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Residents Commercial DVD

TBo | Chicago | 03/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a long time fan of the Residents, this is one of their best releases of the past ten years. The Commercial LP by itself was a very ambitious project and offered a wildly diverse selection of musical and philosophical nuggets. The DVD features very creative minute-long movies made by folks from around the world, matched to the various minute-long songs. Each of these movies is excellent, and every bit as interesting as the older catalog of Residents films, many of which are included on the DVD. What I like best about this DVD is that there are so many non-Residents perspectives that are all terrific. It's a great way to be introduced to media makers from around the planet....DEFINITELY recommended to Residents fans and people who have never heard of the Residents.

By the way, the production of the DVD is very good as well. Navigation is accessible by just playing the whole DVD, selecting pieces by filmmaker name, or choosing by song name.

Enjoy!"

...

SirTheory | 12/27/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

""The Commerical Album" was brilliant in it's scope and wit. Taking all of those songs and making music videos for them sounds like a disaster, but it was really executed well.

There are a lot of different directors and video makers represented here. Each adds his or her own touch, which allows each video to have it's own identity and the dvd not feel too repititous.

Thankfully, since each video is only a minute long, even the really bad ones are over quickly. Watching the entire thing is like taking a rollercoaster ride at the amusement park. And while the good ones are also over quickly, there is something equally interesting just following it.

The maze feature is unique, though loses it's novelty after a while.

I definately recommend this DVD over Icky Flix or Demons Dance Alone. I keep going back to this one time after time because it's easy to just sit down for ten minutes and see ten different movies."

The Residents Go Commercial (again)!

Thomas W. Hess | Rochester, NY USA | 02/15/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Residents Commercial DVD is nothing short of amazing.

42 songs, each only one minute long (inc. two songs not included on the 1980 Commercial Album US LP release; "And I Was Alone" and "Shut Up Shut Up"). Every song is accompanied by at least one video clip, sometimes two different interpretations, by the Residents and a wide array of independent filmmakers.

The effect is almost like a string of television commercials, except in this case you are most often sorry to see each one end. Even if you're a bit weirded out by one, before you know it the song is over and you've moved on to another, which you'll probably like... what I find most amazing is the songs themselves, encompassing a huge variety of melodies, styles and moods, while at the same time being the most accessible music the Residents have ever produced. The one-minute rule not only imposes a strange discipline on the music, but also exercises all the fat from each selection, leaving only the bare essence of the song.

The videos are excellently crafted, showing a broad spectrum of visual interpretation, full of wit, humor, and insight. Where there are alternate versions of the same song, the approach taken by the non-Residents creator is always a fresh look, even unexpected (check out Picnic Boy, for instance). The fact that there are so many songs ensures that you will see a dizzying array of imagery, and I find it very addictive as ambient video, as you might play on infinite repeat at a party, or just in the background while you putter around the house.

Granted, the Residents are not for everyone, as the words "avant garde" or "bizarre" are often used to describe their aural and visual content. However, if you desire an entrance into the world of the Residents, this is probably it... just don't get lost in the maze.

All hail the guys (and/or gals) behind the eyes!"