This Is Tom Jones: What'S New Pussycat? [DVD] [2009]

This Volume 3 of THIS IS TOM JONES is only 1 DVD, containing 3 episodes of the show, but all are severely edited. MARCH 21, 1969 is a great show, particularly because TOM and MAMA CASS ELLIOT do a stupendous medley of soul songs: ONE NIGHT WITH YOU, DO RIGHT WOMAN and I GUESS I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU. But , shockingly, they even cut at least one song from their performance together out of the medley! Not only that, but Cass' solo song is not included either. What a shame, a legendary performer such as her, & they left out her complete performances on this episode. Instead you get a clean shaven GEORGE CARLIN in a suit doing an unfunny 5 minute dud of a monolouge. THE DAVE CLARK FIVE are listed as guests on this episode, but not surprisingly, they are nowhere to be seen. What's left are 3 songs by Tom: WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT, GENTLE ON MY MIND, and WHAT'D I SAY , but even the star of the show has songs cut out of his concert that ends each episode. JANUARY 1, 1971 is even more severely edited. It has Tom doing a very short AIN'T THAT GOOD NEWS, and Free's ALL RIGHT NOW at the end of the show, leaving out other songs as well. Guest JOHN DENVER is seen in a duet with Tom on CAROLINA IN MY MIND, and then a short instrumental guitar piece with an uncredited guitarist , probably as a segueway to a commercial break. The original episode has SHIRLEY BASSEY, Tom's compatriot from Wales, but she is totally left out. Instead we get the complete skits by comedy troup THE ACE TRUCKING COMPANY, which go on for 10 minutes. What a shame. It must be easy to clear comedy performances, but not song copyrights. The 3rd episode from FEBRUARY 1969 is the least edited, but it excludes the performance by LULU. She's seen introducing THE BEE GEES with Tom. Mercifully, their 2 songs aren't edited . ROBIN GIBB has really long hair singing I STARTED A JOKE, and then BARRY GIBB sings FIRST OF MAY. It's a great vintage performance of a 4 member BEE GEES. Another groovy guest pairing is Tom singing with SERGIO MENDES AND BRASIL '66 on a song caled MAS QUE NADA. It's a groovy feeling seeing Tom & the 2 female singers of the group sing and move to the samba grooves. TIM CONWAY occupys space with 2 comedy spots, and they also chose to include actress LYNN REDGRAVE singing a complete song ! Tom's songs are DOCK OF THE BAY and MONEY, again cutting out songs from the concert portion.

The strength's of THIS IS TOM JONES are the musical performances. They are vintage , live performances that recorded the moment. The combination of Tom with different artists brought out all sorts of things in each singer's performances that are unique. To see CASS ELLIOT singing a soul medley with Tom is a rare and great performance. Whatever the reasons are that they cut out her solo, and also SHIRLEY BASSEY, LULU and the rest of the guest stars who are missing performances really cheats the buyer. The music is what's important, not the comedy skits, which they should have edited out. Probably clearance and copyright problems, certainly with the DC5. The episodes look and sound great, are in color, but butchered as could be. As vintage and rare as this show is, they should not have sacrified the legendary performers out of the episodes. It's great to see most of what's here, but what they excluded is inexcusable.

I don't get it. What's the point of putting out snippets when you can produce the whole series? This volume clocks in at less than 77 minutes. Can you do us a favor and just put out a collection of TJ's performances from the series???? Chronologically if possible??? The random dribs and drabs are infuriating. Love the man. Love the performances. Hate the compilation choices.

In my excitement to order the newest DVD on Sir Tom Jones, I was yet again disappointed that so much space was given to the comedy routines and not enough on the star, Sir Tom Jones. I enjoyed the segments where he duetted with his guest stars. There were some great singers during that early era of Tom's career. The producers of these releases obviously have not taken consumer complaints seriously about the content of Tom's TV career. It would be more to his fans' liking to feature Tom Jones for a full DVD release. If I wanted a comedy revue of those years, I would have purchased a comedy DVD.