U2 "Best of 1990-2000" DVD (1 Viewer)

[Ken Seeber]

I was able to pick up the full DVD tonight, thanks to a rare occurrance of a local retailer jumping release date for a change. I thought I'd offer a mini-review for anyone interested in picking up this DVD, which will be released Dec. 10.

The total run time is 2 hours, 56 minutes, including documentaries. Audio is available in uncompressed PCM, as well as Dolby Digital, although so far I haven't been able to get any sound off the Dolby Digital track. Very strange. I'm picking the DD track via the button on my remote I've never had a problem like this before, but maybe you have to select the track from the menu some how. Not that it matters. The PCM track sounds fantastic and is definitely the way to go since it's uncompressed. The audio commentaries work fine and are interesting so far, as are the mini-documentaries.

The DVD's menus can be confounding to navigate until you get used to them (highlight the director's name and hit enter to play the video, or highlight the odd-looking icon next to the director's name for the video with audio commentary). Thankfully, for the main videos on the DVD, there is a "Play All" option.

The DVD comes in a double-DVD Digipak with slipcase, similar to the one the "Elevation: Live from Boston" DVD came in. This is a single-DVD release, with the second DVD tray reserved for the sampler DVD that came packaged with the "Best of 1990-2000" CD. The two DVDs compliment each other in the case, but if you don't have the bonus disc that came with the CD, it'll look odd to say the least.

The picture and sound quality of the videos is mostly excellent throughout. The only time I noticed any problems was on videos where the source material was deliberately poor quality (for example, on the video "Last Night on Earth"). The bass is deep and solid on the PCM track. This is a DVD that can be turned up loud!

The bad news is, despite a revealing mini-documentary about why there are three videos for "One," only two of the videos are included here. The one omitted, sadly, is the minimalist video featuring the buffalo running in slow motion and flowers. I'm hoping it's hidden somewhere as an easter egg, but I'm not holding my breath.

I'm also disappointed that "Elevation" and "Walk On" are nowhere to be seen, and I'm hoping they are hidden as well.

All that said, for the price, this is a must-have for any U2 fan. Don't hesitate to pick this up!

 

[Kajs]

I think that "Elevation" and "Walk On" aren't on the DVD or CD is because they were released as singles in 2001, a year late of 1990-2000.

 

[Craig_T]

The bad news is, despite a revealing mini-documentary about why there are three videos for "One," only two of the videos are included here. The one omitted, sadly, is the minimalist video featuring the buffalo running in slow motion and flowers. I'm hoping it's hidden somewhere as an easter egg, but I'm not holding my breath.

A video of a buffalo running in slow motion I can do without anyway. I can't imagine wanting to watch that again. Especially when you can see them dressed up in drag and driving around Berlin in a tiny car instead. Actually, that's kind of creepy...nevermind.

 

[ToddJ]

That is very disappointing that they don't have the "buffalo" version of One on the DVD. It is the best one. Plus, even stranger is that the cover of the CD (and maybe the DVD- haven't seen the cover yet) ACTUALLY HAVE the buffalo on it.....

 

[Ken Seeber]

Todd, you're right about the cover. It's the same as the CD cover.

 

[GuruAskew]

The DVD comes in a double-DVD Digipak with slipcase, similar to the one the "Elevation: Live from Boston" DVD came in. This is a single-DVD release, with the second DVD tray reserved for the sampler DVD that came packaged with the "Best of 1990-2000" CD. The two DVDs compliment each other in the case, but if you don't have the bonus disc that came with the CD, it'll look odd to say the least.

Is there anything that specifically indicate that this is what the disc tray is for? I have no doubt in my mind that the purpose of it is to accommodate the "History Mix" DVD tha came with the 2-disc CD set, but I suspect that most people will assume that their DVD "set" is missing a disc if they open it up and there's just an empty tray (reports of the foreign verions also having the empty tray leave no doubt in *MY* mind). It would be smart if Universal put an insert in the package or maybe even a DVD-shaped piece of cardboard *IN* the tray (I've seen this done in empty jewel cases) that had the explaination of it's inclusion printed on it. Otherwise, they're probably going to get a fair share of returns from confused customers.

 

[Ken Seeber]

Is there anything that specifically indicate that this is what the disc tray is for?

Yes, there's a DVD-shaped piece of cardboard in the tray stating what the extra tray is for.

 

[Ted Lee]

thx for the review ken. i didn't know when this was going to street. i'll definitely pick this up.

 

[Ken Seeber]

I've had an other day and a half to go over this disc a little more closely. In addition to the seemingly non-existent Dolby Digital track, the subtitles are giving me fits.

There are several languages available, and each seems to be available twice. I assumed one of each was for the song's lyrics, the other for the audio commentary.

I can't get the English subtitles to work at all. I can get what appears to be subtitles of the audio commentaries in some of the other languages, but the others don't come up at all.

I'm interested to see if this is a mastering probelm, or a compatibity problem with my Sony DVP-S300 player. I've had no compatibity issues with any other disc on this player.

 

[Ted Lee]

ken -

i also messed around with the subtitles option. on some languages it popped up, but on others it did not. i didn't really fiddle with it a whole lot though.

i have to use the onboard dd decoder so i assume that's what i'm hearing. my little indicator light does show dd.

i'm very happy with the packaging. luckily i bought the best-of cd so i have the companion dvd to put in this package. looks nice.

 

[GuruAskew]

This DVD is packed, offering 50 different video options between the alternate versions of videos and director's commentaries. I set out to go through the entire DVD and before I knew it, five hours had passed. Then there are the three great documentaries and the cool packaging decision to house the "History Mix" DVD. This set would be perfect if not for the ommission of four videos that SHOULD have been on the DVD: Wim Wenders' "Night and Day", the Mark Pellington version of "One" and "Walk On" and "Elevation". Hopefully they'll include them as "bonus tracks" on the eventual "Best of 1980-1990" DVD. It wouldn't be really appropriate to put them on a DVD representing another period but it would be better than not having them at all.

 

[Ted Lee]

i agree. "elevation" is one of their best songs...i love listening to that while i'm driving. it totally pumps me up!

i wonder why bands don't seem to want to release their earlier videos. depeche mode did the same thing with their release - the videos only covered their later stuff.

i wonder if it's a licensing, legal-issue thing???

 

[Matt Birchall]

I think that "Elevation" and "Walk On" aren't on the DVD or CD is because they were released as singles in 2001, a year late of 1990-2000.

Well, yeah, and neither were "Electrical Storm" and "Hands That Built America", but they're on there, aren't they?

(I don't have it yet.)

 

[Craig_T]

I doubt it. They released them on VHS a few years back, and they were supposed to come out on DVD too but Polygram got sold and all their pending DVDs were cancelled.

 

[Kajs]

Well, yeah, and neither were "Electrical Storm" and "Hands That Built America", but they're on there, aren't they?

But they are new, just like "The Sweetest Thing" on 1980-1990. Can you think of a better reason?

 

[Matt Birchall]

"The Sweetest Thing" was, I believe, an outtake from The Joshua Tree sessions, and was originally recorded in the 1980-1990 timespan, so it qualified.

AFAIK, the two new songs were recorded this year.

 

[Kajs]

Nonetheless, its marketing

 

[Tim Hoover]

Matt, you are correct. "Sweetest Thing" was a B-side to "Where The Streets Have No Name" (for the most part, anyway). The band rerecorded vocals and some guitar for the rerelease.

The two new songs are probably on the 1990-2000 best-of to entice more people to buy it...

 

[Randy Torres]

I believe that the Elevation video was made as a tie-in with Tomb Raider movie and is on the Tomb Raider DVD. Maybe a licensing issue with this one.

 

[Kajs]

I believe that the Elevation video was made as a tie-in with Tomb Raider movie and is on the Tomb Raider DVD. Maybe a licensing issue with this one.

But it was still excluded from the CD.