Product Description

While the album of the same name made its first appearance in 1994, and went on to become Nirvana's second best selling CD of all time, nearly 15 years have passed since that memorable initial broadcast. Now, fans will finally get the chance to see the release of the entire, unedited performance...with neverbefore- seen footage...on DVD...and in Dolby Stereo and 5.1 Surround sound. Mixed in surround sound by legendary surround mixing engineer Elliot Scheiner, this DVD allows fans to experience this performance like never before, completely unedited including the two songs not originally broadcasted ("Something In The Way" and "Oh Me" ), and with the best sound ever available (to anyone not in the studio for the original taping.) For the purists, also included on this DVD is the original 44 min broadcast version of the show, plus never-before-seen REHEARSAL performances. As an extra bonus to the DVD, a 14-minute interview segment called Bare Witness produced by MTV focuses on the recollections of those who experienced this magical moment in music history, those who produced it and interviews with the band from the day of the taping.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3685 in DVD
• Brand: UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP
• Released on: 2007-11-20
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, Live, NTSC, Surround Sound
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: German, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 102 minutes

Features

• Kurt Cobain loved to confound his fans' expectations during his brief stint in the spotlight. So when Nirvana gathered in New York City on November 18, 1993, he had another trick up his sleeve--an acoustic performance of the raw, ferocious grunge songs that propelled the band to stardom. The results were startling, and for many viewers a hidden depth to Cobain's songwriting talents were re

From the Director
TRACKS: 1. ABOUT A GIRL 2. COME AS YOU ARE 3. JESUS DOESN'T WANT ME FOR A SUNBEAM 4. THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD 5. PENNYROYAL TEA 6. DUMB 7. POLLY 8. ON A PLAIN 9. SOMETHING IN THE WAY* 10. PLATEAU 11. OH, ME* 12. LAKE OF FIRE 13. ALL APOLOGIES 14. WHERE DID YOU SLEEP LAST NIGHT?

*NOT ORIGINALLY BROADCAST

About the Actor
EXTRAS: BARE WITNESS Interviews from the band and the lucky ones who were there. Also included: THE REHEARSALS

Customer Reviews

Essential, and not just for fans
Thanks to the legal hijinks that dragged on long after Kurt Cobain's death, anything Nirvana-related was put on hold. After the legal resolution a couple of years ago, a 3-cd set of unreleased recordings saw the light of day (With The Lights Out), not to mention the obligatory "best of" (Nirvana). Now finally comes the somewhat legendary "MTV Unplugged" show. This set still draws some mixed reactions, even if most fans agree it's brilliant. Taped just months before Cobain's suicide, it's both startingly raw and disturbingly planned, with the band playing amongst candles and flowers (stargazer lilies, to be precise)--more than a few people noted it seemed like a funeral, and indeed that's the way Cobain intended it. Other details that stand out include the fact that while most of the band sit propped on wooden stools, Cobain sits in what appears to be a standard swiveling office chair ("I have very bad posture," indeed!) and the presence of ex-Germ (and future Foo Fighter) Pat Smear, who backs Cobain up as a second guitarist. Anyway, for all its emblamatic status, "Unplugged" also gave a somewhat false impression of the band, and Cobain in particular. Instead of the decidedly plugged in punk the band was known for, Cobain was transformed into a pained-looking, cardigan sweater wearing ghost warbling about how Jesus didn't want him for a sunbeam. Another MTV broadcast, taped just a few months before "Unplugged" the suitably-named "Live and Loud" show, could restore the balance somewhat, but of course it hasn't been officially released on DVD yet. Nevertheless, "Unplugged" retains an almost atavistic hold on the viewer, and is still one of the most intense musical performances ever broadcast on television.

Instead of a basic acoustic run-through of their hits, the band used the opportunity to put a new spin on some of their album tracks. The songs "Polly" and "Dumb" were pretty much unplugged before, but in the context of this show became brillianty-etched character studies. The main character, however, was always Cobain, and his songs constant references to death and alienation became all the more chilling here. "Unplugged" is, therefore, something of an audiovisual suicide note. No suicide note has been as exhilerating as this one, though. If you never believed in the concept of catharsis, this might chance your mind.

The band also used the show to highlight some of their own favorite music, and five of the songs here are covers, all of them given new life by their inclusion here. David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World" now seems like Cobain speaking from his grave, even if he wasn't dead yet. The tradional ballad "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam" was performed by one of Cobain's favorite bands, The Vaselines, but this version was both tribute and personal statement. Three songs from Meat Puppets II, with Chris and Kurt Kirkwood from that band joining in, also seemed handpicked for their metaphorical content, most notably the damnation-themed "Lake of Fire."

What makes this DVD more than just a keepsake is the fact that the entire performance, complete with between song banter and mistakes, are included, as well as the original broadcast version. The uncut "Unplugged" also has 14 songs, compared with the broadcast version's 12. Of course, all the songs can be found on the CD version (MTV Unplugged in New York), but now it's available in full 5.1 glory (and done remarkably well, I might add). The long version also includes a very brief, abortive version of "Sweet Home Alabama," done as "the Brothers Meat" (as Cobain says) were setting up. While the retrospective documentary also included here is disapointinly light on information, it does include a short clip of Sonic Youth's Lee Renaldo, who was at the taping. So while this is pretty much essential for fans, even the curious will want to check this out. Hopefully, some of Nirvana's electric performances will be released soon, but this is still a unique performance that easily transcends the era when it was done.

Awesome
Awesome. I am so impressed with this release. Not only is the sound and picture fantastic, but they have both the original mtv edit of the show and the unedited version of the show. They finally got it right!

Timeless. Absolutely Timeless.
Maybe Kurt was just at the right place at the right time. Maybe he was a sloppy guitar player. But he was a good song writer and he was honest. Call it Nirvana. That's what it is.

I was 12, maybe 13 when I was first truly starting to love this band. Something spoke to me. After seeing the Unplugged performance on Much Music I had to own it on video. Finally today, 13 years later, I am.

Nirvana unplugged was to me then what it is to me now. An honest performance of a band at its best that spoke to a generation and more.

Call Cobain what you will. He is the Elvis and The Beatles of a later generation.

And just so you know, there hasn't been an artist in rock as big since.

To finally see the entire concert uncut in the pleasure of my own home is a blessing. As a bonus, you can view the original aired version. The rehearsals offer insight into how the night was played out. See why Kurt was worried about screwing up 'The Man Who Sold The World', and why 'PennyRoyal Tea' was a solo performance. See for yourself why Nirvana Unplugged is a testament of time.