DVD
 
 
 
 
RADIO
 
GUESTBOOK
 
KAT BIO
 
CLASSICAL COMPOSERS
 
 
 
 
AV MANIACS' REVIEW OF "BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED" DVD
 
By Ian Miller, AV ManiacsAV MANIACS' REVIEW OF "BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED" DVD! "Kat has secured her position as the only classically-trained violinist-turned scantily-clad demonic guitar dominatrix and ambassador of the fine musical arts! Wow. It's difficult not to be bowled over by The Great Kat when she pretty much leaves you no alternative! Centering in on the universal male love of blood, cleavage and wickedly fast/intricate guitar displays. BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED, an ultra high-energy paen to Ludwig Van, J.S. Bach, Rimsky-Kosakov, that devilish Paganini, and of course, The Great Kat herself." - Ian Miller, AV Maniacs
AV MANIACS' REVIEW OF "BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED" DVD! "Kat has secured her position as the only classically-trained violinist-turned scantily-clad demonic guitar dominatrix and ambassador of the fine musical arts! Wow. It's difficult not to be bowled over by The Great Kat when she pretty much leaves you no alternative! Centering in on the universal male love of blood, cleavage and wickedly fast/intricate guitar displays. BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED, an ultra high-energy paen to Ludwig Van, J.S. Bach, Rimsky-Kosakov, that devilish Paganini, and of course, The Great Kat herself." - Ian Miller, AV Maniacs
Beethoven's Guitar Shred
 
DVD Release Date: April 14, 2009
Approximate Run Time: 15 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Fullframe
Rating: Unrated
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Region Code/Format: NTSC Region 01
DVD Released by: TPR Music
Retail Price: $9.95

Reviewed By: Ian Miller on June 10, 2010

4/5 The Film
Any astute fan of the speedier side of heavy metal music in general and "shred guitar" in particular has heard of The Great Kat. Since bursting on the scene in 1987 with the memorably-titled WORSHIP ME OR DIE cd, Kat (short for Katherine Thomas) has secured her position as the only classically-trained violinist-turned scantily-clad demonic guitar dominatrix and ambassador of the fine musical arts working in the area of the genre where dexterity and and brain-pummeling velocity are matched in value only by strong and vaguely tasteless imagery! Hot dog!
AV MANIACS' REVIEW OF "BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED" DVD! "Kat has secured her position as the only classically-trained violinist-turned scantily-clad demonic guitar dominatrix and ambassador of the fine musical arts! Wow. It's difficult not to be bowled over by The Great Kat when she pretty much leaves you no alternative! Centering in on the universal male love of blood, cleavage and wickedly fast/intricate guitar displays. BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED, an ultra high-energy paen to Ludwig Van, J.S. Bach, Rimsky-Kosakov, that devilish Paganini, and of course, The Great Kat herself." - Ian Miller, AV Maniacs
Thing is, Thomas is pretty serious about presenting the classics to this audience, and it is in that spirit that she brings you BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED, a dizzying array of extremely short, self-produced "SHRED VIDEOS", featuring adrenaline-crazed renditions of Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Flight Of The Bumble Bee", Paganini's "Caprice #24" (a fitting choice, given his place in history as the avowed godfather of stringed virtuosity), and of course Beethoven's Fifth Symphony (an even more fitting choice, given it's inherent drama due to minor and diminished-scale melody), all shot and edited for maximum impact.
AV MANIACS' REVIEW OF "BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED" DVD! "Kat has secured her position as the only classically-trained violinist-turned scantily-clad demonic guitar dominatrix and ambassador of the fine musical arts! Wow. It's difficult not to be bowled over by The Great Kat when she pretty much leaves you no alternative! Centering in on the universal male love of blood, cleavage and wickedly fast/intricate guitar displays. BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED, an ultra high-energy paen to Ludwig Van, J.S. Bach, Rimsky-Kosakov, that devilish Paganini, and of course, The Great Kat herself." - Ian Miller, AV Maniacs
However, it's when she turns to original material that things get REALLY interesting in terms of content with clips like "Torture Techniques" (where she torments a slave with some nasty pliers, hooks, and an enormous syringe), "Blood" (rockin' out while covered in fake blood on a white set), and the destined-to-be-infamous "ISLAMOFASCISTS" (shot in faux "snuff" video fashion and directly referencing the 2004 decapitation of American businessman Nick Berg by an Islamic militant group), before winding up the main program (running time: 15m) with a rendition of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #3 in which Kat's decked out in a white silk and guitar combo and shown in six-way split-screen!
AV MANIACS' REVIEW OF "BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED" DVD! "Kat has secured her position as the only classically-trained violinist-turned scantily-clad demonic guitar dominatrix and ambassador of the fine musical arts! Wow. It's difficult not to be bowled over by The Great Kat when she pretty much leaves you no alternative! Centering in on the universal male love of blood, cleavage and wickedly fast/intricate guitar displays. BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED, an ultra high-energy paen to Ludwig Van, J.S. Bach, Rimsky-Kosakov, that devilish Paganini, and of course, The Great Kat herself." - Ian Miller, AV Maniacs
Wow. It's difficult not to be bowled over by The Great Kat when she pretty much leaves you no alternative! From the outset of the disc (heck, even the sleeve) you are challenged to buy in or not, believe or perish, and it's this single-mindedness and flair for self-promotion "ballyhoo" that has probably garnered her the most fans, as well as appealing to the adolescent fantasies that persist in a lot of us, centering in on the universal male love of blood, cleavage and wickedly fast/intricate guitar displays.
AV MANIACS' REVIEW OF "BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED" DVD! "Kat has secured her position as the only classically-trained violinist-turned scantily-clad demonic guitar dominatrix and ambassador of the fine musical arts! Wow. It's difficult not to be bowled over by The Great Kat when she pretty much leaves you no alternative! Centering in on the universal male love of blood, cleavage and wickedly fast/intricate guitar displays. BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED, an ultra high-energy paen to Ludwig Van, J.S. Bach, Rimsky-Kosakov, that devilish Paganini, and of course, The Great Kat herself." - Ian Miller, AV Maniacs
Though the cynical might claim that these elements are designed to distract from the fact that classical music holds little perceived relevance for the modern listener and that the videos for her original material ramp up the sensationalist imagery while bearing little traceable influence of her mentors, there is no doubt WHATSOEVER of The Great Kat's unbridled enthusiasm for what she is doing, and her ability to be in control of all areas of her presentation is startling, from audio/video production to still photography.
AV MANIACS' REVIEW OF "BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED" DVD! "Kat has secured her position as the only classically-trained violinist-turned scantily-clad demonic guitar dominatrix and ambassador of the fine musical arts! Wow. It's difficult not to be bowled over by The Great Kat when she pretty much leaves you no alternative! Centering in on the universal male love of blood, cleavage and wickedly fast/intricate guitar displays. BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED, an ultra high-energy paen to Ludwig Van, J.S. Bach, Rimsky-Kosakov, that devilish Paganini, and of course, The Great Kat herself." - Ian Miller, AV Maniacs
It may be a highly singular path the she cuts, but it is this very element of determination and self-belief that draws the closest comparison to those whose art she champions.
AV MANIACS' REVIEW OF "BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED" DVD! "Kat has secured her position as the only classically-trained violinist-turned scantily-clad demonic guitar dominatrix and ambassador of the fine musical arts! Wow. It's difficult not to be bowled over by The Great Kat when she pretty much leaves you no alternative! Centering in on the universal male love of blood, cleavage and wickedly fast/intricate guitar displays. BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED, an ultra high-energy paen to Ludwig Van, J.S. Bach, Rimsky-Kosakov, that devilish Paganini, and of course, The Great Kat herself." - Ian Miller, AV Maniacs

4.5/5 Video
BGS is presented in 1.33 fullscreen, and is naturally non-anamorphic, though some segments are shot in "video lbx" to give that classy look. Speaking of classy, the quality of image here is surprisingly strong for a DIY effort, all HD quality with decent demonic skin tones and natural color. Heck, even the fake snuff looks a little too good to be believable.
AV MANIACS' REVIEW OF "BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED" DVD! "Kat has secured her position as the only classically-trained violinist-turned scantily-clad demonic guitar dominatrix and ambassador of the fine musical arts! Wow. It's difficult not to be bowled over by The Great Kat when she pretty much leaves you no alternative! Centering in on the universal male love of blood, cleavage and wickedly fast/intricate guitar displays. BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED, an ultra high-energy paen to Ludwig Van, J.S. Bach, Rimsky-Kosakov, that devilish Paganini, and of course, The Great Kat herself." - Ian Miller, AV Maniacs
 
AV MANIACS' REVIEW OF "BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED" DVD! "Kat has secured her position as the only classically-trained violinist-turned scantily-clad demonic guitar dominatrix and ambassador of the fine musical arts! Wow. It's difficult not to be bowled over by The Great Kat when she pretty much leaves you no alternative! Centering in on the universal male love of blood, cleavage and wickedly fast/intricate guitar displays. BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED, an ultra high-energy paen to Ludwig Van, J.S. Bach, Rimsky-Kosakov, that devilish Paganini, and of course, The Great Kat herself." - Ian Miller, AV Maniacs
 
4.5/5 Audio
Audio is Dolby 2.0 stereo, and sounds great, never harsh or hissy, and makes it especially easy to appreciate the careful layering of guitar tracks on the classic composer material.
 
4/5 Extras
AV MANIACS' REVIEW OF "BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED" DVD! "Kat has secured her position as the only classically-trained violinist-turned scantily-clad demonic guitar dominatrix and ambassador of the fine musical arts! Wow. It's difficult not to be bowled over by The Great Kat when she pretty much leaves you no alternative! Centering in on the universal male love of blood, cleavage and wickedly fast/intricate guitar displays. BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED, an ultra high-energy paen to Ludwig Van, J.S. Bach, Rimsky-Kosakov, that devilish Paganini, and of course, The Great Kat herself." - Ian Miller, AV Maniacs
 
AV MANIACS' REVIEW OF "BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED" DVD! "Kat has secured her position as the only classically-trained violinist-turned scantily-clad demonic guitar dominatrix and ambassador of the fine musical arts! Wow. It's difficult not to be bowled over by The Great Kat when she pretty much leaves you no alternative! Centering in on the universal male love of blood, cleavage and wickedly fast/intricate guitar displays. BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED, an ultra high-energy paen to Ludwig Van, J.S. Bach, Rimsky-Kosakov, that devilish Paganini, and of course, The Great Kat herself." - Ian Miller, AV Maniacs
Extras include "Hot Shred Bits 2", which is a seizure-inducing gallery of stills; "Shred Geniuses", a gallery of great provocative minds of the past (including Poe, Bosch, Teddy Roosevelt, as well as composers and.....The Great Kat herself!), each with a caption describing their achievements; "Metal Fugue: Bach's The Art Of The Fugue", which is a simple chroma-keyed shoot of our heroine digitally placed in front some computer "visualizer"-looking effect; "Shred Credits" (self-explanatory); a cool "Shred Kartoon" that features TGK vs. a giant bumblebee to the tune of "Flight..."; "Shred Online" that features her web address and hotline number (buy the DVD, heathens!) and more stills; and finally, a nifty 4 5/8 x 6 3/8 full color photo.
AV MANIACS' REVIEW OF "BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED" DVD! "Kat has secured her position as the only classically-trained violinist-turned scantily-clad demonic guitar dominatrix and ambassador of the fine musical arts! Wow. It's difficult not to be bowled over by The Great Kat when she pretty much leaves you no alternative! Centering in on the universal male love of blood, cleavage and wickedly fast/intricate guitar displays. BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED, an ultra high-energy paen to Ludwig Van, J.S. Bach, Rimsky-Kosakov, that devilish Paganini, and of course, The Great Kat herself." - Ian Miller, AV Maniacs
 
AV MANIACS' REVIEW OF "BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED" DVD! "Kat has secured her position as the only classically-trained violinist-turned scantily-clad demonic guitar dominatrix and ambassador of the fine musical arts! Wow. It's difficult not to be bowled over by The Great Kat when she pretty much leaves you no alternative! Centering in on the universal male love of blood, cleavage and wickedly fast/intricate guitar displays. BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED, an ultra high-energy paen to Ludwig Van, J.S. Bach, Rimsky-Kosakov, that devilish Paganini, and of course, The Great Kat herself." - Ian Miller, AV Maniacs
 
4/5 Overall
The Great Kat and TPR Music bring you BEETHOVEN'S GUITAR SHRED, an ultra high-energy paen to Ludwig Van, J.S. Bach, Rimsky-Kosakov, that devilish Paganini, and of course, The Great Kat herself. While certainly the shortest DVD release seen in a while, re-watch value is high (and recommended, given the speed with which it flies by) and is priced to move, so what are you, a slave or a symp? Get with the speed!



Don't be an ignoramus, check out The Great Kat's website by clicking here!


Film Rating DVD Rating
Director: The Great Kat Film: 4 STARS
Writer: The Great Kat Video: 4 1/2 STARS
Released: 2009 Audio: 4 1/2 STARS
Cast: The Great Kat Extras:  4 STARS
Overall:  4 STARS



 
 

 
The contents of all music, photos, graphics, text, audio and videos are protected by copyright
and may not be used or reproduced without prior express written authorization from the publisher.