Search - Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: Red, White & Blues on DVD

Movie Release: 2003 DVD Release: 05/04/2004 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 6 mins Studio: Hip-O Members Wishing: 2 Genres: Music, Biography, Social History, Music History

Part of The Blues documentary film series on PBS, Red, White & Blues is directed by British filmmaker Mike Figgis. This installment explores the impact of black American blues music on mostly white audiences in the U.K., who then reintroduced the style to mainstream America during the British invasion of the early '60s. Kids from London, Birmingham, Manchester, and other parts of England were heavily influenced by the "race music" that middle-class white America largely ignored. Figgis himself was involved in the British blues music scene in one of Bryan Ferry's early bands. Tom Jones, Jeff Beck, Van Morrison, and Lulu come together for a live improvised recording session at Abbey Road Studios. Eric Clapton, John Mayall, Mick Fleetwood, and Steve Winwood offer commentary in interview segments. Red, White & Blues was originally broadcast by PBS on October 3, 2003. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Tom Jones
Jeff Beck
Van Morrison
John Porter
Humphrey Lyttelton

Academy Award-winning director (and sometimes musician) Mike Figgis directs this look at the British blues scene, examining how it started, how it evolved, and how it later came to influence the growth of both blues and rock in the United States. Packed with fascinating anecdotes, which, unfortunately, don't always cohere into a satisfying whole, Red, White & Blues has been given a well-rounded presentation for its DVD release. The documentary has been transferred to disc in letterboxed format at the widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1, while the audio appears in two formats: Dolby Digital 5.1 (in a surround sound mix) and PCM stereo (in an uncompressed two-channel version). Figgis also appears in an onscreen interview in which he discusses the film and his musical background, a subject he also touches upon in an optional commentary track. (A filmography for Figgis is also included.) Seven outtakes from blues sessions filmed at Abbey Road Studios for the film have been included as bonus material, though beyond Lulu's effecting version of "Cry Me a River" and sax-man Pete King's take on "Lush Life," most seem more like unfocused jams than anything else. A menu option allows viewers to cue up individual musical performances in the film. Other extras include a trailer for the documentary series and a commercial from Volkswagen, who sponsored the films. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide