Learn To Play Van Halen DVD

Advantages: Great selection of VH Videos. Well produced
Disadvantages: No Extras

...Released in 2000, this DVD features good quality, Van Halen music videos spanning the bands career. All 3 singers are featured, being Roth, Van Hagar, and the very brief time of Gary Cherone. The best year featured has to be 1984. All the classics ('Jump', 'Panama', and 'The Cradle will rock'.) These songs made Van Halen who they are. Eddie Van Halen can be seen fooling around in 'Jump' and 'Hot For Teacher' along with Dave. The DVD run time is just over an hour, and I feel that playing it through a good system really enhances the music - giving me deeper understanding of how and why the song was written. I was a little disappointed to not find any additional menus on the DVD with extras or pictures. This is only a minor pickup from me though. It is the videos that are important. This is a classic band - The DVD is a must have... Read review

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Advantages: A great rock band at their best
Disadvantages: No extras, Bad sound synchronicity

...The problem with live concert footage is that sometimes, the things that work well when you're actually there, don't always translate to the screen. There is no denying the new sense of enthusiasm that Van Halen found, following the departure of iconic, flamboyant frontman David Lee Roth, when Sammy Hagar took up vocal duties. Filmed in New Haven CT, USA (humourously retitled "New Halen" for the duration of the concert), this is an energetic and fairly brave outing, featuring as it does only two tracks from the bands previous incarnation. No "Jump", "Jamie's crying" or "running with the devil". Brave indeed. The set begins with a Hagar rocker, "There's only one way to rock" which, whilst a throwaway song, is a great starter to get you in the mood. The next four are the best section of the whole concert with guitarist Eddie Van Halen... Read review

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Advantages: funny
Disadvantages: none

...planner that's how! Van is such a legend that Gwen Pearson [a reporter for the college newspaper, played by Tara Reid] is told to write an article on Van which will make front cover of the graduation issue. Van falls for Gwen immediately, but can he win her over and will she give up DIK Richard for Van? What will Richard do when he discovers that Van has designs on his girlfriend? And, most importantly, why is Van so desperate to stay in college when there is a whole world out there just waiting for him to explore? Ryan Reynolds is very funny as Van, but his acting is hardly original, he's the same in pretty much everything I've seen him in. For me the film is made by Kal Penn as Taj, Van's assistant from Banglapor who has come to Amercia to learn 'the great American art of muff-diving'. He's had little success so far but will his fortunes... Read review

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