Search - Depeche Mode - 101 on DVD

Still no complete 101 concert

J. Hardy IV | 10/08/2003

(2 out of 5 stars)

"The content of this DVD has been subject of heated discussions since it was pre-announced. First of all, there is of course the old 101 film by DA Pennebaker. I can't really recommend it to anyone interested in the music of DM, as it's a kind of MTV style documentary with some song clippings thrown in. The film is rather unpopular with many DM fans as well, since Pennebaker (who said that he had not known the band in the first place) choose to create a freakshow of intoxicated fan imposers and embarrassing band statements. Don't expect to watch this twice. With most of the VHS backcatalogue still unavailable on DVD, one wonders why the record company did choose this film instead of Devotional Live or Live in Hamburg.The second DVD contains a lot of bonus tracks that look good on the cover but disappoint bitterly. Many fans had hoped for a complete live concert, instead we got an old TV production created from some considerably shortened songs. Mute says that the concert was not filmed in its entirety, and looking at 101 I half believe that Pennebaker messed that up as well, but I suspect they just wanted a cheap cash cow and recycled the already released material. The only new material are interviews with some of the 'fans' from the film (I don't know how I survived without this) and the band, that is the three present members of the band, but not Alan Wilder, who gave the band the unique sound that made them superstars until he left in the 90s. (Edit: I have learned that he was asked but didn't want to participate.)All in all this is for only for those who buy anything with DM written on it to complete their collection. For the rest there is still the 101 2CD with the great music to enjoy.(Edit: And yes, I am a Depeche Mode fan, even though some other reviewers accuse me of spreading "Blasphemous Rumours". That's why I'm so sad that this DVD is rather neglecting and even mistreating the fine music of DM in favour of trivialities.
And I don't think that this reviews are meant as Who's the biggest fan-competitions, but to give some subjective but fact-based opinions for interested customers, helping them to make their own choice. )"

Good to have in your collection, however...

spooky | 05/24/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"i agree with everything positive that the other reviewers have wrote about this DVD. it's definitely a keeper... the only thing you may want to know and that i will point out is that the second disc is obviously not the whole 101 concert. it's more like highlights of the Music for the Masses tour. first of all, not all the concert footage was from the Pasadena show. you can tell that some songs were performed in a venue that's smaller and even is indoors. for those of you who have the 101 cd, you will notice not all of the songs on the cd are on DVD disc 2. furthermore, the songs that appear on DVD disc 2 have been edited, so you don't hear or see the full versions. i'm not bashing this DVD in any way, but you should keep this in mind when purchasing."

Nostalgia for the Masses

J. Hardy IV | Snohomish, WA United States | 11/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My 101'st review is for 101. It was great seeing the boys again, transported back in time to perhaps the pinnacle of their bourgeoning careers. Only recently coming to DVD, 101 follows a group of 8 Depeche Mode fans across the country on bus after they won a promotional contest to participate. Ostensibly the first reality show, pre-dating MTV's insipid Real World series, we got to know a bit about the busmates against the backdrop of various shots of the band's performances as they made their way to their 101'st show at the Rose Bowl, CA in the summer of 1988. I graduated HS that year and Depeche Mode had been [and is] my favorite band since their Some Great Reward Album. It was fun nostalgia to be transported back to those days of halcyon youth. . The audio commentary from the band was entertaining, more so than the individual interviews on the second disc. I had a lot of favorites working in this movie, MftM is my favorite DM album, and we are once again reminded of the talent of Alan Wilder. It's interesting the little snippets that slip in about Alan [who declined to participate in the interviews or commentary], and about how Dave, who laughing states 'Look at Al, he's too cool for school' misses him. What would the output have been like beyond SoFAD if Alan had stayed. Ah well, at least out of the departure Recoil matured and bore fruit. Anyhow this was a feel good viewing, with lizard-like slicked back Fletch once more egging the fans on with his clapping technique. It gets added to the other DM DVDs in my collection, and I can highly recommend it for fans and newbies."

Can't Wait

J. Hardy IV | 10/31/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I won my copy of this on VHS back in 1989. (I wasn't even old enough to legally own it, I was 14, and 101 was granted a 15 certificate in my native England)... It's one of my most treasured items as it's fully autographed by all four DM members.But it's worn out from repeated viewing. So a DVD release is most welcome!I don't mind the fact that the show is incomplete, the press release from it's makers even claims that they don't even know where the missing songs are. I think the inclusion of an uninterrupted version of what concert footage they have on the second disc should be regarded as a bonus, and not a given. 101 is not, and was never meant to be a concert movie. It's a documentary. It captures the band in a moment. It captures their audience (albeit a concentrated snapshop) in a moment. And it's great."