Re: Hammersmith release

[katefans@world.std.com (Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago)]

Vickie here.

In article <1990Dec29.180853.11710@cs.dal.ca> Love-Hounds@gaffa.MIT.EDU writes:
>Really-From: graham@ug.cs.dal.ca (Michael Graham)
>
>What would be the difference (if any) between the EMI video release and the
>one broadcast on nightflight?
>
>mike

No commercials! Better picture! No annoying announcer!

Rejoice!

Strangely eno{gh, not only did woj find a copy (it's a good thing
you didn't buy it), the day I found out about this video being
released, I bought a used copy of the PAL version for $12.00 at Reckless
Records. We don't have a PAL machine (yet!) but it will be nice to have
it when we get one. PAL is SO MUCH better than NTSC. We borrowed a PAL
machine one time and Chris hooked up a switcher to jump between two
machines, one showing the PAL version of the Hammersmith or The Single File
(a visiting Katefan had brought them with him) and one showing our NTSC
versions. The difference is so dramatic as to be absolutely breathtaking! 
We saw things we'd NEVER noticed before. Things like Kate's dirty feet 
from dancing barefoot all during the concert, the cracked lens on her
goggles during "Oh England My Lionheart", the magazine "the jester"
is reading (a Playboy-like magazine, if my menory serves me correctly.
We can't tell on our current NTSC copy), the tape marks on the floor 
showing the dancers their marks, the wires on Kate's back for her headset,
Kate's earrings, just to name a few. 
The videos were even more dramatic. North American viewers-have any of you
ever seen the fly buzzing Kate at the beginning of "Army Dreamers?" 
English viewers-I hope you really appreciate your TV system. Yes, you have
to pay for it, but you're getting something very special for your money.
Another example: we noticed something amazing when we were in England for
the Bushfest. We were in the Hostel watching Twin Peaks (a passion of ours)
and we very clearly saw that it's SNOWING during the opening sequence
at the beautiful waterfall. We'd seen that scene dozens of times and
had never noticed the snow before! Yet, we saw it immediately while watching
in England (on a mediocre television set, too) and we can see it now,
now that we know to look for it. Wow, I'd love to have PAL in America!

Anyway, I'm so happy about Hammersmith being re-released here, even if
it is on NTSC. Someone's been listening and on the ball, even if it's
only because EMI wants to cash in on Kate. I can't really believe that
they CARE about Kate, well, at least the record company didn't but I
have to admit that EMI *Video* treated Kate very well. They chose not to
release The Single File, but they did release Hammersmith and got it
fairly wide distribution. It was deleted quickly though, I bought two
copies for $11.00 during a "clearance sale" a few years ago.

If EMI Video is on the ball, I wonder if the record company end has
anything up their sleeve. They still own the rights to all the pre-Sensual
music. They very well could release their own box set or grant CBS
permission to use the music for a CBS box set. We shall see. Btw, I
don't know anything about a Laserdisc release. Nothing is said on the
flyer I have. I'll ask one of the buyers about the formats available.

This is all so exciting! Things, they are a-happening and it sure beats
those bad old days when Kate was completely obscure (in America anyway)
and no one cared. "Elderly Statespeople" huh Gregory? Hurrumph! I suppose
we (IED, Chris & I) are, but those old days were pretty darn strange.
It's nicer now that more people are aware of her and yet, there are so
many who have no clue. I feel sorry for them. The joy they're missing.
The fascination, the wonder, the awe, the beauty and the power they're
not experiencing. We're so lucky!

Thank Kate!

Vickie (one of "we wouldn't have met if not for Kate" Vickie'n'Chris)
katefans@world.std.com