Beastie Boys - Video Anthology - The Criterion Collection (DVD)

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?
Characters / Performances
Soundtrack
How does it compare to similar films?

Advantages:	choices choices and more choices !
Disadvantages:	No License to Ill videos  -  boooo !

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I was bought the Beastie Boys Video Anthology on DVD for my 30th birthday, to go with the player that was also a gift. But I can tell you it cost about £15, and could only be ordered online from a US retailer (coming to UK). Apparently, postage was reasonable and delivery time was only about 5 days.

I love the Beasties, have most of their albums and so was delighted at this thoughtful present. What a great way to break in my new player! On opening the case, I find the bonus freebie, a double-sided poster of the boys - oh, oh oh! Which side to display?! Or do I buy it twice?!

Could be tempted.... This has got to be the greatest DVD ... EVER! There are 18 tracks spanning their music AFTER the first album. This is the only downside to the DVD so I'll get that gripe out the way. I would like to have some of the License to Ill videos but I figure they weren't included because of that being on a different record label. There'll be some dull record-company politics to blame for the pitiful omission.

But onto more positive things. CHOICES. Oh, how I've been spoilt by my introduction to the world of DVD. There are 2 discs; not only do you get all the videos, not only do you get remixes of the songs (several for each), not ONLY do you get the apparently obligatory commentary option (actually entertaining in this case), but you also get a multitude of camera angles. That's my most favourite aspect of this collection.

It works especially well on the video which has been filmed on 3 different cameras with no cuts (Shake Your Rump). You can flip camera to camera while the track plays, following your favourite beastie, or just indulge in a live remix of the video. Do what you like to the material they give you. Find the combination of audio and video mixes that you prefer. It also works especially well with the video for Gratitude - watch all of the heat-sensor shots, or watch the boys as they mime their raps, seeing the full unedited 'in-between' moments that you miss out on in the edited version.

In the video for Sabotage, which is a kind of 3-way story with loads of action (homage to and piss-take of the Starsky&Hutch TVgeneration), you can follow each story all the way through.

I could describe each video, but to let you know ALL the options and variations there are, I'd probably have to watch this DVD another 100 times.

The audio remixes are for the completist, I feel. Generally, the original audio versions are the ones that cut the mustard. Although there are a couple of mellower mixes that may serve certain moods a little better. Again, the CHOICE is yours!

To navigate this wealth of Stuff is not as complicated as it could well have been. There are a couple of menu systems that are well simple to use if you're used to Flash-based web navigation. There's a starting zone where you pick whether or not you want the straight DVD or extras. Once in the extras zone, you choose your song and from there you pick what audio mix, what video mix and whether or not you want subtitles or commentary (that last option may actually be accessible on the first port of call - feel free to put me right if I remember wrongly). And once you're in the playback, your remote control has power over flipping through camera angles and I THINK the audio mixes too (again I'm resorting to memory - perhaps I ought to check my facts once the TV is free to use and get back to you on that!) so it is really straightforward to get through such a complicated mass of options.

The Beastie Boys videos are always fun anyway, and hardly need all this gadgetry. But the fact it's there is a testament to the amount of work that goes into all their projects, and the love they clearly have for their art. All fans of hip-hop MUST own this, they are the granddaddies of Rap, or the Favourite Uncles of, at least. All fans of DVD must own this - sadly, I have not yet encountered another which exploits the format as well as this.

Enjoy!