Hrvoje (cranberries9)
Amazing, one of the best concerts I have ever seen.The Cranberries = You can love them or hate them, there is no middle. Some find Dolores O'Riordan's voice annoying, and the songs irritating but for me (and many other) it is something special (really good). Beneath the Skin was filmed in December of 1999 in Paris to promote their 4th album Bury the Hatchet. The band sounds great live, and the songs are performed just as they are presented on album. A majority of the concert was shot on film, and the camera work is well done, however the concert is presented with way too much fast cutting from camera to camera. This method works to keep the excitement level high, but it does not allow the audience to get a good look at the band members performing up close. Beneath the Skin is a highly enjoyable and highly energetic concert experience. But it doesn't end there. While not officially called a "special edition", Image has not only given the audio/video on this disc the royal treatment, but they've loaded it up with more extras than Cranberries fans could ever hope for. Filmed in widescreen, Beneath the Skin on DVD is able to boast something that very few other concert DVDs can - anamorphic widescreen. Framed at 1.78:1, the 16x9 enhanced picture is very solid, with well-defined images and detail. The video can sometimes appear a bit grainy and soft, but this is due to the film stock used. Very minor compression artifacting is present, but nowhere near enough to detract from the experience. Colors are fairly accurate, but are slightly washed out, again probably due to choice of film stock. Overall, there is very little to gripe about here. The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack perfectly conveys the concert atmosphere. The entire sound stage is rich and spacious, with the rear channels used for ambient music fill and audience cheering. This soundtrack drops you front row, center into the concert, by reproducing the music with the up-front immediacy and presence of the "live" sound. The most noticeable aspect of this soundtrack is that it made my listening space sound about 100 times bigger than what it really is. If the 5.1 track has a fault, it's that louder passages (such as Salvation - track 8) contain a harsh, slightly grating high end. It's not overpowering, but just enough to notice. The Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo track that's also included is completely flaccid compared to the powerhouse 5.1 mix. If you've ever wanted to hear the sheer drama of a live concert in your living room, this is your DVD. The menus - designed by Storm Thorgerson - are a lesson in how not to design DVD menus. Looking beyond the fact that they're unattractive and uninspired, they're burdened by a clunky interface that takes entirely too much time to transition from screen to screen. And if you find yourself two levels into a sub menu, you have to back step through two long transitions to get back to the main menu screen. Extra features: A documentary about the band (unnecessarily split into two parts) is included which, in total, runs about 17 minutes. The four main band members chat about their instruments, life on the road and stage fright, among other topics. While seemingly short, the documentary packs a lot of interesting information into a small amount of time, and you get a nice look into the personalities of the four Cranberries. A second, 13-minute documentary about the band's technicians is an interesting look at the duties of a roadie. Shot on location in the band's rehearsal hall, the documentary gives the viewer a pretty good understanding of what goes on backstage, and also includes footage of the band rehearsing. Both of these documentaries are presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. A quartet of separate live performances also appears on this DVD, with varying levels of audio/video quality. Look for a 1999 live edition of Saving Grace, a 1996 live performance of Not Hollywood, a 1995 acoustic performance of Yesterday's Gone from MTV Unplugged and a rare 1993 live version of How. Audio/video quality is passable for all tracks except How, which appears to be transferred from consumer-grade video (but it's still a nice treat for 'berries fans). A trio of music videos is also included for Animal Instinct, Promises and Just My Imagination. Animal Instinct - shot as a mini-movie in 2.35:1 widescreen - is quite a dramatic little piece about the strength of a mother's love. Promises is a very bizarre concept video set in the old west of all places, and Just My Imagination is a creative and artful segment that sums up the playfulness of the song almost perfectly. Rounding out the supplemental section are several text and pictorial based features. Song Listing: Promises Animal Instinct Loud and Clear Ode to My Family The Icicle Melts Linger Wanted Salvation Desperate Andy Go Your Own Way Pretty When You're Gone I Can't Be With You Waltzing Back Free to Decide Zombie Ridiculous Thoughts Dying in the Sun You and Me Just My Imagination Delilah Dreams And in the end I'll just say: I just can't get enough...
