What about "Funny Girl"? (1 Viewer)

[Alejandro]

Now that Barbra Streisand is doing commentaries for the DVD releases of her films, how comes there's no special edition of the movie that made her a star?
In one of her live concerts I could see screen tests from the film projected in a big screen while the overture of Funny Girl was performed by the orquestra. So I guess she had that extra material to make a very complete special edition.
What's stopping her?

 

[Garysb]

What's more puzzling is Sony spent much money restoring the film to its roadshow version even re releasing it to theaters in dye transfer technicolor prints but for the DVD the only extras were short subjects from 1968 promoting the film. They didn't even include the trailer.
It would have been nice to see the complete Swan number as an extra. This apparently exists as a part of it was shown at the AFI tribute to Streisand.

 

[John Gilmore]

Well, next year is the film's 40th Anniversary. I could see Sony releasing a new Special Edition DVD (and a possible Blu-Ray edition?) for the occasion.

BTW, I saw that dye transfer print when it was re-released several years back. The most impressive scene was the "You are Woman, I am Man" number. When Fanny first enters the room, the color in the red wallpaper just popped right off the screen, and the audience actually gasped. As nice as the current DVD is, I just can't even get close to duplicating that intense color at home .

 

[Brian W.]

Something I've always wondered: that dissolve right before "Nicki Arnstein, Nicki Arnstein, I'll never see him again" -- was something cut out there? It's so bizarre, but it's been in every home video edition of the film.

And, since we're on the topic of what Babs hasn't released, why hasn't she released the hit single version of "The Way We Were" on CD? The vinyl 45 used a completely different take of her vocal almost from start to finish. But all that's ever been released on CD is the album version and the soundtrack version. The original #1 hit recording has sort of been swept under the rug. (All right, that was kind of an off-topic rant, but I couldn't resist.)

 

[Greg_M]

Common on guys "Hello, Dolly!" is the commentary I want to hear! Everyone hated each other on that shoot, it would be a great to hear all the dirt!!!

Michael Crawford (on Barbra Streisand who always wanted to be photographed from the left) after waiting hours for a camera set up "Barbra, your just as ugly from the other side"


(I was surprised Mr Crawford said this - but it is his book. I always though Ms Streisand was very attractive (and sexy) sometimes even beautiful (on a Clear Day) so the tension on the set must have been pretty thick)

 

[Joe Lugoff]

... and then what happened? Don't leave us hanging like that.

 

[JohnMor]

I am sure there will be a new version of Funny Girl at some point. But Barbra gives the WORST commentaries I have ever heard. Loooo-oooo-oooo-onngg stretches without saying anything. On the What's Up, Doc? commentary she barely remembered any scene. She'd watch it and then say, "Oh that's funny." A Star Is Born was a little better, but not by much.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

I believe her WHAT'S UP DOC commentary was only meant to be on specific scenes anyway. Her commentary on THE PRINCE OF TIDES Criterion Laserdisc was wonderful with nary a pause.

 

[Mark B]

NUTS and UP THE SANDBOX had decent commentaries, too...especially Kershner's.

 

[JohnMor]

That's good to know about TPOT commentary. Hopefully, the Yentl one will be as good. BTW, WUD was not intended to be scene specific according to my contact. It just ended up being billed that way when they were done and she had recorded so little information. Same with Nuts, I believe.

 

[Mark B]

Same as THE MAIN EVENT. NUTS is a full commentary, DOC and EVENT are scene specific.

 

[JohnMor]

Thanks Mark B. I meant to write TME, but I was rushing before I left work and my brain wasn't fully functioning.

 

[Garysb]

Per a great fan website, barbra archives ,the scene was cut. The link below
will take you to the website and you can read what was cut. What you see on video is how it always was shown. The scene was cut before the movie was released.


http://www.barbra-archives.com/Films...girl_cut2.html

 

[Alejandro]

Hey, Gary!
Thanks for posting that great site!

 

[Rob W]

Sounds like all of you are too new to remember the debacle of the 'Prince of Tides' laserdisc commentary. Back in the old days Criterion licensed this title from Sony and scheduled it to be released with what I believe was Barbra's first commentary track. ( This was before the major studios used commentary tracks and Criterion was the only game in town for such extras. ) Barbra recorded her commentary, signed off on the transfer and the discs were pressed and ready to go when Ms Streisand decided she wanted to change her comments. ( Info varies whether she wanted to re-record the whole thing or just modify certain comments. ) Criterion naturally balked at this as the discs were finished and ready to ship. Laser was never a large enough market that Criterion could afford to just junk their first pressings and reissue the title so the entire project was cancelled. Meanwhile, Sony issued their own bare-bones laserdisc version of the film as often happened when Criterion was given a non-exclusive license. Much, much later it was finally announced that the project was back on the schedule and Criterion eventually issued their own laser version of the film with revised Streisand commentary. By that time the ship had sailed, as it were, and I don't think the disc was especially successful, especially when you consider that Criterion laserdiscs routinely sold for $40 -$60. ( A few of the old pressings, with a slightly different jacket also made their way to a few stores and were purchased by alert Barbraphiles. )
Always the uber-perfectionist, getting Barbra to sign off on anything can be enough to make even the most devoted production executives
think twice. Just recently, her 2-CD live album of the 2006 tour was bumped from December of 2006 to February 2007, and again and again before finally arriving in stores in early May of this year.