A Few Words About A few words about…™ The Pajama Game – in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[John Maher_289910]

Fosse's Once A Year Day has its moments, but it is, ultimately, a waste of great music. I'm happy to have the exact same dance music that is used in the stage show, though. The disc looks fantastic.

 

[Rob W]

This was also my first viewing of the film and like some others, I was scratching my head during the knife-throwing finale. I can usually set my mindset to consider the times that older films originate, but this was just... odd. I've also become far more sensitive to the use of African-Americans in early films than I used to be. Just personal observations, not criticism.

But the unexpected delight in this film was seeing Reta Shaw singing and dancing. I've always liked her but mostly associated her with 1960's comedies like the Don Knotts movies, and my memory thinks that Red Skelton used her as a regular in sketches on his show during the 1960's. I know she was also in Mary Poppins, but her song was part of an ensemble and didn't prepare me for her charming little number in Pajama Game.

 

[Mike Frezon]

But the unexpected delight in this film was seeing Reta Shaw singing and dancing. I've always liked her but mostly associated her with 1960's comedies like the Don Knotts movies, and my memory thinks that Red Skelton used her as a regular in sketches on his show during the 1960's. I know she was also in Mary Poppins, but her song was part of an ensemble and didn't prepare me for her charming little number in Pajama Game.

This!

 

[roxy1927]

Yes for me the highlight of the film for me is not the slick Steam Heat which in the original Broadway production must have blown the roof off the St James and turned it into a sellout hit(two of the dancers you see were the originals and the third originated the role of Bernardo in WSS. The role on stage was danced by Peter Gennaro.) but the old fashioned soft shoe of Foy and Reta Shaw(both of course from the Broadway cast.) Their old pro charm and joy are effortless.

Recording Steam Heat for the obc. Peter on the left. Then Carol and Buzz who we see in the film

 

[Noel Aguirre]

Great picture and sound on this disc. Now I see where Grease got its choreography for its closing number- that picnic! Some of those kids moves were direct rip offs.
Sad to read about Carol Haney’s life- she looks like a different person in this compared to 4 years earlier in Kiss Me Kate and not because of the haircut. What a talented dancer she was- I can only imagine seeing her live must have been amazing cause dancing is usually always better live as there’s no edits and it’s so soulfully fluid.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

This was also my first viewing of the film and like some others, I was scratching my head during the knife-throwing finale. I can usually set my mindset to consider the times that older films originate, but this was just... odd. I've also become far more sensitive to the use of African-Americans in early films than I used to be. Just personal observations, not criticism.

But the unexpected delight in this film was seeing Reta Shaw singing and dancing. I've always liked her but mostly associated her with 1960's comedies like the Don Knotts movies, and my memory thinks that Red Skelton used her as a regular in sketches on his show during the 1960's. I know she was also in Mary Poppins, but her song was part of an ensemble and didn't prepare me for her charming little number in Pajama Game.

Reta Shaw: 44 years old during that production!

 

[Jim*Tod]

Just watched the disc and agree completely---remarkable quality, not only do the colors pop the level of detail is incredible. There are places where it looks like it was shot in 70mm. I do have to disagree with many of the posters here about one thing: I think John Raitt is just fine.... just the virile presence needed for the role. This is definitely a must have disc for musical lovers.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I think it's awesome that we have this incredible-looking disc of this musical which has re-ignited all this discussion about what people like (and don't like) about this film. So many people are weighing in here...

And if we're going to see the film, it might as well be looking its best!

It certainly has renewed a lot of interest in the film. And, for example, this disc got me to see the film for the first time. I'm sure I'll be revisiting the disc down the road.

Thank you, Warner Archives!

 

[Robert Harris]

I think it's awesome that we have this incredible-looking disc of this musical which has re-ignited all this discussion about what people like (and don't like) about this film. So many people are weighing in here...

And if we're going to see the film, it might as well be looking its best!

It certainly has renewed a lot of interest in the film. And, for example, this disc got me to see the film for the first time. I'm sure I'll be revisiting the disc down the road.

Thank you, Warner Archives!

Your comment brings to the fore a very interesting attribute of the histories and human memories of both live, as well as filmed performances.

Removing them from public view entirely, or allowing them to only be seen as veritable shadows of themselves in poor quality versions, only damages the reputations of quality works and performances.

The general comments in this thread will hopefully serve as enlightenment to those holding underlying rights, to work with licensees of those rights, to re-license and allow works to be seen, evaluated, or re-evaluated from memories.

Wonderful films, and their requisite memories, should not be allowed to fade.

 

[david hare]

What else can you say?

 

[warnerbro]

The color and saturation on this is perfection!

 

[warnerbro]

They also changed the lyrics in I'M NOT AT ALL IN LOVE from
"All you gotta is be Polite with him
And they've got you spending the night with HIM"
to:
"All you gotta do it seems is work for him
And they've got you going beserk for him"

 

[roxy1927]

But they left in she can sew a button on a fly like she's pouring tea.

 

[Mark B]

pouring tea for the Queen of England

 

[roxy1927]

Your comment brings to the fore a very interesting attribute of the histories and human memories of both live, as well as filmed performances.

Removing them from public view entirely, or allowing them to only be seen as veritable shadows of themselves in poor quality versions, only damages the reputations of quality works and performances.

The general comments in this thread will hopefully serve as enlightenment to those holding underlying rights, to work with licensees of those rights, to re-license and allow works to be seen, evaluated, or re-evaluated from memories.

Wonderful films, and their requisite memories, should not be allowed to fade.

Which is what happened when your restoration of MFL opened at the Ziegfeld. Janet Maslin reviewed it in the Times and and it was such a rave that I wondered if she had seen the film before. Had it tarnished in her memory? It then went on to sellout at just about every performance(I knew of people who tried to get in but couldn't) but sadly had to be cut short because of a previous booking. It could have played for several more weeks because word of mouth would have only spread.

Also the glowing absolutely stunning print of Singin' in the Rain that played at Radio City in '75 was so dazzling and such a revelation Vincent Canby wrote an Arts and Leisure essay about it that very Sunday after it had just opened.

 

[MartinP.]

I had watched Pajama Game again last November, before I knew a Blu-Ray release was imminent, so I wasn't in a hurry to get the Blu-Ray, but a friend surprised me with it as a gift a few days ago. I was immediately struck but how much better it looked. I watched it two days in a row now.

Maybe because of that, the second time I watched it I noticed right after the "I'm Not at All in Love" scene we see workers hanging a banner for the picnic to be held Thursday July 12. In the next office scene with the "Hey, There" number, the unmistakably large calendar on the wall shows July 12th to be on a Monday. It doesn't say what year it is, but it wasn't 1957, either.

By the way, "Hey There", as sung by Rosemary Clooney, happened to be the #1 song on the day I was born.

Any opinions on the deleted song, "The Man Who Invented Love," included as an extra?

 

[roxy1927]

It's not 1956 either. Also in the trailer Day flashes her red panties in the 'curtain call' which she does not do in the actual film so they're using different takes.

Her Hey There reprise is better than the new song. And Frank Loesser wrote There Once Was a Man.

 

[Mark B]

Ha! I noticed Doris flashing her panties, too.

The deleted song? Wisely deleted. It just doesn't send me. And seriously, I think it would have lessened the impact of her "Hey, There" reprise.

 

[Matt Hough]

I agree. "The Man Who Invented Love" is a forgettable tune. Doris' reprise of "Hey There" is unforgettable especially that genius idea to light up that red spot on the word "pride" as she sings it.

 

[Drew Salzan]

I agree. "The Man Who Invented Love" is a forgettable tune. Doris' reprise of "Hey There" is unforgettable especially that genius idea to light up that red spot on the word "pride" as she sings it.

I opted to to shoot that scene live without playback.