Absolutely ABC - The DVD Collection

List Price: $19.98
Our Price: $11.09
You Save: $8.89 (44%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $9.90 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases

DVD Cover Information

Movie Reviews of Absolutely ABC - The DVD Collection

Movie Review: Incomplete, but still worth purchasing
Summary: 4 Stars

I deduct one point because as others said, it's missing a few videos. But there's enough to rave about to support buying it.

ABC exploded onto the scene in 1982 with The Lexicon Of Love. Off that album, we get the classic Poison Arrow, the classy All Of My Heart and the campy The Look Of Love. All 3 of those songs (was there a video for Tears Are Not Enough?) are still excellent over 20 years later. Their first album is still arguably the best.

They followed that with the more rock-oriented Beauty Stab in 1983. We get That Was Then But This Is Now and S.O.S. on here lifted from that album. BS is generally regarded as their worst, but there's still some good stuff on here. It's funny to see how much ABC changed in one year from these videos and the prior ones.

ABC scored their biggest American success with the third album, 1985's How To Be A Zillionaire. This album is represented with no less than 5 videos (although one is shown twice, the UK and US versions of Vanity Kills). The quality of these videos vary, Be Near Me and Vanity Kills UK were both cheesy videos where Martin, Mark, David and Eden (a midget and drag queen who joined the band briefly) are just having fun. While the How To Be A Millionaire is all animated and very well-made. The US version of Vanity Kills was great too.

ABC continued American success with their 4th album, 1987's Alphabet City. 3 videos are lifted off this, When Smokey Sings (their biggest US hit), The Night You Murdered Love and King Without A Crown. Unfortunately despite the success of the first single, this album marked the end in the US. Smokey peaked at #5 yet the two followups stiffed (even tho I consider King one of their best singles)

1989's Up is merely treated as an afterthought on the video collection. With only One Better World.

One thing that's neat is that the image changed for each album. The first album was very formal, the second album was grungy, the third album was campy, the fourth album was very blue-eyed soul and the fifth album was casual.

It would've been nice to see an interview with Martin Fry looking back on these videos, maybe even find the MIA Mark White. If you just want the videos, get it now.

Summary of Absolutely ABC - The DVD Collection

Art House & International DVD Video

• Educational
• Music Video & Concerts
• Musicals & Performing Arts
• Special Interests