Billy Live Blu-ray/DVD

[MsRF]

I've just had the chance to watch the whole thing, and I'm very impressed. Like Pat says, the lighting and even the clarity has been improved. It really does look good and is an excellent advert for seeing the show itself.

A couple of little things I'd noticed, some of which I love and some of which made me laugh - (it's like watching a normal show - there's always something to find!)

Solidarity: After the attitude promenade section, when Billy and the ballet girls skip to the back of the stage, in between the rows of policemen, the ginger policeman (I think the actor's name is Spencer?) accidentally catches Elliott's shoulder and bumps him sideways, knocking him off balance.

Angry Dance: This now has so many close-up shots of the tap shoes and I really love it. It shows how intricate the footwork is and that it's not just stamping around the stage in noisy shoes!

Born to Boogie: I noticed this time that it is Elliott that makes the 'w****r' sign at Mr Braithwaite and not the other way round as it usually is! Quite sly, but there nonetheless! I was however a bit disappointed that Billy's barani off the piano is shown in fairly close-up, rather than as a whole stage view, as I think it detracts slightly from how good the move is!

Dream Ballet: There is a beautiful shot that begins with Elliott, and Liam in the background, and the camera then sweeps all the way across the stage until it is behind Liam, with Elliott again in view in the background. I wonder if they (re)filmed some scenes afterwards in order to get these camera angles in one single shot? I'm not sure if there were any sliding rigs in the live show that could have given that kind of view seamlessly, without the camera flying around on wires in front of the audience?

Electricity: I really love the shot, when Elliott is doing his final pirouettes, that shows him from behind looking out into the audience. Again, I wonder if this was shot afterwards or if there was a surreptitious camera in the back of the stage. It is a view we as the audience never get to see and I really like it.

[Jamie.]

I absolutely loved the final edit although the thing that annoyed me most is at the beginning of Dream Ballet when the Swan Lake music starts, it's cut off for a few seconds by applause which didn't happen in the cinemas. When in the film Billy plays the Swan Lake music in Wilks' car, the music always gives me goosebumps right from the first note and I don't get that with the Live DVD

[Yorkie]

On the subject of missing lines it's a while since my last trip to the VPT but I notice that Big Davey doesn't say "waste not, want not" when eating breakfast in the DVD - is that line no longer in the show?

[OliverWaters]

I'm pretty sure the DVD didn't have the "cooomiiiinnnggg" when Billy's dad was calling him.

[porschesrule]

I received the following message from a non Forum member who asked me to post it here:

"You might live to post this information on the forum about the Billy
Live bluray:

I have tested the UK bluray release, and it plays in both Region A and
Region B equipment (I have a multi-region switchable player). I
therefore have every reason to believe it is a region free / multiregion
disc. All the footage plays at 24fps, so I can see no reason why it
should not play on bluray equipment in North America. Obviously though
if fans in North America do want to order the UK disc, they do so at
their own risk

The DVD is another matter. I haven't got the disc (as I only bought the
bluray) but I would expect it to play at 25fps (DVD doesn't support
24fps) and so will not play on North American equipment unless you have
equipment specifically designed to play 25fps material (you would know
if you do). Computers won't have any problems playing the 25fps
material. Additionally, the disc may also be region locked to Region 2."

Hopefully this is helpful to those in the US waiting to see if the UK versions released yesterday will work here in the US.

[Bridget40]

On the subject of missing lines it's a while since my last trip to the VPT but I notice that Big Davey doesn't say "waste not, want not" when eating breakfast in the DVD - is that line no longer in the show?

It is still in the show! Not sure why it's not on the DVD. Perhaps he just missed his line?

[kport]

I received the following message from a non Forum member who asked me to post it here:

"You might live to post this information on the forum about the Billy
Live bluray:

I have tested the UK bluray release, and it plays in both Region A and
Region B equipment (I have a multi-region switchable player). I
therefore have every reason to believe it is a region free / multiregion
disc. All the footage plays at 24fps, so I can see no reason why it
should not play on bluray equipment in North America. Obviously though
if fans in North America do want to order the UK disc, they do so at
their own risk

The DVD is another matter. I haven't got the disc (as I only bought the
bluray) but I would expect it to play at 25fps (DVD doesn't support
24fps) and so will not play on North American equipment unless you have
equipment specifically designed to play 25fps material (you would know
if you do). Computers won't have any problems playing the 25fps
material. Additionally, the disc may also be region locked to Region 2."

Hopefully this is helpful to those in the US waiting to see if the UK versions released yesterday will work here in the US.

I have the UK DVD here (in the UK). I played it through my Windows computer. It prompted me to change regions, which was no problem, and it played well. I played it through my hi-def tv (with an HDMI cable) and also with my ChromeCast. No issues whatsoever.

Not sure about the BluRay, but the DVD's quality is outstanding.

[Bridget40]

I was at the show the live broadcast was taken from, and there are a few things I noticed that were different on the DVD. I guess they must have taken bits from the earlier show they recorded, and just edited it in. On the day, during 'Born to Boogie' Elliot made a mistake with his skipping, but on the DVD it's perfect.

The edit is a different one from the cinema release, and much better. I wasn't sure if the recording of the show would work or not... I had my doubts, but it really is suberb.

[Yorkie]

I received the following message from a non Forum member who asked me to post it here:

"You might live to post this information on the forum about the Billy
Live bluray:

I have tested the UK bluray release, and it plays in both Region A and
Region B equipment (I have a multi-region switchable player). I
therefore have every reason to believe it is a region free / multiregion
disc.

Thanks for the confirmation - I suspected it was region free because otherwise there was no need to include subtitles for non region B countries. I would be very confident that your friend is right

The only difference for US audiences would be that the English subtitles ontthe UK version also includes descriptions (e.g. Audience chuckles) as well as the dialogue - I assume the US version would have subtitles or the captioning option

[Yorkie]

I was at the show the live broadcast was taken from, and there are a few things I noticed that were different on the DVD. I guess they must have taken bits from the earlier show they recorded, and just edited it in. On the day, during 'Born to Boogie' Elliot made a mistake with his skipping, but on the DVD it's perfect.

The edit is a different one from the cinema release, and much better. I wasn't sure if the recording of the show would work or not... I had my doubts, but it really is suberb.

Yes, I noticed the skipping too. Also in the live show 'George' flubbed one of his lines in the boxing scene & that has gone.

Still loving it second time through though