Sex Pistols: The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle

"Julien Temple's surreal portrait of the rise and fall of the Sex Pistols as seen through the eyes of manager Malcolm McLaren comes to North American DVD in this edition from Shout Factory. The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle has been transferred to disc in the full-frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1; the image looks as if it was mastered from a PAL source and is a bit on the soft and murky side, but it's appreciably better than the out-of-print VHS edition from Warner Music, with the colors looking brighter and clearer. The audio has been mastered in two formats, Dolby Digital Stereo and Dolby Digital 5.1, and both tracks sound good if not exceptional. The dialogue is in English, with no multiple-language options included. As a bonus, this version includes an onscreen interview with director Julien Temple, as well as a commentary track featuring Temple and rock writer Chris Salewicz, in which they discuss in detail the long and torturous road to the completion of the film (though little is made of the origins of the project with director Russ Meyer). While more of a curiosity than an honest depiction of the group's history, The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle at least makes a fascinating companion piece with Temple's later film on the Sex Pistols, The Filth and the Fury."