Author: Stanley Donen

Brand: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Format: NTSC

Release Date: 06-06-2000

Details: Amazon.ca No one even bothers to argue about it any more--by any standard and international consensus, this is the best musical movie of them all. Its arcane, unlikely milieu is Hollywood during the transition in the late 1920s from silent to sound motion pictures. Its reason for being was producer Arthur Freed's desire to use the catalog of songs he had written with Nacio Herb Brown in the '20s and '30s for various shows and movies. But, ironically, it's now the soundtrack that seems cobbled together from disparate sources, while the movie itself remains seamless. That's thanks to a literate screenplay by Adolph Green and Betty Comden and ebulliant acting and dancing by the young Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds. Jean Hagen is especially brilliant as the silent-screen star whose speaking voice is so screechy she has to be dubbed for talkies. Kelly co-directed with Stanley Donen, and both can take credit for a masterpiece. Musical standouts are "You Were Meant for Me," "Good Morning" and "All I Do Is Dream of You." Visually, the indelible image will always be Kelly sloshing around in puddles while singin' in the rain. That said, this coupling of video with a definitive version of the soundtrack benefits from Rhino's meticulous reconstruction of the material and extensive annotations, which only enhance our grasp of this film and musical legend's gestation. ---Robert Windeler From the Studio Don LOOKWOOD and Lina are the most famous couple in silent cinema. But if they are perpetually in love on screen, in life they hate each other! With the advent of speaking, it is the drama, the diction of Lina is unbearable. Edmond, Don's friend, finds a solution that doesn't help matters, having the beginner Kathy SHELDON double Lina! Special Features The 50th-anniversary double-disc reissue of arguably the best musical ever gives us the goods. No flimsy "features" here: a 90-minute Great Performances program from 1996 on the Arthur Freed unit at MGM anchors the extra disc. A new 35-minute documentary hosted by Debbie Reynolds gives a thorough once-over of the film's history--much of which is also found in the excellent commentary track featuring most of the major players. The source material of the songs is included, with an option for the viewer to directly link to the original production numbers while watching the film. The disc also delves into the film's plot--when sound entered film, with glimpses of The Jazz Singer and other early talkies. Audio recording sessions and deleted songs are some of the other treats. Last but not least is a knockout remastering of sound and picture, making the movie look and sound better than ever. --Doug Thomas Review Few films offer such great potential for happiness as Let's sing in the rain... Scenario cut to the line, mythical musical numbers and actors touched by grace make that the whole has not aged a bit over the years. It can be enjoyed without moderation, whether in its entirety or in small pieces, which makes it ideal for home cinema. The technicolor finds all its brilliance on the DVD, which is notoriously appreciable for the large scenes of ballets with colorful costumes. It is the same for the sound, certainly in mono, but quite correctly restored. Note in passing that the French version is relatively recent since the songs are not translated there as on the first VF made when the film was released. Let's sing in the rain is probably one of the best "musicals" ever shot (the best?), that's why this DVD seems essential despite the total absence of bonuses, all the more regrettable that they were present on the Laserdisc edition. -- DVDmania - March 2000

UPC: 012569502024

EAN: 0012569502024

Languages: English

Binding: DVD

Item Condition: UsedVeryGood