I received this picture on DVD for Christmas and have watched it a number of times already, the latest being last night. I am amazed each time and have started considering this as my musical demo disk. Both the sound and the picture is amazing. Although there are no spectacular effects with the sounds jumping from speaker to speaker, the 5.1 channels are used to create a flawless soundfield. The b/w portion of the film is so crisp that you can see individual beads of sweat rolling down Bono's neck and flying from his hair. The color portion of the video is somewhat grainy, but the colors are vivid, particularly the reds in "Where the Streets Have No Name."
Rattle and Hum has been criticized in the past as being pointless and arrogant (see Leonard Maltin, among others). I disagree. The Edge states in the film that it was meant to capture a feel of who the band was at that point in time (as "Under A Blood Red Sky" did earlier). This is certainly accomplished. It also shows a group who seems to have little love for the American establishment, trying to understand the music that has come from that country (hence the trips to Graceland, Memphis, and Harlem). The raw energy and emotion of the band also comes through loud and clear. If the high level of technical performance of this DVD doesn't knock your socks off, watch Bono sing "Sunday Bloody Sunday". It makes my spine tingle, every time.
Rattle and Hum has been criticized in the past as being pointless and arrogant (see Leonard Maltin, among others). I disagree. The Edge states in the film that it was meant to capture a feel of who the band was at that point in time (as "Under A Blood Red Sky" did earlier). This is certainly accomplished. It also shows a group who seems to have little love for the American establishment, trying to understand the music that has come from that country (hence the trips to Graceland, Memphis, and Harlem). The raw energy and emotion of the band also comes through loud and clear. If the high level of technical performance of this DVD doesn't knock your socks off, watch Bono sing "Sunday Bloody Sunday". It makes my spine tingle, every time.