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 By Jeremy Kinser
Judy Duets
The (arguably) greatest voice of the 20th century is joined
by many of the also-rans in Judy Duets, a one-disc collection
of Judy Garland's musical collaborations with guests on her
her terrific television show from the early 1960s. Just about
every other significant singer from the era (Barbra, Dean,
Ethel, Frank, Lena, Peggy, and daughter Liza) stops by to
make beautiful music with the immortal Garland.
Lady and the Tramp
Sure, the scene with the starcrossed canines slurping a
single strand of spaghetti until their lips meet in a bashful
kiss in Lady and the Tramp is remembered as one of the movies'
great romantic moments, but I love the film for those mischievous
Siamese cats Si and Am, voiced by the great Peggy Lee. One
of Disney's crowning achievements, the 1955 hit -- dedicated
to loyal dogs everywhere -- has been digitally restored and
the snazzy, jazzy score by Lee has been enhanced in a new
two-disc set. Bonus features: Animation buffs will thrill
to 1943 original storyboard version of the film, the documentary "Lady's
Pedigree: The making of Lady and the Tramp," and never-before-seen
deleted scenes.
Marquee Musicals
Screen musical aficionados should enjoy three vintage films
new to DVD as part of the Marquee Musicals series. Betty
Grable -- whose swimsuit poster remains one of the iconic
images from WWII -- puts it all out there in the title in
1944's Pin Up Girl. The GI fave with the world's best gams
plays a USO gal with a ga-ga guy in every port. Time magazine's
Richard Schikel gives props to the often-neglected talents
of gorgeous Grable on the audio commentary. In 1941's lively
Weekend in Havana sweet songbird Alice Faye stars in a Caribbean
cruise plotline that's easily hijacked by fiesty camp icon
Carmen Miranda and debonair Caesar Romero. 1955's charming
Daddy Long Legs pairs two of cinema's best hoofers Fred Astaire
and Leslie Caron in a May-December romance between a French
orphan and her wealthy American benefactor.
Rent
Rent, the late Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer and Tony award-winning
rock musical about a group of young friends in New York's
East Village coping with AIDS and poverty was a bona-fide
cultural phenomenon when it premiered in New York 10 years
ago. Unfortunately, there wasn't much love from either critics
or audiences last fall when the film version (now available
in a two-Disc Special Edition DVD) was released. Surprisingly,
the decision to use much of the decade-older original cast
(including out actor Anthony Rapp) works better than you
might think and the earnestness of the material shines through,
even under the unimaginative direction of Chris Columbus.
Bonus features: Five deleted scenes and musical performances;
audio commentary by Columbus, Rapp (who amusingly chides
the director for the numerous technical gaffes in the film),
and fellow original castmember Adam Pascal; and there's also
a rather unwieldy documentary "No Day But Today." Although
it effectively covers Larson's dogged dedication to creating
the show and its amazing journey from off-Broadway success
to its hit status (it's still playing on Broadway and being
performed worldwide), all in the wake of his untimely death,
the lack of focus, the excessive length and the unfortunate
decision to include a pop-up screen each time another film
musical is referenced advising viewers that the film is now
available on Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, ultimately
do a disservice to the late playwright.
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