# Roger Waters The Wall - Blu-ray Review



## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=60681[/img] 
*Title: Roger Waters: The Wall* 

*Movie:* :3.5stars:
*Video:* :4.5stars:
*Audio:* :5stars: 
*Extras:* :3stars: 

*HTS Overall Score:*86




[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=60689[/img]*Summary*
You don’t have to be a rock aficionado to recognize Pink Floyd. Probably one of the most influential and defining older rock groups of the last 50 years, Pink Floyd rivals greats such as the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and ZZ Top. Roger Waters just so happens to be one of the co-founders of the original band and was the face man of the group for many years after Syd Barrett left in 1968. Spending 20 years in the spotlight he left the band in 1985 after the infamous “The Wall” shot them stardom. Everyone who loves rock remembers “Pink Floyd’s The Wall”, a rock opera actually written by Waters himself, and now 30 + years later Roger is back to recreate a hypnotic blending of Rock, documentary and elaborate stage show of the famous album/film. This time it’s cut down and rebuilt back up with his own special blend of historical love as well as a slightly egotistical and self-indulgent look at the man’s personal life. 

Roger Waters isn’t just a musician, or at least he doesn’t like to follow the standard albums that most musicians ascribe to. He’s proven over the decades, through his solo albums, that he enjoys crafting a story for the listener. Making songs that flow together and carry an overarching theme throughout the melodies and even more intertwined in the progression of songs. Being a son of a decorated war hero who died in active duty, Roger’s views on war and on his father help craft everything he has put out in some ways or another. The Wall is one of those albums that decries war heavily, and still honors the memory of those who fought and gave their life for their country. You can see and hear the frustration in the lyrics, the simple defiance and anger that accompanies someone who has seen much loss. 

I mentioned before that “Roger Waters The Wall” is a mix of stage performance and egotistical self-indulgence. I stand by that ascertation as it is an odd patchwork of fantastic stage performances (and performance is an understatement) made up of multiple live performances over his tour intermingled with a documentary style look on his personal life and his outlook on wars and strife. He tries to not only blend in the data and honoring of his WWII father’s era, but also from modern conflicts, trying to weave those conflicts and horrors into the tale that The Wall tells. Something which I’m not sure is pulled off successfully as the content from The Wall just doesn’t support his extra-curricular content. It comes down to the fact that The Wall was NOT just about war, but about isolation, tragedy and pain from conflict, which makes his trying to make this is a visual spectacle about war a bit eyebrow raising in my opinion.

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=60697[/img]Now the stage productions that Roger Waters puts on is nothing short of breathtaking. His stage is a living organism, that shifts and changes between songs, building up the infamous wall, but also home to green goblins, WWII bomber planes crashing into the set with a cornucopia of fireworks, and we haven’t even gotten to the stage dancers and psychedelic laser shows. To put it simply, The songs are something of classic lore and beautiful to the ear, but they are just as easily matched by the production values of the concert and the lavish creations of the musician.

I’ve talked about the production, the meaning of the songs, and the documentary, but now what everyone wants to hear about, the actual music. Pink Floyd is played on every classic rock station since I was born at LEAST, and I’ve come to know and love every single song on “The Wall”. Waters voice hasn’t lost any power or tone and the 72 year old man can still belt out the classic melodies like he’s a 25 year old man again. You can hear a bit of a gravliness in his voice compared to the younger years, but his vocal control and impassioned vocals speak to the audience as you watch them sing, dance and cry as if in a trance. Every song is a trip down memory lane, reminding this reviewer of a childhood full of Vinyl albums and sneaking into my brother’s room to jack their cassette tapes when I was older (much to the chagrin of my mother and the furious rantings of my brother’s when I didn’t return them). 



*Rating:* 

Rated R for some language, nudity and violent images



*Video* :4.5stars:
[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=60705[/img]Shot on RED digital cameras, “Roger Waters The Wall” looks magnificent on Blu-ray disc. Framed in 2.40:1 scope the concert looks incredibly expansive, showing off a huge amount of side space for the elaborate stage production that waters employs. The colors shift from deep blacks and neon reds of the stage lighting (both which look wonderful), to a softer and greener look as we see waters traverse the countryside and even the neon look of the city as his car travels the roads. Contrast levels look strong and facial detail are amazing. The stage lights sometimes mask a little bit with bright neon red lights blasting in your face, but there is no sense of banding of black crush to make the performance annoying. The audience shots are a bit less spectacular, as the black backgrounds and digital cameras introduce sporadic noise and some crushing of the figures in view. However, that is fully expected considering that there is no real backlighting behind the audience like there is behind waters. 







*Audio* :5stars:
[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=60713[/img]“Roger Waters The Wall” comes to us with two distinct audio tracks. The first being a Dolby Atmos track (the first for a concert film) as well as a “purist” 2.0 LPCM uncompressed track. Both sound a bit different (naturally) and appeal to different demographics. The 2.0 track is what many would call a purist track, for those of you who really appreciate a good 2 channel stereo setup. Sampling the track I can tell that you’re not going to be disappointed. The front soundstage is amazing, with impeccable vocals and some beautiful panning across the two speakers. The Dolby Atmos track is the real appeal (for me at least) as it is a wonderfully immersive track that really takes advantage of the object based track. Sounds from the audience, the stage, and the vocals all come from incredibly different areas and make you feel as if you’re right in the middle of the audience. The experience is both bombastic and hauntingly beautiful. Roger Water’s gravelly voice can be heard straight up front, but the audience roars from behind, lifting up the surrounds to powerful levels and there is some incredible use of the LFE channel. Not only to support the music but also to aid in the spectacle that Waters puts on with fireworks, planes, and other visual and auditory aids. 








*Extras* :3stars:
[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=60721[/img]
• A Visit to Frank Thompson
• Time Lapses
• Driving
• Facebook Films
• Comfortably Numb Live at the 02 with Special Appearance by David Gilmour 
• Outside the Wall Live at the 02 with Special Appearances by David Gilmour and Nick Mason








*Overall:* :4stars:

The strange checkboard effect of mixing in personal documentary style footage with elaborate stage productions in an every other scene montage feels a bit off-putting and isolates the viewer from the man on stage. His desire for a philosophical meaning to the production is well meaning, but less effective than one would have hoped, which gives those moments a rather egotistical and self-serving tone as I mentioned before. The actual stage footage is marvelous, with Waters dominating every song and every lavish piece of spectacle, not to mention the amazing audio experience with the first Dolby Atmos concert video. Is this an epic concert that will forever be remembered? Probably not, but it is a lot of fun if you can skip through the personal docu-drama bits and get back to the songs at hand, whether you choose the 2.0 LPCM audio or the fully immersive Atmos track. 




*Additional Information:*

Starring: Roger Waters, Dave Kilminster, Snowy White
Directed by: Sean Evans, Roger Waters
Written by: Sean Evans, Roger Waters
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 AVC
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Core), Englis LPCM 2.0
Studio: Universal
Rated: R
Runtime: 133 Minutes 
Blu-Ray Release Date: December 1st, 2015


*Buy Roger Waters: The Wall Blu-ray on Amazon*



*Recommendation: Rental​*







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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

I agree it is an excellent disc, but I noticed something on my setup (and a friend also noticed it on his setup)... They cut the crowd noise out of some of the concert videos, and as a result it sounds like they put a blanket over the mics. Did you notice this too? If you want I can find the scenes that this was happening.


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

I noticed it too Ron. wasn't very often, but it was distinct when it happened. I notice they're doing this to more and more concert discs recently.


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

Mike Edwards said:


> I noticed it too Ron. wasn't very often, but it was distinct when it happened. I notice they're doing this to more and more concert discs recently.


Thanks for confirming it Mike... I was very surprised when I heard it...it is still an excellent disc though.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

I'm torn about this one... if distributed through Redbox I'll give it a spin...but not sure if I like the overall 50/50 review on content.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

Todd Anderson said:


> I'm torn about this one... if distributed through Redbox I'll give it a spin...but not sure if I like the overall 50/50 review on content.


 My sentiments as well Todd. I was a little disappointed that they didn't just record and focus on the concert.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

We watched this one Wednesday night and for me it was the best sounding Bluray concert to date. The channel separation of Atmos was just incredible. My new go to for Bluray music demoing.


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## robbo266317 (Sep 22, 2008)

The trailer looks great! I will give it a look when it hits our shores in 2017, or later, at 70% above the price in the states.

I do like his comments at the end of the clip suggesting he has finally found closure for his fathers participation in the war.


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## Savjac (Apr 17, 2008)

Mine is now ordered and will be here Tuesday, I cannot wait to be truthful. :jump:

Thanks Mike for letting us know the disc is out there.


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## albe (Nov 25, 2015)

Yes, it's not a "pure" concert disc...it reminded me of "The Song Remains the Same" in that, while there is plenty of concert footage, it has a story...a pretty good one IMHO.
I also noticed that the audio was mastered on the dark side...oppps... It sounded like an older MSFL where they rolled the highs off, and not on every song.

I appreciate Roger more after this disc because on the Extra's he admitted to the crowd, while Nick and David are there, that he may have been the cause of the rift.

Anyway, I loved it, I only wish I went to a live show when they were touring.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

I was able to see them in 1988 at Arrowhead stadium. To this day the best concert I ever attended. It was a spectacle to say the least.


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## Savjac (Apr 17, 2008)

Finally, I was able to view this disc at home last night and found it not only incredible but incredibly touching. There is no doubt that Roger has a bit of whiny in him and there is no doubt that he has been much affected by the death of his father as well as his grandfather and this is discussed in the movie to the point of where he has made peace with it. I don't believe that we will see too much more regarding the wall as time marches on because in my opinion this is enough. Like Roger finding closure regarding the men to his family that died while he was either a baby or prior exam even being born. As a very interesting part in their wherein he says that his grandfather died when his father was 2 years old while Rogers father died when Roger was five years old. So I don't really think any of this back and forth results from the angst of hearing that your father died while you are aware of that situation. I believe as I'm sure we all do that all of these negative things that have come out of Roger in way of his music discussions on TV and/or books relate directly back to incompetence in governments of the world as well as what he feels is the plummeting structure of humanity.

I have seen Pink Floyd three times live, in 1973 for dark side of the moon, in 1975 for wish you were here and again in 1978 for animals. Further I have seen Roger in person an additional three times for pros and cons of hitchhiking with Eric Clapton on guitar, and Radio KAOS and lastly amused to death. And I have to say that the concert disc barely touches the surface of their live in person performances. I will put a note in here that the airplane crashes into the stage was actually done a good number of years ago for the wish you were here album tour. It was used to move from the playing of dark side of the moon to the wish you were here part of the concert and it was brilliant. In pretty much every concert I've ever seen the audience is more respectful than any other rock icon and a distinctly remember that when I saw the Animals concert in Chicago that you could hear a pin drop during most of the performance.

So really this disc is a bit more rambunctious than the earlier concerts like all of Pink Floyd and/or Roger Waters but he does know how to get the audience moving. This man is unquestionably a musical genius that has been able to consistently put out good to excellent music and bad to excellent movies. The first try at making a movie called The Wall was in my opinion an utter failure. There was nothing uplifting in that movie beyond the music which I had on album and CD. Many of his other recordings may not be dance-able but they are unique including Ça Ira, his SACD multi channel Opera which really sounds like Roger Waters music done by classical performers.

Okay I am as usual a bit long-winded so I will say this epic concert will be remembered but nothing like let's say the Beatles coming on the Ed Sullivan show in the early 60s.
I am not a professional reviewer but I will say I give this Blu-ray disc a recommendation of bye it if for nothing else other than showing off how good a concert disc can be.

Lastly, I think ole Rog puts out some of the best sounding discs out there.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

Alright, twist my arm. I dialed-up Amazon and have a copy incoming. :devil:


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## Savjac (Apr 17, 2008)

Todd Anderson said:


> Alright, twist my arm. I dialed-up Amazon and have a copy incoming. :devil:


I hope your arm is better now. 0


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

Todd Anderson said:


> Alright, twist my arm. I dialed-up Amazon and have a copy incoming. :devil:


 Well worth it! Really shows you what can be achieved with Atmos music.


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## Savjac (Apr 17, 2008)

I wonder, now that we have let Todd's arm go, if he wants his watch back ??


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

Savjac said:


> I hope your arm is better now. 0


My arm is better... but if I keep reading Mike's reviews my wallet is the one that's going to be in serious pain! :spend:


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## willis7469 (Jan 31, 2014)

Todd Anderson said:


> My arm is better... but if I keep reading Mike's reviews my wallet is the one that's going to be in serious pain! :spend:






Savjac said:


> I wonder, now that we have let Todd's arm go, if he wants his watch back ??




Yes jack. Play nice. Todd might to pawn that watch to sonnie to buy more movies!


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

Wonder if he'd loan cash based on a picture? ;-)


http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=120330&thumb=1


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## Savjac (Apr 17, 2008)

Todd Anderson said:


> Wonder if he'd loan cash based on a picture? ;-)
> 
> 
> http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=120330&thumb=1


Only if he would do the same for me....and my somewhat less than generous one.


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

Todd Anderson said:


> My arm is better... but if I keep reading Mike's reviews my wallet is the one that's going to be in serious pain! :spend:


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

Savjac said:


> Only if he would do the same for me....and my somewhat less than generous one.


Truth be told, mine looks more like this. :wink2: 

That's at least one or two Blu-rays... right?


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## Savjac (Apr 17, 2008)

..as long as you do not mind pre viewed discs, then your money is good.


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## Savjac (Apr 17, 2008)

The wrist band on mine was turning my arm green to I tried to take it back to the honest gentleman in Chinatown, NYC because he said he was a reputable seller of these fine timepieces but he has been on vacation for a very long time. 

The funny thing is, the watch keeps perfect time.


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