Bernadette Peters in Concert (1998) Review

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(More customer reviews)Who is a two-time Tony Award winner that radiates a rare sweetness and a lush sensuality? Who is scoring rave reviews on Broadway as Annie Oakley in the must-see, smash revival of Irving Berlin's "Annie Get Your Gun?" Only the hottest diva on the stage today, Bernadette Peters.
I remember the first time I watched Bernadette Peters perform. She was a guest on "The Carol Burnette Show." The next time was in the Steve Martin film "The Jerk." I could not figure out why this woman appeared on television or the big screen with her unusual speaking voice, not realizing her career in musical theatre.
Did you know that Ms. Peters made her Broadway debut in 1967 in "Johnny No-Trump?" In 1968, she starred with Joel Grey in the musical "George M," earning a Theatre World Award for her memorable portrayal of Josie Cohan. During that same year, she received a Drama desk Award for her show-stopping performance in the smash off-Broadway hit musical "Dames at Sea." It is no wonder that Ms. Peters quickly became one of the most sought-after stars in musical theatre.
I have gained a new respect for Ms. Peters as a performer throughout the years. One reason was due to learning more about her career. The other reason was Ms. Peters recorded an AIDS benefit concert for the Gay Men's Health Crisis in December 1998 at New York's Carnegie Hall. She sang one of my personal favorites: "Making Love Alone" ("you'll save on cologne").
You now have the opportunity for a front row seat for a dazzling evening of entertainment, "Bernadette Peters In Concert." She performs songs from her illustrious stage and recording career, including renditions from legendary Broadway composers Stephen Sondheim's "Broadway Baby," Jerry Herman's "Time Heals Everything," Jerome Kern's "The Way You Look Tonight," and the Grammy-nominated "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight."
"Bernadette Peters In Concert" was recorded live from the Royal Festival Hall in London, and it aired on PBS as part of the August 1999 pledge drive. Ms. Peters' admirers' will be thrilled to discover that the video and DVD releases contain songs not previously broadcast on PBS. The DVD version contains a comprehensive biography and extensive career credits with specifically selected photos.
"Bernadette Peters In Concert" is absolutely fabulous, and it's a must own!

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Original Cast Album - Company (1970) Review

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(More customer reviews)What a great idea: record the cast album for Stephen Sondheim's "Company" live, as it were--no overdubs, no artificial mixdown. What a great idea: get a documentary crew to record the record session. The filmmaker caught 15-and-a-half hours of bleary-eyed cast members giving their all for a tough record producer and an even tougher composer/lyricist. (It had to be one marathon session because it would be too expensive to assemble all those singers and musicians for multiple sessions.) This is a great documentary that shows how hard it all is. If you've only seen her on the incipid show "Alice," you'll have no idea how talented Beth Howland is till you see her in "Getting Married Today." Donna McKechnie, Susan Browning, and Pamela Myers spoof Rogers and Hart (and not the Andrew Sisters as everyone seems to think) with verve in "You Could Drive a Person Crazy," which also finds Sondheim at his most clever. Charles Kimbrough would go on to do Murphy Brown and Barbara Barrie would briefly be in Barney Miller, and both shine here as effortless, "natural" actors. Star Dean Jones is perfect as the slightly dopey Bobby, even if some of his singing will make you wince. What's perhaps most remarkable is that the numbers that sound so fresh and improvisational actually took 8, 10, 15 takes. Especially "The Ladies Who Lunch." Elaine Stritch's famous song was the last number they recorded. By the time they were ready, it was after four in the morning and everyone was exhausted. Stritch tries, but after about eight takes it's clear she's not going to make it that night. With everyone getting punchy, they decide to record her music track separately, bringing her back the next day to knock the song out of the park.
The DVD has a commentary track, as Stritch, Hal Prince and the filmmaker reminisce about the session 30 years later. There's also a strange feature where one of the songs not covered in the doc can be listened to over B&W stills from the theatrical production. This didn't do anything for me, but there's no harm in having it there, either.
So this is a very good documentary. But it could have been even better. Two of the most complex and interesting songs, the opening number and "Side By Side/What Would We Do Without You," are barely covered in the film. I really wanted to see how they pulled off these extraordinarily complex numbers with the complete cast "live," but the documentary doesn't show it. Too bad. A 90 minute documentary with this material would hae been so much better than a 60 minute documentary without. It's probably true the 60 minute limit was imposed by ABC, which originally aired the documentary, but I'd be surprised if the filmmaker didn't save material that could have been added back for this DVD.
Still, this is worth owning, if a little pricey for a 53 minute CD (not 58, as advertised on the case). In some ways this musical is a classic, and in others it's incredibly (and amusingly) dated. Both qualities just make it all the more wonderful.

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Called a "monumental achievement" by the Los Angeles Times, Company is the extraordinary documentary capturing the explosive recording session for Stephen Sondheim's landmark musical.On May 3, 1970, just a few days after its triumphant Broadway opening,

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Hey Mr. Producer: The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh (2006) Review

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"My Fair Lady", "Oliver", "Les Miserables", "Phantom of the Opera", "Cats", "Miss Saigon" all packed in one DVDs. My favourites include Jonathan Price as Professor Higgins singing "I've grown accustomed to her face, "You've got to Pick a Pocket or Two" from Oliver, "send in the clowns" by Judi Dench, "Oh! What a beautiful morning" from Oklahoma and the lovely melodies from Les Miserables. Though the performances were dated back in 1998, the star studded performances made a lasting impression nevertheless. The songs were enchanting melodies but it's the presence of the singers and the great chorus that maded this DVD truly special. And the line up of seven songs from "Les Miserables" highlighted the great work of Cameron Mackintosh. A wonderful treat.

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Item Name: Hey Mr. Producer!: The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh; Studio:Well Go Asia

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Sweeney Todd in Concert (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)As one who has been associated with the creators of "Sweeney" on other productions and as a champion of the original production, one still has to admit to the plot problems at the end of the original's second act. This new production effortlessly aviods those traps on the way to the most focused performance of "Sweeney" yet. Featuring two former Sweeneys (Geoarge Hearn as Sweeney and Timothy Nolen as a wonderfully re-conceived Judge Turpin), Patti LuPone making the role of Mrs. Lovett totally her own (no easy proposition with the spectre of Angela Lansbury always nearby) and a wonderfuly talented supporting cast, Director Lonny Price guides this production effortlessly to it's grizzly end. Featuring amazingly thoughtful camerawork which actually advances the plot as opposed to observing it, one gets to know the characters as readily as if this were a fully staged production. Then again--maybe "less" really is "more" in this case. The San Francisco Symphony under Rob Fisher is impeccable. If you value musical theater, if you value Steve Sondheim's supreme contribution to the genre, you must own this version. But go first class---own them all!

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This delicious production of Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," a musical thriller of revenge and romance set in Victorian England, features Broadway diva Patti LuPone as Mrs. Lovett and veteran stage actor George Hearn in the title role. Premiering in 1979, the legendary "Sweeney Todd"--winner of nine New York Drama Critics Circle Awards and eight Tony Awards--is recorded with the San Francisco Symphony as conducted by Rob Fisher. Now a major motion picture directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp! Opens in theaters December 21, 2007

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Camp (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)It's movies like 'Camp' that remind me what I love most about movies. It doesn't preach an agenda and doesn't make me feel like a fool for feeling sentimental. It has a little bit of cynicism but a lot of great music. There are no drugs, no guns, no car chases and no fake breasts. What 'Camp' does, and does very well, is tell a story. Simply and completely. 'Camp' took me into a world I was both familiar and stranger to, and made me feel better for taking the journey. While there will be little chance the film will find the same kind of mainstream hit 'Chicago' or 'Moulin Rouge' became, 'Camp' should become a favorite with discerning movie musical fans and help re-usher in this dormant too long genre.
While summer camp often means nature trips, cookouts and wacky hijinks to most young people, Camp Ovation in upstate New York caters to those who are more artistically inclined. Over the two months campers attend, they will put on a new show every other week, be it drama, musical or something more avant-garde, going through the process of auditioning, creating their own sets and costumes, rehearsing and presenting a new show for an audience, then beginning anew the next day. Many of the kids at Camp Ovation are outsiders within their own worlds. Ellen (Joanna Chilcoat) is reduced to begging her older brother in order to have a date to her junior prom, while Michael (Robin DeJesus) gets beaten up at his prom for daring to arrive in drag. Fritzi (Anna Kendrick) is so starved for any attention, she spends her entire year waiting for camp so she can be the 'assistant' to Ovation's number one drama diva, Jill (Alana Allen). Our first clue things will be different this summer arrives in the form of Vlad (Daniel Letterle). He's cute, talented and seemingly the only straight male in the entire teenage camp populace. Ellen, Michael and Jill will all fall for Vlad, even if he has no idea who Stephen Sondheim is. Each year, Camp Ovation has one artist in residence to help run the shows and inspire the nascent talent. This year's guest director is Bert Hanley (Don Dixon), a once promising writer who had been the toast of Broadway with his first musical, but never delivered a follow-up show. The story follows these kids as they deal with each other over the course of the summer. Hearts are broken, lifelong friendships are created, and there's that one ambitious actress who makes Eve Harrington look undemonstrative.
From the opening credits, in which the company performs the rousing, gospel-esque 'How Shall I See You Through My Tears' to the end, when they dance through their own rendition of 'The Want of a Nail,' it is this group of talented youngsters who make the movie come alive. For while most of the cast are cinema neophytes, they have a warmth and energy which make them feel familiar and comfortable. The film feels almost like a documentary, for what little over-acting does appear is saved for the sequences of the stage performances. And it is these stage performances that are the best part of "Camp." These kids are simply amazing, their voices powerful and seductive!
Residing somewhere between 'Meatballs' and 'Fame,' 'Camp' is the brainchild of actor turned writer Todd Graff, who based the story on his own experiences at the Stagedoor Manor camp (where the film was shot) as a youngster in the 1970s, where he was a camper and later a counselor during his teen years.
Making his directorial debut here, Graff has assembled a first rate team around him, ensuring the film's success as a work of art. Oscar winning composer Michael Gore, Tony winning choreographer Jerry Mitchell, 'Rent' musical director Tim Weil and 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' composer and lyricist Stephen Trask have all infused their individual talents together to create an extraordinary cinematic experience. I cannot stress how incredible I think this film is. It's everything "Fame" SHOULD HAVE been. 'Camp' gets an A+ for effort and an A+ for execution. Bravo!

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An extremely talented young cast shines in this "energetic musical romp" (Los Angeles Times)about a drama camp where the outcasts of today hone their skills to become the stars of tomorrow. Packed with romance, laughs and "genuine showstopping musical numbers" (The Washington Post), Camp is a "Blast of exuberant fun" (Rolling Stone)!Every summer, talented kids with big voices and even bigger dreams flock to Camp Ovation. But this year, a sexy new guy, Vlad (DanielLetterle), is not only stealing the show he's stealing the heart of every girl he encounters. And as the biggest day of camp approaches, the young performers must overcome backstabbing, unrequited love and Vlad's unpredictable libido to pull off the greatest show of their careers!

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