Mozart: Le Nozze Di Figaro (The Marriage Of Figaro) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Anna Moffo, Giuseppe Taddei, Carlo Maria Giulini, Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus

Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Anna Moffo, Giuseppe Taddei, Carlo Maria Giulini, Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus

Rate Points :4.0
Binding :Audio CD
Label :EMI Classics
Manufacturer :EMI Classics
ProductGroup :Music
Studio :EMI Classics
Publisher :EMI Classics
UPC :094635860221
EAN :0094635860221
Price :$23.98USD
Lowest Price :$14.54USD

Customer Reviews

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Mozart - Le Nozze Di Figaro / Te Kanawa, Cotrubas, Von Stade, Luxon, Skram, Fryatt; Pritchard, Glyndebourne Opera

Mozart - Le Nozze di Figaro / Te Kanawa, Cotrubas, von Stade, Luxon, Skram, Fryatt Pritchard, Glyndebourne Opera

Description

Le Nozze di Figaro, Mozarts timeless opera buffa, is one of the greatest of all operatic masterpieces. It is based on Beaumarchais comedy Le Marriage de Figaro and tells the tale of the servant Figaro, who is about to marry the maid Susanna. Count Almaviva, keeping an eye on Susanna himself, tries to prevent this marriage with the help of Bortolo, the doctor, but is continually thwarted.

This exquisite production by Peter Hall, Director of the National Theatre, features a host of renowned opera singers lead by Kiri Te Kanawa as the Countess, the role that made her an international superstar. Knut Skrams charming and likeable take on the character of Figaro works very well with Cotrubas gentle Susanna. Also noteworthy is the outstanding Frederica von Stade, elebrated for her performance in the trouser role of Cherubino.

From the Glyndebourne Festical Opera 1973.
Picture Format: 4:3 Subtitles: I, D, F, GB, SP
Sound Format: PCM Stereo
Rate Points :4.5
Binding :DVD
Label :Arthaus Musik
Manufacturer :Arthaus Musik
MPN :101089
ProductGroup :DVD
Studio :Arthaus Musik
Publisher :Arthaus Musik
UPC :807280108996
EAN :0807280108996
Price :$19.99USD
Lowest Price :$12.05USD
Customer Reviewsvon Stade
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
As Cherubion, Frederica Von Stade made tingles race up my spine when she sang Voi che sapete che cosa. This to me is what opera is about- timeless beauty, energy, and dramatic human emotion.
This is the first time I have heard Kiri Te Kanawa, she was divine. The energy and connection between The Countess and Susanna was delightful. Ileana Cotrubas as Susanna was fantastic she brought a sense of playful, mischievous fun to the role. Ileana made her character feel real for me. Her timing was perfect. She portrayed Susanna as a well rounded flesh and blood young woman- humorous, warm, loving, and loyal as well as being jealous, sneaky, and cunning when necessary. From the women you couldnt have hoped for more.
I bought a copy after I saw it. I had temporarily hooked my DVD player straight to the TV- once I pick up another optic cable and run it through the sound system the sound can only get better.

Gorgeous singing
Rating Point :4 Helpful Point :1
It is a pleasure listening to the voices of the "prima donnas",Te Kanawa , young VonStade and Cotrubas.The London Philarmonic under Pritchard sounds good.This is an old recording and the quality of the DVD is average but the DVD as a whole is well worth your money.

Beautifully Sung
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :3
The reviews I have read hailing Kiri Te Kanawas performance were fully justified. She has a beautiful voice which she uses to effortlessly explore the full range of Mozarts The Marriage of Figaro.

I would rate the overall sound quality a 4, considering the cast as a whole did not fully enunciate as loud as the accompanying orchestra. Other nitpicky things: The recitatives were overly fast, as if they were trying to rush through to the next song, and I thought Frederica von Stade was a bit too feminine for the part of Cherubino (yes, its a female part playing a young boy, but again, thats my opinion).

The chemistry of the duets was exceptional. I particularly enjoyed the Countess and Susanna singing the song to the air. Te Kanawa and Cotrubas sounded especially inspired. Again, the word "effortless" seems appropriate for such a beautiful performance.

The Marriage of Figaro is by far my favorite opera, and this is the third performance I have bought on DVD. Having worn out the DVD of the first performance I bought, I had to get different ones to appreciate the variations in other performances. And being resistant to change, I am always surprised when I prefer a subsequent performance to a previously viewed one. It is easy to see though, why this 30 year old performance still retains a high demand with viewers. In short, it is a welcome addition to my collection, and I highly recommend it.

Brilliant!
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :5
This DVD is a treasure. Perhaps one of the best productions ever. Terrific cast, great direction, wonderful music interpretation, great acting and singing. I am personally quite taken with some of the Met productions Ive seen, but this is right up there with them, and in some cases (Contrubas Susanna, Skrams Figaro), this production exceeds any of the Met performances Ive heard. Of course, Frederica von Stade is THE definitive Cherubino, in singing and acting, and Kiri Te Kanawa is brilliant as the Countess.

Light and Airy Version
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
I enjoy this presentation very much as it is light and airy and full of fun. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to enjoy Te Kanawa early in her career. I also love Ileana Cotrubas and Frederica von Stade. Both are excellent here. Knut Skram makes a fun Figaro.

The Glyndebourne Festival Opera is done on a small stage, making it a more personal presentation. Get it and enjoy it.

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Puccini - La Bohme / Freni, Pavarotti, Harwood, Ghiaurov, Karajan

Amazon.com essential recording

The score for La Bohme comes to glowing life under Herbert von Karajans baton, and Mirella Freni and Luciano Pavarotti make beautiful music together as the ill-fated lovers. The smaller parts are wonderfully sung, the comedy sharply profiled, and the pathos contained in such a way that the operas ending proves remarkably gripping. Londons sound is excellent. --Ted Libbey
Rate Points :5.0
Binding :Audio CD
Label :Decca
Manufacturer :Decca
MPN :421049
ProductGroup :Music
Studio :Decca
Publisher :Decca
UPC :028942104921
EAN :0028942104921
Price :$33.98USD
Lowest Price :$23.49USD

Customer ReviewsI dont see how this one could be bettered
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
Although some of the most ardent opera buffs will still prefer Beecham, this is really the version to turn to for most people. This is quite simply Pavarottis best role, full of vigour and poetry. If one really wished to find something to pick on, it would perhaps be that he only rarely seems willing to sing quietly, but the feeling (in particular the desperation) and warmth he brings to the role is, as far as I know, unmatched. Freni also, in my view, outperforms e.g. Callas, at least in terms of sheer beauty of sound, although a case could be made that Callas is the superior interpreter. Panerai and Harwood are excellent as well.

But if there is anything sweeping all competition aside, it is Karajan. He has simply got it all, focus on orchestral beauty as well as a taut grip on the drama and momentum. Put that together with splendid sound, and youve got a winning set. A must.

Pure magic
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
When you compare Freni with the light roles that she used to sing in the 60s and this Freni, you will think they are two different singers. But what is truly amazed is the fact that not only her voice changed, but she became bar none to one the hardest heavy lyric soprano roles ever: Mimi. And when she has Pavarotti next to her, it is like heaven. But, wait... Who is conducting is Karajan, unarguably one of the best puccinian ever. This is a record to listen, re-listen, re-listen, re-listen until I dont know when...

One of the two best recordings
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :1
In a recent BBC3 "CD Review" broadcast, Alexandra Wilson made a gallant attempt to achieve the impossible task of choosing amongst forty or so recordings of "La Boheme" - and while I agreed with her ultimate choice of the Beecham recording with Bjorling, Merrill and De Los Angeles, I have rather more regard for this discarded Karajan recording simply because Pavarottis voice, in its prime, as she herself put it, "runs through the recording like a golden seam". The rest of the cast is wonderful, too, although Karajans love for the score is manifested in a rather deliberately "beautiful" approach and thereby slightly undercuts the drama. I cannot be without either recording of this eternally youthful and moving opera, and although Freni was captured in slightly fresher, more limpid voice in the earlier Schippers set, for me Gedda is absolutely no substitute for Pavarotti at his best. Both Merrill and Panerai are infinitely touching in the great duet "O Mimi, tu piu non torni" and although Beechams recording is a little rough around the edges, he conveys greater energy and fun in the slapstick scenes while, Karajan extracts slightly more pathos from the last act, in better sound. Acquire both sets for the complete experience.

Question
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
Im sorry this is not a review. I was wondering if someone can tell me if libretto is included in this product. Thanks in advance.

A Definitive Production of La Bohme.
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :1
Puccinis iconic La Bohme (1896) is among the most popular operas in history (second only to Puccinis Madama Butterfly), and "Che gelida manina" is one of the most familiar arias in opera. Based on Scnes de la vie de Bohme by Henri Murger, La Bohme is a romantic opera in four acts. Set in Paris (around 1830), Puccinis opera is about four bohemians living in the Quartier Latin. One of them (Rodolfo) falls in love with a seamstress (Mim), who contracts a cough which slowly consumes her (it is presumably tuberculosis). Rodolfo confesses to Marcello that he has left Mimi because of her deadly illness. When Mimi later dies, Rodolfo cries out Mims name and then weeps uncontrollably. La Bohme was first performed in Turin in 1896.

I experienced a live HD simulcast performance of Puccinis opera from The NYC Metropolitan Opera yesterday, with tenor Ramn Vargas performing as Rodolfo, Angela Gheorghiu in the role of Mim, and Nicola Luisotti conducting. (Franco Zeffirelli produced the opera and designed the sets.) Before the Met performance, I listened to this CD performance to familiarize myself with the opera, and it is truly superb. This production, conducted by maestro Herbert von Karajan, is a definitive recording of La Bohme, with perfect performances (rich in bohemian heart and soul) by Luciano Pavarotti and Mirella Freni in the leading roles. Many opera buffs more knowledgeable than me have called this the greatest recording of La Bohme. The sound quality is impeccable. Highly recommended.

G. Merritt

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The Snows Of Kilimanjaro

The Snows of Kilimanjaro

Amazon.com essential video

Several pieces of Hemingway fiction fold together for this pastiche movie, in which a writer (Gregory Peck) lies on the slope of Africas famous mountain and thinks back on his life while awaiting medical attention. "Africa" in this case is a back-screen projection fortunately, the majority of the film is told through flashbacks set in France, Spain, and other parts of the Dark Continent. Pecks relationships with various women (played by Susan Hayward, Ava Gardner, and Hildegard Knef) are at the center of his recollections, but the overall thesis is a very Hemingway-esque summary of the responsibility of a writer to get at the truth. --Tom Keogh

Product Description

Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 03/06/2007 Rating: Nr
Rate Points :3.5
Binding :DVD
Brand :TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT
Label :20th Century Fox
Manufacturer :20th Century Fox
MPN :FOXD2234919D
ProductGroup :DVD
Studio :20th Century Fox
Publisher :20th Century Fox
UPC :024543249191
EAN :0024543249191
Price :$19.98USD
Lowest Price :$9.74USD
Customer ReviewsWhat might have been
Rating Point :3 Helpful Point :2
This film can only be characterized as a huge disappointment. A great cast, a screenplay based on the works (and life) of a great author, a dangerous, romantic setting, and this film simply doesnt go anywhere at the end. This film opens with the main character Harry Street (played by Gregory Peck) lying in bed at a safari camp in Africa, wounded, perhaps mortally, and being attended by his lover, Helen (played by Susan Hayward). We are then taken back to Pecks earlier life as a young, talented writer (much like Hemingway himself) through a series of flashbacks. We see the ups and downs of his life, his loves, and his mistakes. We are occasionally taken back to Africa where Street reflects on his life, the women that he loved, and the relationship with his current love. This is a tale of adventure, of life, of love, and of reflection, it could have been an all time great film, but unfortunately falls well short. There is a lot to like in this film. The acting is, for the most part, top notch. Great performances by Susan Wayward and Ava Gardner in my view. The complex relationship between Peck and Gardner is particularly well done. Youll really feel the emotions of their love affair, as well as their ultimate lack of any real connection. I also thought that the overall portrayal of Streets life and his successes and failures, both professional and romantic, was well done. There are some things I really dislike about this film though. The cinematography in Africa is horrid. One thing that the audience can usually count on in films set in Africa (particularly with a safari-related theme - compare with other Africa films shot in the same era such as Mogambo or King Solomons Mines) is spectacular cinemtography of the wildlife, the landscape, etc. These scenes are so dark and poorly shot that youll be left wondering why you bothered. Second, the writer/producer/director went over the top with the melodrama at times, and it really weakens the overall effect of the film. I found the ambulance scene in Spain in which Harry Street comes across his long lost love in the middle of a battle to be almost laughably overblown. Finally, the ending is unimaginative and anti-climactic. Did Street truly find the women he loves because she spent one night taking care of him on what may be his deathbead? A pretty good film that is best remembered for what it might have been.

top Hemingway adaptation
Rating Point :4 Helpful Point :2
THE SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO was producer Darryl F. Zanucks prestige production for 1952. Based around several of Ernest Hemingways stories, it gave Gregory Peck the chance to play one of his most intriguing roles and also showcased Ava Gardner in one of her best performances.

Acclaimed author Harry Street (Gregory Peck) lies severely wounded and dazed on the African plains with his patient wife Helen (Susan Hayward), awaiting a rescue flight. Floating in and out of conciousness, he recalls his early life and the women who shared it with him. Themes of fate and thwarted love are constant in Hemingways works in THE SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO, those themes are explored with an almost poetic reverence.

Ava Gardner plays Harrys steadfast but ultimately doomed first love Cynthia Green Hildegard Neff is his grasping, possessive mistress, the Countess Liz. Susan Hayward provides a wonderful gravity as his eventual wife Helen. Gregory Peck plays Harry in the great tradition of his deeply-flawed heroes.

Despite its success with audiences and critics (plus two Academy Award nominations), Ernest Hemingway disliked the movie because he felt it poached from too many of his collective works to pad out the story, most notably "Fiesta" and "A Farewell to Arms".

Previously only available in horrid Public Domain prints, THE SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO is now thankfully back in the catalogue with a legitimate studio release from Fox. It might be a very wise idea for people to upgrade, the picture quality is superb and the overall package is very nice.

The Sun Also Rises
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :2
I ordered three movies: The Sun Also Rises, The Snows of kilimanjaro and A Farewell to Arms. The movies are great. Amazon sent the movies in two shipments. The first shipment contained The Sun Also Rises and the Snows of Kilimanjaro, and the second shipment included A Farewell to Arms. Amazon charged me shipment costs twice. Why? The statement that came with the first shipment stated that the other item will be shiped at no additional shipping cost. That was a lie. What you going to do about that? This is not first time it happened. Next time if I order anything, please send ship them in one package.

THE STUDIO VERSION......AT LAST
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
AT LAST THE 20TH CENTURY FOX VERSION TO REPLACE ALL THOSE PUBLIC DOMAIN, INCOMPLETE SLOPPY VERSIONS..........GREGORY PECK. SUSAN HAYWARD, AVA GARDNER......DARRYL F. ZANUCKS 20TH CENTURY FOX.....ONE OF THE BEST DVDS..........HIGHLY RECOMMENED........IF YOU HAVENT SEEN IT I WOULD SAY YOU ARE IN FOR QUITE A CINEMATIC TREAT..........GARY JASINKONIS......EAST NORTHPORT, NEW YORK.........SUSAN HAYWARD FOREVER...........

A Classic
Rating Point :3 Helpful Point :2
A fan of Gregory Peck, will enjoy this movie. Unfortunately the quality of my DVD,made watching this movie to fuzzy to enjoy. Thereby I recommend asking about clarity before purchasing.

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The Sun Also Rises

The Sun Also Rises

Product Description

Paris in the 1920s. The American journalist Jake and his friends spend the time at cafes. He has a special interest in his ex-fianc e Lady Ashley. They take a vacation in Pamplona to watch the bull-fights.System Requirements:Run Time: 130 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre:DRAMA Rating:NR UPC:024543249221 Manufacturer No:2234922
Rate Points :3.5
Binding :DVD
Brand :TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT
Label :20th Century Fox
Manufacturer :20th Century Fox
MPN :2234922
ProductGroup :DVD
Studio :20th Century Fox
Publisher :20th Century Fox
UPC :024543249221
EAN :0024543249221
Price :$19.98USD
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Customer ReviewsWatch This Movie & Find The Meaninglessness of Your Life
Rating Point :4 Helpful Point :3
Many reviews of this film like to take issue with its meandering, aimless plot that starts anywhere and leads nowhere. The bad news is that criticism is spot on. The good news is thats the point exactly. You see, Hemingway is trying to show what happens to the first generation that loses its faith in reason, science, and progress. Instead of perfecting society, humanity, and the world, these ideals have only led to more effective, more efficient ways of killing our neighbors on a global scale. How to live when there is nothing left to believe in? Watch this film and find out! Ask yourself, are these characters so different from you and me? Tyrone Power is impotent. So are we. Wealth, fame, power -- our worldly pleasures are insatiable. Errol Flynn is a hopeless drunk. Our pleasures are also unfulfilling. Ava Gardner is an aging beauty. Even when a few of us manage to attain our worldly desires, they are fleeting, we just cant hold on to them. This film is more relevant today than it ever was. If you hit yourself on the head with a book, and you hear a hollow sound, it doesnt always mean the book is empty.

Not a very good film but great starring cast
Rating Point :3 Helpful Point :0
Unfortunately, this is not the best vehicle to see the best talents of Tyrone Power, Ava Gardner and Errol Flynn. The story line revolves around the "Lost Generation" of young people during the post World War One era. In their middle forties at the time of filming, Tyrone Power and Errol Flynn are clearly too old for their parts. However, its great to see both of these former matinee idols together on film albeit just shortly before each of them died.
Also, it loses something being viewed on a television set. Im sure it was quite spectacular in CinemaScope in the theatre, especially the bullfighting scenes. I would recommend this film if you are a fan of the stars or a fan of bullfighting but not if you are a fan of Ernest Hemingway.

Hemingway early
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :4
The Sun Also Rises DVD

The Sun Also Rises is based on the novel by that name by the Master Earnest Hemingway. It is one of his earliest novels about the Lost Generation in Europe post World War I, or the War to End All Wars as it was known at the time. It stars Tyrone Powers and Ava Gardner.

More cerebral than action oriented.

Recommended for Hemingway fans.

Gunner December, 2007

Classic Actors
Rating Point :4 Helpful Point :1
I saw this movie a long time ago on TV and am glad they finally put it on DVD. And although it is not one of the best movies it reflects the time period of the "lost generation" as chronicle by Hemingway and acted out by some of the best actors of our time. I bought the DVD to mostly see the performances of Errol Flynn and Eddie Albert who are really the best in this film. I gave it four stars as it comes up a little short as a great movie but nevertheless entertaining.

Bulls of Pamplona vs. Errol Flynn
Rating Point :3 Helpful Point :0
Need I say more? Dont miss Flynn and Eddie Albert actually running through the streets and into the bull ring with the dudes of "Pamplona" (filmed in Mexico) Two guys get gored! Ava G. is as sensual as ever, whether in a Parisian bistro or flirting with a matador. Location is a huge part of the novel, and this movie gets is right.
The movie falls far short of the reckless desperation of the novel, and Tyronne P. is a soul-less Jake, but that would be a tough role for anyone to play.

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Casablanca

Casablanca

Product Description

The story of a struggle among individuals who have sought refuge in Casablanca after fleeing Nazi occupied Europe.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: PG
Release Date: 7-JUN-2005
Media Type: DVD

Amazon.com

A truly perfect movie, the 1942 Casablanca still wows viewers today, and for good reason. Its unique story of a love triangle set against terribly high stakes in the war against a monster is sophisticated instead of outlandish, intriguing instead of garish. Humphrey Bogart plays the allegedly apolitical club owner in unoccupied French territory that is nevertheless crawling with Nazis Ingrid Bergman is the lover who mysteriously deserted him in Paris and Paul Heinreid is her heroic, slightly bewildered husband. Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Conrad Veidt are among what may be the best supporting cast in the history of Hollywood films. This is certainly among the most spirited and ennobling movies ever made. --Tom Keogh

Amazon.com essential video

A truly perfect movie, the 1942 Casablanca still wows viewers today, and for good reason. Its unique story of a love triangle set against terribly high stakes in the war against a monster is sophisticated instead of outlandish, intriguing instead of garish. Humphrey Bogart plays the allegedly apolitical club owner in unoccupied French territory that is nevertheless crawling with Nazis Ingrid Bergman is the lover who mysteriously deserted him in Paris and Paul Heinreid is her heroic, slightly bewildered husband. Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Conrad Veidt are among what may be the best supporting cast in the history of Hollywood films. This is certainly among the most spirited and ennobling movies ever made. --Tom Keogh
Rate Points :4.5
Binding :DVD
Brand :BOGART,HUMPHREY
Label :Warner Home Video
Manufacturer :Warner Home Video
MPN :012569500822
ProductGroup :DVD
Studio :Warner Home Video
Publisher :Warner Home Video
UPC :012569500822
EAN :9780790743998
Price :$19.98USD
Lowest Price :$9.64USD
Customer Reviews4 stars out of 4
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
The Bottom Line:

A deserved classic that will appeal to even the most black-hearted cynic, Casablanca succeeds due to an emphasis on characters set against a fascinating backdrop--believe the hype.

Fantastic B&W Cinematograpy on Blu Ray will Astound You
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :8
Hi Def makes B&W show the artistic attention put into film back in the day!
I looked at the Casablanca BD and, Wow, the HD format is perfect for serious B&W cinematography. Yes this is worth the upgrade just to see how classic B&W films CAN look at home on your system. It is in mono and it is square and if thats a problem you got a problem. The Day the Earth Stood Still BD and this in the same week. Im feeling good about Blu-Ray.
I have issues with the packaging, The lattice case should have been on heaver stock and the box holding the uninteresting passport & luggage tag makes the whole thing twice its size! An irritating waste of space but I have a solution. Im going to shrink wrap some sand, label it Exclusive Moroccan Sand and slide it into the offending box! Cigarette butts were suggested. There is a nice coffee table book & lobby cards inside and the discs have lots of extras.
24 hrs. and the lattice die cut Casablanca cover is already falling apart. Now its an arts & craft project thank you. Warners art department has been taken over by turnips from outer space. The special packaging is a rip-off, but the discs are worth it.

Casablanca (Ultimate Collectors Edition) - Blu-ray Info
Rating Point :4 Helpful Point :2
Version: U.S.A / Region A, B, C
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
VC-1 BD-25 / Advanced Profile 3
Running time: 1:42:34
Movie size: 15,49 GB
Disc size: 24,28 GB
Total bit rate: 20.15 Mbps
Average video bit rate: 17.92 Mbps

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio French 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

Subtitles: English SDH / French / Spanish
Number of chapters: 32

Disc 1


Introduction
Audio Commentaries
Documentary: Bacall on Bogart (SD - 90 minutes)
TV Special: A Tribute to Casablanca (SD - 30 minutes)
Featurette: The Children Remember (SD - 12 minutes)
Deleted Scenes (SD - 12 minutes)
TV Excerpt (18 minutes)
Audio Archive
Production Research Gallery (SD)
Theatrical Trailers (SD)
Collectible Packaging

Disc 2 - DVD Single layer disc


Documentary: Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul (SD - 104 minutes)

good
Rating Point :3 Helpful Point :1
Fast ship. No problems with the shipping, but I guess I need to make sure the next time I order, that when I correct the number (total) from 2 to 1, that the web site corrects it too. Didnt need two of this item, but I paid for them, and accepted the order, even though I had changed it to say only 1, not two. Ill never make that mistake again. After editing, we must all make sure it really edits the number.

Please Amazon, more pertinent reviews
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :28
With the new Blu-Ray versions of old classics, it may be time for Amazon to rethink how it publishes their reviews, normally one of the things I like most about their store!
When I heard Casablanca was coming out in Blu-Ray, my first thought was, "I wonder if Blu-Ray has anything to offer to an old Black and White film, or is it just a marketing ploy?"
So, I go to Amazon, look up the BLU-RAY VERSION of Casablanca, and find 536 reviews telling me that Casablanca is one of the best movies of all times.
Great! I know that! What I want to know is, does the Blu-Ray edition offer me any viewing advantages over my current DVD of this movie?
How about limiting the reviews to only those who can add something of value to the specific edition being evaluated. Otherwise, with all the new Blu-Ray versions that are going to come out, we are left with old news and nothing of value as we contemplate spending (big!)bucks to possibly replace movies we already own!

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The Maltese Falcon Three-Disc Special Edition (1941 & 1931 versions / Satan Met a Lady)

Studio Warner Home Video Release Date 10/03/2006Amazon.com essential videoStill the tightest, sharpest, and most cynical of Hollywoods official deathless classics, bracingly tough even by post-Tarantino standards. Humphrey Bogart is Dashiell Hammett

Tchaikovsky: Mazeppa

Tchaikovsky: Mazeppa

Rate Points :4.5
Binding :Audio CD
Label :Deutsche Grammophon
Manufacturer :Deutsche Grammophon
MPN :000617102
ProductGroup :Music
Studio :Deutsche Grammophon
Publisher :Deutsche Grammophon
UPC :028947756378
EAN :0028947756378
Price :$23.98USD
Lowest Price :$12.59USD
Customer ReviewsExcellent re-issue!
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :13
This is a most welcome set. It is a re-issue of a formerly scarce set (which I reviewed ananymously at the time). Finally, proof that Gergiev (his merits aside) is not the final or only word. This is a top choice and stands its own but permit me to say: in my view, this is superior to the Kirov recording.

I have two small reservations.

I admire this Galina Gorchakova. She does not at all display the unsteadiness and wobble which is present in so many "great" Russian sopranos. She has a potentially large voice, which she manages quite skillfully. Her rich tone, however, sometimes brings her character closer to the mezzo of her characters mother , Lyubov (Dyadkova). The two voices, though beautiful, are too similar. Dyadkova is quite within her role, however....Gorchakova maybe does not sound as juvenile as one would imagine Maria to be. Nevertheless, her interpretation is excellent.

The other quibble has more significance, but still does not detract from my 5-star rating (mainly because Russian operas are such rarities that a fine recording such as this deserves every encouragement): the famous final mad-scene lullaby. This is not in truth solely Gorchakovas fault but also Jaarvis in that this stunning aria deserves a more sombre and meaningful interpretation. Subsequent interpretations (concert recordings) have left me with the unshakelable feeling that the aria was just a little too hurried.....but still, acceptably done. Here, I lament the wasted potential given such a great conductor and Gorchakovas lovely voice.

All in all, however, a definite winner! I cannot resist the temptation to make particular mention of Kotschergas brilliant portrayal of Kotchubey. His excecution-scene aria is a moving tear-jerker. He builds up to the tragedy with awesome delivery and feeling. Larins Andrei is elegant, done with convincing emotion and most beautifully sung!

I cant recommend this enough. A most welcome sight!

A good performance but lacking information
Rating Point :4 Helpful Point :6
I just began playing the CDs, and I am already disappointed. While I like the performance so far (as I do most of Neeme Jarvis direction of Russian works), I was saddened by the exclusion of liner notes or a libretto. The enclosed notes only give a summary of each scene. Especially if I like a work, I want to know more about it. Reading David Browns biography of Tchaikovsky in The New Grove _Russian Masters 1_ gives me a little background on the work, but the CD notes offers none. Why should I listen to it? What brought about its creation? What was contemporary opinion of the opera? What are the singers saying to each other? Inquiring minds want to know.

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Tchaikovsky: The Snow Maiden, Op. 12

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Amazon.com

This title usually brings to mind Rimsky-Korsakovs opera of the same name, but Tchaikovskys 1873 incidental music for Alexander Ostrovskys play Snegurochka deserves recognition. Replete with beautiful tunes--some by Tchaikovsky and others adapted by him from Russian folk sources--this is a welcome addition for those with a fondness for Russian opera. This Naxos recording offers hearty, knowledgeable singing and playing from the Moscow Capella and Moscow Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Igor Golovchin. Both mezzo- soprano Elena Okolysheva and tenor Arkady Mishenkin have the characteristic back-of-the-throat Slavic production while his sound is a bit too tight for comfort, shes a pleasure to hear in this repertoire. --Sarah Bryan Miller
Rate Points :5.0
Binding :Audio CD
Label :Naxos
Manufacturer :Naxos
ProductGroup :Music
Studio :Naxos
Publisher :Naxos
UPC :730099485623
EAN :0730099485623
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Tchaikovsky: Opricnik

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Rate Points :4.0
Binding :Audio CD
Label :Dynamic Italy
Manufacturer :Dynamic Italy
ProductGroup :Music
Studio :Dynamic Italy
Publisher :Dynamic Italy
UPC :675754693725
EAN :0675754693725
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Tchaikovsky: Cherevichki

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Tchaikovsky: Cherevichki

Tchaikovsky: Cherevichki

Rate Points :5.0
Binding :Audio CD
Label :Dynamic Italy
Manufacturer :Dynamic Italy
ProductGroup :Music
Studio :Dynamic Italy
Publisher :Dynamic Italy
UPC :675754304423
EAN :0675754304423
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Customer ReviewsA revelation, indeed!
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :2
Tchaikovskys CHEREVICHKI comes as something of a revelation to me. Like many in the West, I knew well EUGENE ONEGIN and QUEEN OF SPADES. A few years back I discovered MAZEPPA (there are two fine recordings of that work, one with Jarvi and another with Gergiev, I believe). Of CHEREVICHKI, I had heard years back the the re-issued older recording on Preiser, but nothing prepared me for this magnificent recording! This recording of a live performance in Cagliari, Italy, is one the finest releases that Dynamic has given us everything works, and works well. The vocalists, mostly native Russians---particularly Ekaterina Morosova and Valeri Popov--account themselves extremely well, but everyone does well in this performance. And then there is the sparkling conducting and leadership of Gennady Rozhdestvensky, who seems to adore the work as I now do. And what a marvelous orchestra those Sardinians have in Cagliari! They SOUND like the Bolshoi! I couldnt believe my ears.

The work, itself, is based on the same fairy tale that inspired Rimsky-Korsakov in CHRISTMAS EVE (the translation of the title is variously "The Little Shoes" or "The slippers"). The music is a delight, chock full of rustic Russian melody. Here, then, is the "nationalist" Tchaikovsky at work, inspired to write a "folk" opera that will keep your feet tapping and bring a smile to your face.

Oh, and yes, a full libretto in Russian-Italian-English, with good notes on the history of the opera, as well as a decent plot summary. Very handsome presentation. Very little stage noise for a live recording.

In short, five stars is too little for this gem. Highly recommended search it out, and enjoy

A fairytale opera
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :20
At last there is a chance to hear the magical opera, Cherevichki, in a modern recording. And an excellent one. I warmly recommend every operafan and operadirector! to get acquainted with this seldomly performed but most theatrical and surprisingly beautiful opera.
The lyrical Eugen Onegin and the dramatic Pique Dame are well-known to most people, and many also appreciates the elegical, almost flegmatic Yolanta and the more robust but still beautiful Mazeppa. But Cherevichki, which is musically related to the fresh and spirited Nutcracker though more grotesque than the ballet, is still comparetively unknown in the west. It is, however, probably only a matter of a short time before it will be played in any adventurious operahouse anywhere in the world.
The opera consists of many individual scenes with lots of appeal. After the brillant ouverture there is a wonderful parlando-scene between an imp and Vakula, the smiths mother, apperently a witch. Tchaikovsky at his most humourous! Consequently there are beautiful arias for the obligatory tenor and soprano, splendid chorus-scenes and marvellous stagemusic describing a fairytale landscape full of snow and undines.
This live-recording is ravishingly conducted by Rozhdestvensky and all the roles are splendidly sung and performed by the russian cast, though I find the first scene more charmingly grotesque on the older recording conducted by A. Melik-Pashayev.
This opera adds another, lively!, facet to Tchaikovskys works, while we are waiting for a new recording of his more problematic, The maid of Orleans.

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Amadeus: A Play By Peter Shaffer

Amadeus: A Play by Peter Shaffer

Product Description

0riginating at the National Theatre of Great Britain, Amadeus was the recipient of both the Evening Standard Drama Award and the Theatre Critics Award. In the United States, the play won the coveted Tony Award and went on to become a critically acclaimed major motion picture winning eight Oscars, including Best Picture.

Now, this extraordinary work about the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is available with a new preface by Peter Shaffer and a new introduction by the director of the 1998 Broadway revival, Sir Peter Hall. Amadeus is a must-have for classical music buffs, theatre lovers, and aficionados of historical fiction.

Rate Points :5.0
Binding :Paperback
Label :Harper Perennial
Manufacturer :Harper Perennial
ProductGroup :Book
Studio :Harper Perennial
Publisher :Harper Perennial
EAN :9780060935498
Price :$15.99USD
Lowest Price :$4.80USD
Customer ReviewsWell, then, there it is...
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
Like a newspaper article, theatre has to convey its story with an economy of words.

In this way, great playwriting is a rare skill much like land the penny toss at the carnival and Shaffer is that rare playwriter who accomplishes his task so seemingly effortlessly.

Deftly, Shaffer tosses his Amadeus and Saliere together and in so doing plays each against their type rendering his Amadeus into the simple squeezebox which provides the background for the languid single note of Salieres mournful jealousy.

Whats so amazing is that in telling us the story of Amadeus art, Shaffer shares important insights about his own. Dont have too many or too few notes but just the right number. Dont be so flashy in being good that people concentrate on the flashiness instead of the point.

And dont become so engrossed in your art that you lose sight of the ultimate ends it was meant to service in the first place.

Whether we are each more Amadeus or more Saliere we can connect with this play.

Who will pray for the worlds mediocrities?
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
When I was younger, I almost never reread anything. My hunger was so voracious that I gobbled up a book and then rapaciously moved on to the next. But as Ive aged, I read less frantically, returning again and again to a few works that especially move me. At the top of the list of such works are the plays of Peter Shaffer. And at the top of that list is his masterpiece "Amadeus."

What I find remarkable about Shaffers "Amadeus" isnt so much the title character, Mozart, as the character who becomes Mozarts nemesis, Antonio Salieri. Salieri is one of the great tragic figures in literature. Hes an individual who appears to genuinely love musical beauty, and who genuinely wants to dedicate his life to it. (In an early scene, for example, he makes a deal with God. "Signore," he begs, "let me be your flute, your mouthpiece. Let me produce absolute beauty. In return, Ill be your slave.") But Salieri is also a hopeless mediocrity. He knows good music when he hears it, but hes simply unable to create it himself. His compositions are acceptable, and sometimes even pleasing to the ear. But when compared with the music of Mozart, they reveal themselves for what they are: technically proficient, but utterly uninspired. The awareness of his own mediocrity, coupled with his absolute yearning for beauty and his life-destroying jealousy of/admiration for Mozart, is the heart of the play. (Milos Formans 1984 cinematic production of the play unfortunately rewrites the script to put Mozart rather than Salieri centerstage, thereby missing the whole point.)

When one thinks about it--and I believe that this is what makes Shaffers play so poignant and profound--Salieri is everyperson. Lets face it: most of us are mediocre. We fall somewhere in that great middle zone of "average." Well never be able to create artworks that express the yearning for beauty that even the dimmest of us occasionally feel.

As if thats not bad enough, the world, as Shaffer demonstrates in his play, is unforgiving of mediocrity when it comes to art. One can work like a demon, as Salieri does, but its genius that the world wants, genius that the world demands, and genius that the world rewards. Moreover, the creative genius is allowed anything by the admiring world--in fact, the world expects its geniuses to walk to the beat of a countercultural drummer. The mediocre artist, however, is allowed no latitude whatsoever in personal lifestyle.

The paradox of this situation, as well as the horrible burden of mediocrity felt by artists like Salieri (and the rest of us), is the tragic message of "Amadeus." When Salieri at plays end tells us, in his decrepitude and madness, that we can pray to him when we feel the sting of our own shortcomings and he will bless us, most of us ought to shiver. For, after all, we dont want our mediocrity blessed, do we? And yet the tragedy of the human condition is that, blessed or not, its what we are. And so Shaffer leaves us with this question: how do we overcome our Salieri-like resentment and frustration at not being able to create beauty long enough simply to appreciate beauty when we encounter it?

A Compelling and Frightening Drama
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
Playwright Peter Shaffer is an exceptional dramatist. His characters are unforgettable, and each one is dealing with a psychological struggle. In "Amadeus," Shaffer examines seventeenth century Vienna and the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his rival, court composer Antonio Salieri. This play shatters the view of Mozart as an innocent child prodigy, and instead paints a picture of a childish, scatologically minded, yet ultimately tormented musical genius. Trapped by the financial demands that are placed upon him, and the demands of a domineering father, Mozart strives to make his music and to be excepted.
The main focus of the play is upon Salieri, whom the audience sees as a sweetmeat loving, conniving schemer who is appalled by Mozarts new ideas and manner. However, Salieri is not one demensional. He is a sympathetic character, who wrestles with his conscience. Feeling betrayed by a god who shows favoritism, he recounts his desire to make music that will provide him with unsurpassable fame. However, his music is ordinary when compared with Mozarts genius, and Salieri is fully aware of this whereas ordinary citizens of Vienna are not. Vowing revenge, Salieri decides to lash out at Mozart: "Gods Flute," therefore providing an opportunity for a terrifying confrontation in which Mozart is driven into madness and early death. Everyone can relate to the character of Salieri because we have all felt betrayed when our own specific talents were regarded as inferior to someone elses.
Shaffer introduces us to two tortured individuals who are nevertheless sympathetic and unforgettable. Please give this play a chance.

Spiritual Vs. Material
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :1
Peter Shaffers award-winning and highly popular play AMADEUS is in many ways a morality play but seen through the eyes of a complicated postmodern villain. The play is called AMADEUS but the chief character of the story is Antonio Salieri. Salieri is the Court Composer for Emperor Joseph II of Austria during the end of the 18th Century. He is held in esteem not only by the Emperor and Court, but by the masses as well. Then Amadeus Mozart makes his way to the Austrian Court at Salzburg and Salieri recognizes in the young man a musical genius superior to anything musical he has ever heard. He becomes enraged with bitter jealousy. Feeling that God has abandoned him and given the talent that he has trained to develop and possess his entire life, Salieri declares a war against God that he will fight on the battleground that is Amadeus Mozart.

AMADEUS is a fantastic play. Author Peter Shaffer has revised the play several times since its first performance in 1979 and this version of the show (written twenty years later in 1999) is in my opinion the best because it is the one that portrays Salieri more than just an evil man, but as a human being that the audience and readers can relate to and actually understand somewhat. A must see play that anyone who enjoys theatre should be familiar with.

Amadeus -- Play Script
Rating Point :4 Helpful Point :0
The best part of the book is the introduction, which tells of the changes made to the script over the years, based on on-going research by the author. I saw the movie and the play, then bought the script in order to compare the different renderings of this amazing story.

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This fine crystal bowl will add a touch of elegance and intrigue to any setting.
Rate Points :3.0
Binding :Kitchen
Brand :Godinger
Label :Godinger
Manufacturer :Godinger
Model :43342
MPN :43342
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Hasbeen movie director harry dawes gets a new lease on his career when kirk edwards hires him to write and direct a film.. Studio: Tcfhe/mgm Release Date: 08/20/2002 Starring: Humphrey Bogart Edmond Obrien Run time: 130 minutes Rating: Nr Director: Joseph L Mankiewicz
Rate Points :4.0
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Brand :BOGART,HUMPHREY
Label :MGM (Video & DVD)
Manufacturer :MGM (Video & DVD)
MPN :MGMD1002029D
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Customer ReviewsWonderful rags to riches to ruin tale - Eva Gardner at her best
Rating Point :4 Helpful Point :0
Bogie may have gotten first billing on this movie, but dont be misled, this is Eva Gardners film. The story starts in Madrid where Bogie plays a film writer who is at a nightclub with two movie executives looking for new talent. They heard about this beautiful and talented singer/dancer and want to get a look for themselves. The singer, played by Gardner, stuns all three and they want to sign her to a long term contract. She could become the next big Hollywood star. Gardners character comes from modest means, but after a few fits and starts, she becomes one of the most celebrated and admired stars in Hollywood. All of this stardom has not brought her happiness. She eventually falls in love with an Italian count whom she marries, but this marriage is eventually her downfall and she dies tragically. Bogie was her one true friend and soulmate who really understands her, even if they are never romantically involved. This film is her lifes tale seen largely through Bogies eyes.

Eva Gardner is the real star of this film. She was given (or chose to play in) very few good films during her career, but this is one of her best. Gardner was, in my opinion, a great actress who is rarely given credit for her acting ability because she played in a large number of second rate stories. In this film she plays the role of the beautiful but unhappy celebrity to a tee. Perhaps she wasnt acting in this role? Beyond Gardner though, there is a lot to like about this film. Bogie plays the controlled, worldly, screen writer who wont be swayed by the lies and hypocrisy of the Hollywood execs and the uber-rich. Throw in some beautiful cinematography, a well crafted story, and solid, believable performances by actors in the secondary roles, and you have a great film.

Not Much Better Than Beat The Devil
Rating Point :1 Helpful Point :0
I have always been a big fan of boggies, but some of his films were just plain bad, this is one of them. a real pot-boiler of a soap opera that will leave you saying .... so what ?

JOSEPH L. MANKIEWICZ, OPUS 13
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
1954. Written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Academy award and Golden Globe earned by Edmond OBrien. Huge and incredibly intelligent movie featuring an idealistic Spanish dancer lost in Hollywood. Humphrey Bogart impersonates a Mankiewiczs clone having trouble with his producer. Every line of the screenplay being meaningful, THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA is a film to be seen several times to be appreciated to its full extent. Masterpiece.

OVER THE TOP
Rating Point :3 Helpful Point :0
Usual Hollywood formula - rich boy finds poor but beautiful and talented girl, rich boy marries girl, beautiful and talented girl discovers that
rich husband has nothing working below the belt, rich boy finds wife and stable boy in barn together- and shoots them both...

Hollywood Show Business
Rating Point :2 Helpful Point :1
It is a rainy day at the cemetery where Maria DAmata is being interred. There is a statue marking her grave. Harry reminisces about her beginnings as a dancer in Spain. A rich heir was visiting Spain to look for a new face. Kirk Edwards is proud and arrogant. We learn a little about show business. There is some unconscious humor here. Harry must persuade Maria to do a screen test for Kirk. Maria tells Harry about herself and her life. Marias screen test was successful, and she went to Hollywood. Marias successful film was followed by a scandal in her family. She testified at the murder trial.

There is more humor in the talk from a rich South American playboy. Oscar explains public relations. Maria is unhappy in her life, in spite of three hit movies. There is a discussion on personal philosophy. Then an argument between the two rich men. Unexpected results follow. The film shows the International set at Cannes. Does money buy happiness? If you know where to shop. Maria meets a count, her future husband. The film seems to be padded to extend the story. Cinderella meets her Prince at an opportune time. The Torlata-Fabrini family goes back centuries, to the era of Cesare Borgia. Will the line die out? More talk pads out this film. They are married in church. But Maria gets a surprise on her honeymoon Can a woman who dances in a gypsy camp be so naive?. "Will life louse up the script?" This subject is handled with subtlety. There are always unforeseen reactions when dealing with human nature and its emotions. Will Marias happiness depart as quickly as it arrived? Will you be happy when this film finally ends?

What does this film say about Hollywood and its fantasies? Did they have to go abroad to tell about the business of filmed entertainment? This is a love story about a poor girl who gets involved with a rich man. Dont expect them to live happily ever after.
Ava Gardner does not dance in this film.

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ProductGroup :Video
Studio :MGM (Video & DVD)
Publisher :MGM (Video & DVD)
UPC :027616577832
EAN :9786304056868
Price :$14.95USD
Lowest Price :$1.76USD
Customer ReviewsJOSEPH L. MANKIEWICZ, OPUS 13
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
1954. Written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Academy award and Golden Globe earned by Edmond OBrien. Huge and incredibly intelligent movie featuring an idealistic Spanish dancer lost in Hollywood. Humphrey Bogart impersonates a Mankiewiczs clone having trouble with his producer. Every line of the screenplay being meaningful, THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA is a film to be seen several times to be appreciated to its full extent. Masterpiece.

Not Much Better Than Beat The Devil
Rating Point :1 Helpful Point :0
I have always been a big fan of boggies, but some of his films were just plain bad, this is one of them. a real pot-boiler of a soap opera that will leave you saying .... so what ?

OVER THE TOP
Rating Point :3 Helpful Point :0
Usual Hollywood formula - rich boy finds poor but beautiful and talented girl, rich boy marries girl, beautiful and talented girl discovers that
rich husband has nothing working below the belt, rich boy finds wife and stable boy in barn together- and shoots them both...

Wonderful rags to riches to ruin tale - Eva Gardner at her best
Rating Point :4 Helpful Point :0
Bogie may have gotten first billing on this movie, but dont be misled, this is Eva Gardners film. The story starts in Madrid where Bogie plays a film writer who is at a nightclub with two movie executives looking for new talent. They heard about this beautiful and talented singer/dancer and want to get a look for themselves. The singer, played by Gardner, stuns all three and they want to sign her to a long term contract. She could become the next big Hollywood star. Gardners character comes from modest means, but after a few fits and starts, she becomes one of the most celebrated and admired stars in Hollywood. All of this stardom has not brought her happiness. She eventually falls in love with an Italian count whom she marries, but this marriage is eventually her downfall and she dies tragically. Bogie was her one true friend and soulmate who really understands her, even if they are never romantically involved. This film is her lifes tale seen largely through Bogies eyes.

Eva Gardner is the real star of this film. She was given (or chose to play in) very few good films during her career, but this is one of her best. Gardner was, in my opinion, a great actress who is rarely given credit for her acting ability because she played in a large number of second rate stories. In this film she plays the role of the beautiful but unhappy celebrity to a tee. Perhaps she wasnt acting in this role? Beyond Gardner though, there is a lot to like about this film. Bogie plays the controlled, worldly, screen writer who wont be swayed by the lies and hypocrisy of the Hollywood execs and the uber-rich. Throw in some beautiful cinematography, a well crafted story, and solid, believable performances by actors in the secondary roles, and you have a great film.

Hollywood Show Business
Rating Point :2 Helpful Point :1
It is a rainy day at the cemetery where Maria DAmata is being interred. There is a statue marking her grave. Harry reminisces about her beginnings as a dancer in Spain. A rich heir was visiting Spain to look for a new face. Kirk Edwards is proud and arrogant. We learn a little about show business. There is some unconscious humor here. Harry must persuade Maria to do a screen test for Kirk. Maria tells Harry about herself and her life. Marias screen test was successful, and she went to Hollywood. Marias successful film was followed by a scandal in her family. She testified at the murder trial.

There is more humor in the talk from a rich South American playboy. Oscar explains public relations. Maria is unhappy in her life, in spite of three hit movies. There is a discussion on personal philosophy. Then an argument between the two rich men. Unexpected results follow. The film shows the International set at Cannes. Does money buy happiness? If you know where to shop. Maria meets a count, her future husband. The film seems to be padded to extend the story. Cinderella meets her Prince at an opportune time. The Torlata-Fabrini family goes back centuries, to the era of Cesare Borgia. Will the line die out? More talk pads out this film. They are married in church. But Maria gets a surprise on her honeymoon Can a woman who dances in a gypsy camp be so naive?. "Will life louse up the script?" This subject is handled with subtlety. There are always unforeseen reactions when dealing with human nature and its emotions. Will Marias happiness depart as quickly as it arrived? Will you be happy when this film finally ends?

What does this film say about Hollywood and its fantasies? Did they have to go abroad to tell about the business of filmed entertainment? This is a love story about a poor girl who gets involved with a rich man. Dont expect them to live happily ever after.
Ava Gardner does not dance in this film.

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Tchaikovsky: The Maid Of Orleans

Tchaikovsky: The Maid of Orleans

Rate Points :5.0
Binding :Audio CD
Label :Myto Records Italy
Manufacturer :Myto Records Italy
ProductGroup :Music
Studio :Myto Records Italy
Publisher :Myto Records Italy
UPC :789368990320
EAN :0789368990320
Price :$36.98USD
Lowest Price :$27.87USD
Customer ReviewsImpressively moving, and melodic
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
I have not heard this recording, but do own one put out by Columbia Melodiya many years ago. The opera was complete. It starred the riviting Irina Arkhipova as Joan ( a voice so electrifying, at once very powerful full and tender ). For those familiar with Tchaikovshys other operas, in particular Eugene Onegin or the Queen of Spades, you are in for a most wonderful surprise. This opera is every bit as melodic ( more so actually ) and really very gripping, especially in the final scene where Joan is burned at the stake. The first act is faultless, and contains the only well known number from the work, Joans Farewell. Joans vision that ends the act is spellbinding. This opera offers so much more in the way of pageantry and wonderful choruses that his more well known operas simply dont offer. Why this opera is so forgotten is really a mistery, as it was the first of Tchaikovshys operas to travel outside Russia, and was extremely popular. Though the part of Joan was originally written for a soprano, at the premier it was tranposed for a mezzo, and has been sung that way most all the time. The score contains both versions. The weakest roles in the opera are for Agnes, and for the Dauphin. The baritone love interest, lionel, is so written it would be the envy of any tenor. For those who love Tchaikovskys drama and melodies contained in his ballet music, this opera will especially excite you, as it reflects that auro rather than the more disjointed melodic lines of some of his other operatic writing, and that of many of his Russian contemporaries. Though I cannot vouch for this recording, I can say for sure, the opera itself is well worth the money.

The Opera of Sheer Strength, Drama, and Authenticity!
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :29
Piotr Illyich Tchaikovskys "The Maid of Orleans" (or Orleanskaya deva) of 1879 was his fifth completed opera. Cast in 4 acts (six scenes), the stage work is loosely based on F. von Schillers "Jeanne dArc translated by Zhukovsky. Tchaikovsky himself provided the libretto for the work. The premiere in 1881 at the Maryinsky Theatre conducted by Eduard Napravnik scored only a modest success. The assassination of Tsar Alexander II two weeks later did much to shelve the opera, as the season was cancelled. In looking at the history of performances compiled by Ultraphone LPs, which reissued the original Melodiya recording, this opera was performed no more than nine occassions between 1881 and 1958.

The perceptions of the opera did most of the damage, I believe. In Richard Taruskins revealing essay of Tchaikovsky in Grove, Cesar Cui noted that Tchaikovsky identified with the Joan dArc too profoundly, as if giving her a sense of divinity. Theres a certain truth to that, though not very surprising. Like Massenet, Tchaikovskys gift rested in his understanding of the characters, sometimes to the point of becoming one of them. In reviewing his Manfred Symphony under Pletnev, Ive noted the composers relation to the anger, tormentation, soul searching, and redemption and inner peace Manfred underwent. That was Tchaikovskys life in a nutshell. Tchaikovsky did not become Joan d Arc, but a recent breakdown of his marriage played a role in his treatment of the opera.

Did Tchaikovsky damaged Joan d Arcs mission in the eyes of heaven? No, Tchaikovsky was too good of a musical psychologist for that. He, however, added human dimensions to Joan dArc beyond the divinity and gave her inner strength and even a sense of vulnerabilty that are compelling. The work is to an extant a grand opera for the rhetoric leans towards Meyerbeer while the sense of urgency in some pages suggests his familiarity with Verdi. But out of Verdi and Meyerbeer, Rubinstein was the bigger influence. For example, in the middle of Act I (the chorus of the Maidens), the opera inherits the nobleness and the old-mannered dignity to be found in Rubinsteins "The Demon." But Tchaikovsky was his own man, with his orchestration and choral writing idiomatic, glorious and even poetic. The end of Act I for example, with Jeanne d Arcs aria accompaning by the Chorus of the Maidens, shows Tchaikovsky as among his best.

Tchaikovskys treatment of the rest of the cast is also very compelling and singers of the Kirov Opera and Ballet met the challenges euphoniously. V. Kilchevsky as Charles VII was strong and commanding throughout. But Sofya Preobrazhenskaya, a brilliant yet overlooked soprano, made a name of herself particularly by performing Jeanne dArc throughout her career. She gave the character a sort of femininity that is strong, willful, and convicted, as if guided by God himself. But Preobrazhenskaya avoided the one-dimensionalism of the character that could have been easily undertaken by those not so familiar with the role as she was (except Irina Arkhipova in a later Melodiya recording). She made Jeanne d Arc a vulnerable, pure human being, torn between her divine mission and her love for Lionel (passionately sung by L. Solomyak). The love duet between them in Act IV is especially spellbinding before Jeannes execution.

Boris Khaikin was an excellent concert and theatrical conductor of the former Soviet Russia. He led the Chorus and Orchestra of the Kirov Opera and Ballet Theatre with fiery temperament and drive. Yet there are places where he can have this magical sense of subtlety and vividness. Its unfortunate that he, like so many conductors around his generation (such as Samosud, Melik-Pashayev, and Nebolsin), remained so little known. The original 1946 recording is well captured on these dics and the fillers (esp. of Mussorgskys Khovanschina) are further incentives to purchase this CD album. The presentation is relatively disappointing, though, with no libretto, inadequate history behind the work, and no slip case. But the performance itself is truly in a demonstration class.

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Peter Shaffer's Amadeus

Peter Shaffers Amadeus

Rate Points :3.5
Binding :Audio CD
Label :Decca Broadway
Manufacturer :Decca Broadway
MPN :466975
ProductGroup :Music
Studio :Decca Broadway
Publisher :Decca Broadway
UPC :028946697528
EAN :0028946697528
Price :$18.98USD
Lowest Price :$12.72USD
Customer ReviewsWhat purpose does this CD serve?
Rating Point :3 Helpful Point :4
Sony would have done us all a better service had they given us the Shaffer play, dialogue and music, rather than just another rehash of bits and pieces from longer works. Ignorning the nonsense of this being an "official companion" to the play (did the spirit of Mozart give his permission?) as the press release puts it, what we have here is 10 selections from 4 operas, 2 piano concerti, 1 symphony, 1 serenade, and 1 requiem by the Master in very fine performances in no particular order. They are all well performed--Te Kanawa is enchanting as Pamina--and might whet someones interest in hearing the complete works. Perhaps it will make Baby smarter.

However as a tie-in with the current production on Broadway, I can see no artistic purpose. My 3 stars are for the beauty of the music and the quality of the performances. And perhaps someone actually will take up the idea of committing the entire play to discs or better still to videos. Now that would be a real tie-in!

A Broadway Success!
Rating Point :4 Helpful Point :7
It seems like previous reviewers have missed the point of this album. The lastest incarnation of Peter Shaffers masterpiece, "Amadeus," starring David Suchet, Michael Sheen, and Cindy Katz, is captured in essence on this CD. No one seems to realize that it is NOT supposed to be a sampling of all of Mozarts great works, but a selection of what musical accompaniment was used in performance. As far as that goes, this recording is accurate and enticing. It must also be understood that the play version of Shaffers script is very different from the later film adaptation. Listeners, respect this album for what it attests to be, not what you misunderstand it to be. Thank you!

An Excellent Introduction
Rating Point :4 Helpful Point :4
"How do you do, Herre Mozart?" "Verr Gut!" This compilation serves as a fair sampler to what waits in store for those listeners who are moved by the music of W.A. Mozart. The recording starts off with a bang (Symphony No. 25 G minor, K183), then moves into the most delightful, tender serenade. With helpings of Don Giovanni, the great Requiem in D minor, K626 and, of course, other choice cuts this album is worth exploring for the Mozart newcomer. Caveat Emptor: Mozart is even more than this album suggests.

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A Taste Of Thai: Light & Easy Video Cookbook

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Product Description

In this hour long culinary adventure, you will tour beautiful Thailand and discover the secrets behind its exciting cuisine. Featuring these great recipes:Shitake Cider SautePad Thai PrimaveraTasty Thai Fish CakesYam NueaThai Confetti Rice SaladGarlic Ginger Coconut RiceSavory Curried Tomato SoupCurried Brown Jasmine RiceThai Turbo Turkey BurgersCreamy Chickpea CurryLemon Grass ChickenSweet Corn CakesRice - The BasicsSiam CevicheFast & Fabulous Chicken CurryLight & Easy Vegetable CurryShown on cover: Salmon Baked in Foil Basket
Binding :VHS Tape
Label :Andre Prost, Inc.
Manufacturer :Andre Prost, Inc.
ProductGroup :Video
Studio :Andre Prost, Inc.
Publisher :Andre Prost, Inc.
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Complete recipe brochure enclosed

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A tour of beautiful Thailand!