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From Amazon.co.uk
Fred Astaire dances on the ceiling in this 1951 Alan Jay Lerner musical for MGM, directed by Stanley Donen (Singin' in the Rain). The appealing story finds Astaire as part of a brother-and-sister act (along with Jane Powell) that travels to London at the time of Queen Elizabeth II's wedding. Astaire and Powell each find romances that threaten to break up the act, but that's mostly fun window dressing in a movie better known for some truly creative sequences made vivid by Donen, including Astaire's famous dance with a hat rack and his duet with Powell, "How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You (When You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life)?" --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By I. Tucker
Format:DVD
The other review on here is right - except that it's a huge understatement. The transfer to Dvd has been bungled beyond belief. Both the picture and sound are TRULY awful. I bought this because the famous 'dancing on the ceiling' part was featured on the Disc 2 extras of 'Singin in the Rain', and i was entranced by Astaire's dancing. On THAT disc, the quality was fine - so there was obviously no reason for it to be bad on this one. However, it is, and Elstree Hill Entertainment (whoever they are!) should be ashamed of this lacklustre transfer. Maybe when it's been remastered, i'll buy it. Until then, this goes straight back. Oh by the way, in addition to the poor quality throughout, the disc actually failed to play in several sections and froze up - at times the picture was completely pixelated. Need i say more?
44 of 46 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
No need to say much about the movie itself. This is Fred Astaire at his best singing and dancing. A true classic. Every home should have one. The dancing sequences alone, including the one Astaire dances on cieling and walls, are worth watching again and again.
The movie has indeed been released for home use under various formats over the years. To my knowledge, this is its first DVD release, which unfortunately is most disappointing in term of both sound and picture quality.
The sound is lacklustre and among the poorest quality I have ever heard on a DVD; and this despite the Dolby Digital logo on the cover.
But the real problem with this DVD is its picture quality, which is unacceptably poor, considering the potentials of the format. Compare this to other DVDs or other versions of the films and you will see it from the first minute to the last. Any decent VHS cassette will score FAR better than this DVD in term of picture quality. My laserdisc version of the film, for instance, looks sharp and bright, with near perfect resolution, after comparison.
The only consolation on this DVD, perhaps, is the bonus on how the "cieling dance" sequence was filmed. There is nothing new for a real Astaire fan to learn about here, but at least the filming is clearly explained and illustrated. But is this alone worth the price of the disc?
In short, this is a release that simply fails to do justice to both a great film and a great home movie format that is the DVD.
Those of you lucky enough to have the laserdisc version should stick to it and treasure it so dearly, for who knows when another DVD version (worthy of the name) will come along.
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
By V. Perry
Format:DVD
The cover of this DVD has a warning: 'When transferring to digital format some quality may have been lost.' It has. The picture is somewhat blurred, and at times the dialogue cannot be understood. Why can't the transfer be done better? A CD transferred from an LP is almost always an improvement. But, if you want to see Astaire dance up the walls and across the ceiling, you have to put up with the poorish quality.
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3.2 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pleasantly Old Fashioned!
Absolutely loved this one! ... nice storyline, & good old fashioned entertainment, with no violence or swearing! .....made a pleasant change! :)
Published 23 days ago by Nanny McGregor
4.0 out of 5 stars
not the best, but fun
Not my favorite addition to my film collection but I am glad that I got it. If only for Fred Astaire's dancing scene with a hat rack!
Published 2 months ago by Erin B. Perry
1.0 out of 5 stars
massive disappointment
This was a movie I was really looking forward to watching. Some of my favorite Fred Astaire moments coupled with brilliant music played by a fantastic band! Read more
Published 16 months ago by jontrom100
2.0 out of 5 stars
royal wedding
I was waiting for this video but was a bit dissapointed with the quality of the film,which is a shame.
Published 20 months ago by kit
2.0 out of 5 stars
Royal Fiasco
This is not one of Astaire's best movies - Jane Powell as his sister sings sweetly enough, and was very pretty although there is something slightly iffy about the brother/sister... Read more
Published on 12 Jan 2011 by W. Russell
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's restored,It's the best to date.
Royal Wedding is my favorite Astaire musical, and till now I have been very disappointed with the quality of any DVD purchased. Read more
Published on 9 April 2010 by Mr. Gfm Abrahams
1.0 out of 5 stars
beware: this is awful quality
I didn't read the other reviews, so I got burned: the image is very blurred, it is unbearable to watch. Read more
Published on 31 Jan 2010 by DanW
1.0 out of 5 stars
I didn't read the above reviews :-(
Ouch, this is almost unwatchable, and the sound is appalling.
Note to self, read reviews first before ordering.
Note to self, read reviews first before ordering.
Published on 5 Sep 2009 by B. Dubbe
3.0 out of 5 stars
Fred Astaire deserved better
A brother-sister dance team go to England to perform at the time of Princess Elizabeth's wedding. Both siblings are devoted to the act and claim to have no interest in romance, but... Read more
Published on 11 Feb 2009 by Kona
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Musical!
Jane Powell and Fred Astaire star in this wonderfully directed musical as Ellen and Tom Bowen, sister and brother dancing team. Read more
Published on 13 Nov 2007 by Rama Rao
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