Will Smith: The Music Video Collection

• Cert:
• Cat.no: 502069
• Running time: 44 minutes
• Year: 1999
• Pressing: 2000
• Region(s): 2, PAL
• Chapters: 11
• Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1, PCM Stereo
• Languages: English
• Subtitles: None
• Widescreen: ratio varies
• 16:9-enhanced: No
• Macrovision: No
• Disc Format: DVD 5
• Price: £19.99
• Extras : Scene index, Biography, Bonus Video

Will Smith: The Music Video Collectiondoes exactly what it says on the tin, but doesn’t include all of his hits, whichcould be seen as a shame for his fans and comes from the man who nobody‘s callingAmerica’s answer to Richard Blackwood.

It’s basically a collection of videos from his last two albums, so includes none ofthe early Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince tracks and also misses out his lastsingle, Freakin’ It, leaving just seven promos.

Just a couple of queries. In Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It, which rips offSister Sledge‘s He’s the Greatest Dancer, what exactly is”8.50 I.S.” ? £8.50 Income Support for the winter fuel allowancethat used to get dished out months too late?

The 12-cert applies for an f-word during Miami, which usually gets fuzzed-up on TV,in the lines :

Oh and Will 2K rips off The Clash‘s Rock the Casbah. Sorry,”pays homage to”.

His singles chart history in the UK to date (August 2000) is as follows :

Oct 86No.21Girls Ain’t Nothing But TroubleAug 91No. 8SummertimeNov 91No.53Ring My BellSep 93No. 1Boom! Shake the RoomNov 93No.24I’m Looking for the One (To Be with Me)Feb 94No.29Can’t Wait to be with YouJun 94No.62Twinkle Twinkle (I’m Not a Star)Aug 94No.29Summertime (re-entry)Dec 95No.40Boom! Shake the Room (remix)Aug 97No. 1Men in BlackDec 97No.23Just Cruisin’Feb 98No. 3Gettin’ Jiggy Wit ItAug 98No. 2Just the Two of UsDec 98No. 3MiamiJul 99No. 2Wild Wild WestNov 99No. 2Will 2KMar 00No.15Freakin’ It

The videos vary in ratio, but are all non-anamorphic. The picture looks very goodbut the inherent processing of the obvious NTSC-PAL conversion does mar it.However, there are no artifacts visible and the average bitrate is anexceptional 9.7Mb/s.

Released in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound with PCM Stereo as an alternative option,there’s some swishy sounds in the opening montage and Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It provides scratchy sounds all round the room.

There are 11 chapters, one for each song as well as the intro sequence andend credits. The track listing is as follows :

1. Opening Montage
2. Men in Black
3. Just Cruisin’
4. Gettin’ Jiggy Wit it
5. Just the Two of Us
6. Miami
7. Wild Wild West
8. Will 2K
9. Behind the scenes of “Will 2K”
10. Bloopers
11. End credits

Languages/Subtitles :

All the songs are sung in English, but there are no lyrics to tap your foot along toonscreen.

And there’s more… :A Biography covering a few short pages of info that everyone will know alreadyand a promo of So Fresh. Pointless to include it here as it could’ve been used tobolster the small running time. Menu :

Static, but a looped piece of music from Miami.

Overall, if you haven’t bought this already it’s unlikely you will do now.Would you rather spend 20quid on a 43-minute music disc, or the forthcomingCollectors Editions of Men in Black (one for the same price or a secondwith more extras for just a fiver more?)