Category: (DVD)
25 new, starting at $8.44
2 used, starting at $42.91
Studio: Infinity Resources Inc Release Date: 08/25/2009
Cass Elliot DVDReviewed by Theresa Giannini, 2010-02-06
My brother was thrilled with this DVD! It was a Christmas present and he loved it, the quality and info and it arrived on time and in great condition!
Mama ClassicReviewed by Peter Wills, 2009-12-13
What a fantastic trip down memory lane this DVD was. Mama Cass
remains one of the most
under rated performers of her generation. This special highlights
her beautiful voice, rapport
with a live audience and her own unique brand of comedy. There are
wonderful guest
spots from Mary Travers, Joni Mitchell and Buddy Hackett. Sure the
costumes are daggy,
the audience often prompted and the show is dated technically but
this is vintage television variety
at it's best. Cass Elliot rocks!
the mama cass television programReviewed by Terry L. Anderson, 2009-12-07
now here is a trip down memory lane for me that I continue to enjoy
often. I was lucky enough to see the Mamas and the papas concert in
1967 and was certainly captivated by cass and her standout voice
and witty humor.So when Her T.V. special aired in 1969 I made a
point to watch it,and was not disappointed.To be able to watch it
again forty years later on a excellent quality dvd really made my
day.OK, on to the show! Cass's guest star Buddy Hackett, helped
cass open the show with the type humor that sneaks up on you and
bites you.Mary Travers,Joni Mitchell, and Cass sang I Shall Be
Realeased with such beautiful harmony,it sticks in your mind long
after the show is over.Martin Landau,Barbra Bain,Buddy Hackett,and
cass put on some skits that were not only very funny,but made you
think a little bit.Cass and John Sebastion sang very good
together,even though there were a few glitches from Cass being
visibly nervous.My favorite solo performance by cass is I Can
dream, can't I .The emotion that cass could evoke through her voice
made this song more than believable. the bonus track with Sammy
Davis Jr. was hilarious, as well as entertainment at its best!To
sum it up, because Cass had such a notorious cheapskate producer
Chuck Barris,the show lacked quality editing and a too small studio
audience dressed in cookie-cutter hairstyles(not one longhair in
the group!) However, simply put,if you love the music,and the
presence of Cass elliot in your living room,den, or anywhere else,
get this dvd! Its like she's never left!
Time capsule, Cass revealedReviewed by John Ellis, 2009-11-02
The sets are dated, the costumes make Cass look like she's pregnant
with no bust (impossible), but the guests are stellar; "Meskite"
from "Cabaret" is neutered (the middle cut out of the song where
the heart was) and yet this is great stuff. Cass had a quality
something like Gilda Radner as a comedienne and she more than holds
her own in the 'cool' department with Joni Mitchell, Mary Travers
and particularly in the bonus clip with Sammy Davis Jr. (doing "I
Dig RnR Music", neatly subbing 'Ike and Tina Turner' for the "Mamas
and the Papas" in the lyrics). She sings a medley of Mamas and
Papas hits solo with a Raylettes-like trio behind her and nails
them.
This was obviously a test shot for a series (produced by the "Gong
Show's" Chuck Barris) and as Cass was anti-photogenic (she has no
good angle) all that charm and talent meant nothing. At least we've
got this. It's a very feminist piece of work too, in an
non-confrontational way. In terms of talent this outdoes the "Sonny
and Cher" show by miles but Cher was of course beautiful and
talented if not on Cass's level. No wonder she crash dieted and hit
Vegas. A real pity she's not still around, there was a lot more of
her than we ever saw. A valuable record of a very generous spirit.
Great outfits and costumes, but Cass seems nervousReviewed by Kevin Killian, 2009-10-28
Cass' TV variety pilot is great fun to watch, but in some ways also
painful.
When Cass and Buddy Hackett were together, the camera cuts in close
on the hands in her lap, and she seems like she's pulling her
fingers apart, out of nervousness I expect, though she keeps her
eyes on Hackett's. She seems like she must have been a wonderful
listener; when she listens to Mary Travers sing, or Joni Mitchell
play the guitar, she looks as if she is in awe. (Well, she had
displayed this lovely quality in the Monterey Pop movie, where the
camera catches her mouthing the word "Wow" like a mantra.) I never
liked Buddy Hackett, but he is excellent here, and don't fast
forward through his scenes, he has that sort of broken down Chaplin
appeal that people misguidedly ascribed to Jackie Gleason. Maybe it
was a little gauche of him to boast to Cass about how much weight
he's lost in recent years: does she look a little wounded, or
fatigued, during this part of their interchange?
Bizarre also to see Cass, Mary Travers and John Sebastian all in
the same show. Each had been a significant part of a great pop
group, but going solo is always fraught with peril, and you might
say that none of them were ever as good alone as they were when
they were in their groups. But you can see they each had style!
Joni seems too smart and eccentric for TV, doesn't she, though she
still thought of herself at least in part as an entertainer. She
and Cass share a sequined, hippie designer sense of style, while
Mary Tarvers, with her long blonde processed hair and her minidress
of blue zirconium, looks like Nico in the days of the Silver
Factory. Mary Travers' bangs were also copied from Nico. Goodness
knows Joni had bangs, but Mary's continue right past her eyelashes!
When it's her turn to sing she rises up from her chair as though "I
just gotta dance while I sing." Well, it's not reallty dancding but
it is really sixties and you got to love it.
Another unfortunate note, Mama Cass' backing band is brilliant and
soul-inflected and all that, but it's weird that they were called
"Hamfat." You know why.
