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)
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
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'!'
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...
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!
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!
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.
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'!'
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".
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'!'
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).
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)
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.
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'!'
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.