J'Ai Ete Au Bal

J'Ai Ete au Bal (I Went to the Dance)

Les Blank's superb documentary on the history of Cajun and zydeco music finally arrives on DVD in a package sure to please devotees of the sounds of Louisiana.??J'ai ete au Bal/I Went to the Dance??has been transferred to disc in its original full-frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and the audio has been mastered in Dolby Digital Stereo. Most of the dialogue and interviews are in English, though the material in French has been subtitled. In addition to the main feature, the disc features a wealth of bonus material, including 30 minutes of performance outtakes, an alternate commentary track featuring Les Blank and his collaborators, an essay on how and why the film was produced, biographies of the filmmakers, detailed essays on several master musicians (among them Joe Falcon, Harry Choates, Iry LeJeune, and Amede Ardoin), and a gallery of production stills. Simply put, if you love this sounds of the bayou and have a DVD player, this disc is an essential purchase.