| DVD Roundup April 2005
 Warner
Home Video -- Making Classic Musicals Look Like New
When Warner Bros. acquired the rights to release MGM titles
on DVD, many were concerned. They were especially worried about what might happen to the
magnificent catalog of MGM musicals. Based on last year’s release of Judy Garland
titles, fans were hopeful. This year’s release of musicals made between 1948 and 1968
should put everyone’s mind at ease. These first-rate titles have been given the
treatment they deserve.
For my money, this is what DVD is all about. It’s fun
to be able to buy a copy of the latest Spider-Man movie and play it at home, but I
was able to see that in a first-rate theater. I can’t do that with a classic such as Meet
Me in St. Louis. And I find it sad that younger people will be unable to see
dynamic films such as Lawrence of Arabia, West Side Story, and 2001: A
Space Odyssey on the large screens for which they were created. But DVD can almost
save the day by presenting brand-new transfers of classics for DVD that seem minted
yesterday, that literally make the old new again. That is the case with these musicals.
Seeing them in most of their original splendor reminds me that they really don’t make
them like this anymore -- not very often, anyhow.
Two 4:3 gems
The oldest film in this new release is Easter Parade (****),
from 1948. Judy Garland starred, paired for the only time with Fred Astaire. Arthur Freed
produced, Charles Walters directed, and the music was by Irving Berlin. Ann Miller
costarred, bringing down the house with her rambunctious version of "Shakin’ the
Blues Away." Other memorable musical sequences include "Drum Crazy," an
Astaire tour de force that finds the great dancer in a toy shop full of percussion
instruments; "Steppin’ Out with My Baby," another Astaire vehicle, finds
him dancing in slow motion in front of a set where a chorus dances in real time; and
"A Couple of Swells," where Garland and Astaire don tramp costumes to lambaste
the upper classes.
The DVD transfer is amazing in its detail and color
saturation. The mono sound is perfectly adequate, with better frequency response than one
might expect. The first disc contains an entertaining and informative commentary by
Astaire’s daughter and Garland biographer John Fricke. The second disc includes a
documentary, Judy Garland: By Myself. Using words from Garland’s own journals
and recordings, it paints the truest portrait of the great entertainer that I have ever
seen. There’s also a documentary on the making of the film, a musical outtake
("Mr. Monotony"), and trailers galore.
In 1953, Arthur Freed produced The Band Wagon
(****1/2), the ultimate "Let’s put on a show!" film. Vincente Minnelli
directed and Fred Astaire starred with Cyd Charisse, a newcomer in her first starring
role. Betty Comden and Adolph Green wrote one of their brightest and best screenplays. The
movie reveals new wonders at every viewing. It contains the debut of "That’s
Entertainment," which was to become MGM’s anthem going into the end of the 20th
century. The colors are rich and the picture is very filmlike, entirely devoid of video
artifacts and grain. Extras include a somewhat frivolous "party atmosphere"
commentary by Liza Minnelli and Michael Feinstein, but the second disc contains a good
vintage documentary on Vincente Minnelli, as well as a fun short presenting Jack Buchanan
with the Glee Quartet. If you’ve never seen this musical, get on the bandwagon.
It’s the only musical I can think of that challenges Singin’ in the Rain
(*****).
Widescreen arrives on the scene
In 1954, one of MGM’s first CinemaScope musicals
reunited producer Arthur Freed and director Vincente Minnelli: Brigadoon (***), the
whimsical story of a Scottish village that appears out of the mist once every hundred
years. Cyd Charisse starred again, and though her dancing is lovely, her acting is wooden.
The same might be said of costar Gene Kelly. Much of the bawdy subplot of the original
Broadway show was smoothed out for the screen version, which left no real contrast; the
action seems staid. It was also decided to film the entire show on soundstages instead of
going on location, which gives it a claustrophobic feeling. Still, there are many rousing
musical numbers, such as "Down on MacConnachy Square" and "I’ll Go
Home with Bonnie Jean." And those colorful Scottish plaids brighten the screen.
This new DVD presents the best widescreen image thus far
for home video. The earlier version was not anamorphic; this one is, and the difference is
telling. The very good 5.1-channel remastering makes the chorus and orchestra sound
especially good, and the three outtakes are so good one wonders why they were cut: the
songs "Come to Me, Bend to Me" and "From This Day On," and the
"Sword Dance," which would have appeared in the wedding scene.
Judy Garland had left MGM by 1960, but along came another
Judy just as wonderful -- Judy Holliday, reprising her Broadway role in Bells Are
Ringing (***1/2). Arthur Freed again produced, Vincente Minnelli directed, and Betty
Comden and Adolph Green again provided a witty, acerbic script and lyrics. There are some
exhilarating chorus numbers, notably "A Simple Little System" and "Drop
That Name." Dean Martin is on hand as love interest, but this is Holliday’s show
from beginning to end -- and what a charming and talented dynamo she is here. She creates
a character so likable that you want to cheer when she belts out her final tour de force,
"I’m Goin’ Back (to the Bonjour Tristesse Brassiere Company)." The
audience with which I saw the original movie applauded at that point, rare in a movie
theater presentation. This was Holliday’s last movie -- she died of cancer five years
after its premiere.
The widescreen anamorphic transfer is rich in color, very
detailed, and smooth. The audio is bright and detailed, with good transparency. The extras
include a short documentary and musical outtakes of two songs dropped from the final cut,
"Is It a Crime?" and "My Guiding Star."
Not MGM but a strong contender
Few studios make musicals as MGM did, but in 1968, Warner
Bros.-Seven Arts tried with Finian’s Rainbow (***1/2). They got Fred Astaire,
then 69, to play the Irish rascal who steals leprechaun gold and brings it to America,
hoping to plant it near Fort Knox. Astaire adds class to every scene in which he appears.
Petula Clark is a joy as his daughter, and Don Francks is sturdy and reliable as her
American boyfriend. The chorus production numbers, choreographed by Hermes Pan, are
dazzling, and Burton Lane’s music is as lilting and appealing as ever, though the
lyrics of E.Y. Harburg seem somewhat dated now. Tommy Steele is on hand as Og, the
aforementioned leprechaun, and his presence is a cross to bear. Ever smiling, ever yucky,
he darn near scuttles the whole show.
The anamorphic transfer is as good as they come, with lush,
natural color and amazing detail. The 5.1-channel sound is transparent and clean but
lacking in bass, but both soloists and chorus sound wonderful. This was the first major
film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who provides one of the most entertaining and
enlightening commentaries I’ve heard. The other extra is film of the world premiere
in New York City, with somewhat in-depth interviews with the cast members.
These five musicals demonstrate the power of DVD to make
the past seem like the present, the old new. These are not just "old" movies but
timeless classics, and their careful DVD production has allowed us to see them in all
their glory. Don’t miss out.
…Rad Bennett
radb@hometheatersound.com |
