Search - Roy Orbison: Anthology on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Suitable for Children Movie Release: 1999 DVD Release: 11/30/1999 Format: DVD Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 0 hrs 52 mins Studio: White Star Members Wishing: 2 Genres: Music, Concerts, Vocal Music

One of the most instantly recognizable voices in the history of popular music, Roy Orbison moved people with a career that lasted decades. This program collects thirteen live performances from the singer and songwriter that capture him at various points of his career. Included are full performances of such classics as "Only the Lonely," "Crying," "Oh, Pretty Woman," "Blue Bayou," "In Dreams," and a second rendition of "Crying," performed as a duet with the award winning vocalist k.d. lang. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

This is a good little DVD that serves two purposes -- on the one hand, it's a satisfying compilation of Roy Orbison's video appearances across almost 30 years; on the other, it's a chance for performers such as k.d. lang, Bono, Barry Gibb, Robert Plant, and others to express their appreciation of Orbison's music in interviews interspersed between the clips. The latter are in decent shape, although the early-'60s material leaves a bit to be desired in terms of clarity. There are no indications of precisely which television programs or what years any of the clips are from (though the '80s material is obvious), but much of the early material seems to have been derived from British and European television sources. This isn't a real "biography" as such, most of the comments being more of a critical and analytical nature, but the menu (which must be accessed manually) contains a surprisingly detailed biographical sketch of Orbison. A real, full-length biographical video would have been preferable, but this is enjoyable as far as it goes (covering Orbison's material from "Ooby Dooby" to "You Got It," including a duet with Lang), even with the limited annotation. The early chapter designations don't seem to match the onscreen material precisely, but this is a minor problem. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide