A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC -- film-version coming to DVD! — Page 2

Not to mention the very same poster I used on the other thread!

"I can't stop laughing at the line "send in the crowds.""

Something more that most readers of this board just don't "get." ;-0

I have the soundtrack LP, and I must be the sole dissenter here.

This film -- static as cinema, to be sure, with prosaic direction -- is a disappointment, but hardly the dog that MAME is. Taylor's performance is not a pitiful debacle by any stretch -- she is almost eerily typecast in the role of peripatetic diva. She's too heavy for the Klotz costumes -- thought the famous red dress looks better on her than anyone -- but not offensively so. And her "Clowns," if slightly overwrought, is respectable. And unlike many stage versions, she's not afraid of the role's comedy. I've seen plenty of elegant Desiree's who looked swell, sang effectively,but played her as a stiff. For my money, Taylor's the only Desiree to mine what Glynis found -- the outre humor.

Importantly, this was the first form of the show to use the beautiful and haunting "Petra's song" -- the piece of "Glamourous Life" that really soars. It's one of Sondheim's most poignant melodies and somehow deepens the beat in the story.

You also have Rigg -- perfectly cast -- and some lovely location work in Austria that's poorly shot but there nevertheless. I disagree that the film is a dog. It's nothing like it might've been -- but it will be a welcome addition to most libraries at this site and elsewhere.

I wouldn't be surprised if it finds some new fans.

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The convention of a group of actors performing it as a play is a hoary and tired device that's clunkily set up, and not sustained. But ... once it's underway, I actually like the performing montage of Taylor in her stage roles that plays under "Gladmourous Life." You get a solid idea of who this touring diva is, and Taylor plays it to the hilt. Again, a better director could've made her performance sparkle. And I wish Cariou had been a tad less starchy -- the stage-bound diction in Wheeler's script ("Good morning, Lawyer Egerman.")

You're always aware of what might've been, in every scene. But still, it does capture the general flavor of the stage play. The only really laughable revision is the dreadful lyric put to the "Night Waltz," when Taylor warbles "Love is the LEC-ture on how to per-FECT your mistakes" or something like that.

Ol Steve musta' smoked some bad s--t the day he shoved those words in his beautiful melody -- which needed none.

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I wouldn't look for this to be a stellar transfer.

Hen's Tooth (??) is not known for quality. (Are they even known?)

They will likely take the best source available, such as it is and release it. It will surely look better than any VHS copy you have seen, if for no other reason that VHS uses 260 lines per inch (on screen) and DVD uses 480... nearly twice as many.

It's very likely not an enhanced 16x9 picture either. Just a matted 1.66:1.

The movie is dreary. Still there are a few moments when it's good (precious few) and a couple of solid performances (Rigg and Gingold).

Still, for those who like this sort of thing... this is the sort of thing they like.

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Thank you, Phil; I didn't know any of that. I am not surprised about the harmony dubbing, but really thought she sounded like "herself" in "Love Takes Time." It's odd about Downs being dubbed. She seemed too sophisticated for Anne, and one wonders why they didn't go younger and more "innocent." She seemed almost closer to Charlotte than Anne. But she's beautiful, and we have three pretty stunning brunettes up there.

Can't wait to take into account the reverse weight loss for La Taylor.

I,too am worried about the quality of the transfer. I recently bought a fairly rare DVD of CARNAL KNOWLEDGE, and was suprised how dreary that transfer was -- lifted, it seemed, from a bad video. (Wish that would be redubbed -- still quite a powerful little film.)

Still, to have this NIGHT MUSIC on hand, why not? There are far worse adapatations. I will be curious to see how it looks.

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CARNAL KNOWLEDGE isn't a rare DVD, it's still an easily available MGM DVD release. You most likely obtained a low-cost DVD issued by some other company, hence the low-quality transfer. Though the MGM isn't an anamorphic release, the quality is simply great.







CARNAL KNOWLEDGE on DVD (DVDEmpire.com)

Yikes, that's the CARNAL I have. With the "collectible booklet." Oddly, it was 11.99 at Barnest and Noble. I didn't think the transfer pristine; perhaps I should take another look. I'm not technically savvy, so I'm out of my depth here commenting on such matters; it's just perception.

Isn't it odd that NIGHT MUSIC was released without stereo? What were they thinking?

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Per the specs of the original theatrical print of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (and MAME, as mentioned above) -- it was released to movie theaters in mono; it was not a stereo theatrical release. This was quite common in the 1970's -- JAWS nor THE EXORCIST were released in stereo...much to everyone's shock today, those classic films' original theatrical print is in mono. The 'stereo' soundtracks on the current DVD issues of these films are re-mastered soundtracks, which is simply an artificial stereo-recreation of the mono print. Thank God these DVDs now include the original 'mono' soundtrack for you to choose for those film and audio savy people to see (and hear) the films as they were originally intended.

Others got to it before I - both Mame and Night Music were mono releases and should be presented that way. As others have pointed out, the majority of movies in the 70s were mono, except for the biggest roadshow releases. Cabaret was in mono, although I saw it at a very early sneak preview where it was stereo, separate picture and sound interlocked - not great stereo, but stereo. It was also pre "Screw Brian" (the original had "F**k Brian").

Night Music is one of the worst movies I've ever seen - Rigg is fine, Cariou works too hard for the camera, Liz is lacklustre and all affectation, and Prince, who can make stage magic with the best of them, makes his movie look like a piece of dead whitefish. He has not one cinematic bone in his body - he does on stage, but not when actually put behind the camera.

Hen's Tooth video has released some really bad DVDs - rarely enhanced for widescreen, and most often from dubious elements. Although, that said, Night Music has always looked terrible - I saw it the day it opened and I just couldn't believe that a then modern film could look that bad.

Close Encounters had six-track, but only in a very few theatres. Still, that was a bit of a "return." But more of a novelty (the way Fantasia had been in 5.0 surround back in 1940, but only in two theatres: one in NY and one in LA).

Star Wars was the first (the same year, but a few months after Close Encounters) to try to make it more "wide released" in surround sound. I don't think it was very "wide," but that's when theatre owners started scrambling to install the new speakers in their theatres. It was the reason for the "return to aural glory" that happened that year... although you could probably attribute it to both films without an argument.

I grew up in Lawrence, Kansas, and Star Wars played mono in our town. The following year when Superman came out, it was the first to be in the new "stereo surround" for us... and I remember how everyone was excited about the remarkable difference.

Back on topic... I read somewhere that Hal Prince was going for that shadowy, "perpetual sunset" look in Night Music... BOY did he fail, as did the cinematographer. They should have shot it day-for-night, and worked out the effects in post. Instead they ended up with a muddy negative that nobody can fix.

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Updated On: 3/8/07 at 01:03 PM

I hope they fix the sound or remaster this or something because my VHS of this has HORRIBLE quality to everything!!!!!!

As for the people complaining of the cover it's just a slightly uglier version (and less subtle in terms of people outlines) version of the original theatrical cover...

I love the quotes form critics--Paulene Kael hated it (but seemed to hate SOndheim--if your ead the full review she says something like "how anyone can get enjoyment about the nastily sour and graceless sentiments of Sondheim and songs liek Everyday a Little Death is beyong me"--I'm paraphrasing but that's close to it--the woman wrote great reviews but had some odd taste) and Rex Reed who I never underestood WHY he was a respected film critic--LOVED it. Go figure.

Is there a link to an official announcement for this ?

As to some comments on here--I don't remember Erik (Henrich's new name) singing IN a tree--I remember him singing at the base of a tree outside. Erik's kinda hot I remember too :P (and sings ina different key which suits the role IMHO)

Auggie I think ius spot on--jhaving this readily available will prove to many that while by NO means a great film it has some really good moments (Diana Rigg in general, Weekend in the Country) and the singing (which is, someone asked, largely lip synched by for the women, I knwo the daughter CHloe Frnaks and Lesley Anne are synched by the same woman) is great. I actually prefer the versions of songs on the soundtrack to the OBC--the tempo is tighter and Tunick improved the orchestrations notably in Everyday a Little Death which has added a haunting string line.

There was some cut material (liaisons) but I guess it won't be found for the DVD (I was pleased it'll be letterboxed but really, like most Cormon productions I believe it was original shot full frame and just matted for theatres so we son't see much new--the letterboxing is very small anyway).

I wonder if Hal Prince's other film--the bisexual nasty comedy Something for Everyone with Angela Lansbury and Michael York will nwo see the light of day...
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Updated On: 3/8/07 at 08:55 PM