5 comments about Berlin Philharmonic's New Year's Gala 1997.

1. This DVD is excellent and the reasons are numerous; the sound (PCM) is brilliant, clear and potent; the musicians put their hearts and all their energy when they play; the director make his job absolutely professional and the solo players, in special the violinist are GREAT. Of course I recommend this DVD and obviously deserve 5 stars or more, buy it and check it; you will remember this words



2. If you not have this DVD in your collection, believe me, buy it.
   First, the performace of the Berlin Philharmonic, impresionant.
   You will hear the Carmen highlights arias with Anne Sophie Von Otter, Bryn Terfel, Robert Alagna, then the Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Paganini Theme only for the climax of the Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy; perfectlty performed by Gil Shaham, if you put attention you really see that all the performers of the DVD enjoy his own sound. If you like the Berlin Philarmonic perform, wait for the Hungarian Dance V, conducted by Claudio Abbado, i repeat the guys really enjoy playing music.



3. The concert in the DVD is full of variety and features world's famous musicians. Otter is really amazing with Carmen. So is Bryn Terfel. Carmen fantasy by Gil Shaham is also my favotite part of the concert. He did wonderful performance with it. Of course, Pletnev's Rachmaninoff is fabulous too. The technical quality of both sound and vision is superb.

   All in all, this is the best classical music concert DVD I have ever seen and you must own.




4. I bought this New Year's Gala DVD because I liked the themes associated with Bizet's Carmen, which were prominently featured in the program. Also, well known names like Bryn Terfel, Claudio Abbado, Anne Sophie von Otter and Robert Alagna added to the luster of the evening's performance. The concert was very nice: great orchestra with a world renowned conductor, wonderful singers and then.....there was Gil Shaham

   I remember as a teen buying an album for a particular song and every so often (rarely) you would find a hidden gem that was unexpected and quite often better than the piece you had originally purchased the album for. Such is the case here: Gil Shaham is a violin virtuoso extraordinaire! His performance of Pablo de Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy op 25 it simply breath taking. The piece is full of joyous energy, technical skill and shows a man that is one with his instrument. An unbelievable performance of a beautiful piece of music that must have been thrilling to have witnessed live.

   The rest to the disk is very good but this one piece is worth the price of the entire DVD.




5. Let me start by saying that Amazon's reviewer has made some terrible mistakes in describing the picture. It IS NOT 16:9. It is 4:3 as clearly stated on the dvd's back cover. So, there is no problem with the image being distorted. Also, even though I played this dvd on a cheap player without progressive scan, there was absolutely no graininess, no out of focus pictures. In fact the picture was extremely sharp and clear.
   
   Performance - Claudio Abbado & Berlin Philharmonic - top of the line.
   
   Two soloists really stood out. Anne Sophie Von Otter's voice was warm and rich, and Gil Shaham's virtuosity on violin was breathtaking.
   
   Other reviewers have remarked that this is as good any performance dvd of classical music they've ever seen and I eagerly agree.
   
   
   

3 comments about Amy Grant's Old Fashioned Christmas.

1. This is a gem enjoyed by my family & myself(an Amy fanatic!)-includes songs from her 1st Christmas album; "The Animals' Christmas"(the Jimmy Webb cantata she did w/Art Garfunkel in 1986); a tender rendition of "Away in a Manger"(not available on any Amy album); & excellent concert footage of her "Unguarded" tour-a must have!



2. It would like that if it is possible he/she sent me video clips of Amy Grant, of preference, whole



3. This is one of those early Amy Grant special Christmas programs which include not only her own music, but the traditional and reverential music of the season. She is joined by her family and friends by the fireplace, with some very special guests, and we see the snow, sled, and the Christmas tree with all the trimmings, as well as the brilliant colors of the season.
   
   A very beautiful film!!!

3 comments about Out of the Box - Happy Holidays.

1. This video shows all different ways to celebrate--Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukah. It also demonstrates ways people can show they care during this festive season. It deals with the holidays in a positive and constructive manner to demonstrate what the true meaning of this time of year should be. My daughter loves it!



2. hi this is the best my 19 sisters wached this in the bathtub and the bedroom its the best i loved vivein
   and the song u can be anything if you wached it when they came on tv where tey meay a buterfly and the buterfly teaches them they cab be anything u can be anrhing thatb was the best epasode ever i yhink this one is too this is the best i ever seen in my whole life eric rese my naghbor has out of the box ualoween vi thought thwat was the best video also bye christian ps plese get this video for your child your child will love it my 19 sisters do trust me u do wana buy the out of the box happy holadays



3. OUT OF THE BOX WAS THE BEST IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD MY FRIEND JOE AND I WACHED IT TOGTHER I THOUGHT IT WAS TERIFIC I WACHED IT WITH MY 19 SISTERS THEY SAID IT WAS TETRIFIC SO MY 19 SISGTERS AND I ALL WACHED IT AT MY NEXT STORE NGHBOR NAMED ERIC RESE HE SEYS VHES MY BEST FRIEBD BUT I DONT THINK AOOO HES 6 YEARS OLD AND UES SHOT A BOSSY BUT HIS COUSIN MELISA CAME OVER IN THE SUMMER I LOVED HER A WHOLE LOT AND SHE WAS MAKEING I CANT REMEMBER WHAT SHE WAS MAKING BUT ME AND ERIC SURE DID HELP HER WHATEVER IT WAS THEN WE WACHED OUT OF THE BOX HAPPY HOLADAYS WITH MY SISTERS ERIC AND MELISA SO THAT NIGHT I TUCKED HER RIGHT IN AND I TUCKED MY SISTERS IN BECAUSE TBEY WANTED TO HAVE A SLEPOVER WITH HER THAT NIGHT I PUT THAT ON FOR THEM U SHOULD GET THIS VIDEO FOR YOUR CHILD MY 19 SISSTERS AND MELISA SAID THEY WANTED TO WACH IT IN THE BATHTUB AND BEDROOM WHEN THEY WOKE UP I CAME OVER TO GET BREKFAST THEY SAID THAT VIDEO WAS TERIFIC A SUPER DUPER VIDEO

No comments about The Wiggles: Santa's Rockin'.

5 comments about The Snowman & Father Christmas.

1. My two little boys love this vide! After Christmas is over, The Snowman still is great to watch all winter, and since it doesn't have narration, we have fun talking about the movie.



2. I can not speak more highly of this DVD.... my children love it and so do I... the music is beautiful and there's no background noise since there is barely any speaking in the two stories... just great music to listen and beautiful stories!
   I will purchase more to send to my nieces and nephews!



3. I had seen The Snowman on a DVD and loved the movie. Some of the reviews were negative about the DVD and about Father Christmas which I have never seen. I decided to go ahead and get both. I liked them alot. I would highly recommend them if you like whimsical movies. I watched them with a 9 years old boy and it kept his attention focused. The two are slightly different in style (snowman has more depth, father christmas is lighter) and I did enjoy both of them.



4. This is a delightful, oh so English, double DVD which will forever keep me a child at Christmas. It has become a tradition to watch Father Christmas followed by The Snowman every Christmas Eve in my family. The combination of gentle humor, beautiful music and wistful animation, make these perfect for both children and adults who wish to experience the real magic of the season. Love it, LOVE IT!!



5. I'm just writing this review for the people who are searching for David Bowie's beginning narration for The Snowman. Although Amazon credits him here, he does not appear on this DVD.

No comments about Holiday Family Collection.

5 comments about The Best of Andy Williams Christmas Shows.

1. The reason I wanted to buy this DVD was because I really miss the old fashioned Christmas Specials. It seemed they used to go to alot of trouble with the sets, had great guests, and they all just seemed so happy and Christmasy!
   
   Yes, the Osmond Brothers are featured, and they were great to watch, as they are such an incredibly talented family, but there were no other guests except for people that I assumed were part of Andy's family, but who weren't introduced, and so I'm not sure. It really would have been nice to know who they were and how they were related. It would also have been nice to see some other guests, as that is always such a big part of Christmas Specials. I guess I was expecting that.
   
   This is The Andy Show. Lots and lots of close ups of Andy, posing and singing goofy-eyed into the camera. The sets are a hoot, as are the funny styles of the day, which was expected and fun to see, but what wasn't expected was how much Andy comes across as quite full of himself (he really does!), and I don't remember thinking that about him before. We didn't finish watching the whole DVD.
   
   Would I watch it again next Christmas? Well, it will have been a year by then, and I will have forgotten most of the negatives, so yes, maybe on a slow TV night if my husband is out. I don't think he'd watch it again.
   
   Knowing what I know now, would I buy this DVD again? Yes I would, if only to see the Osmond Brothers, but I also would have tried harder to get the Bing Crosby DVD, which says it features other guests on it.



2. The Andy Williams Shows clearly showcase great talent and worthwhile entertainment. The Christmas shows in particular are a family tradition in my home. These shows need to be remastered and shown more often. They just don't make em like this anymore



3. What a shame that this DVD is out-of-print. It's an absolute gem containing the finest Andy Williams Show moments.
   
   Outstanding sets, songs, music and guests. Lots of rare footage of the Osmond Brothers appearances, Bob Hope, Andy's kids and brothers.
   
   You don't find a lot of Christmas DVDs that you want to watch more than once. This is an exception. Can't say enough good things about it.



4. I didn't like this DVD as well as the other Andy Williams special I purchased this year. This one is a colelction of excerpts from various shows instead of being a cohesive show in and of itself. That made it a little disjointed and harder for my kids to watch than if an entire show had been chosen. Still the adults did enjoy the stroll down memory lane!



5. Remember when the Holiday Season on TV ment the variety specials with Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and Andy Williams? I miss them. All you see now are those sappy holiday romance stories or the animated kiddy features. This DVD is great and includes musical numbers with Andy and the Williams brothers. And the Osmonds are a scream. Donny can't be more than 5 years old in the earliest scenes. If you own White Christmas and watch it every year, this holiday DVD is for you.

No comments about The Night Before Christmas: A Mouse Tale.

5 comments about Teletubbies - The Magic Pumpkin and Other Stories.

1. Not much to say except this has to stop. There are so many better ways to educate your child.



2. One night after coming back from a club with my friend Ramon, we turned on the television and saw this playing. We were both drunk among other things. We started watching it and really found it funny and witty, if I had children(which I can't since I'm gay) I would let them watch these DVD's. I really enjoyed the teletubbies, so I'm sure little kids will enjoy it and get something educational from it. Peace.



3. Not the worst Teletubies DVD, but not the best either. The cut scenes, (the bits where the teletubies show video on there stomachs) are very ordinary and good candiates for the fast forward button.
   
   The best bit, however, is the pumkin scene itself. Towards the end the pumkin, magically obtains Dipsy's hat and is quite funny as the Teletubies try to get it back for Dipsy.
   
   As a parent, I think this DVD attempts, in a small way, to teach the kids about ownership and sharing.
   
   If you are looking for a fantastic Teletubies video and have a PAL capable video, then get on to the UK amazon site and get bedtime. I can't recommend this video enough and is clearly the best teletubbies video by a long way.



4. This is a very cute show! Especially for babies and toddlers, whenever my sister or cousin watches this show they crack-up, but most important they also learn a lesson. Just after a few Teletubby episode my one year old sister learned to be more polite and say new words,and has developed a love more the show. This is an educatinal funny show for young children with a lesson and laughs in each epeisode. I definetley reccomend this awesome show.
   And, dont get me wrong, I understand that not everyone is going to enjoy this show, but come on, its for little kids!
   This is an educational show because it shows children to be calm, polite and it starts their imaginations. There can also be humor found too, especially when they do silly dances.
   But, the ten minute video of the children acan get boring, especially for a toddler with such a short attention span, that part is always fast forwarded.
   
   
   ( sorry for gramatical or spelling errors )



5. Here are a few fun facts about television and videos:
   
   - the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no television at all to children under two years of age.
   - for every hour of television a baby watches daily, their chances of acquiring an attention deficit disorder increases by 10%
   - In a study among babies ages 8-16 months, every hour spent watching programs daily such as 'Brainy Baby' or 'Baby Einstein' translated into 6-8 fewer words in their vocabularies as compared with other children their age
   - brain wave activity is slower when watching television than when sleeping in babies.
   
   "Signing Time" (Two Little Hands Productions) DVDs is an alternative option for OCCASIONAL video viewing because at least communicating in sign language is proven to:
   
   - reduce frustration and tantrums
   - accelerate language development
   - promote parent-child bonding
   
   Last thing for new moms - carrying newborn babies (in arms or next to body) an extra 3 hours a day resulted in 40% less crying. So carrying baby in a carrier or sling can help calm fussy babies!

1 comments about Christmas at Home.

1. This is one of the best Christmas cartoon collections I've found, with some actually hard to find classics, including Christmas Visit, a 1959 Russian cartoon; Max Fleischer's "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," an alternative to the familiar stop-motion version; Snow Foolin'(1949); Santa's Surprise(1947); Christmas Comes But Once a Year(1936); Hector's Hectic Life(1948); The Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives(1933); Somewhere In Dreamland(1936); plus a few longer films like Santa and the Three Bears; and the stop-motion version of Jack Frost, with the voices of Buddy Hackett, Robert Morse, and Larry Storch; and several more - four hours total!