Into The Woods (Stephen Sondheim) (Blu-ray) Available for Preorder (1 Viewer)

[Mike Frezon]

Personal experience has taught me to never ever pre-order anything. I always wait for the reviews to come in first before I commit.

Well, that's the beauty of a pre-order with Amazon. It's easy to cancel.

I guess I'll be sticking with my DVD, too.

 

[Rick Thompson]

"Into the Woods" is out on video.

Ho-hum.

 

[Mark-W]

I never had the DVD, (I rented it.) I will keep my order for the Blu-ray. This is a bummer but not altogether surprising.

 

[Brian Kidd]

Dang it. Canceled my pre-order. I'm not surprised at all as I had serious doubts that anything could be done to a video master of that vintage outside of better compression because of the codec. From all accounts, even that didn't help. Image should be ashamed for even releasing this as a Blu-ray.

 

[Citizen87645]

I'm fine listening to the soundtrack and checking out the DVD from my library when needed.

 

[JohnMor]

Based on the review and screen caps at blu-ray.com I have RE-pre-ordered this.

 

[classicmovieguy]

Yes the caps at Blu-ray.com look a lot better, but I still think I'll be staying with DVD for this.

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Into-the-Woods-Blu-ray/112415/#Review

 

[Brian Kidd]

I agree. Those screen shots are still not great and certainly not worth the extra money. I opted for the DVD. Should be delivered today.

 

[Mark-W]

I understand your POV, but $4.00 (the difference between the DVD and the Blu-ray prices at Amazon), is worth it to me for 1) the added durability/scratch resistance of the Blu-ray, and 2) having the video up-converted on the disc itself rather than having my player do that. The audio quality might be better, too, if only marginally.

I agree. Those screen shots are still not great and certainly not worth the extra money. I opted for the DVD. Should be delivered today.

 

[david hare]

Having just watched the original Image DVD I would pass on this for production alone. La Peters notwithstanding, the production and casting leaves me cold. Staging is clunk central, (the narrator in a damn SUIT?) especially in cinematic terms, musical direction also, dull, flat as though the whole project were so sacred it had to be handled with tongs. I have obviously been spoilt by a more recent live performance which had all the energy and brilliance of youth and new talent. This 87 recording plays like the waxworks for me. I am also very much over uprezzed 1.33 videocam digibetas, like the Joni Mitchell double, Woman of Heart and Mind/Painting with Words and Music.Sorry guys! Save the dough and stick with the CD is you really have to have Bernadette in your lap.

 

[Thomas T]

Having just watched the original Image DVD I would pass on this for production alone. La Peters notwithstanding, the production and casting leaves me cold. Staging is clunk central, (the narrator in a damn SUIT?) especially in cinematic terms, musical direction also, dull, flat as though the whole project were so sacred it had to be handled with tongs. I have obviously been spoilt by a more recent live performance which had all the energy and brilliance of youth and new talent. This 87 recording plays like the waxworks for me. I am also very much over uprezzed 1.33 videocam digibetas, like the Joni Mitchell double, Woman of Heart and Mind/Painting with Words and Music.Sorry guys! Save the dough and stick with the CD is you really have to have Bernadette in your lap.

Oh, I so agree with you. Who wants an archival production of a Tony award winning play made by old white people for old white people. Thank heavens we don't have DVDs of the original productions of My Fair Lady, Gypsy or West Side Story to waste our time too. You're spot on about the narrator in a suit. Really! Why a stuffy old suit when they could have put him in a Hawaiian shirt and bermuda shorts! How I envy you seeing a performance that had all the energy and brilliance of youth and new talent. Who wants to see a cast of old farts who've been acting for decades sharing their so called years of experience with us. Youth, youth, youth over the ancient decrepit waxworks every time! Good grief, isn't it scary to think people actually prefer decrepit waxworks like The Rolling Stones instead of an exciting fresh group like New Direction! Unbelievable! Get into the 21st century, dudes!

 

[classicmovieguy]

Everybody is entitled to their opinion, but this cast is still used as the yardstick against which all other productions are judged. There are many who still believe that Joanna Gleason is yet to be equalled in her performance as the Baker's Wife.

 

[bujaki]

I saw the original B'way production with the original cast and enjoyed all the elements: Sondheim's lyrics & music; the magnificent orchestration; the superb acting,staging and direction; the comic bits; the songs that moved me to tears. I'll never forget it and feel fortunate for having seen it.

 

[usrunnr]

We saw the original Pre-Broadway tryout of "Into the Woods" in San Diego, and then later many times in many locations, with many different casts. The original Broadway cast has never been bettered. The recent original cast reunion at Segerstrom Hall in Costa Mesa brought back many memories. And, of course, seeing the Mr. Sondheim in person, talking about his most popular creation, was almost beyond words. Joanna Gleason remains the quintessential Baker's Wife. But everyone in the original cast remains as good now as they were then. They proved it at the reunion.The DVD of that original cast is exceptional. We are lucky to have it.

 

[classicmovieguy]

Exactly. Not every production has been lucky enough to be immortalised like this one. This cast will live forever.

 

[david hare]

Oh, I so agree with you. Who wants an archival production of a Tony award winning play made by old white people for old white people. Thank heavens we don't have DVDs of the original productions of My Fair Lady, Gypsy or West Side Story to waste our time too. You're spot on about the narrator in a suit. Really! Why a stuffy old suit when they could have put him in a Hawaiian shirt and bermuda shorts! How I envy you seeing a performance that had all the energy and brilliance of youth and new talent. Who wants to see a cast of old farts who've been acting for decades sharing their so called years of experience with us. Youth, youth, youth over the ancient decrepit waxworks every time! Good grief, isn't it scary to think people actually prefer decrepit waxworks like The Rolling Stones instead of an exciting fresh group like New Direction! Unbelievable! Get into the 21st century, dudes!

Strangely enough I am 65 years old and generally I hold that view that benchmark standards are everything in music theatre (and classical music - I am a musician by training, and profession, when I was still working.)

I have just had to endure one too many doggedly faithful performances of a "Classic" as though there's only one way it can be done. The last thing I do want is people re-interpreting it as , say the 120 Days of Sodom in the Woods, or Salo the Musical, or whatever, but there's a point at which these "revered" Broadway and London West End productions are just crushing the life out of a lot of shows. I hated the music tempi and I didn't think the band or the sound recording were frankly up to Sondheim's score. I thought the staging was far too S&M (Standing and Modelling) even though the book and the inherent dramaturgy lends itself to movement and activity. Whatever. That's just me.

It always boils down to a preference for live performance over even a "benchmark" production. So I envy people here who saw this live in 87, or it's revival.

 

[Ejanss]

Oh, I so agree with you. Who wants an archival production of a Tony award winning play made by old white people for old white people. Thank heavens we don't have DVDs of the original productions of My Fair Lady, Gypsy or West Side Story to waste our time too. You're spot on about the narrator in a suit. Really! Why a stuffy old suit when they could have put him in a Hawaiian shirt and bermuda shorts!

I take it the poster never caught the later original production when Dick Cavett (yes) took over the role of the Narrator.
That's, um, sort of the joke, y'see, especially considering what happens in Act 2.

It always boils down to a preference for live performance over even a "benchmark" production. So I envy people here who saw this live in 87, or it's revival.

Envy me, I caught the tour back in the day. (Albeit with A&E's Jack Perkins as the Narrator, which would have driven MST3K up the wall no end.)

And what we're watching here is the gen-yew-ine first-staging article we saw in 1987, back in the days when PBS could still air Sondheim musicals fresh off the original stagings for American Playhouse. (Not that I'm particularly waiting for Sunday/George and Passion to get upgrades, though.)
And yes, back in the days when Sondheim musicals still had scenery, and everyone didn't just do bare-stage revivals of Sweeney Todd because that was all they could afford.

 

[Paula001]

Ich mag Oper, aber Ich mag bei Amazon günstiger sehen, ist nicht blau Ich bin mir nicht sicher.








handy zubehör

 

[haineshisway]

I don't want to speak for David Hare, but the taping of Into the Woods was done late into its run and the show had lost some of its spontaneity by then - anyone who saw it early on and watches the video has to know that. I'm not a huge Lapine fan so the staging has never been all that to me, but the video direction is terrible and I think Mr. Hare is alluding to the sound quality which is terrible. It was what they had back then and it is what it is. I have the same problem with Sweeney Todd on video - it has none of the power and electricity it did on stage - and again, it was not only taped late in the run, it was taped in LA with a different leading man.

I have, in fact, never seen a really successful taping of a B'way show - that said, I haven't seen some of the ones done in the last couple of years - maybe they've gotten better at it.

 

[classicmovieguy]

There is an added electricity to the taped performance, in my opinion, because several of the original cast members who'd departed the run returned specifically for the taping. Bernadette Peters left the original run after only 5 months because she had other projects on her schedule. Joanna Gleason's return for the taping is highlighted by the incredible ovation she receives after "Moments in the Woods".