Costumes Movie Reviews

This version of "Oedipus Rex" is Sir Tyrone Guthrie's famous 1957 production, which had the actors wearing masks just as the ancient Greeks did when first performing this classic tragedy by Sophocles. The masks, designed by Tanya Moisewitsch and Jacqueline Cundall, are slightly oversized and quite stylized: Oedipus (Douglas Campbell) wears a gold mask with a crown atop and a golden cloak; blind Tiresias (Donald Davis) appears entirely in white; each of the members of the chorus has a distinctive mask as one of the old men of Thebes. As befits the masks and costumes, there is a stylized formality to the acting. No one would argue that this is how the play was first performed in ancient Athens but it does suggest the general approach to Greek tragedy.

The story is well known to most audience, but attention should still be paid because the key to the Sophocles version of the tale is that the prophecy from Delphi that was told to the king and queen of Thebes is not the same that was told to Oedipus years later. A plague has come to Thebes and Creon (Douglas Rain) has returned from Delphi with word from Apollo. Creon is the brother to Jocasta (Eleanor Stuart), wife of Oedipus the king as she had been the wife of king Laius before him. He reports that the gods are angry that the murderer of Laius has not been brought to justice. Oedipus vows to do so and utters a curse upon the unknown killer. But when Oedipus demands that Tiresias reveal the identity of the killer, the blind prophet of Thebes says the king is the very man he seeks. Thus the primal crime of the man who killed his father and married his mother is reveal step by tragic step.

The English translation is by the poet William Butler Yeats, which provides its own touch of the classical for the language of the play, which has been cut down to 90 minutes for this filmed version (which is essentially of the stage production); there is also so additional dialogue, primarily an introduction by the Chorus that provides an introduction to Oedipus as the hero who bested the Sphinx and saved Thebes. There is also an introduction by an actor before the play that explains the basic idea of Greek tragedy and also draws a connection between the story of Oedipus and the Christian sacrament of communion. I like a more naturalistic approach, even with Greek tragedies, but there is something compelling about this particular production. Because this is a streamlined version of "Oedipus Rex," viewers will get a good idea of the basic structure of a Greek play, and at 90-minutes in length you can show the film in two standard class periods.

Final Note: The part of the Priest in this Canadian production is played by a very young William Shatner, not that you can tell because he is wearing a mask. This is rather ironic given that the world would come full circle when a painted William Shatner/Captain Kirk mask was used by Michael Myers in the original "Halloween" film, which would sort of be a contemporary Greek tragedy in a lot of ways.

Here's a little-known gem from 1976.

"The Patriots" tells the tale of a struggling, post-Revolution America from Thomas Jefferson's point of view. Easily on a par with the more famous musical "1776", this serious drama outlines Jefferson's conflict with the philosphy of Alexander Hamilton (Philip LeStrange).

The performances are top notch, especially Jefferson (Robert Murch) and Washington (Ralph Clanton). Both forefathers spring to life under the steady hands of the actors who portray them. You'll be hard pressed to find a better or more memorable portrayal of these two men once you sample "The Patriots". Madison, Monroe and Hamilton also become real human beings, in place of the marble statuary we are so used to.

Also of note is the accurate depiction of the little-known danger facing the young American nation in the 1780's-90's, as forces conspire to impose a monarchy and dissolve the Constitution. Jefferson helped to stem the tide, and his role in that conflict is ably demonstrated here.

There is some minor television-acceptable cursing, but nothing kids can't handle today. Kids ought to watch this anyway, as it makes history come alive in ways that books sometimes cannot.

The transfer here is excellent, so you won't suffer the common video errors from some poorer transfers to DVD. If you like Jefferson, Revolutionary Era history, or just good theatre, this one's a keeper.

Does anyone out there know anything about this "box set" edition of this film? What's included in the package that makes it worth 5 times the price of the DVD alone?

Great movie, by the way... read my review!

The music is delightful, the performances are excellent, and the video and sound are just fine. Too bad the program isn't longer. Early and/or atypical Strauss. Get it; you'll like it.

This DVD preserves the justly famous production of Rossini's 'The Barber of Seville' done in the jewel-box theater of the Schwetzingen Festival in 1988. It features the adorable Rosina of Cecilia Bartoli at the beginning of her soon-to-be-huge international career. It is conducted sympathetically by the Sicilian Gabriele Ferro; he leads the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart and the chorus of the Cologne City Opera.

The staging by Michael Hampe, sets by Ezio Frigerio and costumes by Mauro Pagano are traditional and do not get in the way of a straightforward presentation of Rossini's still-funny farce.

David Kuebler's Almaviva is beautifully sung and his comic acting as the drunken soldier in Act I and as the false Don Alonso in Act II is expertly done. The lecherous but clueless Don Bartolo is sung and acted by the veteran Carlos Feller. His downfall in the finale is done with grace and good humor, unlike some Bartolos who huff and puff rather too much about it all. Don Basilio is taken by the wonderful Robert Lloyd whose cavernous black bass is perfect for 'La Calunnia' which is both sinister and funny. He has a comic bit that he does with making the sign of the cross that has the audience in stitches.

Gino Quilico deserves especial praise for his scheming charmer, the barber Figaro. Not only is his singing wonderful, his comic acting is spot on. I laughed out loud several times--as when he is shaving Don Bartolo in the second act.

This production follows hard on the heels of the wonderful Arthaus/Naxos DVD of the 1990 Schwetzingen production of Britten's 'The Turn of the Screw.' If these two productions are any indication of the level of artistry at Schwetzingen, one can certainly hope that we'll be getting more of these productions on DVD.

Recommended.

Scott Morrison

Essential. The earliest performances available, as amazing as they are heartbreaking, with an unsurpassed "Corsaire" pas de deux with Lupe Serrano.

I've been looking for this for years! I'm so happy that it's finally available! I saw the Scarecrow when I was a kid and it made a tremendous impression on me (it also made me cry buckets). Can't wait to order copies for everyone. Hope it's as good as I remember! Yay!

Gettcha Krump On! Five shakin, singing, dancing guys get their groove on and show you how to dance too! It's the latest street dance in Los Angeles going mainstream this year! Be the first to own the DvD and learn the steps to Krump before anyone else does.Take a look at LA's hot spots and find your favorite dancer.

Master Yang's demonstration of these extensive qigong sets is excellent. This is exactly the kind of Qigong video I've been wanting, instead of all these fluffy videos that barely have any content. This DVD has almost three hours of various exercises!

For the most part, Dr. Yang is in Ma Bu ( a semi-squatting horse leg stance) the whole time! How old is this guy?! At first, my tired legs were a distraction from the exercises, but it's good training. Now, after one month my legs are conditioned and I can focus on keeping my breathing slow and calm.

Once you have toned your body doing these qigong for a while, you can really focus your intent on the parts of your body you're exercising, on your qi energy and blood circulation, and on your calm breath and mind. Focusing your mind's intention is the key to sucessful qigong. Mind over matter.

There are two entire sets of qigong exercises, and it's best to do the Soft Qigong first. Its much easier to train your body to be soft first, and then add the Hard exercises, than to try and loosen up and add the Soft Qigong when you've been training the Hard for a while. Im training just the Soft Qigong exercises for about six months before I even start to do the Hard Qigong regularly.

Once you've trained these for a while, and you begin to really feel the qi circulation in your body, the next trick is learning to conserve and store the energy in your belly. The Chinese call this place, about 2 inches below your navel, the Dan Tian. This is your body's center; the place you drew energy and nutrients from your Mother with, through the umbilical cord. It can store and release the energy in your body as needed.

Remember as you follow along to Dr. Yang's demonstration, to keep your mind in your center; The center in your belly, and also at the same time, the center of your brain, your "third eye". Good luck!

First of all, Singin' In The Rain (SITR) is the greatest movie musical ever and ranks in the top ten for all-time greatest movies of any kind. This DVD set really does justice to the film.

To start, the extra features are fun and informative; I especially liked the clips from movies that first featured the songs from SITR. I also enjoyed seeing Debbie Reynolds looking so good 50 years after filming (she narrates the "Making of..." piece).

Moving on to the film itself, the transfer to digital medum was done very well. The picture is great (especially since I started using an S-video connection from DVD player to TV) and the sound is fantastic. The music was apparently digitized from a pristine original or something (I am not too clear on the technical details). Whatever the MGM folks did, it worked like a charm! The movie looks and sounds beautiful, even compared to the new print currently playing in movie theaters.

I should add that my elder son has been a big SITR fan since he was 2 years old. We used to play a game in which he was Gene Kelly and I was Donald O'Connor. He would get upset if I didn't call him Gene for the hours the game went on. He is currently taking tap-dancing lessons, in no small part due to the influence of Gene Kelly in SITR as well as other movies (e.g. Anchors Aweigh, On The Town, and American In Paris).

In short, this DVD is a wonderful addition to any movie collection.