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Reviews (33)
May 21, 2012
FANNY: AT LAST!
YES, AT LONG LAST: FANNY -- IN HER OWN VOICE. MISS FANNY BRICE RECEIVES A DEFINITIVE (26-TRACK) COMPILATION OF HER VERY OWN! QUESTION IS: WHAT TOOK SO LONG? THAT ASIDE, MOST OF ZIEGFELD FOLLIES AND RADIO STAR FANNY BRICE'S STUDIO RECORDINGS WERE MADE FOR RCA VICTOR FROM 1921-1930, WHILE ONLY FOUR (FOUR, MIND YOU) OF HER RCA TRACKS -- BY WHICH I MEAN "MASTERS" -- HAVE EVER BEEN ISSUED ON CD -- AND AT LEAST THREE OF THOSE COLLECTIONS ARE NOW FAIRLY LONG OUT OF PRINT. THE BALANCE OF CD-ISSUED MATERIAL (AND THERE HAS BEEN PRECIOUS LITTLE APART FROM SEVERAL BEAUTIFULLY REMASTERED "BABY SNOOKS" COLLECTIONS COURTESY OF THE RADIO SPIRITS LABEL) COULD GENERALLY BE FOUND ON HORRENDOUS-SOUNDING COMPILATIONS THAT OFFERED LITTLE OF THE TRUE BRICE MAGIC. BUT JASMINE UK'S "ROSE OF WASHINGTON SQUARE" HAS CAPTURED IT. VIRTUALLY ALL OF HER RCA RECORDINGS (MOST OF THEM MARVELOUSLY REMASTERED) ARE HERE -- EVEN HER EARLIEST PERFORMANCES FOR COLUMBIA RECORDS ARE ACCOUNTED FOR. ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE TREATED TO A SELECTION OF RARE MOVIE SOUNDTRACK PERFORMANCES (PERHAPS MOST NOTABLY FROM HER 1930 UNITED ARTISTS EFFORT "BE YOURSELF"). HAS JASMINE GIVEN US A COMPLETIST'S FANNY? NOT ENTIRELY; I PERSONALLY HAVE SEVERAL TRACKS IN MY COLLECTION THAT I'D HAVE ADDED HERE...BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT. WHAT JASMINE HAS GIVEN US IS PURE GOLD. REMEMBER: LONG BEFORE THERE WAS A BARBRA STREISAND (WHOM I LOVE) THERE WAS A FANNY BRICE. BUT I DIGRESS. APART FROM A COUPLE OF TRACKS WHOSE SPEEDS ARE NOT QUITE UP TO PAR, OR WHOSE SOUND QUALITY IS FAIRLY UNSALVAGABLE, THE REMASTERED SONICS ARE QUITE MARVELOUS HERE; CLEAN, TOTALLY LISTENABLE, AND TOTALLY ENGAGING AS ONLY THE ORIGINAL "FUNNY GIRL" CAN BE. SO, AT LAST, MISS FANNY GETS HER DUE -- DECADES AFTER MARVELOUSLY TALENTED CONTEMPORARIES SUCH AS EDDIE CANTOR, SOPHIE TUCKER, AND AL JOLSON -- BUT THAT, TOO, IS ALL RIGHT. JASMINE'S "ROSE OF WASHINGTON SQUARE" IS NOW HERE FOR US TO CHERISH. MY ADVICE? BUY IT. BUY TWO. GIVE THAT SECOND COPY TO THE BELOVED GRANDMOTHER WHO'D HAPPILY INTRODUCED YOU TO BROADWAY/VAUDEVILLE/HOLLYWOOD TALENT IN THE FIRST PLACE. AH, LIFE IS GOOD.
Feb 15, 2017
"3rd Rock" rocks -- enough said?
1 of 1 found this helpful "3rd Rock" is without doubt among the funniest, most entertaining sitcoms ever aired. It is unfailingly intelligent, wacky, and great fun. Its ensemble cast is superb. John Lithgow is top-billed, but he happily shares each episode with all and sundry. Coming in for special praise, to me, is French Stewart. He need do or say nothing; his very appearance onscreen is funny. DVD label Mill Creek offers the Complete Series (all six delightful seasons) on 17 discs in both sprightly and economical packaging. My advice: buy it. You can thank me later.
May 01, 2010
Alex Etel: A Brilliant Young Actor
1 of 1 found this helpful I'd purchased this DVD for one (1) reason alone: to watch Alex Etel, a brilliant young actor, at work once again. Having loved him in "Millions" and "Cranford" (as well as the "Return To Cranford" sequel), this title seemed quite interesting. It proved to be an excellent film -- not hurt in the least, mind you, by Emily Watson as Etel's Mother. There exists a quality quite astonishingly incandescent about Alex Etel. Now 15, I'm rather curious as to the roles he is soon to "grow into." My advice? Watch this lad closely; his gifts are, truly, something special.