Blu-ray Review Song of Norway Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[TJPC]

860 performances on Broadway in the 1940s, although of course it does not compare to Oklahoma, was a smashing success. The 78 album was also a best seller.

 

[Thomas T]

Hopefully, sales of Song Of Norway for Kino Lorber are doing well. I ordered mine from Deep Discount which had it "in stock" but quickly went to "on backorder" which sounds like a good sign for sales.

 

[RichMurphy]

Hopefully, sales of Song Of Norway for Kino Lorber are doing well. I ordered mine from Deep Discount which had it "in stock" but quickly went to "on backorder" which sounds like a good sign for sales.

If NORWAY is doing well, I hope somehow the word gets to George Feltenstein, so that Stone's THE GREAT WALTZ, which I believe never even made it to VHS, can be considered for release on Blu (or at least, DVD). The version that pops up occasionally on TCM could use some remastering.

 

[MatthewA]

Is George Feltenstein still at Warners? I hope he didn't get downsized. Movie musicals never had a better friend in home video.

 

[RichMurphy]

Is George Feltenstein still at Warners? I hope he didn't get downsized. Movie musicals never had a better friend in home video.

I presume so. He is still doing the Warner Archive podcasts.

And I have to agree that movie musicals, or classic films in general, never had a better friend in home video. YEARS ago, I wrote to MGM's home video department suggesting some films to be made available on laserdisc, and got a personal written response from Feltenstein,

 

[roxy1927]

There are quite a few major MGM musicals that are waiting for deluxe bluray treatment. I hope they do them but I'm beginning to feel they may no longer be worth it for the company. If Mame can get a bluray...That was a bizarre choice. Not only was it a terrible movie and a bomb it looked soft and lacked brilliance when it opened at Radio City.

 

[Thomas T]

There are quite a few major MGM musicals that are waiting for deluxe bluray treatment.

Define "major" and what would they be? Outside of High Society, the 1951 Show Boat, The Great Ziegfeld and two Judy Garland musicals (The Pirate, In The Good Old Summertime), most of the "major" MGM musicals have made it to blu ray. Of course, if you consider those creaky MacDonald and Eddy operettas, Mario Lanza musicals, Jane Powell musicals, Eleanor Powell tap musicals or minor Astaire musicals (The Belle Of New York) "major" then I suppose in your eyes there are "quite a few major" MGM musicals missing. As for Mame being a bomb, there are quite a few musical flops that people would love to see on blu ray like Goodbye Mr. Chips, Paint Your Wagon, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever etc.

 

[roxy1927]

Actually PYW, GMC and OACDYCSF are movie musical masterpieces compared to Mame. I like all 3 of them. And probably all did considerably better at the box office.

And if you can put out Bells Are Ringing, Kismet, and Deep in My Heart on bluray you sure can put out Till the Crowd Roll By, Ziegfeld Follies, Words and Music, Good News, The Harvey Girls, Royal Wedding, and Yolanda and the Thief. Hit the Deck? Then why not The Student Prince? And when they were put out they were as major as you could get.

In 'my eyes' these are all terrific films. If not consistent they contain musical pleasures unmatchable today. Even High Society is pretty uneven. Still it doesn't get better than Frank and Bing singing Well Did You Ever.

 

[roxy1927]

And even if their movies don't merit bluray releases it's unfortunate you have such a condescending attitude towards MacDonald and Eddy, Jane Powell and Eleanor Powell. And of all people Mario Lanza!

 

[Thomas T]

Actually PYW, GMC and OACDYCSF are movie musical masterpieces compared to Mame. I like all 3 of them. And probably all did considerably better at the box office.

And if you can put out Bells Are Ringing, Kismet, and Deep in My Heart on bluray you sure can put out Till the Crowd Roll By, Ziegfeld Follies, Words and Music, Good News, The Harvey Girls, Royal Wedding, and Yolanda and the Thief. Hit the Deck? Then why not The Student Prince? And when they were put out they were as major as you could get.

In 'my eyes' these are all terrific films. If not consistent they contain musical pleasures unmatchable today. Even High Society is pretty uneven. Still it doesn't get better than Frank and Bing singing Well Did You Ever.

Of those on your list, I think it's only a matter of time before Ziegfeld Follies, Good News and The Harvey Girls see the light of day on blu ray. Royal Wedding and Till Clouds Roll By are in the public domain so Warners might be hesitant to spend the restoration money to clean them up for hi def. Outside of two stunning musical numbers, Yolanda And The Thief is a pretty mediocre film and I love both Minnelli and Astaire. As far as The Student Prince, if the DVD is any indication, it needs major restoration work to make it acceptable for blu ray. Warners would have to weigh the costs of the restoration vs. the potential profit and I suspect it's not worth it to them. As for Bells Are Ringing, Kismet, Deep In My Heart and Hit The Deck getting released, I suspect that they were all in pretty good shape and needed only minor spiffing up to be ready for HD.

 

[Thomas T]

And even if their movies don't merit bluray releases it's unfortunate you have such a condescending attitude towards MacDonald and Eddy, Jane Powell and Eleanor Powell. And of all people Mario Lanza!

I love Jane Powell and Eleanor Powell. If their films were released on blu ray, I'd definitely pick them up but they are all minor MGM musicals. Just keeping it real. As for my "condescending" attitude toward Jeanette & Nelson and Mario Lanza, I'm not a fan, sorry. I also have "condescending" attitudes toward Joan Crawford, Henry Fonda, Teresa Wright, Laurel and Hardy and Marlene Dietrich.

 

[roxy1927]

Laurel and Hardy? Thems fighting words.

 

[Thomas T]

Laurel and Hardy? Thems fighting words.

Humor is subjective since we all react differently. What's funny to me may not be funny to you and vice versa. I dislike Laurel and Hardy, W.C. Fields, Monty Python, the 3 Stooges but Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis and Abbott & Costello have me laughing like a hyena. Go figure!

Now back to Song Of Norway. I just got word that it's taken off backorder and a copy is winging its way to me as I type.

 

[Matt Hough]

Well, I have the streaming high definition versions of both Till the Clouds Roll By and Royal Wedding, and they're both beautiful.

 

[john a hunter]

Isn't Kismet already on BD?
Am sure I recall trying to watch it.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

I think Judy Garland's 'For Me and My Gal' to be one of her finest films. That, and 'The Harvey Girls', certainly deserve Blu ray status. The DVD of 'For Me and My Gal' suggests that an upgrade should be possible.
And now back to Song of Norway. .... Nope, I think I'll give it a miss for now. But still, this is a great thread to follow.

 

[roxy1927]

Well I like Maytime a lot. It's a long lumbering film but Barrymore is fantastic and when you get to the end as hokey as it is I feel it's tremendously moving.
And how can you not like The Merry Widow or San Francisco?
Oh that's right we were talking about Wessonality in a fjord. Well I bit the bullet. And to think I could have seen this on the Warner Cinerama screen 50 years ago! Well to be honest I was going to the Music Hall to see Scrooge multiple times.

 

[Robin9]

I love Jane Powell and Eleanor Powell. If their films were released on blu ray, I'd definitely pick them up but they are all minor MGM musicals. Just keeping it real. As for my "condescending" attitude toward Jeanette & Nelson and Mario Lanza, I'm not a fan, sorry. I also have "condescending" attitudes toward Joan Crawford, Henry Fonda, Teresa Wright, Laurel and Hardy and Marlene Dietrich.

. . . . . and an "ascending" attitude to June Allyson!

In truth I agree with your assessment of the likelihood of these musicals coming out on Blu-ray disc. I'm a big, big fan of Cyd Charisse and I'd love a Blu-ray rendition of Meet Me In Las Vegas but I don't expect to see it. I'd also love Party Girl and I think that has a better chance.

 

[Thomas T]

. . . . . and an "ascending" attitude to June Allyson!

In truth I agree with your assessment of the likelihood of these musicals coming out on Blu-ray disc. I'm a big, big fan of Cyd Charisse and I'd love a Blu-ray rendition of Meet Me In Las Vegas but I don't expect to see it. I'd also love Party Girl and I think that has a better chance.

I agree about Party Girl over Meet Me In Las Vegas although I'd love both on blu ray. Party Girl has a cult reputation and directed by auteur Nick Ray (oh, those French!) so a blu ray release doesn't seem improbable. Still, I'd love MMILV on blu ray just for that incredible Frankie And Johnny production number!

 

[Matt Hough]

I pulled out my cast recording of Song of Norway over the last couple of days and have been reveling in the beautiful singing of Lawrence Brooks as Grieg. How my heart aches that someone of comparable singing talent couldn't have been recruited for the film version! All three Broadway leads sound magnificent on this recording.