A Few Words About A few words about...™ Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory - Volume 3 (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

$5.50

That would be the approximate cost per disc to own all nine films in Warner Home Video's latest gift to the community of film aficionados.

Born To Dance, Lady Be Good, Broadway Melody Of 1936, Broadway Melody Of 1938, Deep In My Heart, Hit The Deck, Kismet, Nancy Goes To Rio and Two Weeks With Love.

All beautifully transferred to standard definition DVD, and with each disc filled with extras. These include some of the great musicals of the era.

The first disc that caught my eye?

Deep in My Heart, a musical biopic of Sigmund Romberg as played by Jose Ferrer.

One seldom sees an early color (read: problematic) production to have such gorgeous colors and tonalities. Verging on the Technicolor look, this production needs to be seen to be believed.

And at the cost per film?

A steal.

BTW, this set returns to the use of slim cases, which I greatly prefer to the clunky, space consuming black plastic cases of the last century.

Highly Recommended.

RAH

 

[Daniel BARBIEUX]

I agree with you Mister Harris, this box set is a must for any musical lovers, Warner Bros did a great job this time. I am already waiting for the volume 4 and maybe an Esther Williams, volume 2 including "Million Dollar Mermaid".

 

[John_S]

I'm looking forward to these!

 

[Matt Hough]

I thought DEEP IN MY HEART looked (and sounded) superb on laserdisc (the Composers' Series set), so I'm not surprised it looks wonderful on DVD. I'm really looking forward to seeing all of these on DVD so I can retire laserdiscs of films like KISMET, HIT THE DECK, NANCY GOES TO RIO, and TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE.

 

[Edward Weinman]

I've mentioned it on other threads but...I hope that the stereo sound version during the Jane Powell segment of "Deep In My Heart" does not reflect her voice (in the upper registers) as being strident (as, I believe, the laser disc does)...the mono version has her voice as it should be.

 

[Drew Salzan]

I have the Composer's LaserDisc Collection also and remember that issue in the Maytime segment. The musical numbers were remixed from the original 3 track session tapes and it seems as though there are some age related drop outs, particularly there. Nevertheless, it's great to experience the soundtrack in stereo over the original mono.

 

[Mark B]

Powell's vocal is fine on the pre-recording sessions and on the CD release, so one would hope it will be fine on the DVD as well.

 

[JPCinema]

I took a quick look at all 9 films last night. The quality on all of them is terrific except for TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE which looks rather muddy. The real standout for me is KISMET. The colors are so eye popping it almost looks 3D!
WOW!

 

[Jefferson]

I'm excited. DEEP IN MY HEART is one of my faves, and one that I wasn't sure would make it to dvd....never saw the laserdics, but the print that TCM has been showing all these years seemed (to me) kind of dark and yellow toned at times. I can't wait to see the restoration.
I got the CD (well...downloaded the CD from itunes) which sounds pristine.

 

[Mark B]

That's great to hear. KISMET is a huge guilty pleasure of mine, and the film in this set I am most looking forward to. The score and the orchestrations are terrific.

 

[KellyVO]

Did the Nancy Goes to Rio DVD include the deleted number Sheboygan. I never seen the number but I heard it has been shown on TCM.

I am disappointed that Warners decided to hold back the individual releases till August but in the end thats ok my wallet could use a break since I'm a broke college student. As long as Warners is releasing them I really can't complain!

 

[Edward Weinman]

I am a big Jane Powell fan and was looking forward, for a long time, to the MGM Composers laser box set just for her number in Deep In My Heart...that's when my heart sank! Of all the places that the sound could go wrong, why did it have to be there!...

"Deep In My Heart" has some of the greatest orchestrations/performances from that great studio, not only by the guest stars that appear, but that remarkable MGM Studio Orchestra. I never tire of watching this wonderful film.

"Kismet" does have great orchestrations and performances...I hope that, this go round, the sound does not appear to be as if it is coming from a large echo chamber (as the laser disc does).

 

[Greg_M]

Only wanted "Kismet" but the films will NOT be sold separtely - so if you only want one or two you're out of luck - it's not the money so much but the space - I'm running out of places to put these! I'll probably pass on this set and look on ebay

 

[Simon Howson]

Yeah, I had Kismet and Hit the Deck on order individually, but they were canceled. Any early CinemaScope DVDs released I have to see, it's this obsession I have.

KellyVO said that they will be available individually in August. But I don't think I can wait that long!

 

[Drew Salzan]

What CD release? I was not aware that a CD of the stereo sessions was released.

 

[Mark B]

Actually, it was an I-Tunes download. I should have been more clear.

 

[Edward Weinman]

I've played around with several of these films last night, and...I gotta' say...they look great! The "sound" problem re: Jane Powell's Maytime in "Deep In My Heart" seems somewhat less that what was on the laser disc, but...she's so beautiful (!) that her looks alone, heal part of the sound problem...

These DVD's really pull one back to a sense of viewing them in a theatracal 35mm setting when the projection is great as is the sound system...after having many of these classics on laser disc (and, yes, Beta), seeing them in the clarrity that the DVD process provides and, especially, hearing them on a good sound system...I've never felt so close to the real theatrical experience as now.

(Unless I missed it somehow, DIMH does not have all the "extras" carried over from the laser disc set including the raw recording sessions and the Kathryn Grayson outtake.)

"Kismet" and "Hit the Deck" also look fine...that's all I've been able to spot check so far.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

I have watched all titles in this set except for "Two Weeks with Love" which I hope to get through tonight, after which I will have "a few [too many] words" of my own. Since I will not make street date, I'll spoil some of my review in this thread.

As good as the picture is on "Deep in My Heart", and it is every bit as good as Robert indicated, the 5.0 audio mix may be even better. The orchestra sounds absolutely beautiful. They must have found some very high quality source elements from which to start on the mix. Some vocals sound better recorded than others, but overall, I was very impressed.

When I read the press material that indicated that the three widescreen titles received significant restorations while the six titles in the double feature cases (every title gets its own disc, but the older Eleanor Powell and Jane Powell titles are paired in double disc cases) did not. I was worried that this was going to be a Tom and Jerry situation where they pulled video transfers off the shelf for the 4:3 titles, but that is far from the case. The eight titles I have seen all appear to have gotten brand new transfers from either restored or best available elements. All of the black and white titles have good detail and solid greyscale and are only limited by some element wear and tear ("Broadway Melody of 1938" carries a little more source element damage and density fluctuation than its "...1936" predecessor, for instance).

"Nancy Goes to Rio" is a very nice rendering of the Technicolor film on video with near-perfect registration. It is a bit weak in the audio department, though, sounding like it may have been sourced from an optical print. Per the question above, there are no deleted numbers on "Nancy Goes to Rio".

Regards,

 

[Drew Salzan]

I can't wait!!!

 

[Richard M S]

"the Kathryn Grayson outtake"

Actually, I have the Composers laser disc box set and is the Kathryn Grayson outtake you are referencing the I've Told Ev'ry Little Star/The Song is You number? You can find that Kathryn Grayson and Johnny Johnston outtake on TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY. It is on the Warners DVD release of that film.

The outtake I am intrigued to see from this current box set is the "uncensored" KISMET number.