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Reviews (12)

The video was a hit!
I purchased Hello Frisco Hello for my mother. She is just learning about the internet so I showed her how easy it is to purchase items on Amazon.

Nice old musical film
They don't make musicals like this anymore. Alice Faye was great. Her version of You'll Never Know is a classic.

Good music and colour, terrific production values, awful plot

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Subjects:  1. Movie    2. Musical Features    3. Musicals    4. Musicals & Cast Recordings    5. Musicals (Theatrical)   

Editorial Review

A GI (Gene Kelly) stays in Paris after the war to become an artist, and has to choose between the patronage of a rich American woman (Nina Foch) and a French gamine (Leslie Caron) engaged to an older man. The plot is mostly an excuse for director Vincente Minnelli to pool his own extraordinary talent with those ofchoreographer-dancer-actor Kelly and the artists behind the screenplay, art direction, cinematography, and score, creating a rapturous musical not quite like anything else in cinema. The final section of the film comprises a 17-minute dance sequence that took a month to film and is breathtaking. Songs include "'S Wonderful," "I Got Rhythm," and "Love Is Here to Stay."Read more

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Reviews (70)

Still some nice moments, but a film best kept treasured in our memories
When I first saw An American in Paris, years ago, I thought it was great and I agreed with all the rave reviews. Now...well, let's say I don't think it has aged well. For me, more than any other factor, it's Gershwin's music that gives the film the charm it retains. Even then, the music has to fight against Minnelli's and Kelly's desire to establish that the film is "significant" and that Jerry Mulligan is a heckuva guy. The result, looking at the film fifty-five years later, is to be caught a little off guard at how pretentious it feels. Prominent in the credits are the words "And Presenting The American In Paris Ballet." How much nicer and more trusting of the audience if they'd let us discover the ballet for ourselves. That air of "look at what we're doing; aren't we great?" creeps in far too often."I Got Rhythm," for instance, is in my opinion a number which reeks of being precious...all those little French tykes and Mulligan's grinning byplay with them comes across now as a calculated effort to provide a "wow" number for Kelly. That wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing except for the Kelly persona of a man who flips a switch for charm and looks like he flips the switch off as soon as the number is in the can. Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music deals with a lot of equally over-adorable little children when she sings "Do Re Mi," but there it doesn't appear quite so calculated because Andrews' charm and enjoyment seem genuine. However, when Minnelli and Kelly are willing to take a step back and trust the audience, the results can be high quality. "Love Is Here to Stay," for instance, is sung and danced quietly. It becomes a moment of genuine feeling without a hint of pretension.
No Rhythm Whatsoever.
This film is an absolute piece of garbage, but according to the Academy, this was the finest film of 1951.I would rather watch Strangers on a Train, A Streetcar Named Desire, The African Queen, A Place in the Sun--I'd rather watch myself drive off a cliff.Gershwin may have rhythm.Gene Kelly definitely has rhythm when he dances.But whoever threw this film together had no sense of cinematic rhythm.Here's a basic rule of thumb:when you're making a narrative film, don't take leave of the story--especially at the end--for a 17 minute (no joke) dance number that is only nominally related to the plot.I don't care how good you might think Gene Kelly danced and choreographed that number.You know Kurosawa directed a hell of a fight scene at the end of Seven Samurai.Why don't we throw that in this movie too?Because it would be stupid and make the film uneven, right?That's right.And that's exactly what this 17 minute dance number does to An American in Paris.An unfair comparison?Okay let's take the Karate Kid.It's the end of the movie.Daniel-san is hurt bad.But instead of having Mr. Miyagi do that voodoo hand slap and rub combo to fix Daniel-san's leg, Daniel just stares in thought.We now understand what we are seeing is what he is thinking about.And what do we see?Seventeen minutes of Kurosawa's Seven Samurai battle sequence.Then when that's done, we fade back to Daniel-san staring atnothing.He stands up and his leg is fine and the karate tournament is over and he's won the thing!You would think that movie was pretty stupid right?That's essentially how the 17 minute Gene Kelly dance sequence feels.Seventeen minutes of talent, to be sure, but what the devil is it doing the middle of the film?No wait not the middle.It's at the end.It's replaced the climax of the film--and doing a poor job of it I might add.Then it ends, Gene Kelly's daydream is over, and everything is okay.The end.Lame.And don't try to tell me that the dance sequence was the climax--that it resolves the film if you interpret the symbolic dancing right.Whatever.A film with such an amateurish plot hasn't earned the right to suddenly become cerebral.An American in Paris is like our Karate Kid with Kurosawa tacked onto it--a cheesy average film with a chunk of talent thrown in the mix without much rhyme or reason--or rhythm.Would our Karate Kid-Seven Samurai hybrid deserve the Oscar for best picture?Neither did An American in Paris.Just because it's got Gene Kelly and some Gershwin tunes doesn't make it a great, or even a good, film.Remember, Mike Nichols made The Graduate and Birdcage.

Yesteryear
American in Paris &Singing intheRainarestoriesfromatimelongthatnolongerexists...withsweetmusic&excellentdance.Theyareanexcellenteducationfortheyoung&anescapeforadultstrappedin60hourworkweeks. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Movie    2. Musicals    3. Musicals & Cast Recordings   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (267)

Excellent movie
This is one of my favorite movies. I love the plot, the characters and just about everything about the movie. I didn't care for Derek's friends though, and was glad when he didn't join them in their antics. I loved Julia Stiles and Sean patrick Thomas together. They both came across as real. This is a definite 5 star movie.

Save the last dance
My friend made me watch this movie, and after watching it, it became one of my favorite. The story of the movie is new and interesting. Julia Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas are awesome. The movie is worth watching. Great dancing.
Interacial relationship?
Ok, get with the times. Same race relationships are something of the past. Quite frankly there aren't a whole lot of people that care about interacial relationships anymore, and these couple certainly don't. They do run into some who do however, which puts a twist in the story. But it does take two to tango, right?
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Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Feature Film-drama    3. Movie   

Editorial Review

François Girard originally conceived Read more

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Reviews (28)

Not short enough
Based on my back-of-the-envelope calculations, this has 37 more short films about Glenn Gould than I'm willing to watch.

The film won awards because it should've.

Great!
"Gould's passion and charisma cross all boundaries plus reach out and grab one by the throat."That quote by a reviewer sums up the sublime emotion portrayed in this film.You can see the young Gould growing up and his passion for his music increasing exponentially throughout his relatively short life. The movie, disjointed, fragmented and disorganized like the genius Gould, is a wonderful artistic statement of the man and his marvelous gifts to all of us.I listen to his recording of "The French Suites" with awe and profound appreciation...and think what it may have been like to be this man, trying to live such an ideal life in such an imperfect and messy world.
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Editorial Review

When it was released during Hollywood's golden year of 1939, Read more

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Reviews (479)

pretty good
This movie was pretty good. I liked the witch.She is my favorite character because she is a pretty bad villain and I like villains. The parts of the movie that I liked best were the parts with the Wizard and the Munchkins.Once Dorothy and the scarecrow, lion and tin man reach Oz, it gets very interesting.You finally get to see the place they've been following the yellow brick road for.It's cool.I am six.

The Best Version of the Wizard of Oz yet
Known to all,this is the story of Dorothy Gale and herjourney to the magical land of Oz. She meets a Scarecrow who needs a brain, a Tin Man who wants a heart, and a cowardly lion who desperately needs courage.The most popular film of all time , seen by over a billion people. It's timelessness is proof enough of its value . Certainly flawed when scrutinized and written about for 56 years, but still most beloved. In 1998 rereleased on the big screen: magic. And admittedly the most important film of my life: As a child I was obsessed with the film and only a little less now.

It Never Gets Old
"The Wizard Of Oz" is a film truly worthy of the title timeless. No matter how many times, you can't help but be amazed by the sense of wonder and inspiration this film creates. Even after 67 years, it's still one of the most impressive and uplifiting moments in cinema.
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Reviews (2)

SONJA HENIE'S DEBUT
The finale of this pleasant little diversion from 1936 is Sonja Henie's (pronounced Sunya Henny) triumphant professional debut at Madison Square Garden where, in real life, she made her professional debut in March of that year.The movie gives the cute-as-a-button Norwegian Henie a chance to skate and have a screen boyfriend in the person of Don Ameche (in real life, during this time, she was going with Tyrone Power).20th Century Fox had to cover its rink with frozen milk because the refrigeration pipes showed through ice water.Executives also had to train chorus dancers to be ice skaters because they couldn't train ice skaters to do chorus routines!Fox paid Henie $100,000 to appear in this film, an astonishing amount for an unknown actress in 1936. In 1927, when she was fourteen, Sonja won her first world's figure skating championship; in 1936, she took her third; this movie is actually semi-autobiographical - Hollywood-style.

SONJA HENIE`S FILMDEBUT
One in a Million borrowed a lot from Sonja`s own life. For starters, Sonja`s father Wilhelm was Norway`s first World Champion ever - winning a bicycle race in the late 1890s. He didn`t have to give back his medal like Jean Hersholt`s character in the film though. The dilemma concerning professionalism in the film is also from Sonja`s life. Swedish ice-skater Vivi-Ann Hulten`s mother tried several times to diminish Sonja`s reputation and Papa Henie`s "unethical" methods. Anyway. ONE IN A MILLION is a showcase for Sonja and indeed Darryl F. Zanuck injected a lot of talent including the Ritz Brothers in order to secure the movie at the box-office. He needn`t worry. Sonja became a star of the first magnitude and was Queen at the box-office until 1939 when the skating craze had ended... It is a showfilm really, made like a music video 2 showcase its talents in the film. Not unlike THE GOLDWYN FOLLIES really... ... Read more

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Editorial Review

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Reviews (9)

Million dollar mermaid DVD???
I very much agree with the reviews I have read particularly from Santiago Ramos Jr from the US and wish to show some support...
Warner Brothers, where's the DVD?
With all the older movies finally being available on DVD, why is it that Million Dollar Mermaid is not available on DVD? It's a crying shame that it's not out. I hope that Warner Brothers is hard at work putting this DVD together. The magical water pool scene is worth the price by itself. I will be among the first to buy it when it comes out so I can add it to my ever-growing DVD library.

A must see!
It's no wonder that this movie is so sweet a story--it's a true story, Mervyn LeRoy directed it (he also produced The Wizard of Oz), and it stars Esther Williams.You'll be glad you watched it. Inspiring for all ages. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Movie    3. Musical Features    4. Musicals    5. Musicals (Theatrical)   

Editorial Review

Who hasn't had the dream of being a tap dancer? Bonnie Franklin, formerly with Donald O'Connor and a tap dancer since the age of 9, makes your dream come true--at least in your living room. Franklin is a warm, motivating and skillful teacher, and she obviously loves tap dancing. The former TV sitcom star leads you through your first steps, appropriate for the two-left-feet among us. Later sections get progressively more complex. Learn a basic tap step, then another, practice and practice, and put them together. Before long, you're dancing complete routines. The video runs 86 minutes, but Franklin suggests you stop and practice a section until you're proficient rather than trying to get through it all at once.Read more

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Reviews (49)

Love to Dance!Great DVD!
I have been taking tap for a few years.This is perfect for beginners if you need the basics, she will teach you starting with the most basic steps.If you know how to tap dance move ahead to the routines.There are three great routines.You can do one or all three.She breaks each part down and explains it well.I highly recommend this DVD to anyone who wants to dance.A great way to practice at home!

WOW!!!!!!
This video is EVERYTHING I expected and MORE!Bonnie really is clear with her instructions and does a great job of helping you understand what you are doing.Through the routines, you enjoy yourself, you learn, you sweat and you pant, because she really does give you a good, healthy, cardio workout.I would suggest that anyone just starting out go at a slower pace.Don't try to do the video all at once, especially if you have health issues.Learn where your limits are and go further as you develop your stamina.This video is definitely worth the money!You would pay many times the price to learn the same thing in a studio.Plus, you have the ability to practice at home, every day.No gasoline prices, weather extremes, heavy traffic, or schedules to deal with.Practice when your lifestyle permits.Taking classes along with this video would be beneficial, but during spells when no studio classes are available, this video will definitely get you through the season!If your goal is to lose weight, stick with a regular routine of this workout and watch your diet (just because you want to eat healthier) and you *should* be able to lose weight and have fun at the same time!
The Best Dance How-To Out There
I wish she would put out more like this, it is superior.I have dozens of dance/exercise videos (bellydance, tap, hip-hop, etc.)The instructional format and Bonnie's teaching are exceptional - better than any other.First she shows you what each of three routines look like.Next she teaches each routine.Her instructions are clear and perfectly paced.Then she runs through the routine with you at a moderate tempo (this is the tempo I usually use to practice).Last, she performs each routine again up to speed.You come away with three great and basic tap dance routines that I am still practicing years after I learned them.I can't say this about any other tape/dvd I have.The routines progress in difficulty; the time step is exhausting and a great workout, even for dancers with some experience. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Exercise/Fitness    2. Instructional / Educational    3. Movie   

Editorial Review

Ernst Lubitsch's last musical teamed him with his two favorite performers, Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald. It proved to be his last picture with either of the stars. Working with screenwriter Samson Raphaelson, he transformed the operetta that Erich von Stroheim had made in 1925 as a lavish silent melodrama into a frothy farce with wit, understatement, and a modicum of sexual innuendo. Chevalier stars as Danilo, the playboy captain of the guards sent to Paris to woo back the wealthy widow Sonia (MacDonald), whose purse strings control the kingdom's economy and could ruin it if she marries one of her doting French suitors. A merry game of mistaken identities, sparring romantics, and the teasing of would-be lovers lands Danilo in jail for treason and with true love his only hope. Chevalier plays his role with good cheer, gusto, and an ear-to-ear grin that wins over every lady on the screen, and MacDonald is at her sassy, sexy best, before her all-American image took hold in the Nelson Eddy musicals. From the opening shot, where a magnifying glass is brought to a map of Europe to pick out the tiny Kingdom of Marshovia, Lubitsch is in fine if somewhat restrained form, toning down his driest humor for the more stolid but luxurious MGM style. But he still sneaks in a couple of precode zingers: "Have you ever had diplomatic relations with a woman?" asks Ambassador Edward Everett Horton. Chevalier's sly smile is all the answer needed. Read more

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Chevalier vs. McDonald
If in the Lana Turner version many of Lehar's melodies are played by the orchestra (a la Josh Logan's FANNY) while Turner and Fernando Lamas exchange smoldering glances, Ernst Lubitsch similarly downplays the music in this--the classic version of the operetta.And he had two of the 20th century's greatest musical personalities to carry off those signature tunes.Here and there we get full-bore versions of "Vilia" and others, but anyone familiar with the stage score feels a biting disappointment at seeing the screen version at how little of the score remains on screen.Even the famous "Merry Widow Waltz" gets only a minute or two--whereas in any production on the stage worth its salt, you hear that tune about two hundred times, until you're in an altered state.Okay, maybe that's a slight exaggeration.Anyhow Chevalier and McDonald are both out of this world and totally attuned to Lubitsch's stylish, comic, "saucy" production, and it might be that he never again worked with two such professional technicians.There are some movie fans who are immune to the charm of MC and JMcD, and they are perhaps best taken in small doses, but after seeing their Danilo and Sonia, you might well forgive them for their sins of haming it up elsewhere, for they are so restrained here.Meanwhile that lush creamy music burns in your brain:
Jeanette MacDonald in her greatest role
THE MERRY WIDOW is arguably Jeanette MacDonald's finest film, and is still regarded as one of the greatest musicals ever made by MGM. VILIA AND OTHER DELIGHTS.
A bankrupt king orders a nobleman to court a wealthy American widow.For lovers of vintage operettas, this 1934 film is one to cherish. The Franz Lehar masterpiece began life in Vienna in 1905 and it was an instant smash hit. It was first brought to the American stage in 1907, made into a lost silent with Alma Reubens and Wallace Reid in 1912, and brought true stardom to the eccentric Mae Murray in Erich Von Stoheim's 1925 version which co-starred John Gilbert.Grace Moore was originally to play Sonia, but she wouldn't accept second billing to Maurice Chevalier.This sparkling, frothy, funny and tuneful movie is a delight, and MacDonald shows a fine flair for comedy: she snaps off her lines with Lombard-like aplomb and expertise.Chevalier was a huge star at the time, and although he was never too crazy about Jeanette, their pairing here is near perfection. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Movie    2. Musical Features    3. Musicals    4. Musicals (Theatrical)   

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Reviews (3)

Just Wonderful!
Our kid'a love it! Mr Wynton Marsalis is the bomb! Our middle school just isn't teaching this, and as the only really original music from the USA I feel jazz is pretty important! You won't be sorry! In fact the whole family will enjoy this fine box set!

Marsalis On Music is an instant classic.
Marsalis on Music is the young people's series for our time, hosted by Wynton Marsalis, the most popular and acclaimed jazz musician of his generation anddistinguished classical performer as well.Withhelp from his jazz band and students from the Tanglewood Music Center, led by Seiji Ozawa, Wynton puts a fresh spin on music appreciation.His inspired instruction, backed by superb performances and exciting animated graphics, not only teaches the fundamentals of music, but makes learning fun.

Marsalis on Music, from a music teacher's perspective
This video series is certainly not a substitute for a sound music education, and does not promote itself as such.It focuses on the elementsof jazz and jazz theory, a component that is lacking or inadequate in mostof the popular music curriculums for the elementary and junior high school. I like this particular series for several reasons. First, it is somethingI would leave a substitute teacher because the students can watch it andthere is plenty of room for discussion and practice later on.Second,as asuccessful African-American musician, he is a good role model for youngmusicians. I work with at-risk students, and have found that it isimportant to present them with some positive, successful role models thatare culturally diverse. Finally, the presentation is attention grabbing.Marsalis has a way of communicating clearly in this series. He explainsmusical concepts from the simplest to some that are fairly complex in a waythat is direct. There is a lot of basic music theory embedded in thisseries. Plus, it's more fun than lecturing, and kids seem to enjoy it as achange of pace. It's not a substitute for good teaching, but it cansupplement and round out a good music education program. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classical    2. How To - Musical Instruction    3. Instructional / Educational    4. Special Interest   

Editorial Review

Widely considered, top to bottom, one of the finest musicals in Broadwayhistory, Read more

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Reviews (52)

Good version of a great show
This is one of the "big" 1960s Warner Bros. musicals.While definitely not in the same class as "My Fair Lady" or "The Music Man",it's as good as "Finian's Rainbow" and MUCH better than "Camelot".Leonard Speigelgass's script wisely lets Arthur Laurents' book virtually speak for itself.John Beckman and Ralph Hurst's sets,Orry-Kelly and Howard Shoup's costumes,Harry Stradling's photography,and Frank Perkins's musical direction are all excellent.Mervyn LeRoy's direction is very good,
Oh that Roz!
I love musicals and "Gypsy" is one of my faves.
Gypsy Is A Winner
My mother took me to the movies to see Gypsy, starring Rosalind, when I was about 10 years old.I fell in love with the movie. Natalie Wood became a beautiful swan.I just love that movie.I watched the movie with my daughter although she had seen it on tv with all the commercials.She enjoyed it so much I am going to purchase her a copy. ... Read more

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Editorial Review

This 1931 film puts one of the musical theatre masterpieces of the 20th century--a slashing attack on greed, violence, and social pretension--in the visual and musical context of its origins. Musically, it omits some of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's numbers and gives to others a softer edge than the hard-hitting music took on in the last half of the century. The 1931 singers, including Weill's wife and definitive interpreter Lotte Lenya, tend to croon numbers that are snarled or barked in the definitive audio recording Lenya made and supervised in the 1950s. A comparison of the 1931 "Pirate Jenny" song, for example, with the recording a quarter-century later shows how performing styles toughened after World War II. Read more

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Reviews (6)

Die 3groschenoper
This is an early adaptation from play to film; this is a different media and should be judged with that criterion in mind. Now you can pick on sound and picture quality. Yet again you need to keep the time of production and copy quality in mind.
Certainly not Brecht
I've seen the movie version of this, one of the best scores and scripts created in the "musical theatre genre." While Lotte Lenya and the supporting cast are very good, this version is hardly true to Brecht or hisstyle. Apparently Brecht did not understand that by selling the screenrights to the script, he was also giving the producers liscence to dowhatever the wanted with it - and he had no power over it. The endind isnotably changed from any translation you are likely to find in print, andfew of the best songs remain - as a matter of fact, i recall only aboutfour or five songs in the film verison. Mr. And Mrs. Peachum, whilewonderfully portrayed, are far from the middle-class underlords we lovethem to be - they were a mismatched pair, Mrs. Peachum in a fabulous dress,and drop earings, and Peachum looking like one of his beggars. Ainteresting note, though: MacHeath's gang are adorable, fun and very willplayed!

Not what the title promises
This is a far cry from the stage version with not only several songs missing but what seems to be a rewrite of the script and book. The acting is pre-1931--as one history of cinema puts its, a style we will never seeagain--and the film techniques are from the silent days. But it has somepowerful moments, mostly when the Streetsinger is on screen. Among thevisual highlights are the confrontation of the Army of Poor with the Queen(who looks too old to be Victoria), the marriage of Polly and Mack amongthe purloined furniture and trappings, and the marvelous resolution of theex-police chief Brown, Mack, and Peachem becoming "respectable"bankers (i.e., thieves). So this is worth a good deal as a social documentis but is not worth much as a musical event. (Question: if all the signs ofthe shops are in English, why do the Poor carry signs in German?) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Foreign    2. Foreign Film - German    3. Foreign Film [Dub Or Subtitle]    4. Movie    5. Performing Arts   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (14)

Absolutely Fabulous!!!
Now I own the (old) record, the CD, and the video. This is the greatest ethnic musical ever. I saw it first in New York in the 70's. Even though there were threats of violence, no one left the theater during the performance, and everyone left at the end - singing!
The Ipi Ntombi review
I had the wonderful opportunity to see the show Ipi Ntombi, and let me tell you that I was just mesmerized by all the dancing and singing, I would recommend it for anyone to see it, it was just awesome.I would love to see it again.A wonderful performance. Congratulations to the cast.

Does anyone see the cultural ramifications???????
I was amazed to see only positive reviews of this musical here. From a cultural/anthropological perspective this movie is horrific.It promotes the superiority of urban life and Christianity, and treats tribal life as silly, ignorant, and superstitious.The whole musical was created by a white mother/daughter duo, and one can only wonder about their acceptability to portray modern tribal life in South Africa and also their willingness to share the profits from such an expoitation of a culture with the members of that culture. Also, one cannot forget the date this musical was made--1974--before the crumbling of apartheid.Thus, this a skewed view of traditional African life coming from a racist perspective.It can only be compared to minstrel shows in the US in that it is viewed as fun and exciting, but really has some dark cultural ramifications. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Movie    3. Musicals & Cast Recordings    4. TV Shows   

Editorial Review

The dazzling Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, brought to lush life by the director of the original stage version, Joshua Logan. Set on a remote island during the Second World War, Read more

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Reviews (75)

well worth the wait
This brand new edition of SOUTH PACIFIC is a must for all fans of the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein classic.Based on characters and segments from James Michener's "Tales of the South Pacific", the story takes place on the islands during the tail-end of World War II.A pretty young nurse from Arkansas, Ensign Nellie Forbush (Mitzi Gaynor), falls in love with a wealthy French plantation owner Emile de Becque (Rossano Brazzi).Their relationship is tested when she discovers that he fathered two children with a now-dead Polynesian wife, and that he is wanted for the murder of a man in France.As Nellie confronts her own fears and prejudices, the handsome Lt. Joe Cable (John Kerr) falls helplessly in love with Bali Ha'i island beauty Liat (France Nuyen).Filling out the comedy in the tale are Bloody Mary (Juanita Hall), the wheeler-dealer with a heart of pure gold; and Luther Billis (Ray Walston), the tattooed leader of the beach-bound troops.
Should be titled Terrible Pacific.
Film quality wss poor as was the editing.Would return if I could.Edited out most of Brazzis singing which is highlight of show. We had way too much of Mitzi Gaynor.

WAIT FOR THE 2 DISCS EDITION. IT IS REALLY A MASTERPICE
Thank's God I live in Europe (Portugal)and we can buy here the fantastic 2 disc version of South Pacific remasterd. It is a fantastic DVD with a quality never surpassed by any other motion picture published in DVD. The early version like Oklahoma was not very good but...we have waited and now we have the prize. A fantastic collection with two of the 4 versions of the film.
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Subjects:  1. Movie    2. Musical Features    3. Musicals    4. Musicals & Cast Recordings    5. Musicals (Theatrical)   

Editorial Review

If you only had one Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers film to watch, this classic musical from 1936 would be your best bet. It was the dance duo's sixth film together, and director George Stevens handled the material with as much flair behind the camera as Fred and Ginger displayed in front of it. This time out, Fred plays a gambling hoofer who's engaged to marry a young socialite (Betty Furness), but when he's late for the wedding his prospective father-in-law sends him away, demanding that he earn $25,000 before he can earn his daughter's hand in marriage. When Fred meets Ginger in a local dance studio (where he pretends to be a klutz so she can be his instructor), he's instantly smitten and the $25,000 deal becomes a moot point. Featuring six songs by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields (including a splendid rendition of "The Way You Look Tonight") and some of the most elegant dance sequences ever filmed, this lightweight fluff epitomizes the jazz-age style of 1930s musicals, virtually defining the genre with graceful joie de vivre. Read more

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Reviews (41)

Hilarious
This movie has some very funny parts and characters.There are also some great song and dance numbers.Of course to talent of Astaire and Rogers cannot be contested, but I was surprised at how funny it was.I think that people that didn't like musicals or old movies could find something to enjoy in this.

Swing Time
A memorable performance by the famous duo of Astaire and Rogers.They excel themselves in the classic number 'Pick Yourself Up'.Although Fred and Ginger made many memorable movies together, this is one you shouldn't miss.Funny and entertaining.

Moronic
I'm watching the film right now, and it is perhaps the most moronic and stupidly annoying film I've ever seen.There's nothing amusing going on.It's all fluff and show.It is such garbage.I find it offensively stupid. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Movie    2. Musical Features    3. Musicals    4. Musicals & Cast Recordings    5. Musicals (Theatrical)   

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Reviews (11)

wonderful fun
this video,which i purchased for me and my grandaughters to watch is delightfulit's just the right length and the content is appropriate for little ones(4 and 3)

Positive & Uplifting!
My neices and nephews love watching this dance and sing along specifically made for children.It has tons of positive songs and messages - you've got to S-M-I-L-E to be HAPPY!My family smiles the entire time we watch it!Shirley Temple is adorable!!!

my three year old loves it!657
My daughter is three and watches this video over and over.She is mesmerized.She dances while she watches it, and sings the songs later in the day.I don't mind watching it repeatedly, unlike some shows. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Comedies    2. Movie    3. Musicals   

Editorial Review

Blake Edwards's delightful Read more

Features

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• Original recording reissued
• NTSC

Reviews (90)

Superb film! A real classic.
My wife and I saw this film on TV, and have always wanted to get it. Finally we found it at Amazon. The DVD shows the film brilliantly, and it includes a lengthy and fascinating discussion by Julie Andrews and Blake Edwards. What makes that conversation even more interesting is that it occurred about twenty years after the film, and also after the stage version(which is also excellent). We are grateful to Amazon for making this DVD available.

A Wonderful Funny Movie
If you're a Julie Andrews lover, this is fabulous.Even if you're not, this movie is very funny, a great way to spend a couple of hours.

Victor/Victoria
Classic musical comedy, Julie Andrews is not only a great singer but shes easy on the eyes. This is a classic boy meets girl, then thinks hes gay when he starts falling in love for the girl pretending to be a gay guy. A funny movie that was a head of its time. another keeper for your collection ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Comedies    2. Movie    3. Musicals   

Editorial Review

After more than a decade of false starts and several potential directors, the popular Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical finally made it to the big screen with Alan Parker (Read more

Features

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (206)

who else but Madonna....
I can't imagine anyone but Madonna in this role. Many people criticize her acting ("such a drama queen," "overestimates her abilities," blah blah blah), but I thought she was pretty good in this one. Besides, her singing and dancing made up for anything else that could be wrong, in my opinion. Her voice is so distinctive, so strong, so closely fitting to emotions that the songs should envoke.
Absolutly awful!!!!!!!
this movie is one of the worst movies i have ever seen. if i could have given it less than a one, i would have!!!!this movie is so horrific that i tried to watch it 3 times, but fell asleep every time.this is the first movie that has actualy put me to sleep because it was so boring!!!!!!!!!!!!! Madonna did a FABULOUS job, but aside from that, this movie sucked.

They changed the lyrics
As someone who saw the original touring Evita in Austin during the 1980's, and practically memorized the original Broadway cast recording, I found this presentation of the work rather jarring and disappointing.Many of the lyrics have been changed or sanitized, perhaps to satisfy the censors in Argentina so the film could be shot there.The complete elimination of Peron's last mistress before Evita, and the transfer of her agonized lament "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" to Madonna, was a poor decision and changes the whole concept of that song.Overall, the orchestral arrangements have too "pop" a flavour, and disgard the lush original score.If you want to get a REAL feel for the impact of "Evita", get the original recording with Patti Lupone and Mandy Patinkin.
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Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Movie    3. Musicals