, yeah even in America or Europe there're people whose most elementary rights are compromised.
But if that's not enough maybe you should buy it because of it's content and quality. The astonish performance of Radiohead (Karma Police at its best), or the great Pete Gabriel ("In Your Eyes" with Yousou n'dour is very emotive), or Tracy Chapman singing better than ever, or his holiness the Dalai Lama or ..... Buy it, Share It, and Enjoy It.