It’s truly really amazing how much Bobby Darin has, and continues to, give us in the form of entertainment. A couple years ago when Kevin Spacey brought Beyond the Sea to screens, in-the-know Darin fans were delighted with a brief, but welcomed, rebirth of sorts. Of course, all I could think of during all the press for that film was, “What did Spacey get to watch that was hidden from us in the Darin vaults?”

A few years later, viewing this dvd, this kinda stuff sprang to mind...

From the duo that brought you that torte rustica of tasty musical Darin treats in cd/dvd form, “Aces Back to Back,” producer Joel Dorn, along with official Bobby Darin archivist Jimmy Scalia, gathered 19 more performance snippets from Bobby in a semi- precious treasure chest of musical jewels.

The songs you expect from Darin are there, sure, after all, it's those that sell the dvd to wider audiences. But the boys are handing in a few you may not have known Darin even covered - well at least on tape. And even those usual famously fun fares are warmed up “versions” of the songs Darin's probably "best known" for; Splish Splash, Mack the Knife, Dream Lover & Beyond the Sea.

Darin fans already know that even if you have the past collections, a new collection is worth an immediate purchase, because Darin never did the song live the same way twice.

Here for example, the mandatory “Beyond the Sea” is a la one of Darin's typical Las Vegas shows, but the conversational play ‘tween the verses is probably some of the funniest Darin improvised. He really pokes a pin o'fun at his mega-hit perennial request. There’s also a swell showing of Bob’s own “Count of Monte Cristo”-like, “Mack the Knife.”

Sadly though, there’s no show dates, or historical 411 whatsoever offered on the clips. As a result, aside from the two “early days” splashes, the rest of the carnival bulb lined stages and kitschy back drops with doe-eyed statue-like audiences, as well as Darin’s hairpieces, say late 60's to the last days of his 1970’s.

In a smarter move, the team added a couple of super duets included. The older “You Make Me Feel So Young,” with pre-Dee love Connie Francis, and a soulful swamp rock medley (Proud Mary/Polk Salad Annie/Never Ending Song of Love) with the delicious vocalist Bobby Gentry; and she adds a bayou rap that is just wonderful. While Darin reminds you there’s probably no genre he didn’t excel in.

A sweet earthy, “Sweet Caroline,” is performed upon one of those NBC variety-show schmaltz-n-prop heavy set. Yet, even ill-lit set smattered about with a hideous faux tree, stripped chuck wagon and itchy-looking haystacks disappear into oblivion as Bobby makes the Neil Diamond song his own.

And, “Got My Mojo Working,” gives you another slice of the Coconut Crème Talent Pie surprise Darin liked to serve up to folks; he plays the harmonica and xylophone.

The DVD is not the most high tech, bells and whistles production. It's an off-tune hum in that department; perhaps the budget wasn’t there. Yet, what the dvd lacks in taking the compilation to a professionally produced spectacle, Darin himself, grabs up the slag, and whips up the awe-level a smidge with his dynamic performances.

Bottom line is this dvd is really for the fans. Folks who wanna see what ever we can and re-appreciate Darin’s vocal and showman abilities. Annoyingly, the dvd does dip incongruently into a couple of sentimental voice-overs, and steers off into The Land of Lost Hallmark Cards a coupla times. But again, tis a small price to pay for the Bobby-bowed gifts of music they deliver on to us.

TRACK LIST
1 Introduction
2 Work Song
3 I've Got You Under My Skin
4 Mame
5 Cry Me A River
6 Dream Lover
7 Medley: Polk Salad Annie, Proud Mary, Never Ending Song of Love (w Bobbie Gentry)
8 Sweet Caroline
9 Higher and Higher
10 Happy
11 I've Got My Mojo Workin'
12 You Make Me Feel So Young (w Connie Francis)
13 Artificial Flowers
14 If I Were A Carpenter
15 Caravan
16 If
17 Come Rain or Come Shine
18 Beyond The Sea
18 Mack The Knife
20 Splish Splash"

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