Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26160 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-10-16
• Rating: Exempt
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Live, PAL
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: German, French, Spanish, Italian, Danish, Dutch, Norwegian
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 64 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Few early rockers were more gifted or less honoured in their prime than the late Roy Orbison, whose vaulting tenor and vulnerable love songs conjured heartbreak and desire with operatic intensity. This 1987 concert special came two decades after Orbison had retreated from pop's front lines, yet neither Orbison nor his music coasts on mere nostalgia: in every respect, A Black and White Night survives as a triumphant performance and a superb video production, as well as a first-rate retrospective of Orbison's hits.

Filmed in black and white against the streamlined art deco stage of the since-demolished Coconut Grove in downtown Los Angeles, the concert is buoyed by a remarkable cast of A-list Orbison fans who signed on as his accompanists. Under the direction of producer T-Bone Burnett, the stage band thus includes Jackson Browne, Burnett, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits and Jennifer Warnes, along with the rhythm section from Elvis Presley's fabled late 60s and early 70s touring band. That astonishing line-up is all the more noteworthy for the restraint with which they collaborate--it's evident that those superstars came to honour Orbison, not upstage him, resulting in a gratifying cohesion to the performances.

Orbison himself sounds as powerful as ever, his soaring falsetto cresting as dramatically as it did on the studio versions of the hits that inevitably dominate. Those songs meanwhile confirm that his blue-chip admiration society came as much for the calibre of his writing as for his ravishing voice: if he remains best known for the jaunty come-on of "Pretty Woman", Orbison was first and foremost a rock balladeer, capable of bringing lumps to our throats with such classics as "Crying" and "Only the Lonely", or conjuring romantic trances through such gentle charmers as "Dream Baby". On this night, he handled all of them with fervour and finesse. --Sam Sutherland, Amazon.com

DVD Description
1.Only the Lonely 2. Dream Baby 3. Blue Bayou 4. The Comedians 5. Ooby Dooby 6. Leah 7. Running Scared 8. Uptown 9. In Dreams 10. Crying 11. Candyman 12. Go, Go, Go 13. Mean Woman Blues 14. Dream You 15. Claudette 16. It’s Over 17. Oh Pretty Woman

Synopsis
Filmed at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles, September 1987. Roy Orbison appears with many of his friends, including Elvis Costello and Bruce Springsteen. Tracklisting: 'Only The Lonely', 'Dream Baby', 'Blue Bayou', 'The Comedians', 'Ooby Dooby', 'Leah', 'Running Scared', 'Uptown', 'In Dreams', 'Crying', 'Candyman', 'Go, Go, Go', 'Mean Woman Blues', 'Dream You', 'Claudette', 'It's Over' and 'Oh Pretty Woman'.

Customer Reviews

ESSENTIAL TO YOUR MUSIC COLLECTION
Growing up in the 60's, I fell in love with the Roy Orbison voice and was lucky enough to see him live when he toured Australia.My appreciation has never waned although I have taken an eclectic musical journey since the 70's but ROY has always been a constant in my life which was rekindled in the 80's with the Wilbury's.The bonus with the dvd is that Blue Bayou and Claudette are included.

The songs are timeless and it's interesting to see the fresh faces of Tom Waits, KD Lang, Elvis Costello and the rest of the All Star Backing band. The Disc isn't available Downunder and is a must if you are a Roy fan. I am Glad that I now have a copy of the disc.

Buy it........you will not be disappointed.
Roy Orbison and Friends: Black and White Night. This TV special was recorded in 1987 at the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles with very little rehearsal (though you'd never know). It was a tremendous year for Roy, his career was taking off again and he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In 1988 he became a member of the Travelling Wilburys alongside Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and George Harrison. In December 88 Roy suffered a massive heart attack and died thus robbing the world of a formidable talent.
With the man himself no longer around this DVD is all the more special and an absolute 'must have' for anyone's music collection. The event itself sees Roy on stage performing all his biggest hits with a veritable galaxy of stars as his backing group. Those stars include: Tom Waits, kd lang, Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, JD Souther, Jennifer Warnes, Bruce Springsteen and more. The complete joy that exudes from the stage to the star studded audience is almost tangible to the viewer as Roy reels off hit after hit without pause. There are 17 tracks in all which include In Dreams, Only The Lonely, Oh Pretty Woman, Crying and Blue Bayou.
You cannot help but admire the range of Roy's voice as he sings his way effortlessly through such favourites. He has the audience spellbound and his colleagues in awe, taking them from the delight of good old rock 'n'roll to the tearful tragedy and back again. There is very little footage of Roy Orbison performing live making this a truly one off performance for music lovers of all ages and preferences. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending it. Buy it...you will not be disappointed.

What a night
Roy Orbison's widow Barbara has put a lot of thought and effort into packaging compilations of his work and there is a wide selection available now, so you may want to visit his official website and conduct some research before deciding what to buy. If you want to own, or rent, just one Orbison DVD, I think it would have to be "Roy Orbison Greatest Hits", which is nothing short of phenomenal. It includes a couple of scenes from Black and White Night, which will likely make you want to see the whole of this DVD.

The night in question was in the autumn of 1987, in the Coconut Grove of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. This in itself makes the recording historic, for the hotel (most famous for being where Robert Kennedy was shot) closed soon afterwards and is now threatened with demolition. It's an Art Deco masterpiece that has often been used in films so you will have seen it many times without realizing it. But back to the music...one reason it is so good is that such an amazing array of talent is willing to relegate themselves to being backing artists for the star they have come to honour. Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello and others. The great James Burton lends his guitar skills to the mix and does as much as anyone to make this an unforgettable performance.

This is a first-rate, classic recording, sales of which proved to be the biggest ever fund raiser for PBS (Public Service) television in the US. It is a slice of rock history that no serious fan should miss.