The best parts belong mainly to Richard Wright, who offered a very interesting look at the music itself, and his composition process. Furthermore, he gave wonderful demonstrations of parts of "Breathe", "The Great Gig in the Sky", and "Us and Them". Even though some may notice that he can have a slightly tentative interview style at times, this does not diminish in any way what he is saying--in fact, he is actually the most engaging narrator of the four. His piano demos, especially the one for "Us and Them" are moving, to say the least (I do wish he'd sung, because he really does have a beautiful voice, but that's all right--his playing was truly graceful). One very nice thing about the way the demos are done in this DVD is that they are often blended in and out of the original recordings. Quite frankly it amazes me that Richard Wright and David Gilmour are able to play demonstrations that have an original twist to them--and yet they can be successfully be blended to the originals.

I will admit that there were a few sections that grated on my nerves, and the culprit was usually Roger Waters. Once in MOJO Magazine, Nick Mason said that the bassist made the most "dreadful demos", and his attempt at "Money" was a strain to listen to, to say the least...I probably will return to that bit as infrequently as possible! On my first listening I also found that Mr. Waters went on a bit much, and I didn't really have the patience to want to listen to it, as I thought the musical aspects were by far the more unique and interesting feature of this DVD. The thematic aspects have been discussed numerous times in interviews.

Finally, I'd like to add that some customers' failure to read the description of the DVD and understand in advance what one is purchasing is no excuse for a poor rating. Such a rating says nothing about the quality of the DVD as what it is intended to be--a documentary, not a live concert or anything else. Please, before you buy this, KNOW what you are purchasing! But if you are interested in a documentary about The Dark Side of the Moon, I think you will be very satisfied.


The Dark Side of Human Nature and the Making of a Classic...   January 11, 2005
J. Brittman (Long Island, New York)
46 out of 50 found this review helpful

After watching this documentary on the making of the Dark Side of the Moon, one question kept popping into my mind: Why can't these two legendary musicians (Waters & Gilmour) put aside their differences and reconcile? It has been over 20 years since the bitter split of Pink Floyd, yet we, the fans are left with little to no hope of ever seeing this band reform and play their classic music just one last time. Alas, I digress, the DVD itself is a fascinating look into the making of the Dark Side of the Moon album, track by track. All four members are featured in extended interviews giving their memories of making what would become one of (if not THE) greatest rock albums ever recorded. Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright look like old men, wait a minute, they ARE old men; nevertheless it is shocking to see the then and now pictures of the band. Roger Waters has some very lucid memories concerning the meaning of his lyrics for Time, Brain Damage and Money. David Gilmour not only speaks of the recording and mixing of the album, but he also plugs in and plays some classic Dark Side tunes. Richard Wright, as well, plays some of The Great Gig in the Sky and Us and Them while opining about how he discovered the chord progressions that would become history. Nick Mason is scattered throughout the film but certainly states that this was the best that the band had ever gotten along. Was this the creative apex of Pink Floyd? It certainly was the most democratically made Pink Floyd album with all four members getting their ideas through, as opposed to the later years (The Wall and The Final Cut) where Waters basically ran the show. Some other points of interest include an extended interview with Alan Parsons who was the session engineer and mixed the album almost perfectly. Throughout the film, Waters speaks of the duality of man and of empathy and how the world is sorely lacking it today. Mr. Waters, why can't you show some empathy for your former band mates and legions of fans around the world and put the Floyd to bed properly? Highly Recommended to any classic rock fan, but an absolute must for Pink Floyd diehards.


Unauthorised Interview Compilation   March 31, 2000
Phil Snyder (Buffalo, NY)
37 out of 40 found this review helpful

This 55 minute documentary was produced without consent of the band, its management, or thier record company. Because of this, it is ALL interview and contains no background music nor live clips (contractual reasons I assume).

The bulk of this tape is comprised of large chunks of a wonderful documentary (Omnibus, BBC) aired in November of 1994. The other bits and pieces are of varying quality and DO give this tape more of a bootleg feel.

Bottom line: if you're a Floyd fan you'll find something of interest here and there, but if you can, track down the Omnibus special. It's widely available in most bootleg circles and is FAR superior to this tape.


A great look back at a masterpiece   September 2, 2003
20 out of 21 found this review helpful

Being that Dark Side Of The Moon is my favorite album of all time, I was very excited to hear about the release of this DVD. I absolutely love it. This DVD tells the story of Dark Side of The Moon from it's creation, to it's aftermath with live performances, acoustic performances, early demos, music videos, rehearsal tapes, individual tracks from Alan Parsons mixing board(very cool), and in depth interviews with band members. My only complaint is that they did not even mention one of my favorite instrumental tracks from the album entitled "Any Colour You Like". Why it was forgotten in the DVD baffles me.

The sound mix is not in 5.1, but it's one of the best stereo mixes i've ever heard. Hearing Roger Waters explain what the song "Time" is about then hearing David Gilmores' amazing guitar solo was worth the money alone. Thank you Pink Floyd for releasing this DVD and making an album that changed my life! Don't hesitate, buy it now!