Customer Reviews

The Smiths - The Complete Picture [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This collection is loathed by many, and I imagine it would be a shock to those expecting slickly-produced, MTV quality videos. But we are talking about The Smiths here, not a group known for their willingness to do videos. Quite the opposite, in fact. Add in the fact that the Smiths existed during the 1980s, when even the best videos reveled in cheesy glory. :)

I quite enjoy the Top of the Pops appearances, which are what this DVD is largely comprised of. Yes, they are rather gaudy, over the top, and *very* 80s, which is precisely why I'm so fond of them. For those of us who never got to see the Smiths perform anywhere, this provides an opportunity to watch Morrissey sashay his way through many of their best known hits, complete with hearing aid and a small thicket in his back pocket.

The Derek Jarman films are visually interesting, although frankly they make me a bit dizzy. The sound quality is good, and the menu makes song selection easier. If you're a diehard fan, you should own this. If you're simply someone who liked a few of their bigger hits, well, I wouldn't bother.

Although several of the performances were obviously staged, in general, the product is well worth the purchase for fans of the band. Lets face it, this is now a dead group who hasn't played a song together in almost 20 years, and anything that you can "get your hands on" at this stage is worth paying money for. It is a piece of history. Aside from this DVD, the only other Smiths video and performance products I have been able to purchase have included several very old performances on tape, which were not of good quality. I would recommend this to anybody who is a fan of the Smiths. Its a "must have" if you like the music, and want to go back in time to reminisce an era that once was, and will never be again. But it was certainly a lot of fun when we all lived through it. The Smiths looked every bit "themselves" on the DVD, as they did when they performed here in the states during the 1980s.

Altogether, a terrific summary of who the Smiths were and a very valid representation of what they presented to the stage. Such classics as "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" playfully take off the 60's hit of the similar title, "Heaven Knows I'm Missing Him Now" and "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" is charming for the Moz sports the word "Bad" on his neck, written in black. Ultimately, Derek Jarman's video consisting of songs from the classic album "The Queen is Dead" drags on, and to me is rather boring, but the aforementioned appearance from "The Top of the Pops" makes up for it 10x over. My only complaint, where are all of the other hits? And that is why, I guess, it is ironically titled "The Complete Picture"

I'm shocked by the number of negative reviews. The videos are great, and since the Smiths never had much american media coverage in the first place beyond "how soon is now", this video is a great way to see Morrissey in action.

Well, if you admire Morrissey and love the music of the smiths, get this video. Same goes with any video set, if you dont like the music much in the first place, you're probably not going to like the video any better.

"The Complete Picture" is a collection of 12 music videos by the Smiths. Well, you could say 14 videos, if you split the "Queen is Dead" film into three parts. Some are mimed performances from British music show "Top of the Pops", others are "trendy" promos. All of them are very 1980s. As a fan of the Smiths, I decided to check "The Complete Picture" out. I quite enjoyed it, actually.

Even when the band is miming on Top of the Pops, it still seems like they're having fun, like they're still in control. They have a presence, even there. It's odd, but interesting. The music holds it all together, I think. As for the proper promos, I do think they reflect what the Smiths were all about, (Britain, outsiders, etc) even if it is sometimes in an exaggerated way. "Ask" features a very shy young man and the girl he loves. "This Charming Man" is full of flowers. "Girlfriend in a Coma" features footage from old films, the way the album covers featured old images. "Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before" has lots of bicycles, shots of Strangeways and Whalley Range (both locations mentioned in Smiths songs) plus a couple of other places.

I can't say I'm an expert on Smiths/Morrissey music videos, but I do know enough to tell you that this is a little short from the complete picture. There's another version of "The Boy With The Thorn in His Side About" where Morrissey sings in a room full of candles that isn't here, for instance. I'm sure there's a few others.

Still, I think it's at least worth a look for Smiths fans. I hope the record companies paint a more complete picture on DVD soon. Just don't paint a vulgar picture!

I agree with the previous reviewer: The Smiths abhorred music videos, dubbed "promotional films," by Moz. His take is blatant in a 1986 interview in Graffiti: "I don't care for promotional films. They don't have much to do with the records themselves --they're really put together to appeal to the type of people who wouldn't dream of buying your record anyway." If you don't own any of The Smiths' records, then you're wasting your time with this DVD. It is really an essential part of any true fan's collection.

If you are a Smith's fan, this is an excellent collection. It's essentially the VHS tape in DVD form, so no bangs or whistles. But it is easier to jump to various tracks. Audio and visual quality are much improved.

There are a few "short films" directed by the late Derek Jarman in it, for those who are fans. (Most notable is "The Queen is Dead".)

And if you are not a Morrissey or Smiths fan, you WILL hate it. Period. Keep that in mind.

As a devoted Smiths fan, I cannot in good conscience give a poor rating to any recording (audio or video) associated with the band - especially given the fact that a mediocre Smiths video package is still eminently preferable to ninety-nine percent of the intolerable dredge stocking the shelves of your favourite music retailer as we speak. Having said that, though, I was nonplussed by the limited scope and ambition of The Complete Picture. True, Top of the Pops may be the proving ground for many a popular British group, but seeing Messrs. Morrissey, Marr, Rourke, and Joyce mime their way through a pre-recorded track is enough to make a young man squirm uncomfortably - and almost half the songs on this DVD elicit such feelings.

On the plus side, the videos for This Charming Man and Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before are brilliant, and would admittedly (almost) justify the purchase price in and of themselves. Still, from them to whom much is given much is expected, and the fact that relatively recent converts to the band may be put off by this collection is cause for concern indeed.

Recommended for the hardened fan only; Smiths neophytes in turn are strongly urged to build up a proper reverence for the band before risking the DVD. May I suggest a few months of careful indoctrination - The Queen Is Dead as a proper introduction to the band, Singles in order to gain an appreciation for the scope of their oeuvre, and Strangeways so as to experience the band at the height of their power - as a first step on this path?

Yes, the videos are kind of corny, but this DVD is a real treat for those of us who were still learning how to walk when The Smiths were at the apex of their career. I liked how the DVD combined Smiths videos with some live preformances letting veiwers who maybe be new to The Smiths see them play. The sound quality is excellent reguardless of the shorthandedness of some of the videos. The only knocks I have against "The complete picture" is the length (50 minutes) and the "The queen is dead" flim at the end. If you like The Smiths you owe it to yourself to check this out, just don't expect to see amazingly artistic videos.

This 1992 documentary captures The Smiths "Rank"-era with a lot of crowd favorites; Charming Man, What Difference, Panic, How Soon Is Now?, Shoplifters, Sheila Take A Bow, and Queen Is Dead.

Now that's worth the price alone. Spend 45 minutes with a band so good, you'll pine for those days. Speaking of back in the day, just how is Johnny Marr wasting his time currently?