Average Rating: 
Rating:  - The happiest sound in its best version yet!
Reviled by some, beloved by many, consistently referred to as the most popular movie musical ever made, THE SOUND OF MUSIC more than fulfills the promise of its beautiful visuals and expert song numbers on home video via DVD. This edition tops the 1995 laserdisc by allowing the sparkling, exemplary design of its 70mm. Todd-AO frame to be exhibited with increased sharpness and resolution. The 4.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack is powerful and clean, but since this film was originally mixed for six-track magnetic stereo, it's curious why the effort wasn't made by Fox to split the surrounds! Nonethless, the film sounds terrific. The extra features make this package a bargain at the price. Full length commentary by director Bob Wise, with the musical numbers presented sans vocals, is a great touch. And the two documentaries are beautifully presented; full of facts and bits of arcane information that any fan will truly enjoy. A great movie, and a great DVD rendition. More like this, PLEASE!
Rating: - An all-time favorite!
As a child, when you watch movies, you tend to pay more attention to the wonderful colors, and more importantly, the things the actors do to make the audience laugh. As a child, most of a movie's dialogue goes unnoticed, but then you grow up and, watching those movies as an adult, they tend to lose a little of their luster. Which is what makes "The Sound of Music" such a glorious movie experience: the magnificent music and antics of the actors area delight for younger ages, while the moving and emotional true story of a woman who changes her life and the lives of those around her is one of the most empowering stories ever told. It makes smooth transitions from joyous to serious, boasts handsome performances from some very talented actors, and is helmed by a director who knows what the material requires and provides it amply. Based on a true story, Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical is given the big-screen treatment, beginning with the infamous opening sequence featuring the singing voice of actress Julie Andrews as she belts out the title song, set against beautiful Austrian vistas and scenic landscapes. While Maria (Andrews) sings of bluebirds and hills, the nuns residing at the convent are puzzled as to how to solve a problem like Maria. The solution seems simple: send her away to live in the von Trapp home, owned by Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), who is now a widower with seven children. At first, the children are up to their usual nanny-burdening antics, but one night, during a powerful thunderstorm, they warm to one another and quickly become friends. Even Captain von Trapp, who is put off by the unorthodox way in which Maria allows the children to frolic, begins to warm to her new way of handling them, as well as warming to her himself. Maria soon must come to terms with her mutual feelings for him, and that, coupled with the Nazi-Germany movement in Austria, may put the happy family in jeopardy. Let's face it: everyone knows every song from this movie, most of them by heart, all of them at least by name. The title song, "The Hills Are Alive," fits the opener quite nicely, and, combined with such upbeat songs as "My Favorite Things" and "Do Re Mi," the movie takes on a lighthearted and cheery feel that will no doubt keep children intrigued and maybe even singing along. Other songs, such as "Climb Every Mountain," which closes the film, give the movie a serious feel for moments that require such a tone. The story is also very intriguing, even in its final third act. There is a nice progression throughout the movie of things going from good to bad, bad to worse, and then ending on a final note of majestic happiness. As with any musical, the songs match the tone, though none so beautifully as this movie. Julie Andrews will forever be remembered for her role as Maria, her lilting voice and caring nature carrying the movie along for many stretches of time. Her chemistry with actor Christopher Plummer, who plays Captain von Trapp, is magical. Plummer's character is well-rounded and stern, softened later by the newfound love in his life. The child actors are especially fun to watch, each of them portraying a different stage of life, from teenager to toddler. Director Robert Wise seemed an unlikely choice to direct "The Sound of Music," but after seeing it, I don't think anyone else could do a better job. The movie is as majestic as the mountains that surround the characters, and as moving and involving as any motion picture you'll ever see in your lifetime.
Rating: - I Loved It!!
At 33 years of age, I finally saw the Sound of Music...and I thought it was wonderful! Although the movie is nearly three hours long, it possesses so much charm and beauty that I truly enjoyed every minute of it. The segment in which Maria and the children perform "the lonely goatherd" puppet-show alone justifies purchasing the movie. Other stand-out scenes include the nuns singing about how to solve "a problem like Maria," Julie Andrews teaching the children about music with the song "Do Ray Mi," and the children telling the guests at their father's party goodnight with the "Cuckoo" song ("Adieu, adieu...to you and you and you"). Also, the scenary Austrian countryside is absolutely breathtaking! The Sound of Music is definitely worth seeing. Don't just take my word for it. Of the 233 reviews of The Sound of Music which have been posted on Amazon at this time (12/12/01), only 18 gave this film less than 4 stars. Furthermore, 10 of these 18 mediocre reviews were only critical of the technical aspects of the DVD, and praised the actual film. Of course, the eight people who truly didn't enjoy The Sound of Music have every right to give it a negative review, and shouldn't be criticized for their honesty. Even so, I feel a little sad that they didn't have the wonderful experience I had with this movie. (...)
|
