laureatedvd.com

[Rego]

A newly restored print taken from the 1958 todd-ao version of South Pacific with full dolby sound is on for an extended season in March at the NFT in London for anyone interested

Fox released this Rodgers & Hammerstein classic musical in a 2 disc special edition last year.
This is a vast improvement over the rather savagely cut versions that had been available previously.
My only gripe is the fact the wonderful stills that were shown on the old DVD whilst the overture and intermission music were played are missing on this new DVD version.
That said, it is a small sacrifice as both sound and picture have been beautifuly restored.
Also included on disc 2 is the full roadshow version of the film, but this does only have a stereo sound track rather than the 5.1 on the cinema version on disc 1.
Packed full of extras this set is realy a "must have" for any Rodgers & Hammerstein Fan, and whilst we cant have the Todd-Ao HD on DVD Yet, We can get the wonderful surround sound that made this film so special for me when I first went to see it in London's west end, in the late 1950's

[Ken Barnes]

Yes, it's good news that the NFT will be screening "South Pacific" I'd like to catch it but unfortunately I'm fully committed through March and into April.

The Fox DVD - 2-disc edition is part of theeir must-have musicals series - which I helped promote on national radio last November. The series also includes 2-disc editions of all their R & H movie musicals of which "Oklahoma" ( in Tpdd AO ) is a standout.

[Rego]

It's good to see Fox unlike Universal are really doing some excellent work with their DVD's collections and certainly the new R & H movie musicals collection you mention are really superb with loads of extrs

[Ken Barnes]

I am shortly leaving for Los Angeles and one of my meetings will be with Universal. They released our Special Edition of "Holiday Inn" shortly before Christmas and it made it into Amazon's Top 30 in the U.S.
So hopefully I can interest them in doing some interesting releases that would meet the many requests I have received.

Fingers crossed

[Rego]

I only hope Universal have learn't there lesson from the disaster that was the Fred & Ginger Collection Vol 2 , and use your expertise in creating what are trully magnificent DVD productions such as your original Laureate DVD's

[Ken Barnes]

Thanks, Rego, for your comments re. the second Fred and Ginger set which are consistent with all of the other opinions that have been expressed on this subject. The first volume was a winner commercially but, I understand, the follow-up has not performed at the same level.

It may have been due to the complete lack if extras but, just as likely, it could have been due to the poor quality of the pictures. There was no attempt made to grrade or improve the product and this drove many collectors to switch their support to the Warner Brothers U.S. set which offered vastly superior prints and a host of extras. Go figure !

[Dominic McHugh]

On the subject of musicals on DVD, I hear Can-Can is coming in May - not one of the greats, perhaps, but it has some great songs and singers!

Also, apparently Where's Charley and Mame are 'in preparation' for release next year. With shame, I admit I quite like Mame. It has many faults of casting and some strange singing from Lucy, without doubt!

And a shame it didn't retain Angela Lansbury from its Broadway incarnation. But something about the movie is quite touching, to me at least.
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Dominic McHugh

[Ken Barnes]

I agree that neither of these films are in the top drawer, but the scores are great. "Can Can" is worth having for Sinatra's outstanding "It's Alright With Me" and "Mame" is at least well-produced.

Sooner or later, I'm sure every classic film - musical or otherwise - will be on DVD.