The History of Rock and Roll |  | Directors: Andrew Solt, Bud Friedgen, Obie Benz, Ted Haimes
Actors: Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Bono
Studio: Time-Life Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $39.98
Buy New: $29.75
as of 3/11/2010 07:49 EST details
You Save: $10.23 (26%)
New (27) Used (10) Collectible (1) from $23.96
Seller: SummerTime26
Rating:  53 reviews
Sales Rank: 10112
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Subtitled, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Discs: 5
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 5
Running Time: 578 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 5
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.5 x 1.6
MPN: 34991
ISBN: 0790794586
UPC: 085393499129
EAN: 9780790794587
ASIN: B0002234XQ
Release Date: June 29, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Ten titanic hours of the greatest rock extravaganza ever! This definitive 10-part documentary covers rock 'n' roll history from its humble beginnings in the '50s to Lollapalooza in the '90s. Fans can experience their favorite rock 'n' roll moments all over again through hundreds of exclusive interviews,ic footage, and unforgettable in-concert performances from rock 'n' roll's biggest stars. A must |
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Product Description
A survey of rock 'n' roll covering a forty-year span, from the fifties to Generation X includes actual performances, interviews and peripheral material.
Item Type: DVD Movie
Item Rating: NR
Street Date: 05/23/06
Wide Screen: no
Director Cut: no
Special Edition: no
Language: ENGLISH
Foreign Film: noSubtitles: no
Dubbed: no
Full Frame: yes
Re-Release: no
Packaging: Sleeve
Amazon.com
Serving as an introduction for neophytes and a refresher course for experts, The History of Rock and Roll is a mammoth and, when considered on its own terms, frequently successful undertaking. The series, which was first presented in 1995, consumes some 578 minutes, with 10 episodes (there are no bonus features) spread out over five discs. Its pedigree (executive producers include Quincy Jones, while respected writers Peter Guralnick and Greil Marcus are listed as consultants) is impressive, as is its scope, beginning in the pre-rock days of bluesman Muddy Waters and boogie woogie master Louis Jordan and continuing through the death of Kurt Cobain and the birth of the Lollapalooza festival in the mid-1990s. Along the way, dozens of big-name performers (with the notable exception of the Beatles) are on hand to lead us through the story. On the minus side, the format--clips of musical performances cut short by a parade of talking heads--while typical of the genre, will frustrate those who come for the music alone. Nor is it likely that anyone who studies such things will find much here that hasn't already been seen. To be sure, there are some terrific moments, like the profile of Bob Dylan (in part 5, "Plugging In"), some cool clips of relatively obscure legends like James Burton and T-Bone Walker (in part 7, "Guitar Heroes"), and rarely seen live bits with Jimi Hendrix, Steely Dan, Iggy Pop (goofing on the Dinah Shore Show in '77), and many others scattered throughout the set. Part 8, which chronicles the '70s, is surprisingly compelling (one forgets how many major artists--Bruce Springsteen, Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder--came into their own in a decade remembered largely for disco and faceless arena rock), while part 9, "Punk," is arguably the most entertaining of the lot. In the end, it's the lack of complete musical performances that is the set's Achilles' heel. Then again, with their appetites whetted here, perhaps viewers will move on to other, more detailed looks at their heroes--beginning with, say, The Beatles Anthology. --Sam Graham
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 53
 "put another dime in the record machine" December 28, 2009
Cardmen E. Gee (Watertown, NY)
And I do mean a dime because all these music videos and related materials must have averaged out to be that, a small price to pay for such a comprehensive piece of work. Great service, good product and just what I expected. Some of these artist haven't been seen on tv since their hits made the charts long ago but along comes Marianne Faithfull(As Tears Go By), Arthur conley(Sweet Soul Music), and many others popping out at you on that big screen tv to be enjoyed today. These discs devide rock into eras complete with a little history of the days' events. The observations of the artists and some of their explaination of the personal significance of their work help to round out the feel of Rock N Roll.
SPEAKING TO THOSE WHO KNOW LITTLE OR NOTHING OF ROCK 'N ROLL December 28, 2009
drkhimxz (Freehold, NJ, USA)
I seemed to have been doing something else in my post-teens, the fifties and thereafter, but somehow all the developments in popular music covered in this set passed me right by. The precursors I had heard, rhythm and blues, folk, blues, the contents of "Race" records and small labels, both played by our indefatigable NYC disc jockeys and, in the forties, available in many venues for a high school and college student in the City. However, just what Alan Freed was presenting to draw the long lines of younger people whom I passed on my way elsewhere in those years of the fifties, I never knew. Ah, yes, we did see Elvis on TV a few times and the Beatles first two movies, six or seven years after they came out, but that was about it. My judgment is that for such people as myself, and there are still some of us interested in some aspects of the history of modern popular culture, this is an excellent introduction to what we missed. There is the usual problem with the documentary form in the hands of most film-makers, how to balance the talk with the music, so as to provide a sufficiency of explanation with adequacy of examples, but that is something to which most of us are accustomed. My own feeling was that this is a basic text from which one branches out to whichever features of the period seem to warrant further study; in the case of most of us, not study in the sense of learning much more, but, rather, to gain further exposure in some depth of what promises gratification. We, who are seeing much of this for the first time, must or, I should think, should, try exposure to the product and the talk of practitioners here with a mind in sufficient control to avoid letting repulsion toward these musical forms either on musical or socio-political grounds prevent us from listening and watching in such manner as to let us be exposed to what is actually on the screen. We should do so not in the interests of the people or music we are observing, many of the former are now gone, retired, or continuing to ply what has sometimes been a source of incredible wealth for them, much of the latter has been incorporated, or been replaced, by later forms. It is for the sake of our own gratification as well as of our ability to see which forms of popular culture have earned a place of permanence in the national and international heritage.
It is simply not possible for me to judge the value of the set to those who know the music; for those I have chosen as my audience, certainly I can recommend it highly.
Exelente October 22, 2009
Cristian Galeano (Paraguay)
Un documental realmente exelente, recorriendo por todas las influencias del rock and roll, son como 10 horas de documento exelente, recomiento para todos los que aman este estilo musical y se quieran informar de como nacio y cualques son sus estilos e influencias... Es bastante emotivo volver a escuchar muchas musicas que hicieron mucho y nunca se borran de la memoria. Los subtitulos en español estan correctos en los 5 discos...
AN absolute steal at $15.99, a good basic history August 3, 2009
Mossman (Nashville, TN)
This box set is a very good overview of the history of rock and roll from it's beginning up until about 15 years ago when this series was made. While they may be much left out due to covering such a wide expansive subject over a many year period, to get the basic history, this is a very good set. For $15.99, it's even better. For anyone who has lived it and has an appreciation of rock and roll over the years, this is a good one to enjoy and review what you've experienced. For younger fans of rock wanting to get up to speed on where it came from and how it developed, this DVD documentary set should serve as an excellent starting point.
 Too much in some parts, not enough in others July 25, 2009
Bryan (Missouri, USA)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I found this DVD highly entertaining and I think anyone who watches it will feel the same. I'm sure there will be somebody's favorite band or song missing because you can only show so much in 10 hours.
WHAT IS MISSING(That I found curious): NOTHING on the Eagles..! They have the 2nd highest selling album next to Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' and they are only mentioned once in passing by an interview of a musician(forgot who). No John Lennon or Paul McCartney interviews or mention of their solo work(like...um... a little song called 'Imagine'). Nothing mentioned on John Cougar Mellencamp/John Mellencamp whatever his name is this week. Very little or no mention of Prince and the whole 'Purple Rain' thing. No 'We Are The World' or 'Do They Know It's Christmas?', nothing on Duran Duran, Human League, Flock of Seagulls or the pretty boy/new wave music of the 80s except a brief segment and interview on Devo and Culture Club. That's about as close as you'll get in the 80s new wave department. No Stephenwolf or 'Magic Carpet Ride' or 'Born to be Wild', no Iron Butterfly and that song that I can't spell, no Bad Company, Queen barely mentioned except for 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and Brian May's brief interview, I don't remember much being said about Deep Purple or Richie Blackmore's Rainbow, no Yngwie Malmsteen the guy who plays 100 mph on a fretboard, nothing on Live Aid(although they do show a lot of music festivals from the 60's - not just Woodstock), nothing on Altamont when the Rolling Stones hired Hells Angels bikers as concert security and how it all went south really fast, Buddy Holly mentioned but not Richie Valens, nothing on guitar instrumentalist like Joe Satriani or Steve Vai, barely anything mentioned on Frank Zappa, no 'Free Bird'(but they do interview members of the Allman Brothers - the only 'southern rock' band that existed apparantly), no mention of all the 90's grunge music except a brief story on Nirvana, no Pearl Jam, Soundgarden or any of those bands that were big after Nirvana hit. No 'NWOBHM'(new wave of british heavy metal), Ya know those bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden who I believe were INSANELY POPULAR throughout the 80s. Def Leppard is barely mentioned also and hair bands and heavy metal in general? What about Thrash and speed metal and how big Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax & Slayer were in the 80s?. No such thing anywhere on this DVD. Also, how can you NOT mention the affect Weird Al Yankovic had on music in the 80s? He was pretty popular then don't ya think? At least mention him ONCE I would think.
WHAT IS ON THE DVD THAT I FOUND ODD: A whole hour devoted to soul and r&b, especially Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder. That's fine, I like all music but the dvd is called THE HISTORY OF ROCK AND ROLL. And do we really need 25+ minutes on Bob Dylan going 'electric' and how traumatic it was for his fans? - that was torture for me to listen to because the guy can't sing. Fact. Not then, not now. Way way way too much time devoted to Woodstock and all the peace, love and flowers movement of the 60's. There's only so many times I want to watch Janis Joplin scream like she's being strangled. However, I did like all the Jimi Hendrix stuff and his live solos. A lot of time devoted to rap(Public Enemy, Run DMC) but no mention of LL Cool J who I consider a rap legend and how rap boomed in the 80's. No mention of Anthrax and Public Enemy doing 'Bring Tha Noise' because I guess the Run DMC and Aerosmith song was enough but, again, the DVD is called THE HISTORY OF ROCK AND ROLL so why do I want to see all that?(just kidding).
FINAL THOUGHTS: Worth watching. Despite what I wrote I'm glad I bought it(at a bargain basement price at a closeout store). If you can find it supercheap, then it's a great find. BUT anyone willing to spend what is listed on this site, I would think twice about it. Anyone who is really into music will definitely like this DVD set despite its flaws and MAJOR omissions of various bands, singers, etc. For me I was lucky it might as well have been free for what I paid for it.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 53
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