Audience Rating: G (General Audience) Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 0024543005940 Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC Label: 20th Century Fox Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox Number Of Items: 6 Publisher: 20th Century Fox Release Date: August 29, 2000 Sales Rank: 16629 Studio: 20th Century Fox Theatrical Release Date: March 19, 1958
Amazon.com: This lavish set contains film versions of the five major works by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, who helped define the American musical landscape and rewrite the direction of musical theater. After enjoying extremely successful careers working with others, Rodgers and Hammerstein first teamed up in 1943 for the prairie tale Oklahoma!, with songs including "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" and "People Will Say We're in Love." The subsequent 1955 film starred Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones, who teamed up again for 1956's Carousel. While that film's dark nature made it less popular than its predecessor, the score ("If I Loved You," "You'll Never Walk Alone") was Rodgers's favorite. The King and I (also 1956) featured stage star Yul Brynner as the King of Siam and Deborah Kerr as schoolteacher Anna Leonowens, who must learn Asian customs even as she tries to instill some of her Western ones. The somewhat bloated version of South Pacific (1958) follows two couples during World War II and features standards such as "Some Enchanted Evening" and "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair" from stars Mitzi Gaynor and Rossano Brazzi. The last film, The Sound of Music (1965), proved to be the most popular, with Julie Andrews winning the hearts of seven children and their father with her blissful songs. And if the perhaps saccharine music and plot may test the patience of some, there's no doubt that songs such as "My Favorite Things" and "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" have charmed audiences around the world for decades.
Accompanying the Big 5 in this set is the relatively minor State Fair from 1945 (though it does have "It Might as Well Be Spring" and "It's a Grand Night for Singing"). Some may prefer other entries in the R&H canon such as Flower Drum Song or the television production Cinderella, but State Fair was included because it was one of the five films (not including Sound of Music) released in 1999 in sumptuous remasterings that allow their scores and locales to truly shine. The remasterings ensure good sound and picture quality throughout this historic collection. --David Horiuchi
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Rogers and Hammerstein
This is an awesome collection. I ordered it for my Mom and she loved watching the movies. I definitely recommend it to anyone who loves these old movies. Incredible movies deserve all the praise I can give them.
Rating: - great shows
this was a gift for a friend of mine. She says they are fantastic.
Rating: - Classic Collection
This is a lovely set of classics to keep for those who either remember these movies, or who would like to be introduced to these all-time classics. Our only disappointment was that out of the 6 movies, only two were suitable for family entertainment (with our children) - The Sound of Music, and The King and I. It would have been nice to have one more to share with them, making it 3 family classics and 3 adult classics. Apart from that brief disappointment, my wife and I are happy with this purchase and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the old time classics. For the music lover ... the music ... Read More
Rating: - Hey, Where is "Flower Drum Song?"
This collection has a serious handicap in the omission of "Flower Drum Song." This gem is not available at all on DVD. What a loss to all.
Rating: - The Rodgers & Hammerstein Collection
Pleased that the collection of some of the most popular R&H movies was available. Look forward to viewing them all at my leisure.
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