The Shadows: The Final Tour Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

The Shadows: The Final Tour Blu-ray Movie Review

Before they became the UK’s superband, The Shadows were Cliff Richard’s band. They were also called The Drifters. In the early 60s, they decided to go solo, and even though occasionally they still performed with Richard, The Shadows already had a sound and image of their own.

During the years the band’s line-up changed more than a few times. In fact, none of the original members of The Drifters were in the band when they became The Shadows. The guys that I always considered to be the heart and soul of The Shadows, however, were Hank Marvin (Guitar), Brian Bennett (Drums) and Bruce Welch (Guitar).

The Shadows: The Final Tour captures the band during their stop at Cardiff International Arena on June 5, 2004 performing in front of a sold-out crowd of fans. The Shadows performed a number of their greatest hits, including “The Savage”, “Wonderful Land”, “Apache”, “Riders in the Sky”, “Geronimo”, “36-24-36”, “Kon-Tiki”, etc. The program also includes the “Theme From The Deer Hunter”, the famous “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina”, and even a lovely cover of French electronica guru Jean Michel Jarre’s classic tune “Equinoxe V”.

Technically, The Shadows: The Final Tour isn’t a show that will impress those who are used to big arenas, mind-boggling pyrotechnics, and deafening sound. It is a fairly modest show - a simple stage and lighting and lovely sound. The guys on the stage are not there to look impressive either; they are simply enjoying each other’s company and playing the music they love in front of their fans.

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The Shadows: The Final Tour Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080i "live" transfer, The Shadows: The Final Tour arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Eagle Rock Entertainment.

Filmed at the Cardiff Indoor Arena in 2004, The Shadows: The Final Tour looks good on Blu-ray. Generally speaking, detail is strong, clarity pleasing and contrast levels consistent. Some mild motion-judder is occasionally easy to spot, but I was certainly not bothered by it. The stage lighting is simple but elegant; it is easy to see every member of the band and there are absolutely no shadow issues whatsoever. The camerawork is effective, providing one with multiple views of the stage and the audience in the venue. There is some very mild background noise that I noticed during a few close-ups but, again, I thought that it was extremely easy to tolerate. For the record, I did not see any transfer-specific anomalies to report in this review. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).

The Shadows: The Final Tour Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are three audio tracks on this Blu-Ray disc: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and LPCM 2.0. I opted for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and later on did a few random comparisons with the other two tracks for the purpose of this review.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is pleasing. The sound is rich and well rounded, and the balance between the music and the singing very good. This being said, it is fairly easy to tell that The Shadows are performing in a very large venue as occasionally the professional in me could hear a light echo effect during the guitar solos that overlapped the singing, as well as some of the sound fading out. Dynamically, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track does not disappoint - it is rich and pleasingly nuanced.

I tested a couple of songs with the Dolby Digital 5.1 track. While I did not notice any balance issues, dynamically this really is a very weak track. Many of the guitar solos, for instance, feel distant (The Deer Hunter) or just flat.

Typically, I am open to experimenting with the LPCM tracks that appear on these types of music release, but similar to the Dolby Digital 5.1 track, I found the LPCM track to be underwhelming. The few songs that I tested with it sounded very anemic.

The Shadows: The Final Tour Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Interview - a very long interview with Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch and Brian Bennett in which they discuss their friendship, their careers, what it was like working with Cliff Richard, etc. There is a short segment with Brian May from Queen as well. In English, with optional English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch and Portuguese subtitled. (46 min, 480/60i).

The Shadows: The Final Tour Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I believe that The Shadows: The Final Tour does not need a detailed description to entice serious music fans to consider adding it to their collections. After all, The Shadows are one of the greatest British bands ever, true legends who have inspired other legendary singers and performers. Kudos to Eagle Rock Entertainment for stepping up yet again, and giving us the opportunity to experience The Shadows and their hits on Blu-ray. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.