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My Fair Lady (Two-Disc Special Edition)

My Fair Lady (Two-Disc Special Edition)

List Price: $26.99
Your Price: $21.59
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fabulous!
Review: The staging, music, casting, and production are all wonderful. Probobly my favorite movie I own. The restoration is amazing!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the best musicals of all time
Review: With such a talented cast, it is no wonder that "My Fair Lady" is one of the most beloved musicals. Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn are delightful as Professor Higgins and Eliza Doolittle. Based on the classic story of "Pygmalion", George Bernard Shaw updates this tale to 19th century London. Eliza is a poor flower girl who just happens to catch the educated and haughty Higgins' eye. He takes a bet that in six months he could "pass her off as a duchess at an embassy ball". The process is a fun and delightful one.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A magnificently restored classic - a feast for eyes & ears!
Review: There are numerous reasons that this film is a "must own". Even 35 years after its original release the film's basic ingredients still appeal to a large audience: catchy musical numbers, gorgeous sets and costumes, an interesting premise in the story, and engaging performances by actors like Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn. This film has a "grand" scope that is seldom equaled in today's films (compare "Titanic"). This is captured in the newly restored version presented on DVD. The stunning colors and resolution of the transfer reveal the artistic quality of the film's design and cinematogaphy. This is as close as most of us will get to seeing the film in all its glory. Definitely recommended!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: =)
Review: Just fab. I mean, it's the same movie that charmed millions all over, but accompanied with modern-day picture and sound! Wonderful performances all around, a great soundtrack, and countless other reasons to buy this gem RIGHT NOW!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Musical!
Review: Highly entertaining, excellently filmed, perfectly acted & sung musical. So many classic songs in one place! Look fast for a pre-Sherlock Holmes Jeremy Brett as the young suitor.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Luverly accents, bonzer threads
Review: I learnt to speak like a toff from this ace flick. Rex Harrison and Wilf Hyde White are a great comedic duo and Ms Hepburn more than holds her own.

Harrison, like Noel Coward, defines that wonderful English upper-class knack for not quite singing but reciting those splendid lines to an approximate beat and key.

This is a sooper-dooper morale raiser and, as I say, the wardrobes are gorgeous: the Ascot Opening Day song is a model of what show biz should be. Bloomin' marvelous, mate!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I Could Have Danced All Night With This Fair Lady
Review: By the time Lerner & Loewe's "My Fair Lady" made it to the big screen it was not so much a film as it became a theatrical event. Jack L. Warner saw to it that his fair lady had a grand gala premiere and all the bells and whistles befitting one of the last truly great Hollywood musicals to emerge from the studio system. In the role he made famous on Broadway, Rex Harrison defined the stoggy old professor, Henry Higgins. As the cockney flower girl transformed into a vision of loveliness, Audrey Hepburn is absolutely adorable. Stanley Holloway, Mona Washburn, Gladys Cooper and Wilfred Hyde-Pierce are outstanding.
Warner Home Video has done themselves proud with this DVD release. Restored and remaster to 5.1 stereo, "My Fair Lady" comes to life in a brilliant anamorphic widescreen transfer that leaves one applauding for more. I have to say that one viewing of this movie is not enough and that with each renewed visit my respect for director, George Cukor grows even more.

My one complaint, Warner Brothers didn't own the rights to "More Loverly Than Ever" a fascinating documentary on the making and restoration of My Fair Lady that was included on the deluxe laserdisc box set put out by CBS/Fox back in the early 90's. This is a companion piece that is essential to appreciating the film as a true work of art and if Warner knows what's good (and they most certainly have proven that they do indeed) they should make every effort to acquire the documentary and revisit this title at a later date in a 2-disc special edition. But the movie, as presented here, is a rare treat among DVD-philes, a wonderful blend of sight and song that is absolutely impossible to resist. Get this one.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: It's Loverly
Review: The music from "My Fair Lady" makes it easily one of my favorite musicals with "I could have danced all night", "Wouldn't it be Loverly?", "The Street Where you Live", and Stanley Holloway's rousing showstoppers "With a Little Bit of Bloomin' Luck" and "Get me to the Church on Time".

It's well chronicled how much gnashing of teeth surrounded the Hollywood decision to leave out the then-unknown Julie Andrews, who was the new toast of the stage as Eliza Doolittle, and instead cast the more bankable Audrey Hepburn. Hollywood rewarded Ms. Andrews with "Mary Poppins" and an Oscar, and although I'd love to have seen Julie Andrews in this role, 4 decades later I can't complain about Audrey Hepburn.

Rex Harrison's reprises Henry Higgins from the stage, and I frankly can't think of another actor who would bring the same English Arrogance and tongue-in-cheekiness to the role. The interactions between Harrison, Hepburn and Wilfred Hyde-White as Colonel Pickering, especially in the early part of the film, are witty, entertaining, and move the narrative right along without pausing for exposition. The Higgins character is a cad, very full of himself, and he makes the mistake of treating those he feels are socially inferior poorly. The Colonel Pickering character acts as a surrogate for the audience, observing the educated but pompous Professor Higgins and allowing us to feel not TOO badly that poor Eliza has come under the influences of Higgins.

Stanley Holloway recreates Alfred P. Doolittle, Eliza's father, from the stage, and although his character has as many moral deficiencies as Professor Higgins (at one point he shows up at Higgins doorstep hoping to extort money from Professor Higgins for "shacking up" with Eliza) and is much less educated and with a much lower social standing, he is nonetheless a "good ol' bloke" and his moments in the film are among the most memorable, especially the previously mentioned show-stopping musical numbers.

The final act feels a little soap-opera-ish between Jeremy Brett as Freddy fawning over Eliza and Professor Higgins beginning to appreciate her fine qualities at the same time. This portion produces two of the finer musical moments as Freddy sings "On The Street Where You Live" and Higgins croons "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face".

Since George Bernard Shaw died in 1950 it's purely speculative to wonder what he'd have thought about the production of his Pygmalion story. I'm guessing he'd have liked it. If you like musicals, I'm guessing you will too. Enjoy.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A flower girl blossoms into an exquisite woman......
Review: The opening scenes of the rain-drenched cobblestone roads and theatrical backdrop lend a stage feel to a film adaptation of the Lerner & Loewe musical. Since it was based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play "Pygmalion", you won't mind the occasional "stage" echoes. In fact, that adds to the appeal.

We find Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn) selling flowers and spewing out the most dreadful words in a Cockney accent. It is really almost unbearable, but don't turn the movie off as it doesn't last too long. Audrey Hepburn is perhaps the most beautiful actress to ever grace the screen in my humble opinion. Here, she shines and is only a wall flower for the first part of the movie. Later she blossoms into an exquisite woman who could win the heart of any man. It is truly her best acting.

Professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison) and Colonel Pickering discover her selling flowers and after Professor Higgins throws money into her flower basket we expect the two will never meet again. Eliza has other ideas and proudly marches up to the professor's home and demands to be taught to speak like a lady.

Colonel Pickering then makes a bet with Professor Higgins and says that if he can turn this uncultured "gutter snipe" with a "simply ghastly" accent into a sophisticated, elegant duchess, he will pay for all the expenses. (Reminiscent of "Trading Places" to give a modern example) It is just irresistible to the professor and so he takes on a challenge for six months.

Higgins arrogant attitude will make you laugh. He is humerously as unaware of other's feelings as he is of his own. He is at first very unlikeable, yet made me laugh through the whole movie. You will enjoy his eccentric view of life and cunning attitude as he tempts Eliza with chocolates.

When you hear "I Could Have Danced All Night," you will know why this will become one of your favorite musicals. "On the Street Where You Live" always makes me cry. The script is superb and humorous in so many places. you will find yourself crying, laughing, and becoming increasingly enchanted as the movie progresses. I love this line:

"The great secret in life is not a question of good manners or bad manners, or any particular sort of manners, but having the same manner for all human souls." -Professor Higgins

Higgins and Eliza have quite a few passionate verbal exchanges which are quite amusing. Eliza says: "I want a little Kindness." and we immediately know that love is the only aspect missing from this relationship. Higgins has to learn to love and that to me is the undercurrent in this movie. While Eliza learns to speak well, Higgins learns to love well.

This unlikely romance is food for the soul. The ending is unpredictable and cute. The movie is sumptuously filmed and it is undeniable witty and sophisticated. The costumes and hair styles are the most elegant I have ever seen. If you enjoy ironic, intellectual comedy, be prepared to also fall in love with the most irresistible songs of all time. This enduring classic could not have been pulled off without Audrey Hepburn. No one could have played Henry Higgins like Rex Harrison!

There is a beauty about this movie which is just as eternal as love. You will want to own your own copy so you can watch it again and again. It has never lost its charm for me.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: How do you do? And which DVD version to buy ...
Review: MFL is a marvellous film about a professor who turns a common flower girl into a lady. It is full of sing-a-long songs and funny moments. It is basically a classic for all the right reasons! Plenty of re-watch factor makes it a film to own.

In 1994, the film was restored and thank the lord they did! The film's negative was almost lost forever. In fact, the film hade had become yellow-tinged and full of scratches, blotches and all the rest! It would have been a very sad day for the movie industry if a flim like this had been lost.

The original DVD that featured this new restoration was released in the late 90's. This DVD included a 9 minute featurette, actor profiles, audio commentary, and Audrey Hepburn singing in 2 scenes.

This original 1-disc DVD has since been updated to a special 2-Disc Edition. Which one to get? I have both so I feel qualified to answer this. The new DVD includes all the features found on the original DVD, except the actor profiles. The new DVD once again includes the restored print but is apparently a new transfer from the restored print. However, according to a report that I have read, the new transfer is not perfect and has aliasing problems throughout. However, the average watcher won't pick up on this detail. If this is an issue to you, purchase the original edition DVD where the transfer has been given two thumbs up! One has to wonder why they bothered transferring a second time.

The advantage of the special 2-Disc Edition DVD is that it includes a 58 minute 1994 documentary hosted by Jeremy Brett (Audrey's love interest in the film). Jeremy is no longer with us, so it's nice to have this as a piece of nostalgia. ON top of this, there are many more features on this disc that aren't included on the original DVD such as footage from the film's premiere, production dinner, as well as discussions with Rex and Audrey.

The choice is easy. If you're a fan of the film and don't care for all the extras, buy the original DVD. You at least get the best transfer. If you do care about having all the extras, buy both!


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