Big Picture Big Sound

The Movie

Trying to explain the significance of Ronnie James Dio isn't such an easy task. Toss his name into a conversation about the greatest rock singers of all-time with anyone under the age of 30, and they will most likely return that comment with a blank stare. His contribution to heavy metal music is certainly appreciated by those of us (former headbanger and proud of it) who grew up listening to this giant of a performer.

Most people don't know that he was studying to become a pharmacist, before he dropped out of the University of Buffalo to pursue a career in music. The lead singer of Rainbow, and later Black Sabbath (post-Ozzy Osbourne) could have been the guy handing you a bottle of Abilify over-the-counter had he stayed in school, but instead he gave the world 45 years of fantastic music and unforgettable vocals; not to mention the ultimate expression of heavy metal, the "devils horns." The release of Dio: Holy Diver - Live on Blu-ray is a fitting tribute to the man and his music; not to mention one spectacular performance.

Filmed in 2005 at London's famed Astoria Theater, Holy Diver - Live, just sweeps you up right out of the gate and never lets go till the very end; when Ronnie James Dio's voice finally gives out. Even if you don't love metal, you will certainly appreciate Dio's super-charged performance; he's sorta like the late Bon Scott, current AC/DC front man Brian Johnson, and the late-Freddie Mercury rolled into one. Black Sabbath fans will enjoy the fact that his best work from his few years with the legendary band are included in this show.

While not quite as bombastic as AC/DC: Live at Donnington, the concert is two-hours of heavy metal at its purest and a very intense workout of your surround system.

The Picture

The 1080i high definition transfer is offered in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio and looks great for the most part. Blacks are deep minus a few moments of crush (which are scattered in 3-4 segments), and the the shadow detail is quite good. There are a few instances of compression artifacts, but you really have to focus on it to really let it bother you. The lighting is quite good in the theater which makes it easy to see everything going on during the show. Flesh tones are also very natural looking, with only a slight bit of red push. The overall picture is quite sharp and detailed looking and made watching for two hours quite enjoyable.

The Sound

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is completely enveloping and one of the better surround mixes that I've heard in a concert video. The engineers have done a phenomenal job with the mixing, as nothing overwhelms and it is so easy to get lost in Dio's electrifying vocals. Bass guitar has a solidity to it that really kicks butt. The midrange is very clean sounding on this mix and I only felt the need to crank it even louder. The Dolby Digital 5.1 suround track is good, but it does't pack the wallop of the DTS-HD mix. Play this loud and enjoy.

The Extras

Aside from a few interviews with the band, there really are no additional extras on the Blu-ray disc. Move along folks, nothing to see here.

Final Thoughts

The career of Ronnie James Dio was an impressive one; one that spanned decades and inspired a generation of heavy metal bands. He brought a tremendous voice to the table and gave everything he had every night he performed. It doesn't matter if you loved him in Rainbow, Black Sabbath, or Dio; there is something here for all of his fans. The solid video quality and exceptional surround mix make it one of the best concert videos on Blu-ray around.

Product Details:

• Performer: Ronnie James Dio
• Audio Format: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, PCM 2.0, Dolby Digital 5.1
• Language: English
• Region: ABC (region-free)
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Eagle Records (Fontana)
• Blu-ray Release Date: October 12, 2010
• Run Time: 126 minutes
• MSRP: $19.98
  
• Extras:
  • Interviews