Product Details

• Actors: Michael Aherne, Robert Arkins, Angeline Ball, Gerard Cassoni, Andrea Corr
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• DVD Release Date: November 2, 1999
• Run Time: 118 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (120 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305622922
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,090 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #3 in	Movies & TV > Art House & International > European Cinema > Ireland
  #16 in	Movies & TV > Musicals & Performing Arts > Musicals > Rock
  #17 in	Movies & TV > Art House & International > British Cinema > Music & Musicals

• For more information about "The Commitments" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

An irresistible, comic drama from director Alan Parker (Evita, Mississippi Burning), overflowing and alive with passion, humor, and music, The Commitments showcases some old R&B standards in a new light. A headstrong, fast-talking, ambitious young Dubliner (Robert Arkins) fancies himself a promoter of talent, and sets about assembling and packaging a local Irish R&B band. His group of self-absorbed, backbiting, but stunningly talented individuals begin to succeed beyond his wildest dreams, until petty jealousies and recrimination threaten to scuttle the whole deal. A moody, vivid, and soulful exploration of the Dublin club scene as well as a showcase for some wonderful unknown actors, the film (and its wonderful soundtrack) also features the actual band covering classic soul tunes from the likes of Otis Redding and Sam and Dave. It's that combination of soul and soul music that makes The Commitments a special little film. --Robert Lane

Product Description

Acclaimed director Alan Parker's landmark musical comedy is back for a spectacular encore in this all new widescreen collector's edition release of The Commitments. Fueled by raw talent and driven by dreams of glory, a dozen dead-enders from Dublin's gritty North side share a passion for soul music that takes their band on a wild roller-coaster ride from the streets to the stage...to superstardom! Packed with over 4 hours of extras, including audio commentary, brand new songs, and a never-before-seen retrospective documentary, this exhilarating 2-disc DVD is your backstage pass to experience the "world's hardest working band" as never before. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome once again - The Commitments!

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

76 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hallelujah! Widescreen and extras all the way!, January 19, 2004

By	David Kusumoto (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

For the better part of four years, I've complained about this fantastic movie going in and out of print, but ALWAYS ONLY available in the lousy pan-and-scan (instead of widescreen) format.

This film, masterfully directed by the great British musical/drama cinematic maestro, Alan Parker (e.g., Evita, Angela's Ashes, Fame, etc.), deserved better treatment, and finally, let's thank the good executives at Fox Video for listening! A double-disk widescreen presentation with plenty of bonus features! Hooray!

Keep in mind that this is one of the greatest films ever made in the 1990s, so influential and original to the extent that it made the British Film Institute's list of the best 100 films ever made in Ireland and the British Isles during the last century. Yet eerily, I can only count on two hands the number of people who've seen it! This has gotta change!

Now the film is issued on DVD as it was meant to be seen -- in full stereo and widescreen glory. I like the fact that Fox Video gave this "little" picture a chance, that it heard the complaints from rabid fans for years and finally did something about it!...

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Say it Once, Say it Loud!, May 19, 2004

By	M. Casarino (Wilmington, DE United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Commitments (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) (DVD)

"The Commitments" is a raucous and joyful celebration of music. It's a gloriously simple and lovable tale, told with passion, profanity, and a deep understanding of how music can infect even the most despairing life with joy. About time the movie got its proper release on DVD.

If you've never seen "The Commitments" because you cringe at the notion of white Dubliners singing American soul tunes, well, I hear ya. I fully expected watered-down music along the lines of Michael Bolton butchering Percy Sledge. However, I was wrong - the music, in the context of the movie, is pure and genuine, and performed by young actors who understand that you don't have to pretend to be anything you're not to get soul. Besides, Jimmy Rabbitte, the mastermind behind the band, gives them all a thoroughly convincing speech that assures the lads and lasses from Dublin that they, too, are qualified to sing soul.

The movie - well, it's wonderful. Hilarious, free, sometimes moving, life-affirming. I almost wish the movie let the characters develop a little more before the inevitable and mythical ending, but then Joey the Lips gently reminds me (and Rabbitte), "this way, it's poetry." He's right - this is the proper ending for these guys, and the movie.

The DVD offers some great extras, including a revealing making-of doc, where we learn that director Parker combed the nightclubs of Dublin nightly, looking for fresh talent. I also love the 10-years-later feature, where we get to revisit our old friends again. These are suitable extras for a movie that just plain makes you feel glad to be alive - how much more can you ask of a movie than that?

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars DVD: Disappointing Video Disk, July 9, 2000

By A Customer

"The Commitments" is an exceptional movie that holds up very well through repeated viewings. It is exactly the kind of film you would want to own in your DVD collection, because you could enjoy it for many years. That's why I was very disappointed that the DVD version is available only as pan and scan (1.33:1 aspect ratio). This is the equivalent of taking a 5-channel audio theatrical release and making a DVD that's available only in mono sound.

As much as I like this film, I will not buy a DVD that has been degraded from the original theatrical release. Apparently the film companies don't yet understand what motivates buyers to pay extra for DVD quality and home theater systems. I hope that "The Commitments" will be available soon as a re-released DVD in its original 1.85:1 widescreen theatrical version.