Customer Reviews

Tony Bennett: An American Classic

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

To accompany his lustrous "Duets" CD, perennial crooner Tony Bennett recruited some first-rank talent behind and before the cameras to help him produce this remarkable TV special to commemorate his 80th birthday. It is at once a throwback to the network variety specials from the 1960's and 70's (before pay-cable rendered them obsolete) and a reinvention of the format incorporating biographical elements within the context of mini-video performances. The result aired on NBC earlier this week as an hour-long special. Without commercials, the program scarcely runs forty minutes, but it remains a superbly crafted showcase for a timeless singer. Thanks to Rob Marshall's innovative conception and immaculate direction, the show follows a roughly chronological timeline of Bennett's career with nine starry-eyed duets connected by brief snippets of his professional milestones.

Things start on a high note with Bennett in an empty theater singing Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" joined by a mellifluous-sounding Barbra Streisand, his most accomplished partner for the evening. In a jazz nightclub setting, he is surrounded by the acrobatic Tony Bennett Dancers and swings though "Sing, You Sinners" with a confident John Legend. In a recording booth at Columbia Studios, Bennett sings his first hit, "Because of You" accompanied by smoky vocals from k.d. lang and a languorous trumpet solo by Chris Botti. Visually, my favorite part of the program is the black-and-white recreation of the 1960's-style variety show complete with dancers in sailor tops and Capri pants. In this segment, Diana Krall joins Bennett on a finger-snapping "The Best Is Yet to Come" followed by a sonorous version of "The Shadow of Your Smile" given a samba-accented makeover by Columbian rock singer Juanes.

The inevitable Vegas sequence features a bevy of feather-fanned showgirls. In this milieu, Bennett is joined by Elton John on a jaunty "Rags to Riches", by new-jack crooner Michael Bublé on a swinging "Just in Time" (whose Dean Martin-style behavior may rankle the more feminist-minded), and finally by a surprisingly stationary Stevie Wonder leaning heavily on his melisma on his own "For Once in My Life" (which includes his trademark harmonica interlude). To show his popularity with the current crop of chart-toppers, Bennett is joined by a retro-styled Christina Aguilera and the dancers in full Fosse mode on "Steppin' Out". It all ends appropriately with a shimmering solo of Bennett's signature song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco".

Providing the spoken interludes between the performances are Billy Crystal, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bruce Willis, John Travolta and Robert DeNiro. At about 45 minutes in total, the extras on the DVD actually last longer than the special itself. They start with a 2 1/2-minute trailer and go right into footage of the dancers rehearsing their four production numbers. What follows is an extensive making-of featurette which features interviews with Marshall, choreographer John DeLuca and other key members of the creative staff interspersed with behind-the-scenes footage.

I've seen Tony 5 times live and have all his records. The dvd was great, what there was of it! PLEASE, what happened to the filming with Sting, Bono, Celine, Mcgraw etc??????If time was a problem then I have no problem with the edited program-a one hour special on TV. BUT, why didn't Sony film the rest and offer it to us on a full length dvd???I would gladly have paid for a complete film. Shame on you Sony!

This DVD was excellent as far as it went. However I saw the show when it was presented on TV. I was very disappointed that when veiwing the DVD at least four maybe more artists were left off . I never would have bought this product had I known that it was not complete. I feel cheated and want others to realize that they are not getting a complete show.

Outstanding duets. Tony Bennett again multi-generational. That's why he's still winning awards. LOVE the blu-ray format.

...and offers the choice of a rich sounding PCM Stereo (default) or an atmospheric (and tastefully restrained) 5.1 Dolby Digital surround mix (offered via the audio set-up menu). All of the bonus material is also presented in 16x9 anamorphic and in stereo - "enhanced for widescreen televisions." The show really takes advantage of this movie-like format - adding to the classy elegance of the, alas, much-too-short presentation.

I only note this here because nowhere on the packaging or on the disc itself is this information offered. It's obvious this was shot in HD, and apparently there will also be a Blu-Ray release of this title.

Uncompressed PCM stereo is superb. Picture is excellent, if you like contempary style music, this is a must.

When I listened and viewed this Blu-ray disc I was taken aback by the quality of the audio, video and the performances. I spent the whole evening with it and was absolutely enchanted with selection of songs, the sincere interpretations of the guest artists and the stunning choreography of the dancers. This disc is a real keeper and I know I will be watching it and yes, listening to it over and over for many years to come.

However, I could not rate it a 4.5 or 5 because it was simply too short. I was disappointed by the length of this disc and expected more. I could care less about the add-ons or whatever you call them. I wanted more of Tony Bennett. I didn't get that.

Otherwise, this disc was most enjoyable from a pure audio, video and entertainment perspective.

Everything about this show is top notch. I have the Blu-ray version and the video and audio quality was superb. The production was outstanding and was patterned after some of the old time tv variety shows. Every guest that performed seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves and were at the top of there game. I would highly recommend this in any format but the Blu-ray version really stands out.

First, I give this four starts and not five only for the brevity of the program. But 40-odd minutes still offer many opportunities to appreciate what this 80 year-old can do! The creative program was directed by Rob Marshall and includes choreography (Tony even dances a bit) and visuals that live up to his Chicago accomplishments. Being something of a purist, I have to say I was initially skeptical of the "guest list." Each musician rises to the challenge, and the songs alternate between touching and flashy. Tony shines in each tune, an effect heightened by a full orchestra and elaborate sets. The film quality is excellent and vivid as is the sound recording. I found myself watching and re-watching sections over and over again -- you will, too. The extra features (including the "making of" documentary) are very interesting, too. This project was clearly a work of love for all involved. What a fine way to celebrate Tony's career.

I wasn't sure what to think about my blind purchse of this DVD. When I sat down with the family to watch it we were messmerized by the quality and exceptional musicianship of the whole event staged to celebrate Tony Bennet's 80th birthday. The director won an Emmey Award for the DVD. I could see why. It is fantastic set design with a throwback to the 60's that was just so much fun to watch. The dancers really brought a cool feel to the whole event. I can't recommend this DVD enough. The whole family gave it a big thumbs up. The behind the scenes was a great bonus as well.My favorite performance was Tony and Stevie Wonder. Just superb!