1977 is not my favourite Elvis-year, but a review copy is a review copy and I have to do the job on Boxcar’s The Final Curtain.
Design
Stunning! The package measures 30x22.5x6.5 cm and is focussing on the Sundial Suit. The book is over 400 pages and filled with mainly live pictures from 1977. I keep it in the middle if it is worth looking at regarding the shape Elvis was in on most of them, but I do wish the That’s The Way It Is package from a couple of years back had this treatment!
All CDs are printed with the Sundial and the 8mm DVDs have a part of the Sundial as print. These discs have their own fold out case. The 3 CBS-DVDs and the bonus DVD “Elvis Is Dead” are included with the book.
On EIN’s website you can find many pictures of the set.
Content
The special itself was the first disc I put in my player. Indeed the quality of the images is a lot better than the video copy I have (as far as memory recalls, since it must been more than 15 years since I watched it). With video I can stand Elvis in 1977 for a while, since every now and then you see a little shadow of what the man used to be.
Back in the late 70s, early 80s as a teenager I used to defend Elvis at all costs and even this special when it was aired. Now I can only say wisdom does come with the ages. The two more or less complete shows used for the special, Omaha and Rapid City were a bit disappointing regarding quality, but compared to the 8mm DVDs they are more than watchable (regarding image quality). The bonus DVD is an unique document, but very sad to watch – I wasn’t able to sit through it completely yet.
I couldn’t punish myself by sitting through all shows on CD, hoping for that occasional good performance (says some who was happy with Moody Blue live some 25 years ago) and if I did most of you would disagree anyway :-).
Conclusion
Although it is not exactly my piece of cake, the package is a unique document covering Elvis’ final year. It is a beautiful set which fits in every Elvis-collection perfectly, even mine. Still I understand EPE's policy not to release this material, the impersonators do more than enough damage.
For a more complete review I'll gladly direct you to Elvis Information Network, my friends over there have many pictures included.
What a great release ! EPE learn from this ! 1977 Is just another year of his carreer, except that. His voice was great !
Lex, short and to the point, this will not be everyone's cup of tea but for sheer volume of work and the fantastic effort put into this project has to be in the top when it comes to a 'unofficial' release, it does show what could be done with official release if and a big IF they put there minds to it.Still have enjoyed this package and will of course visit it more than i did with previous video/dvd releases i have in my collection.
Herman, will you please accept that EPE do not release CDs or DVDs.
Lex, this is not a review. It's an observation anyone could have written based on trailers etc. You write: "I couldn't punish myself by sitting through all shows on CD" Then don't review it as the unreleased audio is a reason to buy for many. I mean this friendly, but this major project, anticipated for months, deserves a serious assessment on this leading site. The "more complete" review can be read on EIN indeed, it's in depth and detailed. Cheers, Robert
it seems to me like there is a LOT of material in this package that has already been released (albeit unofficially). I dont think I can rationalize spending the money being asked for this package knowing I have much of this material. I know there are one or two unreleased soundboards on here, but can those soundboards on here that have been previoously available really be so dramatically improved as to be worth this major dollar investment?
RJ, we all know the footage for many years now. What more do you want us to say about it? I manage to look and listen to it for more than 3 hours. The package is wonderful, the quality very acceptable, but the content... well, I rather see Elvis in his better years. If Lex wants to watch anymore of it, he has to do it when I am not around: simple as that!
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the Rapid City show, it also seemed to have better sound than the previous release. To me I still see and hear the old Elvis in Rapid City, comparable to any show in Elvis On tour. the better the quality, the better Elvis seems to look. You can tell he lost weight if you compare it to the May shows. The more i listen to the Cd's and watch the DVD's of this package the more 77 starts to feel like any other year. And the more his death seemed like an accident like Micheal Jackson's death. Great release. I will also buy the NTSC release, since I think from transferring EIC to PAL, the aspect ratio is slightly too wide. He looks thinner in the complete shows than in the special. I think it's because the master tapes from the complete shows were PAL and EIC NTSC. Greatest release since the complete 68 special and Aloha in 2004!
I considered buying this release when it was announced, the high cost not withstanding. I changed my mind after pulling my copy of "In Concert" (DVD and CD), along with the "Adios" CD off of the shelf for a spin. Of course, what I own pales in comparison to "The Final Curtain," and kudos to the fans that laid out their hard earned cash to buy it! For me, I'm satisfied with the few highlights on the "In Concert" CD. In spite of the overdubs, it still captures the few good moments Elvis had left on stage. The "Adios" CD is worth a listen just to hear the enthusiastic crowd, but overall, it's a sad show. As far as the DVD goes, I love the sort of arm-twisted pose Elvis does just as he's leaving the stage, and the way he held out his free hand while hitting the bombastic notes was super cool. Otherwise, he looked so very bad. The over dyed hair, the extreme puffiness in his eyes, his slow and lumbering movements on stage, are too much to watch. Not that I think Elvis was bad. On the contrary, he was the greatest performer that ever lived. It just breaks my heart to watch him in such decline, so I do so only for a little bit of time, now and then. I'm with Lex on this one. There's no way I could stand seeing Elvis in that bad of shape for hours upon hours on end. For that reason, I'll pass this one by. And if this footage is never officially released, I'll certainly understand why.
whetherman, will you please understand that EPE is the one who would give permission to release this ?
Herman is correct in this matter, the release of the official 1977 CBS material would be entirely up to EPE.
Ok I accept that their permission would be needed for visual material only, not audio. I imagine their involvement in the design of such a set would be limited though.
I bought the box and sale it again for me it was not too much new or much better quality sorry. i hope one day the bring the unreleased soundboard out on seperate cd's but paying 250 euro for 2,5 unreleased soundboard is to much money for me. and i don't need the book.
Kid your comment makes no sense at all really no sense whatsoever.
As you say Lex and i say too- Go DIRECT to EIN for a proper 'review!~'
Of course I had other versions of the Rapid City and Omaha in my collection. My expectations were too high I guess. Omaha has a slight better quality, but Rapid City, well....I have my doubts. The sound is better than I had. The CBS Special is also slightly better than I had. The CBS Special DVD from "Back In Time" was al ready very good. The book is a killer ! Really good and once more one can ask the question what the hell he did on that stage in 1977, sad...I al ready had a lot of the CD's that are in the box. New for me are only the "Orlando", the "Saginaw" and the "Madison" show. All the rest I had on bootleg or on FTD. (Charlotte, Montgomery, etc.)
Slightly better? do you have any idea how much work went into making this boxset and it's contents? even the ""back in time" dvd does not even come close to the awesome quality of this boxset, i have this boxset, the footage is more complete,new unreleased footage,new soundboard recordings, they even remastered a soundboard recording which was presumed "' lost"because Elvis was almost not heard in the entire recording, the people of boxcar remastered it so good that Elvis was upfront , that's what i call first class The footage is clear never seen it better, i had high expectations for this boxset and they were answered like i hoped for.Even the reviews of this boxset don't lie,it's that good.And not for nothing it is sold out.
The box set is great. Of the three main DVDs EIC fares the best. The quality is picture perfect, and the (original) edit creates the impression that Elvis is in control and happy to be there. Close up and in profile he still looks pretty good. The other two main shows Omaha and Rapid are not as picture perfect but still very good and watchable. In these unedited shows Elvis appears neither in control or happy to be there, if anything he looks trapped (especially in Omaha). The book is packed with great clear pictures, some of which show a fit and healthy looking Elvis, and some that don't. The text for me is a dissapointment as I was hoping for more background (and foreground) info on EIC itself and there is hardly any. The CDs are a mix of good (some great), bad (some pretty bad) and some ugly (where Elvis' contempt for whatever/his predicament? comes thru) perfomances.
I agree with you MikeE,nice comment buddy
Jessegaron, have you seen that I complained about the mount of work the Boxcar boys put in this box ? No ! They did a fanastic job. I only said that my expectations were too high for the Omaha, Rapid City and the CBS Special DVD. For my eyes it's all just slightly better. Period. Let me say it this way: The "Back In Time" DVD from the Special was good enough for me and has almost the same quality. For the Omaha and Rapid City show, I'll say it again, my expectations were too high. I am not complaining, I give my opinion.
In my opinion we all knew what to expect from it. The only question is whether the image quality is indeed (slightly) better and the book. If you don't want to watch and/or listen to that period, skip it. And if you don't like it after all sell it. It seems to be sold out anyway. So cash in again. We all know as fans what the physical and mental state Elvis was in, for whatever reason. By the way, I found the EIN review very useful.
I have the box,but i'm disappointed. Only 2 and a half new soundboards,everything else have been released already. As for the CBS tapes,the quality is slightly better than what we had before,but the difference is small. The book is well-done,but it's painful to see the pictures and read the reviews. I will sell it anyway,to get my money back. CD-R and DVD-R copies will be fine for me.
snowbird, we agree 100%. I was somewhat disappointed too. I am very sure of the fact that the DVD's are just a slight better than what I had and yes I have now only 2 1/2 cd new soundboard material, but I knew that al ready before the box came out, so I am not complaining. I will not sell it because from the beginning in I wanted that box...
You can talk to me about this from now until doomsday about this ,the improvement is not '' slightly better" they didn't work with inferior tapes like " back in time" and "cbs tapes" etc did , i am not dissapointed in the quality of the Final curtain.And if you don't agree? i don't really care, i see what i see and that's not what you see.and there's also a lot of of unreleased material, which were not on the previous outings, and if you try to make me feel sorry for buying this?, stop trying it's not working.
Ton Bruins ok i'm sorry, i do respect your opinion and view of this box.
after all the trailers I watched that announced this box set I couldn't help myself from wanting to have it in my collection. So I made the tough decision to sell all my Bouke cd's and autographs. Of course the few euros I made with it weren't enough to afford this high priced set. But it gives an indication how badly I wanted it.. When I finally had it delivered- after also having sold my pets and my wife- and watched the boxset, I was very much dissapointed and now regret the fact that I made the most stupid decision ever: selling my Bouke cd's!..
I stay away from anything with a Sundial suit on it. Man, I cant bare to watch Elvis in the monster outfit. I wouldn't have it for free.
Steve V, what does the outfit has to do with the music ?!? And you "wouldn't have it for free" yeh right !
No I wouldn't because I wouldn't watch it. Why cant you believe that? I have a great copy of the CBS special, and I never look at it. Why would I want more of the same to add another dust collector on my shelf? I could NEVER sit through these shows. Yes, the suit has nothing to do with the music, I just hate the sight of that big round ugly sundial. Sorry, it was very unflattering for Elvis to wear. Even when I saw it in Graceland, I was not impressed. The only performance I liked from this tour was Unchained Melody which I can watch on another DVD when I choose to.
This is a collectors item allready, the negative reactions on this boxset i expected as much, didn't came as a surprise really, i am happy with this boxset,because it's just what i hoped for, if you r not happy with it? your loss not mine.The quality is perfect on this boxset period.
Well I bougt it, and I´m very glad for it :-D It´s a very specally collecters item. And I do see it like a investment... It´s a beatiful box/book. The music is very nice too. And yes, Elvis is big, very big... On the other hand a lot of men in the 40`are quite big! It´s kind of 'normal'. The amarican way of living I guess. Cola, chips, hamburger and so on. (I like it to - a lot). Anyway it's good investment, a very good producht, a very rare kind of docomentary of Elvis Presleys`last 8 months. TCB
OK Steve V, I'v got your point. You didn't wrote that you allready has the CBS shows with another cover on it, so I will believe it. Strange enough I like the CBS shows a lot, great voice he had at that time !
Herman is not alone, I find watching the CBS tapes fascinating. They show a man in very poor health trying so hard to entertain his fans. Obviously there are times when I find this heartbreaking, but they are recordings I return to more often than I would every have imagined.
The saving grace/irony of course, is that Elvis' final concert which is also included in the box set in audio (very similar to the Adios CD) and partly in AR video, was a much better performance than all the CBS stuff. If this had been recorded professionaly there is no question it would have been officially released. One other point, when reading the often favorable, sometimes not so, newspaper reviews in the book it becomes clear what a slick business like operation the Elvis tour was.
Good point of view & well done
At the same time this beautiful release should be a lesson for the EPE. I said this many times before: When the EPE will release The CBS Special (wih extra bonussongs such as Fairytale, Now Or Never, Trying To Get To You, Unchained Melody, If You Love Me Let Me Know, Hawaiian Wedding Song) it would be a big, worldwide seller ! But the EPE is the most hypocrite organisation in the world. THey sell thousands of "Elvis dolls, cups clocks, etc but Elvis in 1977 seems to be a some kind of monster to them. They want to protect the 1977 Elvis image, but bootleg DVD's from the 1977 Elvis are al ready all over the world. That's what I call HYPOCRITE !
Master Fatman, you are stating what I have been saying for many a year, whenever people refer to his weight. And yes, sure, it was more than usually, yet overweight is an concerning issue for decades already.
Ton Bruins, it is good that you emphasize again on this point.
Steve V, I agree that the outfit should have been thrown away. It emphasizes too much the shape he was in!
Well said Ton Bruins ! I also want these complete shows officially on DVD / Blu Ray, I also said this for many years !
Yes, the Sundial suit is among the worst suits he ever wore. Becuase it was to massive, to much juvelery on/at the stomack region. Sad it was the last he wore. Perhaps he should have tried a black or blue on, why not. But the shows/concerts are not as bad as a´lot things. They are all right. But some of the songs are kind of strange. Fx. Are you lonesome tonight, are meesed up with Chalie Hardts. Im sure they have a good time, but why 'destroy'. mees up this beutiful song?! :'-/ Adios.
Mr Fatman, who the h*ll is ' Chalie Hardts' ?..
Sorry my mistake! I was late, I was tired and I had the wrong glasses on.... The name is ofcouse: Charlie Hodge :-). Nice to see them laugh, but it´s just kind of too much - a little bit hysterica and extentrick! (I don't know if the last part is speld correct .lol) You my laugh :-D
I simply cannot find the words to describe the package thatI came home to find today. The memories that this set brought flooding back to me are wonderful, sad, bittersweet, and yet almost to hard to think about without a painful yearning for a way to go back in time. I recall seeing his last show in Cincinnati like it was yesterday. I recall the CBS cameras outside Riverfront Coliseum, I recall seeing Elvis on the local news as he walked down the street to change hotels in the hot June weather, etc... The excitement that came from reading about the TV special in Sean Shaver's newsletter .. it's all in my mind. Seeing the photos in the books, reading the review from the Cincy show that has yellowed in my personal scrapbook of instamatic camera photos as well as the professioonal shots I tracked down from the professional photographers over the years. This set has brought that year of hope, enjoyment, and loss to a consummate package. I truly thank Boxcar for that. The hours I've spent with this set is only a small fraction of the time I will spend as its prisoner over the coming days and weeks - all the while enjoying the captivity. Was the set pricey ? Yep. Is the sound and video quality worth it ? uh - yea ! In my mind, after living that year (1977), and being a part of it, this set is priceless.
Orion : really great to read such an enthusiatic reaction ! "Memories, pressed between the pages of YOUR mind " . Enjoy !!! Always El.
My Rapid City DVD does not play at all - all the others do. Anyone else have this problem?
Ok, I tried a different computer, and it worked. Quality of the three DVD's I saw was a definite improvement over what I have. The CBS TV Special was the best followed by Rapid City and Omaha. More DVD's and all the CD's plus the book still to go through...adios mothers
I WANT THIS!! Does anyone have any info on how I can obtain it??!!! much appreciate it!
Anyone in Northern ireland or England got a set for sale
Nevermind, I located and bought a copy...waiting for it to be delivered! Very Excited!
Cool Stuff in the great release of Elvis The Final Curtain
I simply think that this boxset is the greatest set that EPE Should have release already,but they didnot. Boxcar did. He one of the greatest people for getting this stuff out to the fans like myself. Elvis In Concert is completly wonderful and great excellent in every way. It kinda saddens me that EPE will not ever actually release The CBS Tapes./Elvis In Concert. But it don't matter anymore we/us fans own it now mabe not from the actual master reels that EPE has. But never the less we have it. Thanks EPE for screwing us over all these years because,you didn't release it Boxcar had the guts to. Simple as that. We all love Elvis and that's the real proof here on Elvis In Concert/CBS Tapes.
