Spectacle: Elvis Costello With...: Season One - DVD and Blu-ray Review

By Cyril Pearl -- Video Business, 10/23/2009

VSC/MVD
Street: Nov. 10
Prebook: now
> Intelligent, entertaining musical talk show hosted by Elvis Costello.

Featuring a wide variety of musical talents, ranging from rock superstars Elton John (a co-exec producer of the show) and The Police to such distinctly non-rock giants as opera soprano Renee Fleming and R&B king Smokey Robinson, Elvis Costello’s musical talk show Spectacle is the kind of “rockumentary”-type show that music fans clamor for. It’s a serious examination of an artist’s influences and intentions—sprinkled with live musical interludes—conducted by an interviewer who knows what he’s talking about. In this case, musical journeyman and renowned music fan Costello is the right man for the job. Who else could get Sir Elton to admit that he “stole” much of his signature piano sound from Laura Nyro and Leon Russell? And who could ask former President Bill Clinton about the influence of jazz on his executive decisions? There’s a lot to enjoy here, and the 5.1 Surround audio mix only makes it even more pleasurable.

Shelf Talk: With its strong roster of guests and renowned singer-songwriter host, Spectacle will receive significant interest from music fans who missed its surprisingly low-key Sundance Channel broadcast run earlier this year. A second season is currently being produced and is scheduled to premiere on the Sundance Channel in December.

Variety show, color, NR (some language), 650 min., DVD $49.95, UPC: 778854174795; BD $69.95, UPC: 778854174894
Extras: extended episodes featuring unreleased footage, extra songs, behind-the-scenes interviews
Director: David Russell
First Run: Sundance Channel, Jan. 2009