Emerson, Lake & Palmer Album: “Pictures at an Exhibition [DVD]”

I've said it before, in previous reviews: the ELP camp consistently &^@!!?!!'s on its fan base. After all these years...the constant complaint about this concert has been the superimposed psychodelic and cartoon crap. I read once that a "clean" videotape copy exists, sans the obnoxious effects. I've hoped against hope that someday "they'll" get it right...apparently not. After all, these are the same people who blew it with the "Beyond the Beginning" DVD ( California Jam footage out of sync with the audio, while stereo audio from the one-time FM simulcast exists; a disjointed montage of concert clips, etc ).

Fortunately for me, another reviewer posted that the "bonus" concert is nothing other than the Masters of the Vaults footage, already out for a few years. That footage, too, hasn't been changed...more superimposed images, albeit not as blatantly obnoxious as the Lyceum debacle. Tell me again just where the incentive for buying this latest rip-off is?

If anybody from ELP's management happens to be reading this...I won't buy this concert until you get it right. NOBODY WANTS MARVEL COMIC BOOK CHARACTERS ON TOP OF THIS PERFORMANCE. If you STILL don't understand, back up and read this again. That means actually going to the trouble of doing some research,and tracking down that pristine copy...we'll wait. We'd rather you take your time, and GET IT RIGHT.

I never saw ELP live but I remember seeing the movie of Pictures (along with 'Woodstock' and 'Grave New World' - a fantastic triple bill) back in the early 70's. That was a good version. This version, with all the needless psychedelic add-ons is dreadful. There is a place for cartoons and psychedelia - for example, they were an integral, and I think valuable, part of The Old Grey Whistle Test - but here, they are totally distracting and disruptive. I cannot bear to watch this movie. (Of course, the music is good.)

As with many other commenters, I hope that at some time the real video is released.

DO NOT BUY! This is the worst video I have ever seen. Most of the best bits are COVERED over with someone showing off their immature psychedelic color washing or comic book pictures. If you want to SEE the musicians play, DO NOT GET this video. I should have listened to the one star comments! It seems that who ever added the junk to this concert hated ELP and didn't want you to see them. I wish my one star could be a negative 5.

In addition to the December 9, 1970 London Lyceum footage, this "Special Edition" includes a bonus feature consisting of most of the February 6, 1971 concert shot at Theater 140 in Brussels, Belgium as shown on Belgian TV's "Pop Shop" program.

Unfortunately, it's missing "The Barbarian," which is available on the

DVD, which is the entire "Pop Shop" film, but not as good video quality.

Note that the "Pictures... (Special Edition)" DVD lists separate tracks for "Interview" and "Blues Jam / Nutrocker," but they are included on "Masters from the Vaults" as well: the interview clips are after "The Barbarian" and the "Blues Jam..." is the encore after "Knife Edge."

By the way, "Knife Edge" and "Rondo" from this film are also included on the

DVD.

The music is great, and I expected a "live concert" atmosphere, but some dimwit(s) decided that the addition of sophomoric "psychelic effects" (often prolonged and always nauseating) were in order. I view concert DVD's as a substitute for spending the time and money on an actual concert, and this one is NOT a keeper. It's too bad, because I've always enjoyed ELP's rendition of this masterpiece. Fortunately, some of the "extras" included escaped this treatment and shed some insight on the budding careers of these three fine musicians. Keith Emerson was a bit over the top with some of his antics, but I could cope with that -- it was probably cool back then. If you can watch this with your eyes closed (kind of defeats the purpose of a DVD), you may be okay with it!!