Broadway: The American Musical (PBS Home
Video)
As I explain elsewhere on this site, this six episode documentary made
some howling errors, but there is no denying that it offers a unique
collection of rare interviews and performance film clips sure to please
anyone interested in Broadway musicals. The DVD includes several hours
worth of added footage, including fascinating performances and
interviews that did not make the final cut. There is also a behind the
scenes glimpse at Wicked on its road to Broadway. Drawbacks considered,
this is a must-have for serious fans.
Broadway's Lost Treasures (Acorn)
This set offers performance clips from Tony Award telecasts. It took
years of legal wrangling to clear the rights with the unions,
songwriters, etc. Three discs concentrate on musicals, offering the
richest parade of classic moments that can be found in any commercial
release -- Zero Mostel in Fiddler, Joel Grey in Cabaret,
Jerry Orbach in various hits, the whole gang from Annie, 42nd
Street, Ragtime . . . if musicals are your thing, you want
this full set. A fourth bonus disc offers scenes from plays, with
another stellar list of talents in great titles. The must-have of all
must-haves for theatre buffs!
The Busby Berkeley Collection
(WB/Turner)
When the major studios were dismissing screen musicals as a dead art
form in the early 1930s, along came Broadway choreographer Busby
Berkeley, whose new vision and innovative camera techniques would
revitalize the medium. After years of delay, five of Berkeley's landmark
Warner Brothers films have been handsomely restored for DVD. No
commentaries, but each film includes an excellent documentary -- I am in
all of these, so perhaps I'm prejudiced. (Note: Because of release
timing issues, the documentary for 42nd Street is on the disc for
Goldiggers of 1933.) Vintage shorts are included too, making this
a feast for film buffs. If you are curious to see me in action, or if
you just love Berkeley's unforgettable production numbers (which this
set repeats on a bonus disc), this set is well worth the
investment.
Hollywood Musicals (St. Clair Vision)
Here is the kind of rip-off DVD collectors have to watch out for. Ten screen
musicals are offered in this set -- some rarely seen, most taken from inferior prints, and
all are offered with no tangible attempts to improve the sound or
picture quality. The
flashy packaging proclaims that these films have
been "Carefully Remastered." Baloney! Royal
Wedding is the only major hit here, thrown in with forgotten flicks like Ziegfeld's
tedious Glorifying the American Girl or Ezio Pinzas big screen
flop Mr. Imperium. The bonus features are either old newsreels items
or clips of the films strung into narrated shorts -- in other words, meaningless
filler that cost nothing to add on. Shame on St. Clair Vision for fostering this
highway robbery on the public.
Three Little Words (WB/Turner)
One of the best MGM musicals not produced by the Freed Unit, Three
Little Words is a highly fictionalized look at the real life songwriting
partnership of Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby. Fred Astaire is in top form,
as is dancing partner Vera Ellen, and Red Skelton gives one of his best
big screen performances as Ruby. Great songs, and an unknown Debbie
Reynolds makes a memorable appearance as young Helen Kane. An excellent
documentary (which I had the great pleasure of appearing in) and some
vintage short subjects make this DVD a full evening's entertainment.
Very highly recommended.
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