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Neil Young: Heart of Gold | 
 enlarge | Director: Jonathan Demme
Actors: Emmylou Harris, Neil Young, Gary W. Pigg, Ben Keith, Pegi Young
Studio: Paramount Vantage
Category: DVD
List Price: CDN$ 15.99
Buy New: CDN$ 9.99
You Save: CDN$ 6.00 (38%)
New (10) Used (3) from CDN$ 8.89
Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 297
Format: Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: PARD346694D
UPC: 097363466949
EAN: 0097363466949
Theatrical Release Date: 2005
Release Date: June 13, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 2 to 4 weeks
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| Editorial Reviews:
From Amazon.com
"I just want to play well, share the stage with my friends, give the best I can," says Neil Young before the concert that is the centerpiece of Heart of Gold. No problem, dude. Working with filmmaker Jonathan Demme, Young has come up with a gem--not all flash and bling-bling, but as understated as a single pearl, musically restrained yet emotionally open. Of course, neither Demme (an Oscar winner for The Silence of the Lambs; he also helmed Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense) nor Young would call it "a concert film"; the director describes it as "a dream concert, something that's literally being dreamt by Neil," while the singer-songwriter himself calls it "a multi-level story." Whatever, the project came together in 2005, as Young was finishing his Prairie Wind album (the latest in a string of lovely, country-flavored acoustic recordings dating back to 1972's Harvest) and preparing to debut the music at Nashville's fabled Ryman Auditorium, home of the Grand Ole Opry. The fact that Young had also recently experienced a brain aneurysm might or might not have influenced his decision to film the show, but it certainly seems to have had an effect on the music. He and his band (which, with the addition of horns, strings, and backup singers, including Emmylou Harris, occasionally numbers forty or more musicians) perform Prairie Wind in its entirety, and there is some deeply moving, highly personal material here; in addition to the gospel-tinged "When God Made Me" and the dirge-like "No Wonder," Young sings about his recently-deceased father (the title song), his newly adult daughter ("Here for You"), the guitar he plays that once belonged to Hank Williams ("This Old Guitar"), and even his dog ("He Was the King"). Demme's direction is ideal for conveying the music's restrained acoustic textures, rich backing vocals, and simple, elegant melodies. Shots are held much longer than is usual in such films, and while there are lots of close-ups, there are no gimmicks. This superb DVD package is filled out by a second disc of bonus features, including a variety of featurettes and a solo performance of "The Needle and the Damage Done" from The Johnny Cash Show in 1971. --Sam Graham
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
outstanding music July 21, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
this is one of the greatest musical dvd's i own. i love neil young's music and this is something i will listen to over and over again.
SIX stars for Heart of Gold October 24, 2006
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
Rarely have I seen a film, much less a concert, as powerful, moving, personally revealing, and emotionally honest as Heart of Gold. I have admired Neil Young for a long time--since After the Gold Rush I guess--and I always knew he had the soul of a poet, and (let's be truthful) the voice of ...well, someone who reads poetry well. He has always written and sung about his life and experience; but this is definitely different. His aneurism and loss of his father have caused him to stop, turn, and appreciate what his life has brought him. You never get the sense that he feels sorry for himself, or wants others to feel sympathy for him. Live or die, life had brought him many great times and hard times, and, at this turning point in his life, he wanted to convey (what I sensed was) a profound gratitude for his family and friends. Having them close to him on stage gave him a connection and perhaps continuity to his life that, in light of recent events, had become meaningful in a very existential way.
Neil's a bit of a laconic fellow, and it's that bit of emotional restraint that makes this DVD (and the CD) so incredibly moving. He sings, really, to his friends and loved ones, and we get to listen in. It's a kind of personal embrace, and a message of love and appreciation that perhaps you can only conjure up when you are truly faced with your mortality. Of all the wonderful songs, "It's a Dream" is absolutely the heart of this concert. This is one of his best songs (all time), and one of the most moving and beautifully conceived songs in recent memory. His dad, daughter, even his dog, are all recognized in some of the most genuine, heartfelt lyrics you've heard for a long time.
Even if you're not a Neil Young fan, get this DVD, and let Neil embrace you. This is a message about life and love, about connection to people, and taking nothing for granted.
Intense Performance August 28, 2006
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
This is basically Neil Young unplugged. No heavy electric guitar or hard drums here. You hear Neil's voice and the outstanding playing of his band. In between song's Neil tells anecdotes about his life growing up. It's a really intimate film and every song is damn perfect. Buy this dvd and watch it. You'll be on the edge of your seat. It's intense.
P.S. Fans new to Neil Young should not buy "Decade". They should buy "After The Gold Rush". It's a masterwork.
Heart of Gold August 2, 2006
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
I was a hippie at the same time as Neil Young and I've been listening to his music forty years. After he left Crosby, Stills and Nash and went on his own he returned to his country roots (he was born in Manitoba, Canada, then bought a ranch outside of Nashville). Most old hippies haven't weathered well, but I am happy to report Neil Young has as this DVD shows. It's a concert DVD of his new alburm Prairie Winds. He sings three of the songs that made him famous: Heart of God, I am a Child, Old Man Look at my Life. The remainder of the DVD is Prairie Winds. Like all singers of his age he's losing his voice, but Young has been smart enough to bring in Emmie Lou Harris, his wife and another woman along with a gospel group to back him up which covers the cracks beautifully. He only sings two songs accapello. He's also added a string quartet and a group of horns for some songs. All in all I was toe-tapping and wishing I could dance through out most of the movie and I noticed so were other members of the audience my age. He's not just country. A lot of his songs had the 'sound of the sixties.'
I'm pleased to report there were adults of all ages in the audience displaying Neil Youung's ability to reach three generations. My daughter turned to me and asked me to order her a CD of his music I thought she'd like. An easy task.
I particularly like the fact that he's still writing his own music and sang new songs except for Four Winds by Ian and Sylvia.
He sang a song to his 21 year old daughter and spoke to the audience of 'empty nest' syndrome in a light manner. His music still spoke to me after all these years and I'll be buying this DVD. It's worth it. For those of you who are new to Neil Young I would recommend his two disc Greatest Hits album "Neil Young: Decade". It's a nice introduction to his music.
My First Time Seeing Neil Young Peform July 7, 2006
5 out of 9 found this review helpful
I got into neil young in january and i think hes great i. I only own greatest hits and after the gold rush but thats still enough to make me a neil young fan ive wanted to see him pefrom in later years or his earlier years .. saw this one in the theater andd really liked it. I thought the fact that he head all his friends there was really cool and made the performance very special .. movie ends with a Great Neil Young Solo which is dont in style and class
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