Cirque du Soleil - Dralion
|
Our Price: $21.48 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $9.45 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Canada
Movie Reviews of Cirque du Soleil - Dralion
Movie Review: Good, but Quidam better
Summary: 4 Stars
Well, let me start off by saying that the only other Cirque du Soleil performance I've seen is Quidam, so comparisons are enevitable. I've just finished watching Dralion, and the most noticable difference for me is the vocals/music. The vocals and music for Quidam was nothing short of breathtaking. It sounded so angelic and surreal that it felt like I was drawn into the performances and transported into a different world. I was in a dream, not knowing where I was going, but eager to follow the superb vocals. So maybe it was wrong to expect the same thing with this performance, but on initial viewing I didn't get any of those feelings. The vocals/music just didn't do anything for me, didn't pull me in. It was just background noise that set the tempo. But maybe that's just my taste in music, or maybe because of my expectations. Maybe it'll grow on me. . .Read the other comments about the video editing, this is my biggest complaint. They show the singers too much. Someone will be in the middle of their act and then it will cut to the singers! Several times I found myself saying,"No, no, I don't want to see that. Go back to the performance!" This is made even worse when you're looking at the singer and you hear the audience start clapping, making you wonder what you had missed.
The other thing with the video editing is the use of slow motion. While some of its use was good, most of the time I found it distracting and generally ruining the action. The jumping thru rings act was a good use of slow motion, though I wish some of the jumps were in real time, especially that last one. On the other hand, almost every release and catch in the trapeze act was in slow motion. A few times would have been okay, but every time?! If you don't know what I mean, imagine watching a sport when something exciting happens, but they only show it in slow motion. In slow motion the speed, excitement, and amazement that leaves you in awe and disbelief of the skills involved is gone. What was once a blur of motion and something that required split second timing is reduced to a slowed down version where you can see everything that happened in a time span much longer, thus making it look a whole lot easier than it was and taking away the tension. At least when they show the real time first and then the slow motion you can be amazed and then be even more amazed and in awe of their skill when you see what actually happened in the briefest of moments. Alas, that doesn't happen here.
I understand the difficulties in filming something like this, so that explains the camera shots, but at least leave everything in real time! Put the slow motion shots in the bonus features or put two versions on the dvd please!!!
So far all you've heard is me complain, but I really did enjoy the performances. They were nothing short of amazing and very entertaining. Where it fell apart for me was the vocals/music and video editing. Without those problems, I would have given 5 stars easily but those problems interrupt and distract so much I can only give it 4. Overall good, but could have been so much better. . .
Movie Review: East meets West
Summary: 4 Stars
Dralion has always been a tough one for me. As a big Cirque du Soleil fan, I love shows like Quidam, "O," and Varekai, but, while I did enjoy Dralion, it's just not one of my favorites. Perhaps its the more traditional circus nature of the show, perhaps its the somewhat-overdone themes, the more mechanical movement of some of the performers, or the more Eastern-inspired elements. Something about all of this things, particularly the more "circus" aspect, tend to turn me off on Dralion a little bit. That said, the filming of this show was fairly well done, and the vibrant colors of Dralion really come alive.
Dralion is based on the idea of colliding cultures: East meets West. Even the name "Dralion" and its namesake characters represent this fusion. "Dra" comes from the Eastern dragon and "lion" is the more Western lion. With this concept in mind, Dralion's universe represents different countries throughout the world. The music has a strong world flavor to it, with heavy drums, tribal and Middle Eastern influences. The Dralion universe is also divided into four different groups representing the four elements: earth, fire, air and water. Each group is led by a character meant to represent different areas of the world: air=Europe/Americas, earth=Africa, fire=Asia, Water= Middle East.
Unlike other Cirque shows, Dralion includes more Asian acts than others, thus, a stronger Asian cast. Some of these acts include "Umbrella Juggling," "Teeterboard," and "Skipping Ropes." Dralion also includes the wonderfully artistic "Aerial Pas de Deux," an aerial silks act mixed with ballet that tells a heartbreaking story of two air characters.
The costumes in Dralion follow the element color palate very closely (fire=red, air=blue, earth=green, earth=orange), which leads to bright, exciting visuals that make the performers jump off the stage, same with the sleek, modern set and the lighting. Everything about Dralion is louder and brighter than most Cirque shows, giving it a different look.
While I wouldn't say Dralion is my favorite show, it's still enjoyable, great for families and easily accessible.
Movie Review: Much improved Cirque DVD
Summary: 4 Stars
I have seen La Nouba in Orlando and I instantly became a Cirque fan. I eagerly rented the Quidam DVD and I was very disappointed, the filming seemed awkward and didn't capture the energy of a live show. I'm happy to report that the DVD Dralion was much improved, complete with multiple angles and more effective camera work. There's even a feature where you can watch the sections with multiple angles separately. This DVD was exciting and the "making of" section really added to my appreciation of the show. I couldn't believe the show came together in 6 months despite many barriers (including language). The best thing I can say about this DVD is that I now want to see the show live more than ever! Well worth a buy or rental.Movie Review: Only if you love it....
Summary: 4 Stars
I have a great passion for Cirque du Soleil and have seen many shows live. Although I didn't expect the DVD to be nearly as good as the live version, i also didn't expect it to have such poor videography. I was disappointed when i watched it to find out that the camera zoomed in too far and too fast and did not show the whole stage view as much as I would have liked. Having seen the show in person I can vouch for the fact that the lack of angles makes you miss some very amazing sights. The constant zooming and panning was nausiating at times. If you love Cirque, or would like to see what it's like, this is a great DVD to have in your collection - but these guys have won awards for their acrobatic skills - not their camera skills!Movie Review: Cirque du Soleil fans rejoice!
Summary: 4 Stars
This is by far, the best DVD yet made of the fantastic Cirque du Soleil performances. The picture quality and sound are darn good, the extras on the disc (including an interesting, if short documentary) are pretty cool too. There is even a multi-camera angle feature for some sections that let you view an act from any angle you wish. But it's really the amazing feats of strength and agility that make this disc worth owning. The first real act, where a chinese acrobat balances on one arm while spinning for what seems like an eternity, is the single most amazing feat of stength I have ever seen. On the whole I would call this dvd wildly entertaining, and a definite must-have for Cirque du Soleil fans.