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DVD
KLUM,HEIDI
Publisher: Weinstein Company
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Actors: Project Runway
Studio: Genius Products Inc Release Date: 04/03/2007 Run time: 686 minutes
Fabulous from head to toe, Project Runway differs from many of its reality-show peers in that 1) its contestants are actually skilled at a difficult trade (in this case, fashion design) and 2) it boasts the most engaging hosts (supermodel Heidi Klum and Parsons Fashion chair Tim Gunn, who's become a breakout star himself). Season Two benefits from a more streamlined process--gone is the model-picking cattle call every episode--and a cast twice as memorable as Season One. Compare the ideas of kind fashion teacher Nick vs. wearable-technology geek Diana; the profound commentary of South African boho-chick Kara ("there's a life to the garment") vs. dim-bulb early cast-off Heidi ("I thought it was just, pretty… I mean, she looked pretty"). Revel in the arrogant musings, over-the-top designs, and dead-on Tim Gunn impressions of Santino Rice, who was wrongly mislabeled the villain of Project Runway. That honor truly goes to bossy witch Zulema, who never met an excuse she didn't like, and broke a gentleman's agreement by swiping Nick's "muse," model Tarah, halfway through the season (In a bittersweet end, Zulema's subsequent ousting forced an early exit for Tarah as well). There's even a surprise return of Season One's Daniel Franco, whose quivering voice and shuffle added even more spice to the pot. This season's challenges included designing for Barbie, heiress Nicky Hilton, figure skater Sasha Cohen, and supermodel Iman; creating outfits from the clothes off their back; and designing a garden-party dress out of flowers and plants. Watching their creations (which are, in many cases, impressive) criticized by grumpy judges Michael Kors and Elle fashion director Nina Garcia makes for some of the best drama on television. The DVD includes the full, uncut versions of Santino's runway argument with Nina and flamboyant contestant Andre's weepy breakdown in front of the judges (9 minutes, 53 seconds); more musical numbers invented by Santino and Nick ("No one's gonna sew no mooooore"); footage of the cast's audition tapes, and a Where Are They Now? featurette with Season One's contestants. A must-have accessory for fans of the show. --Ellen A. Kim
| Customer Reviews: |
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| 751 minutes of entertainment and inspiration |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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This was great inspiration while sewing my Halloween costume this year. I'm always doing stuff like that with a last minute got-to-get-it-done deadline, so I really felt a bond with the cast of the show. I noticed Santino seems to have his own line of shoes available on [...] now, so that is pretty cool!
I don't get cable tv, but I love reality shows and this one was so highly rated I thought I'd check it out. Besides, it's so inexpensive! I couldn't believe how cheaply I could get the four disc set. I noticed that some of the seasons are not only about twice as expensive but they are shorter as well. Too bad.
The bonus features on the last disk were not that exciting, but everything else about the set is fantastic. I just ordered season 3.
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| Entertaining yes, but totally fake. The producers, not the judges, choose who is "out" |
| Customer Rating: 2 out of 5 |
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I have recently watched, with my wife, several seasons of this show. It is very entertaining, but a heads up should be given to anyone who actually thinks that reality TV is in anyway real. For instance, when watching season one, one might wonder how a designer as bad as Wendy Pepper could stay on the show for so long.
Here is the answer: She is an evil person. Having such a despicable character stay on the show, mixing things up and generating drama, creates high ratings. That is it. If one reads the small print at the end of each episode, one learns--shock, shock--that it is actually the producers of the show and Bravo itself that ultimately gets to say who is "out." Why? Because it's all based on calculations of what combination of personalities will result in the highest ratings.
So what, you say? Well, the important implication of this is that the entire show is fake. That's right. The judges are NOT sitting there and choosing who actually gets booted off, as the show displays. The show's producers are doing that for them, behind the scenes. In fact, I would find it very interesting if the judges had to reveal what they actually write on their cards. One person speaks and then the others almost always just parrot what the first person says. I would bet high money, as a psychologist, that their cards would not reflect this.
Much of it is based on "who likes who" personally, because--let's face it--the whole racket is totally subjective anyway and entirely full of BS. Just listen to the designers. "It's like totally open and closed--at the same time." Better yet, watch Ali G asking phony questions to real-life designers, and watch them BS their way through Ali G's fake questions. The result is no different than the judge's asking sincere questions here.
On a final note I would like to say that this show should be hosted by a famous designer--not by a model. Klum likes to say that the show is a competition for models too, but the model competition is just based on who hits it off with whom. It's not really a competition. Also, Heidi Klum is VERY annoying. Her accent does not sound like an accent. It sounds like a speech impediment. I cannot STAND how she says "out."
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| More Creativity in Season 2 |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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This show really captured my attention the first time I caught it on TV; so much so that I bought all of the seasons that were available (including Project Runway - The Complete First Season and Project Runway - The Complete Third Season). Season 2 is basically the same format as its predecessor. Heidi Klum & Tim Gunn are back on board as hostess and advisor, respectively. The show begins with 16 designer hopefuls and narrows down to the final 3 who get to execute a complete line of designs for NYC Fashion Week. As before, what I enjoyed the most was the creativity. This season, watch the designers create a dress manufactured completely out of plants, lingerie for Heidi, an evening gown for model superstar Iman (to be worn on the red carpet at an event), an outfit for My Scene Barbie, and an outfit for Olympic skating silver medalist Sasha Cohen. There are other challenges as well through the season.
It is extremely interesting to hear what the judges have to say about each designer and their creations. Michael Kors & Nina Garcia (Elle Magazine) are back again giving their sometimes cutting but accurate critiques. This season, the designers are much more vocal and sometimes talk back with disrespect to the judges (would you dare to question or sass back at Diane von Furstenberg?!?). The designers are not quite as loveable as the first season, but there are still many "characters" which are interesting to watch, most notably Santino Rice, the insensitive loudmouth and sometime "villain" of season 2. Debra Messing of "Will & Grace" joins the judges for the NYC Fashion Week critique of the Final 3.
Extras on the 4 DVD set include: outtakes & bloopers (do we really need to see André's crying scene unedited or Santino verbally sparring with Nina?), WEAR Are They Now (for the Final 3 contestants only), Cast Audition Tapes, Tim Gunn's Blog (which is an interesting episode-by-episode blog of Gunn's thoughts), and an Exclusive Season 3 Casting Call shot at LA's Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel. Naturally, this particular featurette focuses on the freakier contestants!
Overall, another great set that will test your creativity and increase your fashion knowledge!
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| Great Show |
| Customer Rating: 4 out of 5 |
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This is such a great show. It's strangely addicting. I find myself looking at fashion and actually caring what I wear.
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| Compelling, but artistically not on the same level as Season One |
| Customer Rating: 4 out of 5 |
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"Project Runway" is high-quality reality TV. This sounds like an oxymoron, I know, but it's true: this is a show where the results are based on talent, and on the contestant's ability to function in the real world of fashion. The demands made on them are extreme, but realistic, and winners rise or fall based on their actual ability, not on any of the flawed metrics of other reality shows (audience polls, political maneuvering by other contestants, etc.) It is a compelling, watchable show, packed with knowledgeable, helpful and unyielding judges, and a host of flawed, talented participants.
Season Two finds the show's format being tinkered with and perfected -- the staging and editing are slicker, and some interesting twists are added to the strategic end of the elimination process. That being said, the pool of contestants is less compelling than in the rawer Season One, and their work is also less striking. Where the premiere season had several amazing designers with strong personal aesthetics, Season Two is marked by mundane, seat-of-the-pants design work. Other than the unlikeable, egotistical Santino Rice (who turns out to be more sympathetic towards the end) few of the designers seems to have a cohesive creative vision, and for weeks on end only a scarce handful of striking outfits appear. (This is pointed out by the show's major domo, Tim Gunn, when the talent pool is whittled down to six: he bluntly tells them that their work has been dull, and to kick it into gear.)
On the other hand, the interpersonal dynamic between the designers, which takes a long time to gel, is ultimately fascinating. Most of the contestants are actually rather nice people, and other than in small, selfish moments, they are emotionally and materially supportive of each other, even helping a flustered friend finish some stitching when the clock starts to run out. This is something you don't often see in the back-biting world of "reality" games shows: humanity. And in many ways, it made the final elimination rounds much more poignant, since by and large, the most talented, most likable contestants were the ones left onscreen.
While no Jay or Austin emerged from this season, it was still pretty fun. I'm hooked.
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