CYNDI LAUPER / SHE'S SO UNUSUAL
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DVD Cover Information
Artist: CYNDI LAUPERBrand: PORTRAIT
Edition: Vinyl
Music Label: PORTRAIT
Movie Reviews of CYNDI LAUPER / SHE'S SO UNUSUAL
Movie Review: review of old HBO broadcast
Summary: 5 Stars
UPDATE 09/01/07: I scored a VHS copy from ebay for under $10. And I still see no noticeable synch problem looking at the commercial VHS tape. It is a little grainy (typical of lowlight concert films) and maybe 1 or 2 songs are not best quality but this is live and the rest is energetic Cyndi at her peak voice. I still think it's better than Live ... At Last from the standpoint this is a straight forward rock concert with no art school film projects and jerky hand held setups.
Here's the complete song line up: Change of Heart, The Goonies 'R' Good Enough, Boy Blue, All Through the Night, What's Going On, Iko Iko, She Bop, Calm Inside the Storm, 911, One Track Mind, True Colors, Maybe He'll Know, Time After Time, Money Changes Everything, Girls Just Want To Have Fun, Baby Workout, True Colors (acapella). Listed as approx 90 minutes on the box.
***** End Update 09/01/07 ****
Below is my original review of the HBO telecast:
I came across an old videotape I recorded of Cyndi Lauper in Paris when it was broadcast by HBO World Stage. It's a shortened 56 minute version but I didn't notice any synch problems as another reviewer mentioned, so I don't believe it's a problem inherent with the source material. If there is, I haven't been able to notice it yet. There is some graininess, but it's a videotape of a broadcast and did not diminish my enjoyment of the performance.
I came to Amazon to see if a DVD was available.
If it is reissued, get it! If you liked Cyndi Live At Last, you'll love this! No quibbles, no doubts!
*******
CYNDI LAUPER IN PARIS (HBO World Stage broadcast version)
This review is from a videotape copy of an HBO World Stage presentation which was originally broadcast on HBO at 56 minutes.
Simplicity. We see crowd shots and overlaying of Cyndi over crowd dissolves. I prefer this over the Cyndi Live At Last DVD which uses home movies for a some of the background. And here the crowd is more like a French Revolution mob than patrons at a theater.
Cyndi spends a kitschy touristy opening minute to point out some Paris landmarks: Arc de Triumph, Place de la Concorde, Eiffel Tower.
On At Last, the opening video talking about her childhood was fine, but once the music starts artsy fartsy homemovies of cityscapes shown on stage took away from Cyndi time. I would rather see more closeups of Cyndi and the crowd as presented on this Cyndi in Paris video.
The Music: Excellent arrangements and backup musicians mean there are no compromises in sound or the way you remember the original album or CD. The only differences of course are where she points the mike at the audience to let them sing words to songs (which she does to a lesser extent on her Cyndi Live At Last). And the acapella version of True Colors.
Classic Lauper Bushy Hair and attire.
Black loose mad musician's jacket with tails and pocket kerchief.
Lavendar sheer short sleeve top with underlying matching darker bra.
Short black vinyl wavy chalupa like skirt over ruffled petticoat.
Black net stockings and black ankle length fairy boots.
She wails, jumps, twirls and whirls like a dervish.
Confident, in control, energetic throughout.
There is pretty much nonstop music and dancing. Definitely less setup talk than At Last. (Maybe because it was a shortened broadcast version?)
SONG SEQUENCE ON BROADCAST:
1. Change of Heart: energetic.
2. Good Enough: Classic. She does not reference the word "Goonies."
She removes her jacket.
3 Boy Blue: Short introduction. She wails soulfully and goes prone on the floor.
4. All Through the Night: windmill arm and jig and oh those highs.
5. What's Going On: very soulful with nice call and response backing vocals
6. Iko Iko: if you're not smiling and swaying in your seat at home there's no hope for you. At the end she finally pauses a little longer just to acknowledge the audience.
Then breaks into
7. She Bop: And rips off her skirt and petticoat to reveal undergarment with garter straps dangling. Yes. No games or cleverness, this is the original version with electronics and whistles. Shows off her youthful sexy tummy and slender legs.
8. Time After Time: Nice dissolves and double exposures overlaying her against a backdrop of lighters held in the crowd.
9. Money Changes Everything: Showcases her frenetic gumby style of dancing. The gal has got legs and then some. Slamming mike stands to the floor. You wonder if her voice or stomping heels are going to break first.
A much needed break as she changes and returns in torn jeans and white top and suspenders.
10. Girls Just Want to Have Fun. She climbs to the top of the scaffolding to the audience's left to dance and sing. Then returns to the mainstage.
The audience goes crazy. You can feel the love.
Time to calm down the audience so they don't go rioting in the streets.
11. True Colors: acapella. A single subdued spotlight envelopes her in a cone from above as if she might be beamed up any second. She's right at the edge of the stage. Camera angles and crowd shots gives you the intimacy that she's singing in the crowd not just to it.
Summary of CYNDI LAUPER / SHE'S SO UNUSUAL
INC GIRLS WANT TO HAVE FUN / TIME AFTER TIME