The Very Best of Japan - DVD

Official releases, promos, bootlegs and memorabilia.

The Very Best of Japan - DVD

Postby Blood of a Poet on Mon May 08, 2006 2:56 pm

This DVD includes the complete "Oil On Canvas" show from the Hammersmith Odeon as well as the following music videos:

Life in Tokyo
Quiet Life
I Second That Emotion
Gentlemen Take Polaroids
Swing
Visions of China
Night Porter

You can purchase the DVD from Amazon.co.uk HERE - I live in the US and it took less than a week to receive the DVD.

The Very Best of Japan is in PAL format, so how can those of us in the US and Canada view it? Simple: with the deceptively inexpensive Cyberhome CH-DVD 300 player. I picked up a couple of these at the local Big Lots store for $27.88 each. The Cyberhome unit is able to be set (by a simple command from the remote) to be region-free as well as convert PAL to NTSC video on the fly. It also has component outputs as well as the standard composite output. Don't let the price fool you, this player is excellent!

I am able to watch The Very Best of Japan without a problem on my CH-DVD 300 (as well as other UK discs such as old Ingmar Bergman movies on the Tartan label).

As far as quality goes, The Very Best of Japan is far better than my old Japanese VHS version of Oil On Canvas. That said, the picture is a little more fuzzy than modern commercial DVDs, but considering the source of this footage it is certainly the best available. The promo videos are generally of better quality than the live video, with the images betting better on the newer promos (Visions of China being the best).

This DVD is not widescreen, but rather the standard 4:3 aspect ratio.

All in all The Very Best of Japan is a must have for any Japan/Sylvian enthusiast!
~ Blood of a Poet ~
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Postby MoodyB on Sun May 14, 2006 3:48 pm

I got my NTSC copy from HMV Japan within a couple of days of it's release...
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Postby lastgoldstar on Sun May 14, 2006 6:20 pm

Well, according to amazon.com, The Very Best of Japan is scheduled to be released in the US this Tuesday, May 16.

The Very Best of Japan @ Amazon.com

And there are new copies for $15 (imports) popping up here in the Amazon Marketplace.
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Postby MoodyB on Sun May 14, 2006 8:27 pm

Right, I just couldn't wait that long!
After having these videos on VHS since the 80's I just had to have the DVD ASAP!

;-)


lastgoldstar wrote:Well, according to amazon.com, The Very Best of

Japan is scheduled to be released in the US this Tuesday, May 16.

The Very Best of Japan @ Amazon.com

And there are new copies for $15 (imports) popping up here in the Amazon Marketplace.
"Before you play two notes learn how to play one note - and don't play one note unless you've got a reason to play it." - Mark Hollis (1998)

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Postby lastgoldstar on Sun May 14, 2006 11:34 pm

I know what you mean, me too! I meant to order it from hmv.co.jp but by the time I finally got around to it, it's finally being released here.
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Postby Rob on Wed May 17, 2006 4:46 pm

Hi,

I'm a bit disappointed with the dvd as it seems not much thought went it it. I bought t but have not bothered with the accompanying cd as I have all the material on it alreadu on varios formats already. The blurb from the 80's music hack Chris Roberts is complete twaddle and he was such a champion of the band.

The DVD could have been so much more. It could have included the BBC old grey whistle test material and also the Blackwater video as well amongst other things. I bought it as I have worn out the old vhs versions of Oil on Canvas and Instant Pictures which basically what this DVD is. The Nightporter fan site had a wish list for the record companies if they ever considered a DVD. Shame they did not pay attention to the fans. Still. what we've got is better than nothing. Who knows one day we might get an official DS DVD! Here's hoping.

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Postby MoodyB on Wed May 17, 2006 5:41 pm

Rob wrote:Hi,

I'm a bit disappointed with the dvd as it seems not much thought went it it. I bought t but have not bothered with the accompanying cd as I have all the material on it alreadu on varios formats already. The blurb from the 80's music hack Chris Roberts is complete twaddle and he was such a champion of the band.

The DVD could have been so much more. It could have included the BBC old grey whistle test material and also the Blackwater video as well amongst other things. I bought it as I have worn out the old vhs versions of Oil on Canvas and Instant Pictures which basically what this DVD is. The Nightporter fan site had a wish list for the record companies if they ever considered a DVD. Shame they did not pay attention to the fans. Still. what we've got is better than nothing. Who knows one day we might get an official DS DVD! Here's hoping.

R


I certainly understand where you're coming from, they could've put together a really nice package had there been real interest at the record company.
However, I'm glad that there was a DVD release at all, the remastering effort didn't blow me away on the Oil On Canvas footage, but it is better than on my original VHS copy.
If this sells well enough, it gives hope for a DS release, back in '88 a full length compilation was completed, but was shelved by Virgin...If memory serves me correctly, there was also live footage filmed in '88 that also never saw the light of day.
Here's hoping indeed!
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Postby godisinthesilences on Thu May 18, 2006 11:33 pm

i am still awaiting my copy from amazon... can not wait!!!!
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Postby krausy on Fri May 19, 2006 8:15 am

I have that Cyberhome player as well and my dvd from the UK works too. I've found different discs play on different players so as you can imagine I have an armful of players just so I can watch everything. kind of a pain in the backside but what can ya do?

I love the dvd because, as you say, it has the complete concert on it, and the visual quality is better, considering most of what I already had was copied probably several times from some other source and the quality goes down.

If you can afford it, it is worth having.
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Postby MoodyB on Fri May 19, 2006 4:57 pm

krausy wrote:I have that Cyberhome player as well and my dvd from the UK works too. I've found different discs play on different players so as you can imagine I have an armful of players just so I can watch everything. kind of a pain in the backside but what can ya do?

I love the dvd because, as you say, it has the complete concert on it, and the visual quality is better, considering most of what I already had was copied probably several times from some other source and the quality goes down.

If you can afford it, it is worth having.


I bought that Cyberhome unit for my Mum so she could watch DVD's from the UK, works damn good for being only $30!
My own personal unit is made by Liteon, I managed to hack the firmware, so it plays and records anything at all...Although as I mentioned previously, I got the NTSC (region 0) DVD from Japan which plays on any US unit anyway.

Anyhoo, I digress...

...I think it's a shame that Oil On Canvas is the official live legacy of Japan, both the audio and video release are very over produced and neither one contain the full set of songs...For those that don't know, the following songs were not included:

Alien
European Son
Life In Tokyo
Fall In Love With Me

The video also omits Nightporter & Quiet Life too.

I would recommend searching out a good quality bootleg from the tour so you can hear these songs. The Budokan show is a great one as it features YMO as guests and even more songs!
There were also some really nice audio effects that you can't hear on the official releases...
"Before you play two notes learn how to play one note - and don't play one note unless you've got a reason to play it." - Mark Hollis (1998)

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Postby Silver Moon on Fri May 19, 2006 5:01 pm

I will have to search out the bootleg! I would really really like to see those extra songs, and I would also like to see the whole show. Do you know where I may be able to find a good bootleg from that tour?

Thanks,

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Postby MoodyB on Fri May 19, 2006 5:11 pm

Silver Moon wrote:I will have to search out the bootleg! I would really really like to see those extra songs, and I would also like to see the whole show. Do you know where I may be able to find a good bootleg from that tour?

Thanks,

-Kera-


I would recommend joining the "YMO Rare" group on Yahoo:


http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/ymorare/

There's little in the way of quality video from the tour, there is footage from the last show in Nagoya (can't remember if I posted this on YouTube yet) which is less than great in quality and a few other clips from German and French TV.
Plenty of audio though...Let me know if you need help! ;-)

Chris
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Postby krausy on Sat May 20, 2006 1:15 am

MoodyB, thanks for correcting me on that dvd. I wrongly assumed that it had every song on it. I've also heard comment in other sites that David is not as lively on the dvd as he was in other live shows.

would definitely like to acquire a cd of the entire concert.
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Postby lastgoldstar on Sun May 21, 2006 10:01 pm

I'm patiently waiting for my copy's arrival.

Whoops, did I say "patiently"? :wink:
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Postby krausy on Sun May 21, 2006 10:36 pm

lastgoldstar wrote:I'm patiently waiting for my copy's arrival.

Whoops, did I say "patiently"? :wink:


patiently? is that a word? :lol:
I should stop ordering goodies because the anticipation about kills me!!
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