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Goo Goo Dolls: Live In Alaska: Music In High Places
Image // Unrated // March 18, 2003
List Price: $19.99 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The Movie
"Goo Goo Dolls: Live in Alaska" is part of the "Music in High Places" series, which allows popular artists to perform their music in unique settings. In this edition, Goo Goo Dolls, who hail from Buffalo, NY (so, presumably, the Alaskan weather didn't bother them), travel to Alaska to do accoustic numbers near and above the Arctic Circle.
The special is basically broken up into two parts. Some segments plays as more of a travelogue, as we see the band tour Alaska, taking in the many sites. They meet a dog-sled team, go mudsliding with some local children, travel by helicopter over scenic vistas, and travel by train across the country. Intermingled with these bits are scenes in which the band plays a song in a picturesque locale, such as an ice-flow or a barren field. These chapters are mixed together nicely, as we watched the band become accustomed to the land and enjoy the opportunity to perform in a such a beautiful place. The last third of the show is more of a "behind-the-scenes", as there are many brief scenes detailing camera placement and equipment rigging.
As far as reviewing "Goo Goo Dolls: Live in Alaska", the special must be approached from two angles. First, as a documentary and travelogue, the show works fine. The viewer is given a nice tasted of the scenery, and more importantly, life in Alaska is like. The doc is well shot and edited, and never feels fake.
As for the musical aspects of the show, I was expecting more of a concert film, rather than an "Unplugged in Nature" experience. For my money, the Goo Goo Dolls are at their best when they are rocking out, but there was none of that to be had here. Granted, the band sounds very good performing accoustically, and Johnny Rzeznik's voice is very strong, but I couldn't help but miss his electric guitar playing. Also, the song selections come from their last two albums, so fans hoping for songs from "Superstarcarwash" or "Hold Me Up" will be very disappointed.
Video
"Goo Goo Dolls: Live in Alaska" is presented in an anamorphic widescreen, and has been letterboxed at 1.78:1. The shows appears to have been shot on high-end digital video, as the picture is razor sharp and crystal clear. The image shows no major defects whatosever, and one would be hard pressed to find any video noise or distortion. This crisp image produces realistic colors, and the depth of the picture only adds to the wonders of the Alaskan wilderness.
Audio
Being a musical special, one would hope for impressive audio and this DVD doesn't disappoint...at least in one department. The DVD offers three auido choices; Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby 2.0 Stereo, and DTS 5.1. The DTS track here is excellent, as it offers a very nice soundfield and a clean, crisp sound. The surround effects add ambiance and the bass response is good. Unfortunately for those of you without a DTS decoder, this is one of those instances where the DTS track is far superior to the Dolby Digital offering. The Dolby track sounds hollow and muffled when compared to the DTS track. It still provides nice stereo and surround effects, but it doesn't add the overall experience in the same way as the DTS track.
Extras
The DVD offers a handful of extra features. "Kotzebue, Alaska...Stranger Than Fiction" is a 12-minute featurette which gives an overview of the town of Kotzebue. We learn about their local customs and activities and get to watch a moron jet-ski on a snowmobile. In regards to the 24-hour a day sunshine, bassist Robby Takac remarks, "You're really safe from vampires around here." (Isn't Sam Raimi making a movie about this?) Next up is "Train Story -- The Alaskan Railroad", which is a 5-minute segment which gives more details about the chartered train in which the band performs. There is also a text-only bio for the Goo Goo Dolls. In addition, there is an option to view the music chapters only.
"Goo Goo Dolls: Live in Alaska" offers a mixed bag. It works very well as an introduction to the scenic majesty of our northern-most state, but it fails to satisfy as a musical outing. Still, fans of the band will want to see the group playing in a totally new environment.
"Goo Goo Dolls: Live in Alaska" is part of the "Music in High Places" series, which allows popular artists to perform their music in unique settings. In this edition, Goo Goo Dolls, who hail from Buffalo, NY (so, presumably, the Alaskan weather didn't bother them), travel to Alaska to do accoustic numbers near and above the Arctic Circle.
The special is basically broken up into two parts. Some segments plays as more of a travelogue, as we see the band tour Alaska, taking in the many sites. They meet a dog-sled team, go mudsliding with some local children, travel by helicopter over scenic vistas, and travel by train across the country. Intermingled with these bits are scenes in which the band plays a song in a picturesque locale, such as an ice-flow or a barren field. These chapters are mixed together nicely, as we watched the band become accustomed to the land and enjoy the opportunity to perform in a such a beautiful place. The last third of the show is more of a "behind-the-scenes", as there are many brief scenes detailing camera placement and equipment rigging.
As far as reviewing "Goo Goo Dolls: Live in Alaska", the special must be approached from two angles. First, as a documentary and travelogue, the show works fine. The viewer is given a nice tasted of the scenery, and more importantly, life in Alaska is like. The doc is well shot and edited, and never feels fake.
As for the musical aspects of the show, I was expecting more of a concert film, rather than an "Unplugged in Nature" experience. For my money, the Goo Goo Dolls are at their best when they are rocking out, but there was none of that to be had here. Granted, the band sounds very good performing accoustically, and Johnny Rzeznik's voice is very strong, but I couldn't help but miss his electric guitar playing. Also, the song selections come from their last two albums, so fans hoping for songs from "Superstarcarwash" or "Hold Me Up" will be very disappointed.
Video
"Goo Goo Dolls: Live in Alaska" is presented in an anamorphic widescreen, and has been letterboxed at 1.78:1. The shows appears to have been shot on high-end digital video, as the picture is razor sharp and crystal clear. The image shows no major defects whatosever, and one would be hard pressed to find any video noise or distortion. This crisp image produces realistic colors, and the depth of the picture only adds to the wonders of the Alaskan wilderness.
Audio
Being a musical special, one would hope for impressive audio and this DVD doesn't disappoint...at least in one department. The DVD offers three auido choices; Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby 2.0 Stereo, and DTS 5.1. The DTS track here is excellent, as it offers a very nice soundfield and a clean, crisp sound. The surround effects add ambiance and the bass response is good. Unfortunately for those of you without a DTS decoder, this is one of those instances where the DTS track is far superior to the Dolby Digital offering. The Dolby track sounds hollow and muffled when compared to the DTS track. It still provides nice stereo and surround effects, but it doesn't add the overall experience in the same way as the DTS track.
Extras
The DVD offers a handful of extra features. "Kotzebue, Alaska...Stranger Than Fiction" is a 12-minute featurette which gives an overview of the town of Kotzebue. We learn about their local customs and activities and get to watch a moron jet-ski on a snowmobile. In regards to the 24-hour a day sunshine, bassist Robby Takac remarks, "You're really safe from vampires around here." (Isn't Sam Raimi making a movie about this?) Next up is "Train Story -- The Alaskan Railroad", which is a 5-minute segment which gives more details about the chartered train in which the band performs. There is also a text-only bio for the Goo Goo Dolls. In addition, there is an option to view the music chapters only.
"Goo Goo Dolls: Live in Alaska" offers a mixed bag. It works very well as an introduction to the scenic majesty of our northern-most state, but it fails to satisfy as a musical outing. Still, fans of the band will want to see the group playing in a totally new environment.
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