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The Movie:
I'm not really a fan of many of today's pop groups, but I can certainly appreciate a good business idea - that's what MTV had when they came up with "Total Request Live", which has turned out to be one of the most popular shows (if not the most popular show) on the network. Featuring a mix of live performances and a video countdown based on viewer votes. The show's gained more and more popularity since its birth, and the music industry is consistently looking to have its groups promoted on the series.
"Inside TRL" is a mix of behind-the-scenes clips and performances. What I enjoy about MTV's documentaries is that, although they are promotional in nature, they do provide some funny stories and moments. Here, we see what the plans were when star Norm MacDonald decided to sleep in instead of coming to the show. The crew of the show including the producers and other talent lead the viewer through some of the screw-ups that happen as well, such as when people or stars freeze up when the show goes live.
The performances (Backstreet Boys, N'Sync, 98 Degrees, Five, Stone Temple Pilots, Limp Bizkit) range from fair to good, but I found the behind-the-scenes material a little more entertaining. It was quite interesting to see the process that the crew has to go through to prepare to go live for the show. Any fans of the series might enjoy this disc - although the retail price is $19.99, I've seen the disc in stores for as low as $9.99.
The DVD
VIDEO/AUDIO: I was actually very pleased with the audio quality for this disc. Although many of the segments are interviews, the audio sounds very pleasing for a 5.1 remix from the original MTV broadcast. Christina Aguilera's performance of "Genie In A Bottle" sounds especially good, with audio that sounds natural and although not quite as full as the best concert soundtracks I've heard, it doesn't sound thin or hollow. Surrounds give support well to the beats of the music from Aguilera and other performers highlighted on the documentary. Not the most stunning music presentation I've ever heard, but I've heard worse.
The video quality is just about what you'd expect from a DVD like this; a full-frame presentation that, while not exactly razor sharp, is moderately better than broadcast quality. Pixelation or any other problems like that are not apparent during the documentary and all-in-all, a pleasing viewing experience.
MENUS:: Colorful menus with pretty minor animation and easy navigation.
EXTRAS:: There's actually quite a few extras included on this disc. First is a set of interview clips for 98 Degrees, Aguilera, N'Sync, Five and Stone Temple Pilots - clips are pretty short. Also included are profiles of MTV VJs, a photo gallery of MTV Studios, TRL Trivia, a promo clip for an MTV workout DVD and another promo clip if you click on the MTV logo.
Final Thoughts: For somewhere around 50 minutes or so, $19.99 is a little much for this disc, but if you can find it online or in stores for cheaper, it's a nicely done effort by Sony Music.
Film Grade
The Film B-
DVD Grades
Video 83/B =
Audio: 87/B =
Extras: 75/C =
Menus: 75/C =
Value: 83/B =
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