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Oliver!

Oliver!

List Price: $27.95
Your Price: $20.96
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Greatest Musical of All Time
Review: This Musical Production is the GREATEST! After studying the musical a few years ago in my school music class I was enchanted into the amazing story. Since then I have watched the movie over 100 times. The movie was well casted although ther are some cliches. First of all my favorite character is Fagin portrayed by Ron Moody, he delivers a powerful performance as the great villan but is still likeable. Second Jack Wild who plays the Artful Dodger he is hilarious and has a great talent. My third favorite character is Nancy who is played by Shani Wallis, her voice is enchanting and yet extremly powerful. Mark Lester who plays OLIVER has some good points and some bad. First of all he is a good acter and portrays a great helpless soft, OLIVER although his voice is extremly weak and soft which brings down some numbers that could be great such as "Where is Love". My least favorite character would be Bill Sykes played by Oliver Reed. He delivers a powerful and frightening performance acting wise, but he could speak a little more clear. I mean you can only understand a few of his lines. Otherwise the performance is highly entertaining, loveable and quite funny. I you have never seen the show or this movie before take my advise and go out and purchase this I assure you of a wonderful time!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: I'm reviewing. . . .the situation.
Review: I bought this movie because I had some vague, but pleasant memories of it from my childhood. I must say that the movie did not disappoint. It is a well-crafted musical with vivid characters. While they're not exactly analogous to their Dickensian counterparts, who portray a much darker, seamier side of London's underworld, the characters sparkle. Ron Moody as Fagin is unforgettable, and Wild as the Dodger was a perfect casting job. The musical numbers are memorable, hum-inducing performances, such as "Consider Yourself" "Oom Pa Pa" "You got to Pick a Pocket or Two" and "Who Will Buy". My personal favorite is "Reviewing the Situation" because I feel the lyrics to that song are so well done and so well executed by Moody. The adorable Mark Lester is the weak link in an otherwise strong chain. He plays a passable Oliver, but lacks the oomph that the others bring to their roles, and his voice is somewhat airy but sweet (according to other reviewers, too sweet). Nevertheless, he fulfills his end of the bargin, portraying a rosy cheeked cherub in the presence of villains. Oliver Reed plays Sykes to perfection, exuding such dark evil that his sinister shadow precedes him onto the screen. I handled his killing of Nancy better as a grown-up; however, young children may find that scene as distrubing as I did twenty years ago. Overall, this is a finely done musical, and for me, was time well spent.

I think I'd better think it out again.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wonderful! Delightful! Musical!!!!
Review: I saw this movie last Wednesday and I definently thought it was wonderful! The songs were funny and fun, and I loved the "Artful Dodger" who the actor was John Wilde.
This movie is about the orphan Oliver Twist who went to London to make his fortune. There, he meets the "Artful Dodger" (John Wilde) and Dodger brings Oliver to see the thief and cheater Fagin (Ron Moody) and other boys who steals for Fagin. Of course, Dodger is a thief too. Oliver, not knowing this, makes friends with them. To add-up the excitement, there's also a murderer and a thief named Bill Sikes (Carol Reed)

I won't tell you anymore; you'll have to watch the movie! Some parts are scary so young children might get scared. But I still LOVED it!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: didn't win best picture for nothing! this is quality stuff
Review: I really love this movie. i love the book and the play too. I think this movie is a good representation of the book, even though there are some things left out, like Oliver's sister and brother and Fagin's death. But this movie is a completely charming and memorable one. There are two musical numbers that could've been a little shorter, Who Will Buy and Consider Yourself, but Jack Wild was so good and lit up the creen that you hardly even notice Consider Yourself's length. Also, I've read reviwes that put down the acting of this movie--I thought that all of the leads were very, very good. Ron Moody and Jack Wild stood out the most, and Shanni Wallis and oliver Reed were both excellent. Mark Lester wasn't the best actor in the movie, but he didn't ruin it either. And keep in mind, he was only about 8 years old when it was filmed. Somebody called Mark Lester a brat because they thought he couldn't act. I thought that was unneccescary, but hey, decide for yourself. Check out this totally cool, chilling, heartwarming, and all around entertaining musical tragi-comedy. You will be glad you did!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Musical for all family
Review: This musical is excellent. The picture on this DVD is top notch. Also, the songs are awesome but the recording of the sound is a bit dated... A true classic to own for kids and adults.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Not a Substitute For the Book, But Still Worth Watching
Review: For those of you who read my review on the book, you know that I gave it 4 stars. This is not a substitue for the book. Important characters like Rose Maylie and Monks are deleted; significant information is left out; and some important events are dropped. But if you have already read the book and don't mind some alterations, this is a delightful video. The songs and dances are well done and carry a real charm. In some cases they make the events more memorable. (Like when the Dodger finds Fagin and gives him what little money he has.) Several characters carry more flair in the book. But major characters like the Dodger, Fagin, and Bill Sikes are quite well done. I did not mind the fact that Fagin and the Dodger were spared their tragic fate in the book. This is a well done musical, and it is worth watching. But if you are looking for what Dickens wrote, you may be disappointed.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Oliver
Review: Oliver is a very good movie. But the person who plays Oliver is a bit shy. I perfer The Broadway actor who plays Oliver. But other than that, the rest of the cast was fabulous. Fagin is terrific. Nancy is great. You should buy it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Flawless fun. Truly a classic!
Review: I must say, I've never really been a fan of musicals perse, but four years ago, I caught this delightful film quite by accident on the Encore movie network, and have since changed my tune. I love movies, and I have always loved movies, but never before in my life have I got so much enjoyment out of watching one movie in my life, until I saw OLIVER! This is a musicalization of the Charles Dickens classic 'Oliver Twist' about a young boy who flees his drab life of workhouse servitude and falls in with a band of pickpockets led by the incorrigible Fagin(Ron Moody, Oscar-nominated). Mark Lester is absolutely magnificent in the title role. Jack Wild is equally winning as his slick sidekick, The Artful Dodger. In fact, Lester and Wild worked together so well in this film that they were reunited for the popular 1971 British release, MELODY. Oliver Reed is appropriately menacing as the brutish Bill Sykes, and Shani Wallis is lovely as his girlfriend, Nancy. The film was directed by Oliver Reed's uncle, Sir Carol Reed. Some might believe that this film pales in comparison to David Lean's more straightforward 1948 filmization. But there is little room for debate that Carol Reed's version is the more entertaining of the duo. OLIVER! is the last of the truly great movie musicals. It's easy to watch over and over again, and it's the type of film that looks better with every viewing. Thanks to the flawless quality of the 30th anniversary edition, the film looks better than ever! Required viewing for the classic movie lover.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of my favourite guilty pleasures
Review: The musical score had little artistic merit, Fagin's diabolical quarters are far more fun than Dickens intended, some characterisation is far off, and much of the literary impact is poor. I blush to admit that I just don't care! The film is hugely entertaining, and musical numbers, particularly those with Shani Wallis or Jack Wild, quite delightful.

Though literary purists would deride that the sordid quality that gives Oliver Twist its impact is gone, this actually makes the film suited for family viewing. Assuming the adult mind knows full well that Dickens work was far from a musical comedy, the horrors of the situation of Fagin and Company is sufficiently blunted to keep children from being unduly troubled. Only Bill Sikes shows his true colours blatantly, and he is such a villain that children can deal with his character with surprising realism. They'll never guess Nancy's true profession ...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Great Show
Review: This musical will always be special to me,as,during my 'boy soprano' days,I did the show twice;once in the chorus in a regional run of four months;and again in the title role,with which I alternated with another boy for six months in a regional tour.

I don't know how many times I warbled 'Where Is Love?', or asked for more,but I never will forget the magic of the show itself.

In the film version,Shani Wallis is electric as the tragic Nancy,and whenever she is played by a very pretty girl,such as Shani,one does not look forward to the murder scene at all!

The Lionel Bart songs include 'It's A Fine Life','Consider Yourself','Oliver','Oom-Pah-Pah','As Long As He Needs Me',and 'Boy For Sale'.


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