A Few Words About A few words about...™ Brigadoon -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Larry Geller]

Seven Brides is a top tier film and far superior to Brigadoon.

Where the hell is it on Blu-Ray? Or Carousel, for that matter?

 

[KPmusmag]

Where the hell is it on Blu-Ray? Or Carousel, for that matter?

Carousel has been on blu since 2014 as part of the R&H Collection. (However, IMO like K&I the color isn't what it should be).

https://www.amazon.com/Rodgers-Hamm...4&sr=1-1&keywords=rodgers+hammerstein+blu-ray

 

[Larry Geller]

Carousel has been on blu since 2014 as part of the R&H Collection. (However, IMO like K&I the color isn't what it should be).

https://www.amazon.com/Rodgers-Hamm...4&sr=1-1&keywords=rodgers+hammerstein+blu-ray

Where's an individual release? I don't feel like buying my 60th copy of The Sound Of Music.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

I also find Carousel's colour palette disappointing on the Blu ray. What a shame it couldn't match 'Oklahoma' or 'South Pacific' in fidelity to the original!

 

[Robert Harris]

I also find Carousel's colour palette disappointing on the Blu ray. What a shame it couldn't match 'Oklahoma' or 'South Pacific' in fidelity to the original!

Different, problematic film elements. Limited preservation elements. Difficult scanning environment

 

[Brian Kidd]

Different, problematic film elements. Limited preservation elements. Difficult scanning environment

Thanks for that. I think we sometimes forget that every film is different. Those of us on the consumer end aren't privy to the details of extant materials, film condition, etc. There are so many variables that go into what can be done on a film that it's honestly a miracle when we do get spectacular transfers of older films. I've often seen folks complain about a cult film looking great on BD when a popular film has issues. Often, that's just because the materials for a cult film didn't get the wear and tear that a more popular film had.

Carousel and King & I are far from perfect on BD; but considering how many older films aren't getting BD releases, I'll take what I can get.

 

[Rick Thompson]

Good Heavens -- Betta St. John! The original (as in 1949 Broadway Cast) Liat in South Pacific! Here I thought she'd dropped off the face of the earth! Now upon checking, I find that she did only the one stage character but then did a boatload of small roles in film and TV.

And isn't it interesting that the author of the original book and lyrics gets no love in all these credits? It was Dorothy Donnelly, who was quite the trailblazer for women on Broadway as a producer, director and book/lyric writer.

 

[RolandL]

Carousel and King & I are far from perfect on BD; but considering how many older films aren't getting BD releases, I'll take what I can get.

Those titles are the only ones filmed in CinemaScope 55. The frame is also larger (1.824 x 1.43) than 70mm (2.072 x .906) - from the widescreenmuseum.

 

[Robin9]

. . . . And isn't it interesting that the author of the original book and lyrics gets no love in all these credits? It was Dorothy Donnelly, who was quite the trailblazer for women on Broadway as a producer, director and book/lyric writer.

Dorothy Donnelly, played by Merle Oberon, is rightfully celebrated in Deep In My Heart which is out on a superb Warner Archive Blu-ray disc.

 

[roxy1927]

So I just watched this. Much better than I imagined. Yes I had watched it on TV when I was a boy but it never made much of an impression on me and I foolishly missed it at the Carnegie Hall Cinema when it was on a double bill with Fair Weather which I did go to see. I remember glancing at Brigadoon's closing credits and was astonished at how brilliant the Ansco colors were. On broadcast TV they always looked terrible.
Why oh why did they cut out the sword dance when it is only a matter of a few minutes and Laing's only opportunity to be featured in dance? They also could have included one of the most beautiful songs in the score Come To Me Bend To Me. At least they were saved. But the film still would have come in at two hours! The stereo sound must have been spectacular at Radio City especially with the gathering of the clans.
Virginia Bosler died this last August at 94!
On stage known as the only Broadway musical to get a rave review by every critic(Though I can't imagine My Fair Lady or Chorus Line getting a bad review either.) Too bad we'll never see the lavish Broadway revival it deserves.

 

[edelweissflower]

This film is too mannered and, I have to say, s-l-o-w. It bores me silly, which is why I gave away the DVD. And I like the stage musical itself!

I love the original stage musical and have the original cast album with David Brooks and Marion Bell( one of the 8 Mrs Lerner's) as well as more recent cast albums of the score. You can see an actual 1947 performance of Marion Bell singing the part of Fiona in the documentary film from 1988 'Lerner & Loewe Broadway's Last Romantic's' with other members of the original casts from 'Paint Your Wagon'; 'My Fair Lady' and 'Camelot'. The stage show is far more superior to the film as David Brooks has a far better voice than Gene Kelly, to start with and Cyd Charisse is dubbed as Fiona, but the film is better than nothing.

 

[edelweissflower]

So I just watched this. Much better than I imagined. Yes I had watched it on TV when I was a boy but it never made much of an impression on me and I foolishly missed it at the Carnegie Hall Cinema when it was on a double bill with Fair Weather which I did go to see. I remember glancing at Brigadoon's closing credits and was astonished at how brilliant the Ansco colors were. On broadcast TV they always looked terrible.
Why oh why did they cut out the sword dance when it is only a matter of a few minutes and Laing's only opportunity to be featured in dance? They also could have included one of the most beautiful songs in the score Come To Me Bend To Me. At least they were saved. But the film still would have come in at two hours! The stereo sound must have been spectacular at Radio City especially with the gathering of the clans.
Virginia Bosler died this last August at 94!
On stage known as the only Broadway musical to get a rave review by every critic(Though I can't imagine My Fair Lady or Chorus Line getting a bad review either.) Too bad we'll never see the lavish Broadway revival it deserves.

Some of the cut songs are included as a bonus feature on the Blu-Ray issue of the film. I love the song 'Come To Me Bend To Me' too.

 

[edelweissflower]

Worth it for the Cyd & Gene dance scenes alone. Unless cribbing from G.B. Shaw, Alan Jay Lerner scripts are always a problem.

a lot of Lerner's 'books' were originals for his musicals, which is the most difficult musical to write, ones that are not based on any existing literary source, although I understand 'Brigadoon' was not as original as he made out and was adapted from some German story about a German mythical village. 'What's Up' 1943; 'The Day Before Spring' 1945, were also originals as well as 'Paint Your Wagon 'in 1951, I believe.
It was only 'My Fair Lady' 1956; 'Gigi' 1958; 'Camelot' 1960 and 'The Little Prince' 1974 that were based on existing literary sources and were the more successful.
Even Oscar Hammerstein had trouble with his original musicals 'Allegro' 1947 and 'Me and Juliet'1953 running no where near as long as his musicals that were based on existing novels/plays.

 

[edelweissflower]

I like the film. Its a good film, But considering all of the talent, it should have been a great film, and its not.
Problems - The part is written for a Broadway baritone and Gene Kelly can not sing.
I wish we would get a special version where the cut numbers are inserted back into the film.
The original choice for Charisse role was Moira "Red Shoes" Shearer. Gorgeous and a better actress than Charisse.

Concur absolutely it was written for David Brooks on stage in 1947. The cut numbers should ideally be reinserted back into the film, although some of them are as a bonus feature on the Blu-ray issue. that's what they should do with 'South Pacific' too.

 

[edelweissflower]

Good Heavens -- Betta St. John! The original (as in 1949 Broadway Cast) Liat in South Pacific! Here I thought she'd dropped off the face of the earth! Now upon checking, I find that she did only the one stage character but then did a boatload of small roles in film and TV.

And isn't it interesting that the author of the original book and lyrics gets no love in all these credits? It was Dorothy Donnelly, who was quite the trailblazer for women on Broadway as a producer, director and book/lyric writer.

Indeed she was one of several great women librettist/lyricists when it was only the composer who got the credit be they man or woman , Katherine Chisholm Cushing among them.

 

[Garysb]

There was a terrific production in 2017 at City Center Encores Gala in NYC with Kelli O'Hara and Patrick Wilson.
Here is a clip

 

[roxy1927]

Yes the two cut scenes are included in the bonus section but they should have been in the film but Freed insisted on getting it in under two hours. They would have made the film more emotionally powerful. Wasn't this the period when Minnelli was bored with stage adaptions and wanted to get on with Lust For Life which really affected Kismet? That has some wonderful moments but horrible cuts as in the middle of This is my Beloved one of the most beautiful songs in the score. It's over just as it starts when you're getting into it. Also the wedding procession during Night of my Nights would have been filmed with MGM splendor just a few years before. Here the budget was cut drastically and you can tell.

 

[John Maher_289910]

The show is a masterpiece of the Broadway stage. Easily L&L's greatest musical. The film, like so many other film versions of great Broadway shows, is just frustrating to me.

 

[Brian Dauth]

Alan Jay Lerner loved a plot where a woman comes on the scene, and disrupts a male pair/community:

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS--Lise--Jerry/Adam/Henri
BRIGADOON--Fiona--Tommy/Jeff
MY FAIR LADY--Eliza--Higgins/Pickering
CAMELOT--Guinevere--Arthur/Lancelot/other knights

The biggest variation is found in GIGI--the only work based on the writing of a woman (hence, Lerner's least sexist story). Gigi does not so much pull Gaston from Honore and his world, but offer Gaston a path out of a milieu he doesn't enjoy.

 

[edelweissflower]

There was a terrific production in 2017 at City Center Encores Gala in NYC with Kelli O'Hara and Patrick Wilson.
Here is a clip




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Yes I have the cast recording