By Brian Jay Jones
Looking for the musical that beat WEST SIDE STORY for the Tony Award? You’ve found it here, in Meredith Willson’s THE MUSIC MAN — and it is aspect on DVD, in widescreen format and with all the bells and whistles, is long overdue.
Pop the disc in, and you’ll without delay be taken to the “Right Here In River City” documentary (you’ll have to press the MENU button on your DVD controls to get to the main menu so you may in truth view the movie — why the disc goes without delay to the documentary is rather odd). Hosted by Shirley Jones, who still looks great, the top-notch, too-short documentary is crammed with a large total of good stories and bits of trivia, in the words of various of Those Who Were There. You’ll find out, for instance, which segments were in truth filmed first, how astonished Susan Luckey was at Robert Preston’s capacity to lip-synch “Trouble” for the duration of filming, and why Shirley Jones wore so numerous frills and flowers on her dress in the scene at the footbridge.
As for the film itself — the print is beautiful, and as an individual who had only experienced the film in pan-and-scan format, it is a delight to ultimately see entire dance sequences without the cropping. And you’ll at last be competent to see all four members of The Buffalo Bills barber shop quartet (the poor fellow singing bass could never be seen in TV-formatted versions).
There are other, littler moments that have always cried our for the letterbox format, and if you watch both versions closely, you’ll detect the real vantages in seeing the entire scene as it was shot. For example, one peculiarly disorienting scene in pan-and-scan format is the “Pick A Little, Talk A Little/Goodnight, Ladies” sequence, when Professor Hill is speaking with Mrs. Shinn and the town ladies regarding Old Miser Madison, and dismebodied voices drift in from off camera. At one point, Mrs. Shinn says, “Miser,” and an off-camera voice says, “Madison,” causing Mrs. Shinn to grimace. In pan-and-scan, it looks like a mistake; in widescreen format, the speaker is in the end visible to Mrs. Shinn’s right, bringing the scene together in a logical fashion. Sounds like a trivial moment, I know, but that scene in pan-and-scan has grated me for years!
The DVD also holds a theatrical trailer, but it’s not the trailer for the introductory 1962 release, but for the re-release a number of years later. It’s still an interesting curiosity, featuring a reworked version of the “76 Trombones” sequence with Preston signing new lyrics when it comes to the film.
If there’s any shortcoming in the disc, it lies in the sound quality. You’ll have to crank the volume up a bit to listen everything properly, but beware — the moment you hit the MENU button, you’ll be blasted by and ear-splitting version of “76 Trombones” on the menu screen. Ouch. Hit MUTE right before you touch MENU. You’ll thank me later.
It’s a worn out cliche, but they genuinely DON’T make musicals like this any more. And if your only experience with THE MUSIC MAN has been with the pan-and-scan format, do yourself a favor and pick up either the DVD or the letterboxed VHS format. You actually WILL realize what you’ve been missing.
76 of 79 persons found the following review helpful.
Use the think system! It genuinely works!
By Scott Grau
I love this movie. As foolish as it is — a goofy plot, absurd over-the-top characters, the wacky “think system” — it is just a whole lot of fun. Robert Preston sparkles as the fly-by-night con artist/salesman who just happens this time to get his foot caught in the door, and who better to catch that foot than Shirley Jones, who is as finelooking and gifted a leading lady as has ever graced a huge screen musical. Ron Howard is as amusive as a kid may be in the movies, and the music will stay with you long after the movie is over.
The film also has a outstanding cast of supporting reputation actors and comedians, not to mention the extremely pleasing Buffalo Bills. I love the anvil salesman reputation (THAT’S a outstanding line of merchandise for a traveling salesman!), and my favored song has to be the pool hall song, “There’s disturb in River City.” The movie, funny as it is, also has it is touching moments, exceptionally when Professor Harold Hill, standing on the footbridge, confronts the gap among his dreams and his life for the original time, and in truth realizes he is in love with the gorgeous librarian. For pure fun and entertainment, it’s hard to find a better movie than this lively but affectionate kidding of the Hawkeye State, and hard to find a more fun couple than the engaging Robert Preston and the lovely Shirley Jones.
44 of 48 people found the following review helpful.
Fun. Right Here in River City
By Mark Baker
Professor Harold Hill makes his living conning little town residence by telling them he’s going to start out a boys’ band then leaving with their cash before the promised direction begins. Taking an unintended challenge, he gets off in River City, Iowa. While the locals at original appear cold, his charm soon changes their minds. Or almost all of them. Marion, the local librarian and piano teacher, is convenienced that the professor isn’t all he claims to be. Meanwhile, Harold has set his websites on wooing the spinster librarian. Will he win her heart or hurt her? Will the townspeople find out the truth, or will this encounter modify everyone for the better?
As much as I love musicals, I had missed this one until the recent ABC movie version. I fell without delay beneath it is charming spell. The story is fun and the music is fantastic. After enjoying the remake so much, I was looking forward to looking at the original, and it didn’t disappointment. The cast, lead by Robert Preston and Shirley Jones, is strong. The chorography makes me want to join in the fun (always a must for a musical), and the story fleshes out a couple minor points I had missed in the remake. And I merely will have to praise the work of the Buffalo Bills as the school board. They’ve inspired me in my search for good barbershop quartet music.
The DVD preserves the movie well. The widescreen picture is sharp and clear and the sound is just fine. Watching the trailer for the reissue shows just how much work has gone into the restoration. Shirley Jones provides an interesting intro and serves as host for the behind the scenes special.
This is a classic musical that everyone will enjoy. It tells a fun story with wondrous music and evokes a more elementary time and place. If you haven’t watched yet, pick up a copy and take pleasure in tonight.
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