Where is FUNNY GIRL in 4K ? (1 Viewer)

[roxy1927]

The curtain call is on youtube if you want to get an idea of the physical production.
And I believe the entire Menier production in London which received raves for its star Sheridan Smith is also there.

 

[Garysb]

The Swan Lake number with the cut footage put back in. Cut footage is rough so no problem telling what was cut . Music is also changed in some of the footage in the movie.

 

[KPmusmag]

I once saw Funny Girl on a double-feature with Gypsy at the Vista Theater in Hollywood. This would have been around 1983 - 84. During the Swan Lake sequence, I remember there being some super-imposed shots of Nick playing cards, presumably to show us what he was up to rather than going to opening night. Has anyone else seen that version? Maybe I dreamed it but the memory is vivid and I remember thinking it was a clever way to show that.

 

[roxy1927]

I believe they cut the entire swan lake number or at least most of it when the film was re-released in the early seventies. No loss. Poor Tommy Rall who is one of the greatest male dancers Hollywood has known doesn't even get any credit but it's just as well because he has nothing to do. What a waste.

 

[Matt Hough]

I believe they cut the entire swan lake number or at least most of it when the film was re-released in the early seventies. No loss. Poor Tommy Rall who is one of the greatest male dancers Hollywood has known doesn't even get any credit but it's just as well because he has nothing to do. What a waste.

Yep, one of the greatest dancers in movie history reduced to being a befuddled dance partner. At least he got something of a proper showcase in Pennies from Heaven.

 

[Jim*Tod]

KPmusmag---I remember the superimposed gambling shots over the Swan Lake sequence when I saw FUNNY GIRL in its initial roadshow release. But later prints did not include it. I am not sure why.

Tommy Rall deserved better than he got in his career. I guess KISS ME KATE is probably his best role---he was a perfect foil for Ann Miller.

And if you look sharp during the "I'm The Greatest Star" number.... about 18:40 into the Blu Ray, if you look carefully at the lower left hand corner of the screen you can see two hands holding a still camera come into the frame. Anyone else ever notice that?

 

[roxy1927]

I never saw the original roadshow run of Funny Girl(though I passed in front the Criterion a number of times with my family when it was there) but saw it when it came out to the suburbs, saw it in revival houses, saw it at Radio City and the restored film at the Ziegfeld but never saw the super imposed shots of Nick gambling. Also never saw the hands with the camera either.

I'd also like to know what railroad station waiting room was used for Baltimore. It sure isn't Hoboken because I know it well.
However what was used from the Hoboken station was the arrival platform where the girls come out of the train and where Fanny meets Nick after a long separation. When was that shot? Very early on a Sunday morning? Those are very busy with trains coming in all day from all over NJ for people using the PATH to get into the city where once they would use the adjacent ferry terminal(still standing derelict) before the Hudson Tubes(PATH) were built.

 

[KPmusmag]

KPmusmag---I remember the superimposed gambling shots over the Swan Lake sequence when I saw FUNNY GIRL in its initial roadshow release. But later prints did not include it. I am not sure why.

Tommy Rall deserved better than he got in his career. I guess KISS ME KATE is probably his best role---he was a perfect foil for Ann Miller.

And if you look sharp during the "I'm The Greatest Star" number.... about 18:40 into the Blu Ray, if you look carefully at the lower left hand corner of the screen you can see two hands holding a still camera come into the frame. Anyone else ever notice that?

Thank you for validating my memory!

 

[Garysb]

Here is Tommy Rall with Bob Fosse in "My Sister Eileen"

 

[Matt Hough]

Here is Tommy Rall with Bob Fosse in "My Sister Eileen"

Yes, that competition dance and his work in Seven Brides and Kiss Me Kate define the key moments of his movie career.

 

[trajan007]

I never saw the original roadshow run of Funny Girl(though I passed in front the Criterion a number of times with my family when it was there) but saw it when it came out to the suburbs, saw it in revival houses, saw it at Radio City and the restored film at the Ziegfeld but never saw the super imposed shots of Nick gambling. Also never saw the hands with the camera either.

I'd also like to know what railroad station waiting room was used for Baltimore. It sure isn't Hoboken because I know it well.
However what was used from the Hoboken station was the arrival platform where the girls come out of the train and where Fanny meets Nick after a long separation. When was that shot? Very early on a Sunday morning? Those are very busy with trains coming in all day from all over NJ for people using the PATH to get into the city where once they would use the adjacent ferry terminal(still standing derelict) before the Hudson Tubes(PATH) were built.

There is a short on youtube about the filming of Don't rain on my parade talking about the train station.

 

[TJPC]

Apparently it was a mothballed station which was opened up for the movie shoot.

 

[GlennF]

KPmusmag---I remember the superimposed gambling shots over the Swan Lake sequence when I saw FUNNY GIRL in its initial roadshow release. But later prints did not include it. I am not sure why.

Tommy Rall deserved better than he got in his career. I guess KISS ME KATE is probably his best role---he was a perfect foil for Ann Miller.

And if you look sharp during the "I'm The Greatest Star" number.... about 18:40 into the Blu Ray, if you look carefully at the lower left hand corner of the screen you can see two hands holding a still camera come into the frame. Anyone else ever notice that?

In the roadshow the SWAN LAKE number was very brief, with the superimposed shots. Of course most of the criticism of the film was the downer second act so much of the number was put back in to give a bit of comedy to that section.

 

[Garysb]

Apparently it was a mothballed station which was opened up for the movie shoot.

From the Barbra Archives website.

Funny Girl 1968 Filming, Locations, Columbia Studio, Behind The Scenes

The Barbra Streisand Archives takes an in-depth look at Streisand's film debut, the 1968 movie musical FUNNY GIRL, with Omar Sharif. Photos and illustrations from preproduction, storyboards, hair and makeup tests. Locations, studios and more.

www.barbra-archives.info

“Don't Rain On My Parade”
The station scenes were shot the Central Railroad of New Jersey's Jersey City terminal building and ferry head house [doubling for Baltimore]. Unit Production Manager Paul Helmick explained, “with the Jersey Central Railroad in bankruptcy and inactive, I found it quite easy to make a deal for use of the ornate, turn-of-the-century train station where Pullman cars were already on the tracks.”
The Funny Girl company was transported by excursion boats from their Manhattan hotel near the cruise ship piers to the N.J. dock near the train station, avoiding the Holland Tunnel, traffic, and ground transportation.
The moving train scenes were shot (from a helicopter) on the Army's Picatinny Arsenal trackage outside Dover, NJ. The day coach was pulled by the North Plainfield High Iron Company along a little used High Bridge branch of the railroad.
Streisand ran down Pier 36 at the foot of Clinton Street.
Santa Monica Pier — this California pier stood in for Baltimore in the scene outside the lobster shack when Fanny and Nick kiss.
The Warner Theater on 7Th Street in downtown Los Angeles stood in for interior of the New Amsterdam Theatre (where Barbra sings “Second Hand Rose” and has her flashbacks).
The exterior of The New Amsterdam Theatre seen at the beginning of the film was a theater façade and alleyway situated on the Columbia backlot (now the Warner backlot) on one of its period streets called Modern Place.
Columbia Ranch and its “Brownstone Street” was where “People” and other outdoor scenes in Fanny's neighborhood were shot.
A stately Tudor Revival style house (in the Oak Knoll subdivision of San Marino) was used for exteriors of the Arnstein Long Island home in Funny Girl. Also known as Thornton Gardens, the Funny Girl crew utilized some of its interiors for the movie, too, especially the beautiful carved staircase.

The Columbia Ranch mentioned is where many TV show exteriors were filmed such as Bewitched, Gidget, The Partridge Family, I Dream of Jeannie , the fountain in the opening credits of Friends etc. The fountain was moved to the Warner Bros. studio and is now part of their studio tour.

 

[roxy1927]

The featurette mentions Hoboken and as I said the train tracks really do look like Hoboken but the station itself no.

I'm the only person I know who likes the second half of the film. It's where Wyler's talent as a dramatic director comes to the fore. The confrontations are well written, well acted and for me emotionally satisfying. I like how Sadie Sadie is used to show the dramatic changes that were happening in the culture between the teens and 20s and Sharif is very good when he is offered the job and his initial elation is gradually overtaken by reality. Then at the end you get the punch in the gut that is My Man with no apology as Kael pointed out and probably would be objected to today. I think(from what I remember) in later concerts Streisand would sing the song with a disclaimer.

 

[Garysb]

Again posted by the Barbra Archive is Streisand discussing the cut part of the Swan.


Concerning Nick playing poker during the Swan the Barbra Archive believes that was included in the version of the film original shown in Europe.
Per the Barbra Archive:
William Wyler cut out much of the dialogue and superimposed footage of Omar Sharif as Nick gambling. Apparently, this version was actually shown in Europe.

Funny Girl 1968 Cut Scenes and Musical Numbers Deleted

The Barbra Streisand Archives lists all the cut scenes from the movie of Funny Girl, including rare photos from the film.

www.barbra-archives.info

 

[KPmusmag]

Again posted by the Barbra Archive is Streisand discussing the cut part of the Swan.


Concerning Nick playing poker during the Swan the Barbra Archive believes that was included in the version of the film original shown in Europe.
Per the Barbra Archive:
William Wyler cut out much of the dialogue and superimposed footage of Omar Sharif as Nick gambling. Apparently, this version was actually shown in Europe.

Funny Girl 1968 Cut Scenes and Musical Numbers Deleted

The Barbra Streisand Archives lists all the cut scenes from the movie of Funny Girl, including rare photos from the film.

www.barbra-archives.info

Interesting. I wonder where the print came from that I saw in L.A. Would European prints have come back to Columbia?

 

[DigniT@DigniT!]

The curtain call is on youtube if you want to get an idea of the physical production.
And I believe the entire Menier production in London which received raves for its star Sheridan Smith is also there.

I have seen both Beanie and Sheridan. I have never been more in alignment with Arthur Laurents assessment of Barbara Streisand as an indelible genius than I was while witnessing these two actresses attempt to play Fanny Brice. They are both distinctive in their own ways but Barbara Streisand brought charm, wit, sly sensuality, immediacy, a bit of madness and a preternatural musical gift into a dizzying performance that made Brice, as written for the musical, an absolutely unforgettable original. This is a case where you can't "act" certain kinds of lightning in a bottle. You either got it or you aint... and boyz Streisand got. While acceptable, the other actresses ain't got it! and without "it", every problem of the writing in the libretto glares and overwhelms the pleasures of the evening. It's the equivalent of casting an excellent actress who sings acceptably as Eliza Doolittle or Effie Melody White. The revival opens tonight... CAN WE HAVE THE 4K DISC ASAP???

 

[Will Krupp]

I adore Beanie Feldstein, but it's not going well. Her personal reviews for the revival are NOT great.

Review: Beanie Feldstein in Funny Girl on Broadway (★★)

A talented young star falls on her Fanny

www.timeout.com

‘Funny Girl’ review: Beanie Feldstein’s Broadway show falls flat

This sorely lacking new production rains on the old musical’s parade.

nypost.com

Review: Beanie Feldstein Grabs the Spotlight, Unsteadily, in ‘Funny Girl’

At August Wilson Theatre, ‘Funny Girl’ returns to Broadway with Beanie Feldstein as Fanny Brice, but she has big shoes to fill.

observer.com

and the New York Times

To rip the bandage off quickly: Feldstein is not stupendous. She’s good. She’s funny enough in places, and immensely likable always, as was already evident from her performances in the movies Booksmart and Lady Bird and, on Broadway, in Hello, Dolly! You root for her to raise the roof, but she only bumps against it a little. Her voice, though solid and sweet and clear, is not well suited to the music, and you feel her working as hard as she can to power through the gap. But working hard at what should be naturally extraordinary is not in Fanny’s DNA.

I really wanted her to pull this off.

 

[Garysb]

Interesting. I wonder where the print came from that I saw in L.A. Would European prints have come back to Columbia?

I assume there were no subtitles so it would have had to come from an English speaking country.