Funny Girl On Blu Ray- Page 2

[DAME]

Posted: 5/6/13 at 9:23pm

"She also had most of her scenes with Anne Francis cut (the latter was a noted Hollywood beauty who played a Ziegfeld chorus girl and Brice's best friend). As a result, Francis sued to have her name removed from the credits."
http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/35392%7C0/Funny-Girl.html

[all that jazz]

Posted: 5/6/13 at 9:23pm

Eric, maybe it's because I was introduced to the film before the show, so I was a bit dissapointed not to find some of the songs in the OBCR. The songs you mentioned are beautiful songs of course, specially Who are you now and I would've loved to see them in the movie, but not at the expense of any of the existing ones. If it were to be revived I wish they would merge the two scores or at the very least include My Man.

I get your point about opening up the film, but since it was Barbra, it really didn't bothered me.

BTW, Why is this thread on the Off-Topic board?



Updated On: 5/6/13 at 09:23 PM

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 5/6/13 at 9:32pm

I rarely say this about any film score, but I think "Funny Girl" is a better song than "Who Are You Now?" And surely we all like the "My Man" ending!

***

Just to be clear, I know FUNNY GIRL is one of the iconic shows of the 1960s and many of us have fond memories of it. I've worked on three different productions, the first one as a senior in high school.

Naturally, we feel a considerable fondness for it, particularly the music by Jule Styne.

But I don't think the show can withstand even a common-sense analysis.

HELLO, DOLLY! may be a light musical comedy, but it knows exactly what it wants to be and how to get there. (I realize best12 was talking about the film, but I think the same is true of either film or stage versions.) Yes, Streisand was too young for her part, but she compensates by singing the Jerry Herman score like nobody else!

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 5/6/13 at 9:35pm

She also had most of her scenes with Anne Francis cut...

And I was just kidding! Thanks, DAME.

[DAME]

Posted: 5/6/13 at 9:36pm

I love Streisand in Dolly. And I think time has proven her to be the wiser choice.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 5/6/13 at 9:37pm

*ducks* I don't like the use of My Man partly simply because it grates for me to use a "real" Fanny Brice song amidst a composed score--and I don't caremuch ofr the title song. But--I came to the movie after growing up hearing the cast album--one of the few cast albums my mom owned and played, so...

[all that jazz]

Posted: 5/6/13 at 9:48pm

Gaveston, I agree with you on Dolly, it's perfectly crafted and the film was masterfully razzle-dazzled.

I guess to me it just comes down to the performance, and as much as I adore Barbra's Dolly, her Fanny is simply breathtaking.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/6/13 at 9:57pm

Streisand and Matthau may have hated each other in real life, but their chemistry together in Dolly is perfection.

They play off of each other so beautifully, and it's to both of their credits (and perhaps even a large part of the reason) their scenes turned out so well.

Take those negative "sparks" and turn them into positive ones.

I also love the locations for Yonkers and its train station, the costumes, the massive Harmonia Gardens interior set (an Art Nouveau dream), the Gene Kelly direction, the Michael Kidd choreography, a geeky Michael Crawford, a divine Marianne McAndrew ... plus Tommy Tune and Louis Armston.

Love. It.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 10:25am

^ I agree....Let's not forget Danny Lockin and E.J. Peaker!

I actually prefer HELLO, DOLLY! over FUNNY GIRL. FUNNY GIRL's second act draaaaaaggggg-ssssssss! Oy!

[suestorm]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 10:25am

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 10:30am

GRRRRRRRRR!!!
Updated On: 5/7/13 at 10:30 AM

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 10:44am

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 10:58am

DAME, What's Up Doc? is on Blu-Ray. Been meaning to get it, so can't comment on the transfer, but here's a review:

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Whats-Up-Doc-Blu-ray/9457/

[DAME]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 12:56pm

Oy. How could I have missed this? Thank You.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 1:45pm

Not to threadjack here, but it occurred to me that I don't really need to own WHAT'S UP DOC? on Blu-ray. The DVD is perfectly fine, crystal clear and nicely done as far as I can tell, I thoroughly enjoy it every time I watch it. I'm just not sure what's to be gained by the upgrade.

I've done plenty of upgrades, of course, to my husband's chagrin and my own annoyance. I can safely guarantee that I won't be buying any more copies of SEVEN SAMURAI for quite a while, but that's, you know, SEVEN GODDAMN SAMURAI, man!

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 2:05pm

Yes, some movies IMO don't really warrant an upgrade. I definitely wouldn't upgrade a movie like say, 9 to 5 from DVD to blu ray. The last DVD release is fine to me.

Action/adventure movies, epics, classics, movie musicals, concerts, live theatrical events I would invest in if the upgrade warranted...but a comedy, not so much.

[DAME]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 2:13pm

Thanks for your thoughts guys. I will probably pass on the Doc Blu ray.. unless I find it really cheap some day.

[AnthVoice2010]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 2:32pm

"Streisand delivers the most accomplished, original and enjoyable musical comedy performance ever put on film" - Newsweek (196

That's a helluva statement but that was the consenus at the time. Her winning the Oscar now may look a little odd in comparison with the others nominated that year but in 1968 - this was a supernova the likes of which had not been seen before.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 2:33pm

[DAME]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 3:21pm

I love Funny Girl so much and have seen it so many times thru out the years that I can't analyze it in any way. When I saw it again two years ago in the big screen at a revival house I took two newbies with me and they loved it.

Updated On: 5/7/13 at 03:21 PM

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 3:39pm

Funny Girl will always have a special place in my heart. I see the flaws in the film that weren't visible to me as a wide eyed teenager, but I still adore it. And the gorgeous new picture and sound bring it even more alive for me. The sound is especially well produced in HD. As much as I adore Barbra, her lip-syncing has always been a tad off in her movie musicals. It's barely noticeable to me now.

The Hello, Dolly! film is also a favorite. I've watched it 4 times on the new Blu-Ray already. The off-screen sparks between Streisand/Matthau really work for Dolly and Horace.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 7:11pm

That's a helluva statement but that was the consenus at the time. Her winning the Oscar now may look a little odd in comparison with the others nominated that year but in 1968 - this was a supernova the likes of which had not been seen before.

True, Anth. And in addition to Streisand's considerable talent and screen presence, there was something liberating, I think, about the way FUNNY GIRL celebrates "Jewishness" in a medium where Jews had long been forced to "assimilate" in order to work on screen.

Even for us goyim, Streisand's success was a wonderful reflection of the increasing diversity of American culture in the late 1960s (while the narrative reassured more conservative viewers by blaming the destruction of Fannie's marriage on her career!).

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 7:12pm

Funny Girl will always have a special place in my heart. I see the flaws in the film that weren't visible to me as a wide eyed teenager, but I still adore it.

Thank you, Mildred. That's what I was trying to say, too, and there's no shame in that. I certainly didn't mean to put down anyone who still enjoys the film: as I said, some of the middle wears me out, but I still love the first 40 minutes and the last 20.

[DAME]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 7:39pm

"there was something liberating, I think, about the way FUNNY GIRL celebrates "Jewishness" in a medium where Jews had long been forced to "assimilate" in order to work on screen. "

There is a documentary on Streisand that touches on this statement. I can't recall what it was called but portions of it were used in the video montages in the last Streisand concert. Would love to see the whole thing.

[DAME]

Posted: 5/7/13 at 7:53pm

OMG. I started searching and I found this piece about the documentary. I would love to see the whole thing. The locals are hilarious.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/08/remembering-a-film-about-brooklynites-who-were-all-about-streisand/