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Amazon.co.uk Review
The Barbra Streisand Collection consists of four movies: What's Up, Doc? (1972), Up the Sandbox (1972), The Main Event (1979) and Nuts (1987)
In What's Up, Doc?, director Peter Bogdanovich tipped his hat to the classic screwball comedies of the 1930s, and especially the most glorious of them all, Howard Hawks' Bringing Up Baby. Barbra Streisand plays a charming flake who distracts a self-absorbed musicologist (Ryan O'Neal). He's engaged to be married, but soon Streisand's character has him chasing after stolen jewellery and getting into one madcap fix after another. --Tom Keogh
Up the Sandbox springs from the early 1970s, when Streisand's career was in full stride. She stars as Margaret, a stay-at-home mum in the middle of New York who's feeling the strain of her narrow life. Frustrated by her self-involved husband and the mentally unstimulating tasks of motherhood, she escapes into fantasies--such as being chatted up by a cross-gendered Fidel Castro, bombing the Statue of Liberty with black militants and having a furious catfight with her overbearing mother. The movie's strength lies in these fantasies' slippery nature; some are over the top, but others are so subtle you're not always sure where they start and stop, making the portrait of Margaret's psyche intriguingly complex. --Bret Fetzer
The Main Event is a comedic misfire from the mid-1970s, a futile attempt to bottle the same lightning that struck when Streisand teamed with Ryan O'Neal in What's Up, Doc? Here, Streisand plays a spoiled rich girl, the head of a bankrupt cosmetics company, who discovers she's lost everything--except her ownership of the contract of a washed-up boxer (O'Neal). So she tries to rally this dispirited pug into a comeback that will earn the kinds of purses that will put her back on her feet. Naturally, in the process, romantic sparks are kindled. But despite a loud and energetic performance by Streisand, the comedy doesn't add up to much. --Marshall Fine
In Nuts Streisand is a mad high-priced "escort" accused of murder, but whether she's mad as hell or mad as a hatter is the question in this courtroom drama, adapted from the play by Tom Topor. While her doting, wilfully uncomprehending mother (Maureen Stapleton) and stepdad with a secret (Karl Malden) try to have her judged incompetent and sent to an asylum, she fights for her day in court with the help of a hapless legal aid attorney (a refreshingly understated Richard Dreyfuss). James Whitmore presides over the hearing with a compassion and sense of justice that gives one faith in the system, and la Streisand (who developed and produced the project) sinks her teeth into the tempestuous role like a starving actress. The plot holds few surprises, but the drama lies in the characters; veteran director Martin Ritt brings out the best in a top-flight cast. --Sean Axmaker
Special Features
English
Region 2
Region 2
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 35 people found the following review helpful
A wonderful collection of four Barbra Streisand films previously unreleased on DVD. My favourite has to be "What's Up Doc?" which, even after 30 years, remains a funny and refreshing couple of hours of entertainment as it did then; completely whacky, it's a bit like an American Carry On film.
"Nuts" shows Streisand's versatility as an actress, a powerful performance by her and co-star Richard Dreyfuss.
"Up The Sandbox" is a strange film, that I admit to not really understanding - but it is funny in places.
"The Main Event" isn't a wonderful film, but for a Barbra Streisand fan like myself, it's still pretty damn excellent.
"Nuts" shows Streisand's versatility as an actress, a powerful performance by her and co-star Richard Dreyfuss.
"Up The Sandbox" is a strange film, that I admit to not really understanding - but it is funny in places.
"The Main Event" isn't a wonderful film, but for a Barbra Streisand fan like myself, it's still pretty damn excellent.
The collection is really for Barbra Streisand fanatics, but even if you don't like her that much you're bound to find one or two of the films highly entertaining. And for the price Amazon is asking - for FOUR DVD's - how could you go wrong?
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
'What's Up Doc?' is a fabulous film, endlessly rewatchable, totally madcap, brilliantly scripted, cast, directed, you name it. A total success.
'Nuts' is highly watchable, if you like Barbra Streisand, has good support from Richard Dreyfuss, and... well, it's all a bit predictable and sentimental.
'Up the Sandbox' is a minor film that's like the curate's egg. I like the idea of the film, and Barbra's performance is unusually understated. But there are too many very long daydream sequences that are really quite tedious and unbalance the film. Not bad though, if you're a fan.
'The Main Event' is a tedious boxing movie starring a heavy-looking Ryan O'Neal and a Barbra desperately trying to move the leaden plot along. Very, very boring and badly done.
It's a nice set nonetheless, with some good extra features. Each film has a commentary by either Barbra or the director, and the commentary was recorded in 2003, so offers an interesting perspective. There's even a cute documentary about the making of 'Up the Sandbox'.
All in all, a good set, which I think many people will buy just to get 'What's Up Doc?' on DVD.
'Nuts' is highly watchable, if you like Barbra Streisand, has good support from Richard Dreyfuss, and... well, it's all a bit predictable and sentimental.
'Up the Sandbox' is a minor film that's like the curate's egg. I like the idea of the film, and Barbra's performance is unusually understated. But there are too many very long daydream sequences that are really quite tedious and unbalance the film. Not bad though, if you're a fan.
'The Main Event' is a tedious boxing movie starring a heavy-looking Ryan O'Neal and a Barbra desperately trying to move the leaden plot along. Very, very boring and badly done.
It's a nice set nonetheless, with some good extra features. Each film has a commentary by either Barbra or the director, and the commentary was recorded in 2003, so offers an interesting perspective. There's even a cute documentary about the making of 'Up the Sandbox'.
All in all, a good set, which I think many people will buy just to get 'What's Up Doc?' on DVD.
Amazon Verified Purchase
The main reason for buying this was that the set is apparently cheaper than 'What's Up Doc' is, when purchased alone! Reasonable value - all the movies a at least worth watching.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Streisand at her best
Like a previous reviewer, it was worth buying just for "What's Up, Doc?" which always makes me laugh as it did the first time, despite the fore-knowledge. Read more
Published 9 months ago by RR Waller
Barbra Streisand Collection on DVD
It was worth buying the box set just for "What's Up Doc" which I've loved since I first saw it about 30 years ago. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Tiggy
What's Up Doc?
I bought this boxset just for `What's Up Doc?' and haven't even watched the other three. My mum did watch `The Main Event' and thought it was alright but nothing compared to What's... Read more
Published 14 months ago by hmcni
Barbra Striesland DVD collection
What's Up Doc is the funniest movie I've ever seen. I saw it in the 70s when it first appeared and have watched it on TV whenever it was shown since then. Read more
Published 17 months ago by only1umpy
barbra streisand collection
Fantastic value, love Barbra Streisand and these are all good movies, especially 'What's Up, Doc?'
Published 21 months ago by Mrs. Linda V. Fogler
Barbra Streisand
This set completes my renewal of her classic comedies ..with one that i had missed
Published 21 months ago by Mr. James Sivyer
Mixed bag of Barbara Streisand films
To be honest I only wanted What's Up Doc which is a brilliant film. If What's New Pussycat had been part of this collection I would have said it was a fantastic collection, but... Read more
Published 24 months ago by S. Yarwood
Present bought for grand-daughter
DVD bought as a present for my grand-daufgter as are all my DVDs and she has not complained yet
Published on 19 Jan 2010 by C. J. Simon
Good
We bought this box set just so that we could get "What's Up Doc" as we were unable to find it on its own. Read more
Published on 27 Mar 2009 by T. Trousdale
barbra fan
I LUV IT...........BARBRA ROCKS !!!
Published on 17 Sep 2003
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