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Paramount Studios presents

Carmen Electra's The Lap Dance & Hip-Hop (2004)

"This is definitely the most technical out of all the routines so far."- Carmen Electra

Stars: Carmen Electra
Director: Ed Lachman

MPAA Rating: Not Rated for (nothing objectionable)
Run Time: 01h:13m:00s
Release Date: 2005-04-19
Genre: educational

Style
Grade
Substance
Grade
Image Transfer
Grade
Audio Transfer
Grade
Extras
Grade
C+ C+BB C

 

DVD Review

I'm not sure how many more entries there are in Carmen Electra's Strip Your Way To Fitness series, but now they're getting released in two-disc sets. That's a whole lotta shakin' going on, with this latest release containing over 80 minutes of the mighty fine Mrs. Dave Navarro bending over or grinding that lovely pelvis of hers. This is all presented under the auspices of being health-related—what with the cardiovascular craze—and I'll admit my heart rate increased a little. I'm only human.

The first disc (technically Disc 4 in the overall series) covers the wonder that is the lap dance, and though it was touched on briefly in a previous installment, in this one more time is devoted. As before, there's a short instructional segment where you can learn such important things as how to choose the right chair, and then a slick-looking run through segment that allows you to either enjoy the limber professionalism of Carmen Electra, or use it as a formal tutorial.

Disc 2 (or the fifth in the series) rocks it old school, and also slightly less interesting compared to the others, as our favorite striptease instructor takes on hip-hop. I'm a middle-aged suburban white guy, so I'm somewhat less breathy when it comes to enjoying dance moves that look like something out of a bad music video. Yet, it's still Carmen Electra wiggling around in a tight football jersey and low-slung sweats, so it wasn't exactly torture, even if some of her moves (what's with the karate kicks?) elicited some outright laughter.

Carmen, if you're reading this, please don't get mad at me. I feel the same way about ALL exercise DVDs—that they are all basically pointless—and you will never ever be able to convince me that grinding your loins over a chair is a viable aerobic workout. Let's be honest. You are a very beautiful woman, and watching you teach the finer points of a lap dance is not the worst way for me to spend my time.

That's what this is all about, and I don't have a problem with it whatsoever.

Rating for Style: C+
Rating for Substance: C+

 

Image Transfer

 One
Aspect Ratio1.33:1 - Full Frame
Original Aspect Ratioyes
Anamorphicno


Image Transfer Review: Both discs are presented in 1.33:1, with the "run through" segments issued in nonanamorphic widescreen. As with the other titles in the series, image detail is somewhat soft, with colors and fleshtones having a warm, hazy glow to them.

Image Transfer Grade: B
 

Audio Transfer

 LanguageRemote Access
DS 2.0Englishno


Audio Transfer Review: There's a very pleasant 2.0 mix, all front channel content, and the strip club instrumental tracks (offered with a choice of three different musical styles) sound just fine.

Audio Transfer Grade:

Disc Extras

Animated menu with music
Scene Access with 14 cues and remote access
2 Featurette(s)
Packaging: Amaray
Picture Disc
2 Discs
2-Sided disc(s)
Layers: single

Extra Extras:
  1. Photo Galleries
Extras Review: The first contains a brief interview (01m:54s) with choreographer Robin Antin and fitness guru Michael Carson, and includes some practice footage of Carmen practicing the ever-popular lap dance; the second disc has another interview (01m:27s) where Antin informs how Electra can do anything. Yes. Yes she can.

Both discs contain a brief photo gallery of Electra, broken down into two sections: B-Roll and Routines.

Extras Grade: C
 

Final Comments

Yep, even more voyeurism disguised as exercise, and two discs worth this time.

Drool.

Rich Rosell 2005-04-19