Music-Online-Store - Broadway & Vocalists - (Current) Favorite Musical *Movies*

The hit Broadway musical by Peter Stone and Sherman Edwards became the basis for this 1972 film about America's first congress and the nation's declaration of independence from Britain. Most of the original cast members are aboard, including William Daniels as John Adams. The film is a little stodgy and moves stiffly from scene to scene--the adaptation to the screen is not a smooth success. But it is nonetheless captivating, considering that so few films have dealt directly with America's birth. Directed by Peter H. Hunt.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

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Reviews (224)

Hollywood's last really great musical
The top-notch score and book for Broadway's "1776" have been unjustly forgotten over the years (to put it another way, how many times does Broadway have to revive "Oklahoma" before putting a new production of this on its feet), and the film lovingly recreates the musical with deft, striking cinematic touches.Most of the Broadway cast has been retained, particularly William Daniels, Ken Howard and Howard Da Silva, all of whom are brilliant as John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin, respectively.Among the new-to-the-movie performances, Blythe Danner is an absolute delight as Martha Jefferson and John Cullum's rendition of "Molasses to Rum to Slaves," which hammers the hypocrisy of the Northern colonial abolitionists who still profited from the slave trade is staggering.Truth is, there isn't a bad performance, singing or acting, in this entire film.The sets of 18th century Philadelphia are wonderfully evocative and the lighting and camera work, particularly some brilliantly s-l-o-o-o-o-w-w-w-w lap dissolves, are terrific.Probably in any other year, this film would have been well represented at the Oscars (but it came out against "The Godfather").What makes the DVD so special is not just the pristine look of the film, but the restoration of several scenes, long and short, which had never before been seen, including one entire number ("Cool Conservative Men") which gave Richard Nixon, then president, fits.Watch it, particularly the choreography, and you'll know why.Even better is the very incisive and informative commentary track, which actually gives insight into the production.Whether you're a history buff or just a movie buff, you should own this film.

A grand opera of American history.
People today (especially people under the age of 30) might dismiss "1776" as popular entertainment because its book and especially its score of songs aren't exactly...shall we say, toe-tapping, memorable tunes that you can whistle around for the rest of the day. In fact, much of the book is the actors speaking/singing their dialog, making the whole exercise feel more like a grand opera than a musical. I suspect that when this show was transferred from stage to screen, director Peter Hunt and producer Jack L. Warner probably dreaded the box-office returns coming from a modern and cynical audience. Having said that, the film (which I've now seen in the widescreen DVD) is rapturous, extremely witty in dialog, rich in script, costumes, art direction, and especially performances; no words can properly describe William Daniels' stand-out performance as the stubborn, argumentative, passionate, and brilliant John Adams. He is matched by Howard Da Silva's essay of Benjamin 'Franklyyyyyn!!" and Virginia Vestoff's spoken (and sung) performance of the patient but feisty Abigail Adams. The scenes with the married Adamses are the best in the film, especially lovely because they are all done in correspondence. There is an especially bewitching moment when they are missing each other more than usual ("Yours, Yours, Yours"), and John compares the virtues of 'New England girls' to those of Virginia, and the reference is not lost on his wife. The songs? My goodness! "Sit Down, John;" "The Lees of Virginia;" "But Mr. Adams;" "He Plays the Violin (a showcase for the effervescent Blythe Danner Paltrow);" and the powerful Act 2 soliloquy on slavery, "Molasses To Rum," wonderfully sung by John Cullum. I always get chills at the movie's end when the bell tolls and Congress stands in its final portrait.

The Story of American Independence... with a catchy tune.
Perhaps the perfect family movie!
From Broadway to the home screen, finally a story that inspires child and parents alike. Researched from numerous sources, we are privileged to see the members of the 2nd Continental Congress as they grapple with a world empire, an encroaching war, and each other 'to bring forth a new republic'. A "Who's Who" of then-upcoming talent, it features Ken Howard ("White Shadow", "Dynasty", "Crossing Jordan"), William Daniels ("St. Elsewhere", "Knight Rider", "Boy Meets World"), Blythe Danner ("Meet The Parents") and John Cullum ("Northern Exposure").
The more you learn about this movie, the more fascinated you become with American history and its cast of portrayers.
American family, meet American history.
(p.s.; This is the only movie I have ever bought twice to loan to friends)
... Read more

Asin: B000067D1R
Subjects: 1. Musical

$22.46

Little Shop of Horrors
by Warner Studios
Average Customer Review:

DVD (07 September, 2004)
list price: $14.97 -- our price: $11.23
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Editorial Review

The off-Broadway comedy-horror-musical hit that ran for years makes a successful transfer to film with a bevy of big-name cameos and two perfectly cast leads. Rick Moranis is the nebbish Seymour, who pines for flower-girl Audrey (Ellen Greene) while living in the basement of florist Mr. Mushnik (Vincent Gardenia). Things start turning around for Seymour, though, after he buys a little plant during a solar eclipse, christens it Audrey II, and discovers that it likes to drink blood. Soon enough, though, Seymour finds out that Audrey II, now grown to epic proportions, is in actuality a "mean green mother from outer space" that is hell-bent on world domination. Based on the 1960 Roger Corman cheapie that featured a young Jack Nicholson, Little Shop boasts a hilarious, amazing score by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, who would go on to revitalize Disney's animation arm with The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. Greene, the lone holdover from the original cast, is a ravishing, goofy Audrey, whose awkward demeanor belies a voice that could knock Ethel Merman off her feet. She's ably matched by Moranis, whose lack of a singing voice is perfectly in sync with Seymour's nerdiness. And Levi Stubbs Jr. of the Four Tops provides the lowdown, nasty-minded voice of Audrey II; his rendition of the Oscar-nominated "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space" is a showstopper. As for those celebrity cameos, Steve Martin's sadistic dentist is a masterful creation, as is Bill Murray's masochistic patient; John Candy, James Belushi, and Christopher Guest also pop up. And there was never a lovelier and funkier Greek chorus than the three Motown-fueled girls (Tichina Arnold, Michelle Weeks, and Tisha Campbell) who appear throughout the film. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

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Reviews (110)

"Suddenly, Seymour is standin' beside you..."
This 50's-style musical/comedy/satire is sure to put a smile on your face and have you rockin' to the tunes. Rick Moranis stars as Seymour, a clumsy, nerdy florist who secretly pines for his ditzy co-worker, Audrey. Seymour gets a mysterious plant that amazingly brings him fame and fortune, but it grows at an alarming rate, and it drinks... blood. What is Seymour to do?

Rick Moranis gives his best performance to date as the quintessential loser who melts your heart. He has that puppy dog face and over-sized glasses, and a lot of talent. In the film's funniest scene, Steve Martin plays everybody's nightmare: a sadistic dentist (with Bill Murray as his too-willing patient). There are a lot of fun, bouncy songs, plenty of laughs, and some touching moments, too. Heartily recommended.

Kona

La tiendita de los horrores DVD
El DVD que poseo tiene subtitulos y doblaje en español. Verdaderamente es una gran experiencia poder disfrutar de ese ánimo encantadoramente ingenuo que prevaleció en los tempranos 60, con todos sus guiños al cine norteamericano y sus sex symbols y una banda sonora extraordinaria: "The little shop of horrors" es, sin duda, una joya que todo amante de los musicales debe conocer. Verdaderamente uno puede pasarse días enteros con sus melodías pegadas en los oídos y el espíritu. Refrescante, jocosa, tierna... Bien vale 5 estrellas.

overblown and bloated
One of the most overproduced films ever!!! The charm of the original production is lost.The original two day wonder of Roger Corman is miles ahead. Spend your money on the play. ... Read more

Asin: B00004RF8J
Subjects: 1. Musical

$11.23

Moulin Rouge (Single Disc Edition)
by Fox Home Entertainme
Average Customer Review:

DVD (14 January, 2003)
list price: $19.98 -- our price: $17.98
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Editorial Review

A dazzling and yet frequently maddening bid to bring the moviemusical kicking and screaming into the 21st century, Baz Luhrmann's MoulinRouge bears no relation to the many previous films set in the famousParisian nightclub. This may appear to be Paris in the 1890s, with can-candancers, bohemian denizens like Toulouse-Lautrec (John Leguizamo), and ribaldryat every turn, but it's really Luhrmann's pop-cultural wonderland. Everyone and everything is encouraged to shatter boundaries of time and texture, colliding and careening in a fast-cutting frenzy that thinks nothing of casting Elton John's "Your Song" 80 years before its time. Nothing is original in this kaleidoscopic, absinthe-inspired love tragedy--the words, the music, it's allbeen heard before. But when filtered through Luhrmann's love for pop songs and timeless showmanship, you're reminded of the cinema's power to renew itself while paying homage to its past.

Luhrmann's overall success with his third "red-curtain"extravaganza (following Strictly Ballroom and William Shakespeare'sRomeo & Juliet) is wildly debatable: the scenario is simple to the point of silliness, and how can you appreciate choreography when it's beendiced into hash by attention-deficit editing? Still, there's something genuinebrewing between costars Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman (as, respectively, apoor writer and his unobtainable object of desire), and their vocal talents are impressive enough to match Luhrmann's orgy of extraordinary sets, costumes, and digital wizardry. The movie's novelty may wear thin, along with its shallowindulgence of a marketablesoundtrack, but Luhrmann's inventiveness yields moments that border onecstasy, when sound and vision point the way to a moribund genre's joyouslywelcomed revival. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

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Reviews (1799)

Good points
I really enjoy these discussions and this wondeful film. It is totally about love. It's such a magical film like some people have written.

I'm a Lesbian but this movie makes sense even to me. Nicole is so beautiful and Ewan is so charming.

I love this film.

I'm in heaven
I live the typical big city life and the work days just blend into each other. I have had three breakups in three months.

This movie I saw for the first time over the weekend. Even though it's really a chick flick I find it to be so powerful and magical. I remember what true love is like even in ups downs and arounds. Nicole and Ewan are perfect together.

This is a great old kind of Hollywood movie with new visuals and sounds.

Eh......
My jaw nearly fell out of its socket (if it has one. does it?) when I saw the top-notch artistry that was put into this film. The sets, costumes, cinematography, and singing in it are possibly the best ever to grace the movies. I would hold out for a widescreen high def TV to experience the magic of the creative team behind it. Nicole Kidman was gorgeous as the pitiful whore who dreams of a better life. I love the way she speaks/sings.
Unfortunately, the thing that keeps me from loving this movie (and even then, only moderately liking it) is the very bizzare screenplay. What was with Ewan McGregor and his "Children of the Revolution" friends dressed up in lederhosens singing "The Sound of Music?" And why did a green fairy version of Satine fly out of a whiskey bottle? After that, many scenes reminded me of a classic Warner Bros. cartoon - fast and wacky. Then they would hit the brakes and we'd have Satine hacking up a blood clot. Also, I love (really I do) the idea of having modern songs in a musical set near the turn of the century. But a few of the songs, especially that neo can-can number, just didn't fit.
But these important setbacks just added to the enjoyment of such crowd-pleasing scenes as when Christian and Satine sing the beautiful, soaring Elephant Love Medley, lost in their world of dewy romance that could never be.
Most people (unlike me) will either love it, or hate it. I could take it or leave it. But give me the soundtrack any day. ... Read more

Asin: B000077VR3
Subjects: 1. Feature Film-drama

$17.98

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Single Disc Edition)
by Fox Home Entertainme
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DVD (07 September, 2004)
list price: $14.98 -- our price: $11.24
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Editorial Review

If a musical sci-fi satire about an alien transvestite named Frank-n-Furter, who is building the perfect man while playing sexual games with his virginal visitors, sounds like an intriguing premise for a movie, then you're in for a treat.Not only is The Rocky Horror Picture all this and more, but it stars the surprising cast of Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick (as the demure Janet and uptight Brad, who get lost in a storm and find themselves stranded at Frank-n-Furter's mansion), Meat Loaf (as the rebel Eddie), Charles Gray (as our criminologist and narrator), and, of course, the inimitable Tim Curry as our "sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania."

Upon its release in 1975, the film was an astounding flop.But a few devotees persuaded a New York theater to show it at midnight, and thus was born one of the ultimate cult films of all time.The songs are addictive (just try getting "The Time Warp" or "Toucha Toucha Touch Me" out of your head), the raunchiness amusing, and the plot line utterly ridiculous--in other words, this film is simply tremendous good fun.The downfall, however, is that much of the amusement is found in the audience participation that is obviously missing from a video version (viewers in theaters shout lines at the screen and use props--such as holding up newspapers and shooting water guns during the storm, and throwing rice during a wedding scene). Watched alone as a straight movie, Rocky Horror loses a tremendous amount of its charm.Yet, for those who wish to perfect their lip-synching techniques for movie theater performances or for those who want to gather a crowd around the TV at home for some good, old-fashioned, rowdy fun, this film can't be beat. --Jenny Brown ... Read more

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Reviews (319)

Good enough
Genre: Musical/Horror/Romance/Comedy

Genre Grade: B+

Final Grade: B

My friend Nicki has been pestering me for months to watch this movie so I finally did, and I think she is going to kill me when she reads my review of it. I think I'm being fair in giving it the grade that I am.. Keep in mind that this is only MY opinion of the film, and I can definitely see why this movie has such a large cult following. It is extremely original and very unique, not to mention risque for its day and age.

This is one twisted movie. The music was interesting, the costumes and characters outrageous, but I think this movie faltered greatly in having a strong story. It jumps all around between a transvestite who owns the mansion, the newly engaged couple who originally just wanted to find their friend Dr. Scott and tell them the happy news, to the Frankenstein-esque monster named "Rocky" who looks like he's an anorexic steroid-addict. Between the high-pitched singing, the wild sets, and the annoying characters, this movie is probably one of the most "out there" movies I've ever seen.

And thus is the reason why I think this movie is respected so much. While I was not crazy about it, I do think it was well-made (the cinematography is very Kubrickish) and did entertain despite its seemingly random plot. I suggest this film to anyone who enjoys musicals, because I swear you've never seen anything quite like it. I might compare this movie to Hedwig and the Angry Inch, but in reality they're nothing alike. And...I actually enjoyed Hedwig a little more.

Great Movie...Awful DVD...FOX is to be AVOIDED!!!!!!
20th Century Fox must be related to the Fox network.The DVD would not play on one computer.My other would play the DVD if I downloaded egregiously invasive software and registered it with an actual email addy.In other words, I was giving Fox an invitation to spam. When the DVD finally began to play, I was inundated with ads to buy other Fox DVDs.When I tried to expand to full screen, I was given an error message and requestd to download an 'enhancement' to the WIN '95 & '98 package (How modern the folks at Fox are...NOT!).The enhancement felt that my birthdate was vital to the process.No wonder people are pirating movies online.

Since I opened the DVD case (How stupid of me to think the movie would simply open and play as all my other DVDs have.) I violated the Amazon policy on DVD returns.I am going back through my open orders and eliminate anything that has the Fox logo.

" I Am JustA Sweet Transvestite!"
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is an outrageously funny and campy mix of musical/sci-fi/horror/comedy/B-movies. It's not supposed to be taken seriously like those straight Hollywood movies. It's a movie for the audiences to sing along and dance along, and put on some makeup and a wig if you dare,'cause Tim Curry is just a Sweet Transvestite! Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick had no idea what nightmare or crazy party they were about to experince when they entered Dr. Frankfurter's mansion, played brilliantly Tim Curry. This film is fabulously entertaining, and it's the perfect party movie, not neccessarily just appropiate for Halloween. ... Read more

Asin: B00006D295
Subjects: 1. Musical

$11.24

Mary Poppins (Disney Gold Classic Collection)
by Disney Studios
Average Customer Review:

DVD (30 June, 2000)
list price: $29.99
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Editorial Review

There is only one word that comes close to accurately describing the enchanting Mary Poppins, and that term was coined by the movie itself: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! Even at 2 hours and 20 minutes, Disney's pioneering mixture of live action and animation (based on the books by P.L. Travers) still holds kids spellbound. Julie Andrews won an Oscar as the world's most magically idealized nanny ("practically perfect in every way," and complete with lighter-than-air umbrella), and Dick Van Dyke is her clownishly charming beau, Bert the chimney sweep. The songs are also terrific, ranging from bright and cheery ("A Spoonful of Sugar") to dark and cheery (the Oscar-winning "Chim-Chim Cheree") to touchingly melancholy ("Feed the Birds"). Many consider Mary Poppins to be the crowning achievement of Walt Disney's career--and it was the only one of his features to be nominated for a best picture Academy Award until Beauty and the Beast in 1991. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

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Reviews (217)

There's Something About Mary
The word "magical" has been used to describe many Disney films over the years. While I will always have a special place for the more modern classics, like all time favorites Aladdin and The Lion King, nothing quiite takes me back to my childhood moreso than the those Disney films I saw as a kid. The list is endless...The original Love Bug, The Shaggy D.A. The Witch Mountain flicks, Pete's Dragon, and of course Mary Poppins. Poppins has been released a few times on DVD over the years--by by far the release is the 40th Anniversary Edition. The word magical certainly applies to the film and is not misused one bit.

Meet the Banks family: George the banker father (David Tomlinson), suffragette mother Winifred (Glynis Johns), and the two "impossible" children Jane (Karen Dotrice) and Michael (Matthew Garber). The kids get the attention of their all-business father by getting the best of every new nanny hired to work in the Banks household. Whem Mr. Banks advertises conventionally for another nanny, the kids compose their own ad, asking for someone with a little kindness and imagination. Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews in her screen debut) answers the children's ad by arriving at the Banks home from the skies, parachuting down by her umbrella. She immediately endears herself to the children. Soon after the kids meet Mary's old chum Bert (Dick Van Dyke), currently employed as a sidewalk artist. Mary, Bert, and the children hop into one of Bert's chalk drawings and learn the nonsense song "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" while touring a cartoon countryside, on the way to meet Bert's Uncle Albert (Ed Winn). Mr. Banks is pleased that his children are behaving better, but he's not happy with their fantastic stories. To show the children what the real world is like, he takes them to his bank. A series of disasters follow which result in his being fired from his job.

Directed by Robert Stevenson, the film is just about perfect, as it mixes annimation and live action to tell its story. Adapted from author P.L. Travers' series of books, by screenwriters Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, the movie has something for both young and old to enjoy. The idea of combining animation and live action wasn't done on this scale before its 1964 release. And to this day it holds up quite well. At 2 hours 20 minutes, Mary Poppins manages to zip by faster than some of today's shorter less inspired family films. The songs from composers Richard and Robert Sherman are true classics in every sense of the word. From "Spoonful of Sugar", "Chim Chim Cher-Ee", "Jolly Holliday" and of course "Supercalifragilistic", these songs are among my favorite from the Disney Songbook. Andrews and Van Dyke, (who has always been a favorite of minesince watching reruns of his 60's sit com) were quite the team. Ms Andrews was so good in fact, she won an Oscar, on her first film no less.

The 2 disc DVD set is the only way to watch the film. Mary Poppins has never looked or sounded any better. It's restoration is just great. The audio commentary with recollections from Andrews, Karen Kotrice, Richard Sherman, Robert Sherman and Dick Van Dyke, is pretty good. It may not tell us about any dark days on the set but there's some good information here nonetheless. "Disney's Song Selection" (with or without on-screen lyrics) is great for those would be singers in the family; "Poppins Pop-Up Fun Facts" is a loaded trivia track, with everything that the audio commentary barely touched upon. Disc one concludes with Sneak Peeks at seven other Disney titles.

Disc two has has a lot to offer as well. First, there's the wonderful making-of documentary - at 50 minutes, there's tons of interview footage, some great photos and more recollections by all kinds of members of its creative team. The deleted song, "Chimpanzoo" (which is accompanied by storyboards and early design sketches), is nice to have but I think was wisely left out of the movie. the 17-minute featurette "A Magical Musical Reunion" is a chance for Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke and Richard Sherman to hang out and talk music for a while. The history and development of the wonderful songs makes this a gem. Conversely,The 20-minute featurette "A Musical Journey with Richard Sherman" is, unfortunately not as much fun and the only real disappointment in the entire set. Let's just say, had it been excised, it wouldn't have been missed. Movie Magic looks at the effects of the film and offers a noteworthy deconstruction to offer How They Did It info. Also included is Dick Van Dyke's make-up test and 23 minutes' worth of footage from the gala premiere of the film. Both the teaser and theatrical trailers for the picture are here, as are the premiere greeting from Julie Andrews, two original TV spots, and re-issue trailers for the film's 1966 and 1973 return to theaters. An extensive photo gallery andtwo cute extras for the youngest viewer. An "I Love to Laugh" TV set-top game and a bonus Poppins animated short, "The Cat That Looked at a King", featuring Julie Andrews, David Ogden Steirs, Sarah Ferguson, and Tracey Ullman strutting their voice talents. Some of the extras can seem like overkill, but overall, this material is a fitting way to celebrate the film.

There's nothing left to say except Mary Poppins is well worth having in anyone's film collection

Just a spoonful of sugar...
this is indeed a Disney Classic if every there was one. a must own. kids and adults will love it. great songs, great story. and the story has a MORAL. spend time with your kiddies. and be a good listener. and go fly a kite.
dick van dyke and julie andrews rock. the animation sequences are lovely, the birds and little animals. and jumping into the chalk painting on the sidewalk... ahhh the memories. every childhood should include many viewings of good ole Mary Poppins. a must. my little Kyle watches all our Disney DVDs and videos over and over and over and over ..... better than out on the street getting into who-knows-what - hummm?!

Now THIS is what I call a movie!
It doesn't matter if you're 7 or 70. This movie pleases everyone. It's got a great soundtrack (don't know if it's still available but I inherited my mom's old LP record!), great acting (anything with Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke has to be good), and has some scenes where live action and animation are combined. This was all done without the technology of today, yet another reason to appreciate the work in this film. The remastered DVD editions are great. Not sure what extras come with the newest one but the one I saw in 2001 had a good section about the making of the film.

I recommend this to anyone, and it will come as a blessing if you're sick of the garbage that Hollywood is making today. ... Read more

Asin: 6305878323
Subjects: 1. Feature Film Family

Aladdin (Disney Special Platinum Edition)
by Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Average Customer Review:

DVD (05 October, 2004)
list price: $29.99 -- our price: $22.49
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Editorial Review

Disney's 1992 animated feature is a triumph of wit and skill. The high-tech artwork and graphics look great, the characters are strong, the familiar story is nicely augmented with an interesting villain (Jafar, voiced by Jonathan Freeman), and there's an incredible hook atop the whole thing: Robin Williams's frantically hilarious vocal performance as Aladdin's genie. Even if one isn't particularly moved by the love story between the title character (Scott Weinger) and his girlfriend Jasmine (Linda Larkin), you can easily get lost in Williams's improvisational energy and the equally entertaining performances of Freeman and Gilbert Gottfried (as Jafar's parrot). --Tom Keogh ... Read more

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Reviews (161)

One of the Best
Aladdin is a great movie, and it's one of the best out there. I would have to put this movie in my top 15 movies because it is so good.

My All-Time Favorite!
This is the best movie ever! When a poor beggar boy from the streets named Aladdin rubs a lamp and a Genie who grants him 3 wishes pops out,Al's 1st wish is to be a prince so he can impress the lovely princess Jasmine,but will the evil and I mean,EVIL Jafar marry her instead,my favorite part is the magic carpet ride,oh,and the moral of the story is,you are who you are because of what's on the inside,not the outside,and Al's 3rd wish is the Genie's freedom.

Not one of Disney's best...
I'm sorry, but Disney's Aladdin can hardly make it into the list of Disney animated classics.It feels as if it were made for Robin Williams to put on a show rather than to tell the classic Arabian Nights tale of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp.The movie has fantastic animation but the charecters are uninteresting and boring, you will find yourself not being able to feel for them.The story is twisted dramatically from the original book which was something I didn't like, Disney should have focused more on telling the story than on coming up with ridiculous song sequences which is what this movie seems to be made of, remove the songs and you probably have a 30 minute short.
"Aladdin" doesn't have that old Disney touch of magic and beauty which earlier films like Bambi, Cinderella or The Rescuers had.This film is considered one of Disney's "big four" a most ridiculous remark, are they saying that this film is greater than Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or Pinocchio?I don't think so.
The plot?Simple.A street boy falls in love with Princess Jasmine and fights for her love with the help of Abu, his pet monkey, Carpet (A magic carpet) and the Genie, voiced by Robin Williams, a crazy and "groovy" genie who takes about 60% of the film.Too much "comedy" and not-needed songs make this film soul-less and one of Disney's least interesting cartoons.

The DVD is pretty grand for fans of Aladdin, I own it only for the reason of adding yet another Disney "classic" to my collection.Simply, this film is no more of a classic than such releases as Atlantis - The Lost Empire or Home on the Range.

3/5. ... Read more

Asin: B0001I561E
Subjects: 1. Feature Film Family

$22.49

Phantom of the Paradise
by Twentieth Century Fox
Average Customer Review:

DVD (07 September, 2004)
list price: $9.98 -- our price: $9.98
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Editorial Review

Describing Brian De Palma's Phantom of the Paradise as an update of the classic Phantom of the Opera doesn't do justice to this demented movie. While De Palma's Hitchcock homages have sometimes led him into dead ends, this rock & roll remake seems to have liberated De Palma's imagination, and the result is weird and funny, with the scruffy underground spirit of the director's early pictures. The Phantom is one Winslow Leach (William Finley), a nerdy songwriter whose "pop cantata" on the subject of Faust is stolen by a freakish, Phil Spector-like rock impresario called Swan (Paul Williams). After getting his head caught in a vinyl-LP compressor, Leach is transformed into a masked creature, haunting Swan's music palace, the Paradise. De Palma proves how nimbly he can establish narrative rhythm: the story moves like a cannon shot, and the musical numbers (especially in the Alice Cooper-like Paradise sequences) are brilliantly cut. The movie seems to predict the Studio 54 scene, MTV, and punk rock--the last, especially, in the figure of Beef, a screeching singer played by the unhinged Gerrit Graham. The songs were written by Paul Williams, that diminutive '70s music icon (he cowrote the Barbra Streisand wet noodle "Evergreen"), and his performance is a reminder of his peculiar, self-spoofing presence: at one point, the preening Swan announces, "You know how I abhor perfection in anyone but myself." Comedy, musical, horror film, '70s artifact--this movie isn't quite definable, and that's what's wonderful about it. --Robert Horton ... Read more

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Reviews (111)

"Carburetor's man.....That's what Life's alla bout"!!!
(...)Some people have no sense of Sophistication,satire,irony,and espically HUMOR!!!I remember coming out of the theater when "Spinal Tap"was first released,and hearing some nimrod "Dude"guy proclaim "gee,don't ya think they coulda gotten a better Band"?!As far as i'm concerned,this is by far the best film De Palma ever made.It is a hoot through and through.Memorable Funny music(i.e. the juicy fruit's Beach Boys send up that start's with the line "carburetor's man....That's what life's alla bout"!And as one Reviewer already noted Swan auditioning new acts with the same song "come together in me now".We have a motown version,a nashville cowboy version,a haight ashbury hippie version,and finally BEEF(Glam rock).Garrett Grahm(Beef)is a genius in this film as he is in "Used Cars".Memorable scene after memorable scene.Beef in the shower(genius)and after,when he try's to leave(more brillance).The paradise concert"somebody super like you",and "Life at Last",i'm laughing my butt off just thinking about it-especialy when Beef get's his with the "lightning Bolt Treatment".After Ms,Havishime's blood curdling screams in the original "Great Expectations"(later used to great effect on a disney haloween LP) and Fay ray's constant high pitched ones in "King Kong" Beef's Musically puncuated death shrieks in this film certainly take the Bronze medal as the three greatest screams in all of filmdom.The wedding-assignation finale is not to be missed.What can i say if you do not find any of this funny as hell,you're a ZOMBIE.I'm glad i grew up in the 70's,and saw this film in the theater.It was the last Decade of true creativity in pop culture and pop art.Music,film or otherwise.I suppose people today are not soley to blame,for the assault on our five senses to brain wash us with a steady diet of Five sense crap,is ruthless.Iv'e turned off my TV a year ago ,and i'm not looking back:except to watch gems like this film.

A great satire of the music biz with literary overtones
I think that those people who pan this film simply did not get it, or having heard it's a satire of the music business, were perhaps expecting something like Spinal Tap.The movie is a terrific satire of the music industry, mixing Goethe's Faust and Leroux's Phantom of the Opera (which probably drew on The Hunchback of Notre Dame) to tell the story.Like several other reviewers have noted, the film almost eerily predicts music trends to come (one wonders if Kiss got their idea for the makeup from this movie).It is also worth pointing out that Paul Williams can write music and lyrics that go well beyond "Rainy Days & Mondays" and "Evergreen".Just note the different styles he uses to adapt Winslow's "original" song for the other groups that performed it after Swan stole the music.And some of the lyrics are amazing, and not at all what one tends to think of when one hears Paul Williams' name attached to a song - "good for nothing, bad in bed, nobody likes you and you're better off dead" - hardly what the Carpenters or Barbra Streisand would have recorded.
While I'm on the subject of Paul Williams, his acting in this film is so beyond that for which he is better known (Smokey & The Bandit).He portrays a man who sold his soul to the devil to attain incredible success and eternal youth.Swan is an awful person, yet Williams manages to convey the man's misery in the short scene where he watches the videos that he is compelled, by the deal with the devil, to view every day.
Jessica Harper has a great singing voice and does a nice job; William Finley is fine; but Gerrit Graham is really fabulous as Beef - the scene where he leaves the theater after being accosted in the shower and asserts that he knows "drug-real" from "real-real" is priceless.

Paradise Lost
I am innately suspicious of films that were bombs that later develope cult followings which appears to be the case with "Phantom of the Paradise" after perusing all the 5 star reviews(?!).I enjoyed director Brian DePalma's earlier forays into comedy with "Greetings" and "Hi,Mom" and later with "Scarface" but this film is virtually bereft of any humor, macabre or otherwise.This film does not work as a good rock satire like "This Is Spinal Tap" because it offers nothing resembling insight into that world.It does not work as a horror comedy because it's stabs at macabre humor fall flat.It does not even work as a good comic re-working of "Phantom of the Opera".The acting is nothing to write home about.I don't know what is worse, Paul Williams lame acting or the abysmally forgettable song score he contributed here.I guess this film can be appreciated on some camp level but you have to be in the mood. ... Read more

Asin: B00005LIRB
Subjects: 1. Feature Film-comedy

$9.98

Chicago (Widescreen Edition)
by Miramax Home Entertainment
Average Customer Review:

DVD (03 November, 2004)
list price: $19.99 -- our price: $14.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Bob Fosse's sexy cynicism still shines in Chicago, a faithful movie adaptation of the choreographer-director's 1975 Broadway musical. Of course the story, all about merry murderesses and tabloid fame, is set in the Roaring '20s, but Chicago reeks of '70s disenchantment--this isn't just Fosse's material, it's his attitude, too. That's probably why the movie's breathless observations on fleeting fame and fickle public taste already seem dated. However, Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones are beautifully matched as Jazz Age vixens, and Richard Gere gleefully sheds his customary cool to belt out a showstopper. (Yes, they all do their own singing and dancing.) Whatever qualms musical purists may have about director Rob Marshall's cut-cut-cut style, the film's sheer exuberance is intoxicating. Given the scarcity of big-screen musicals in the last 25 years, that's a cause for singing, dancing, cheering. And all that jazz. --Robert Horton ... Read more

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Reviews (867)

All Flash And No Substance!!! (But I Liked It Anyway!!!)
In this movie Renee Zellwiger plays Roxie Hart who has just murdered her lover. Roxy enlists the help of High Class Lawyer Richard Gere who promises her he can help her "beat the rap" as they used to call it back in the days when this movie was set. This movie explores the Themes of Temporary Celebrity Status and is wholly redeemed by the presence of Ms. Catherine Zeta-Jones who is always a delight to watch onscreen.

ALL THAT JAZZ!
This movie was great!The singing the dancing everything!

characters

roxie heart:A girl who really wants to sing and dance on the
stage.

velma kelly:A girl who already dances and sings
on stage she kills her sister for um well
never mind ( in jail with roxie)

billy flynn:A lawyer who has never lost A case.

amuse:Roxies cheated on husband (and A pushover)
This movie is very close to be rated R so think
twice before getting it for your kid.

Breathing life back into the big-screen musical...
Winner of six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Chicago is a brilliant big screen adaptation of choreographer-director Bob Fosse's 1975 Broadway musical. The story's ingenious jabs at tabloid fame and the fleeting tastes of the popular mindset, omnipresent in the 1920's (the movie's setting) and the 1970's (the date of its writing) is just as relevant today in an age where O.J. Simpson, the Menedez Brothers, and Scott Peterson dominate the pop culture airwaves. Set in Capone's backyard in the midst of the Roaring 20's, Chicago turns in an all-star Hollywood cast and breathes much needed life (i.e. box office success) back into the big screen musical. Viewers won't be disappointed.

Chicago stars Renee Zellweger as Roxie Hart. Roxie, wife of sweet, boring Amos Hart (John C. Reilly), has an affair with furniture salesman Fred Casely (Dominic West) who she thinks knows the right people to get her a gig as a singer at a swanky nightclub. But when Roxie finds out that Fred is just using her, she shoots him dead right there in her bedroom. When Amos arrives, he sticks up for Roxie, telling the police that he shot the intruder. At least, until he finds out that the dead man is Fred Casley, the man who recently sold them their furniture. Retracting his story, the police arrest Roxie for Fred Casely's murder.

Meanwhile, sexy songstress and half of a famous Chicago nightclub sister act, Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones), sits in jail herself awaiting the day of her trial for the murder of her husband and sister (who she caught performing their number "the spread eagle"). Roxie asks Velma for help, but gets the cold shoulder. But at least one person in the prison is willing to help Roxie. Matron "Mama" Morton (Queen Latifah), overseer of the woman's prison, will do anything for anyone for the right price. For fifty bucks, she places a phone call to the greatest defense lawyer in modern-day times, Billy Flynn (Richard Gere). But a phone call only gets her in the door. Roxie's husband Amos must come up with the money to pay Billy, which he does prior to being quickly forgotten.

Manipulating the media to the best of his ability, Billy turns Roxie into an overnight celebrity - the hottest sensation to sweep Chicago since, well - since the next one that will come along... Velma Kelly fades from the headlines, and the two rivals compete with each other for the public's and Billy Flynn's attention.

Chicago is a refreshing escape the drudgery of modern day box office blockbusters with its insightful peering into the mob mentality of the public psyche and its colorful characters. Queen Latifah steals the show with her portrayal of Mama Morton in a film packed with knockout performances by Hollywood mainstays. All of the stars sing their own numbers, and the soundtrack is simply spectacular. Broadway purists may be critical of the final product, but no one can doubt that Chicago is as big a hit on screen as it is on stage. Do yourself a favor and take the time to watch this one...

The DVD Report ... Read more

Asin: B00005JLSE
Subjects: 1. Musical

$14.99

Everyone Says I Love You
by Miramax Home Entertainment
Average Customer Review:

DVD (13 January, 2004)
list price: $14.99 -- our price: $11.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Writer-director Woody Allen has produced yet another challenging and funny film, this time taking on the musical genre and bending it to his own unique vision. The result is one of the most charming films in recent years, as Allen assembles a typically sterling ensemble cast to evoke the romanticism of years past. This time, the large cast (including Alan Alda, Drew Barrymore, Goldie Hawn, Edward Norton, and Tim Roth) not only turn in funny and touching performances, but they sing the classic songs of the 1930s and 1940s themselves, and sing them very well. The plot centers on an extended family in New York and their various romantic entanglements, including Allen's pursuit of Julia Roberts through the streets of Paris and the canals of Venice. The musical numbers are the film's high point, displaying wonderful choreography ranging from a room full of dancing Groucho Marxes to a dancing couple in flight at the banks of the Seine. Everyone Says I Love You is a witty and entertaining fantasy, and a truly romantic escape. --Robert Lane ... Read more

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Reviews (70)

AN UNEXPECTED DELIGHT
TO SAY THAT THIS FILM DOES NOT HAVE CATCHY TUNES IS LIKE SAYING THERE IS NO DRAMA IN "THE GODFATHER".TO SAY THAT THE DANCERS AREN'T REAL MAKES ME WONDER WHAT MOVIE THOSE COUPLE OF REVIEWERS WERE WATCHING.THE CHOREOGRAPHY AND SKILL OF THE DANCERS IS SOMETHING TO BEHOLD.I THINK SOME PEOPLE ARE MISSING THE POINT OF THIS SHOW ENTIRELY,AND THAT'S TO HAVE FUN; PLAIN AND SIMPLE FUN.WOODY WAS BRILLIANT TO HAVE THE ACTORS USE THEIR OWN SINGING VOICES--GOOD, BAD OR INDIFFERENT--AND ARRANGED THE SONGS AT CLEVER INTERVALS THROUGHOUT THE MOVIE.THIS IS A "REAL" MUSICAL, WITH TONGUE IN CHEEK.

WE KNOW WOODY HAS SUCCESS IN BOTH COMEDY AND DRAMA.HERE, HE DID SOMETHING NEW.TO COMPARE THIS MOVIE TO ANYTHING ELSE WOODY HAS DONE IS RATHER POINTLESS (COULD YOU, WOULD YOU COMPARE TWO OF MIKE NICHOLS' FILMS: "SILKWOOD" AND "THE BIRDCAGE"?).COMPARISONS CAN KEEP YOU FROM BEING ENTERTAINED.

I'VE SEEN "EVERYONE SAYS I LOVE YOU" SEVERAL TIMES WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE, YOUNG AND OLD, AND EVERYONE SAYS, "I LOVED IT!"

Cute musical with unlikely singers
I found this film witty and entertaining.It initially caught me off guard to hear Edward Norton and Julia Roberts singing.There are some really great sequences like the tap number in the jewelry store.

It's typical cynical Woody Allen humor and if you like that and/or you like musicals, check this one out.

MUSICAL. 14th dec 2004.
If your into the musical type of film, you will love this. I found it watchable and quite a good film but i wouldn't say this is more than 3 out of 5.Some of the actors werebrilliant, and the film is worth buying because most of the film was quite good. ... Read more

Asin: 6305428085
Subjects: 1. Feature Film-comedy

$11.99

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