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3.5 Stars out of 5
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Release Date: April 8th, 2008
Movie Release Year: 2006
Release Country: United States
COLLAPSE INFO -

UFO: Showtime

Review Date March 13th, 2008 by
Overview - With the recording of their live DVD, "Showtime", at the Pumpwerk in Wilhelmshaven on May 13, 2005, the British band UFO repeated music history, so to speak. For the second time since 1979, when the group brought out their legendary live album, "Strangers In The Night", the band members left no doubt that their shows count among the best in the whole rock circus. Then as now, press and fans were unanimously impressed, and the band established a reputation that remains unchallenged to this day: UFO are unbeatable live! Now their sensational film document, "Showtime", has been scheduled for release on state-of-the-art HD-DVD, including, along with the extras from the regular release, additional bonus material, an "on the fly" menu which can be operated while y
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  • TECH SPECS & RELEASE DETAILS
    Technical Specs: HD DVD
    HD-30 Dual-Layer Disc
    Video Resolution/Codec: 1080p/VC-1
    1080p/MPEG-2 (Supplements Only)
    Length:96
    Release Country:United States
    Aspect Ratio(s):1.78:1
    English Descriptive Audio: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround (48kHz/24-bit)
    English DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround (48kHz/24-bit)
    English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (640kbps)
    English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo (192kbps)
    Subtitles/Captions: English Subtitles (Supplements Only)
    Special Features: Featurettes
    Bonus Performances
    Still Gallery
    Discography
    Movie Studio: SPV Records
    Release Date: April 8th, 2008

Story Review Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

3 Stars out of 5

Has there ever been a music subgenre stupider than "space rock?" For those unfamiliar with this short-lived musical fad, it originated in the early '70s, and combined a growing cultural fascination with all things sci-fi (inspired, no doubt, by the success of Stanley Kubrick's '2001,' and reaching nuclear meltdown levels with the release of 'Star Wars' in 1977) with the worst excesses of pretentious British heavy metal. Bands such as Hawkwind, Pink Floyd, UFO and even The Carpenters began to merge new-fangled synthesizers and unusual song structures into ridiculous "concept" epics (often running ten or twenty minutes long), with the result producing some of the most interminable music ever created. (Luckily, by the end of the '70s, "space rock" was dead -- may it rest in peace.)

If it's unfair to call UFO strictly a "space rock" band (with the group largely dispensing with the sci-fi musical trappings after their first couple of early-'70s LPs), it's also hard to deny that they've never quite surmounted their reputation as a poor man's Pink Floyd. Releasing seven mildly-popular studio albums by the end of the '70s (plus the live set "Strangers in the Night," which remains their biggest US seller), before quickly fading into obscurity in the '80s, UFO never achieved the status of a true arena-rock band in the States, at least not compared to their more radio-friendly rock contemporaries such as Boston, Kansas, and Pink Floyd. It's true that UFO may have been "big in Japan" (or, rather, Britain, where they were huge), but it's hard to argue that this group ranks as anything more than a footnote in the history of hard rock.

Of course, like most of the now-irrelevant bands from the '70s are wont to do, UFO would dust off the bad perms and attempt to stage the inevitable reunion for the new millennium. 'Showtime' documents a stop on the band's 2005 comeback tour (following tepidly-received revivals in 1995 and 2000), which saw the reformed quintet playing mostly small clubs. Composed of original band members Phil Moog (vocals), Pete Way (bass) and Paul Raymond (guitar), plus drafted colleagues Jason Bonham (drums) and Vinnie Moore (also guitar), it's a line-up that's a bit more rotund around the middle, but musically, pretty tight.

Indeed, 'Showtime' finds the band in fine fighting form. The multiple-riffing of Raymond and Moore is energetic and organic (if all still a little bit Spinal Tap), while the often-underestimated Bonham (recently seen backing up the reunion of some little band called Led Zeppelin) nearly steals the show with his propulsive rhythms. Only Moog seems to falter -- while his vocals are surprisingly polished for a singer pushing into his '60s, his stage presence is lethargic and uninvolving, and he comes off more like the backing singer for his own band.

Unfortunately, where 'Showtime' truly suffers is in presentation. The small club atmosphere (with a "sold out" crowd that looks to number about 150) just does not lend itself to a dynamic live document. The stage is cramped, which prohibits the band from moving about, while the "lightshow" consists of a few spots and a backdrop of the UFO logo on a cheap curtain. While the camerawork is professionally done, and the show is finely cut, there just isn't much to look at here -- every song pretty much comes off the same.

However, diehard UFO fans will probably be thrilled by this release. 'Showtime' was first issued on standard DVD last year, and is just now hitting HD DVD. The band plays all of its big hits (presenting the entirety of "Strangers in the Night" in fact), and their musical chops are up to snuff. I can't say anyone will probably find any thrills in the lackluster visual component of the show, but for the faithful, 'Showtime' delivers what it promises.

The 16-track setlist includes: 01. Intro / 02. Mother Mary / 03. When Daylight Goes to Town / 04. Out on the Streets / 05. This Kidds / 06. The Wild One / 07. Fighting Man / 08. Only You Can Rock Me / 09. Baby Blue / 10. Mr. Freeze / 11. Love to Love / 12. Too Hot Too Handle / 13. Lights Out / 14. Rock Bottom / 15. Doctor Doctor / 16. Shoot Shoot

  • TECH SPECS & RELEASE DETAILS
    Technical Specs:
    HD DVD
    HD-30 Dual-Layer Disc
    Video Resolution/Codec:
    1080p/VC-1
    1080p/MPEG-2 (Supplements Only)
    Length:96
    Release Country:United States
    Aspect Ratio(s):
    1.78:1
    Audio Formats:
    English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround (48kHz/24-bit)
    English DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround (48kHz/24-bit)
    English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (640kbps)
    English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo (192kbps)
    Subtitles/Captions:
    English Subtitles (Supplements Only)
    Special Features:
    Featurettes
    Bonus Performances
    Still Gallery
    Discography
    Movie Studio: SPV Records
    Release Date: April 8th, 2008

Video Review

4 Stars out of 5

'Showtime' is the first HD DVD title I've reviewed from indie label SPV, and it's a strong initial effort. The company presents the show in 1080p/VC-1 video, and despite the rather thrifty nature of the production (the disc's supplements are upfront about the band's limited resources) it looks quite good.

I have seen better HD source material before, but overall all of the elements are up to snuff. Blacks are nice and deep, contrast is well modulated, and colors are vibrant. 'Showtime' is not a visual feast, but the primary use of red and green lighting on most of the songs is cleanly reproduced. There is obvious visual depth and strong detail, and the transfer is never less than sharp as a tack.

The major problem here is shadow delineation. The image breaks up in the darkest areas, with visible video noise and very poor detail. Colors also pale out. Luckily, the majority of the footage of the band is vibrant and well-lit, so it is usually crowd shots and the like that suffer. All in all, though, 'Showtime' hits the mark.

Audio Review

4 Stars out of 5

SPV offers up a wealth of audio options (all in English): Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround and DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround (both 48kHz/24-bit), plus Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (640kbps) and Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo (192kbps). Both high-res audio tracks deliver the real deal, with an expansive sound despite the intimate nature of the gig.

'Showtime' hasn't been overtorqued, so the DTS and TrueHD tracks have kick but won't result in earbleeds. I was impressed with the very tight bass, and the nice clarity of the ringing guitar riffs. Stereo separation is also well done, with a natural and organic feel to the spatial placement of instruments and vocals. It's also a well-balanced presentation (although I did feel the crowd could have been a bit more prominent in the mix and the surrounds). Truth be told, neither of the high-res mixes ever really deliver that out-of-body feeling I've enjoyed with the best high-def audio presentations, but then quite frankly 'Showtime' was recorded on much more modest means than, say, the latest Justin Timberlake extravaganza. In any case, fans of the band shouldn't be disappointed.

Special Features

2.5 Stars out of 5

For their debut HD DVD release, SPV has done a very fine job presenting the extras from the DVD version by making full use of the next-gen format's interactive capabilities. There is a nice variety of material here (both ported over and exclusive to the high-def version), accessible via very well-designed menus and with the video-based footage encoded in 1080p/MPEG-2 video (note that much does appear to be upconverted 480, but at least SPV formatted for HD). Let's start with the material taken directly from the DVD:

  • Studio Songs (HD) - Presented here as rehearsal footage, the band tear through six tracks from their then-latest album, "You Are Here." Audio is Dolby Digital 5.1 The six tracks are: "Pack It Up and Go," "Try Me," "Love to Love," "Slipping Away," "Cherry" and "Profession of Violence" (which features a lovely string section).
  • Featurette: "Making of the DVD " (HD, 7 minutes) - This is a quickie, and features interviews with the technical crew. Its kinda bland, and it doesn't help that they freely admit to how cheap the shoot was. Note that much of these interviews are in German ('Showtime' was recorded at the Pumpwerks Club in Copenhagen), with optional English subtitles.
  • Featurette: "Rockboat" (HD, 13 minutes) - A series of band interviews, shot mostly on a boat. Oh-so-very Spinal Tap.
  • Featurette: "USA 2004 " (HD, 9 minutes) - More band interviews, plus some "spontaneous" tour footage of the band in airports, hotels etc.
  • Slideshow (HD, 3 minutes) - Simple, but nicely edited montage with about 25 live shots of the band. There are no manual controls, however, so you'll have to use your remote's "Pause" button if you want to further investigate any individual still.
  • Band Biography (HD, 3 minutes) - A simple animated text crawl. (Perhaps SPV should have hired a proofer, as there are some glaring grammatical errors.)
  • Discography - Text-based, this is quite substantial, with listings for each of the band's LPs and detailed tracklistings, production info, and liner notes
  • Booklet - Also included is a 16-page, full color booklet. However, this is the actual liner notes from the DVD (no mention is made of the HD DVD), and its also identical to the band biography word-for-word.

Final Thoughts

'Showtime' presents a comeback of sorts for UFO, who were not one of the leading '70s hard rock bands. I personally found the concert a bit lackluster on the visual side of the things, though the group does sound quite tight musically. This HD DVD is a very fine first effort from SPV, however, with very good video and audio, plenty of extras, and an exclusive picture-in-picture track. Non-fans of the band won't be won over by 'Showtime,' but then this release isn't for them, now is it?

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  • TECH SPECS & RELEASE DETAILS
    Technical Specs:
    HD DVD
    HD-30 Dual-Layer Disc
    Video Resolution/Codec:
    1080p/VC-1
    1080p/MPEG-2 (Supplements Only)
    Length:96
    Release Country:United States
    Aspect Ratio(s):
    1.78:1
    Audio Formats:
    English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround (48kHz/24-bit)
    English DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround (48kHz/24-bit)
    English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (640kbps)
    English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo (192kbps)
    Subtitles/Captions:
    English Subtitles (Supplements Only)
    Special Features:
    Featurettes
    Bonus Performances
    Still Gallery
    Discography
    Movie Studio: SPV Records
    Release Date: April 8th, 2008
Pre-Orders
Tomorrow's latest releases

Amazon Best Sellers & Deals

Trending deals on today's releases.