T. Rex: Born To Boogie
by Ringo Starr
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Elton John, Geoffrey Bayldon, Marc Bolan, Mickey Finn, Ringo StarrDirector: Ringo Starr
Brand: T-REX
Producer: Ringo Starr
Cinematographer: Jeremy Stavenhagen
Cinematographer: Michael J. Davis
Cinematographer: Mike Dodds
Cinematographer: Nicholas D. Knowland
Producer: Ben Baker
Producer: Frank Simon
Producer: Tim Van Rellim
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 67 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-06-07
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Sanctuary Classics
Movie Reviews of T. Rex: Born To Boogie
Movie Review: Beyond stunning; beyond essential
Summary: 5 Stars
The past year has been a banner one for Bolan fans, what with the proper remastering of the Tyrannosaurus Rex catalogue and now the release of Born To Boogie in a special 2-disc deluxe edition, with extras so astounding you wonder why such sensational, historic footage lay dormant in warehouses for 33 years. First, the film itself is probably rock'n'roll's greatest lost classic: originally only seen in the UK in 1972 and then given a brief VHS appearance in the early 90s, it's considered a Holy Grail for Bolan fans, containing as it does exhilirating footage of his career-capping Wembley performance with a great superstar jam w/Ringo and Elton John (including a scorching "Tutti Frutti" and vastly superior take on "Children Of The Revolution"), and the famous/infamous "Mad Hatter's Tea Party" sequence where Bolan plays elegant acoustic versions of his most sexually provacative songs to himself, Mickey Finn, Ringo and a group of nuns eating hamburgers at John Lennon's Ascot estate. There's real fireworks here, as Bolan (who was at the absolute peak of his powers in the spring of '72 when all this was filmed) plays the rock-god icon to the hilt. Indeed, this isn't just a "lost" classic but one of the best rock films period, and some recent reviewers have been moved to comment that the teen riot seen here makes arch-rival Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" film (admittedly a great film and performance in its own right) look like a wake.
It would have sufficed many fans who have been hankering for a proper version of this out-of-print goodie to simply have the film back with restored video and sound, and that has been done here. But, much like what occured with Led Zeppelin's DVD set,
researchers spent years combing the vaults for additional outtake footage, and what they found simply blows the mind. In addition to the complete 8:30 Wembley show featuring three superb tracks not seen in the film, the entire 5:30 matinee show was also found. Although the setlist is the same, it is fascinating to compare the two: the matinee performance features Bolan in a fetching blue outfit, being ever-so-slightly more reserved and serious in his playing (but still a total fireball), while the evening show is rife with delirious over-the-top abandon, Bolan laughing it up and showing off for the crowd, knowing he is king of UK pop. Both shows are amazing in their own fashion and although the same songs are played, several of the performances differ ("Cadillac" and "Get It On" feature very different guitar jams, while "Cosmic Dancer" is Finn-less in the matinee show).
Besides this there is also a fine documentary made by Bolan's son Rolan in which he interviews many of the participants to the spectacle; the interview with Tony Visconti is the most illuminating, and it is also of interest to see what Bolan's 29-year old son is like these days. Then there's more outtake footage of the "Tutti Frutti" and "Children Of The Revolution" sequences with Elton, and perhaps the icing on the cake: a long-lost film of one of the earliest Tyrannosaurus Rex performances from the autumn of '67, performing "Sarah Crazy Child" in what looks like London's Middle Earth club. This footage is absolutely priceless to Bolan fanatics like myself; the cool beatnik/hippie atmosphere, the liquid light show in the back, and the scant but mesmerized audience all bring one right back to those heady underground days. People like Tony Visconti and John Peel knew that Bolan was a star from the moment they met him; watch this footage and see if you can see the star quality in the making...
There's also extensive documentaries on the restoration, and although what they did with the video and sound is astounding, you probably won't watch these more than once. The Easter Egg footage is a four-minute compilation of Bolan's 1972 home movies shown while the song "Born To Boogie" plays. All in all, this is a DVD you will be playing over and over again, obsessing over every detail, soaking up Bolan's mythical aura in glittery,
glorious technicolor and 5.1 surround sound, mouth wide open at the unbelieveable fan mania on display. For years Bolan's status in the US has been that of one-hit wonder and cult hero, a mere footnote (albeit an important and critically respected one) in rock history; this re-release of "Born To Boogie" deserves to singlehandly put him right up there with Elvis, The Beatles, Hendrix and Zeppelin as a total rock icon. Although T.Rex's reign was relatively brief (about 2 1/2 years from Oct 1970 to June 1973--but hey, Hendrix's wasn't much more than that, was it?), it changed the world forever.
Summary of T. Rex: Born To Boogie
Studio: Uni Dist Corp (music) Release Date: 06/24/2005Similar DVD Movies
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