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Amazon.co.uk Review
The dazzling Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, brought to lush life by the director of the original stage version, Joshua Logan. Set on a remote island during the Second World War, South Pacific tracks two parallel romances: one between a Navy nurse (Mitzi Gaynor) "as corny as Kansas in August" and a wealthy French plantation owner (Rossano Brazzi), the other between a young American officer (John Kerr) and a native girl (France Nuyen). The theme of interracial love was still daring in 1958, and so was director Logan's decision to overlay emotional moments with tinted filters--a technique that misfires as often as it hits. The comic relief tends to fall flat and an overly spunky Mitzi Gaynor is a poor substitute for the stage original's Mary Martin. But the location scenery on the Hawaiian island of Kauai is gorgeous and the songs are among the finest in the American musical catalogue: "Some Enchanted Evening", "Younger than Springtime", "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair", "This Nearly Was Mine". That's Juanita Hall as the sly native trader Bloody Mary, singing the haunting tune that launched a thousand tiki bars, "Bali H'ai". The movie is based on stories from James Michener's book Tales from the South Pacific. --Robert Horton, Amazon.com
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
48 of 49 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
At last this Rodgers & Hammerstein classic musical is available
in a 2 disc special edition.
This is a vast improvement over the rather savagely cut versions that have been available previously.
My only gripe is the fact the wonderful stills that were shown on the old DVD whilst the overture and intermission music were played are missing on this new DVD version.
That said, it is a small sacrifice as both sound and picture have been beautifuly restored.
Also included on disc 2 is the full roadshow version of the film, but this does only have a stereo sound track rather than the 5.1 on the cinema version on disc 1.
Packed full of extras this set is realy a "must have" for any Rodgers & Hammerstein Fan, and whilst we cant have the Tod-Ao HD on DVD Yet, We can get the wonderful surround sound that made this film so special for me when I first went to see it in London's west end, in the late 1950's
in a 2 disc special edition.
This is a vast improvement over the rather savagely cut versions that have been available previously.
My only gripe is the fact the wonderful stills that were shown on the old DVD whilst the overture and intermission music were played are missing on this new DVD version.
That said, it is a small sacrifice as both sound and picture have been beautifuly restored.
Also included on disc 2 is the full roadshow version of the film, but this does only have a stereo sound track rather than the 5.1 on the cinema version on disc 1.
Packed full of extras this set is realy a "must have" for any Rodgers & Hammerstein Fan, and whilst we cant have the Tod-Ao HD on DVD Yet, We can get the wonderful surround sound that made this film so special for me when I first went to see it in London's west end, in the late 1950's
36 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
I remember as a teenager seeing South Pacific screened in Todd-AO (70mm film) at the Dominion in London. and I wondered what justice my High-def projector, thrown on to a home 12ft diagonal screen, would do for my nostalgic memories of it.
Already in possession of a standard DVD copy which I thought quite good, I was a bit nervous about ordering an American Bluray version, as I was not sure if it would be playable on a UK Play Station 3. Well it arrived yesterday and I tried it out immediately.
And wow, the presentation brought tears to my eyes. As I watch from a relatively close distance (about 5 metres) the super size projected BluRay image, brings back the original memories of TODD-AO with very sharp images, outstanding sound and vibrant colour. However one scene is not quite up to scratch, particularly the Bloody Mary rendition of Bali-Hai. (The original film used colour filters and blurring of the edges, for setting some of the songs, because, as I once read, it was felt that the huge TODD-AO screen would reduce audience emotional participation).
Nevertheless apart from one scene, most of the rest of the film compensates, and I can honestly say, I have never seen such superb clarity on screen, which feels a bit like Imax in my living room. Yes it is better than standard cinema. Thank you 20th Century Fox for the wonderful film transfer; I look forward to similar treatment of other musicals like The Sound of Music, King and I, and West Side Story.
I have also ordered copies of the American Bluray versions of An American in Paris and Gigi, and I just cant wait for them.
Already in possession of a standard DVD copy which I thought quite good, I was a bit nervous about ordering an American Bluray version, as I was not sure if it would be playable on a UK Play Station 3. Well it arrived yesterday and I tried it out immediately.
And wow, the presentation brought tears to my eyes. As I watch from a relatively close distance (about 5 metres) the super size projected BluRay image, brings back the original memories of TODD-AO with very sharp images, outstanding sound and vibrant colour. However one scene is not quite up to scratch, particularly the Bloody Mary rendition of Bali-Hai. (The original film used colour filters and blurring of the edges, for setting some of the songs, because, as I once read, it was felt that the huge TODD-AO screen would reduce audience emotional participation).
Nevertheless apart from one scene, most of the rest of the film compensates, and I can honestly say, I have never seen such superb clarity on screen, which feels a bit like Imax in my living room. Yes it is better than standard cinema. Thank you 20th Century Fox for the wonderful film transfer; I look forward to similar treatment of other musicals like The Sound of Music, King and I, and West Side Story.
I have also ordered copies of the American Bluray versions of An American in Paris and Gigi, and I just cant wait for them.
36 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
At last this Rodgers & Hammerstein classic musical is to be available in a 2 disc special edition set!!! which should be a vast improvement over the rather savagely cut 'short' version that we have been used to.
Ted Chapin, who is president of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organisation, should give some interesting insights into the making of this classic musical, based on 1949 Broadway Production, with Ezio Pinza & Mary Martin, which is brilliantly photographed in TOOD-AO and Technicolor, and its oscar winning sound.
It contains one of the best scores that Rodgers & Hammerstein ever wrote : 'A Cockeyed Optimist', 'Twin Solioquies' 'Some Enchanted Evening', 'Bloody Mary', There Is Nothin' Like A Dame', 'Bali Ha'i', 'I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair', 'A Wonderful Guy', 'Younger Than Springtime', 'Happy Talk', 'Honey Bun', 'Carefully Taught', and 'This Nearly Was Mine'. It also features the song 'My Girl Back Home', which was cut from the original stage production because of timing issues, and which director Joshua Logan wanted to re-instate into the film because he and Rodgers & Hammerstein liked it so much.
Based on James Michener's collection of short stories his 1947 Pulitzer prize winning 'Tales Of The South Pacific' Rodgers & Hammerstein with Logan who co-wrote the book used basically two of Michener's stories Fo' Dolla' and Our Heroine as the stories for the musical which tell of the tragic love affair between the young marine Lt Joseph Cable and the young native girl Liat, Logan initially, wanted to stop there, but Rodgers & Hammerstein, thinking it smacked too much of Madame Butterfly, rather brilliantly brought in the story of the young and naive American navy nurse Ensign Nellie Forbush, and her romance with the ex-patriot French Planation owner Emile De Becque, and had the two love stories running side by side, on a small island habitation in 1943 during the Pacific war, full of comic and colourful characters including the Seabee Luther Billis played by Damn Yankees star Ray Walston. Juanita Hall repeated her marvellous witch like portrayal of Bloody Mary which she had created on the Broadway stage in 1949, although Richard Rodgers, was unhappy about the quality of her singing voice by 1957, so her vocals were dubbed by the original London Bloody Mary, Muriel Smith.
Ezio Pinza was to have recreated his original role of Emile De Becque for the film , but he died in 1957, so the part went to the dashing and romantic Rossano Brazzi with the singing voice of Giorgio Tozzi. With the loss of Ezio Pinza went Mary Martin, so the part of Nellie ,coveted by Doris Day, went to the charming Mitzi Gaynor (There's No Busniness Like show Business), with John Kerr (Tea & Sympathy) and France Nuyen (later in the series Hawaii Five-0) as the young lovers Cable & Liat.
This is one DVD release that I cant wait for!!!!
Ted Chapin, who is president of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organisation, should give some interesting insights into the making of this classic musical, based on 1949 Broadway Production, with Ezio Pinza & Mary Martin, which is brilliantly photographed in TOOD-AO and Technicolor, and its oscar winning sound.
It contains one of the best scores that Rodgers & Hammerstein ever wrote : 'A Cockeyed Optimist', 'Twin Solioquies' 'Some Enchanted Evening', 'Bloody Mary', There Is Nothin' Like A Dame', 'Bali Ha'i', 'I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair', 'A Wonderful Guy', 'Younger Than Springtime', 'Happy Talk', 'Honey Bun', 'Carefully Taught', and 'This Nearly Was Mine'. It also features the song 'My Girl Back Home', which was cut from the original stage production because of timing issues, and which director Joshua Logan wanted to re-instate into the film because he and Rodgers & Hammerstein liked it so much.
Based on James Michener's collection of short stories his 1947 Pulitzer prize winning 'Tales Of The South Pacific' Rodgers & Hammerstein with Logan who co-wrote the book used basically two of Michener's stories Fo' Dolla' and Our Heroine as the stories for the musical which tell of the tragic love affair between the young marine Lt Joseph Cable and the young native girl Liat, Logan initially, wanted to stop there, but Rodgers & Hammerstein, thinking it smacked too much of Madame Butterfly, rather brilliantly brought in the story of the young and naive American navy nurse Ensign Nellie Forbush, and her romance with the ex-patriot French Planation owner Emile De Becque, and had the two love stories running side by side, on a small island habitation in 1943 during the Pacific war, full of comic and colourful characters including the Seabee Luther Billis played by Damn Yankees star Ray Walston. Juanita Hall repeated her marvellous witch like portrayal of Bloody Mary which she had created on the Broadway stage in 1949, although Richard Rodgers, was unhappy about the quality of her singing voice by 1957, so her vocals were dubbed by the original London Bloody Mary, Muriel Smith.
Ezio Pinza was to have recreated his original role of Emile De Becque for the film , but he died in 1957, so the part went to the dashing and romantic Rossano Brazzi with the singing voice of Giorgio Tozzi. With the loss of Ezio Pinza went Mary Martin, so the part of Nellie ,coveted by Doris Day, went to the charming Mitzi Gaynor (There's No Busniness Like show Business), with John Kerr (Tea & Sympathy) and France Nuyen (later in the series Hawaii Five-0) as the young lovers Cable & Liat.
This is one DVD release that I cant wait for!!!!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A very fine Blu-ray restoration of the original
This two disc Blu-ray set, packed with extras as well as two versions of the film (the main theatrical plus extended 'Road Show' versions) will be a dream ticket for all those who... Read more
Published 7 days ago by I. Giles
A timeless classic
It was very enjoyable to me whenever it was I first saw this film - 40 odd years ago; and I was delighted to find time has not diminished my appreciation of this classic.
Published 9 days ago by GEOFF C
A bloody good musical!
I rate this movie a 5 star-movie, because of the music. It's incredible that Rodgers and Hammerstein, like in "Oklahoma", could fill a musical with so many evergreens. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Erik Preben Pedersen
Southj Pacific
I have always enjoyed South Pacific and having the road show version as well is terric.I can remember going and seeing the extended version at the Esquire Theatre in Melbourne back... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Kenneth B. Barrett
Magic
This must be one of the best musicals ever! Wonderful music, scenery and acting. Saw the stage performance recently and it wasn't a patch on the film. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Karen
I wondered!
Is it my Panasonic Blu ray player? Instead of starting the film by pressing the Play button this DVD requires the OK button to start the film. Read more
Published 5 months ago by D. Darby
A unique version of South Pacific
I have just watched the 2 disc collector's edition of the 1958 film South Pacific and I am very satisfied with the high standard for this old colour movie which I still remember... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Leif Jorgensen
South Pacific Blu ray
This is superb it was like watching a different film,the detail and colour was incredible.I would recommend it to anyone
Published 8 months ago by Michael
Mahalo to Rodgers and Hammerstein
For those who appreciate the memories of gentler days, this musical is priceless. However, DVD copies (mine, anyway) have color problems in parts. Still, worth it!
Published 8 months ago by Roberta Stene
Stunning
Ordered this film on Tuesday, only took 2 days to arrive. First class service as usual from Amazon. The visual quality was truly amazing, played the disc with dts sound switched... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Sw Harrison
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