Album Description

1995 reissue of the soundtrack to director Bob Fosse's acclaimed 1979 musical co-starring Roy Scheider and Jessica Lange. Ralph Burns arranged & conducted all 14 tracks, whichinclude performances by George Benson, Sandahl Bergman and Ben Vereen with Scheider. A Spectrum/ Karussell release. ... Read more

Reviews (87)

FOSSE ON FOSSE
With a typically sardonic and vicious glare, Bob Fosse examines his own obsessive life as a creator/director/choreographer -- and womanizer, drinker, druggie. While this movie has its shamelessly over-the-top qualities (Jessica Lange as Death, for one), the musical sequences are so dazzling that they instantly make this move a must-see, if not must-have, for any Fosse fan. The opening, a wow-you-in-the-gut audition sequence set to On Broadway (Benson's stunning version), does more in four minutes than the film of Chorus Line does in its entire running time to convey the show biz world of Broadway. And the then-gamine Ann Reinking is on hand to literally play herself, as well as dance in that feline way. The musical number Take Off With Us is at once amusing, sparkling, sensual and spectacular, featuring an explosive ensemble of dancers. Fosse's bitter take on his own mortality may slow things down (the Lenny-inspired sequences bore into your brain) a bit, when the music is playing you are in for a revved-up treat.

FLAWED, WEAK TRANSFER of a THOROUGHLY ENGROSSING FILM
"All That Jazz" is a semi-autobiographical recounting of Bob Fosse's life. Directed by the master himself, the film follows Broadway producer, Joe Gideon (Roy Scheider)as he spirals into an oblivion of drug addiction, alcoholism and womanizing while preparing to launch his greatest show yet. Joe is ably pushed to the edge of the great beyond by the lovely Angel of Death (Jessica Lange)who eventually gets her wish. This is perhaps the only time in my viewing experience that a musical film has given me chills. The entire plot functions on the mental anguish of its protagonist and his inevitable demise and the final few moments are truly unsettling.
So is FOX's DVD transfer quality; the image suffers from dated - often muddy - colors, washed out and pasty flesh tones, weak blacks, an excessive amount of film grain and various age related artifacts that generally detract from the visual experience. Edge enhancement and pixelization are big problems in certain scenes but others appear to be free of their frustrating inclusion. The soundtrack is Stereo Surround, well balanced though, on occasion, strident.
EXTRAS: An interview with Scheider while he was making the film that is needlessly divided into chapter stops that don't matter. Ditto for several snippets of Fosse at work on the set. The theatrical trailer is also included.
BOTTOM LINE: If you simply can't live without this film - as I could not (for its brilliant story telling vision and disconcerted charm)then I recommend it highly. The transfer, however, will disappoint - especially for a film of seventies vintage!

A visual feast even for an only lukewarm fan of Broadway
Soon after its 1979 release, curiosity impelled me to see ALL THAT JAZZ. I say curiosity because anything smacking of a film musical didn't then attract my attention much. Not yet an old dog, and apparently still capable of learning a new trick, I remember being impressed. Recently, I saw it presented on the Big Screen once again as part of a classic film revival. I'm reminded what a truly superb production this is.

Roy Scheider, in arguably his greatest role ever, portrays Joe Gideon, a work-obsessed Broadway choreographer and director existing on cancer sticks, booze, sex and uppers. Directed by the preeminent choreographer Bob Fosse, ALL THAT JAZZ was purportedly semi-autobiographical.

Joe is struggling to put together a new dance production and, simultaneously, edit a behind-schedule film, all the while juggling the three principal women in his life: ex-wife, current significant other, and teenage daughter. Talk about stress! In periodic visual sidebars, we watch as Joe rationalizes his self-destructive behavior to a glamorous Angel of Death, coquettishly played by Jessica Lange.

The film's dance sequences, products of Bob Fosse's brilliance, and sets by Phillip Rosenberg and Tony Walton, are visual extravaganzas not to be missed. (Oscars were awarded for Art Direction and Set Decoration.) Perhaps the cleverest is the solo routine performed by the ex-wife character as she rehearses a number to be performed in Gideon's latest production, all the while debating with him the course of their failed relationship. Positively engaging is the "impromptu" number performed for Joe at his apartment by his current mistress (played by the strikingly long-legged Ann Reinking), along with his daughter. Then there's the sexually suggestive "Air Otica/Come Fly With Us" ballet sequence, Gideon's attempt to energize an otherwise stodgy airline commercial. (As one of the airline execs resignedly puts it, "Well, we've lost the family audience.")

Another nice touch for the uninitiated is the revelation that performer selection and training for a polished dance routine is a hard, sweaty, merciless process. The faint-hearted best not show up for the audition.

Perhaps the film's only flaw is its length as it unwinds to its foregone conclusion. Although ALL THAT JAZZ won an Oscar for Film Editing, the Ben Vereen-assisted toe-tapper should have been considerably shortened. However, that said, it must be emphasized that the movie is richly entertaining throughout. Perchance you ever have the opportunity to see it on the Big Screen, don't pass it by. As Gideon so expressively states in front of the mirror each morning after he girds himself (with Dexedrine and Visine) for another grueling day , "It's show time!"

THE JAZZY, SNAZZY, MORBID UNDERBELLY OF SHOWBIZ
What a dazzlingly engaging experimentation with the medium of film as we take an evocative peep into the life of a showbiz-obsessed director Fosse -- the hedonistic man behind the actual stage version of "Chicago."

Apart from being a truly sexy turn-on of a musical, it hits one out of the park as an exploration of an artist at war with himself. Somewhat indulgent, yes, but it is the brutally honest potrayal of the many imperfections (girls, gin, glitz) of a perfectionist, in all his triumphs and trials, that makes this film a very, very endearing experience.

The bleak undertones may scare the faint-hearted but for them there's all the riveting stage action. A wholesome film that belongs in your own collections, not just in your Blockbuster records.

Narcissism On Center Stage
The whole point of the movie is Fosse is a narcissistic (...)and freely admits it. He revels in it. His attitude is not "do or don't do what I do" but, rather, I don't care what you or anyone else does because I'm special and you aren't. Sort of a Barry Bonds of the dance world. Fosse sees the Broadway dance musicals business as fake and silly. Actually, he is the one who is fake and silly and, like all narcissists, in his heart of hearts, he knows it. A rollercoaster ride of drug and alcohol binges and loud garish dance nuumbers. Brilliantly conceived and excellently acted by scheider. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Shirley MacLaine in her greatest musical performance
This new DVD release of SWEET CHARITY is a welcome addition to any classic movie collection. Shirley MacLaine stars as Charity Hope Valentine in the celebrated film version of the Broadway hit.

Charity (Shirley MacLaine) works at the Fan Dango Ballroom, a dingy dime-a-dance hall where the girls give a lot more away than dances. Charity runs her heart like a hotel, and gives her love to one undeserving man after another. Her two best friends Nickie and Helene (Chita Rivera and Paula Kelly) are the ones who help Charity when she is ultimately betrayed by each boyfriend who comes into her life. Ever-hopeful (sometimes impossibly-so), Charity goes through life with wide eyes and wide dreams...

When Charity meets the mild-mannered Oscar Linquist (John McMartin re-creating his Broadway performance), she believes that she will finally be able to leave her sordid past and profession behind her. But will Oscar be as understanding?

Shirley MacLaine colors Charity more vividly than Broadway's Gwen Verdon did (or was permitted to do). MacLaine is especially affecting and heartbreaking in the final 15 minutes of the movie, and sings a plaintive "Where Am I Going?".

Bob Fosse's first big Hollywood film, SWEET CHARITY was a big, if not huge, success when it was first released. The choppy editing and artistic touches that audiences failed to appreciate then make much more sense now, following the success of MOULIN ROUGE. The impressive supporting cast includes Ricardo Montalban, Sammy Davis Jr. and Stubby Kaye.

This beautiful new Special Edition DVD presents the complete 'Road-Show' version of the film including Overture and Intermission. There are also many extras including the trailer, the original 'Making-of' featurette, a featurette where designer Edith Head takes us through her colorful costumes, and the alternate ending that was never used. (Single-sided, dual-layer disc).

You're gonna get up, get out, and buy it!!
I'm grateful for the comments before me which explain the enigma that is "Sweet Charity." It takes a book of a relatively sad, downtrodden character and turns it into a musical (and not a happy-go-lucky one either, as is often the assumption). The film comes at the start of the stylized, mod 70's- and while some of Fosse's visuals over-saturate this point, the story is so smart that it doesn't matter. (It was Fosse's first film direction and it has his signature all over it.) And I'm glad that the VHS presentation letterboxes the musical numbers, even if it standard-screens the nonmusical portions. There's no other way to view the dance hall girls sexily draped over the barre in "Hey, Big Spender," or the film's best number- the sensational rooftop dance "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This." (This may be the most theatrical moment in the film as it allows pure, full-bodied dance by Shirley MacLaine, Chita Rivera, and Paula Kelly.) And those who generally dislike musicals would be surprised at the film's bittersweet ending; it's not entirely happy but it is completely triumphant, and it never ceases to bring tears (well, just one) to my eyes.

For Serious Fosse Fans Only
Ok, this movie is a clunker. The story doesn't hold up well in today's feminist or post-feminist era and MacLaine's performance made me cringe.

However, here's the great thing about DVD: use the scene selector to skip right to the fabulous dance numbers! "Rich Man's Frug" and "Hey Big Spender" are two of Fosse's best on film, and big enough that you'll want to watch them several times to catch all the details and dancers. And as a special treat to Fosse fans, the extras on the DVD include some brief segments with THE MAN himself.

Fosse newbies, skip right over this and go straight to CABARET which is a brilliant musical AND a brilliant film.

I'm amazed
I'm amazed that some studio gave Fosse the chance to direct again after this downright failure. I do have to give some of the blame (ok, most) to Shirley MacLaine who is annoying, needy, and badly acted/sung/danced. I want to sock her Charity in the nose almost ceaslessly.

The only let up from her killing the part are Fosse's dance numbers. "Rich Man's Frug" lives up to its reputation, and "Rhythem of Life" are amazing. ( My friend and I were ready to burn the tape we were watching, and then "Rhythem" came on. We stayed for the rest of the movie.) Fosse as a director also seems to care only when his signature dances, or any dances, come on. That's when the camera usage that one gets to know so well in Cabaret and All That Jazz come in. During the naratives, he seems bored with the story and doesn't put nearly enough energy into it. One is left waiting for the stars, (preferably not Ms. MacLaine) to sing and dance for all they're worth for all the movie. It is also too long. I felt the ending was not harsh enough to Ms. MacLaine's Charity. An STD would have satisfied me.

Such Fun
Shirley McCain is wonderful in this movie. Kudos to Gwen Verdon, but unlike many other movie versions or broadway shows, this movie has the ultimate actress for the role. She is strong, naive, vulnerable and eternally hopeful as well as charming.
In additions there are great musicall numbers, of which, Rich Man's Frug is the worth the price of the dvd or tape. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Pippin
Bob Fosse's masterpiece Pippin is the tony award-winning Broadway musical starring the incomparable Ben Vereen. The show was written by Stephen Schwartz, the Academy-award winning composer of Godspell and The Prince of Egypt. Also stars William Katt as Pippin, Benjamin Rayson, Martha Raye, and Chita Rivera as Pippin's relatives. The video has amazing dancing and singing, as well as some hysterical comedic moments. Anyone who enjoys the theatre will love this video.

Video to remember Ben Vereen on Broadway
In 1973, I was able to see the almost orginal cast(missing Irene Ryan, our dear Granny, who passed away while production was on Broadway.) Ben Vereen was unbelievable as was John Rubenstein. Now, we can't go back to 1973 and we can't all fit in a live theatre. This video records a live performace, so that we can remember how Ben Vereen was in the show, with all his energy, wit and power of dance. Having seen other videoed shows, however, the values are not as good on this one. It serves as a record of what was. Perhaps, Pippin will live on Broadway again. Otherwise, here is a taste, from Canada, of what the show was like, with Bill Katt as Pippin and Ben Vereen as the Leading Player. All the songs are here, including the smashing finale, but some of the more intimate moments (a severed head in conversation) is missing. This is a Bob Fosse show, so the dancing is definately Fosse. The sound is good, though upstage sounds are not as good as could have been recorded. If you're looking for a sense of what Pippin was, this is it!

The cast is better than the CD
That's right! I said it! John Rubinstein's voice is not strong enough to play Pippin. He sounds like Henry Gibson singing...anyone? Henry Gibson? "Laugh-In"? He was the voice of Wilbur in "Charlotte's Web?" No one? Okay, moving on...William Katt however not only sings "Corner of the Sky" he relishes it. He savors every note, and that's the way it must be sung. You wouldn't sing "Do You Hear the People Sing" unless you can handle it and you shouldn't sing "Corner" without some serious chops....or props...or snaps, or whatever the hell else it is that means "talent, abilities." I also think that Ben Vereen does better live than in the studio. That's right, I think Ben Vereen gave a better performance than Ben Vereen! Not even Ben Vereen could've matched Ben Vereen as a...no, this is silly. Look, the CD's fine, but the movie's better. The arrangements, the performances, and the fact that they cut my least favorite song "I Guess I'll Miss the Man."

Despite the quality a MUST have
I have been reading the many good and bad reviews and thought I should add something. I am an expert on Bob Fosse and his work. This particular production was pulled together by Kathryn Doby (Bobby's assistant for years). It was rather hasty in putting together as it was meant for a television broadcast. In the process of setting the time format for television many cuts were made to the original script, which unfortunetly are now not available. What is important about this version is it allows the closest view of Bobby's original work that we may ever have. Bob worked on this show while at great odds of the composer (Schwartz), to the point of having him barred from rehersals. It is amazing the show ever made it to where it got. The fact that we can still see the original art that was the choreography of Bobby, is the ONLY reason that this video should be in your collection. He won the Tony award for his work on this show (he also won the oscar for Cabaret and the Emmy for Liza with a Z this same year, the ONLY director to EVER do that) Enjoy!

Good record of 1981 made for television performance...
I had never seen Pippin before, so I don't have a stage comparison. Most of the complaints are about the video quality and the sound. First, this was filmed as a television production, not for screen or home video. Some of the reviewers have forgot that fact when complaining about the video and sound. VHS was just beginning to take off and very few cinemas had multi-channel sound. I have a VHS tape of a concert film made at that time, "The Last Waltz" and the sound from those live performances aren't too good either. If they ever release the video TV special "Liza with a Z", it will probably be of this quality too. But, it's the performances that are worth watching. Just seeing Ben Vereen's dancing in "Glory" makes this DVD worthwhile. ... Read more

Description

Anne Rice’s The Feast of All Saints is a tale set in 1840’s New Orleans about "free people of color", who formed their own class at a time when the predominant role of blacks in society was as slaves. The film focuses on the ordeal of one young man named Marcel Ste. Marie (Ri’chard), who searches for the truth about his heritage. As he finds his individual path into the future, Marcel is fully aware that he is a child of African and European descent, but his story is uniquely American. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Anne, they still butcher your books!
I had an interest in this story both as a woman of color and as an Anne Rice fan. After reading this book about 6 years ago, I became very passionate about it being made into a film. When I heard finally that they were going make the film and how perfectly they cast the roles I became obsessed with seeing it. Yesterday when I finally saw it (I did not have Showtime when it came out), I felt they rushed it like a bad pornography. We learned too early in the film what Lisette's relationship to Marcel was or why Richard needed Marcel to "be a brother" to Anna Bella. They definitely did not capture the importance of Christophe to the entire society .I personally felt that they only needed the talented James Earl Jones at the very end and perhaps in the beginning.
EVERY actor in this film has proven thier talent over and over again in other films yet I think with the rushed dialouge they were not given the opportunity to show the talent they usually have. Each actor , later in the movie, had moments where they shone, but only Eartha Kitt , as usual, stood out from the moment that you saw her.
It amazes me to this day that Americans of all backgrounds still pretend that people of color, no matter how light they are, have no connection with the "white" people of this country. I had hoped that this movie would be so powerful that it would make all of us think. I think this was a good movie, but not as great as it could be.
To Anne Rice fans who read Queen of the Damned first and THEN saw the movie you will feel the same way about this movie.
...Why did they bother making this a two part series if they were going to gloss over important points?

beautiful movie
i [tried] to read this book, but couldn't get past the first 250 pages or so. while it was fascinating to read and i found the characters intriguing, i didn't have the TIME to sit down and read it through: the pacing was entirely too slow. so, i put it down and promised myself to 'come back to it,' wishing SOMEONE would adapt it to film so that i could have time for the actual STORY.

i was thrilled when i discovered this dvd at the local blockbuster.

the film, which outlines the lives of one french-creole-haitian family in louisiana who--by a series of questionable and irreversible decisions made through generations--enjoyed the privilege of being part of the 18,000-strong community of those both black and free in early-1800's louisiana, is paced WONDERFULLY.

i found that the film adaptation was true to what i'd read in the book and the characters, except for anna bella who i thought would look more african, were just as i had imagined them in my mind. this is def. the best book-to-film I'VE ever seen. the movie was beautiful to look at and of altogether intriguing subject matter. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED. on the contrary, because it was a made-for-tv movie, i was expecting quality far LESS than that which i actually saw. the relationships between the characters were believable, as was the plot of the film. it's about 3 1/2 to 4 hours long, but it certainly didn't feel that way. in fact, i was disappointed when it ended.

the acting was great (the accents, less so). and my goodness, the cast read like a who's who in black hollywood. forest whitaker, pam grier, jasmine guy, ruby dee, ozzie davis, james earl jones, eartha kitt, goodness...the list goes on. however, those that were newer to me, such as the films protagonist marcelle (robert richard) did as well--sometimes better--than the veterans.

i love historical movies, especially those about wwii and america in the 1800s. this is the best movie of the latter category i've ever seen. it neither over-dramatizes or under-dramatizes the situation of the people it depicts (which is more than what u can say for classics such as 'gone with the wind').

i'd recommend this one to anyone.

The Feast of All Saints
I am a man of African, Native American and White descent. My father and mother both from (previous) Slaves states (mother from Virginia and father from Texas) never discussed what they knew about my family history regarding slavery and the only history I learned up until high school was about White American history, so when I became an adult I had a desire to find out about American history which included slavery, because that is a part of America history. I've read several books about the subject and seen (I thought) all the movies about slavery in America. I'm glad that Anne Rice wrote the novel and allowed the movie to be made from her book, otherwise, I wouldn't have known about this part of American history. This movie moved me so much because I could identify with the characters of mixed heritage and I think every American of all races should see this movie. Just one more true story that all American's should know about so we can understand how blessed we are to have moved from that very terrible time to now. In America we still have problems, but not like the ones that existed during Slave time. I've seen this movie 6 times during 2003. It's one that I know I will be watching again and again. I've also purchased the book based on the ratings I saw at Amazon.com so I could compare it to the movie. I'd highly recommend this movie to everyone, but parents should be cautioned about showing it to young children because some of the scenes are very difficult to watch.

What a Beautiful Movie
When I first saw this movie for the first time, I saw myself watching it over and over again. Being an African-American woman in America, I was tired of seeing the usual slavery movies such as Roots, Amistad, and Beloved.All movies that were difficult to watch. I'm pretty sure that both black and white america are tired of seeing the same thing over and over again! the plot is always the same white america opressing blacks! But this movie was different in every way. It actually taught me something about my history, that there were free people of color who were aristocrats, living on the thin line between priveledge and oppression.
The characters and actors put a lot of energy and feeling in this movie and I wish I could give it 10 stars! If your looking for something to watch besides Beloved, Roots, or Amistad, I highly recommend this film!!!

Anne Rice - why do you let them adapt on their own?
Anne Rice has had a troubled history with her books turning into films. Unrecognizable adaptations of EXIT TO EDEN and QUEEN OF THE DAMNED are more frequent than quality films such as INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE. Here you have a half and half treatment of a novel that dealt with people who were half black and half white! Parts of it are true to the novel and its characters, and then parts will leave you scratching your head wondering where they got something. Anne Rice should step in more often and make sure these things are done right, but alas ... this one is close!

Pretty pretty sets, costumes, and actors bring to life a story of racial identity crisis in the South of the 1800s. New Orleans before the slaves were free had a third race of people who were neither black and slaves nor white and truly free. They lived on a fringe of society, and had to arrange their lives carefully or pay for the consequences. Educated bohemians they became the basis for the creoles!

It's an oft ignored subject of American history, and a beautiful story told in rich detail. The book has the luxury of its own pacing, and here the movie has to step quickly to keep up! So some of this feels rushed. But they got the right people! Famous black actors mix with unknowns, and they all come out fine and noble. Even if the dialogue or pacing does not always seem to be on their side.

But worth a look! Then read the far superior novel. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The 1999 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Fosse celebrates the work of director-choreographer Bob Fosse, one of Broadway's and film's truly innovative and distinctive talents. While Fosse's protégé Ann Reinking (also the co-choreographer) and frequent collaborator Ben Vereen are the headliners, the dance revue was conceived as an ensemble piece, so the 32-member cast gets plenty of chances to shine. The nearly two-hour performance features re-creations of dazzling numbers from such milestones as Cabaret ("Mein Herr"), Chicago ("Nowadays"), Sweet Charity ("Big Spender"), The Pajama Game ("Steam Heat"), Dancin' ("I Wanna Be a Dancin' Man"), and All That Jazz ("There'll Be Some Changes Made," among others, but not the stunning "On Broadway" sequence). Reinking, Vereen, and another Fosse collaborator, cast member Dana Moore, also share their memories in interview segments. Filmed in live performance, Fosse stands as a memorial to one man's striking vision, an essential record of many classic routines, and simply a whole lot of fun to watch. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (36)

And that's showbiz, baby!
This happens to be one of PBS' Great Performances Dance in America series' greatest realizations of a Broadway show and, more importantly, I think one of the most significant documentations of Bob Fosse's choreographic cannon.

Here you have the authority of Ben Vereen and Ann Reinking peforming in or recreating some of their original stage numbers. One of the reasons I wanted to see this show was to see Vereen recreate the "Glory" number from Pippin. Vereen sings "Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries" - a favorite song of Fosse's from Dancin' - imbuing an added level of relevance for anyone who knows Vereen's life and career. Vereen and Reinking bring to this performance a certain history and magic, a passing on of the tradition. It is moving to see them pass it on to a new generation of Broadway dancers. This is a great cast of dancer/singers. To name a few - Rachel Rak's powerhouse sexy performance of "I Gotcha", Brad Anderson's athletic grace and angelic voice, and Ken Allen's dead on precision stands out in every number.

And the evolution of Fosse's choreographic language becomes striking seen in this context, from increasingly jazz-influenced style of "Shoeless Joe" and "Steam Heat" of the 50s to the vaudeville of the Chicago, Liza with a Z and "I Want to Be a Dancin' Man" numbers. And who can resist "Big Spender" and "Rich Man's Frug"? "Repetitive", one reviewer here claims. Yeah, and Martha Graham, Jerome Robbins and George Balanchine were accused of being "repetitive" in their vocabulary.

"Fosse" also includes interviews with Vereen and Reinking that give insight into how Bob Fosse and his choreography attained the relevance this show displays. Reinking states that Fosse took every member of the ensemble seriously, as a character and not just a background dancer. She describes a dancer who, after working on a number all day, muttered "again?" when asked by Fosse to rehearse further. That unfortunate dancer was soon looking for another job. This tells you something of Fosse's perfectionism. "That's what I would like anybody to feel [seeing this show]", Reinking states, "even just a breath of someone's dedication and passion".

Complain? Name me another film or television document to capture the American musical theatre in recent years. Along with 1990 documentary on Fosse, "Steam Heat", by Dance in America, this will be one of the greatest records of the genius of Bob Fosse. Except for the record of numbers Fosse choreographed for films and television, this is the only record of so many Broadway numbers fans and scholars will be able to rely on in future. And what a wonderful thing to have. I'm giving "Fosse" to all my friends who love the American musical theatre. It's a blast to watch all of these numbers again, and I know they will LOVE it.

And all that jazz...
It's an unfortunate rule of thumb that by the time an enterprising producer gets around to filming a Broadway play or musical, the show has neared the end of its run. Usually, that means performers who are tired, sometimes visibly bored, or perhaps suffering from vocal problems. Unfortunately, FOSSE is no exception to either the rule or the usual consequences thereof. Nor, in this instance, did the producers help matters by reshaping the show around Ben Vereen. Now in his mid-50s, Vereen has lost nearly all of the technical virtues--the strikingly fluid hips, high extension, and apparent weightlessness--that made him one of the quintessential male Fosse dancers. While still a charismatic stage presence and reasonably strong singer, Vereen's performance here is painful to anyone who has recently watched PIPPIN, ALL THAT JAZZ, or the recently released SWEET CHARITY.

The rest of the cast, while reasonably energetic, often lacks both definition and expression. There are some elegant and technically assured performances scattered throughout, most notably from Ken Alan, Shirley Maclaine look-alike Meg Gillentine, Edwaard Liang, and Fosse veteran Dana Moore. The vocals, alas, are usually weak--most annoyingly so in "Crunchy Vanilla Suite," where the two male singers can barely be heard, let alone understood. (Gillentine is probably the evening's strongest singer.) As a general rule, the dancing appears at its best in small-scale numbers like "Steam Heat" or "Cool Hand Luke"; the big ensemble pieces are often weak, with dancers falling out of sync or "softening" the choreography. The most notable offender is probably "The Rich Man's Frug": most of the male dancers don't bother to "hinge" forward; dancers keep their knees straight when they should be in demi-plie; the isolations, well, aren't; and the arms are sloppy (especially in the punching train that concludes "The Heavyweight"). Rather better are the "Shoeless Joe Ballet" and "Sing! Sing! Sing!" The widescreen picture is crisp, although the director's choices are not necessarily what they should be.

Despite its flaws, however, musical theater aficionados will no doubt want to add this DVD to their collection.

Hit and Miss
Those familiar with Mr. Fosse and his work within the scope of musical theater know that the brilliance of Fosse's choreography was that it fit seamlessly within the context of the musical. In other words, the action didn't stop just to accomodate a dance number. Instead, the dance propelled the storyline forward. Taken out of the musical and put into a revue, the dances are still wonderful, but some hit the target while others merely come close.

Having Ann Reinking and Ben Vereen in the show is a huge plus. Although they are no longer in their prime, they were Fosse's favorites and bring a wonderful nostalgia to the show. Every time I see Mr. Vereen do "Mr Bojangles," I tear up. I would have liked to have seen Ms. Reinking do a little more, but I admire the fact that she knows what she is capable of and performs accordingly. Their interviews add a nostalgic touch.

As for the rest of the cast, there is no question as to how talented they are and when numbers don't quite work, it isn't through any fault of the ensemble. Particular standouts are "Sing, Sing, Sing" featuring the phenominal Dylis Croman on the trumpet solo (originally performed by Ann Reinking), "Bye, Bye Blackbird," "I Wanna Be a Dancin' Man," "Crunchy Granola Suite" and "From the Edge." Strangely enough, all of these numbers were from revue-type shows and not taken from musicals.

The misses, while still brilliant dances, are the ones that are out-of-context. Everything from the movie All That Jazz, especially "Take off with Us," falls flat. "Glory/Manson Trio," while interesting to see Mr. Vereen dance it 20 years later, makes no sense when taken out of Pippin. And I will never understand why they included "Razzle Dazzle" in this show and not "All that Jazz," but they did.

All in all, this is an incredibly entertaining DVD and the cast is top notch. Thank you to Ann Reinking and the late Gwen Verdon for keeping Bob Fosse's spirit alive and introducing him to a new generation of dancers.

I thought I knew who Bob Fosse was.
I am a musical theater fanatic, and so when I was in my first play, Damn Yankees, I was introduced to the choreography of Bob Fosse.
I loved what he did with Gwen Verdon in the film version, her "Lola" dance was a riot to behold. I also loved "Two Lost Souls", Bob Fosse really added a mood to that number.
Neither of those dance numbers are found in here.

I decided I would see Cabaret, the film, which is raunchy, but I thought I could handle it, and handle it I did.
The dancing in Cabaret is really cool, espesialy Mein Heir and Wilkomen, however, only Mein Heir was in the film version of Fosse, and it was not even the original dance, it was a remake, a sloppy, lousy, extremely slow, remake.

Ann Reinkin and Benn Veiring are a lousy addition to this film. They are good for the documentary parts, but this isn't supposed to be a documentary, its supposed to be a dance show, not a talk show.

Why didn't they put the dance on one side of the disk and the documentary on the other side?

The song and dance, "Steam Heat", from The Pajama Game, is on here, but it is a complete disaster.

The singing in this film stinks. "But they are dancers" you say, I know they are dancers! But don't you think they could find ones who could sing? Is that too much to ask?
No it isn't.

Besides the two oldies, Benn and Anne, messing things up, and the lack of vocal talent, and in most cases, dancing talent, there is still more aspects of this film to disturb you.

I thought that even though Fosse's numbers were on the risque side, that they would be ok for my kids to watch, since they are not in the context of a nasty story line, such as the numbers from Cabaret, and since I thought the costumes would be risque, but within reason, like in the Cabaret. Well, the costumes in Mein Heir, among half of the other numbers in this production, are next to nothing, either the ladies legs are bare clear up to their ribs, or something worse, as we see in this new version of Mein Heir, thongs and so forth.

Still, a bigger suprise awaited me,
Three girls and three guys all walk out onto the stage, the guys in black speedos, and the girls in skimpy underwear. So one of the girls and one of the guys start to dance in the middle of the stage, in an extremely, extremely suggestive manner, wearing almost nothing. Now as if this wasn't disgusting enough, then the two guys starting dancing together, with each other, and then the two girls start to dance with each other.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I didn't want this crap in the heads of my children, and I didn't want it in my head either.
So I didn't even wait to see how much worse this dance would get, I took the disc out of the DVD player, scratched it to bits, explained to my children that it was a filthy and lewed show, that I did not want it in our familiy's home, and I threw it away.

So even though I spent three of my theatrical years dancing some of Bob Fosse's better dances, which were great dances,
I do not care,
this DVD is not worth owning.
The dances that are not dirty, are lousy,
and even if the show was executed with great talent and flare, it doesn't matter to me,
it is not worth the owning because of its lack of dignity and respect for the human race.

I recomend, instead of this film, the origional Bob Fosse films. The Pajama Game is a must own, simply because of Steam Heat, then there is his Damn Yankees, and so fourth. Get his numbers this way, that way the dances are done well, and you can be selective.
Although I do not recomend All That Jazz, it is even worse than this production.

Fosse
Fosse is a truely magical musical revue highlighting all our Bob Fosse favorites from Damn Yankees in the 50s through Big Deal in the 80s. Ben Vareen leads and all star cast of Broadway veterans like Dana Moore, as well as new talent like Meg Gillentine and Rachelle Rak. The dancing is of course phenominal with Ken Alan and Edward Liang leading an all-star cast of dancers. Fosse godess Ann Reinking's re-creation of Fosse's original choregraphy captures that sense of vibration and sensuality so important to his shows. My only complaints: 1. During some spots, the dancing isn't sharp and crisp and the movement isn't together. 2. Ann Reinking should sing and dance more. Some memorable numbers include Steam Heat, I Gotcha, Big Spender, Mr. Bojangles, Mein Herr, Cool Hand Luke, Nowadays, Rich Man's Frug, and Sing, Sing, Sing. ... Read more

Description

Music-based romantic drama about the late singer/songwriter Frankie Lymon, who was responsible for many hit records but whose self-destructive life ended early, with many relationships left unresolved. three women, each claiming to be his wife, each with ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Entertaining delight!
The filmmakers know you've heard this tale before - true life chronicle of a young singing star's rise and tragic fall - and so they wisely downplay the standard bio trappings and instead focus on a raucously entertaining ride through Frankie Lymon's woman troubles. The smart screenplay revolves around the court battle of Lymon's three wives (yes, three!) over song royalties, leading to vivid (and often humorously contradictory) flashbacks of their lives with the singer. Larenz Tate is magnetic playing the many different sides of the ever-changing lead character, but the film ultimately belongs to Halle Berry, Vivica A. Fox and Lela Rochon as the wives. Each is allowed to shine as the trio portrays 30 years of changes in the women's lives, with Fox drop-dead hilarious as the most outrageous of the three. There's beautifully detailed '60s-era cinematography, sets, costuming and musical numbers, plus a side-splitting turn by Miguel Nunez as a young Little Richard. Major issues (such as '60s race relations) are barely glanced at, but what this film lacks in depth, it makes up for ten-fold in entertainment value. A winner!

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I may be in the minority, because...
I really didn't care for this movie very much. It told you virtually nothing about young Frankie Lymon's career with the Teenagers, and the focus was on his three wives fighting over whom was most entitled to the small fortune he left behind when he died at age 26 of a heroin overdose in 1968. Instead of a true biography of this young man's tragic story, we got this.

"Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" never really gives you the reason why Lymon (played by the talented actor Larenz Tate) was so very important in the history of R&B/rock and roll. Ignoring the fact that he was the first teenaged idol of rock and roll (like the little Michael Jackson of his era) and was an influence on other groups that would come after his, in this film Frankie was overwhelmingly portrayed as nothing more than some '50s rock music has-been who was a bigamist and a drug addict. On top of that, the three actresses who played his wives (Halle Berry, Lela Rochon, Vivica A. Fox) got more screen time than Larenz Tate did, and was billed over him. Excuse me, but wasn't this film supposed to be Frankie's story? I was not interested in seeing a movie about his wives.

Tate did his best, and I had no problem with the rest of the cast...but the script was just not worthy of his talents. I gave it three stars for the musical performances, but I feel the definitive movie about Frankie's life has yet to be made.

Love is Blind and So Are the Women!
The title fits the movie's subject because these women were foolish to falll in love with him. Despite his early career in music and rise to fame, he was on a path to destruction, which he could have controlled. Frankie Lymon, lead singer for the group Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, had the voice that made girls across America scream. But watching the movie, he was also selfish because he used his own members, who were also his friends to pursue a solo career; which was never achieved. He married Zora Taylor, a member of The Platters, Elizabeth Waters, and Emira Eagle; none of whom he divorced.
The movie got me to wonder if any of these women could see below the surface of this man. Why did they allow him to descend into drugs and self-loathing? If one really loves someone, they would either help them through or send them packing. It was obvious that he had them on a string. All three of them had to go to court to prove they were legally married to him and collect money from his estate. Unfortunately, the music industry wasn't as legally together as it is now. Therefore, any claim to what he sang is out of their reach.
Lymon's music still lives on as a reminder of the "good old days" when music wasn't sexually explicit and musicians could actually sing.

Frankie Lymon for Beginners
I never knew much about Frankie Lymon until I watched this movie. He was one of my father's favorites. This movie, while it did not cover everything and sometimes it was historically inaccurate, it gave a good review of Frankie's rise and fall as a doo-wop star. The acting by Halle Berry, Lorenz Tate, Vivica Fox, and Leah Rochon was superb!

Fools in Love-Great Acting
Didn't know much about Frankie, except that he was a bigamist. The acting is great! It is worth having in your library. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A priceless document of archival footage and precious oral history,Vaudeville offers a comprehensive survey of American family entertainmentin the decades before radio, movies, and television. From its origins in Britishcomedy, Yiddish theater, and burlesque, vaudeville is explored in all of itsimmigrant diversity. Astonishing film clips are a constant marvel, featuringsuch vintage but still-entertaining crowd-pleasers as Fannie Brice, Bert Lahr,Chaz Chase ("Eater of Strange Things"), Little Tich and his oversized shoes, andHadji Ali, the greatest of all "regurgitators." Anecdotes and history, with afocus on the inherent racism of minstrel shows, are shared by such luminaries asRose Marie, Billy Barty, Gerald Marks, Bobby Short, the Nicholas Brothers, andmany others (several interviewed shortly before they died). Their stories, alongwith Studs Terkel's fond reminiscence and Ben Vereen's informative narration,preserve a form of entertainment that has vanished forever, its spirit lingeringin our habitual channel-surfing of television. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A STAR-FILLED VARIETY SHOW. OR A FIELDS DAY!
Before TV, before radio, even before silent films came vaudeville --- an art form of traveling variety shows in which performers sang, danced, acted, juggled and joked and did just about anything else to make crowds laugh. The golden age of vaudeville was, indeed, the launching pad for many a star, including George Burns and Gracie Allen, Bert Williams, James Cagney, W. C. Fields, Bob Hope and Eddie Cantor, all of whom appear, in rare performances, in this "American Masters" documentary hoisted by Ben Vereen. Say hello, Gracie. Now say good-night.

Great Fun!
A terrific documentary, that provides an energetic look backward at America in the late 1800s to through the first few decades of the 1900s. The footage of the old acts are worth the price of admission, but there's also some wonderful interviews with people who lived it. Best of all, the narrative is intelligent and insightful.

VAUDEVILLE DVD
This is a case of documentarians thinking that you'd rather hear them pontificate that actually see what they're talking about. The packaging for this DVD claims you'll see 80 vaudeville acts. And you will, for about 12 seconds each... not one performance is complete. Which is a big shame, given the wealth of footage the filmmakers apparently had access to. The writer of this presentation should have stepped well out of the way, and let the performances speak. To make it that much more frustrating , much of the running time goes to interviews with non-vaudevillians such as present-day filmaker Robert Townsend, and clips of vaudeville-influenced stuff like the Muppet Show. It kills you sit through this stuff knowing that the filmmakers are holding back rare footage of performances by houdini, w.c. fields, you name it. Buy this if you know nothing about vaudeville... and want to hear some old-timers doing a remember-when. If you want to see some old routines, get some of the variety films (international house, stand up and cheer, (this list is huge) from the early thirties and you'll be much better off.

Make Em Laugh, Make Em Cry, Make Em Wait
Television is the grandchild of vaudeville, but for decades vaudeville ignored television. This documentary -- the first ever television program about vaudeville -- is an enhanced version of a 1997 PBS broadcast, part of the American Masters series. For rights reasons, some of the songs -- like "Frankfurter Sandwiches" -- are missing from the original broadcast, but they've been replaced by either other songs or more spoken word routines. Segments from almost ninety acts are included -- in 1997 People Magazine said this was one of the twelve best television programs of the year, and the best entertainment special of the year -- that for a show where most of the performers haven't been seen for thirty years. Also included are interviews with more than thirty vaudevillians, including June Havoc, Morey Amsterdam, Rose Marie, George Abbott, and the Nicholas Brothers. I think it's a splendid show, but then I should; I wrote and directed it.

An excellent documentary for everyone!
If you are interested in entertainment, dancing, comedy or even American history, I recommend this DVD. It has excellent structure, and describes many aspects of the life inside vaudeville music halls. It also addresses many sensative issues, like the use of blackface in minstral shows, and the death of vaudeville in the early 30s.

It contains a tremendous amount of interesting footage of many vaudeville acts. For it's film footage alone, and being able to witness some of these great acts, this DVD is well worth it.

This documentary gives excellent examples of the types of entertainment one would find in the early part of the century and relates it back to present day. As far as documentaries go, this is an extremely impressive effort. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Why, Barbra? Why??
This is a disjointed, embarrassing, histrionic hodge-podge of a movie that never comes anywhere near to capturing the magnificent La Streisand's glory days of 'Hello, Dolly!' and the sublime 'Funny Girl'.

There are several reasons for this, though none are to do with the performances given by the leads; Streisand reprising her role as Fanny Brice does what she can with a truly lousy script, ditto James Caan as her hapless second Husband, Billy Rose.

Why 'Funny Girl' fails so badly is the fact that it seems to have had eighteen different writers, producers and directors working on the project at any one time. At one point, early on in the movie, Fanny complains of Rose's show that 'the whole damn thing is overproduced' - ironically, a metaphor for 'Funny Lady' itself. Musical numbers are shockingly produced - 'Clap Hands, Here Comes Charley' looks and sounds like a singer in great pain, while Barbra's showcase songs 'Great Day' (embarrasingly racist) and 'Let's Hear it for Me', while beautifully performed, are hideously shambolic mish-mash affairs of direction and choreography, or lack thereof.

The script, too, is second-rate. Why is Fanny a big bee-yotch all of a sudden? When did the hard-nosed businesswoman come along to replace the sweet, funny Fanny of the previous movie? She's too mercenary now, all shares and profits, and her femininity doesn;t really begin to show until the 'Isn't This Better?' moment (a beautiful song, and an even better performance), but this is towards the film's end, and by that stage we're just plain tired of Bitter Barbra.

Bearing little to no resemblance to its predecessor, 'Funny Lady' is a terribly poorly-produced movie, full of beautiful songs and really awful visuals. Buy the soundtrack instead.

An entertaining album of standards and original songs.
The 1975 sequel to "Funny Girl" in which Barbra Streisand made her screen debut, "Funny Lady" boasts a soundtrack with standards and newly-written tunes by Kander and Ebb. With her voice at its peak, Barbra Streisand interprets this grab-bag of songs with great verve and tenderness, mixing feeling with meaning. Whether Fanny Brice is onstage doing her Yiddish shtick in "Blind Date" or contemplating her emotional relationship with Billy Rose (James Caan) in "Isn't This Better?", the songs hit the right note. What's entertaining about this album is the vividness of the performances not only by Streisand, but also by James Caan and Ben Vereen; the listener can enjoy the songs without having seen the film. If you like melodies, bravura dramatic singing and comedy numbers, this is the album for you! Close your eyes and you'll be back in the good old days when the songs were part of the film's story, not just an excuse for a soundtrack.

ADORABLE! I LOVE IT!!
This is a fabulous movie. I still think "Funny Girl" is better, but I adore this film. One of Ms. Streisand's best! "FIVE STARS!"- Naomi Judd, "Star Search"

"See, Billy, in a tutu, I can be funny."
The 1968 film version of FUNNY GIRL was an absolute masterpiece, and as perfect as a musical-comedy film can be. A sequel to this classic was not something that was ever needed to be made, but since the original was so successful (FUNNY GIRL was the highest-grossing film of 1968) and well-loved, it was pretty obvious why producer Ray Stark wanted to make this follow-up so badly. It took awhile, but he eventually convinced Streisand to sign on and reprise her role as Fanny Brice, with Herbert Ross (who had staged the musical numbers in the original film and had directed Streisand in the box office hit THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT) set to direct. Although the film was generally well-received by most critics and proved to be another big box office hit, many fans of the sweet-natured original did not care for the slightly more harsh and cynical tone of this follow-up, and it has since fallen out of favor with many Streisand fans.

While no film could ever recapture the easy charm and beautiful sentiment of FUNNY GIRL, FUNNY LADY is highly entertaining when viewed on it's own terms. Streisand plays the now-hard-bitten Fanny with a depth and maturity that is very different from her characterization in the first film, but almost equally as stunning. Many viewers often complain that James Caan was badly miscast as Billy Rose. While Caan is physically wrong for the role of the short, unattractive Rose, he still comes across as oddly likable, and he has a nice comic chemistry with Streisand. Roddy McDowell is fun as Fanny's assistant, and veteran hoofer Ben Vereen brings down the house with a incredible, almost gravity-defying dance routine. Omar Shariff also returns for two very effective scenes as Nick Arnstein, the man Fanny will always love, but can't seem to live with.

Though Streisand is in terrific singing voice, the song score is a bit more hit-and-miss. The period standards that Streisand vividly performs (particularly the bittersweet "More Than You Know," the gospel-infused "Great Day," and the heart-wrenching "If I Love Again") are absolutely fantastic, however, the heavily-promoted original songs from Cabaret composers Kander and Ebb are a major disappointment. The intended show-stopper "How Lucky Can You Get" is fine number that is made memorable by Streisand's scorching performance, however, the remainder of the original songs ("Blind Date," "Let's Here It For Me") are pretty forgettable despite Streisand's impassioned vocals. Fortunately, these few mediocre numbers (and the rather predictable narrative) are flaws that are very easy to forgive. No, FUNNY LADY doesn't hold a candle to FNNY GIRL, but the film remains a fun and enjoyable ride that should entertain those who loved the original.

About the DVD: The picture quality is excellent - a bit more edge enhancement than there was the FUNNY GIRL DVD, but still great. The sound is also terrific, but I wish Columbia would have at least included the film's original trailer.

A Worthy and Cruelly Underappreciated Sequel
After reading so many negative reviews of this movie, I was surprised to find that I actually loved it. To refute:

She is bitchy because she has been bruised. Notice upon another rewatching of "Funny Girl" how Fanny slowly but surely learns to cover up her pain and anguish through her constant performativity. Whatever innocence was left in her is gone after Nick walked out the door. "Funny Lady" is a worthy sequel because, psychologically, it starts where the last movie leaves off. Fanny must learn to love again. The reason you don't see "sweet Barbra" until the train sequence is because the movie is ABOUT the re-emergence of the sincere woman.

Pay attention to the kinds of lines the writers of both "Funny Girl" and "Funny Lady" give to Fanny Brice. This is the same woman. Only older. Wiser. More bruised. And to those of you who call the movie "cliché," I wonder if you missed the ending.

Is the movie overproduced? Yes. Is it poorly written? No. I would argue that this movie very nearly merits its original in quality, but because it very sincerely tackles the problems of maturity, the problem of Life After Love, its themes may be too complex for those looking only for another tragic love story.

As someone who knows the power of First Love, I found this movie honest and moving, worthy in nearly every way to its prequel, and though there's not enough room in this space to defend it fully, I count myself among those prepared to do so.

The DVD gets four stars because there are no special features. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The award-winning HBO series Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child provides updated cartoon versions of the classics that will hold your kids' attention without banging them on the head with themes. Four half-hour tales are included, each with a bevy of well-known vocal talent. A very sweet version of Pinocchio features a star-studded voice cast, including Will Smith, Chris Rock, Charles S. Dutton, and Della Reese. Although this may make the take sound strictly African American, the spin is decidedly multicultural. Geppetto becomes "George" and Pinocchio, being "chips of pine and oak off the old block" is called "Pinoak." The big spin is on Pinocchio's insect friend, who in this version is a termite named "Woody," played with a rascally style well suited to Chris Rock. For Mother Goose Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Smits, and Denzel Washington lend voice as the merriment takes place in Mother Gooseberg Land, where Old King Cole reigns over the likes of Little Miss Muffet, Georgie Porgie, and the rest of the gang who take their poetic direction from the grand dame of rhyme herself, Mother Gooseberg. Creativity oozes from this rollicking rhyme fest, an animated retelling of some well-loved classic nursery rhymes. A simple chore of chopping trees turns into a life lesson for a trio of peasant brothers in this fresh take on The Golden Goose. Drexel, Axel, and Simpleton are three strapping boys who live with their father and mother in a small kingdom. When father sends the older sons to clear the forest, they encounter a wizard--dressed as a beggar--who asks them for some food. Woven throughout this simple tale are subtle messages of the benefits of faith and kindness in everyday living, best understood by children ages 4 and older. The seductive music that the Pied Piper played to woo the children of Hamelin was jazz. At least, that's the take in retelling as old tales mix with new world vision. Here, the selfish King of Hamelin (Samuel L. Jackson) loves to dismiss all politics so he can count his money. Unfortunately, the rat problem becomes so severe that plans must be put into action. When a smooth, jazz-playing stranger (Wesley Snipes) wanders into town proclaiming that he can address the problem, the city council is ready to give him riches. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good solid film
Jesse Owens is a Hero.he stood Hate in the Face&Looked it down and was a Champion not only of Sport but of Human Rights.Dorian Harewood a Good Actor who i have seen in countless films does a solid job here.

Great story... is it all true?
I am a major fan of Jesse Owens, and this film is definitely for fans. Dorian Harewood portrays Jesse very well, but almost in a god-like perfection. Of course, biographies are supposed to emphasize good qualities, but this film leaves you wondering if Jesse Owens had any bad ones. Still a very good film, and an excellent way to introduce people who don't know about him to a great role model, a great athlete and world class human. ... Read more