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 Review by: Gerard Iribe
AC/DC have always been entertainers, first and foremost. The boys always seem to be having a great time on, and off the stage. Having owned the previous No Bull standard dvd, in glorious 5.0 stereo surround, with the chopped to hell subtitles, I was one of the few within the AC/DC community eagerly awaiting the new remastered release.
The rock Gods have answered my prayers with AC/DC's famous romp through Spain, back in 1996, with a director's cut of No Bull. I'm just giddy with excitement that Columbia has really backed up the band with all the resources needed to put out a great product like this.
The Spanish crowd is one of the best crowds I have ever seen. They do not let up at all during the 2 hour show. You can feel the energy right through the television screen. It's undeniable. I started my very own pit in my living room.
Without further ado, pick up your bones, and load up your cannons, let's go to the presentation review portion of the program.
Movie Score: 10/10
Presentation
AC/DC hits Blu ray in remastered 1.85:1 from the original Super 16mm negative. Since the film was originally rushed for release back in the day, director David Mallet was not happy at all with the presentation.
It looks like Mr. Mallet went into the vault and got all of the rolls of film, and pretty much re-assembled it frame by painful frame. In watching the "new cut", the one thing that popped out was drummer Phil Rudd. I never cared for his drumming, he was just keeping time, as far as I was concerned. Now, he's actually hitting the skins with tremendous power. "Black in Black", "Shot Down In Flames", "Thunderstruck", and "For Those About To Rock" are the standout tracks on this disc.
Take note, the video does contain grain, some good, some bad, but in no way distracts the viewer from the show. It was just the limits of 1996 film technology.
Alright, but how's the sound, you ask? Let's just say that this release has the distinct pleasure of being one, if not the best sounding Blu ray (to date) in my collection. The studio went all out and provided a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (96KHZ/24-Bit) soundtrack. There's also a PCM (Uncompressed) Stereo (96KHZ/24-Bit) as well. I like the TrueHD one better.
The one thing that kept coming into mind was, "They're gonna remaster Akira the same way!" Yes, I'm shallow like that.
Well, what else is there to say, that hasn't already been said?
This disc is a Wal-Mart exclusive, meaning that you can only purchase it at their stores or through their website--and the band's website. It's worth every penny. This is the best music release (on Blu ray) of the year, in your humble guest reviewer's eyes.
Presentation Score: 10/10
Extras
The features are, for the most part, non-existent. You get two bonus tracks in SD quality from two stops off of the band's 1996 Ballbreaker Tour. They're okay, but not spectacular, because they were not tweaked to specs.
The "Hard as a Rock" video has been dropped altogether. There's an "Angus Cam" feature which let's you follow Angus Young all over the place, from different perspectives. Duh, that's why they call it an Angus Cam!
A special feature, at least in my eyes, is the main menu design. They've incorporated animation with live action footage of a very nubile young lady, *coughs* riding a mechanical bull in a really slow, slow fashion. It's pretty hot, and boy, have main menus come looooong way.
Extras Score: 2/10
In conclusion
In closing, YES, this disc is highly recommended, and is a testament to one of rock 'n roll's most treasured entertainers. I've got two words for you. TURN IT UP!
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