UHD Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ Annie - Columbia Classics Volume 3 -- in 4k UHD Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[roxy1927]

There's no doubt about it. Annie is a movie you either love or hate with very little 'middle ground' if any. So, you don't sort'a like it, or sort'a hate it. You just do. Full stop. But hey, it really doesn't matter what side of the isle you skew. You're all never fully dressed without a smile!

Much like The Sound of Music. But that has a glorious score, the glorious Julie Andrews, the Alps and a very beautiful Eleanor Parker. Annie has what? A bald Albert Finney. Yet Annie has a 4K release! There is no justice in this crazy world.

 

[Nick*Z]

Much like The Sound of Music. But that has a glorious score, the glorious Julie Andrews, the Alps and a very beautiful Eleanor Parker. Annie has what? A bald Albert Finney. Yet Annie has a 4K release! There is no justice in this crazy world.

Annie has Grover Crisp and a proactive and thriving home video base at Sony Pictures. The Sound of Music, like The King and I, Oklahoma!, State Fair and Carousel has...uh (groan!!!!) Disney Inc. The mouse house cannot even get behind releasing competently rendered Blu-rays of its home grown live-action catalog, much less aim for the high water mark on the myriad of Fox classics it now holds dominion over and will likely NEVER be willing to market except as a sideline on Disney plus...if at all.

To be clear, I too believe there are a lot more worthy contenders for the deluxe box set treatment from Sony. You know, pictures like Funny Girl, A Man for All Seasons, The Talk of the Town, The Prince of Tides, Howards End, The Remains of the Day, The Mirror has Two Faces, Theodora Runs Wild, Nicholas and Alexandra, Steel Magnolias, In A Lonely Place, Queen Bee, Harriet Craig, The Marrying Kind, It Should Happen to You, Born Yesterday, The Solid Gold Cadillac, The Big Heat, The Wild One, Capra's Lost Horizon, Only Angels Have Wings...etc.

Point is, you and I are not in this look of decision making or logic behind what constitutes a 'yes' and getting pushed to the head of the line. And Annie, for what it's worth, is a movie I would have championed in 4K eventually anyway. Instead of the sun coming out tomorrow, it came out today. I can accept that.

 

[jayembee]

Much like The Sound of Music. But that has a glorious score, the glorious Julie Andrews, the Alps and a very beautiful Eleanor Parker. Annie has what? A bald Albert Finney. Yet Annie has a 4K release! There is no justice in this crazy world.

Different companies, different priorities. What Sony chooses to release or not release on UHD has nothing to do with what Disney chooses to release or not release on UHD.

 

[JPCinema]

Disappointed that none of the digital copies upgraded to 4K. I feel ripped off.

 

[mark brown]

Watched Annie on Sunday with my 3 and 4 year old granddaughters. I cannot possibly be objective about this film now!

 

[roxy1927]

Well having no children I would have been very happy with a Rita Hayworth movie. You Were Never Lovelier, Cover Girl, Gilda...Heck even with children.

 

[DarkVader]

Kudos to Sony. They have done an amazing job with this release. This 4Ker is extremely pleased and happy!

 

[John Maher_289910]

I detested this film with every fiber of my being. It was the only time I felt embarrassed to be in a movie theater watching something. The only person I actually liked in their role, was the Annie. I've never attempted to watch it again. When people claim they like it, or it's their favorite movie, I'm always perplexed. I think, for the most part, it has much to do with the age they were when they first saw it. Lots of people are perplexed by my favorites, too. I did like the Broadway show, and the Disney television version of it. Although, for me, the definitive film is yet to be made.

 

[Will Krupp]

think, for the most part, it has much to do with the age they were when they first saw it. Lots of people are perplexed by my favorites, too. I did like the Broadway show, and the Disney television version of it.

You know, John, I think one's satisfaction with the 1982 film may come down to whether or not you saw the show before you saw the movie. I've mentioned that the Broadway show (my very first at the age of 10) was a big moment for me that I can still remember to this day. I was sorely disappointed in the movie when I saw it.

I said earlier that I didn't hate it, by any means, but I added the caveat that I hadn't seen it in years. I recently watched it on 4K when I got the Columbia boxset and I have to say, I like it a whole lot LESS than I thought I did. They really cut the heart out of the show and Ray Stark's rather smug contempt for the original material (maybe Huston's, too?) oozes into every frame. It's as if they're all saying "we know this show is shit but you're gonna love it because we're gonna wow ya!"

Aileen Quinn could have been fine as Annie (she has her moments) but she's directed to do such hideous, cutesy "bits" that she never really stands a chance, IMO.

Burnett, who I otherwise adore, makes the mistake (and in the long line of Hannigans, she's far from alone, by the way) of thinking she can just vamp the role, trade on her own image, and ignore the singing, ignore the performance. Burnett CAN sing, but she either chooses (or was directed) to make fun of the already clever lyrics as though she's better than the material (the deleted verse from "Easy Street" is a prime example.) That same material won Loudon a Tony award. It comes across as a pipsqueak performance from someone who knows better and is capable of so much more.

I can't even discuss the choreography or the lousy "new" songs.

My point is that if you see the movie without seeing the show, you might have a better opinion of it. Remember, all the critics who trashed the movie in 1982 had, for the most part, seen it in the flesh already.

 

[uncledougie]

Your take on it, Will, is exactly my own. It would have been a mild and reasonably agreeable entertainment if it hadn’t disrespected and eviscerated the original musical. I’ve stated it’s one of the top 5 magical musical stage productions of the many I’ve been fortunate enough to see (in my case with Annie in London). I don’t think I ever had just more sheer FUN and feeling of giddy delight at a show. That’s the level of disappointment the film of Annie brought out in fans of the show. Without previous exposure to the material, and if I’d been a child seeing it for the first time, the movie might pass muster.
Doug

 

[John Maher_289910]

You know, John, I think one's satisfaction with the 1982 film may come down to whether or not you saw the show before you saw the movie. I've mentioned that the Broadway show (my very first at the age of 10) was a big moment for me that I can still remember to this day. I was sorely disappointed in the movie when I saw it.

I said earlier that I didn't hate it, by any means, but I added the caveat that I hadn't seen it in years. I recently watched it on 4K when I got the Columbia boxset and I have to say, I like it a whole lot LESS than I thought I did. They really cut the heart out of the show and Ray Stark's rather smug contempt for the original material (maybe Huston's, too?) oozes into every frame. It's as if they're all saying "we know this show is shit but you're gonna love it because we're gonna wow ya!"

Aileen Quinn could have been fine as Annie (she has her moments) but she's directed to do such hideous, cutesy "bits" that she never really stands a chance, IMO.

Burnett, who I otherwise adore, makes the mistake (and in the long line of Hannigans, she's far from alone, by the way) of thinking she can just vamp the role, trade on her own image, and ignore the singing, ignore the performance. Burnett CAN sing, but she either chooses (or was directed) to make fun of the already clever lyrics as though she's better than the material (the deleted verse from "Easy Street" is a prime example.) That same material won Loudon a Tony award. It comes across as a pipsqueak performance from someone who knows better and is capable of so much more.

I can't even discuss the choreography or the lousy "new" songs.

My point is that if you see the movie without seeing the show, you might have a better opinion of it. Remember, all the critics who trashed the movie in 1982 had, for the most part, seen it in the flesh already.

OMG, the choreography is atrocious. I actually slumped down into my theater seat, trying to disappear during that horrible "We Got Annie" or whatever it's called, number. No 'NYC' as I recall, and a really mediocre number in its place. Burnett plays it nothing but drunk. The role is wasted by her, which, as you say, really makes no sense. She is so capable of it. The direction is as atrocious as the choreography.

 

[DarkVader]

Annie fostered my love for all things "Ann Reinking". A Fosse protege/muse who we sadly lost 2 years ago. Her dancing in that yellow dress during the "We Got Annie" number will always be iconic. She was a gorgeously talented force to be reckoned with.

In fact, this number is so damn iconic that it was interpolated into NBC's recent "Annie Live" broadcast which had Nicole Scherzinger perform it in a very similar yellow dress in tribute to Reinking.

 

[roxy1927]

I literally remember Reinking from the original production of Pippin. Even though she was a member of the chorus you saw her. Then I saw her in Over Here. And it's the only time I've ever seen John Travolta and I remember him being very funny.

Annie may be a bit like My Fair Lady. It seems that anybody who saw the original Broadway production with Harrison and Andrews remembers it as one of the most magical evenings they had in the theater. When they saw the film they found it a real disappointment. I found that it was peculiar that Hepburn did not even get an Oscar nomination. Did everyone on the nominating committee see Andrews in the role? I mean Andrews didn't even get the Tony. I would have not only have given Hepburn a nomination I would have given her the Oscar. Andrews should have gotten it for Music.

 

[willyTass]

Oh well, least we get The Remains of the Day in 4k in a few months which should have been in this box set in lieu of this turd

 

[DarkVader]

Oh well, least we get The Remains of the Day in 4k in a few months which should have been in this box set in lieu of this turd

Geez, so many people losing sleep, banging their heads against the walls and getting their feathers all ruffled over one little ole movie. LMAO

 

[mark brown]

The Annie bashing continues! Keep it up and you are going to make me like it.

 

[roxy1927]

Annie is like The Devils and Salo. One of the most controversial films ever made. Unfortunately unlike The Devils the movie studio refuses to keep it hidden away.

 

[Jimbo.B]

Annie may be a bit like My Fair Lady. It seems that anybody who saw the original Broadway production with Harrison and Andrews remembers it as one of the most magical evenings they had in the theater. When they saw the film they found it a real disappointment. I found that it was peculiar that Hepburn did not even get an Oscar nomination. Did everyone on the nominating committee see Andrews in the role? I mean Andrews didn't even get the Tony. I would have not only have given Hepburn a nomination I would have given her the Oscar. Andrews should have gotten it for Music.

As I recall, the My Fair Lady issue was more about personality than anything else. The industry was angry at Jack Warner for not hiring Andrews to appear in the movie version of a role for which she had become famous. Warner cast Hepburn, an actress with a pleasant but not wonderful little voice, to sing this important singing role. Hepburn, for her part, had accepted on the assumption that she would sing in the movie. Behind her back Warner then went about hiring Marni Nixon to dub Hepburn. That caused all sorts of animosity towards Hepburn for accepting the role.

The dubbing became a major issue which seemed peculiar since dubbing had been standard industry practice for decades. Some of the most iconic singing roles in Hollywood history included dubbed voices that went basically ignored by the public.

That Hepburn was not nominated when the film otherwise swept the Oscars really had little to do with Hepburn or her performance. Even Andrews recognized that her Oscar win for Mary Poppins that year was basically a big f**k u to Warner for not hiring her for MFL

 

[B-ROLL]

As I recall, the My Fair Lady issue was more about personality than anything else. The industry was angry at Jack Warner for not hiring Andrews to appear in the movie version of a role for which she had become famous. Warner cast Hepburn, an actress with a pleasant but not wonderful little voice, to sing this important singing role. Hepburn, for her part, had accepted on the assumption that she would sing in the movie. Behind her back Warner then went about hiring Marni Nixon to dub Hepburn. That caused all sorts of animosity towards Hepburn for accepting the role.

The dubbing became a major issue which seemed peculiar since dubbing had been standard industry practice for decades. Some of the most iconic singing roles in Hollywood history included dubbed voices that went basically ignored by the public.

That Hepburn was not nominated when the film otherwise swept the Oscars really had little to do with Hepburn or her performance. Even Andrews recognized that her Oscar win for Mary Poppins that year was basically a big f**k u to Warner for not hiring her for MFL

But Julie had a three picture deal with FOX and wouldn't have been able to do MFL for WB.

 

[roxy1927]

She couldn't do MFL because she was filming MP. Sound of Music was filmed the following summer. There would have been no interference with her Fox films.
She had a deal with Disney that if Warner at the last minute decided to use her for Lady Walt would let her out of her contract.
But what was the third Fox film? I thought it was two.