10 (1979) Review

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(More customer reviews)In 10, Dudley Moore gives a five star performance on two fronts as both a comic and music genius. Film fans may be unaware that Moore scored several films and performed as a concert pianist in his career in addition to his acting talents.
Moore plays a fortyish songwriter who has developed the mother of all mid-life crisis's. Julie Andrews (who looks fantastic here BTW) shines as his impatient love interest and Bo Derek is lovely as Dudley's fantasy girl. Brian Dennehy and Dee Wallace-Stone are very good in supporting roles.
The DVD transfer is good especially for a film that has a little age. The sound is mono only which is disappointing but understandable. This is one of Blake Edwards best films and a must see for fans of romantic comedy. It is sad and sobering to realize that both Moore's and Andrew's gifts have been diminished by illness. Grab this DVD and take time to remember how really talented they both are.

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Hawaii (1966) Review

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(More customer reviews)In the mid 1960's, Julie Andrews was the biggest movie star the world. Her success came on the strength of two block busters, 1964's "Mary Poppins" and 1965's "The Sound Of Music", the two films for which she will be forever identified. However, her body of film work in the 1960's, though only 7 films in all is impressive in it's scope and content. Of these films, one of the best and most successful was the epic "Hawaii".
The film tells the story of a zealous but misguided missionary, Abner Hale (Max von Sydow) and his loving, forthright wife Jerusha (Julie Andrews) who try to bring Christianity to the native Hawaiians. Both von Sydow and Andrews give magnificent performances, bringing humanity to two characters that could have been cardboard, stock figures in less talented hands. Indeed, these two characterisations work well because of each other with the unsympathetic Hale coming off as human after all due to being loved by his wife. Together, von Sydow and Andrews make an impressive team. The cast is rounded out beautifully by a raft of excellent players including Richard Harris, Gene Hackman, Carol O'Connor and even Bette Midler in her first film as an extra on the ship headed for Hawaii.
When the film was originally released, it was as a 189 minute roadshow production with overture, intermission, entr'acte and exit music. The film was later presented in an edited, 161 minute version. It is this version that has been released on DVD. This begs the question, what's missing from the DVD version?
The majority of cuts appear in the film's first half with entire scenes being removed. The second half is virtually intact with only some trimming of scenes. The deleted scenes in the films first half are as follows:
At 0:15:37Hale says goodbye to his family
At 0:27:06After her wedding to Hale, Jerusha says goodbye to her little sister prior to leaving for Hawaii
At 0:35:26On the voyage to Hawaii, Hale makes a convert in the crew
At 0:35:44The Captain charts the course and large bunches of bananas are brought on board
At 0:37:30Hale force feeds a seasick Jerusha bananas
At 0:38:30Hale condemns the convert he made among the crew because of drunkenness
At 0:39:21The Captain requests Hale's prayers prior to sailing through the Evangels
At 0:46:05The Captain throws his novels overboard (his part of a deal with Hale for praying in the ship's behalf) followed by Jerusha throwing the bananas overboard
At 1:16:12Sister Hewlett dies after giving birth
At 1:17:57Hale assures Jerusha that he can deliver her baby and that she will not die in childbirth
At 1:52:50Hale recovers in bed after a shark bite and Jerusha tells him that a wife needs to be loved not worshipped (final scene in the first half of the roadshow version)
There are also some trimmed scenes in the first half such as the farewell scene prior to Hale and Jerusha leaving for Hawaii as well as the elimination of the entr'acte.
It is Julie Andrews' Jerusha that suffers most at the hands of the editor. Some of her most powerful acting (the force feeding scene and her subsequent reaction to this in throwing the bananas overboard and calling her husband a bully, and again when she walks out on her husband's sermon when he condemns the incestuous marriage of the new Queen, for example) was removed. The result of this it to make one of Julie's most absorbing characterisation seem less moving and less three dimensional. In the full version, Jerusha is a devoted wife but is also capable of standing up to her husband and asserting her own personality and beliefs. The shorter version presents less of this side of her character and leaves Jerusha as a submissive wife with a bully of a husband. However, Julie Andrews is incapable of a bad or uncommitted performance and even in the edited version is at the top of her game matching von Sydow's Hale (a more flashy character) every step of the way.
Here's hoping that M-G-M will eventually release a fully restored DVD of the roadshow version to show what a fine film this really is and let us see the complete performances of two great actors, Andrews and von Sydow.
My recommendation: it's worth a look in its edited form but would have been better is presented complete.

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Two cultures collide in this vast, lavish and truly spectacular film starring Julie Andrews, Max Von Sydow, Richard Harris, Gene Hackman and Carroll O'Connor. Adapted from James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and nominated* for seven OscarsÂ(r), this "majestic, gorgeously framedepic is adventuresome picture-making, a credit to the industry" (The Film Daily) and riveting entertainment! They came to bring God, but instead brought disease and destruction. The Rev. Abner Hale (Von Sydow) and his gentle wife Jerusha (Andrews) attempt to convert early 19th-century Hawaiian natives to Christianity but find themselves ill-equipped to endure the unexpected tribulations of paradise. Surging with the excitement of windstorms, firestorms, shark attacks and magnificent island scenery, Hawaii shines as passionately as the island paradise itself!*1966: Supporting Actress (Jocelyne LaGarde), CinematographyColor, Costume DesignColor, Special Visual Effects, Score, Song, Sound

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The Sound of Music (Limited Edition Collector's Set) (1965) Review

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(More customer reviews)"The Sound of Music", the 1965 20th Century Fox musical which would capture the world with its memorable music and it's touching storyline and continues to have thrived through various generations and will continue to thrive for many generations hereafter.
The film is an adaptation of a popular Broadway play which is based on the memoir "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers" written by Maria von Trapp. The von Trapp family are known for escaping from the Nazis in Austria after the Anschluss (the annexation and occupation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938).
The original musical based on the book featured music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II (both Rodgers and Hammerstein were known for their music for "Oklahoma!", "Carousel", "State Fair", "South Pacific", "The King and I" to name a few) which led to the book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The Broadway production began in 1959 starring Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel and would later inspire a film adaptation in 1965 which was loosely based on the Broadway production and memoir.
The film would become an ultimate success as director Robert Wise (known for "West Side Story" and "The Haunting") would win five Academy Awards for Best Director, William Reynolds for Best Film Editing, Irwin Kostal for Best Music, Scoring of Music, Adaptation or Treatment, Best Picture and Best Sound.
The film would be best known for its wonderful location of Salzburg, Austria (which has inspired an actual "Sound of Music" tour which has been functional for the last 30-years) but most of all, known for its music which include "The Sound of Music", "Edelweiss", "My Favorite Things", "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" and "Do-Re-Mi".
The film which was budgeted at $8.2 million would go on to gross $163 million worldwide. The film would break the record held by "Gone with the Wind" for box office revenue and would also be a film that would be in circulation in theaters for three straight years.
"The Sound of Music" would also continue to become a hit on video as it was released as a five star DVD release in 2000 to celebrate the film's 35th Anniversary, released in 2005 to celebrate the film's 40th Anniversary and now in 2010 on Blu-ray, a limited edition box set and a digital iTunes release to celebrate the film's 45th Anniversary.
VIDEO:
"The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition" is presented in 1080p High Definition (Widescreen 2:20:1), AVC@22 MBPS. This is where "The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition" literally looks amazing. For those who have owned previous versions of the film on DVD, back in 2005, the film went through restoration using a backup negative of the original 70 mm print. At the time, the original 70mm 6-Track print was so damaged, there was no way to even use the original negative at that time and most of us who watched the 40th Anniversary Edition felt that the film looked absolutely beautiful compared to it's earlier 2000 DVD release.
With that being said, technology has changed within the last five years since the release of the 40th Anniversary. The damaged original 70 mm print that couldn't be used in the restoration of the film in 2005 can now be used for the film with new hardware and software and is now receiving 8K digital scanning by 20th Century Fox for perfect restoration.
No longer is the film hazy, no longer is the film more on the pinkish side. "The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition" is vibrant. The grass...you can see the various grains of grass, the strands in green, yellow and detail of the mountains over looking Salzburg. I was amazed! Another example, Maria splashing the water before she heads to the von Trapps, you can see the water droplets flying in the air, another one is the von Trapp's uncle and his coat, you can see the wool in his jacket. There is so much detail in this latest version of "The Sound of Music", it's incredible! I am literally speechless because I own previous versions of this film on video and never before have I seen this much clarity in the film ever!
And I find it quite funny for each review I have done for the film, I mention of how the cinematography of William Reynolds was captured perfectly but watching it on Blu-ray, the cinematography... may it be the shots of Maria on the mountain, Maria with the kids on the mountain, the wedding ceremony, etc., I just feel that the cinematography as seen on the 45th Anniversary Edition via the new restoration really captures the beauty of "The Sound of Music" than ever before. Absolutely breathtaking!
Once again, the crew who restored this film...I give your crew a standing ovation...what you were able to accomplish with this film on Blu-ray is absolutely fantastic!
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
"The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition" is presented in English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 4.0 Dolby Surround, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and French 5.1 DTS. Because the film was shot with a 6-track and because they were provided with the audio without the dialogue, for this 2010 edition, they were able to remove all noise but also making sure to utilize a 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track and as mentioned, I've owned several versions of this film and I even own the soundtrack to this film.
The way this music was handled through the surround channels was amazing. The music and the instruments playing on individual channels was well done. The first thing that came to my mind during sequences of the sisters singing "Maria" to the wedding sequence, the sounds that were utilized through those channels were amazing. Also, they were able to isolate the sound of Salzburg up the hills, the sound of wind, the birds... I was in awe with the lossless soundtrack.
I absolutely love the soundtrack for this film and this is the best I have ever heard of it. If you have a 7.1 setup (center speaker, two fronts, two surrounds, two rear surrounds and your subwoofer), you will definitely be impressed with how alive the music comes as it really sounds beautiful via the soundscape in the home. Once again, I was in awe when I heard the music and I'm sure many people will be just as impressed by it.
Similar to the video restoration, the audio restoration for this 45th anniversary is fantastic! And the crew responsible for the audio restoration for this release should be proud because they did an outstanding job!
Subtitles are in English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
SPECIAL FEATURES
"The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition" comes with the following special features from the 35th and 40th Anniversary DVD versions of the film but also newer special features that just literally packs this 45th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray release:
DISC 1:
* Your Favorite Things: An Interactive Celebration - A new way to watch "The Sound of Music". If you select this option for viewing the movie, you have four categories which you can select interaction with the viewer. One is behind-the-scenes images, the other is viewing with on-screen lyrics, the other is trivia and location quiz. You can select one or all four.
* Audio Commentary: Director Robert Wise - The following audio commentary was originally included in the Five Star Collection (2000) for the 35th Anniversary DVD release. Informative commentary by Wise who gives details on the challenges they had in shooting this film. It's important to note that Wise doesn't do much talking and only does when it is necessary.
* Audio Commentary: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Charmian Carr, choreographer Dee Dee Wood, and the youngest son of Maria von Trapp, Johannes von Trapp - A lively commentary by the five individuals. Although these are separate commentaries recorded in separate times but Julie Andrews definitely gives us a good idea of the sets and various shooting locations. Also, hearing from Plummer of how he doesn't like to work with children but in this case, he got a long with the children quite well. Charmian Carr who plays the character of Liesl talks about playing the oldest teenage daughter at the age of 21.
* Music Machine Sing-Along - Sing-along subtitle tracks which can be seen while watching the film or giving the viewer the ability to select various tracks with the sing-along subtitles.
DISC 2:
* Musical Stages: Creating the Sound of Music - This first special feature is actually an interactive "backlot tour" with plenty of in-depth featurettes on the songs, the stage show, the movie, the film and sound restoration and getting to know the real life von Trapp family. Included are:
1. Music in the 21st Century - (8:52) A featurette on the popularity of the film and how the film has influenced pop culture from pop artists such as Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguillera to shows like "The Family Guy" and how many various interpretations of the film have made it onto stage and children's books.
2. Restoring a Classic: Bloom & Grow - (5:44) A featurette on the 8K digital restoration of the film. How during the 2005 45th Anniversary Edition, they were not able to use the original 70 mm negative but in 2010, with new technology they were able to. Before and after scenes and more. Awesome featurette!
3. Edelweiss - (2:28) How the song was created and how Christopher Plummer wanted to sing the song and not be dubbed. We get to see footage of Plummer singing and the dubbed over version.
4. I Have Confidence - (8:06) How the lyrics were changed from the original Rodgers & Hammerstein version by Saul Chaplin and constructing it for the film adaptation.
5. My Favorite Things - (2:47) Why the song was fun and the...Read more›

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