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When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's "Gypsy"?

When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's "Gypsy"?

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Patti LuPone FANatic
#1When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's "Gypsy"?
Posted: 4/12/08 at 11:24pm

I decided to rent this dvd, so I can familiarize myself with the show once more. Bette Midler's Rose is ferocious and unrelenting. It is as amazing as I remember the first time I watched it when it came out in 1993. Who owns the dvd? from RC in Austin, Texas


"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)

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LuPonatic
#2re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/12/08 at 11:37pm

I watched it at a cast party for "A Midsummer Night's Dream" because Gypsy was the next show my school was doing (of course I ended up going elsewhere to be Marcellus in "The Music Man," instead of being in Gypsy, but that's not relevent). It was Fall of 2000

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WickedBoy2
#2re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/12/08 at 11:38pm

re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?

I have it but haven't watched it in about 5 years or more.
Go put it on again and watch how Chowsey jumps from arm to arm and back again when Rose first walks on stage at the very beginning!!!! Its hilarious! Somebody shoot the continuity girl!


A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!'' Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'
Updated On: 4/12/08 at 11:38 PM

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CurtainPullDowner
#3re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/12/08 at 11:41pm

May 5th 2007
It's a great TV adaptation and the reprise of SMALL WORLD is devastating, and I miss it so in the latest revival.
It shows that Rose is a real woman and headed for a breakdown...

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jaystarr
#4re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/12/08 at 11:46pm

I saw it once in a while when I am in the mood. I like it a lot...specially Christine Ebersole as Tessie Tura! yay!

The only thing I did not like (personal opinion) is Bette Midler's chreography on ROSE TURN... when she is shaking her boobs in one part in the song... I thought it was AWFUL!

Bette Midler's Rose's Turn:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dMUa84Oaqs


and after seeing LuPONE GYPSY at St. James... I wont settle in seeing GYPSY anymore on tv...its best view onstage!

J*
Updated On: 4/12/08 at 11:46 PM

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jaystarr
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defyingravity07
#6re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 12:28am

I have the DVD awesome got it over Christmas.

SweeneyPhanatic
#7re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 12:49am

When was the last time I saw it? Last night! I've had the DVD for a few months now, and I finally made the time to sit down and watch it! I only got through the first act before going to bed, but tonight I'm watching the rest. I wish I could see the new revival! I seriously envy EVERYONE who gets to see it!


-- SDG

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zooxanthellae
#8re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 12:52am

About a year ago. I saw this and the Roz Russell version was about a year ago.

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ljay889
#9re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 1:16am

I just re-watched it a couple weeks ago before I saw the Patti revival.

It's not bad. Faithful (extremely) to the stage show. But I feel like Bette is way too big for the screen. Her personality, singing, etc. It just doesn't work for me. I think she would have been better on stage.

The Roz version is not as faithful. She is mostly dubbed. Rose's songs are practically sung in a baritone register. But I think it's the better film. Roz's acting is sensational. And Natalie Wood is stunning.

Dollypop
#10re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 1:21am

I saw the show when it first aired. Is there any reason to endure it again?


"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

Dollypop
#10re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 1:21am

I saw the show when it first aired. Is there any reason to endure it again?


"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

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WickedBoy2
#12re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 2:26am

Did the movie get any kind of a cinema release in the U.S? I remember all the publicity about its 2 night original airing.
The U.K release was in cinemas nationwide for a few weeks.


A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!'' Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'

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Eris0303
#13re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 2:32am

The film was only aired on television in the states. No big screen release.

Honestly, I can't remember the last time I watched it. I think it had to be 96-97. My father taped it off the TV for me because I couldn't watch it when it aired. I forget why - rehearsal or something. I don't watch the tape much because some of the film is missing because my brother thought it would be funny to stop the tape in the middle of the show and several minutes passed before my dad got the VCR going again. And I just never got around to buying it so I just have my faulty copy.


"All our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney We must have different Gods. My God said "do to others what you would have them do to you". Your God seems to have said "My Way or the Highway".

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WickedBoy2
#14re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 2:39am

It sells in the UK now for around $5, sometimes less!


A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!'' Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'

Urban
#15re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 2:58am

I thought the camera work was particularly awful in this movie. So many times the camera would plant itself in some medium range shot and not move for the entire scene while all the characters moved and wiggle about in that shot (especially for some of the song numbers).

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Wanna Be A Foster
#16re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 10:08am

Eris, thanks for that anecdote.

Anyhoo, I haven't watched it since it first aired on TV in 1993.


"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

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Gypsy9
#17re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 3:20pm

I watched it this past Christmas. I like it because it is very faithful to the stage production, especially the dance numbers which were choreographed by Jerome Robbins, the original choreographer. Bette Midler is good but not as good as she should have been. I liked the fact that the camera often stayed in place for a medium shot--that way the viewer can decide what to look at, just like it would be in a theatre. There is no comparison to the Rosalind Russell version which is the absolute worst IMO!

I am excited to be seeing Patti LuPone in GYPSY on May 1st.


"Madam Rose...and her daughter...Gypsy!"

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WickedBoy2
#18re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 4:17pm

Anyone notice the Chowsey 'blooper' in the first scene???


A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!'' Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'

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singingbackup
#19re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 5:24pm

At least their Chowsie was a real dog (or an incredible simulation)

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nmartin
#20re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 5:47pm

I don't read the Broadway board much, but am I to take it from Singingbackup's comment that it's a stuffed dog in the LuPone production?!

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CurtainPullDowner
#21re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 5:50pm

Yes and the lanb is a puppet, two examples of Laurents "outstanding" direction!

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nmartin
#22re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 5:53pm

The lamb is a puppet?! My God!!

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ljay889
#23re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 6:37pm

To get so nit-picky over two puppets that are on the stage for less than 5 minutes is so ridiculous. People can't let the small stuff go. The LuPone/Laurents haters will do anything they can to bash this production in any thread they can.

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nmartin
#24re: When Was The Last Time You Saw Bette Midler's 'Gypsy'?
Posted: 4/13/08 at 6:43pm

I'm not bashing anything. My qestion was legit. I would love to see this production; however, I was surprised about the dog and lamb.


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