Cast Recordings of Into the Woods and 1776- Page 2

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 1/26/09 at 5:40pm

I have most of the film songs, and yes, they're vastly superior.

[noradesmond]

Posted: 1/26/09 at 7:36pm

I agree that the film soundtrack to 1776 has much to recommend it - better vocals from William Daniels, it IS the only recording of Howard da Silva as Franklin (simply wonderful) it has many other members of the original cast recreating their roles and the orchestrations are certainly more lush but . . . .

Blythe Danner is a poor replacement vocally for Betty Buckley. And even the restored film version of Cool, Cool Considerate Men pales in comparison to the OBC.

The OBC still gets my vote.

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 1/26/09 at 7:52pm

Still, the movie, even in the longest version that was released on laserdisc (which has the complete version of "Piddle, Twiddle and Resolve," which I believe is not in the director's cut DVD), is missing some of "Molasses to Rum."

But any CD taken from the DVD would also be missing part of "Piddle, Twiddle," wouldn't it?

And I do prefer the smaller orchestrations on the OBCR.
Updated On: 1/26/09 at 07:52 PM

[monestere]

Posted: 1/26/09 at 9:21pm

The Japanese CD I have (and any future one likely to be released by Sony), is from the original multi track pre-recording sessions, not the laserdisc or DVD mixed sound version, and the complete performances of all the songs as recorded are on it. As far as the expanded orchestrations go, they are identical to the Broadway ones, but scored for a larger orchestra. But I can see where some would prefer the smaller Broadway orchestra and others like myself, prefer the larger orchestra used in the film. But even more importantly, the performances are much more intense and polished on the sound track, probably the culmination of years of the actors performing the roles on stage prior to the filming. I do agree that Betty Buckley is a better vocalist than Blythe Danner.

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 1/26/09 at 9:36pm

But I've never seen a cut of the film, including the laser disc, that has a complete version of "Molasses to Rum." It's a relatively small section that was cut, but there's a cut. I'd guess that a complete version wasn't recorded, unless you tell me that the Japanese CD has the complete number as heard in the show.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 1/26/09 at 9:36pm

And I have the film version of Cool, Cool, Considerate Men.

I agree that Buckley is a better vocalist but I prefer even Danner's version of HPTV to hers. I just think she's too much.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 1/26/09 at 9:36pm

double post, sorry Updated On: 1/26/09 at 09:36 PM

[raulmark]

Posted: 1/26/09 at 9:42pm

OBC of Into The Woods
I'm obsessed with that one without even hearing the revival.
I know nothing about 1776. Can ANY one give me some advise or information on the show?

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 1/26/09 at 9:51pm

There's a whole website about 1776, put together by the son of Sherman Edwards, who wrote the score and conceived the entire project, even writing the first version of the book.

http://1776themusical.us/

[into_the_woods2]

Posted: 1/26/09 at 10:04pm

OBC of into the woods is sensational!

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/27/09 at 1:48am

OBC for both shows.

[sybil7]

Posted: 1/27/09 at 8:49am

I do like the Original Into the Woods - with Bernadette Peters- she is great as is Joanna Gleason, Chip Zien and Chuck Wagner
Updated On: 1/27/09 at 08:49 AM

[raulmark]

Posted: 1/27/09 at 8:57am

thank you "nobodyhome" I'll check it out!

[madbrian]

Posted: 1/27/09 at 9:10am

Seems like a good time to remind everyone that the Papermill Playhouse is reviving 1776 this spring (April?). Anyone in the NYC area should consider it.

[sparrman]

Posted: 1/27/09 at 10:02am

Another vote for the theoretical movie soundtrack CD of 1776 would be the presence of John Cullum, a step up (and literally a half step up) from the OBC's very good Clifford David.

Plus, Ron Holgate is in much better voice in the movie.
Updated On: 1/27/09 at 10:02 AM

[Broadway Bob*]

Posted: 1/27/09 at 10:05am

Unless there's a specific reason you're wanting cast recordings I say skip them and get DVDs.

The original Broadway production of INTO THE WOODS and the extremely faithful movie adaptation of 1776 make for incredibly enjoyable watching, both, and are both readily available. That way you can save your cast recording buying for a show not on DVD.

Otherwise I agree with several on here that for WOODS OBC and London are both spectacular and worth getting, but to start with one OBC all the way!

[noradesmond]

Posted: 1/27/09 at 12:03pm

Thanks for the link nobobyhome. Never saw that before. The audio section is a good way to do a quick compare of the OBC and Revival. Shame there aren't any Soundtrack clips available.

Oh, and one more vote for the OBC for Momma Look Sharp. The OBC is by far the best.

I'll shut up now.

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 1/27/09 at 12:10pm

While I enjoy the revival into the woods because of the newer recording sound its a lot louder and clearer but the cast of the OBC was top notch. Bernadette is a wonder and Joanna Gleason's Tony winning performance are just a couple of the many gems in the OBC. As for 1776 I have been listening to both recordings alot latly cuz Im auditioning for it in about a week and I must say I am much more partial to the revival. My main arugment for that is being that Im obsessed with Rutledge and Molasses to Rum, Greg Edelman's rendition is superb. Hes mean, insulting, suave and sadistic all the while bringing some truth to the lyrics. I think the revival recording is worth it for just that. I also like that theres a little more dialouge on it. I saw OBC for ITW and Revival for 1776.

[sparrman]

Posted: 1/27/09 at 1:46pm

I thought Edelman was disappointing onstage in 1776. I prefer Clifford David on the OBCR, or Cullum in the movie to them both.
Updated On: 1/28/09 at 01:46 PM

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 1/27/09 at 1:53pm

Thanks for your help! I went ahead and got the OBCR for Into the Woods, I think I'm going to hold off on 1776 and listen to them all first, but I went ahead and splurged and got A Little Night Music and La Cage Aux Folles too! I don't know how I could have lived without LCAF!!!

[ggersten]

Posted: 1/27/09 at 3:23pm

Cullum is unbelievable, amazing, chilling in the movie.
So, despite all the praise for William Daniels (whom I agree is great and hard to duplicate and despite his television roles on St. Elsewhere and Boy Meets World, I still see Adams), he wasn't even nominated for the Tony. The nominees were Joel Grey (George M); Jack Cassidy (Maggie Flynn), Herschel Bernardi (Zorba) and the winner Jerry Orbach (Promises Promises).

1776 was the Best Musical over Promises Promises, Hair and Zorba.

(sarcasm on: Hmm, weren't Promises Promises and Zorba musicalized versions of movies? sarcasm off)

[raulmark]

Posted: 1/27/09 at 3:27pm

thanks MADBRIAN. I'll have to trek into jersey for that. If I can drive 2 1/2 hours to Ct to see Big River..I can go to New Jersey for 1776!
thanks again

[joeybiltmore1]

Posted: 1/27/09 at 3:38pm

Possible hazy memory alert on my part here, but...

Didn't William Daniels receive a best FEATURED actor Tony nomination and refuse it because he was most definitely the LEAD of 1776?

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 1/27/09 at 6:19pm

Daniels did indeed receive a nomination is the Featured Actor category, which he rightly declined. The end result of which was the change to the "if you aren't billed above the title you are featured" rule.

On the topic at hand, although I adore my patched together obc/movie soundtrack recording for Daniels and Da Silva, I prefer the Revival recording whereas the bulk of the other leads sound great (Merwin Foard's Lees of Old Virginia is spectacular), and the recording quality is (obviously) much better

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 1/27/09 at 7:40pm

"Daniels did indeed receive a nomination is the Featured Actor category, which he rightly declined. The end result of which was the change to the 'if you aren't billed above the title you are featured' rule."

You're right in what you wrote, except for that. That was the very rule that the committee cited as the reason they nominated Daniels in supporting actor (as the category was known then). Daniels was billed below the title.

The Tony committee had ignored that rule before then, though they'd probably followed it more often.

I can't prove this, but I suspect that the Tony nominating committee thought they were doing Daniels a favor. I suspect they felt that Daniels very likely would lose the Tony to Orbach if he were in competition with him. (Orbach later handily won the Variety Poll of Drama Critics' Award over Daniels.) I think they expected Daniels would have an easy win in supporting (as indeed he probably would have).

I'm among those who prefer Clifford David to Cullum, though what I really wish is that we had David Cryer on a recording.