It’s much more than Eminem’s ‘Purple Rain’

Who would have figured Eminem would win an Oscar for best song before he’d win a Grammy for best album?

The pop-culture sensation clearly made the most compelling albums of 2000 and 2002, only to lose in the Grammys to Steely Dan and Norah Jones, respectively. The reason, one suspects, is that many veteran recording academy members have trouble with Eminem’s frequently crude language and unsettling themes. They also may still find it difficult to accept rap as a legitimate art form.

Interscope Records ought to send all academy members a copy of the new “8 Mile” DVD, which, among other things, is a convincing demonstration of both rap’s artistic credentials and Eminem’s brilliance in the genre. “8 Mile” heads the first installment of Calendar’s periodic look at music-related DVDs.

Eminem

“8 Mile” (Universal)

****

It’s easy to suspect this film is just an Eminem vehicle, the hip-hop equivalent of, say, Elvis Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock” or Prince’s “Purple Rain.” But it is a far stronger and more illuminating work. Not only is Eminem a more credible actor, but director Curtis Hanson also doesn’t rely on music alone to be the centerpiece.

There are generic scenes in this tale of a young man’s struggle to achieve his musical dreams, but Hanson makes you share the tension each time Eminem puts everything on the line in a series of rap battles against other hopefuls who are also reaching for self-esteem and a future.

Eminem’s final battle is one of the most electrifying pieces of music ever captured on film. This isn’t a four-star movie, but it is a four-star pop movie. The extra features, including some sample Eminem rap battles with film extras, not only help explain some of the forces that drive him, but also show the factors that make rap such an invigorating art form.

‘Strawberry Fields’ and more, forever

The Beatles

“Anthology” (Apple)

*** 1/2

For anyone who ever fell under the spell of the Beatles, there are scores of gloriously affecting scenes in this exhaustive documentary, which began life as a television special in 1995, then reappeared as a video boxed set in 1996 and now arrives with added features as a five-disc DVD set.

We again get the chance to marvel at the band’s early innocence, which is reflected in both the music and the group’s irreverent manner.

For all its wonders, however, the set has a nagging flaw: It feels too sanitized in places. Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr didn’t trust anyone else to tell their story, so there’s no outside voice exploring issues more aggressively, including the creative contributions of the different members and, above all, the group’s breakup. A treasure, but only within limits.

Daring show has

lost its bite

The Dixie Chicks

“An Evening With the Dixie Chicks” (Columbia Music Video)

** 1/2

This would be a collector’s item if the evening were the London concert where singer Natalie Maines, responding to the U.S. position on Iraq, said she was “ashamed” that President Bush was from Texas. The remark -- for which Maines’ apology hasn’t soothed angry feelings -- would have given the performance some drama.

Instead, this DVD is an expanded version of the TV special that was taped last summer at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.

The performance that night did have drama because the excellent country trio devoted almost the entire show to tunes from the “Home” album, which had yet to be released. It was a daring move because fans are normally impatient in concert for the old hits. It worked because the new songs were so catchy they seemed instantly engaging.

That daring element is missing now, however, because all these songs are so familiar. Except for some selections not featured in the TV show, there is little in the way of special features.

Winning portrait of emerging star

Norah Jones

“Live in New Orleans” (Blue Note)

***

Jones continues her winning roll with this stylish concert disc, which captures wonderfully the intimacy and sweet honesty in her music. The tunes are drawn chiefly from her Grammy-winning album, “Come Away With Me,” but the vocals sound fresh.

Given her Grammy sweep, it’s easy to imagine a backlash, but there is something so consistently engaging about her choice of material and graceful interpretations that you feel she’ll be able to live up to expectations next time out. In fact, some of the non-album songs -- including a version of the Band’s “Bessie Smith” and her own “What Am I to You?” -- sound like ideal choices for that next CD.

*

DVDs are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four stars (excellent).