Costumes Movie Reviews

Forget for a moment, if you can (given the title), that this is about Shakespeare. Think of it, rather, as a traveling troup of players who have come to your town simply to entertain you for 90 minutes (plus intermission). If you know some, or even all of Shakespear's plays, all the better. The jokes will probably mean more to you. Otherwise, just sit back and enjoy the antics of this extraordianary group of actors. The show actually reminded me of WHO'S LINE IS IT ANYWAY?, especially when they get the audience activally involved, evening bringing two people on stage to interact. I was exhausted by the end of the DVD, simply because the actors seemed exhausted. And they should be. This is a physical presentation, not a cerebrial one. It gets a little bawdy at times (and is not recommeded for small children, although there were some children in the audience). Also, I take it that this is a Canadian company, not the original British cast, so some of the British-brittle humor probably has been reworked. My 24 year old son and I (we're both actors and writers) howled at the show, getting most of the Shakespearian's jokes, but generally just relishing in the wonderful, wild antics of this broad, burlesque-style enterprise.

this was the must hilarious spoof of the more popular/well known of william shakespears plays. Adam Long is constantly running around as the girl in all of the plays, flashing the audience by flipping up his skirt, and whenever his character is supposed to die, he pretends to get sick. their was alot of common language and slang to help a veiwer who might not be much of a shakespear enthusiest understand exactly what was going on with the plots and understanding the jokes. over all Reed, Adam, and Austin make a great team and really appear to be having great fun while entertaining their audience.

I was introduced to the Reduced Shakespeare Company when I was cast in a production of "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [Abridged]" in college. The play was the funniest thing I'd ever done -- I pulled a muscle when I first read the script simply from laughing too hard -- and I've been a huge fan of theirs ever since.

Finally, their premiere production is available on DVD! This video of a production starring Reed Martin, Austin Tichenor and Adam Long is as funny as the script was the first time I read it. I was unusual, after having been in the play myself, to see how some of the originators actually envisioned the scenes, as well as how the scenes had evolved in the years since the play was first published -- the Titus Andronicus cooking show, for instance, went from a cross-dressing gag to an Emeril parody. It was still hysterically funny.

The DVD also has a surprising amount of special features, including a video of the complete "Romeo and Juliet" segment from the first ever production of the show, starring Adam Long, Jess Winfield and Daniel Singer. (It's also interesting to note how THAT scene evolved from the first production until the date of publication.)

If you're an RSC fan, this is a great DVD. If you've never seen one of their shows before, watch this DVD -- you'll become a fan.

Peter Pan is a very good movie!My favorite character is Mr.Smee,and the twins.I think that all viewers will like and agree that `Peter Pan,Cathy Rigby` is the best peter pan movie around.This version of peter pan is much better then the Mary Martin version.Drake English(Michael)does a terrific job playing Michael!He is a very good actor for only six years old.The acting is very well done and there are a wide variety of people some older,others younger.If you are looking for a movie to buy for your son or daughter this movie will DEFINETLY appeal to them!I HIGHLY recommend this movie to all viewers and to people of all ages that I think you will enjoy more than ANY other movie in the world!

I only saw this production because I happened to find a VHS tape of it in a clearance rack in my local video store (and bought it for next-to-nothing). It is a new staging of the Broadway musical from the 1950's; this does not minimize its impact in any way, but there are many reviewers who feel the need to make excessive (and in my opinion unfounded) comparisons between this production and the original one with Mary Martin- when, in fact, it is the same show. I have copies of both performances and primarily treasure the Martin production because of its historical significance as a time capsule of early television. This version with Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby version is brilliant; its presentation differs from the 1960 one as they captured an actual performance from a theater with an audience rather than tape on a network sound stage. As someone else noted, Ms. Rigby's mannerisms and costuming better capture that of an impish boy than Ms. Martin's (although I didn't care for Ms. Rigby's attempt at a British accent). The point is they each do it a little differently, Ms. Rigby opting for more exuberance and athleticism; watch especially the "I Gotta Crow" scenes with her tumbling all over the stage and the "Ugg-A-Wug" dance and drum challenge with the Indians. The book itself is a bit corny (doesn't matter which version), but chances are you're watching it with your own children or re-living your own childhood- and that's sort of the point. The Act 1 finale which shows Peter and the Darling clan fly out the window is stunning. Plan to lose yourself for two hours, and you'll probably believe you can fly when it's over.

I was taking an exam in chorus class and one of the X-tra credit questions was: What is your favourite musical? Why? Unfortunatly that question was crossed out by the teacher, anyway, if I were to give an answer to that question now, my answer would be PETER PAN (2000)! Why? Well, in my opinion, it has a good cast and crew (Cathy Rigby is perfect as Pan, the Darling children, Lost Boys and Indians are adorable, Smee and the pirate rogues are a true sack o' laughs and Captain Hook really steals the scenes!) and music so great, that I plan to memorise them and sing them with the actors when they start singing them. Also, the idea of Tinkerbelle was cute (even though she's just a ball of light).
Did I mention that the flying effects look as if the actors were really flying! I mean, the scenes where Peter flys in the Darling nursery and fights against Cap'n Hook are like totally awsome! And it's got plenty of funny and sad scenes too (great with the emotions)! My music teacher (Ms. Tolbert) showed my class some decent musicals during the school year (West Side Story, Okalhoma! etc.) but this one really takes it!! Boy is it a shame Tolbert didn't show the whole class this true work of pure literature!
I GIVE THIS MUSICAL A SLAMMIN' 5 OUTTA 5!

This DVD recording has given me so much pleasure! Although it is often said that the standard of Wagnerian singing has declined a lot over the years, what I heard on this recording is still quite admirable for most of the time. Besides, what a high standard of acting the singers are able to present here!

The production, though having its eccentricities, work very well for most of the time. In fact, I found the production dramatically as riveting as anything I've ever seen in the theatre. Obviously a great production. The videography is excellent, too.

My love for opera has advanced by leaps and bounds after watching this production. I would recommend this marvellous set to all.

I found this dvd release to be very enjoyable. Honestly, I know little about the performance history of this opera cycle and the ideology behind Wagner's music dramas. Nevertheless, just like a person new to a piece of drama, I was thrilled by what I saw (and hear). There is certainly some excellent acting and singing on this recording, and the staging is also rather amusing (and dramatically riveting at times). Putting aside some very minor reservations on the direction, I've obtained much enjoyment from these dvds. If this is what modern opera productions is about, I'll sure be venturing more into the opera house in the days to come!

This production will not appeal to those who prefer a traditional approach in staging Wagner's masterpiece. It is also true that up-dating the background to somewhere sometime during the Industrial Revoluation may have stripped the drama of its universality. Yet, I think the director, Patrice Chereau, merely wish to test out the Ring's drama in a specific historical and political context, and within such an ambit his "experiment" is, on the whole, a success.

Much has been said about the superlative standard of acting of the singers in this production as well as Brian Large's wonderful videography. I also tend to think that the singing is also very good, at least better than the case of many Wagner productions that we're treated to nowadays. I admire Gwyneth Jones's Brunnhilde, which is one of the singer's greatest achievements on records. Donald McIntyre's Wotan is tonally monotonous, but his interpretation has considerable stature. Hofmann and Altmeyer are pretty moving as the pair of Walsung twins and most of the other roles are more than competently handled. Boulez's conducting is accurate, and although his approach isn't too heroic (as one may expect for the Ring), this swift-paced approach is not out of place (and pace) with Chereau's dramatic and passionate production.

The video does show a bit of its age, but both the picture and sound qualities on this DVD release are still very good. On the whole, I think this is an interesting and cherishable production, and one which the audience may discover newer things with each repeated viewing. In fact, I found myself growing more and more fond of the production and performance, which probably is evidence of their success. I can warmly recommend it for home viewing.

Every Cirque performance is worth seeing at least once, and while the DVDs can't possibly do justice to the live experience, they're entertaining momentos. I recently saw Dralion live, so I've got that reference for comparison to this DVD edition.

Strictly as a performance, Dralion is not my favorite. Not that it's bad in any way - just disappointing in the opportunities that it misses. Given the rich visuals of Eastern culture to work with, the show could have been the most beautiful of the Cirque lineup. However, it inexplicably strays into other cultures (African, Indian, etc.) and never really picks up any theme at all. Plus, while other Cirque shows follow a plot, albeit a highly conceptual one, Dralion comes off as just a series of acts, almost like a best-of or singles compilation album. Again, the performance is still wonderful to behold - it's just not the strongest one that I've seen.

The DVD presentation itself is very good. Director David Mallet maintains a very consistent look with the "Quidam" DVD that he also helmed. I'm guessing that the two were probably filmed for the same European TV broadcast purpose. The DVD also includes a couple of acts which are not always being performed live on the current North American tour of Dralion, i.e. the light bulb ballet and see saw jumps. Unfortunately, however, it has the same clown sequences as the ones included in Quidam - they're very funny, but it's a shame to have a repeat on the two discs. Finally, the DVD also makes very good use of the multiple angles feature on certain acts.

All in all, I recommend the DVD for Cirque collectors. If you're just getting into Cirque, I recommend the "Quidam" DVD instead. Or, if you really want to be awestruck, go see "O" in Las Vegas.

I have owned the original Dralion DVD for some time. I also own the DVD's of Quidam, Alegria (the show filmed in Sidney not the film) and Varekai, which I purchased toguether with this new Dralion Superbit version. Until now Dralion had been my least favorite of the four shows. Not that it was bad but its just that Quidam was so much better. My problem was that as much as I tried I could never get the same sound from my original Dralion DVD. The Dolby Digital 5.1 track was so bad that at first I returned the DVD because I guessed I had a damaged product, and it was not. However, this new Superbit version with DTS sounds so crisp and powerfull that I have just rediscovered the show in a whole new way. If you already own Dralion...the new DTS track on the Superbit version is so good that alone makes the purchase worth it. Its a completely new experience. In terms of image quality, both versions are presented in beautiful widescreen anamorphic video, however, the new Superbit version seems at times more crispier, sharp and alive with excelent color presentation. The original version has also great colors, but most of the time this new Superbit version seems to have the edge in terms of definition when compared to the original.

Dralion is a fantastic show, with this new version I cannot say that Dralion is not as good as the other four. They are completely different shows, if you buy one...eventualy you will end up owning the others, yes, they are that good.

Well, these Canadian guys have gone a long way since their steet performances.
This is the first show I saw of them, and of course I was shocked by the artistic twists a human body can make, this people don't limit themselves to perform acrobatic routines, they act, they are imbedded into their characters, and let them flow through them. But that's not even half of the show.
Besides excellent acting, one is served great live music -these guys are one of the greatest jazz players I've heard. Their music is not only to fill the holes, but to create and change the various moods one has to go through in order to fully log in the history. Excellent microphone editing also! And those singers! the strangely defined tone of the lead singer, made me think of Farinelli, with a very, but very wide dynamic range! Awesome indeed.
I thought that for being the first show I saw, it would be the one to impress me the most, boy, was I wrong... I had the chance to see Alegria live, and savour also the not-seen-on-screen flawless logistics of the crew, and then I got the DVD on Saltimbanco, Quidam, and many more... but these are other stories, later to be told.
So, what are you doing reading other people's opinion? If you have not seen it yet, get up that chair and go for it! You will regret not doing so.

Every Cirque performance is worth seeing at least once, and while the DVDs can't possibly do justice to the live experience, they're entertaining momentos. I recently saw Dralion live, so I've got that reference for comparison to this DVD edition.

Strictly as a performance, Dralion is not my favorite. Not that it's bad in any way - just disappointing in the opportunities that it misses. Given the rich visuals of Eastern culture to work with, the show could have been the most beautiful of the Cirque lineup. However, it inexplicably strays into other cultures (African, Indian, etc.) and never really picks up any theme at all. Plus, while other Cirque shows follow a plot, albeit a highly conceptual one, Dralion comes off as just a series of acts, almost like a best-of or singles compilation album. Again, the performance is still wonderful to behold - it's just not the strongest one that I've seen.

The DVD presentation itself is very good. Director David Mallet maintains a very consistent look with the "Quidam" DVD that he also helmed. I'm guessing that the two were probably filmed for the same European TV broadcast purpose. The DVD also includes a couple of acts which are not always being performed live on the current North American tour of Dralion, i.e. the light bulb ballet and see saw jumps. Unfortunately, however, it has the same clown sequences as the ones included in Quidam - they're very funny, but it's a shame to have a repeat on the two discs. Finally, the DVD also makes very good use of the multiple angles feature on certain acts.

All in all, I recommend the DVD for Cirque collectors. If you're just getting into Cirque, I recommend the "Quidam" DVD instead. Or, if you really want to be awestruck, go see "O" in Las Vegas.

I have owned the original Dralion DVD for some time. I also own the DVD's of Quidam, Alegria (the show filmed in Sidney not the film) and Varekai, which I purchased toguether with this new Dralion Superbit version. Until now Dralion had been my least favorite of the four shows. Not that it was bad but its just that Quidam was so much better. My problem was that as much as I tried I could never get the same sound from my original Dralion DVD. The Dolby Digital 5.1 track was so bad that at first I returned the DVD because I guessed I had a damaged product, and it was not. However, this new Superbit version with DTS sounds so crisp and powerfull that I have just rediscovered the show in a whole new way. If you already own Dralion...the new DTS track on the Superbit version is so good that alone makes the purchase worth it. Its a completely new experience. In terms of image quality, both versions are presented in beautiful widescreen anamorphic video, however, the new Superbit version seems at times more crispier, sharp and alive with excelent color presentation. The original version has also great colors, but most of the time this new Superbit version seems to have the edge in terms of definition when compared to the original.

Dralion is a fantastic show, with this new version I cannot say that Dralion is not as good as the other four. They are completely different shows, if you buy one...eventualy you will end up owning the others, yes, they are that good.

Well, these Canadian guys have gone a long way since their steet performances.
This is the first show I saw of them, and of course I was shocked by the artistic twists a human body can make, this people don't limit themselves to perform acrobatic routines, they act, they are imbedded into their characters, and let them flow through them. But that's not even half of the show.
Besides excellent acting, one is served great live music -these guys are one of the greatest jazz players I've heard. Their music is not only to fill the holes, but to create and change the various moods one has to go through in order to fully log in the history. Excellent microphone editing also! And those singers! the strangely defined tone of the lead singer, made me think of Farinelli, with a very, but very wide dynamic range! Awesome indeed.
I thought that for being the first show I saw, it would be the one to impress me the most, boy, was I wrong... I had the chance to see Alegria live, and savour also the not-seen-on-screen flawless logistics of the crew, and then I got the DVD on Saltimbanco, Quidam, and many more... but these are other stories, later to be told.
So, what are you doing reading other people's opinion? If you have not seen it yet, get up that chair and go for it! You will regret not doing so.

I adore Julie Andrews, and was pleased as punch to see her host this show. I rate this DVD a 1 STAR, and that one star is Julie Andrews. The rest of the women on this DVD just aren't her, and they never could sing as well as Julie. Elaine Stritch is fantastic to have here though, but the rest of these singers aren't very convincing. Audra McDonald's breathing and pitch problems are just odd--you always want to root for her and hope she'll eventually find the right pitch, but alas... Bebe Neuwirth... who cares? who is she? who was she? I'm just not interested. The tragedy is, of course, that Julie Andrews hosts, but isn't singing. This lot of marginally interesting broadway singers is a display of what's wrong with broadway today. Yawn.

The women are great. Some are out of this world! Whjoever called the camera shots (probably the director) had no sense of the intimacy of the material. One instance is the beautiful and very touching performance of "Fifty Percent" from the musical Ballroom, with Dorothy Loudon re-creating her performance from the original show. The beginning of the song is very intimate; in fact, the whole song is of an intimate nature. The director kept calling camera angles that take us far too far away from her face. One shot has us looking at a huge bunch of flowers behind her for a very long time. Stll her singing of the song is extraordinarilly moving. Too bad we can't see her for a great deal of the song. To make matter worse, after she finishes the song to a huge ovation from the audience; we see the audience looking to the corner curtain for what must be a curtain call and a standing ovation. Moronically the director edits to Liza Minelli standing in the middle of the stage, right after the audience have clearly been looking to the side curtain. Did he think we were not going to pay attention?

The performances are for the most part great! The editing and camera angles are horrible. Still worth a listen, even though at times we have to interpret what the singer is doing with the song acting wise because the camera is so far away from their faces.

What a show, I loved the late Neal Carter set and I must sat Jennifer Holiday made the show go over the top.

I will not comment very much, only that I have seen very strange reviews here. Even some people putting this soap-opera effort in a higher position to the GREAT ones (Pavarotti/Freni, for example), which is not only ingnorance, but also offensive to serious opera lovers.

I will only say that if you know nothing, and care less about what singing and opera should be, of course this is the one to buy.

This Austrailian Production from Sydney is perfect. The cast is young,energetic and of normal WEIGHT. It is difficult to imagine anyone being attracted to some of the fatties who have played Rodolfo, but David Hobson is believable and has a beautiful voice. He also LISTENS when he sings with mimi. I agree with other writers ....this is an excellant "beginners" opera because it makes sense and is believable. I bought several copies for christmas gifts...and here I am about to buy more for my "non opera " friends.I have seen boheme in columbus, cincinnati, the met, covent garden and la Scala and have always thought the productions were"nice" And I realize I am not part of the cognizatti: however, this performance is dazzling. I wish this had existed when I was studying music at O.S.U. but it was not. It would have been exciting to sit and debate the many reasons it is so good. Pay particular attention to Act II, there is a long shot of the stage with all the chorus and it appears to be a photo/flash shot, but then one real;izes that the chorus is all dressed in shades of gray which of course makes the major playerS stand out. I may have to buy a second copy for myself...i will wear mine out. In my opinion this would be a perfect gift for anyone who has any interest in music....and the timing is right too....Christmas Eve"(randius@aol.com)

I loved the music to Rent! and Moulin Rouge, but I wanted to become truly aware of the music of the bohemian lifestyle!
Viewing this after hearing/seeing the others, is like going to the Holy Land.
I didn't like the actress/singer for the part of Mimi so much... I just felt there had to be "something" more there. But that will not skew my score of a 5 out of 5.
This is my first time seeing an opera, and what a great first time it has been! I was only confused for a few minutes about some details of the background of the story, but once I viewed it over again it made perfect sense. The subtitles are done quite nice, but concentrate on the actual words for the music because the subtitles won't show you all of the repeats or simiple words like "yes." Keep an eye out for Musette's performance it is flawless!

Mark dacascos is a good capoerista, but in this movie there is little "real" capoeira. The fights are kindof excessive, because the characters can take several kicks to the head without even bleed or faint. Some good capoeira music and good performance by Mark. Rent it first, it is not so good that you watch again.

Even capoeiristas agree that this movie isn't all that. The first five minutes and the last five minutes are the only ones that contain any real capoeira, and that is mostly just flashy. It's true that the plot and acting are bad, but this is a fun movie to watch if you know anything at all about Capoeira. Make fun of it with your friends. The fun of doing that, at least, is worth 3 stars.

Some reviews I read say this is not that good of capoeira in this video, but I would like them to tell me where they have seen better. I have never seen more or better capoeira in another movie, even the clips i downloaded. This movie is amazing, and ever since I saw it as a young kid I've been in love with it and capoeira

I like Jerry's style of comedy wit. Unfortunately I purchased the audio CD version 1st before I purchased the DVD. They must have recorded different nights. The CD version is excellent and he is on the ball, although comparing it to the DVD it seems like Jerry does not put his whole heart into the DVD performance.

Still great comedian !

...but not up to snuff with the series.

Jerry has some good stuff here, not to mention the Q & A, and most of the jokes are fresh.

The only problem I have with it is that it slows down in the middle, and gets semi-boring.

Otherwise, it is a must for any Seinfeld fan, or anyone who enjoys a little laughing...

Jerry Seinfeld is one of those comedians that really stands out from the rest, meaning that there's literally NO ONE else who could do the kind of material he does and get the same response from the crowds. "I'm Telling You for the Last Time" is an outstanding comedic performance from the one and only, Jerry Seinfeld.

This is the last time that Seinfeld performs his most-known material. He talks about air travel, cab drivers, candy, doctors and waiting rooms, McDonald's, airport/airplane bathrooms, and so much more. This is the golden material that made Seinfeld's career, and he appropriately performs them for the last time.

As I said in the beginning of the review, there's literally nobody in the business that could ever duplicate Jerry's material and get the same response from it. The material was made for Seinfeld, and that's why it works so well. He's able to point out some of the most irrelevant or unnoticeable things in society and bring them into the spotlight. Subtlety plays a major role in Jerry's performances.

The DVD also includes a bio on Jerry Seinfeld and a "Q&A" segment that was never aired. The picture quality looks exceptionally good and the DVD does it justice. Running time of the live performance is around 75 minutes.

"I'm Telling You for the Last Time" is an amazing performance by an amazing comic. Although it is sad to see him retire the material that made his career, it's nice to see that he is moving on and working on new bits. He knows when to move on and not just build a career around old material for your whole life. I admire that most about him. This is a great comedy performance that should not be missed by any fan of Seinfeld's or any fan of comedy. It is a great experience.

This is a dynamic and exciting show with the leads at the top of their game.
Rigoletto has never been more convincingly acted than in the hands of Ingvar Wixell. His voice is powerful and fulll of different colors to enjoy throuought the opera. His g# at the end of the 2nd act is extremely impressive. He radiates internal struggle and pain and earns his stars as not only a great baritone but a great actor.
Gilda gets a wonderful treatment by Gruderova, who can sing a pianissimo as well as you can hear. Her joy and pain is clearly visible throughout and she really does portray well the confused, miserable creature that Gilda becomes quite well. unlike pavarotti, she takes very few liberties from the score and sings within it well.
Pavarotti sounds great. This is the kind of role that is made for his voice. His duke is beautifully sounded in his mature but lyric voice. This is the kind of spinto singing that makes pavarotti one of the greatest tenors of all time. His acting, while entertaining, is unconvincing. He has a disturbing habit of never blinking his eyes during Aria's which can bug the viewer.
Overall this is a absolutley fabulous entertainment experience. The only reason I give it 4 stars is the lip synching. I think it takes away from the opera experience to have it recorded and dubbed into the scene. The singers expression and the excitement of the opera is increased when it is live. I think, however, it is a worthwhile buy for opera and non-opera fans alike. The story and presentation is wonderful and the singing doubly so.

I usually do not care for "movie" versions of opera, preferring a filmed live performance, but this one is most enjoyable, and has some standout performances.
Released in 1983, it was made on location in Mantua, with good cinematography in a pallete of browns and dark greys.
Pavarotti is the Duke of Mantua, looking strong and robust, but I must confess I thought his performance very one-dimensional, continually loud, and as an actor is much the weakest in the cast.
Edita Gruberova's Gilda is extremely interesting; she gets stronger in each scene, and I found her performance to be quite touching and wonderful. Her "Caro Nome" is one that I truly loved, full of sweetness and vulnerability, and delicate trills.

Ingvar Wixell's Rigoletto is superb, brilliantly portraying the many sides of the hunchbacked jester, from maliciously plotting revenge, to tenderly loving his daughter and the memory of his wife. His voice is rich and full, and he makes the most of Verdi's gorgeous score.
Victoria Vergara is a stunning and seductive Maddalena, and Ferruccio Fulanetto's Sparafucile is a creepy villain with very scary jagged teeth, and both are in fine vocal form.
Riccardo Chailly conducts the Vienna Choir and Philharmonic with great pacing, and this is a Rigoletto well worth watching, even for those who like me, are not "movie" opera fans.

Rigoletto is one of my absolute favorite operas, and this DVD version made it even better!
The cast is perfect, at least when it comes to singing, but I just can't stop LAUGHING at Edita Gruberova's infernal gestures and behaviour... Maybe Gilda is supposed to be a bit stupid and naive, but Gruberova's playing is almost parodic.
But it's not any worse than that it makes you laugh.
I have no complains to the rest of the movie. Wixell is just as good as an actor as a singer, and I don't think Pavarotti acts too bad either. But anyway, you forget his bad acting when you can heare him sing!