Plot: What’s it about?
The spoken word of Henry Rollins has arrived and if you’re a fan, then this double disc edition will be most welcome in your collection. The first disc contains Talking from the Box, in which Rollins speaks about all sorts of topics, from humorous ones to quite serious issues. Rollins is able to keep his audience locked on and as the show progresses, he seems to intensify that bond, very impressive indeed. I didn’t care much for most of Rollin’s performance in this session, but he provided some good moments, so not all is lost. This program has been out of print for some time, so fans should be pleased to be able to own it once again. The second spoken word outing is Henry Rollins Goes to London, which is a much better session, to be sure. Rollins talks about his experiences in England and these are the finest moments, though too infrequent, if you ask me. I liked this one better than Talking from the Box, but I still wasn’t too taken with Rollins’ performance. This is the first time Henry Rollins Goes to London has been released and of course, that means fans should be in heaven with this double disc release.
I am very pleased to see titles like this released, as it means a broader selection of material for viewers, which is always welcome. I can’t say I was all that taken by Rollins’ as a spoken word performer, but he delivers a solid experience and if you’re a fan, you’ll be more than satisfied with his sessions here. I do like Rollins as a musician however and his music oriented stories were cool, but I found most of the other material to be average at best. A few gems to be gleaned at times, but too few and in the end, both sessions seem to run a little too long, in my opinion. It felt at times like Rollins was padding for time or just veering off course too much, not always a good idea in these kind of performances. Rollins is able to gain hold over his audience however and that’s obvious, so if you’re a fan, then I think your reaction will much different indeed. I think this release will please many viewers and since it offers two sessions at a low price, I will give it a solid recommendation, to those interested.
Video: How does it look?
The programs are presented in full frame transfers, which retains the intended form for both sessions. The video transfer is less than stellar, but due to the simple nature of the show, that never lessens the experience much. Rollins is the focus and he speaks on a simple stage, so intense visuals never come into play in this case. The source materials seem worn and look very dated, but never to an extreme degree. The contrast is darker than I would have liked, but detail is decent and as far as colors, you won’t see many of those here. This might be good enough for fans of the sessions, but I think first timers will be let down, with good reason.
Audio: How does it sound?
Both sessions use 2.0 surround for audio and while effective, the material never allows for much aside from the basics. I do think the source material is a little off in both cases, as some scenes sound much cleaner than others, but for what this material demands, the included tracks are more than adequate. Rollins is always heard loud and clear, with no real problems, aside from the slight inconsistencies I mentioned before. It won’t be the pristine, even handed experience some might expected, but it gets the job done and that’s enough.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This release includes some still photos from Rollins’ personal collection, as well as information on Rollins’ personal and professional life.
