Customer Reviews

They Might Be Giants - Direct from Brooklyn [VHS]

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Jonathan, you might want to check your DVD player, because I had none of the problems you had -- "Play All" DOES play all, and all of the videos have commentary. A few of the older videos are grainy, but I suspect that's more due to the source material, and I doubt they'd go to the trouble of professionally touching up and restoring them.

I don't know why they bothered to put the Quicktime "home movies" on the disc. I thought it was odd that they didn't make them available as regular DVD "special features" videos, but then I found out -- they're VERY low quality, and they're only about a minute each -- just snippets of the songs. There could have been much more in the way of extras, but, fortunately, there's a treasure trove of extras available on the _Gigantic_ DVD, and the ones that are included here -- the "Tiny Toons" clips, the "fiery" live performance, and the audio tracks -- are not on the _Gigantic_ disc. Plus, the "commentary" for the "Snail Shell" video is actually another song! Overall, this is a great video collection for TMBG fans. (By the way, I'm sure that the reason "Boss of Me" is not included is that it's owned by Fox, so perhaps they couldn't get the rights to it, or didn't think it was worth it, or maybe they're saving it for the next collection...)

TMBG's video productions are just as wacky as their music. This tape is superbly formatted, has very good quality and the music is great! The videos are arranged in order from newest to oldest.

TMBG fans must have. Note the early low tech but high energy style. John and John are excited to perform. The bigger budget videos follow, and the latter show a restrained use of sets and camera that comes with less cash for production. The music remains the best kept secret in rock, the videos serve as a chronologically reversed study of the duo. People paid 40 or 50 bucks to get the 1986-88 TMBG tape on e-bay. Here's your chance to see why.

This is a perfect companion for every Giants fan. Many music videos that MTV nevered played. Included are some animated music videos from the now defunct Tiny Toon Adventures cartoon.

I'm not that fond of DVDs which collect band videos, because they seem disjointed. However, this DVD works for TMBG because each video (and the songs) are -already- disjointed. And of course the songs are wonderful (you already know...). I'd never seen most of these videos (I'm a little pre-MTV I guess), and it was so much fun to watch these, alone and with the Kid Unit (who is turning into quite the TMBG fan). It seems a little incomplete, though. For the sake of the Kid Unit I was hoping for the cartoon version of Dr. Worm, and mildly disappointed. Also, some information on the total time of the DVD would have been nice on the outside of the package (it runs about 40-45 minutes), and a booklet listing more about the details of the videos would have been nice to see as I watched (directors, locations, etc) rather than having to wait to learn while listening to the 2 John voiceovers. But these are quibbles: more of a recommendation for future DVDs than a genuine complaint about this one. Don't wait to go get it, because you're older than you've ever been, and now you're even older. (Uh, "Older" is not on it, don't mean to mislead you.)

This excellent compilation of video work from They Might Be Giants could in one sense be a model of how to combine images with music. The artistry here shows that songs mixed with imaginative visuals can, in the right hands, become more than the sum of their parts, and with most of these, that is exactly what happens.

It's almost worth the DVD alone for not one, but two versions of "Istanbul(Not Constantinople)," both using animation, but in completely different styles. The song is catchy enough on its own, but the visual elements make it irresistible. Other favorites are "Snail Shell," "The Statue Got Me High" and "They'll Need a Crane," as well as the now-classic "(She Was A) Hotel Detective."

If not every single track is at the same high level, never mind. This DVD is still a terrifically entertaining document that shows these guys at their creative best, not to mention valuable for marking their progession over the years. The extras are good, too, but the videos are so good -- and the price is so low -- that any extras almost don't matter.

This DVD is definitely a must-have for any TMBG Fan. The video commentary is absolutely hilarious! Other extras include a few audio-only songs, and a live video of "Why Does the Sun Shine?".

There's not much more to say. It's just classic TMBG fun!

If you are a TMBG fan, which I am sure you are if you are reading this, buy it. All the videos and a bunch of extra stuff including a live video of The Sun which is great! The only thing that is missing is remastered Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, but the sound is still by far better than CD. Very Cool DVD...

The first thing that strikes me about They Might Be Giants' video collection Direct From Brooklyn (originally released on VHS in 1999, now available on DVD) is that John Linnell and John Flansburgh are rather easy on the eyes. (Okay, so beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but this beholder likes what she sees.) Linnell, who sings lead in most of these clips, has loads of energy and charisma, as well as a modesty about him that makes him all the more attractive (you won't see him in skintight leather pants or buttless spandex, cavorting with groupies); plus, he manages to make the accordian seem sexy and cool -- it's no wonder that he has more than his fair share of lady admirers. Flansburgh, the glasses-wearing, left-handed guitar player who sings lead on "Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head," "Hotel Detective," and "The Guitar" (and shares lead vocals with Linnell on "Istanbul"), has a boyish sweetness about him; like Marshall Crenshaw, he seems not like a conventional rock star at all, but rather like an exceptionally talented fan. In most of these clips, though, he often offsets this sweet persona with a stone-faced, Elvis Costello-like intensity. To paraphrase the movie Swingers (1996), John and John are so "money," they don't know how "money" they are.

A clip-by-clip guide (in full color, unless specified otherwise):
1) "Dr. Worm" (1998): Fast-paced black & white clip with goofy cartoon sequences.
2) "Snail Shell" (1994): Cool clip, shot in Germany at what looks like an old-timey TV studio.
3) "The Guitar" (1992): Shifts between classy b&w and vibrant color; Flansy shares the spotlight with Linnell (who wrangles with a bass guitar) and guest vocalist Laura Cantrell.
4) "The Statue Got Me High" ('92): TMBG's first big-budget; the space motif cleverly builds on Apollo 18's CD packaging.
5) "Istanbul" (1990): Alternates between 2-D and 3-D animation; utterly bizarre.
6) "Birdhouse in Your Soul" ('90): Dreamlike; watch out for the "Stop rock video" signs!
7) "They'll Need a Crane" (1988): Shot in NY's Central Park; shifts between the Johns and some elderly gentlemen performing the song (color) and boating on a lake (b&w); classy, and as conventional as They get.
8) "Purple Toupee" ('88): Alternates between the Johns rocking out (b&w/tinted) and Coney Island carnival footage (color).
9) "Ana Ng" ('88): Shifts between the Johns in misery at their desks (b&w) and the Johns goofing off outside (color); features no lip-synch (!).
10) "Hotel Detective" (1986): Alternates between the Johns rocking out (Linnell on the sax, Flansy on a Bo Diddley guitar) and super-cute animated sequences.
11) "Don't Let's Start" ('86): Frenetic b&w clip filmed at the site of the '64 World's Fair in NY.
12) "Puppet Head" ('86): TMBG's exuberant, no-budget debut (colorful, but with some grainy b&w shots); and have I mentioned the boyish good looks of the Johns?
13) "Particle Man" (from the "Tiny Toon Adventures" cartoon series): A hilariously literal interpretation of the lyrics, set in a wrestling ring.
14) "Istanbul" (from "TTA"): Not as well-crafted as the Johns' own visual representation of the song, but actually funnier.

Generally, the imaginative, surreal clips are about using video as a creative outlet rather than as a mere marketing tool; hence, no selling of sex, and no straight "performance" clips. The various directors (including Flansburgh himself on "Dr. Worm" and "The Guitar"!) load these videos with witty visual surprises; the Johns supply utterly unique choreography, unbridled enthusiasm, charm, intelligence, and a refreshing lack of vanity. Among the DVD extras: The Johns' audio commentary is not especially insightful, but nonetheless amusing and filled with fun trivia; the 2002 live clip of "Why Does the Sun Shine" is notable only for the presence of Their fire-breathing tour manager; and the three audio tracks ("McGyver," "Your Mom's Alright," a 2002 remix of "Man It's So Loud in Here") are just okay. I recommend this disc to anyone who hasn't seen these fine videos yet, and anyone who has worn out their VHS copy. I suppose the coolest thing about this disc is that it gives you the option of watching the videos straight through (see the "watch all" option on the main menu), or of watching one clip at a time (see the "watch one" menu) in whatever order you want and however many times you want.

Features all of They Might Be Giants videos from 1987-1998. Does not include the "Boss of Me" video. Also features John Linnell and John Flansburgh's commentary on all videos! In addition, live concert footage is featured.

An added bonus is an extended trailer for They Might Be Giants' documentary "Gigantic: A Tale of Two Johns."

I'm very much looking forward to this DVD, as this is TMBG's first DVD release ever!