- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
- Messages
- 18,411
- Real Name
- Robert Harris
Interesting the way that things work out.Vincente Minnelli's Easter Parade, starring Judy Garland, Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse, became Charles Walters' Easter Parade, starring Judy Garland, Fred Astaire and Ann Miller.The 1948 three-strip Technicolor M-G-M musical was to be a follow-up to The Pirate, but came in at a lower budget, and with the majority of original talent replaced.Apparently Mr. Kelly was an extremely fierce athletic competitor, and was so frustrated, finding himself losing a volleyball game at his home, he broke an ankle shortly before production was to begin.Mr. Walters had, who had done his time as dance director at M-G-M, and who was given the directorial reigns of Good News in 1947, was given the director's chair by Arthur Freed, and went on to direct for another two decades.Mr. Astaire was then in retirement, and receiving a call from Mr. Kelly came out of said retirement, and never went back in.Ms. Charisse supposedly also hurt herself in some way (I don't recall the details) and also had to be replaced at the very last moment, with Ms Miller, who had just arrived at M-G-M from Columbia.A beautiful little film, Warner Bros. new Blu-ray is a delightful, if imperfect affair.Part of the problem is extant elements.The final reel, 7A/B was lost in the GEH fire, and comes from master fine grains. As dupes were already dupes, cut into original, we lose two generations, and slight contrast rings, not to be confused with "ringing," are part of the image. There's nothing to be done about it.A bit of occasional mis-registration, but nothing either untoward or troublesome.Color, which is generally gorgeous, seems at time, a bit heavy.Other than that, this is a beautiful Blu-ray, and yet another wonderful example of what Technicolor looked like in the late 1940s and early '50s.Image - 4Audio - 5Highly Recommended.RAH
