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This
Is Tom Jones
That's right,
one of the greatest pop stars of all time had his own variety series for
two seasons on ABC from 1969-71 and what a show it was!
This new
DVD collection of 8 episodes focuses on 'Rock 'n' Roll Legends' - it's
an amazing array of performances not just from the dynamic Tom Jones but
also the Tommy-era Who, The Moody Blues, Joe Cocker, Janis Joplin, Aretha
Franklin, Stevie Wonder and many other sixties superstars.
Not many
singers have the chops to duet with the likes of Janis Joplin, Little
Richard, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Joe Cocker but Tom Jones handled
it easily and with style.
Sixties'
rock enthusiasts will be especially pleased that these artists are captured
at the peak of their majesty. The guest artist's solo spots are remarkable
- Janis Joplin's heartbreaking 'Little Girl Blue' (one the finest performances
she ever gave on film), The Who performing 'Pinball Wizard,' Joe Cocker
doing 'Delta Lady' and 'My Baby Wrote Me A Letter,' Aretha Franklin's
soulful rendition of 'Say A Little Prayer'... and on and on. It
just doesn't get any better than this.
The production
of this series was split between London and Hollywood - I'm not sure that
had ever been done before - and it worked fantastically. The American
productions are slicker and more colorful while the British shows are
a bit edgier with the focus almost 100% on the music, the blend I prefer.
What a magnificent
collection of classic pop tunes, wall to wall musical excitement with
mind blowingly awesome performances. The colors pop, the music sizzles
and the whole package thrills from start to finish.
And there's
comedy as well - would you believe Richard Pryor, Pat Paulsen, Bob Hope
(he's actually funny here), Peter Sellers, The Ace Trucking Company and
The Committee? You'd be surprised how many great comics came out of the
Committee, a youth oriented improv group - Howard Hessman, Patti Deutsch
and Fred Willard to name a few. Fred Willard especially shines in these
routines, he would turn up on Fernwood 2night a few years later.
The Ace Trucking Company featured the irrepressible Raymond J. Johnson,
Jr. (Bill Saluga) and you get one of his best "Oh, you doesn't have
to call me Ray" routines.
New interviews
with Tom Jones were filmed for this collection and they are as refreshing
as they are informative. Tom gives great interview (you know that if you
heard his talk with Terri Gross on Fresh Air a few years ago).
He tells some amazing stories on this DVD set about breaking into the
business and the trouble he had with American censors when it came to
doing a love song duet with an African-American singer, Leslie Uggams.
This was the sixties after all.
Paul Brownstein
produced this DVD set for Time-Life; one of his signature additions are
intros for each episode recorded by the show's star. Tom delivers up specific
memories of the tapings and fascinating stories about the stars he worked
with that week.
There are
also network bumpers, promos and fantastic new and old interviews included
along with a colorful booklet detailing the origin of the series with
more info on the individual episodes. Another extra - on the astonishing
Stevie Wonder episode you can jump between the British and American versions
and see the differences between the two tapings. Believe it or not, they
shot each show twice - one for British TV standards (NTSC) and one to
American TV specs (PAL).
I'm not sure
how this electrifying DVD collection could have been even marginally better
than it is. There are some anomalies on the original source video tape
in a few spots and a black & white kinescope had to be used for the
Who episode as the original vanished long ago. These things can't be avoided
and don't bother me in the least.
With music
rights such a hot issue today it's a miracle that we get any top-notch
musical variety shows like this one on DVD. It turns out one of the episodes
in this collection had to be replaced at the last minute because of music
rights and there are, regrettably, a few missing songs for this very reason.
Don't miss
This Is Tom Jones - it's an assault on your senses, a bright,
shining jewel that can be enjoyed over and over, year after year.
A3-disc second
volume of This Is Tom Jones is coming from Time-Life in February
2008.
TV
on DVD Reviews:
8 Simple Rules 30 Rock 30 Rock Season 3
24 24 Season 7 30 Rock
ABC After School Specials Abbott & Costello Show
Adam-12 Adam-12: Season 2 Adam-12: Season 3 Adam-12 - Season 4
Addams
Family
Adventures of
Ozzie & Harriet
Adventures of Superman Adventure Time Ally McBeal Alvin Show
American
Dad American Dad Volume 3 American Dad Volume 4
American Gangster American Gladiator
Amos 'n' Andy
Annie Oakley
Aqua Teen Hunger
Force
Aqua Teen
Hunger Force Colon Movie
A Team
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Banacek
Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck Show
Barbra Streisand
Specials
Batman Animated
Series
Barney Miller
Battlestar Galactica Battlestar Galactica: The Plan The Beast
Beauty and the Beast Being Human
Best of Comedy Central Presents Better Off Ted
Beverly Hills
90210 Bewitched Big Bang Theory
Big Love Big Love: Season 3
Bob Hope Specials
Bob Newhart Show Bonekickers Bones Season 4
Bosom Buddies Boston Legal
Brady Bunch
Bravestarr Breaking Bad Brian Regan - Epitome of Hyperbole
Brothers and
Sisters Brothers and Sisters - Season 2 Burn Notice Burn Notice 2
Cagney &
Lacey
Captain N Caprica Car 54, Where Are You?
Catherine Tate Show
Chappelle's Show
Cheers
Cheyenne
Chico & the
Man
Chinatown
/ Two Jakes
Christy
The Closer The Closer: Season 4
Code Monkeys
A Colbert Christmas The Colbert
Report
Columbo
Combat
Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav
Comedy
Central Roast of William Shatner
Comic Legends
Cool McCool Craig Ferguson: A Wee Bit of Revolution Curb Your Enthusiasm
Da Ali G Show
Dallas Dallas Season 11 Dallas Season 12 Dallas Season 13
Damages Dana Carvey Show Dane Cook: ISolated INcident
Dark Shadows
Bloopers & Treasures
Darkwing Duck
Dastardly,
Muttley and their Flying Machines
DC Super Heroes D.E.A.: Detroit
Decoy Dennis the Menace Dennis the Menace: Season 3
Designing Women Designing Women Season 2 Designing Women Season 3 Designing Women Season 5
Desperate
Housewives Desperate Housewives - season 4 Dexter Dexter - Season 2 Dexter - Blu-Ray
Dick Cavett Show
Dinosaurs Dinosaurs
Dirty Sexy Money Doc Martin Dog The Bounty Hunter Dollhouse
Doris Day Show Doris Day Show - Complete Collection
Dragnet Dragnet 1968 Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog
Dr. Who Dr. Who - Vintage series
Dukes of Hazzard Dynasty
Elvis: 1970's TV Movie ER ER: Season 11 Eastbound & Down Entourage Entourage - Season 5 Entourage - Season 6 Expedition Africa
Extras
The Fabulous 60s The Facts of Life Falcon Crest The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
Fall Guy Fame
Family
Affair Family Guy Family Guy Vol. 7
Family Guy: Something, Something, Something, Darkside
Family Guy
Family Ties Farscape Father Knows Best Father Knows Best - Season 2
Filmation's
Ghostbusters
The First 48
The Flash Flashforward Flight of the Conchords Four Family Movies Freaks & Geeks
Fresh Prince of
Bel Air
Friday Night
Lights
Friday Night Lights - Season 2
Frontier Doctor
F-Troop
Full House
The Fugitive Funny Or Die
Futurama: Bender's
Big Score
G Force Gangbusters Gary Unmarried Gene Simmons Family Jewels
George of the Jungle George of the Jungle (2008 version) Get Smart
The Ghost Busters
Ghost
Whisperer
Gilligan's Island Gilligan's Island Glee Glee Season 1
Godzilla movies The Goldbergs
Gomer Pyle, USMC
Green Acres Grey's Anatomy
Growing Pains The Guild
Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke Season
2 |
Hallelujah! Hanna-Barbera Cartoons
Happy Days Harry Potter Kids
Harvey Birdman,
Attorney at Law
Harvey Toons
Have Gun Will Travel Hawaii Five-0
Here's Lucy Here's Lucy: Season One Here's Lucy: Season Two
Hero High
Heroes Season 2 Heroes Heroes Season 4
Highlander
Highlander: The Source Hiya Kids - A '50s Saturday Morning
Hogan's Heroes Hotel
Holiday on Ice
Home
Improvement
Home Improvement 8
Home Movies Honeymooners (Color) Honeymooners Specials
Hootenanny Hot In Cleveland How I Met Your Mother The Hunger
I Heart Jonas I Love Lucy
I Love New York I'm Dickens He's Fenster Important Things with Demetri Martin Indiana Jones - The Adventure Collection
The Invaders The Invisibles Ironside The IT Crowd The IT Crowd Season 2 The IT Crowd Season 3
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Christmas It's Garry Shandling's Show
J.A.G James Dean TV Shows Jeff Foxworthy Show
Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special The Jewish Americans
Joey Bishop Show
Johnny Carson
Show
Johnny Cash Show John Oliver: Terrifying Times Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience Jonas Brothers: Rockin' the House
Josie and the
Pussycats Judge Roy Bean Justice League: New Frontier
Katt Williams American Hustle: The Movie Kenny vs Spenny
Kitchen Confidential
Kojak Kukla, Fran & Ollie
Kung Fu
Kyle XY Kyle XY - Season 2
Land of the Lost
Larry Sanders Show Last Days of Left Eye Last Detective Last of the Mohicans
Laverne & Shirley Leave it to Beaver Leave it to Beaver: The Complete Series
Legion of Super Heroes Leverage Lewis Black's Root of All Evil
Lidsville Lie To Me Life After People Life On Mars (American) Life On Mars (American) 2 Life On Mars (British) Lincoln Heights L'il Bush
Little
Britain The Littles Long Way Down
Looney Tunes
The Loop Lost Season 4 Lost Season 5 Lost Season 6
Lost Season 4
Love American Style
Lucille Ball Specials Lucy Calls The President Lucy's Really Lost Moments Lucy Show Lucy Show Season One Lucy Show Season Two
MacGuyver Mad Men
Magnum P.I. Mail Order Bride
Make Room for Daddy 5
Make Room for Daddy 6 Manswers Marcus Welby, M.D.
Mary Tyler Moore Show Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 5 Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 5 (Another view) Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 6
Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 7
Masters of Science Fiction
Maude
Maverick
McHale's Navy
Melrose
Place
Men Behaving Badly
Miami Vice Mickey's Adventures in Wonderland Mickey's Christmas Carol Mickey's Magical Christmas
The Mickey Rooney
& Judy Garland Collection The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus 16 Ton Megaset
Mr. Belvedere Mr. Ed Mr. Ed: Season 2 Milton the Monster Show
Mission Impossible
Mission: Magic Mod Squad
Moonlighting Motown The DVD The Mothers-In-Law
Muhammad Ali: Made in Miami
The Munsters
The Muppet Show
Murphy Brown My Name Is Earl My Name Is Earl - Season 4
Mystery Science
Theater 3000 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Vol. 15 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Vol. 16 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Vol. 17
Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Vol. 19 My Three Sons My Three Sons: Season 2
New Adventures of Mighty Mouse New Adventures of Old Christine New World Order
New Zoo Review
Night Gallery
No Direction Home:
Bob Dylan
Noir Films
Northern Exposure
Nowhere Man
Numb3rs
Oblivious
The O.C. October Road The Odd Couple The Office The Office Season 5 The Office Omnibus: King Lear
One Man Show
Oswald's
Ghost
Outer Limits Outer Limits: Complete Series Ozzie & Harriet Ozzie & Harriet: Best of Ricky & Dave
Pale Force Paper Chase Parker Lewis Can't LoseParker Lewis Can't Lose: Season 2 Passport to Adventure Patty Duke Show
Paul Lynde Halloween Special Pawn Stars Peanuts 1960s Specials Peanuts 1970s Specials
Peanuts Christmas Special
Perils of Penelope
Pitstop
Perry Mason
The Persuaders Petticoat Junction
Picket Fences
Pimp My Ride
Pioneers of Television Plastic Man Poldark
Popeye the Sailor |
Popeye - 1941-1943
Pride & Prejudice Primal Fear
Prince Valiant Prison Break Prison Break: Final Break The Prisoner The Prisoner: American Version Private Practice Pulling
Psychic Kids Quantum
Leap
Quincy, ME
Racket Squad Real Ghostbusters Red Green Show Reno 911 Reno 911: Season 6 Rescue Me Revenge Rhoda Season 2 The Riches Rise of Monty Python: The Other British Invasion
Rob &
Big
Robert Klein HBO Specials Robin Hood
Rockford Files Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock of Love
Rocky &
Bullwinkle
Rodney Carrington:
Live at the Majestic
Rome Room 222 Room 222: Season 2 Roots: The Next Generations
Ron White Ron White-Behavioral Problems Roseanne
Route 66 Russell Brand
Samantha Who? Sanctuary Sarah Silverman
Program Sarah Silverman Program - Season 2
Saturday Morning Cartoons 1960s Volume 1
Saturday Morning Cartoons 1970s Volume 1 Saturday Morning Cartoons 1960s & 1970s Volume 2
Saturday Night
Live Saving Grace Scarecrow & Mrs. King
Schoolhouse Rock Scooby Doo Scooby Doo Abracadabra Doo Scrubs Scrubs - Season 8
SCTV
Secrets of Isis Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy
Secret Life of the American Teenager Sgt. Bilko: Season One Shari Lewis Christmas Sergeant Preston of the Yukon Shelley Duvall's Tall Tales & Legends
Sheriff of Cochise
The Shield
Shotgun Slade The Simpsons The Simpsons: Season 20
Sledge Hammer
Smallville Smallville: Season 8 Smallville: Season 9 Small Wonder Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
Sonic the Hedgehog Sonic Underground
Sonny & Cher
South Park South Park Season 12 on Blu-Ray South Park Season 13 South Park: The Cult of Cartman
Space Ghost Spectacular Spiderman Spectacular Spiderman Vol. 8 Speed Racer Spin City Spin City: Season 3 Sports Night
Squidbillies
Stargate Atlantis Stargate Atlantis: Season 5
Stargate SGI Stargate SGU Stargate Universe
Star Trek Star Trek Blu-Ray Star Trek: Best of Star Trek: Best of Volume 2 Star Trek Next Generation Street Hawk
Streets of San Francisco Stella
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip Superman Batman - Public Enemies
Super Friends
Super Friends: All New Super Friends Hour
Super Friends:
The Legendary Super Powers Show
Superman: Doomsday Supernatural Supernatural - Season 5 Swingtown
Tales of the Crypt
Teenarama
Dance Party
Tales
of Tomorrow
That '70s Show That Girl Taxi Taxi: Season 5 These Old Broads
The Third Man thirtysomething
This American Life This American Life: Season 2
This Is Tom
Jones
This Is Your Life
Thundercats
Tom and Jerry Tom and Jerry: Chuck Jones Tom and Jerry's Greatest Chases Tom and Jerry's Greatest Chases 4 Tom and Jerry Deluxe Anniversary
Tony Orlando &
Dawn Transformers Animated
Transformers: Cybertron Tripping The Rift: The Movie The Tudors True Blood TV Funhouse TV Sets: Action Packed TV Sets: Forever Funny
26 Men
Twin Peaks
Two and a Half
Men Two and a Half Men Season 6
The Unit
Upright Citizens
Brigade
Ugly Betty Ugly Betty Season 2 The Unit
Unseen Beatles
The Untouchables
Up In Smoke
U.S. Marshall
Veronica Mars
Victor Borge Show
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea - Season 4
The Waltons
Wanda Sykes
Wanted Dead or
Alive
The War
Weeds
West Wing
What's New Scooby Doo When We Left Earth
Wild Wild
West
The Wire The Wire - Season 5 The Whitest Kids U Know
Wizard of Oz
WKRP in Cincinnati
World Poker Tour WWII in HD
X-Files Revelations X-Men Animated 1 X-Men Animated 2
Yoo Hoo Mrs. Goldberg Young Indiana Jones - 1 Young Indiana Jones - 3 You're A Good Man Charlie Brown Zorro Zorro: Season 2
|
FEATURED TV DVDs:
Route
66 -
Season One Volume 1
Martin Milner
(Tod Stiles) and George Maharis (Buz Murdock) star in this classic television
drama about a couple of young guys who set out to see America in a brand
new 1961 Corvette drop top.
What
makes this show truly unique is that it was filmed in a different U.S.
city each week, giving us a stark glance at what living in America looked
like in 1960. It was a vastly different landscape, people lived a lot
closer to the dirt back then. (I'll bet that decrepit New Orleans dock
in episode three is a multi-million dollar condo development if it wasn't
washed away by the levy failure.)
No
television show had ever attempted anything on this grand a scale before,
the technology necessary to make mobile TV production a practical enterprise
had just been made available.
Read the
entire review of Route 66 on DVD
The
Muppet Show - The Complete Second Season
The last
of the classic variety shows and one of the finest TV programs of all
time, The Muppet Show Season 2 is an unrestrained delight
from start to finish. This amazing production lit up the screens when
it debuted in 1976 and the second season may be the best of the series'
run.
The sing-alongable
theme song. The incredible guest stars. The crazy costumes. Pigs in space.
The crabby guys in the balcony. The love / hate relationship between Piggy
and Kermit. All here to relive or experience for the first time. If you
are encountering The Muppet Show for the first time, what a treat
you're in for; if you watched the show as a youngster you may find yourself
uncontrollably singing along with the bizarrely choreographed Tin Pan
Alley tunes.
No question,
this is Muppet-mania at its peak, before the many hit movies and Muppets
on Ice diluted the product. How wonderful to see the delightful Edgar
Bergen & Charlie McCarthy and Miss Piggy trading barbs that could
have come right out of radio. (In fact, some of the jokes do harken from
Bergen's radio days.)
Read the entire review
of The Muppet Show on DVD
|
TVparty!
for TV on DVD!
Reviews by Billy
Ingram,
as seen on VH1, Trio and Bravo.
On BRAVO'S 100 Funniest Movies this month!
Carol Burnett Show on DVD
Product
Description
Tom Jones, a man who oozed charisma thanks to his powerhouse voice
and slick stage moves, hosted his own weekly musical variety show
from 1969 to 1971. This 3 DVD set captures all his swagger and sex
appeal.
Featuring guest performances from Little Richard,
Stevie Wonder, and Aretha Franklin, this set is a collector's treasure.
Track Listings:
It's Not Unusual (several versions)
-- Tom Jones
Help Yourself
-- Tom Jones
Kansas City
-- Tom Jones
Danny Boy
-- Tom Jones
Ain't That Good News
-- Tom Jones
I (Who Have Nothing)
-- Tom Jones
What's New Pussycat?
-- Tom Jones
The Look of Love
-- Tom Jones with Burt Bacharach
What the World Needs Now Is Love
-- Tom Jones with Burt Bacharach
Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head
-- Tom Jones with Burt Bacharach
Green Grass of Home
-- Tom Jones
Love Me Tonight
-- Tom Jones
Hello Young Lovers
-- Tom Jones
The Rose
-- Tom Jones
Turn on Your Lovelight
-- Tom Jones
Shake
-- Tom Jones
You Came a Long Way from St. Louis
-- Tom Jones
In the Midnight Hour
-- Tom Jones
Land of 1000 Dances
-- Tom Jones
Angel Eyes
-- Tom Jones
She Loves Me
-- Tom Jones
I Got Plenty of Nuttin'
-- Tom Jones
Hard to Handle
-- Tom Jones
Lucille
-- Tom Jones
I'm Coming Home
-- Tom Jones
Lodi
-- Tom Jones
Down On The Corner
-- Tom Jones
Departure/Ride My See-Saw
-- Moody Blues
Those Were The Days
-- Mary Hopkin
Pinball Wizard
-- The Who
Little Girl Blue
-- Janis Joplin
Raise Your Hand
-- Janis Joplin with TJ
We Can Work It Out
-- Leslie Uggams with TJ
Delta Lady
-- Joe Cocker with TJ
The Letter
-- Joe Cocker
Lucille
-- Little Richard
Jenny, Jenny/Rip It Up/Send Me Some Lovin'/Good Golly, Miss Molly
-- Little Richard with TJ
For Once In My Life
-- Stevie Wonder
Thank You Love
-- Stevie Wonder
A Place In The Sun
-- Stevie Wonder with TJ
Up Tight
-- Stevie Wonder
I Say A Little Prayer For You
-- Aretha Franklin
See Saw
-- Aretha Franklin with TJ
Call Me
-- Aretha Franklin
The Party's Over
-- Aretha Franklin with TJ
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