Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by rico (A) on February 27, 2005 at 06:11:10

Trevor Nunn directed this stage version and got special permission from the Rogers & Hammerstein estate to "free up" certain portions of the music. He also reached down deep into the book to emphasize certain aspects of the story, the main one being the conflict between the ranchers and the farmers. Rogers' daughter onscreen says that this version is the best that she has ever seen. I quite agree. The singing vices are superb, and these people can also dance as well as act (they actually perform the 15 minute ballet, rather than turning it over to dancers playing the characters as is the usual custom). The 180 minute running time seems to breeze by, much more so than the shorter 1955 film, which seems to drag in places. The DVD is in a 1:78 anamorphich aspect ratio with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. A treat and one worth owning.