DVD VIDEO ANTHOLOGY - DVD Movie

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This 2-disc anthology fully showcases the potential of DVD technology, with most of the 18 videos containing alternate visual angles (a fun and interesting feature that's almost never used on standard DVDs) and multiple audio tracks. There are hundreds of possible image and sound combinations, including new surround mixes, a cappella versions, and more than 40 remixes by famous DJs and remixers, including many new ones created exclusively for this release. Loaded with never-before-seen footage and unreleased music tracks, this special edition also contains a truckload of rare still photos and exclusive audio commentary by and interview with the band and the video directors. And there's also the world-premiere director's cut of Nathanial Hornblower's "Intergalactic" spin-off "The Robot vs. the Octopus Monster Saga."

According to the DVD case, there are over 100 video angles and audio tracks switchable at any time during playback, for hours of possible image and sound combinations. I know that I've had the DVD set for one week now and I've barely scratched the surface of everything that's available on this.

One final nice touch: they've even included English subtitles for old guys like me (I'm 35) who absolutely cannot make out what they're rapping about!

An unbelievable release! Definitely worthy of the Criterion label.

16 of 16 found the following review helpful:

B Boys--CriterionDec 01, 2000
By kiwi
GET THIS ANTHOLOGY. I don't usually give 5 stars and I'm not crazy about the Beastie Boys but it doesn't matter, this is exceptional. The options available will make you love this 2 disc set. There are tons of remixes, a cappella versions, alternate angles that will take you a LONG time to explore them all. The different remixes alone are worth the price--add all the commentary and videos and you've got an incredible value.

I'm not saying it's perfect. Some subtitles were censored which is ridiculous and the B Boys commentary is a lot of useless talk with the guys just being guys, "I think I lost that shirt" or "That's my sister's cat" and "You look good in that white suit." Some people will love all that trivia but I thought they could've done a better job explaining where they were shooting, who was involved, the ideas, etc. The video directors do a much better job at all that but some were bogus--one in particular was a pre-interview included as commentary over a cell phone that was breaking up--don't worry, you can't tell that the guy can't hear the questions because the sound quality is excellent and he gives a useful commentary--it just felt unprofessional. Especially when the interviewer asked what he was wearing and he said a "diaphanous" "negligee." All in good fun. Other directors were superb, most notably the "Something's Got to Give" commentary explaining the Vietnam shots of nature overlapping with human nature--pristine forests and farms with no signs of military installations or anything being destroyed by U.S. B-52's. But there are storyboards, the photographs, and the more than 40 remixes are timed to match the over 100 videos!--it is so worth it.

This will make a great gift for a lot of people. If you're not sure they like the Beastie Boys but they have a DVD player, get it for them. The layout is very tight, stylishly beautiful and well-designed. It's full-screen format and sound quality is excellent with many different audio options including Dolby surround, 2.0 stereo, commentaries, etc. And of course there are some additional options for Free Tibet information: websites, groups, etc. It took me four hours to get through the first CD because there were so many options and I didn't even finish trying all the different combinations and remixes!

13 of 14 found the following review helpful:

The Beastie Boys have done it AGAIN!Nov 29, 2000
By H. Yu "smashnthrash"
Like so many other fans, I've waited eagerly for this collection to come out. After a few delays, this collection has finally come out. And on DVD! To put it succinctly, the double-DVD set does not disappoint! You have eighteen music videos (9 on each DVD). In addition to the videos, you can create your own video for each song by choosing from many different video angles and track remixes. And you can flip between each angle and track remix for each song! The extra footage and supplements make this collection worthwhile (especially with the Intergalactic spin-off of The Robot vs. The Octopus Monster Saga). The best videos (to view and create) are for "Intergalactic", "Alive", "Body Movin'", and "Sure Shot". If you are a true BBoy fan, get this collection NOW!

And, oh by the way, for those of you that live outside of North America (i.e., Europe, Asia, Australia, and anywhere else), did I mention that this collection is playable in ALL regions? In other words, no need to worry about the NTSC/PAL formats!

8 of 8 found the following review helpful:

So that's what that multi-angle button is for...Dec 28, 2001
By nitemare hippie girl
I just received this DVD collection for Christmas after a month's anticipation resulting from begging a friend to buy it for me. When I got it I was happy enough just to see that there was a free two-sided poster inside (there's a bonus!), but the real giddy enjoyment came the first time I watched the first disc. "The Robot Vs. Octopus Saga" was pretty funny, and discovering the numerous different angles I could watch "Intergalactic" in was even more entertaining. Oh, and watch the saga in surround sound, it's really cool.

Sure, I was disappointed that a few good videos were left off, like "She's On It" and "Fight For Your Right"--how can you have a Beastie Boys video collection without that integral, classic video? But that still didn't keep me from spending the first three days of ownership in front of the TV watching every video, owner's manual in hand seeking out all the extra features. I swear, everyone in my house must've been so sick of hearing "Sabotage" because I was watching all the different fight sequences so many times.

Really, this is the first time I've ever used the multi-angle button. You could spend over an hour (yeah, I did) watching "Alive" in all the different angles while playing a different remix each time. I loved watching my favorite video, "Three MC's and One DJ," in quadri-angle, and even better I was surprised at how clear the picture was since I'm used to the ... quality of the videotape I have some of these videos on. I suppose that's just a DVD player thing, huh?... This new-fangled electronic stuff...

This DVD collection is perfect for any Beastie Boys fan who maybe hasn't seen some of these old videos ("So What'cha Want," "Sure Shot," "Hey Ladies," or the newer but rare "Body Movin' ") in a long time. It's also got some good stuff that you probably haven't seen before ("Netty's Girl," which is hilarious, "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun," "Holy Snappers," "Ricky's Theme," and the moving--I know that's cheesy, this whole damn review is cheesy--"Something's Got to Give"). So if you're considering purchasing it, don't hesitate...to ask someone else to buy it for you! You'll probably enjoy it more, since you've now saved enough money to buy the other Beastie Boys Anthology, The Sounds of Science, but that's another review altogether...

7 of 7 found the following review helpful:

a DVD taking full advantage of what DVD's can do !!Jun 21, 2004
By Ted "Ted"
This release by the Criterion Collection is one of the most impressive DVD's in terms of special features and versatility that I have seen. This double disc set covers the music videos by the band, The Beastie Boys.

It covers 18 of their songs and the special features make up 95% of the content. Many of the songs contain lyrics not suitable for children and some teens, though some of the songs have the profanity bleeped.

The songs featured are Intergalactic, Shake Your Rump, Gratitude, Something's Got to Give, Sure Shot, Hey Ladies, Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun, Body Movin', So What'Cha Want, Sabotage, Shadrach, Three MCs and One DJ, Ricky's Theme, Pass the Mic, Holy Snappers, Root Down, Netty's Girl and Alive.

Of these my favorites are Intergalctic, and Shadrach.

For bonus features we have two audio commentaries of each video. One by the band and one by the directors. There are also alternate audio tracks of remixes of many of the songs interchangable with seperate video angles making hundreds of possible combinations. There is also slide shows of album art and pictures of video production and storyboarding.

I watched each individual angle and listened to each individual remix but did not do each possible combination as this would have probably taken a VERY long time.

Hardcore Beastie Boys fans though, will love to do this. Many of the videos contain very impressive footage.

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