BLU-RAY REVIEW

Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang, The: Live On Copacabana Beach

Featured In Issue 256, July/August 2021

Picture5
Sound5
WSR Score5
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Mercury Studios
(Catalog Number):
MSSDB58993
(MPAA Rating):
Not Rated
(Rating Reason):
(Retail Price):
$32.98
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
(Running Time In Minutes):
117
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
ABC
(Theatrical Year):
(Theatrical Release):
No
(Direct-To-Video Release):
Yes
(Disc Release Date):
7/9/2021
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
(Director):
J. B. De Oliveira & Carlos Magalnes
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
DTS HD Lossless 5.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(Subtitles):

"The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang: Live On Copacabana Beach" captures the rock group in one of the biggest free concerts in history recorded live at the famed Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on February 8, 2006. This is the first time the concert film is released complete, remixed, re-edited and remastered. Right from the film's opening moments, when The Rolling Stones emerge on their own purpose-built bridge leading from the Copacabana Palace Hotel, there's an electric energy that courses through the air, ricocheting between the band and the 1.5 million people in attendance. Aerial shots convey the sprawling enormity of the crowd, watching not only from the beach, but from boats moored at the water's edge. As Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts fire on all pistons from one track to the next, the crowd continues to meet their energy in furious fervor, waving Brazilian and British flags while rocking out in the tropical evening sunset in celebration of the band's 2005 album "Bigger Bang."

Four songs that were not in the original 2007 DVD release "The Biggest Bang" are featured for the first time: "Tumbling Dice", "Oh No, Not You Again", 'This Place Is Empty" and "Sympathy For The Devil." This concert brilliantly showcases this impactful two-hour set, which runs the gamut of The Rolling Stones' career: "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It)," "Brown Sugar," "Start Me UP," "Satisfaction" and "Wild Horses" swerve between then-new tracks "Rain Fall Down," "This Place Is Empty" and "Rough Justice" from "Bigger Bang."

The DigiPack includes a Blu-ray, two CDs and a 16-page color booklet.

The 1.33:1 1080p AVC picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, upconverted to 2160p with greater resolution and luminance, was photographed on film and sourced from a 2K master Digital Intermediate format. The 1.33:1 squarish picture is nicely framed. Colors are vibrant and nicely saturated throughout. Fleshtones remain natural, even under varied lighting effects. The stage setting is supported with creative and exciting lighting effects that constantly shift the hues. The long shots of the Copacabana beach and hotel setting with a massive audience are spectacular. Midway in the show, a hydraulic stage lifts and moves The Rolling Stones into the audience for a very intimate closeup of their performance. This is a fabulous rock 'n' roll show with wild attire and constant motion of the performers that will thrill fans. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack expands the PCM stereo version to envelop the soundfield. The sound quality is quite good with forward voicings of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, always clear sounding. The guitar sounds are often distinct and blending. Charlie Watts' drum sounds are foot-tapping percussive, with constant energy in the .1 LFE channel that really rocks with driving bass beats. The holosonic® sound really excites when Auro-3D's AuroMatic processing is engaged and provides an enveloping Immersive Sound experience. This is a terrific soundtrack with incredible energy throughout. It never disappoints! (Gary Reber)