Raxel

It's out on Feb 1st, 2 dvds set, but running time is only 54 mins? Can't find any review online. anyone has more info what's on the dvd?

bigjim25

January 28th Anniversary Press Event
http://usaforafrica.org/launch/index.htm
DVD Features Hours Of Never-Before-Seen Footage

Los Angeles - December 10th 2004: The 20th Anniversary of one of the most historic and important recording sessions of all time featuring 45 of the biggest names in American popular music that produced the extraordinary song, "We Are The World" will be commemorated with a 4-hour, 2 DVD Set entitled "WE ARE THE WORLD: The Story Behind The Song," hitting stores on February 1st.

"We Are The World" featured such iconic artists as: Harry Belafonte, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Bob Geldof, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Bruce Springstein, Tina Turner, and Stevie Wonder and was conducted and produced by Quincy Jones.

Proceeds from the DVD will again enable USA for AFRICA, "We Are The World's" sponsor, to help ease hunger and fight AIDS in Africa and poverty related issues here in the United States.

"We Are The World" became an international sensation in 1985, the single sold more than 7.5 million copies and won Grammys for "Song of the Year" and "Record of the Year," but more importantly, focused both media and public attention on the famine that was killing millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa and the endemic problems of hunger in Africa that still persist today.

The DVD Set, produced by the award-winning DVD producer Paul Brownstein and released by Image Entertainment, will feature more than four hours of material from the all-night recording session. The DVD will include an expanded version the original "Making-of Special" on the recording session along with the 10th Anniversary documentary plus more than two hours of bonus footage that will include the individual artists rehearsing and recording their solos, behind-the-scenes camaraderie and banter as well as the long, arduous labor of love that produced one of the great "anthems" of all time.

A number of unique features will allow viewers to access and cross-reference the material in innovative ways and a Karaoke section will allow them to add their own solos to the chorus and instrumentals. Footage of "We Are The World" being performed at the American Music Awards, The Grammys and the historic Live Aid concert are included as well. This DVD will not only be the definitive video history of the recording session, it will enable lovers of the song and the cause to see the historic event in new and revealing detail.

"The recording session on January 28, 1985 was an absolutely unique moment in history," says Ken Kragen, the L.A.-based talent manager and producer who organized the effort along with Harry Belafonte, Quincy Jones and a host of others. "Not only did it bring together an unparalleled array of music talent on one night for one cause, it was an unprecedented effort that melded artists, media and music in an effort that has raised more than $63 million dollars that has funded more than 450 grants that leveraged resources for projects in 18 African countries and has helped save millions of lives over the past 20 years."

"I wish I could say that 'We Are The World' solved all the problems it highlighted," says, Ken Kragen. "Nevertheless it did shed incredible light on those problems, galvanized many into action and set an example of what people can accomplish when they come together in pursuit of helping others in need. 'We Are The World' was clearly a unique moment in time and one part of its legacy is clearly the fact that momentous things can happen when caring people seize those moments and act."

Image Entertainment, Inc. is a leading independent licensee, producer and distributor of home entertainment programming in North America with more than 2,600 exclusive DVD titles in domestic release and approximately 300 programs internationally via sublicense agreements. The Company also has exclusive audio, broadcast, video on demand, streaming video, and download rights for many of its exclusive properties. The Company is headquartered in Chatsworth, California, and has a domestic distribution facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information on Image Entertainment, Inc., please go to www.image-entertainment.com.

Raxel

54 mins running time listed on amazon.com and dvdempire.com must be wrong. more than 4 hours makes sense to me as a 2 disc set.

Numanoid

Uh, yeah, except Band-Aid did it first. So much for being unique, unparalleled and unprecedented.

Gotta love American arrogance.

Kal-El

Bought Live Aid, definitely buying this.

Cameron

my parents bought the original album....it came with a white t-shirt....i wore this for years...one day my sister tossed it in with her new red sweater...i had a pink shirt...i did not wear it again

wish it had the shirt

Filmmaker

Um, but does it actually have the video of the song itself?

Kal-El

Glad to know I wasn't the only one wondering about this.
Doesn't really matter to me though because the video is on the Live Aid box set.

Filmmaker

Kal-El, he he, right you are and my dumb-ass even owns LIVE AID! (slaps forehead)

cck

You're not seriously comparing the level of talent that was involved in the two projects are you? Spandau Ballet, Bananarama, Boy George and Duran Duran vs. Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nelson, and Ray Charles? "unique, unparalleled and unprecedented" seems about right to me.

Filmmaker

cck, Bono and Sting were in Band Aid...right there, the UK wins!

Raxel

80's Michael Jackson owns everyone.

Cameron

and it only cost him 12 million a kid

LasVegasMichael

I am hoping that this will spawn a similar release of Voices that Care from the Gulf War era. Will definataly be picking this up.

Decker

Copied from above :

The DVD Set, produced by the award-winning DVD producer Paul Brownstein and released by Image Entertainment, will feature more than four hours of material from the all-night recording session. The DVD will include an expanded version the original "Making-of Special" on the recording session along with the 10th Anniversary documentary plus more than two hours of bonus footage that will include the individual artists rehearsing and recording their solos, behind-the-scenes camaraderie and banter as well as the long, arduous labor of love that produced one of the great "anthems" of all time.

I think that 54 minute running time is the length of the original feature and therefore considered the "running time" of the disc and everything else is considered "bonus material" and not figured into the running time.

BJacks

As a weird aside, "Police Academy" star Michael Winslow has the original sheet music from "We Are the World" framed in his house, and signed by nearly everyone who sang it. It's completely awesome.

Numanoid

See what I mean about American arrogance?

My point was that Band-Aid was the original, and We Are The World was an imitation. No one is complaining, because it is for charity. But to call it unique (it wasn't), unparalleled (it wasn't) and unprecedented (no way in hell) is just an outright lie. The truth is that Band-Aid had the biggest and brightest stars of its day on the roll call. The truth is that "Do They Know Its Christmas" was the #1 selling single of all time. The truth is that "Do They Know Its Christmas" is still played and played and played. When was the last time you heard "We Are The World" on the radio?

Bob Geldof attended the USA for Africa recording. He told the UK press that he was disgusted by it. The Band-Aid singers had all gotten out of bed on an early Sunday morning (some of them driving in from Germany, some flying the Concorde from New York) and showed up without entourages and managers, generally looking bedraggled (some having not even slept), simply out of the goodness of their hearts. The Americans all arrived in their limos (with the various drivers arguing over who should be in line before whom), dressed in jewels and gowns, and were surrounded by ice sculptures and caviar, all while singing about famine. The differences between our two cultures are succinctly encapsulated in these stories.

wrdrobeguy

I think the "Hands Across America" video should be on this DVD too... Also spearheaded by Ken Kragen, a major debacle, and a terrible song...

Sheesh. The 80s are rearing it's ugly head! LOL

Oh..and I'd LOVE to see Band Aid's "Do They Know it's Christmas" doc on DVD. I have an old worn out VHS of this.. watch it every holiday season. That song is a classic. "We are the World" is egoist crap.

GuessWho

Didn't the session take place after an awards show? That's why they were dressed up

Rogue588

Psst...as GuessWho pointed out, USA For Africa recorded directly after the American Music Awards. As for the way they were dressed, the majority changed into "USA For Africa" t-shirt's once they got there. [Though they did arrive in furs]

I guess I didn't realized that Press Releases were meant to be taken so literally...

emhello

Am I the only one who wishes that this entire 'We are the world' fiasco would just go away forever??

Numanoid

I'm aware of that. Was it necessary to schedule a charity event after a self-congratulating awards show? Probably, otherwise the stars wouldn't have shown up. Kind of makes my point.

cck

Then your point is wrong. Have you never heard of the Concert for Bangladesh?

Sadly, we don't follow the British tradition of self-deprecating awards shows.

Bono counts for the UK? Perhaps you missed the Irish revolution then? 1921, I believe.

Rogue588

Welcome to the forum, cck.

whomod

Yep.

They tried to claim credit for it all when they were really just hopping on Bob Geldof/Midge Ure's bandwagon 20 years ago and it looks as if they're at it again.

Plus. 20 years later, Do they know it's Christmas" is listenable. "We are the world" still sounds as horrible as it did the 1st time.