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Bear in the Big Blue House: Live!
Columbia/Tri-Star // Unrated // April 1, 2003
List Price: $14.95 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The Movie
For years, live performances of muscial theater or concerts have been captured on film/video. This is usually done A) so that those who were there can relive the moment, or B) so that those who could not be there can share in the experience. Live stage acts aimed at children have been growing in popularity over the years, so it was only a matter of time before these were captured for posperity. Which leads us to the DVD release of "Bear in the Big Blue House Live!"
This production is based on the children's television program "Bear in the Big Blue House", which airs on the Disney Channel. The show chronicles the adventure of Bear and his friends, Tutter, a blue mouse, Treelo, a green lemur, Ojo, an orange bear cub, and Pip & Pop, a pair of purple otters. All of these characters are Muppets, created by Jim Henson Studios. The live show features these six characters plue four human singers/dancers. The show is actually based on an episode of the series, in which the characters throw a surprise birthday party for Tutter. Through action and song, the characters invite the live audience to plan the party and keep the secret from Tutter.
Now, here's where being an adult who reviews children's titles can be a challenge. I was very disappointed with "Bear in the Big Blue House Live!". While the show has lots of energy and is undoubtedly fun, as it was based on an episode, I already knew the entire story. Also, there is only one new song in the show, as all of the others have previously been performed on the TV show. So, to be blunt, I was bored.
However, my daughter, who is a huge fan of the show, loved the stage production. As children love familiarity and repetition, the fact that the songs weren't new didn't bother her and she was delighted that she immediately recognized the songs and could sing along with them. And she did sing. And dance. She was up and out of her seat just like the children in the live audience of the show. As the live act bypassed our city for some reason, she was enthralled by the chance to see this stage show and the DVD has become one of her favorites.
Video
"Bear in the Big Blue House Live!" was captured on high-end video and is presented in a full-frame format. The image is very sharp and clear, showing no defects from the source material. There are some occasional problems with video noise, but they won't distract the younger viewers. The colors look great and the clarity of the image gives the illusion of stage-depth.
Audio
The DVD features a Dolby 2.0 Surround audio track. This track sounds fantastic and the crowd noise constantly pours from the surround speakers. The music and dialogue come through very clearly with no distortion or defects. Save for the lack of bass response, this track rivals many Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks.
Extras
The only extras on the DVD are sing-along for the five songs, "What's in the Mail Today?", "It Takes Cooperation", "What's Mine is Yours", "Bear Cha Cha Cha", and "That's My Name". These are simply the scenes from the live show presented with large subtitles, so that the viewer can sing along.
So, young fans of the show should love this live production. But adults who usually enjoy the show may be glad that they didn't have to actually attend the program. The bargained-price disc offers a great transfer of the program.
For years, live performances of muscial theater or concerts have been captured on film/video. This is usually done A) so that those who were there can relive the moment, or B) so that those who could not be there can share in the experience. Live stage acts aimed at children have been growing in popularity over the years, so it was only a matter of time before these were captured for posperity. Which leads us to the DVD release of "Bear in the Big Blue House Live!"
This production is based on the children's television program "Bear in the Big Blue House", which airs on the Disney Channel. The show chronicles the adventure of Bear and his friends, Tutter, a blue mouse, Treelo, a green lemur, Ojo, an orange bear cub, and Pip & Pop, a pair of purple otters. All of these characters are Muppets, created by Jim Henson Studios. The live show features these six characters plue four human singers/dancers. The show is actually based on an episode of the series, in which the characters throw a surprise birthday party for Tutter. Through action and song, the characters invite the live audience to plan the party and keep the secret from Tutter.
Now, here's where being an adult who reviews children's titles can be a challenge. I was very disappointed with "Bear in the Big Blue House Live!". While the show has lots of energy and is undoubtedly fun, as it was based on an episode, I already knew the entire story. Also, there is only one new song in the show, as all of the others have previously been performed on the TV show. So, to be blunt, I was bored.
However, my daughter, who is a huge fan of the show, loved the stage production. As children love familiarity and repetition, the fact that the songs weren't new didn't bother her and she was delighted that she immediately recognized the songs and could sing along with them. And she did sing. And dance. She was up and out of her seat just like the children in the live audience of the show. As the live act bypassed our city for some reason, she was enthralled by the chance to see this stage show and the DVD has become one of her favorites.
Video
"Bear in the Big Blue House Live!" was captured on high-end video and is presented in a full-frame format. The image is very sharp and clear, showing no defects from the source material. There are some occasional problems with video noise, but they won't distract the younger viewers. The colors look great and the clarity of the image gives the illusion of stage-depth.
Audio
The DVD features a Dolby 2.0 Surround audio track. This track sounds fantastic and the crowd noise constantly pours from the surround speakers. The music and dialogue come through very clearly with no distortion or defects. Save for the lack of bass response, this track rivals many Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks.
Extras
The only extras on the DVD are sing-along for the five songs, "What's in the Mail Today?", "It Takes Cooperation", "What's Mine is Yours", "Bear Cha Cha Cha", and "That's My Name". These are simply the scenes from the live show presented with large subtitles, so that the viewer can sing along.
So, young fans of the show should love this live production. But adults who usually enjoy the show may be glad that they didn't have to actually attend the program. The bargained-price disc offers a great transfer of the program.
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