The Very Best of Adam & the Ants: Stand and Deliver (2007)

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Media Type: DVD
Artist: ADAM & THE ANTS
Title: STAND & DELIVER
Street Release Date: 12/12/2006
Import
Genre: MUSIC VIDEO (CONCERT/PERFORMANCE) Product Description

Adam Delivers on 2-Disc Set!

First of all, let me say that these discs played fine in my all-region DVD player. I know some people are complaining that they can only view it in ther computers but I think maybe they don't have all-region players. They are very cheap now; I think mine cost $39.

Anyway, on to Adam! It's great to have all the videos together. ."Xerox" is a nice bonus. I know there are a few early vids I've seen on youtube that aren't here ("Plastic Surgery" for example), but who's complaining? The picture quality is mostly good. A few of the videos, like "Stand & Deliver" don't seem to be top-notch image quality for some reason. They don't look like they are direct transfers from the original master, but rather from a copy. I have a VHS copy of "Antics in the Forbidden Zone" and "Stand & Deliver" looks more high quality on that. Or maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me. But anyway, it's not very noticeable.

It's interesintg to wach Adam's progress from the early vids to the latest ones. He is definitely punkier than people generally remember him in some of the early ones like the live "Your'e So Physical". There is a great TV lip-synch performance of "Dog Eat Dog"--It's very good! (Although "Antics" had an equally killer live video for this song). This one is kind of interesting since in the documentary they say the video is from the band's first UK television appearance. Adam belies his seemingly calm exterior when he experiences two minor (but funny) prop/costume malfunctions; first he draws out his pointing stick like a sword and it gets stuck in the mic stand, then seconds later one of the scarves pinned to his jacket flaps across his face, obscuring it for a moment. Adam looks like he is either pissed or about to laugh, and you can see him break character for just a second. I love moments like this!

"Xerox" is probably the least-seen of the videos on this collection--it features a younger, femmier Adam from the "Dirk Wears White Socks" era, in makeup dancing and bouncing in front of some neon lights.This is a no-budget video most likely produced and made by Adam himself with a pal. There's no editing at all--just one long shot wherein the camera tries to create movement by zooming in and out. Talk about DIY--but you've got to start somewhere, right? It's a nice bonus even though it's cheap and unimaginative compared to the clips that follow.

"Antmusic", in my opinion, is the one clip that manages to best balance image & content, with Adam the Glam Jim-Morrison converting the skeptics on the dancefloor and cockily telling everyone to "unplug the jukebox and do us all a favor! THAT music's lost it's taste so do us all a favor....Antumusic!"

Kings of the Wild Frontier has a very home-made look to it but it goes perfectly with the rawness of the recording. Stand & Deliver is probably the one people remember the best, with Adam the dandy highwayman in his pirate garb jumping out of trees, robbing people, transfixed by his reflection in mirrors, crashing through plate glass windows and nearly being hung at the end--it's great fun, although it almost has the feel of Saturday morning TV.

Even more so is "Prince Charming" (which has another hilarious wardrobe malfunction--watch for the pink drag queen losing her headdress in the final wide shot of everyone at the ball dancing the "Prince Charming" with Adam in center),. Still, it's cute and fun--with Adam as Cinderella (Cinderfella?) and Diana Dors as the fairy godmother that turns his stuffed cat into a live leapord, puts him in his fancy duds with a wave of her magic wand, and then makes a convertible materialize so Adam can take himself to the ball and dance the Prince Charming! (Adam's reactions to the clothes & the car are priceless!) This video would be considered hopelessly goofy if it were made today--but that's partly what gives it it's charm. Videos were new then and artists were experimenting with the medium, playing at being television and film stars.

Adam's music has always focused on storytelling and comic strip-sensibilities. I don't hold it against him as an artist that these videos seem like they were made with kids in mind. Why not? After all, the main consumers of pop music are people ranging from little children to adolescents. What's wrong with aiming a product at them? Adam never pretended to be Bob Dylan. In his own words, he's a "song and dance man", an entertainer. I actually pefer his music & videos to many "greater" musicians who are consumed with their own importance.

Anyway, in a world that's noticibly grimmer than when these videos were conceived and made, it's comforting and nostalgic to go back to the innocence of them now. Desperate But Not Serious, Goody Two Shoes, Apollo 9, Vive Le Rock, and Wonderful all entertain these many years later, the latter being a surprisingly direct & emotional song for Adam, who usually is separated from the passion of his own protagonists by many degrees of irony. This one is movingly raw and simple. I would almost say it's the first song that he seems to have written for adult listeners.

The second disc is a documentary on Adam along the lines of A&E Biography or Behind the Music. Adam is interviewed and appears somewhat catatonic with a bandana covering his head (did he lose his hair?) It's fascinating and sad to see him tour his old home "Luxe", which he had custom built for himself from an old country home in 1985. He shows the viewers his old costumes from the Ant days and seems wistful & slightly sad doing it. He comes off as very fragile, very intelligent. Multi-talented too-- his storyboards for his videos are quite good,; their whimsicality tells more about Adam's sense of humor & imagination than anything he says in his otherwise rather stilted interview. If you liked his music the first time around, or if you like the early eighties in general, you will most likely be entertained by this well-made set. Adam was one of the best pop-rockers of the early eighties and inspite of his gimmickry I find his music & videos still captivating today. Let's hope Antproduct keeps coming! June 2, 2007

Adam & The Cants.

I've loved A&A videos since (t)he(y) first appeared on MTV back in the early 1980's. With their rock-a-billy / punkish sound and Adam's charisma, they were perfect for the video format. I would have gave this DVD package a resounding 5 Stars!!! (USA BUYER BEWARE WARNING!!) Unfortunately, I had the same problem as one of the earlier reviewers had: IT WON'T PLAY ON MY DVD PLAYER! How lame is that!? It's 2007, I own a $1000 Surround Sound Theater System and it is NOT compatible to play / view? This sucks BIG TIME! So, off it goes...back to Amazon for a refund until A&A can STAND AND DELIVER a U.S. region DVD set that I can play on my system. What a shame and waste of my time. But I still love the music! May 18, 2007

Stand and Delivered

It is absolutely brilliant. It brought back many memories from those days in the eighties. The Clubs, dancing, dress, his concerts. A truly great performer, who made you feel like you were the only person there in the building, and he was just singing to you. The documentary was a little sad, to see this creative person look so frail, but also inspiring that there may be another shot of Ant Music to come. Totally worth it

Katherine (Aust) May 18, 2007

the best nostalgic collecion of the best performer of the 80'

he is probably the most fabulous artist that now how to create many great songs, and in the same time take care on his unique performing.
this dvd is an ant-hill for adam's admirer.
dont miss it ! May 12, 2007

Fantastic Span

I loved the DVD set. The only thing wrong with the set is, it will not play in a regular DVD player. You have to use a computer to view both disc. Other than that, it's a fantastic timeline through videos and documentry. I can't wait to receive my copy of his book. May 6, 2007

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