Gregory Boys Old School Villa Video reviews

[Gregorys Boy]

... and a few DVDs thrown in.

I love myself a good Video, and watching old season in reviews on the format tends to be one of the hightlights of my summer (yes its a sad life...).   Of course when I say old I naturally mean the early 90s when Football was invented.   

So over the course of this thread I will be re-watching these videos and reviewing them in a mostly light hearted way while, as well as the season in review I will be digging out other old Villa tapes (that means just walking a few yards to my book case), and giving them G. Boy treatment.  So expect such gems as "The Greatest Midlands Derbies" and "Aston Villa Golden Goals".  Might even dust off some feature length matches recorded off Sky/BEEB/Channel 5/ITV etc...

Hope you enjoy the ride.

[Gregorys Boy]

Right a double bill to kick things off.  I will be rating stuff with a five star system, one being awful, two poor, three decent, four very good, five classic.

The Official History of Aston Villa F.C. (1989)

The Cover: Vintage cover with old school Claret and Blue running throughout both sides, with the front cover having a nice selection of photographs including Mortimer lifting the European Cup, and black and white photo of the 1897 double winning side, and a snap of the mighty Peter Withe in action.  Class cover

Lowdown: This is a BBC prodcued release (this was when they were a standard bearer for Football covenge, and a very different company than the BBC of today).  On narration durties is the very classy Gerald Sinstadt (a posh Barry Davies).  This tape doucments the history of the Villa from its humble beginings through the glory years of the pre- and post-war era, and the history making European Cup winning side from 82, and of course the lows of relgation in 1970 etc.  Along with match highlights there are also talking heads from some of the key figures in the club's history up to that point.

Highlights: The crackle of the Video playing when I put it on (I trust that was not there on my first viewing).   There is a nice pictureisque shot of the hills surrounding Villa Park during an impressive opening video.  The structure is logical, with the film opening with players talking about the highs and lows, and then we switch to highlights of that European Cup winning run, before reversing to tell the story of Villa up that landmark.  Sinstadt rightly points out that Tony Morley's classic counter attacking goal would have been one of the fineist scored in Europe that season, and it was a treat to revisit here.  Those classic Spink saves, and that superb line of communtary for the winning goal . There is also a nice interview when the young Spinks mentions his mother.  Eric Houghton makes for a very engaging and informantive talking head. Sir Graham Taylor also adds value during his brief camio. Sinstadt's line on Withe and Shaw going together like Bacon and Eggs is a gem.

Lowlights: Not all the goals are shown from the European campaign of 82.  I think they could have included a bit more information about the early players/teams.  Althrough covenge from 1920 onwards has a lot of depth.  The white and yellow away shirts from 83 and 84 are dire.

Rating: ****

Aston Villa Champions of Europe (1982/1994)

Cover: Dennis Mortimer holding the European Cup aloft, nuff said

Lowdown: A neat highlights packege of 15 years of Villa in Europe from 1977 to 92, with comments from key players from those campeigns.

Highlights: A young post-Sky Andy Gray showing proving that once upon a time he was an engaging personality.  Showing programmes/newspaper headlines from the times is a nice touch.  Many of the campaigns are covered in depth, with extended highlights, and of course there are more highs than lows from a Villa prospective.

Lowlights: The talking heads are hit and miss, for example Withe gives a very good account of his Euro final winner, but is a little dull else where, and makes some very outdated comments, such as something about Eastern Europeans being keen to escape their countries.  The Toyata Cup could have been left out.  Due to the lack of television covenge at the time, the highlights of the early games are limited.

Rating: ***

Next I will review Aston Villa Golden Goals.

[cdbearsfan]

Good reviews. I think though, that a "lowlight" of the first video would be the insistence on Doug throughout the start, even though it's about the European Cup win we won in his absence! I think I'm right in that said video also had to be reissued when they accidentally included a picture of a Burnley league-title winning side on it!

[Damo70]

Good reviews. I think though, that a "lowlight" of the first video would be the insistence on Doug throughout the start, even though it's about the European Cup win we won in his absence! I think I'm right in that said video also had to be reissued when they accidentally included a picture of a Burnley league-title winning side on it!

I think you are right. I also recall hearing a few years back that the original 'cock up' cover edition is worth quite a few quid due to it's rarity value.

[Gregorys Boy]

Good reviews. I think though, that a "lowlight" of the first video would be the insistence on Doug throughout the start, even though it's about the European Cup win we won in his absence! I think I'm right in that said video also had to be reissued when they accidentally included a picture of a Burnley league-title winning side on it!

I think you are right. I also recall hearing a few years back that the original 'cock up' cover edition is worth quite a few quid due to it's rarity value.

Never knew that shocking!