Hrm, a quick inventory of what we're in for...a half-done rehearsal for a half-baked performance ? Oh lordy.

OK OK, it's not all that bad. We start out OK with Roger picking out an early acoustic rendition of 'The Bravery of Being Out of Range', which feels kind of intimate in a bizzarre way given the humunculus set towering over him. This is followed by a runthough of 'Mother' while we get some nice closeup shots of roadies quickly assembling the wall, and then some of our Hammer Guard rehearsing to the strains of 'Run Like Hell'.

Next we move on to Roger getting out of helicopter (apparently having just filmed the short bit during 'The Happiest Days of Our Lives' that you see in the final production) and reviewing the footage and some quick test projections of the animation for 'The Trial' on the wall. Before things can get too boring though, we are treated to a daylight runthrough of 'What Shall We Do Now' sans Bryan Adams and orchestra (and all the better for it, really.) Chunks of the side 4 are then played through with roadies standing in for the various guest stars on 'The Trial' to hilarious effect.

Aaaah, the guest stars have arrived the next day. Sinead warbles through 'Mother' offscreen as the techs fiddle with the schoolmaster puppet. Bryan Adams shows up for 'Young Lust', as Roger's shirt comes off, revealing a lil beer belly in the making. Astoundingly, this rendition of 'Goodbye Blue Sky' manages to be even worse than the final product, with the flute going tweedly-weedly as shrilly as possible. This portion is capped off by parachutists raining on Berlin for no apparent reason as Mr. Screen is finally given life.

We move on to the full dress rehearsal which is kind of neat in a way, since you get to see some stuff that was invisible on the final product (for example, some neat Scarfe sketches projected during 'Nobody Home' and the 'GO ON JUDGE, SHIT ON 'IM !' guy in 'The Trial'), but otherwise unremarkable. Except, of course, for the fact that Roger trashing the 'hotel room' set is even less enthusiastic here, and 'Stop' is obviously lipsynched.

Anyone hoping for some angry outbursts ala the famous 1980 Wall Rehearsals will be disappointed. All you get are the following :
* An amused 'and I'm waiting in this cell because the truck won't move !' when the platform Roger is standing on gets stuck
* An annoyed-looking raised finger at Rick DiFonzio (who was blaring 'The Thin Ice' while Rog was discussing something)
* A decidedly un-amused 'goodbye...goodbye...goodbye. You're LATE' directed at some slow wall-builders

Be aware that there are a few versions of this kicking around, including a two(!)-tape VHS set. If this VideoCD is the highlight reel, everyone but the die-hard Waters fanatics and completists can safely pass.

'The Bravery of Being Out of Range'	THIS IS THE TIME ON SPROCKETS VEN VE DANCE
'Young Lust'	'The Trial'