T.A.M.I. Show: Collector's Edition

Unavailable since its original theatrical release, the first genuine rock 'n' roll concert film finally makes it debut on DVD in a nicely restored edition. Hosted by Jan and Dean and featuring Chuck Berry, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Lesley Gore, the Beach Boys, the Supremes, James Brown, and the Rolling Stones, T.A.M.I. Show offers a veritable who's who of 1964 rock, soul, and pop acts performing before a live audience of Los Angeles teens. Lesley Gore (singing “It's My Party” and “You Don't Own Me”) was the reigning queen of the charts when the show was filmed in October of that year, but it's Marvin Gaye, the young Stones, and especially James Brown (performing several hits, including “Out of Sight”) who rock this concert with their sizzling performances. The filmmaking is basic but focused, with the go-go dancers who shake and shimmy on scaffolding around the stage remaining in the background while the musicians reign front and center. This landmark concert film is a major piece of pop culture history (added to the Library of Congress' National Film Registry in 2006), and it appears here in a spiffy widescreen version with remastered video and audio. Presented in Dolby Digital stereo, DVD extras include audio commentary by director Steve Binder. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Axmaker)