A Few Words About While we wait for A few words about...™ The Rodgers & Hammerstein Collection -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[classicmovieguy]

"Oklahoma!" may be, on the surface, just about a picnic, but the characters are drawn so richly that they give the story its extra depth. Historically the piece speaks volumes as well, for whilst the show ends on a happy note with Curly and Laurey heading off on their fabled "Surrey With the Fringe on Top", the dreaded 'dust bowl' is just around the corner.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

I get moved immensely by the natural power of Carousel.
But Oklahoma! has quite a bit of real depth too .. not least musically, in its wealth of great melodies. It is a stunning work when performed in the theatre by a strong cast.
And I am always brought up short when I remember that it opened in 1943, two years before the close of the War and in the middle of the brutal Pacific campaign. US soldiers were given cheap tickets to see the show, which was, for many of them, their last great event before they died on the sands of some Pacific beach.

Maybe that explains why it is designed more simply as an uplifting experience and not too heavy.

 

[Jim*Tod]

The OKLAHOMA! film misses some of the darkness in the original play since they cut the song "Lonely Room" which gives the Judd Frye character additional pathos and sympathy. The better stage versions I have seen have made it clearer that Laurie is not just scared of Judd, but also of some of the darker impulses and desires she might have and fights against and which he represents. The film tips the balance totally toward making Judd a complete villain.

That said I think the closing speech made by Aunt Eller about the life of a woman also have some deeper underpinnings. I do agree though that CAROUSEL is significantly more complex. But there is richness of all kinds in both shows and why quibble when the scores of both are so wonderful.

 

[rsmithjr]

Interesting discussion here.

A key theme of Oklahoma! is the future: it is something to be embraced with optimism (Curly), amusement (Will), fear (Laurie), resentment and reaction (Judd) or stoic acceptance (Aunt Eller). A combination of Curly and Aunt Eller wins in the end, as Curly embraces the coming statehood of Oklahoma and Aunt Eller advises to deal positively with adversity.

The original play appeared in 1943, right in the middle of the war and just when it was appearing it would be won. People needed something to look forward to, that things will be better after the long years of the depression followed by the war.

The comments about Judd and the missing song are very relevant BTW. While I love the movie, the portrayal of Judd in the movie is not fair to the original conception, and the song really helps. Curly's Poor Judd is Dead should also be taken, I think, as Curly trying to tell Judd to take things easier and not brood so seriously, that there is a place for him if he could make it. The song is generally taken as a putdown but I don't think that is right, and it isn't consistent with Curly's character.

All of the R&H shows have serious themes underlying them, even the least serious one, Flower Drum Song. Perhaps we are fortunate that Flower Drum Song is in the hands of Universal and can hope for a good Blu-ray soon.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Down to $69.99 at Amazon!

Thanks for the heads up! Just grabbed a copy!

 

[Doug Bull]

OMG!

( from a 1954 Picture Show Magazine )

 

[classicmovieguy]

Oh wow... the mind boggles...

 

[AnthonyClarke]

That is so funny. Just imagine Leslie Caron with Fred Astaire! Thank god they gave the role to Margaret Rutherford...

 

[ROclockCK]

Nothing is funnier than Monroe playing Anna...sugar.

 

[DP 70]

I have just watched OKLAHOMA and WOW its one of the best Blus I have. It would be great to see this in Bradfordnext year in 4K on the curved screen for the 60th TODD-A0 anniversary.I remember seeing this in TODD-AO in 1998 at the NFT and Bradford and the print being slightly yellow.

 

[Rick Thompson]

Perhaps we are fortunate that Flower Drum Song is in the hands of Universal and can hope for a good Blu-ray soon.

That's a real knee-slapper! Best joke in years!

 

[MatthewA]

The OKLAHOMA! film misses some of the darkness in the original play since they cut the song "Lonely Room" which gives the Judd Frye character additional pathos and sympathy. The better stage versions I have seen have made it clearer that Laurie is not just scared of Judd, but also of some of the darker impulses and desires she might have and fights against and which he represents. The film tips the balance totally toward making Judd a complete villain.

The college where I am currently a theater student is doing Oklahoma! this summer, and the director said "we're dropping Lonely Room like a rock." The 1994 national tour I saw had that song, but not "It's a Scandal, It's an Outrage," which frankly I could take or leave and have never felt deprived by its not being in the movie (were either of them even recorded?).

 

[Kyrsten Brad]

Confound it!!! Amazon price just jumped up from $69.99 to $110.99, a $41 price jump. Sheesh must be a popular title.

I was planning this for a late July purchase as a gift, may have to wait till Christmas season now.

 

[Reed Grele]

Confound it!!! Amazon price just jumped up from $69.99 to $110.99, a $41 price jump. Sheesh must be a popular title.

I was planning this for a late July purchase as a gift, may have to wait till Christmas season now.

If you're really patient, just wait until it reaches $19.95 or even less. I'm amazed at some of the Blu-ray deals that Amazon has had recently. Some as much as 80% off retail!

 

[Konstantinos]

This is on Amazon deal of the day for only $59.99!!!!

But I'm torn now and don't know if I should get it, or I should wait in case a new release of King and I comes along with better colors.

 

[ajabrams]

This is on Amazon deal of the day for only $59.99!!!!

But I'm torn now and don't know if I should get it, or I should wait in case a new release of King and I comes along with better colors.

Or you could get it now along with a pair of BluBlockers...

 

[nealg]

$49.99 right now! Here.

 

[Kyrsten Brad]

OK I was going to pass (cursing the whole time) at $59.99 because it is pay drought time and hopefully they'd have another sale later on.
Then it dropped to $49.99 and I had to move. Crappo but I think I and my wife (who loves these kind of movies and really wanted "Carousel" will be happy).

As I figure out now where to cut, probably the food budget. Oh well I could use the weight loss.

Also picked up Valley Girl DVD (kinda wanted that one) for a placeholder while I wait for it on Blu. Only $6.65.

 

[davidmatychuk]

I just bought the new stand-alone Blu-Ray sets for "Oklahoma" and "The King And I", which come with 2 DVD's and a Digital Copy in each. The 2 Blu-Rays for "Oklahoma" and the single Blu-Ray for "The King And I" are, it's safe to say, the same discs as were issued in the Rodgers & Hammerstein Collection box. Now, because "The King And I" has the movie on DVD as well, Fox has, perhaps inadvertently, provided a source of comparison to the Blu-Ray in that matter of a blue cast to the image. To my eye, the blue whiteface on the Blu-Ray is not blue on the DVD, and I don't think it's a matter of lower resolution. Oh, well.

 

[Doug Bull]

Thanks for that David.

Looks like a long wait before and if we ever get a decent non blue transfer for "The King and I"

Next chance to get it right? 4k version maybe?

Doug.