VIDEO:
The picture came in 1080i 1.78:1 codec. The colours are bright, especially in the dazzling dancing sequence, but the overall picture was soft. The background scenery was well done, but not as 3-D as that in the Celine Dion's concert at Caesars Palace. (3.5/5)
AUDIO:
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 faired much better. The singing voice was well defined. The dialogue was clearly heard. The 13-member band was tight in their musical presentation. (4/5)
CONCERT:
This concert was filmed in 2010 while Bette Midler was performing in the Caesars Palace. Her major hits are there: The Rose, Do You Wanna Dance, From A Distance (where she ran across the huge stage bare-footed wearing a nice gown...pretty fit for a 65 year old lady), Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (I was impressed by the video on the screen when three very young Bette Midler, dressed in different colour shirts, sang to the tune), and of course, Wind Beneath My Wings. Her playing of the ukulele in the song The Glory Of Love was another highlight.
Our Divine Miss M's humour and monologue are all there. Be warned by some foul language used. My eyes were opened when she said that "if your last concert was that of Jethro Tull, you won't know that lights from cigarette lighters and candles are now replaced by cell-phones"...learn something every day!
I was very impressed with the dancing sequence of 16 dazzling scantily-dressed dancers, that she called The Caesar Salad Girls, and the three Harlettes. The dances were very well choreographed, and the costumes were very colourful. It was pure Vegas-styled, whereas in Celine Dion's concert, the choreography was more detailed and refined. A totally different style.
The concert was quite short at 67 minutes. During the concert, our Divine Miss M stated that it was a 90 minute show. For people who had attended the live show, a few tunes were cut out, including Delores Delago, The Toast Of Chicago, and When A Man Loves A Woman. Bette Midler was the director and executive producer of the show. So, why didn't you give us the entire show? Personally, I was hoping that she would sing the very moving Every Road Leads Back To You from the movie For The Boys. But still, it was an enjoyable 67 minutes, except the introduction with cheap CGI effects of donkey and twister. (4/5)
If you are a fan of Bette Midler, this recommendation is a no-brainer. But if you like a concert with lovely tunes, funny monologue, and Vegas-style dancing routine, this glamorous concert is for you. Recommended.
