Discussing all Video/DVD Releases to date

innuendo141

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OK so, I thought it would be an idea to discuss the official releases we have now, mainly because of some of the very amateurish errors found on some of them, but also because of some odd choices on some releases. This isn't an exercise in negativity, but some things were just plain odd


Dangerous: The Short Films
The best DVD release so far? I can't think of anything wrong with this. Its well put together and has the best behond the scenes footage of any release we have ever gotten

High points:
Behind the scenes footage
Superbowl Heal The World
Grammys presentation
Brace yourself

Low points:
The graffiti on the windows in Black or White. This isnt even a negative!


Video Greatest Hits - HIStory
Where the hell is She's Out Of My Life and Man in the Mirror? A coincidence they are both songs MJ didnt write? I actually remember when HIStory was released, there was an MJ weekend on MTV and they showed all the videos in order from disc 1, which included the Bucharest versions of She's Out Of My Life and Wanna Be Startin Somethin. I suppose they were keeping it strictly to the music videos.

Maybe it could be argued that only his greatest videos could be included, and MITM and Shes Out Of My Life werent u to scratch? Thats kind of mute though when you consider Heal The World never made the cut. Brace Yourself did, however. Again.

High points:
  • 18 minute Bad video
  • 9 minute The Way You Make Me Feel video
  • Uncut Black or White video

Low points
  • No Shes Out of My life
  • No Man in the Mirror
  • Brace Yourself again


HIStory on Film - Volume II
Some odd inclusions and exclusions here. All the HIStory videos make the cut, which is only right, but the inclusion of Beat It and Thriller are completely unnecessary considering they were in the previous release. Its nice that the Motown 25 perfomance is included, but Thriller and Beat It could have been dropped for any of the (up until that point) unreleased videos from Bad, like Liberian Girl, which is oddly thrown in here. The original Blood on the Dance Floor video should be here too (this will become a recurring nightmare for me. Be warned). Brace yourself is included again. At the end, for some reason.

High Points:
  • MTV VMA's performance
  • All the HIStory videos
  • Liberian Girl
  • Smooth Criminal (longer version)
  • Teaser

Low Points
  • Thriller and Beat It, and to a point Smooth Criminal. Again.
  • Double sided disc?!
  • Brace Yourself. Again.
  • No Ghosts, even the short version


Number Ones
Nothing really to see here new, except I actually liked that the Reprise version of Smooth Criminal from Noonwalker was included. We finally have some videos we hadnt up to this point with Dirty Diana, Man In The Mirror. HOWEVER, an edited version of Blood on the Dance Floor is included.... For some reason which enfuriates me (For those that may nt know, Michael rubs Susie's legs during the first bridge of the original music video. Different shots are used here.....GYDSYUXWIYGWGWGU (frustration).

High points
  • Dirty Diana and Man in the Mirror, finally!
  • Alternate version of You Are Not Alone
  • Moonwalker promo version of Smooth Criminal
  • Short versions of Bad and The Way You Make Me Feel for the 1st time

Low points
  • Short version of You Rock My Word. What was the point of that.
  • EDITED BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR....


The One
OK, some great footage but we dont learn anything really new. And why I hate this release (I think Ive only watched it once) is because even though it is clearly showcasing the Number Ones album, it inexplicably, INEXPLICABLY stops in the early 90s.

High Points
  • New live footage

Low points
  • The official release of this documentary

Live In Bucharest: The Dangerous Tour
Crowd noise. Crowd noise. Crowd noise.

The crowd noise. Great great show, but WHY IN THE NAME OF GOD EXCLUDE BRACE YOURSELF THE ONE TIME IT ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE TO USE IT!?!?!?!??! Not much to say about this that we all dont already think.

High points
  • Its Bucharest 92
  • HIStory tour SMooth Criminal lean on the back of the DVD
  • It the Bucharest 92 show.

Low points
  • Crowd noise
  • Sooooooooooooo many audience shots
  • HIStory tour picture on the back of the DVD
  • Crowd noise
  • Brace Yourself could have been borroed from any of the past 3 releases it was on.
  • There is some moderate added crowd noise


Michael Jackson's Vision
SO close to being the PERFECT collection! Some of the videos have issues, I cant remember them all, but Will You Be There is missing some audio, and is different from the version released earlier, as is Gone Too Soon. Shes Out Of My Life, finally!!!! So nearly hits the mark, but some minor (and one major) error.

High points
  • FULL Bad video
  • Shes Out Of My Life!!!!!
  • Another Part of Me & Leave Me Alone!
  • Alternate Gone Too Soon and Will You Be There
  • Uncut Black or White
  • COME TOGETHER
  • Great extras, They Dont Care About Prison!
  • Full You Rock My World
  • CRY MUSIC VIDEO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • One More Chance, and funnily enough even though he would be criticised had it been released as it is (due to him being hidden) its quite symbolic since his death. We cant see Michael that well, but his music gets everything going.
  • Another You Are Not Alone, I think.
  • Its a brilliant brilliant collection

Low points
  • Blood on the Dance Floor REFUGEE CAMP MIX. Again. Idiots. For Jesus' sake.
  • Why is it so hard to give me the original video of Blood on the Dance Floor? Its on youtube for christ's sake!!!!
  • Torture should have been included, regardless.


Live at Wembley July 16, 1988
Its brilliant, one of his best ever performances, possibly better than Bucharest 92 but lets call a spade a spade. Its a VHS copy, and it annoyed a lot of people. The pros and cons explain themselves.

High points
Bad Tour 88 FINALLY
Great performance
His best touring band in action again
Incredible atmosphere
No added crowd noise

Low Points
The Way You Make Me Feel as an extra, unfortunately, but way better than nothing
VHS


Blood on the Dance Floor - Visionary DualDisc CD
Why is it so f0cking hard to get the correct video RIGHT!?!?!?!?!?! EDITED VERSION AGAIN
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I got a bit bored halfway through this, so I expect you will too. But any of you have any thoughts on the DVDs? I know Im nitpicking, but I find it interesting some of the silly mistakes that can be made when it would take so little effort to consult a fan on such releases!
 
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Just gonna comment on Dangerous The Short Films for now, as I loved this VHS when I first got it.

Up until this I only had self recorded videos from MTV.

Only way it could have been improved is full Super Bowl, and not just HTW.

I also got very excited as I thought they'd done a proper Dangerous video according to the menu and was just a short compilation.
 
Tony R said:
Just gonna comment on Dangerous The Short Films for now, as I loved this VHS when I first got it.

Up until this I only had self recorded videos from MTV.

Only way it could have been improved is full Super Bowl, and not just HTW.

I also got very excited as I thought they'd done a proper Dangerous video according to the menu and was just a short compilation.
Click to expand...

I still have my self made videos, some of them werent even complete, just portions from "Pop Up Music Videos"!

But I remember I asked my parents for Moonwalker, and they came back with Dangerous the SHort Films and I was so disappointed. But then when I watched it, I was like.... " I can wait for Moonwalker!"
 
I never bought The One...or Number Ones DVD....

But on Bucharest....my God, the crowd noise and the endless crowd shots. I think I'd recognise some of these people in the street if I passed them, I've seen them so much. Bearing in mind that when MJ is on stage every second counts it's pretty unforgivable.
 
innuendo141 said:

Dangerous: The Short Films
The best DVD release so far? I can't think of anything wrong with this. Its well put together and has the best behond the scenes footage of any release we have ever gotten

High points:
Behind the scenes footage
Superbowl Heal The World
Grammys presentation
Brace yourself

Low points:
The graffiti on the windows in Black or White. This isnt even a negative!
Click to expand...

Agreed on Black or White. And with Tony, the full Superbowl performance should have been included. Lovely to have the full speech from the Grammys too. The menus are dreadfully slow and annoying.

Video Greatest Hits - HIStory

High points:
  • 18 minute Bad video
  • 9 minute The Way You Make Me Feel video
  • Uncut Black or White video
Click to expand...

Technically only the DVD version of this release had those longer edits. But it upset me that Bad didn't have it's titles nor it's credits.

HIStory on Film - Volume II
High Points:
  • MTV VMA's performance
  • All the HIStory videos
  • Liberian Girl
  • Smooth Criminal (longer version)
  • Teaser

Low Points
  • Thriller and Beat It, and to a point Smooth Criminal. Again.
  • Double sided disc?!
  • Brace Yourself. Again.
  • No Ghosts, even the short version
Click to expand...

HIStory on Film volume II was one of the first DVDs ever released to market and that practice of using double-sided discs ended quite early. Despite that, I always found the picture and sound quality to be wonderful on this release. It's my go to version of Thriller still - I just think it looks great on this release. Sadly not ALL of the HIStory videos as only one version of TDCAU was included.

Number Ones
High points
  • Dirty Diana and Man in the Mirror, finally!
  • Alternate version of You Are Not Alone
  • Moonwalker promo version of Smooth Criminal
  • Short versions of Bad and The Way You Make Me Feel for the 1st time
Click to expand...

For the first time on DVD, sure. Agreed it was nice to finally have Dirty Diana.

The One
OK, some great footage but we dont learn anything really new. And why I hate this release (I think Ive only watched it once) is because even though it is clearly showcasing the Number Ones album, it inexplicably, INEXPLICABLY stops in the early 90s.

High Points
  • New live footage

Low points
  • The official release of this documentary
Click to expand...
Bizarre release. Would have been nice as an extra somewhere but no way was it a standalone release.

Live In Bucharest: The Dangerous Tour
Click to expand...
Crowd noise. Crowd noise. Crowd noise.

The crowd noise. Great great show, but WHY IN THE NAME OF GOD EXCLUDE BRACE YOURSELF THE ONE TIME IT ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE TO USE IT!?!?!?!??! Not much to say about this that we all dont already think.

High points
  • Its Bucharest 92
  • HIStory tour SMooth Criminal lean on the back of the DVD
  • It the Bucharest 92 show.

Low points
  • Crowd noise
  • Sooooooooooooo many audience shots
  • HIStory tour picture on the back of the DVD
  • Crowd noise
  • Brace Yourself could have been borroed from any of the past 3 releases it was on.
  • There is some moderate added crowd noise
Click to expand...

I never liked the sound quality overall on this release. Was it presented in 2.0 sound?

Michael Jackson's Vision
SO close to being the PERFECT collection! Some of the videos have issues, I cant remember them all, but Will You Be There is missing some audio, and is different from the version released earlier, as is Gone Too Soon. Shes Out Of My Life, finally!!!! So nearly hits the mark, but some minor (and one major) error.
Click to expand...

They billed it as the complete collection of Michael's short films but missed a few out which was disappointing. Are you sure it's the Refugee camp mix that's included though? That IS silly. I couldn't even have told you that. Agreed it was great to finally have the full Bad video. To me this needs to be released again as a complete collection with the missing videos and Captain EO/Ghosts etc. However it needs to be a blu-ray with HD versions - one of the most important things the Estate could do for Michael's legacy.
 
I guess i'm glad that I never bought the Bucharest DVD. I had someone recording it for me from pay-tv in 92~93. That version still included Will You Be There and didn't include as much crowd shots as the version later shown on TV. I must have watched that vhs 50+ times back then, but not in ~20 years now. The VHS quality is probably gone. :D

Is this early/first cut around in good quality for download (no VHS ripp)?
 
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I would say Vision is probably the worst release quality-wise. Stretched and low quality video. Wembley is great but the fact the video and audio is cut from a few concerts puts me off.
 
SmoothGangsta said:
I would say Vision is probably the worst release quality-wise. Stretched and low quality video. Wembley is great but the fact the video and audio is cut from a few concerts puts me off.
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That's probably due to unrepairable damage to the VHS footage. Editing from a few different shows is more common than one would think, many artists do that for official releases.
 
aazzaabb said:
That's probably due to unrepairable damage to the VHS footage. Editing from a few different shows is more common than one would think, many artists do that for official releases.
Click to expand...

I agree it's common but it still irks me lol.
 
ChrisC said:
I wasn't aware of that. Could you say more?
Click to expand...
During Billie Jean footage from another night is used, it happens around midway if memory serves. It's not that big a deal and not that noticeable save for some cable or light behind him in a different position. Obviously out of necessity (damaged tape) as aesthetically there's nothing wrong with his performance.

Edit] The DVD of The One omitted a section which included footage of the Grammy performance of The Way You Make Me Feel, it was a whole section that was shown when it appeared on TV as part of the Number Ones promotional campaign. I loved the footage on the DVD but was so disappointed with how ridiculously short.

Don't get me started about the Blood On The Dance Floor Refugee Camp Mix!! For once just give us the original version of one of the best tracks he ever made!!!
 
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aazzaabb said:
Don't get me started about the Blood On The Dance Floor Refugee Camp Mix!! For once just give us the original version of one of the best tracks he ever made!!!
Click to expand...

I actually bought the Visionat single last year because I had read it had it. I didnt watch it until last week and was HORRIFIED. So horrified that I ended up buying the 10 remaining Visonary singles was missing. I clearly hate having money.


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aazzaabb said:
During Billie Jean footage from another night is used, it happens around midway if memory serves. It's not that big a deal and not that noticeable save for some cable or light behind him in a different position. Obviously out of necessity (damaged tape) as aesthetically there's nothing wrong with his performance.
Click to expand...

Do we know which night it's taken from? Also anything else? Maybe we need a separate thread. Is it just video in the Billie Jean midway point or audio or both?
 
I will never understand why BOTDF does not have a proper video release. It's either the edited version or the Refugee Camp remix version that gets put out there. Is there some sort of weird legal issue with it that we don't know about?
 
ChrisC said:
Do we know which night it's taken from? Also anything else? Maybe we need a separate thread. Is it just video in the Billie Jean midway point or audio or both?
Click to expand...

I think they use different audio for a few of the songs as well. Similar to how the This is It rehearsals audio are cut from different rehearsals.
 
Missed out 'The Legend Continues' on here. I used to have that on VHS in a double pack alongside Making Of Thriller.

Haven't seen it for over 20 years, wish it was on DVD.

Would love Blu Rays of this, Making of Thriller, and of course Ghosts.
 
Tony R said:
Missed out 'The Legend Continues' on here. I used to have that on VHS in a double pack alongside Making Of Thriller.

Haven't seen it for over 20 years, wish it was on DVD.

Would love Blu Rays of this, Making of Thriller, and of course Ghosts.
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Jesus youre right. And to be fair, its one of my favourite ever releases and the most important release to me ever.

Introduced me to Motown and Jackie Wilson, exposed me to my first ever liver performance other than Motown 25 in Heartbreak Hotel (his best ever performance).

Love the interviews with Suzanne de Passe and all the motown clips. The xlip of MJs tap dancing blew me away.

It tooke so many years to realise Cheech from the Vancouvers was also the guy from that 70s show! Mad to think they discovered the boys.

Its just a shame Gene Kelly is hardly used in it. We're here to Entertain You is one of my favourite motown era songs too.

The only drawback. ... those 3 competition winners!


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The Legend Continues was the most important one from my childhood. It intorduced me to the Jackson 5 MJ. The intro with the beat from SYBDTTG from Yokohama, the interviews and incredible Hearthbreak Hotel performance. I had the one with the MTV competition add, later copies didn't have it so I've heard.
 
remix

Amaya said:
I will never understand why BOTDF does not have a proper video release. It's either the edited version or the Refugee Camp remix version that gets put out there. Is there some sort of weird legal issue with it that we don't know about?
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It might be because in the US, the video channels would play the Refugee remix, not the other version. Even today, when VH1-Soul show Mike's videos all day on his birthday, the remix is shown. In the mid 1990s, The Fugees were really popular in the US as well, and that may be a reason why that one was shown here. In the 1980s & 1990s, remix versions of songs were often used for the single in the US and so are the versions that became a hit (ig. No One Is To Blame by Howard Jones, Monkey by George Michael, & No Scrubs by TLC). If the remix was the hit, that's the one that gets used on compilations in the US, not the album version. Compilations here also usually use the 45 edits that are not remixed, but just shortened from a longer album version. I guess since Mike's record label Epic is based here and this is his home country, the packaging of the video compilations are going to be focused on the version more known here.
 
aazzaabb said:
The Legend Continues was the most important one from my childhood. It intorduced me to the Jackson 5 MJ. The intro with the beat from SYBDTTG from Yokohama, the interviews and incredible Hearthbreak Hotel performance. I had the one with the MTV competition add, later copies didn't have it so I've heard.
Click to expand...

Aaoron...
What is your favourite vegetable?

I was annoyed the first digital copy i got didnt have the competition bit. The Itialian release had it again then.

Completely forgot about the Shake Your Body breakdown. First time I heard the Yokohama show I absolutely lost it.

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Re: remix

DuranDuran said:
It might be because in the US, the video channels would play the Refugee remix, not the other version. Even today, when VH1-Soul show Mike's videos all day on his birthday, the remix is shown. In the mid 1990s, The Fugees were really popular in the US as well, and that may be a reason why that one was shown here. In the 1980s & 1990s, remix versions of songs were often used for the single in the US and so are the versions that became a hit (ig. No One Is To Blame by Howard Jones, Monkey by George Michael, & No Scrubs by TLC). If the remix was the hit, that's the one that gets used on compilations in the US, not the album version. Compilations here also usually use the 45 edits that are not remixed, but just shortened from a longer album version. I guess since Mike's record label Epic is based here and this is his home country, the packaging of the video compilations are going to be focused on the version more known here.
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I dunno I think its down to carelessness to be honest. Looks like they went for the long version of each video, and they must have seen the longer edit of the video and put 2 and 2 together and got 7.

Just realised HIStory is missing from it. Another stupid mistake. I like the remix.

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aazzaabb said:
That's probably due to unrepairable damage to the VHS footage. Editing from a few different shows is more common than one would think, many artists do that for official releases.
Click to expand...

and even used the VHS from the July 15 show to blend, which is ironic because they had the master tape of that particular show (which included The Way You Make Me Feel) and it was of superior quality
 
Although a really good set, I feel Vision was a missed opportunity as it could've been the DEFINITIVE MJ dvd release.
 
Electro said:
I guess i'm glad that I never bought the Bucharest DVD. I had someone recording it for me from pay-tv in 92~93. That version still included Will You Be There and didn't include as much crowd shots as the version later shown on TV. I must have watched that vhs 50+ times back then, but not in ~20 years now. The VHS quality is probably gone. :D

Is this early/first cut around in good quality for download (no VHS ripp)?
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There's a version of Bucharest called "BBC Unedited version". I don't know if that's the one you're talking about, but it has very few crowd shots compared to the DVD. I have it in good quality, I don't know if it's a vhs rip or not (it looks like it is), I downloaded it from 2000 watts a while back
 
Michaels Lover said:
There's a version of Bucharest called "BBC Unedited version". I don't know if that's the one you're talking about, but it has very few crowd shots compared to the DVD. I have it in good quality, I don't know if it's a vhs rip or not (it looks like it is), I downloaded it from 2000 watts a while back
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Thats definitely the one to have, sound & vision wise

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innuendo141 said:
Aaoron...
What is your favourite vegetable?

I was annoyed the first digital copy i got didnt have the competition bit. The Itialian release had it again then.

Completely forgot about the Shake Your Body breakdown. First time I heard the Yokohama show I absolutely lost it.

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"Do you like soy sauce with your Sushi?" Or something like that! :lol:

The intro is the bomb! "His dancing defies the laws of physics!" I lost my shit as a kid!
 
mj_brainiac said:
and even used the VHS from the July 15 show to blend, which is ironic because they had the master tape of that particular show (which included The Way You Make Me Feel) and it was of superior quality
Click to expand...
Yeah they used the Diana/Royal performance as a sort of selling point and had the clip of him meeting her backstage as an intro. If you gave them a Bad Tour concert with MJ flying over the crowd defying gravity on film they would find a way to balls it up! These people are not actually capable of delivering one flawless product!
Michaels Lover said:
There's a version of Bucharest called "BBC Unedited version". I don't know if that's the one you're talking about, but it has very few crowd shots compared to the DVD. I have it in good quality, I don't know if it's a vhs rip or not (it looks like it is), I downloaded it from 2000 watts a while back
Click to expand...
I still have my VHS recording of that BBC version. It's the one!
 
aazzaabb said:
During Billie Jean footage from another night is used, it happens around midway if memory serves. It's not that big a deal and not that noticeable save for some cable or light behind him in a different position. Obviously out of necessity (damaged tape) as aesthetically there's nothing wrong with his performance.
Click to expand...
It happens only in the very end. Look at the camera angle change after 6:50:


His hands are in different position after it. It is only that little part. Maybe the tape was damaged.

I hope we get a better quality Bad Tour 88/9 concert at some point.
 
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