Tyler Perry – The Plays (DVD Set/Lionsgate)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C     Main Plays: B

 

 

Before Tyler Perry became one of the most profitable filmmakers at Lionsgate, he established himself with a remarkable series of stage plays that were also part-Musical and showed an amazing amount of creativity and energy.  After several films, including remakes of some of the content here, Lionsgate has decided to reissue the DVD versions of seven of the plays in the new DVD set Tyler Perry – The Plays.  They include:

 

Madea’s Family Reunion

I Can Do Bad All By Myself

Meet The Browns

Media’s Class Reunion

Medea Goes to Jail

Why Did Get Married?

Diary Of A Mad Black Woman

 

 

Not only was I surprised by the presence of great vocal music in each work, but how much rawer, blunt (think In Living Color at its peak) and long-running each play really is.  Once you get the knack of the humor, sometimes you know what is coming, sometimes you don’t.  Either way, the casts give it their all and Perry plays multiple characters, all with great vigor as original creations saying things that hit the nail on the head often.  If you have never seen any of these versions before, you are in for a real treat and should get this set immediately.

 

The 1.33 X 1 in all seven cases is shot in analog NTSC video and is not bad, though some footage and shots are softer than others.  Color is consistent and all are watchable enough.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Sound is monophonic in nature, but recorded clearly enough considering these are live on stage.  Extras are few on each disc, but include intros and small snippets on each play.

 

For coverage of Perry’s feature films and works, try these links:

 

Madea’s Family Reunion

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/3925/Madea's+Family+Reunion+(2006/Full

 

Diary Of A Mad Black Woman

Regular: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/2353/Diary+Of+A+Mad+Black

 

DVD Set: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/5562/Tyler+Perry’s+Diary+Of+A

 

Daddy’s Little Girls (Blu-ray and DVD)

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/5639/Daddy’s+Little+Girls+(Blu-ray

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo