DVD released: February, 2008
Approximate running time: 560 minutes
Aspect Ratio: Various (1.33:1/Letterboxed Widescreen)
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono English
Subtitles: N/A
DVD Release: Ron Rocheleau/Concrete TV
Region Coding: Region 0 NTSC
Retail Price: $49.95

Concrete TV is a public access show that airs Friday nights at 1:30 AM on Channel 67 a public access channel located in New York City. Since its debut in 1991 Ron Rocheleau has been the creative force behind Concrete TV. The show is melting pot of clips taken from TV shows, commercials, films, music videos, interviews and pornography.

“I derived the name  Concrete TV from three sources: Musique Concrete, a style of music developed by Pierre Schaeffer that relies on recorded sounds (sampling), including natural environmental sounds and other non-inherently-musical noises to create music. Secondly, from the German leftist magazine Konkret and lastly, I simply wanted a name that sounded tuff and raw.” – Ron Rocheleau

Concrete TV features a rapid fire style editing that combines similar themes into one cohesive collage. The ways things are assembled on Concrete TV is in some ways similar to the way Rap/Hip Hop artists take bits from other sources and create a work unto its own. On the downside the lack of conventional narrative and the repetitiveness of each episode of Concrete TV might test many viewers patience. Overall Concrete TV is definitely an acquired taste that features many inventive and entertaining moments.

The DVD:

Concrete TV and the extras segments that have been included in this collection are presented in a 1.33:1 full frame aspect ratio. Some clips are presented in a slightly letterboxed widescreen ratio. The clips that make up each episode of Concrete TV are taken from numerous sources and the overall quality of these sources varies in quality. While the source materials are ruff at times the overall quality of the transfers are more than adequate.

All the audio included for this collection is presented in a Dolby Digital mono. Outside of some distortion and background noise the audio fare well all around. Overall the audio while not overpowering it is more than satisfactory in presenting everything included on this set.

This three DVD set includes eighteen full length episodes of Concrete TV. Disc one and disc two each have seven episodes while disc three has four episodes.  Extras for this release include seven bonus shorts which feature the same style which is present in full length episode of Concrete TV that are include with this set. The first bonus short is a collection of gunshot clips. The second and third shorts are collection of clips with vehicles and the damage they can cause. The four short is a collection of vomiting clips. The fifth short center’s around fascism and has clips of soldiers marching. The sixth short focuses on Eyes. The seventh short it almost like a bonus episode of Concrete TV. It is also the lengthiest bonus included with this collection. This collection of episodes and bonus shorts retails for $49.95 (PPD) and it can be purchased here.