[.ca] Cirque du Soleil: Dralion (Widescreen)

From Amazon.com:
The Chinese consider the lion a symbol of good luck, so it's a half-dragon, half-lion--a dralion--that is the symbol of the East-meets-West fusion of this Cirque du Soleil show, in which 36 Chinese acrobats join the renowned Canadian troupe. Celebrating the four elements as represented in four colors-- blue (air), green (water), red (fire), and ochre (earth)--Dralion combines ancient Chinese circus traditions with Cirque du Soleil's usual stunning elements: the techno-oriented single ring; the multicolored lights and costumes; the music that mixes rock, New Age, and various world influences (though not Chinese); and the madcap clowns that pull a victim out of the audience (he turns out to be a terrific sport). But of course the main reason to watch a Cirque du Soleil show is the acrobatic stunts, those eye-popping displays of agility, balance, and strength. You'll see an acrobat balancing on one hand, a brawny juggler, a high-flying teeterboard act, a double trapeze, contortionists, a parasol turned and tossed atop a foot, furiously synchronized hoop-diving, unbelievable rope-skipping, and more. While nothing can match the experience of seeing this troupe live, the video does offer some choice close-ups that you would never get from your seat, and you can't ask the live performers to repeat your favorite stunts over and over again. And you'll want to see them over and over because Dralion is a dazzler. --David Horiuchi

Amazon.ca:
La finesse et le perfectionnisme de l'Asie sont conjugués à la fougue et à la sensualité de l'Afrique dans Dralion, septième spectacle du Cirque du Soleil, filmé au cours de quatre représentations à San Francisco. La rencontre entre ces deux mondes prend forme autant par la musique, qui combine chanson chinoise et échos des tam-tams, que par la panoplie de numéros extraordinaires. Jongleur manipulant langoureusement les balles sur la surface de son corps élancé, jeune femme faisant tourbillonner des parapluies au bout de ses orteils, acrobates multipliant les culbutes, vêtus de costumes mi-dragon mi-lion, pas de deux exécuté au moyen de longs pans de tissu qui descendent du ciel comme des lianes dans la jungle : autant de moments pleins de grâce et de magie, entre lesquels des clowns hilarants viennent rappeler de leurs pitreries les origines classiques du cirque. Lauréat de plusieurs prix Emmy, Dralion crée l'impression d'être partout à la fois, allant parfois jusqu'à effacer la frontière entre artistes et spectateurs, et nous fait profiter de tout ce que le Cirque du Soleil donne à voir. --Julie Sergent

Additional Features:
The DVD includes "In the Heart of the Dralion," a 23-minute making-of documentary. Director Guy Caron discusses the challenges of traveling to Kunming, China, in order to create a new show, Dralion, with the Chinese, and choreographer Julie Lachance, costume designer François Barbeau, composer Violaine Corradi, and set designer Stéphane Roy provide various insights into the show. Also included are four scenes (single-hand balancing, teeterboard, dralions, and skipping rope) that can be viewed from three different angles each. Note that this multiple-angle option is available only as a special-features addendum, not when viewing the regular program.

One word.....Superb!:
I must admit that I purchased this with some trepidation after reading some reviews saying there was "choppy editing" and other negatives regarding the Dralion DVD. I have seen only one Cirque Du Soleil show live and that was "O" at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. In my opinion, this comes about as close to seeing it live as you are going to get. There is a juggling sequence which is simply other-worldly, a hand-balancer who seems to do the impossible, and some jump-rope sequences that you have to see to believe. I am quite sure that I will be watching this many times in the years ahead. The DVD also has a Behind the Scenes look which was filmed in China before the show opened. It is amazing to compare where they were only months before the first show, and the performances you see on the DVD. Cirque du Soleil is a feast for the senses- the music, acrobats, and movement combine to make one question whether what you are seeing is actually possible. IMO, they represent the best of what mankind is capable of. Dralion is not only well edited, but is an amazing show, and is easily worthy of six stars were that an option.

The DTS track is mindblowing...:
I have owned the original Dralion DVD for some time. I also own the DVD's of Quidam, Alegria (the show filmed in Sidney not the film) and Varekai, which I purchased toguether with this new Dralion Superbit version. Until now Dralion had been my least favorite of the four shows. Not that it was bad but its just that Quidam was so much better. My problem was that as much as I tried I could never get the same sound from my original Dralion DVD. The Dolby Digital 5.1 track was so bad that at first I returned the DVD because I guessed I had a damaged product, and it was not. However, this new Superbit version with DTS sounds so crisp and powerfull that I have just rediscovered the show in a whole new way. If you already own Dralion...the new DTS track on the Superbit version is so good that alone makes the purchase worth it. Its a completely new experience. In terms of image quality, both versions are presented in beautiful widescreen anamorphic video, however, the new Superbit version seems at times more crispier, sharp and alive with excelent color presentation. The original version has also great colors, but most of the time this new Superbit version seems to have the edge in terms of definition when compared to the original. Dralion is a fantastic show, with this new version I cannot say that Dralion is not as good as the other four. They are completely different shows, if you buy one...eventualy you will end up owning the others, yes, they are that good.

It's Cirque, but not Cirque at its Best:
Every Cirque performance is worth seeing at least once, and while the DVDs can't possibly do justice to the live experience, they're entertaining momentos. I recently saw Dralion live, so I've got that reference for comparison to this DVD edition. Strictly as a performance, Dralion is not my favorite. Not that it's bad in any way - just disappointing in the opportunities that it misses. Given the rich visuals of Eastern culture to work with, the show could have been the most beautiful of the Cirque lineup. However, it inexplicably strays into other cultures (African, Indian, etc.) and never really picks up any theme at all. Plus, while other Cirque shows follow a plot, albeit a highly conceptual one, Dralion comes off as just a series of acts, almost like a best-of or singles compilation album. Again, the performance is still wonderful to behold - it's just not the strongest one that I've seen. The DVD presentation itself is very good. Director David Mallet maintains a very consistent look with the "Quidam" DVD that he also helmed. I'm guessing that the two were probably filmed for the same European TV broadcast purpose. The DVD also includes a couple of acts which are not always being performed live on the current North American tour of Dralion, i.e. the light bulb ballet and see saw jumps. Unfortunately, however, it has the same clown sequences as the ones included in Quidam - they're very funny, but it's a shame to have a repeat on the two discs. Finally, the DVD also makes very good use of the multiple angles feature on certain acts. All in all, I recommend the DVD for Cirque collectors. If you're just getting into Cirque, I recommend the "Quidam" DVD instead. Or, if you really want to be awestruck, go see "O" in Las Vegas.

Incredible:
I've watched this slackjawed several times. It is so hard for me to believe that human beings are even capable of doing what these people seem to do effortlessly. And the music is great.

C'est formidable!:
Well, these Canadian guys have gone a long way since their steet performances. This is the first show I saw of them, and of course I was shocked by the artistic twists a human body can make, this people don't limit themselves to perform acrobatic routines, they act, they are imbedded into their characters, and let them flow through them. But that's not even half of the show. Besides excellent acting, one is served great live music -these guys are one of the greatest jazz players I've heard. Their music is not only to fill the holes, but to create and change the various moods one has to go through in order to fully log in the history. Excellent microphone editing also! And those singers! the strangely defined tone of the lead singer, made me think of Farinelli, with a very, but very wide dynamic range! Awesome indeed. I thought that for being the first show I saw, it would be the one to impress me the most, boy, was I wrong... I had the chance to see Alegria live, and savour also the not-seen-on-screen flawless logistics of the crew, and then I got the DVD on Saltimbanco, Quidam, and many more... but these are other stories, later to be told. So, what are you doing reading other people's opinion? If you have not seen it yet, get up that chair and go for it! You will regret not doing so.