Pulse [DVD]

I wish i could give P.U.L.S.E more than a mere 5 stars, it simply isn't enough! this is the most eye popping, jaw dropping, utterly astounding concert i have ever watched. In my opinion it is the greatest show on earth and is extremely unlikely to ever be topped, it's impact on me each time i watch it is more than i could put into words in this review but the description above will suffice. Starting with the packaging, i love the ''eyeballs on the beach'' art design by Storm Thorgerson, it's ''eye'' catching! perhaps that was the intention. Inside there is a 8 page booklet with some stunning images taken from the concerts at Earls Court in London back in '94. On both discs there is a cool menu design accompanied by '''atmospheric'' effects. There are 3 concert audio options Dolby 5.1 448 kbps the higher 640 kbps and stereo, i have only heard the stereo mix so i am unable to comment on the 5.1 mixes as i have only heard them downmixed to 2 channel stereo but it sounds absolutely revelationary to me, it is aural perfection. I think David Gilmour and James Guthrie did a fantastic job on it. visually its not a widescreen presentation but in 4:3 aspect ratio as it was shot on video not film so the picture quality isn't outstanding neither is it bad for that matter but if you have an upscaling DVD player, then it will possibly look better as i have found, upscaling to 1080i (or 720p) offers a significant improvement in colour and detail. David Mallet directed it, it's expertly shot and captures all the incredible visuals beautifully, too many of those moments to mention in this review! David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright are on stunning form and the backing musicians are excellent too, this concert has in my opinion the best ''Comfortably Numb'' guitar solo ever! i think it is awesome the way David builds the intensity gradually until it reaches into the stratosphere. How the music and visuals sync is simply spectacular. Marc Brickman was the lighting designer and what he created has to be seen to be believed, it is quite possibly like nothing you have ever seen before, I'm absolutely speechless everytime i watch the concert (''Event'' would probably be a more accurate term). just a few (there are too many to name!) of the visual highlights for me, Star Wars style lasers, a giant circular screen rigged with ''Vari- Lite'' that rotates like a UFO, a plane crashing, a giant glass ball that opens, huge inflatable pigs and just some of the aural highlights, ''Sorrow'' ''One of these days'' '' Comfortably Numb'' ''Us and Them'' ''The Dark Side Of The Moon'' album is performed in its entirety on Disc 2 and i believe it to be played to perfection, i actually prefer it to the album. There a few extras worth mentioning such as bootlegs there are four, one of them being ''Marooned'' a great photo gallery and 2 music videos which are ''Learning to fly'' and ''Take It Back'' To purchase this should be a no-brainer for Floyd fans, i can't recommend this DVD highly enough. If it is possible, i would love to see a Blu-Ray release of P.U.L.S.E in the not too distant future.

Now, I wasn't there; heaven forbid - I was only 13 when the concert was filmed - but, after years of playing my Pulse CD, miming the guitar solo to Comfortably Numb and managing to buy a pirate (?) DVD of this concert from a certain internet-based auction company, I can't think of any other concert DVD which has the same impact as this one. I consider myself to be fairly learned (and varied in taste) in music and, even though I have seen/heard some fairly amazing musical sights (U2 and, more importantly, Sigur Rós to name just a couple of recent ones), I fail to see how this DVD/Concert could have been bettered; it (well, at least the DVD I bought) has crystal clear sound quality, interesting and varied extras and manages to bring to life the Earl's Court gig of 1994. With regards to the setlist of the concert, it would have been impossible to please all Pink Floyd fans by including their entire back-catalogue on 2 DVDs (with extras - including an interesting editing of bootlegged films of thier concert performances and the videos used on stage) plus, in all fairness, it was the tour to promote their album The Division Bell, therefore there was only a certain amount of room left for "crowd-pleasers". I feel the ones they chose, i.e. the ENTIRE of Dark Side of the Moon and some classics from The Wall, make for a full and varied concert. The likes of this will NEVER be seen again - in fact, since 1994 it NEVER has - even U2's PopMart, although infinately impressive, was not in the same league. Buy this to reawaken the experience you had in 1994 (if you were lucky enough to get to one of their performances) or simply to listen, and watch, a GREAT rock concert. 5 stars awarded - as I can't see any better way of making the CD come to life...

What can I say, a classic of a concert by Pink Floyd, the visual effects in the background are fantastic, especially the skits against the pompous establishment. I already had this on CD and Video, but wanted it on DVD. I love the camera work on it, how it moves to whoever is playing an important part of the track they are playing, whoever edited this is a genius, at the very least. Again if you've never seen it before, you don't know what you're missing, it's pure Floyd magic. And a personal favourite of mine for a long time. Then I have been a Floyd fan since 1975, when II was given "Wish You Were Here" to listen to, then discovered the genius that is "Dark Side Of The Moon" my vinyl copy of this is still in pretty god nick even after nearly 40 years in my collection. So my comments come from someone who is really into his music and always will be, I recently purchased The John Miles collection as his track "Music" describes me to a T. And when it's my time to leave this earth, which is a long time in the future, I hope. I wanted "Music" to be played and everyone would smile and say, "yes that's him" our very own music man as one of my friends describe me. So you could say that my comments on Floyd are coming from a connoisseur, you could say it, I wouldn't dare be so pretentious, I'm just an who leaves music in many genre's ( and knows a few big words as well, even if I have to consult my dictionary for the correct spelling. So listen, then buy and enjoy for many years to come. Colin

Like many people I couldn't wait for the DVD release of this concert having watched the BBC simulcast in the 90s and bought the outstanding 4LP audio version which is reference standard if ever I heard it. I waited in vain for the blu-ray version, but after seeing Dark Side of the Moon, (taken from Pulse), on Sky Arts recently decided I couldn't wait any longer and ordered the DVD. I have to be honest and say that despite what others have to say I am disappointed with the picture quality. I have a Panasonic plasma & blu-ray set up and usually you feel you can climb into the picture, even on standard DVDs, but on this disc it's really average- especially on close-ups. I also don't care to have to change discs and set up the audio again half way through the concert- yes, it was a long concert, but not THAT long! The main complaint however is the 4:3 format. I've already seen DSOTM in widescreen HD and it was superb, so why not here? That said I have still watched it many times already because quite simply it was a superb concert with excellent musicians at their very best. The encores always leave me breathless and wanting to press the play button again straight away! The sound is absolutely first rate and I would certainly recommend this DVD to anyone who wants to experience Pink Floyd live. I just feel that some fans are watching it through rose tinted glasses as there are better quality concert DVDs out there, especially at the price, which is a shame as Floyd have always set the standard for quality and attention to detail. That's enough reviewing- I'm off to watch it again! Blu-ray soon please!! Andy

The first question needs to be; was it worth waiting twelve years for the DVD? Well ... yes! The visuals and sounds are absolutely fantastic - it could well be the best 'in concert' DVD on the market so far. I'm lucky insofar as currently I'm looking at it on a widescreen television with added bass speakers: trust me, this is music which demands to be felt as much as to be heard. One of your earlier reviewers suggested spending money on expensive viewing and listening equipment for this disc, and he was right ('On The Run' should make your liver vibrate). The mellowness of 'Comfortably Numb' can be felt nowhere else, and has a guitar solo to be experienced nowhere else: it is a song of both beauty and horror and I suspect the late Johnny Cash would have done wonders with it. Taking the entire 'Dark Side of the Moon' was a brave move - especially in Waters' absence. However, it works. Indeed, it sounds like an amazingly contemporary piece of work (but then what do I know? I'm not a teenager anymore - I'm 39). I guess a more probing question remains: would it be better with Roger Waters in the fold? I guess having seen them at Live 8 the answer remains, yes. I've seen both Gilmour and Waters live, but never together - an experience I would love. And how ironic that my copy of this disc should arrive on my doorstep the day the newspapers tell us all that Syd Barrett has died. Life is strange sometimes. However, I'm waffling ... It's a fantastic disc, worth every penny - and it's cheaper at Amazon than anywhere else. Go for it!

I've never seen Pink Floyd live, but I did have the good fortune to see Dave Gilmour at the Royal Albert Hall recently for his 'On an Island' tour. I thought that his concert was great... until I bought this DVD. Where to start? The 'show' is completely mesmerising... stunning music, with Gilmour and co somehow recreating (in the second half), live on stage, an amazing rendition of Dark Side Of The Moon. Technically, the band are amazing, and they are clearly enjoying themselves with frequent smiles and nods of acknowledgment to each other. They all appear at ease, probably a sign of having spent a lifetime making music and performing together. I just can't get over how superb this is. I have a cheap surround sound system, and even through this, the audio quality is amazing. The quality of the footage and mixing is stunning, only surpassed by the sheer complexity and technically amazing light and laser show that the Floyd have created. Usually I flick quickly through the 'extras' on such DVD's, but I can't help producing a wry smile when watching "Bootlegging the Bootleggers", turning the tables on those who illicitly filmed Floyd's concerts. To those that say the quality is poor, I suggest that you are doing something wrong, or have a pirated copy. The quality of this DVD is beyond question. The quality of the music and the musicians is probably unequalled... but then any Pink Floyd fan already knows this :-)

I grew up listening to others in school (boarding one), playing all sorts of weird and wonderful music not knowing just what it was they were playing (I was in the 'pop' radio 1 chart set). I would learn that records such as 'Deep Purple in Rock, Led Zeppelin and Pink Ployd' were out there crying out to be played and played loud. Relics was one such vinyl which I got my hands on followed by DSOTM. This was the ultimate for me as my 'HiFi' (and I use that term loosely) struggling to cope with my volume demands, repeatedly played both over and over again. DSOTM has always been a firm favourite for me, and to actually have a chance to see, on DVD, the album performed in its entirety, well, Pulse just had to be purchased. The sound (through 5.1) is outstanding, the visuals matching perfectly. Even the talk over (And I am not frightened of dying, any time will do, I Don't mind. Why should I be frightened of ...etc) is there, Dick Parry's Sax giving top performance. And what about The Great Gig in the Sky. Clare Torry did her bit on the album in one take, and it still gives my goose bumps. Using Sam Brown, Durga McBroom and Claudia Fontaine to perform the song gave it that differnce it needed, one singer couldn't match Clare's output - it had to have a style of its own, and it succeeds. Disc one contains a make up of other classics, from Division Bell, The Wall, Wish you were here etc. Every one of them is an oustanding production, no flaws. Purchase this DVD, set the TV up to play it LOUD, settle back in your comfy chair, glass of wine (or whatever is your fancy), bowl of crisps etc at hand, and ENJOY. This is the only time you'll see such performance again (granted, no Waters present).

The dvd is actually quite excellent. The sound quality is superb and anone who's said otherwise is probably not running it through a suitable surround sound system. I had the original BBC programme recorded since it was aired and it's blatantly obvious that this is a completely re-edited version of the concert, with footage probably taken from other nights and the sound is 100 times more impressive than the concert shown on the TV. One of the other reviewers mentions the replacing of a Gilmour guitar solo with one from the CD to make it sound correct. This isn't the case either. What they've actually done is replace it with one from another night, In fact, the majority of the solo's are different to the original BBC airing. Any worries about the surround sound can be put to rest, as the sound on disc one is as good as as disc two and if your speakers are positioned correctly then this will become very apparent. And i'm using the original 448kbps at the moment. God knows how good it is using 640kbps! I'm certainly going to try it cos the xbox 360 i'm playing it on will support 640kbps. Anyone reading reviews by other people on this page should probably make their own mind up. I believe the sound to be excellent. It's powerful and rich , with all the elements nicely balanced. I'm beginning to wonder how other people are listening to this dvd...I mean, it IS a concert...It's not going to sound like a CD! Although the mix of some of the songs actually sounds better to me than the original recording. All in all worth the wait and if you (like me) will probably never get a chance to see these guys live, just sit back and watch one of the greatest guitarists this country has ever produced play Comfortably Numb.

So, jetzt liegt die DVD endlich in meinen Händen, nachdem sie im Dezember letzten Jahres auf dieses Jahr verschoben wurde; sie sollte erst im Oktober geliefert werden, bis ich letzte Woche überraschend von Amazon per Email über die Lieferung informiert wurde. Ich wollte es zuerst nicht glauben, da es jahrelang schon verschiedene Gerüchte und zuletzte ständig Verschiebungen gegeben hat, aber einen Tag später traf die DVD dann auch ein. Und erst jetzt darf man meiner Meinung nach eine Rezension abgeben! Alles was vor dem Veröffentlichungsdatum, dem 7. Juli 2006, geschrieben wurde, war reine Spekulation! Doch nun zur DVD: Das das Konzert einmalig war, steht außer Frage - leider habe ich es selbst nicht live gesehen, aber die CDs und das damalige Video war schon sehr beeindruckend. Ich will hier auch gar nicht weiter auf das Konzert eingehen, da jeder Fan von Pink Floyd die CD sowieso kennt und eventuell auch das Video. Wegen des umfangreichen Bonusmaterials gibt es 2 DVDs, man hätte eventuell das Konzert komplett auf einer DVD unterbringen können, und die Boni auf einer zweiten. So ist es eben wie bei der CD, was auch nicht schlecht ist, denn die zum Liveteil gehörenden Features sind auf der gleichen DVD (s.u.). Der Film selbst kommt manchmal ein bischen krisselig und in dunklen Teilen etwas verrauscht, aber immerhin handelt es sich um eine 12 Jahre alte Aufnahme. Gegenüber dem Video ist die Qualität erheblich besser; gerade bei dunklen Szenen, in denen nur blaue und rote Lichter zu sehen sind, war das Videoband hoffnungslos überfordert. Manch einen könnte es stören, dass das Videoformat 4:3 ist, aber beim damaligen Mitschnitt wurde an 16:9 entweder nicht gedacht, oder die Videotechnik gab es noch nicht. Das stört mich mit meinem alten Fernseher weniger. Der Ton kommt sehr gut rüber. Als Alternative zum DD 5.1 gibt es (außer natürlich Stereo) noch einen erweiterten DD 5.1-Modus mit 640kbps statt mit regulären 448kbps, aber sowohl mein DVD-Player, als auch PowerDVD 6 auf dem PC können das nicht abspielen, nur das Standard-Format funktioniert. Warum statt diesem DD-Format mit höherer Bitrate kein DTS verwendet wurde, ist mir ein Rätsel. Trotzdem ist der Ton umwerfend, und ehrlich gesagt habe ich bisher kaum einen Unterschied zwischen DTS und DD gehört, bis auf die Tatsache, dass DTS einfach oft lauter abgemischt ist. Die zusätzlichen Features machen die DVD erst so richtig interessant. Auf beiden DVDs finden sich die "Screen Films". Hier handelt es sich um die Filme, die während der Show auf die runde Projektionswand geworfen wurden. Das ist eine Spitzenidee, denn schon oft wollte ich mir diese Filme mal genauer ansehen. Leider wird hier nicht das bei DVDs mögliche Verfahren eingesetzt, den Bildwinkel zu ändern, dann hätte man während der Show auf den Screen Film schalten können. Möglicherweise wäre das wegen technischer Limitationen der DVD nicht gegangen. Nett sind auch die "Bootlegging the Bootleggers": hier werden 5 offenbare Bootlegs gezeigt, die bei Konzerten von Fans mitgeschnitten wurden. Hier darf man natürlich keine große Video- und Soundqualität erwarten, aber nett ist das allemal. Abgerundet wird das noch durch die Videos "Learning to Fly" und "Take It Back", eine TV-Werbung für Pulse, Bildergalerien, Plattencovern etc. Alles in allem ein sehr schönes Set, wobei schon beim Einlegen positiv auffällt, dass man ohne Umschweife gleich nach einem sehr kurzen Intro im Menü landet, ohne sich Werbung, Hinweise auf Kopierverbote usw. ansehen zu müssen. Daher meine Bewertung mit 5 Sternen, und eine unbedingte Kaufempfehlung für alle Fans. Hier gibt es nichts zu bereuen. Und hoffentlich gibt es irgendwann mal "Delicate Sound Of Thunder" als DVD.

Perfetto!!! 5 stelle sia per il venditore che per il concerto fantastico!

"THE" Floyd! Que dire de plus... Magique, exceptionnel, toujours aussi envoûtant, toujours aussi parfait sur scène, le Floyd quoi ! Ca se passe de tout commentaire. Âgé de 57 ans et fan inconditionnel depuis toujours, Pink Floyd reste, et restera pour moi, le plus grand groupe de rock progressif/psychédélique de tous les temps. Musicien, mélomane, j'ai pourtant écouté à peu près tout ce qui se fait je pense. Beaucoup sont bons, très bons, voire excellents; certains les frôlent, mais aucun à mon sens ne les égale. De la création à l'interprétation. Du génie musical à l'état pur! Merci Messieurs et hommage à Syd et Rick😪

Há anos que tento encontrar esse DVD. Consegui. Nota 10. Comprem imediatamente.

Package arrived on time and was in excellent condition. I've watched it and really enjoyed revisiting the concert I saw in Indianapolis, IN in the early nineties before Pink Floyd took the concert to England. Thank you, Susan