Celine: Through the Eyes of the World Blu-ray delivers stunning video and reference-quality audio in this exceptional Blu-ray release
Celine travels to five continents and 25 countries, putting on show-stopping performances of some of her biggest hits. However, this world tour is different as Celine is traveling with her husband, her 8-year-old son, her mother, and her extended family
Kathy Griffin is not exactly known for her tact and decorum when discussing celebrities. In fact, Griffin has built her supposedly "D-list" career on skewering the foibles of the rich and famous. But when Griffin took on Céline Dion, erstwhile hitmaker and then Las Vegas regular, Griffin herself was the butt of her own joke. Having finagled her way backstage to meet Ms. Dion (with the help of one of "her gays," as Griffin calls her acolytes), Griffin relates a hilarious anecdote about standing next to Céline and slowly becoming aware that she (Griffin) had been petting Céline's head as if she were a dog. In the anecdote, Griffin assumes Céline's charming French-Canadian accent, relating that Céline responded to the petting by querying, "You want me to bark like a dog? Woof, woof." That gives at least a little insight into the largely unpretentious nature of this singer who first captured Canadian audiences as a teen and then via the auspices of Dion's manager and future husband René Angélil became a worldwide pop superstar. The interesting thing about Dion, aside from her unmistakable voice and ability to regularly hit the Top 10, is her rather unexpected lack of singular ambition when it comes to furthering her career. At least a couple of times, she's stepped back from the rigors of recording and touring to foster her family relationships, both with her husband, who survived a bout with cancer, and her son, both of whom accompany her on the whirlwind 2008 tour captured on Céline: Through the Eyes of the World.
Baby, she can drive her car.
It's probably actually a bit unfair to think of this piece as a concert video. While we do get a smattering of fierce performances by the diva, what this really is is an amazingly touching trip literally around the world, as Céline is introduced to various peoples, many with heart tugging stories. In fact the more jaded among the audience may find this a little calculated, actually perhaps even more than a little, and yet Céline's reactions are undeniably real, down to earth and obviously heart based. Some of these interactions include meeting the Soweto Gospel Choir, who are shown accompanying Dion in a brief clip from her South African concert. There's an interlude about Nelson Mandela, and a touching moment with Angélil explaining to their son the horrors the freedom fighter had to endure. In fact, Céline herself visits Mandela's former prison cell, puffing a bit of air (which seems to be her "I'm overwhelmed" response throughout the almost three hours of this documentary) as she realizes the cramped confines he was forced to live in for so many years.
There are less world renowned individual stories on tap here as well, including a family where the mother gave her son a kidney, and one of Céline's own dancers, who visits his family while breezing through Australia. The fascinating thing about all of this activity is both how completely energetic and wonderfully serene Céline is. Both onstage and in some frolicksome moments backstage, she's really kind of a goof at times, mugging and doing a strange little dance. When she's dealing with the sick child recovering from a kidney transplant or, later, a woman paralyzed in an accident who tells Céline her singing is what kept her alive, Dion is obviously moved (that puff of air again) while showing a beautifully maternal side. "May I kiss you?" she quietly asks the wheelchair bound woman, who surprisedly answers, "Well of course!"
While some fans coming to this Blu-ray may complain about it not being a "real" concert video, there are some great moments here, including a brilliantly edited opening segment which cobbles together a myriad of world strewn performances of "I Drove All Night." It's both fun and a little disorienting at times to see Céline traipsing through a huge variety of stage setups, not to mention a costume change or two, as she vamps through the number. This really isn't a greatest hits package by any stretch of the imagination, even in the somewhat limited concert footage included here, but rest assured we do get a lovely (and gorgeously staged) rendition of "My Heart Goes On," the song with which Dion will probably always be most associated.
What also sets this literal outing apart is its really stunning location footage. We see everything from the gleaming metropolises of Dubai to the glories of Paris to kangaroos dancing across the plains of Australia to Dion herself dancing on a stage in Los Angeles. This is a veritable panoply of locales, wonderfully filmed and offering a rare look at a major artist as sightseer. Dion's own sense of wonder is probably enhanced by her familial entourage, including her mother as well as Angélil and their son. Céline herself mentions this fact in the South African wing of the tour. After being greeted by the Soweto Gospel Choir, she waxes poetic on what singing really means and what real communication actually entails. It's obvious this is one woman who communicates effortlessly, whether that be onstage or in the quieter confines of her own personal life.
This is one of the most colorful and sharpest looking 1080i live performance Blu-rays I've had the pleasure of seeing recently. Encoded via AVC, in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio, Through the Eyes of the World is sharp as a tack and really stunningly well saturated. What makes this such an exceptional treat, image quality wise, is the jaw dropping list of locales visited, all of them filmed breathtakingly. Intercut with live performance footage, this makes for an inerrantly interesting experience. Detail here is top notch, whether it's the gorgeous ruffles on a Dion costume, the brightly lit stage floor erupting in tones of red and black, or the many beautiful cities through which Dion breezes. Black levels are especially strong on this Blu-ray, with wonderfully gradated shadow detail and a complete lack of crushing. The colors themselves are often eye-popping, whether it's the multi-hued wraps encasing the Soweto Gospel Choir or Dion's flowing red gown that her costume designer encourages her to "try out" on a windy night. About the only thing to complain about on this Blu are a couple of extremely brief interlacing artifacts, both of which as miniscule as they are appeared on neon lighted signs.
Two stellar lossless audio options are included here, an LPCM 2.0 stereo track and a wonderfully rich, spacious Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track. Don't be dismayed that this isn't "only" performances, for the soundfield is quite diverse as we trek around the world. There are some great immersive moments in scenes as unexpected as a Muslim woman talking about her love of the singer, where we're surrounded by calls to prayer and the sounds of the city. The performance footage virtually erupts with sonic power, with a surprisingly robust low end that may catch some people off guard who consider Dion an "easy listening" singer. Crowd sounds are mixed quite well into the proceedings. I found these audience elements more obtrusive on the LPCM 2.0 side of things, but even there they don't overwhelm the onstage aural activity. Dion sounds great throughout the concert portions, and her band is on fire.
In the fantasy world of superstardom, it's rather rare to stumble across someone as real and heart-centered as Céline Dion. This wonderful documentary shows her to be one of the hardest working people in show business, while maintaining a focus on her family life that is truly admirable. When she interacts with members of her audience or with afflicted souls who come to her backstage, it's clear this isn't "for show." Céline Dion is the real deal, and Through the Eyes of the World is a remarkable sight indeed.
