Customer Reviews

Duran Duran Greatest- the V

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Ok, I reviewed this already, but here's a more factual one. This is the most complete collection of Duran Duran's videos that I know of ranging from Planet Earth in 1981 to Electric Barbarella in 1997. It also includes the banned ones Girls on Film and The Chauffeur. The edited Girls on Film and the one with the alternative-ending can be found in the hidden extras. First of all, you can find out how to view the hidden extras by going to duranduran.com under Fan Forums in the Ask Katy section.
Also, to access the sub menus with the videos you have to click on every other letter of Greatest which is the starting menu.
There are two discs, the first disc including the videos done by the original five (LeBon, Rhodes and the three Taylors) and the second disc includes the videos that were made during the weird period where the band was continuously losing and adding members.
All the songs from the Greatest album are included, along with The Chauffeur and Burning the Ground, the latter being a montage of all their songs and videos.

First Disc----

Planet Earth: This is a cool video with water and fire and very tacky clothing. However, I believe Simon must have been getting used to performing the songs. He's still a real ham, though, and I mean that in a good way.

Girls on Film: Supposedly about exploitation of models (from what Simon says in the hidden audio interview) and that's what the lyrics suggest (they sound very sarcastic) but Simon does admit that the uncensored video definitely "overshadowed" this message. Sexist, tasteless---you name it.

The Chauffeur: Kind of artsy and I read somewhere that it's based on a movie. Unnecessarily (...) the band members are not shown in the video.

Hungry Like the Wolf: DD finally gives porn a rest. A video in the vein of Indiana Jones where Simon is hunting down a woman in tiger paint while the other band members are hunting him down. Takes place in Sri Lanka with shots of snakes and such and images that conjure up the idea of literal hunger.

Rio: Rio teases the boys and has them running all over the place, trying to catch her. John throws Andy off the boat while the others snap their fingers and sing "Oh Rio, Rio".

Save a Prayer: The boys roam the beaches of Sri Lanka in expensive suits (and I don't mean the kind you swim in, although they had no problem throwing each other in the water in Rio and getting their fashion model clothes all wet). Lots of kids, shots of sand and the water, a temple that they all stand before in the end.

Is There Something I Should Know?: Takes place mostly in some kind of shadowy room with the band singing to a light shining through the ceiling. Great video. Clips from their other videos at the end. Simon dancing with someone in Save a Prayer, Nick peeking through a door in Nightboat, John having make-up applied in Girls on Film, Roger in the beginning of Planet Earth where he's trapped in some kind of embryo-state (hard to describe) and that shot of Simon (?) with the water pouring through his hands and onto his face in Planet Earth.

Union of the Snake: Takes place in the desert. Simon is led into an underground place where he meets up with all kinds of shady characters and spends the rest of the video trying to escape with this kid whom you never find out what happens to. And in the end, the rest of the band drives off with out him while he collapses on the sand with flames in the background. But a man on a donkey or something comes by and gives him a ride after he wakes up in the daytime.

New Moon on Monday: Mostly has band members plotting something, running around a city in France with lighted torches and waving flags, while those in authority ride around on horses.

The Reflex: Live concert. Water flows from screen (don't think that's real. Maybe illusion?) and shots of people on chain leashes (?).

Wild Boys: Band battling it out with the "wild boys" who try to drag them down. Simon is tied to a windmill that churns water. John is chained to a car. The others fly through the air. I don't know what is going on with Nick. But they escape in an old-fashioned, roofless car in the end, victorious as snow falls down.

A View to a Kill: Clips from Bond but the band also takes part in a sort of spy plot.

The second disc includes Notorious (mostly them dancing), Skin Trade (Kinda stylish. Simon is wearing a Freddy Krueger like shirt and gloves), I Don't Want Your Love, All She Wants Is, Serious, Burning the Ground, Ordinary World, Come Undone (which takes place in an aquarium room with a woman singing underwater, trying to free herself from these chains wrapped around her) and Electric Barbarella (affair with a robot. Sexist but so ridiculous. Seems tongue-in-cheek).

Overall, good collection. Gets one less star because of the porn and because of the annoying extras. But the extras are pretty good when you find them. Includes chopped up video of Violence of the Summer.

The summary I read of the product was very detailed and exact. When I received the dvd I jumped on my machine and watched it immediately (alas forgetting some important tasks...oh well...).
I did not regret my purchase, I was enchanted. All the videos i loved were there as I recalled them. Some even had extended versions to my delight.
The only problem, I did not know how to navigate between the special section, the gallery...But I`ll try again until I do. Or could someone give me a few tips... Thank you.

Ok, I bought this DVD a couple of months ago, and I just wanted to clarify some things.

Pros: The video and audio quality is awesome. The Videos Included are Awesome, And the Extra features are quite entertaining, especially the Liberty EPK. The DVD box is nice too.

Cons: Some great videos are missing. For Example, Breath After Breath, Femme Fatale, Perfect Day, Too Much Information, Out Of My Mind and White Lines. It would've been great and very apropiate to include the Greatest EPK from 1998. Some live versions doesn't hurt anyone also. And finally, there should be comments about the reunion, the DVD and the videos from the band.

Well, anyway, this collection is still great, includes all the classics from the 80's and 90's with some exceptions. But if you want to see it from another point of view, Emi will probably never release another video collection DVD from this band including all the missing videos. So I recommend you to buy this DVD if you like this band or if you want a bit of nostalgia.

If you're like me before I bought this, you haven't seen the videos but perhaps you are interested in this DVD because you like the music. So I'll start off by saying that the videos are very good and actually helped me appreciate the songs I didn't much care for before. I understand why MTV made Duran Duran big. The videos are stylish, sometimes even quite intriguing. I was thinking about how two of the band members have the same names as two of the characters from Lord of the Flies (I think. I know Simon is a name in there. Roger too?) and that's when I began to think that The Wild Boys video was a little reminiscent of that book. It was interesting even if it wasn't intentional (who knows?) The only problem with the DVD is that the extras that are supposed to be hidden on the two discs I couldn't find. Well, I got some help from reviews on here and went to duranduran.com under fan forums and was able to find them. They're pretty good. The DVDrom extras were good too. The interview with Nick and Simon is audio. I misread that. But that's ok. The galleries are helpful and contain much of the easter eggs. The Main menu is a little confusing at first (it just says "Greatest" and you have to click on the separate letters to get to the video menus). I also didn't like Girls on Film because it was crude. I never liked the song anyway. Overall though very good. If you love Duran Duran you'll probably want this but of course there's never any guarantee. The videos alone are worth it, I think. You also get the Violence of Summer video (it's one of the hidden extras) mixed in with a featurette on the Liberty album.
If you hate Duran Duran then I don't know why you bother coming here. I don't post comments on bands I hate because that's not helpful. Most people who are thinking of buying this probably (I hope) know who Duran Duran is and like their music. So there's my little words of wisdom.

This is long overdue for Duran.The only negative thing I can say is that all of their videos should have been on this collection.But,it is still a very good compilation.Duran has always been the front runners when you talk about the 80's and this DVD proves it.

This DVD is a compilation of the "GREATEST" hits of Duran Duran, and should not be seen as extensive or exhaustive. And yes, Duran Duran is not as popular as they were but we have to give them the props they deserve.

These guys INVENTED using music videos to sell their music. They were MTV pioneers. They admitted even back in their glory days they were aspiring to a Roxy Music-like sound, and any arguments that they were ripping them off are moot. This format is the BEST way to appreciate what made them special and unique. The videos were their GREATEST!

Quality issues? These short films were largely made in the 80s, and remastering would be expensive and near impossible. Yes, the menus are a little clunky and I wish they had commentaries for the videos. Some of the alternative versions are hard to find, but overall I have to say this is a GREAT collection just for the historical value. This is why these guys were so influential! They made videos an artform. They did it with their own style!

A masterpiece any way you cut it. You'd have to be from the 'dark side of the moon' to not enjoy it. Great music that still satisfies today!

Despite the irritating menus, these videos are very interesting. The picture quality is not perfect: It has very primitive camera work and the remasterization didn't do much. I became more interested in Duran Duran after the Kroq's "Flashback to future" concert, in which their performance was excellent. The best of the night, I should say. They are fading, which should be mentioned, so the tours are basically to keep us aware that they exist. This DVD is one of those tactics too. But a music video DVD was necessary and due. However, I didn't like the fact that 'The Chaffeur' and 'Girls on Film' had strong [prostitute] content. I mean, If I wanted to watch porn, I should have gone to a sex shop or something. Through this, I feel that Duran Duran were trying to present a "bad boy" image that was truly unnecessary. The music stands out, even if they were the "Backstreet boys" of the 80's. Still, Duran Duran wrote their music and actually used instruments. I'm not a big fan of Duran Duran, just a casual listener, but I rather spend my money on this DVD than on hip-hop or other endless crap. Overall, 'Greatest' is worth the 30 bucks, but don't forget to also buy Erasure's "Hits: The Videos," which is twice as good.

I LOVE this DVD. I'm glad it's FINALLY here. I would give the artwork at least 3 stars, but I'm not buying the DVD for its COVER! I'm sure the Sing Blue Silver and Arena DVD's, both coming out in May, will make up for the lackluster artwork and missing booklets of this one. Actually, in the PC portion of Greatest, DD fans can hear audio interviews, download screensavers, and view rare pictures of the band.

I have to admit navigating was tricky at first, but I was able to watch ALL the hidden footage. Le Gallerie de DD ALONE is sooo cool. The gallery showcases the band's full-length album and single covers. Just go to DD's website at www.duranduran.com. Fans will find a step by step explanation on how to access the hidden alternates, featurettes, interviews, promos, etc. Click on the FanForums link and the information is under Ask Katy. All comments and questions are dated. I found the information in a November or in a December letter.

I also bought mine (used, but in mint condition) at a record store for a cheaper price, like $17.00. I waited until Christmas and found a bargain! The DVD would have been worth it, though, if I had bought it at $30.00!

Finally, it's not impossible to buy the rare and less played DD music videos (early and current) on VHS. Hope to see them ALL on DVD someday.

Greatest is meant to illustrate ONLY their BEST. For example, 'Is There Something I Should Know' and 'Ordinary World' are GREAT because of their innovation, sophistication, style, imagery, and uniqueness. Furthemore, it's wonderful to see how the band has evolved over the past 25 years.

My ONLY critique as far as the content is concerned is the Chauffeur. Such a beautiful song, too. This video is my least favorite. Rating: 3 stars. I don't understand why the band is not in it?! Mmm... maybe I should Ask Katy? Shooting the video in black and white is a nice contrast between lightness and darkness, though.

Overall, the content and quality of the videos on DD's Greatest DVD are worth 5 stars.

The good news is, these are still some of the coolest, cutting edge videos of all time- and they still hold up, despite the goofy 80's hair and clothes. These videos were like short films; each video was a grand adventure. On the minus side, the packaging is lame- no pictures, notes, etc., and the white on white is hard to read- duh! As for the hidden tracks, they are just a pain (...). It took me hours and hours to figure out (the 17 minute version of "New Moon on Monday" is pretty cool, though). Also, would it have killed them to include the videos for "Nightboat" and "My Own Way"? The sad thing is, Duran Duran really had no control over this DVD. It's the record company that owns the material. Anyway, it's still a treat for true Duranies to see these videos again.