Who’s Been Talking?: Johnny Thunders In Concert

The last recorded concert of the late New York Dolls guitarist occurred in Osaka, Japan just weeks before John Genzale’s (AKA Johnny Thunders) corpse was discovered in a New Orleans hotel room. The event is a festive affair with Johnny doing a kind of cabaret show with backing band The Oddballs, featuring blonde buxom bombshell Alison Gordy adding vocals, and an impossibly young-looking Stevie Klasson on rhythm guitar. Johnny is clearly on his last legs, but glimmers of the snotty former leader of the Heartbreakers comes through on Thunders’ classics like "Pills" and "Born to Lose" (AKA "Born too Loose"). Jamey Heath’s sax playing adds a nice layer of bluesy inflection to Johnny’s rockin’ sound. The look of the footage is fuzzy, the concert lighting strictly amateur and the camerawork questionable, but the sound quality good on this momentous document of a gifted songwriter and guitarist ravished by heroin. Aspect ratio is 4:3, with sound processed in Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. (Concert—Four Stars, DVD features—Zero Stars). Not Rated, 99 mins. (MVDvisual)

Awesome; I Fuckin’ Shot That

The Beastie Boys relive their former glories in an inspired live performance at Madison Square Garden on October 9, 2004 where 50 members of the sold-out audience use handheld cameras to capture the concert. While the Beastie Boys are great at delivering their synchronized hip-hop songs, the band lacks sufficient musical variety to sustain a 90-minute movie. Necessarily low production values create viewer fatigue that takes its toll well before the final credits roll. "Awesome; I Fuckin’ Shot That" is the sole province of dyed-in-the-wool Beastie Boys fans. Special features include a band commentary track, English subtitles, a "Grid Angle" multi-screen feature, am interactive "Detour Mode," four making-of featurettes, and the theatrical trailer. Aspect ratio is anamorphic widescreen, with sound quality processed in choice of Dolby Digital 2.0 or 5.1 or an Acappella track.

(Movie – Two Stars, DVD Features – Three Stars) Rated R, 90 mins. (ThinkFilm)

New York Dolls: All Dolled Up

Photographer Bob Gruen culls from over 40 hours of priceless footage he shot, on a then state-of-the-art portable Sony video recorder, of the legendary New York Dolls during their early '70s heyday. The glorious black and white footage carries surprisingly clear sound that displays the raw inspired musical alchemy that the Dolls possessed. The candid footage follows the garishly dressed band from their early gigs in the hallowed halls of venues like Max's Kansas City and onto Los Angeles where the Dolls exploded on the scene with energized performances at the Whisky a Go Go and on Don Steele's television show. Between backstage and on-the-road shenanigans the band performs songs like "Hoochie Coochie Man," "Personality Crisis," "Subway Train," "Chatterbox" and "Pills." Special features include commentary by David Johansen, Sylvain Sylvain and Bob Gruen, full performance of 12 songs, Bob Gruen's extensive photo gallery accompanied by his befitting voice-over anecdotes and an interview with Bob Gruen by Handsome Dick Manitoba. Aspect ratio is not listed. Sound quality is processed in 5.1 Surround Sound. (Music Documentary - Five Stars, DVD features - Five Stars) Not Rated, 230 mins. Total running time (Music Video Distributors)

No Direction Home: Bob Dylan

Martin Scorsese’s impeccably thorough examination of Bob Dylan’s trajectory from folk music coffeehouse cause celebre to pop music icon is an engrossing experience that illuminates as it entertains. Unsatisfied at their inability to categorize and stifle Dylan’s unique talents, the media and his vociferous fans crucified their hero when the singer shifted from acoustic to electric guitar at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. The ever candid and brutally uncompromising Dylan is revealed through rare interviews and musical performances that show exactly why he is revered as one of the most important musical influences of the 20^th century. Although Scorsese did not conduct any of the interviews he has edited together an essential and brilliant document about an authentic musical genius. Generous special features include seven rare live Bob Dylan performances between 1963 and 1965, guest performances of Dylan songs by Mavis Staples, Liam Clancy, Joan Baez and Maria Muldaur, and an unused 1965 promo spot for "Positively 4^th Street." Aspect ratio is 1.33:1 Full Frame, with crystal clear sound quality processed in Dolby Digital Stereo Surround 5.1. Movie – Five Stars – DVD features – Five Stars) Not Rated, 207 mins. (Paramount)

Elvis Costello & The Imposters: Live In Memphis

Originally hailed as the next Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello has proven to be a songwriter, musical entertainer and composer more on a par with the late Duke Ellington. This well produced live performance document captures Elvis with his signature Van Morrison-inspired vocal attack on such iconic songs as "Radio Radio," "Blue Chair" and "High Fidelity," as well as in captivating duets with Emmylou Harris on "I Still Miss Someone," "Heart Shaped Bruise," "Wheels" and "My Baby’s Gone." Filmed at the small Hi Tone Café in Memphis, Elvis and band mates Steve Nieve (on keyboards), Pete Thomas (on drums) and Davey Faragher (on bass guitar) perform a raucous set of 24 great songs. Special features include an intimate Mississippi road trip with Elvis Costello and Pete Thomas and a brief featurette about preparations for the show. Aspect ratio is 16:9, with sound quality processed in choice of Dolby Stereo, Dolby 5.1 Surround or DTS Surround. (Movie – Four Stars, DVD features – Four Stars) Not Rated, 165 mins. (Eagle Vision)