May 26, 2013
The Sound of Music on Blu-ray: Totally new
Written by Mark Schumann, Father of Three
Thursday, 11 November 2010 14:12
Each week, the Reel Dad checks the nutritional value of a movie — new or classic — to help parents choose what to watch with their children. This week’s pick is a new Blu-ray edition of the most popular musical of all time, The Sound of Music.
It was April 1965, at the Aladdin Theater in Denver, and our family had waited what seemed like weeks for the date of our reserved-seat tickets for the “roadshow” engagement. Once the lights dimmed, and the movie began, my life as a movie fan was never the same. I was nine years old.
Few experiences in film history compare to the opening of this film as director Robert Wise introduces us, with his widescreen camera, to the dramatic vistas of the Austrian Alps. As the music begins to build, and the camera continues to move, we see — in the far distance — the image of a young woman walking directly in the camera’s path. As the music and visuals continue to intensify, she twirls, and begins to sing the most memorable of Broadway title tunes.
No matter how many times you have seen this film — and regardless of how many copies you may own on VHS and DVD — nothing will prepare you for the brilliant clarity of this new Blu-ray transfer. The quality of sound is beyond compare and the carefully restored visuals are as bright and pristine as one can imagine. I felt the same first-time excitement watching this new Blu-ray as I experienced 45 years ago even though, at last count, I have seen the film more than 100 times.
What makes this film so magical? Certainly its appeal begins with the music — a lovely Rodgers and Hammerstein score that is beautifully orchestrated by veteran Oscar-winner Irwin Kostal. Screenwriter Ernest Lehman creatively revises the Broadway original to streamline the plot, focus on the relationships and remove much of the “syrup” that engulfs the stage version. And he laces the action with a wry humor, especially in the pomposity of the ever-endearing Captain von Trapp, perfectly played by an underrated (at the time) Christopher Plummer.
But the film belongs, then and now, to Julie Andrews who delivers, simply, the finest musical performance ever captured on film. No work by Garland, Streisand or Minnelli — no matter how effective — stays with the soul as long as Andrews’ perfect portrayal of a young woman who wants more in life but has to figure out what that means. That Andrews hit such a peak at a young age (she was just 29 when the film was a released) would, actually, haunt the fine work she has done on stage, television and film in the many years since. And that she would lose the 1965 Best Actress Oscar to Julie Christie — even though she won the award a year before for Mary Poppins — stands as, perhaps, the biggest injustice in Academy history. This is a thrilling, deep and special work. Andrews alone makes the film a marvel.
Yet The Sound of Music is much more than a one-woman show. Those adorable von Trapp children — practically perfect in every way — look and sound marvelous as they travel the streets of Salzburg in lovely old drapes. The nuns — spicey yet caring — fill the screen with warmth and humor. The delightfully villainous Baroness — who never seems quite right for Captain von Trapp — comes to life in the steady hands of veteran Eleanor Parker. And Plummer, so wise as the Captain, is the ideal balance to Andrews’ life-loving Maria.
Treat yourself, and your family, to this rare cinema classic in a brilliant new edition. Forget all the other times you have loved this film. When you see it on Blu-ray, you will return to the day you saw it for the first time. I did. And that old Aladdin Theater in Denver, long since torn down, never seemed so filled with music.
Film Nutritional Value:
The Sound of Music on Blu-ray
* Content: High. At the heart of this movie classic is a meaningful story about a family. The hills are alive with a lot of love and caring.
* Entertainment: High. Director Robert Wise turns the stage musical into a visual treat with an abundance of beautiful settings and lively characters.
* Message: High. As entertaining as the film is, what makes it so memorable are the timely messages of love, hope, patience and persistence.
* Relevance: High. Any film brings families together for such a wonderful evening s always relevant.
* Opportunity for Dialogue: High. Not only can you share the musical moments you can chat about the message behind the entertainment.
5 Popcorn Buckets
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