Costumes Movie Reviews

This is not the best Lear, or the most complete, but it's the one I use in my classroom because Olivier's performance is so accessible and moving. His final scene makes you marvel at the emotional power an actor at the end of his career could muster -- and almost allows you to forget "The Betsy"! The supporting actors are very good, particularly Diana Rigg as Regan and John Hurt as an empathetic Fool. The language is crystal clear and the neolithic-Britain setting gives a better sense of the historical context for this legend than do the many modern-dress updates.

It is difficult to imagine a better Lear than Laurence Olivier at this stage in his carreer. He had said that he completely identified with Lear by this stage in his life. We see the ruination of an old, but monumentally great man. The DVD notes describe Lear as a man brought down by his excessive pride, but that is wrong. Lear's weakness is his capacity, and his need, for love. He cannot bear that Cordelia may not love him as much as he loves her and it drives him mad. It is a pleasure to watch Olivier beat his head as he curses his daughters as only he can.

I don't know of any other comparable production of Lear, unless one counts Kurosawa's Ran. It seems that the art of Shakespearean acting has been lost on the newer guys, so it is a pleasure to watch the old masters of the Royal Shakespeare Company go at it. They make Elizabethan English perfectly lucid to modern audiences. It is a great production.

Olivier's Lear is the better of the two I've seen, the other being Ian Holm's Lear. Olivier is consistently believable and not strained. Especially in the 3rd act in the rainstorm, which can seem artificial and stagy if not done right. Holm doesn't quite get it right. Olivier does. Olivier is also more successful at portraying the fragile old man that Lear is. Holm comes across as far too angry and headstrong. A strong supporting cast puts the finishing touches on the film. An excellent production of one of Shakespeare's best plays.

This show is kind of boring. It has a plot but not a very strong one. The songs are not all that grabbing, all though there are a few show stoppers. If you're a big fan of Sondheim, you'll love it. If you're just a big fan of musicals, this might be worth seeing, but not really worth buying. It comes on HBO a lot so you might be able to catch it there. The performers are excellent though. Carol Burnett is funny in her role, but since there is no dialogue between the characters, there is not many oportunities for her to even try and make the audience laugh. Ruthie Henshall is excellent. Her voice is beautiful and her dancing is remarkable. She and John Barrymore make an excellent and attractive on-stage couple.

Stephen Sondheim's Putting It Together rocks! The music leaves you in awe the cast is surely the best revival of the class show I love John Barrowman's version's of Marry Me A Little, Pretty Women, of course his short song That's The Answer For me. Ruthie Henshall surely pulls off some of the most diffculust songs my favorties from her are I Always Get My Men, Lovely, More, and Unworthy Of Your Love. George Hern numbers are slow and steady that's how I like them favorties from him that I like are Hello Little Girl, Rich And Happy, and What Do You Want To Get Married For? Carol Burnett's are comical and stunning especially her versions of I'm Not Getting Married Today, How Could I Leave You?, Lovely, and My Husaband The Pig. Bronson Pinchot is one of the best for last his best numbers are Bang! and that's all! The best group numbers are Being Alive, Putting It Together, Let The Good Times Roll, Rich and Happy # 4. My favortie cast member is John Barrowman he is a stud, golden-voice, well dressed, perfect hair actor. Being Alive is such a good number in the production nobody can pull off five people singing at once and we can still hear what they are singing. Beside the Music and The Cast the blooper sounds very funny John Barrowman laughing and kicking his heels up after Carol's strap broke right on stage. Buy the DVD it is a guarntee that you won't be sorry if you do.

I'd just like to stand up for one of the best arrangement of songs in a show. I disagree with the last response given. And to that I'd like to say, if you don't want a musical review... don't buy this. That's what you're getting here: Songs, taken out of the given circumstances of a show, and put into an order deemed appropriate. It's made very clear that there isn't a strong plot line... hense it being a "Musical Review." What plot line is there is obviously there to tie the songs together. If you can't appreciate it for what it is, don't bash it for what it isn't.

First of all, I would like to dispel any notion that the readers of these reviews might acquire about Maria Callas's interpretation of Lucia. If you haven't noticed, many of the other reviewers you see here produce every argument in the book why Sutherland sings the role better than Callas. Why do they have to harp on it to such an extent if Sutherland were the undisputed queen of this role?? Both Callas and Sutherland are very individualistic singers, like apples and oranges, and it's impossible to make the claim that either's interpretation is superior to the other.
One of the many indicators of Sutherland's prowess is not simply that she hits all the high coloratura notes without cracking, but that she glides up to them with perfect and even tone quality. She never belts out of the ensemble to get the notes out; her notes just provide the apex of the pyriamid, as it were, in perfect harmony with the rest of the singers on stage.
Contrary to what the other reviewers have written, Callas has no problem at all hitting the super-high coloratura parts that the role of Lucia demands. Just get any recording of her in this role to prove that. In fact, I think it's worth mentioning that Callas is the only soprano who could master the role of Carmen, actually a lower, sensual mezzo-soprano role, as well as Lucia di Lammermoor. While Sutherland is a true coloratura soprano, Callas can sing any role she wants. No other soprano than Callas has ever had that much success in so many tonal dimensions!! Not to mention that Callas is also the undisputed queen of acting on the operatic stage. Her whole life was a drama on and off the stage. Sutherland, while a superior singer, arguably stands quite awkward there.
Onto the criticism of this DVD, I would definitely recommend to any opera fan to obtain this recording. I need not be redundant by repeating any of the other songs of praise the other reviewers wrote. They're all true! The only thing I think needs adding is that Sutherland steals the show to such an extent in the "Mad Scene" that the opera seems to reach a climax at that point, so that the final scene of Act III with Alfredo Kraus seems like a let-down, even though his performance is also splendid apart from hers.
When you watch this DVD, you'll wish you could go back in time and see the performance live. Every time the crowd goes wild for Sutherland, you'll cheer on along with them. Lucia di Lammermoor is a great opera that builds itself around the showcase of the coloratura soprano. In this vein, it's necessary to have a true master performing it. Get this recording with Sutherland, and you can join in the excitement that everyone else also experiences about her interpretation of Lucia.

The amazing Australian soprano, Joan Sutherland, given the title of Dame Joan Sutherland in Britain, made her debut at the Met in New York City in 1961 as the tragic heroine Lucia. From that moment on, her career became a blaze of glory that the world over witnessed. She sang at all the major opera houses and theatres of the globe- Covent Garden in London (where she had first sang Lucia), The Sidney Opera House in her native Australia and of course Italy's La Scala in Milan. Joan Sutherland admits to having the fortune of incredible support from her husband, conductor Richard Bonynge, who was responsible for her success. With Bonynge, she performed in the dramatic repertoire that underwent revivals in the 60's and 70's - the bel canto masterpieces (such as this Lucia) and Bellini's majestic Norma as well as the dramatic and demanding role of Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia. Joan's performance as Lucrezia Borgia is also available on DVD and is a sensational theatrical masterpiece. The same applies for her performance as Queen Marguerite in Meyebeer's "Les Huguenots" also on DVD and her last opera she performed before her retirement.

On this DVD, we watch as Joan Sutherland returns to the Met after a long absence to sing the role that made her a star- the vulnerable Lucia. Alfreo Kraus sings the heartbroken tenor lead Edgardo, who has a showcase suicide aria at the end of the opera, delivered with aplomb and with authentic ardor. Joan's Lucia is touching. Her "Regnava Nel Silenzio" is only a build up for the flashy hysteria in the Mad Scene. Her dramatic version is dead on and her coloratura is thrilling. Of course, Joan is past her prime in 1982 at the time of this Met broadcast and her voice may appear more faulty and less lustrous than her initial performances of the early 60's, but - hey, what's here is here. It's still delivered very well.

The great Australian diva sang it as her debuts first at Covent Garden, then Opera Comique, then La Scala Milan, and finally at the met. The ovations range form 15 to over 30 curtain calls. She took the opera world by storm. She is La Stupenda.
She is about 14 years after that amazing truimph of 1959 that put her as the superstar of the 60's. Forcing even Callas to retire. La Stupenda is about 55 here. The voice is still valid, but to compare to her prime, which was the greatest coloratura singing of our era, she is not nearly as good here. BUT!!!! This is still 100 times better than anyone who has performed this. Listen to the montrous ovations after ovations. The audience is determined to show their love for the Queen of Opera.
This performance is beautiful, the picture and sound is superb. And the singing especially by Sutherland is sublime. But to hear her when she was supreme and very young, I'll check out her Bell Telephone Hours performances of 1961-1968. That...is the Sutherland that is the Queen of Bel Canto assoluta...

BRAVO! BRAVO!

[5 stars except for the extremely flat vowelled narration - sorry Ian ....it's just too preachy and jarring for the rest O'Toole? Better.....]

However, this is the kindof experience one needs after a long long week - just get home put this in theplayer and relax - like a bath for the soul and no aftertaste!

[except for the narration]

What a beautiful experience. I felt as though peace had entered my heart and my soul had been lifted to th highest peak of floating freedom and danced with the grandest love. I recommend this DVD to all peoples. Even in typing this review, I feel the music still stirring my soul and filling my being with love and peace.

While this is much shorter than the other Cirque du Soliel DVDs I have, it is definitely my favorite. Watching this story comes close to being a spiritual experience for me. Sure, the theme is contrived, and the performances are short, but somehow none of that matters. This DVD took my breath away the first time I watched it, and continues to do so every time I watch it again...

Looked forward to this a great deal. Own the very well done transfer of the 1953 movie version. Saw the recent stage revival production twice at the Kennedy Center. This version has a very competent cast, but not the equivalent of what I experienced in the live performances I saw. Strangely enough, in this video production, there are several shots of a full-house audience, but it appears the production was actually taped w/o an audience. No curtain calls, for example. To compound this, the audience reaction (laughter, applause, etc.) is only audible selectively here and there throughout. Also, I find the TV/Video approach to be rather annoying. That is to say too many close-ups. I mean real close-ups, so close one can almost see tonsils! Overall, not bad for a rental. On my copy, the DTS version is missing its left surround track.

I'm definitely a Rachel York fan -- she was a SCREAM in the Broadway production of "Victor/Victoria". But on the whole this production of "Kiss Me Kate" seems a bit flat. The songs are fine if a bit dated in style, but the production design for the stage show comes across as a bit low-rent. It looks like very good amateur theatre at best.

Rent this if you can before commiting to a purchase.

In all honesty, if you saw Brian Stokes Mitchell, Marin Mazie and the rest of the gang in the lead roles, then go and watch this... of course, it would be hard not to be disappointed. Mitchell in particular has a persona that can electrify a room by a mere harmless stage entrance... In fact, that was my impression of seeing him in KISS ME KATE, straight from RAGTIME... The second he made the walk on stage, I was like "wow..." - - With that said... Kiss Me Kate is no more... and like most musicals, the "original broadway recording cast" moved on long before the play itself ended. - - The jury... a FANTASTIC cast as long as you don't compare it with the original of that production - - but as is true with most musicals, the camera simply doesn't do it justice. - - For some reason, when it comes to broadway musicals, the human eye is superior to even the most well directed of camera men... And this is doubly so in a musical like Kiss Me Kate which is such a madcap and fast moving musical you'd think that Cole Porter was on high doses of Amphetamines and Moxie cola when he wrote it.

Overall : The verdict... I enjoyed the Broadway Revival Production (w/ Stokes/Mazie/Spanger, etc.) more than the movie... but yes, if you're going to compare one cast to another... yes, you're bound to be disappointed... but if you simply watch it without the comparisons, this cast and performance is well worth the money... and unless you have a time capsule and can travel back in time a couple years... this is as good as it gets.

THis film is boring but the kung fu is brilliant! 8 kung fu masters get together to write a book which contains secrets of each of their styles. When they are murdered somehow Jackie ends up with the book. Everyone tries to steal the book from Jackie but ofcourse they have to fight my hero (Jackie) first!

this movie's plot is weak and steriotypical, the dubbing is [bad] and Jackie barely smiles, but the kung fu, which is what I bought it for in the first place, is excellent.

I study both the snake and the crane styles of shaolin and I must say, aside form all the cartwheels and usuall razzle dazzle of movie kung fu, the coreography, (which Chan was highly involved in) was excellent and mostly true to the real styles of shaolin.

If you like alot of action, blood and childish swear words dubbed in to movie then buy this.

It's excellent

This is, hands down the best Jackie kung-fu movie ever made! It has some of the best fight scenes ever filmed and the story is actually very good and has somewhat of a twist ending. By far, this is the ULTIMATE JACKIE WUP-[rear]S movie! This film was done before Jackie found a sence of humor, and he lets loose on all who oppose him, even the chicks(they are awesome kung-fu in their own right). All the action leads up to my favorite fight scene at the end.... DO NOT PASS UP THIS MOVIE!!!!! If you are thinking, don't! Just buy it!

I didn't really want to rate this 1 star but I wanted to make a point of how badly a 5-star performance was ruined by just terrible camera work and/or editing. As far as the actual acts this is probably the best of all the Cirque DVDs, but the bizarre
angles just ruin it. How on earth could they have released something like this? If they still have the original tapes they should put together a decent version and give it away free to atone for this mess. What evrybody else said is so true; meaningless close-ups, angles that prevent you from seeing what the performer is really doing, etc. Case in point: the juggler Miguel Herrera is just fantastic but the terrible angles and close-ups really keep you from appreciating it. For the finale of his act he walks down 4 flights of stairs juggling 5 or 6 balls and all you can see are his feet! What genius opted for this shot? The last act, the bungee jumpers, are shown from angles so that you really wouldn't even know what they were doing if you hadn't seen the title. A real travesty and a shame.

I have seen the live performance for Saltimbanco and I loved it so much that I cried at the end of the performance. I own the DVD's for Quidam and Dralion, and found both to be amazing. If I had to rate the three I would have Quidam as 11 out of 10. Dralion 7 out of 10 and Saltimbanco 1 out of 10. I just cannot believe that they have released such a terrible piece of work. When watching Saltimbanco on DVD I felt like I had been transported back to 1982 when VHS was hot technology. This was not what I expected. This product was destroyed by the terrible camera work. Lights shine into the camera, the camera's are obviously being held by a bunch of guys in the audience.

Anyone expecting the lush extravagance of Journey of Man, the wry enchantment of Quidam or the dazzlment of the new Varekai is in for a severe disappointment. The music verges on the unendurable, with whole performances drowned in the worst kind of smooth jazz with moments of 80s synthesizer schlock. The talent of the acrobats and aerialists is matched only by the fetor of their wardrobe, an unimaginably hideous panoply of dreck, sort of 'punk rock on an acid trip' meets 'revenge of the psycho hairdresser.'

There are a handful of bright moments -- a 'family' scene at the beginning that was quite touching, a nimble group of pole-climbers, and some lithe bungee-aerialists toward the end. The lead singer is striking and has a beautiful, ethereal voice - but someone should shoot her costume designer.

My overall opinion is that Cirque du Soleil offers better fare for the price. Check out Varekai, Quidam, Dralion, or the Journey of Man, all of which are much superior.

I was amazed to see that the English subtitles in the third act (the second disk) are garbled. At times they are appropriate, but at other times phrases are jumbled together in a nonsensical manner. (Another person I know who has the set noticed the same problem.) I'd advise you to pass on this set until this problem is fixed.

The performance seen on this DVD set is of mediocre quality. The staging is naturalistic, but often tend to be rather rigid from a visual perspective. The orchestral performance is excellent, although I'd prefer a more animated approach by Levine. The singers are, frankly, a tad disappointing. Much that I like Norman and Lakes' singing, they don't look that convincing on the stage as the young lovers. For a DVD production, this is a significant drawback. Morris is a commanding Wotan, and one who sings with authority, even though he cannot rival some of the best interpreters of this great role. Ludwig is welcome as Fricka, even though she is already past her prime. Behrens's Brunnhilde is problematic - one moment she delivers Wagner's notes with a ringing tone; another moment her voice almost disintegrated under pressure. Her voice also doesn't have the heft for a warrior maiden. Never mind, this item is still worth getting. Just note those reservations.

The traditional staging makes it much easier to understand Wagner's intentions for the opera than the Broulez version. Norman and Lakes are improbable twins, but they can sing. I have the Broulez version and much prefer this version. The Met staging isn't spectacular, but it doesn't get in the way either. The opera moves at a stately pace, but I'm not sure Wager is the man for you if you like short and perky operas.

The Met orchestra plays beautifully throughout.

I was amazed to see that the English subtitles in the third act (the second disk) are garbled. At times they are appropriate, but at other times phrases are jumbled together in a nonsensical manner. (Another person I know who has the set noticed the same problem.) I'd advise you to pass on this set until this problem is fixed.

The performance seen on this DVD set is of mediocre quality. The staging is naturalistic, but often tend to be rather rigid from a visual perspective. The orchestral performance is excellent, although I'd prefer a more animated approach by Levine. The singers are, frankly, a tad disappointing. Much that I like Norman and Lakes' singing, they don't look that convincing on the stage as the young lovers. For a DVD production, this is a significant drawback. Morris is a commanding Wotan, and one who sings with authority, even though he cannot rival some of the best interpreters of this great role. Ludwig is welcome as Fricka, even though she is already past her prime. Behrens's Brunnhilde is problematic - one moment she delivers Wagner's notes with a ringing tone; another moment her voice almost disintegrated under pressure. Her voice also doesn't have the heft for a warrior maiden. Never mind, this item is still worth getting. Just note those reservations.

The traditional staging makes it much easier to understand Wagner's intentions for the opera than the Broulez version. Norman and Lakes are improbable twins, but they can sing. I have the Broulez version and much prefer this version. The Met staging isn't spectacular, but it doesn't get in the way either. The opera moves at a stately pace, but I'm not sure Wager is the man for you if you like short and perky operas.

The Met orchestra plays beautifully throughout.

I understand that the opera making is very difficult,but what is this?I've never seen more boring performer of Tosca than Behrens.She is an awfull actress!! I propose you to watch the Decca's version with the great RAINA KABAIVANSKA!This is an opera.

The secret to a successful performance of TOSCA is the dramatic tension linking the three main characters: the good Floria Tosca, her lover Cavaradossi, and the evil Scarpia. For the performance to work, the audience must be convinced of the evil nature of Scarpia.

Cornell MacNeil's Scarpia oozes evil through every pore. His lewd leers at Tosca, and the ease with which he orders all manner of torture, seeming to enjoy it as much as others are repulsed by it, provides an authentic flavor to his character.

Placido Domingo's voice is at its very best, and to hear him sing Cavaradossi is, in itself, enough reason to enjoy this production. Hildegard Behrens is a convincing Tosca, especially in the dramatic "This is Tosca's kiss!" She nearly injures her voice as she growls at Scarpia, "Mori, mori, mori"--"Die, die, die." No other Tosca has better dispatched the unbearably monstrous Scarpia.

The staging, lighting, set, and Sinopoli's conducting are simply marvelous, as is usually the case at the Met. You can almost smell the incense, as Scarpia struts around inside the church. Of all the available performances of Tosca, this is the most dramatic, with excellent singing, acting, and casting. It will transport you back in history, and you will share the almost delicious pathos of the participants. This is the very best Tosca.

If there is only one TOSCA you must have in your collection: Buy this one! It is marvellous! It's unique! It's great and unforgettible!
Domingo, Behrens and espeially MacNeill are at their best! MacNeill doesn't play and sing Scarpia: he IS Scarpia. You believe every sentence, every gesture. Absolutely magnificent.

The stage production of the MET is unforgettible. And when you once have seen THIS final of the first act you will everything forget you have seen before!!!!! ......