The Case
There is very little to say about this release, but I offer you the nine
things you need to know.
1. VCI Entertainment is offering up DVD called The Sights and Sounds of
Christmas Classic Holiday Sing-Along. The DVD offers familiar Christmas
songs with a variety of holiday-themed still images as visual accompaniment.
2. The lyrics to each song are printed on the screen, and a bouncing ball
invites us to sing along.
3. The following songs are included on the
disc:
"We Wish You a Merry Christmas"—Kennard Ramsey
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"—The London Symphony Orchestra
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"—Pat Boone
"O
Christmas Tree"—The London Symphony Orchestra
"O Come All
Ye Faithful"—The London Symphony Orchestra
"Jolly Old St.
Nicolas"—Kennard Ramsey
"Have Yourself a Merry Little
Christmas"—Bob Krogstad
"Joy to the World"—Eric
Rogers Chorale
"White Christmas"—Bing Crosby
"Deck the Halls"—The London Symphony Orchestra
"Winter Wonderland"—Connie Francis
"Santa Claus is
Coming to Town"—Kennard Ramsey
"What Child is This?
(Greensleeves)"—The London Symphony Orchestra
"Silent
Night"—Bob Krogstad
"Away in a Manger"—The
London Symphony Orchestra
"The First Noel"—The London
Symphony Orchestra
"Sleigh Ride"—Kennard Ramsey
"The Christmas Song"—Nat King Cole
4. The very traditional selection of music provides pleasant listening. The
"visual aid" adds next to nothing.
5. Two vintage Christmas
shorts are considerably more interesting than the main program. First up is the
cheesy "Three Wise Boys" (30 minutes), a black and white short film in
which a few kids experience the joys of Christmas. We're also given "The
Music Album" (9 minutes), another B&W short featuring a choir singing
religious carols. The sound is horrible on this second short, but at least we
have a moving image.
6. If you desperately need a DVD to play in the
background at Christmas, this will do the trick. However, no one is actually
going to sit down and watch this thing. Well, except folks such as myself and
Judge Brett Cullum, because that's our job.
7. This DVD has nothing to do
with my DVD Verdict Presents podcast, "The Sounds and Sights of
Cinema," which I am now shamelessly pimping. It features lots of music and
no bouncing balls. Give it a listen sometime.
8. Transfer: Mediocre. It
doesn't matter, really…but there are some flecks and scratches. Audio:
Adequate; roughly the same as listening to a CD.
9. The DVD is kind of
guilty. It works as a stocking stuffer, but only if you need to fill the
exceptionally big stocking of a person you aren't all that crazy about.
Give us your feedback!
Did we give The Sights And Sounds Of Christmas: Classic Holiday Sing-Along a fair trial? yes / no
What's "fair"? Whether positive or negative, our reviews should be unbiased, informative, and critique the material on its own merits.
