Customer Reviews

Ed Sullivan's Rock 'n' Roll Classics - Chart Toppers, Vol. 1 - Hits of 1965-1967

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Is there anyone over the age of 40 who doesn't remember sitting down in front of the TV on Sunday evenings waiting to see that 3 minutes of their favorite performer singing their latest hit? Well, now available is something that, on paper, had the potential to be one of the most historical DVD releases in rock and roll history. I mean, what could be better than an Ed Sullivan pop music collection? Just look at the artists and song titles: Mama's and Papa's Ceeque Alley, Animals doing Don't Bring Me Down, The Rolling Stones' Paint It Black, The 4 Seasons Let's Hang On, and and fourteen more gems from 1965 through 1967.
I had to get it!
Now, here's the reason for such a low rating - why are most of the songs cut? Sonny and Cher's I Got You Babe is cut off halfway through! Lou Rawls'Love Is A Hurtin' Thing is also shortened. Actually, about half of the tunes are noticeably cut short either with a false ending or a verse (quite obviously) edited out.
Now, these are not shortened "45 versions" either. They have been deliberately cut for this DVD. Why? Well, the supposed answer is right there on the back of the package: DO TO THE HISTORIC CONTENT OF THIS RELEASE, SOME SONGS AND PERFORMANCES ARE REPEATED AND MAY NOT BE PERFORMED IN THEIR ENTIRETY. What does THAT mean? "Do to the historic content"??? Wouldn't "historic content" mean that they would keep the performances historically accurate? Can someone please explain this load of bull---- to me? I paid good money for these performances. Like another reviewer stated, they could have fit more than double the length of what they did on this disc, but instead, chose to really stick it to us by giving us only a little more than an hour's worth of edited "historical" performances.
Rhino, you did us wrong. I'll remember this. I will not purchase another of these and I'll keep my eyes peeled on any of your releases for length of disc AND content.
By the way, I gave this disc a 3 rating for the performances that weren't cut up.

I paid over ...bucks for the the 9 disc boxed set and didn't buy it from a store but ordered on line, so I couldn't get the refund I SO deserved. Rhino..you should be ashamed of yourself for duking lovers of this classic period in Americana. Some oif the performances are cut, Diana Ross and The Supremes' version of Love is Like An Itching in My Heart was part of a 3 song medley when it originally aired (complete w/classic Supremes choreography) and you butchered the other 2 songs. And that's just the start...Folks don't buy this or any other Sullivan "shew" compilation unless all it's the full content of the show. And where is Shirley Bassey?

It is great material and wonderful memories....but way overpriced....they only give you 60 minutes for a suggested list price of $... Why couldn't they have simply combined vol #1 & #2 on a single disc and still offered it for the same price. Frankly I am fed up with companies who gouge on price simply because it is a DVD. I hope everyone who buys this disc takes time to write Rhino Video and tells them they have way overpriced this as well as most of their other DVD discs. They seem to think nobody cares because we are so anxious to have this wonderful material on disc.

The average time for each DVD is about 40 minutes, which gives you time for 4-5 artists doing shorter versions of the songs you know.Some are cut ridiculously short. It's fun to watch, but expected more for the money and it would have been better to compile all of this onto 2-3 discs and sell for about 40-50 dollars less. Rhino - You blew it!!

The custodian at CBS swept the cutting room floor and handed the assemblage off to a dim-witted chimp for editing.
Frustratingly small snippets of songs.
Try this only if you suffer from attention deficit disorder, otherwise you'll be suffering from videoitis interruptus.

How disappointing compared to The Beatles Ed Sullivan where 4 entire episodes are uncut. And to take you back to Feb 1964 each show includes the commercials!!! Fascinating to see what things were like back then. You get to see the other artists and comedians who make the Beatles look like they dropped in from Mars. The way these are presented uncut and with commercials you see how straight the USA was in February of 1964 and how just 18 months later during the Beatles last performance you get a glimpse of how our culture and society had changed in such a short period of time.

The Four Tops, the Supremes, Johnny Rivers, and the Four Seasons were highlights of a mediocre DVD. The Tops did a surprisingly short medley of three of their hits. They looked great up there and there were some humorous parts (I thought). The Supremes looked wonderful as well and Diana primped and sang her heart out, but "My World is Empty Without You" was a little too happy for the song's mood and I've yet to figure out what the happening of "The Happening" is. Johnny Rivers was incredibly stiff and seemed nervous. The song ended rather abruptly. I was impressed by the Four Seasons as well; being able to visualize that nasally sound from Frankie Valli was wonderful.

De reason why they cut some videoclips is all about rights. As you noticed this dvd came out on a major. In some cases , some of the rights of the performing artists on this dvd are not with this company. However, to get clearance, they have to cut it down, so if you want the whole version, you simply have to buy it from the company where the rights are...
I think this is very bad, specially if you see the price tag.....

I have been looking for this DVD for a long time. When I received it today, I was very excited and very pleased! I am a huge Johnny Rivers Fan. I was afraid that his performance on the DVD might be cut short like the performances on the Best Of The Ed Sullivan Show DVD. But Johnny's entire performance was on the DVD along with extra footage of him greeting Ed after the performance. I was extreamly pleased!