Eye For Film >> Movies >> Bon Jovi Live: This Left Feels Right (2003) DVD Review
Bon Jovi Live: This Left Feels Right
Reviewed by: Amber Wilkinson
Read Amber Wilkinson's film review of Bon Jovi Live: This Left Feels RightShot on high definition video the picture is good, though at the end of the day it is the sound which is the most important. For the concert, this is fine but, annoyingly, the levels vary throughout the extras on the disc, meaning that if you watch the documentary, or outtakes after the concert, you'll find yourself a jack-in-the-box if, like me, you have to get up and down to adjust an amp.
Equally irritatingly, the first disc claims, erroneously, to have subtitles, but there's no chance of karaoke here. There are subtitles on the second disc - for the Clip Poker and Q&A - but that seems rather pointless if they are not going to subtitle the lot. I guess they expect us to know the words by now.
The Everyday With Bon Jovi 30-minute behind-the-scenes look at the run up to the gigs offers little insight into the motivation behind the exercise. This extra is the largest on the first disc and has a home video feel. I doubt whether anyone but the most diehard fan will want to watch it more than once, though the "bleeping" out is quite amusing for those with a schoolboy sense of humour, particularly the choice of a cat's meow to replace the word "pussy".
Bonus DVD 2, however, is where the meat of the extras lie and they're quite fun. Clip Poker allows you to "play" poker with the band in order to be rewarded with clips. It's a bit of a laugh, though it seems the cards are stacked heavily in the viewer's favour. The clip rewards are taken from the band's famous concert at Hyde Park and serve to remind you how fantastic they are at Stadium Rock - in fact it will most likely make you feel nostalgic for a bit more oomph if you watch it after the first disc. The clips on offer are: Raise Your Hands, Blood On Blood, Captain Crash, Lay Your Hands On Me, Everyday and Bounce.
Fear not if you are rubbish at poker, or unsure of the rules. You can access these clips through the Video Jukebox, which lets you play them all, or pick your running order.
The most interesting extra on the disc is the Q&A - set round a table, while the band play Texas Hold 'Em, in keeping with the gambling theme. This, unlike the behind-the-scenes video, genuinely offers an insight into the band's motivation for reworking their music. Jon Bon Jovi says, "It's not about commerce," and you can't help but believe him. Whether you would go so far as to agree that it is "a piece of art", however, will doubtless depend on the depth of your fandom.
Other extras include 28 colour and black-and-white stills, plus a "director's multicam view" of three songs: Love For Sale, I'll Be There For You and Lay Your Hands On Me. This means you get lots of different mini-screens showing as the song progresses, but, as there is no facility to switch between the angles, it really only holds curiosity value.
Overall, this is a pretty good DVD package. It does offer some insight and, along the way, some excellent music.
Well worth adding to your collection.
Reviewed on: 09 Feb 2004