Rating: 
Summary: Nice, but far from the original
Review: There is much to admire in this attempt to bring The Fantasticks to the screen. The photography is absolutely beautiful, for one. I'm reminded of the magical, story book images that characterized the best of the movie musicals, like "Oaklahoma!". The story is presented in an imaginative way, too; after all, you can't really take a play staged on a small wooden platform in small halls and just film it. You don't have the intimacy once it's on the screen. So I give it high points for the imaginative staging.And most of the cast is good, too, with one exception- Jonathon Morris' El Gallo. Now Morris is a good actor, and he brings some good qualities to the dramatic aspects of this role, but he's a relatively weak singer. If you've ever heard Jerry Orbach in the original Broadway cast recording, you know how a the role should be sung. Orbach's El Gallo is a commanding figure, taking center stage. Morris is almost peripheral. It works, after a fashion, but it's weak. I'm also not crazy about the decision to put "Try To Remember" at the end, rather than the beginning, of the movie. I suppose there's an argument to be made that it works well enough there, but it served a critical function at the opening of the play. When El Gallo comes out at the opening of the theatrical show and sings "Try To Remember" he's setting the stage for what's to follow. He's telling the audience to get a a particular frame of mind, to forget the way the world is and to imagine a time in the past, perhaps the imaginary past, a time when things were simpler and more innocent. It's also important that El Gallo is in the center of an empty stage when he sings this. He's telling the audience to listen- there's something important they need to pay attention to. But when Morris sings this at the end of the movie, the camera is panning over the caravan, occasionally pausing to show miller, whose attention isn't so much on the song or the message as it is on the road ahead. Without its context, the most powerful song in the show becomes merely incidental trailer music. It's a mere footnote. So: As a movie musical, not too bad. I've seen far worse. Cinematography, five stars. It's beautifully filmed. But for Fantasticks fans, one star.
Rating: 
Summary: Ultimate Primer on how NOT to bring a classic to the screen
Review: The Fantasticks strength is in the intimate and very theatrical presentation. With a small band and a small house it is at its best. However, when making the move to the screen almost all of what made The Fantasticks the longest running musical is lacking. It is unfortunate, for the location and house sets are almost perfect for the show. But the characterizations are skewed and lacking, and changes made for this movie almost always moves it away from the charming stage classic. Musical numbers are eliminated, and the shows best known song, Try to Remember, is included briefly at the end as an afterthought that it had to be represented. There are some things that work here, and if you have not seen the show you may even enjoy it. But don't expect The Fantasticks that launched a young Jerry Orbach on a long career.
Rating:
Summary: Good Film - A lost art form
Review: Part of the reason I probably enjoyed this movie has to do with the fact that there are barely any movie musicals anymore AND I have never seen the stage show. I thought the filmmakers tried their best through casting and locations to try and make a small but romantic movie musical. I think in alot of cases they succeeded. The great thing about the DVD is that there are alot of deleted songs and sequences that you can watch. You see, for instance, the greatest editing error for a movie EVER where they cut the opening song "Try to Remember". It would have made a HUGE difference in the feel of the film. You also see that the movie trailer had scenes or shots in it - NOT IN THE MOVIE. I even watched the whole movie again with the Directors commentary and it was really interesting. This was a really hard film to make with bad weather, the cast getting sick etc. etc. You really appreciate the art when you hear this. This movie is really only for a movie musical fan and probably not for people who adore the broadway show.
Rating: 
Summary: hurray, Ritchie...shame on you, Francis F. C.
Review: At first I bought the VHS. I could tell there were some major "diamonds hidden in the rough" here. So...I went out, bought a DVD player and purchased this as my first ever DVD disc. What a difference!! The deleted songs, scenes, full song versions, and director's voice-over of the entire film is worth the price of the player alone! We catch a glimpse of what might have been had someone other than Coppola (who I WORSHIP!!)had gotten their hands on the editing scissors. The DVD extras restore much of the magic, delicacy, and strength of this classic. While on the VHS, I didn't warm up to the actor playing El Gallo til the 2nd act, in the deleted songs and scenes on the DVD, I saw all of the facets I was missing.We actually see where TRY TO REMEMBER was initially supposed to be introduced. We learn of the location, weather conditions, live singing, etc. There is a three-time recurring policeman role which creates a past-present-future thread to the traveling carnival's purpose. Ritchie truly attempted to preserve the original other-worldliness of this story, and the DVD gives a much clearer glimpse of his very near miss at success. I would love to see the original, flawed film as Ritchie conceived it. P.S. I recently loaned this to a friend who played Matt in the Sullivan Street production many years ago, and he felt the DVD was lovely, charming and captured the essence of the original. What more can I say?
Rating:
Summary: Cute But Not The Stage Show
Review: The movie is definitely not the stage show. It had potential in the beginning and then fell flat on it's face. Leaving out the song "Plant A Radish" and changing the "Rape Ballet" to "Abduction" is an insult to the musical. "Try To Remember", one of the most memorable songs in musical theater, is hardly given a nod. I was not too disappointed with the movie, but felt that it deserved much more than it delivered. Much more...
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Having been in a production of The Fantasticks and having seen a number of editions of it in the Village and elsewhere, I was very disappointed in the film version. It seems that in the 40 years since writing it, Schmidt and Jones have lost touch with what made the musical play a success, because those elements are (for the most part) missing from the film version. Adapting the Rape song to accommodate "abduction" has helped the show get more stage-time in recent years, but why would it be dumped completely from the film? That song is one of the more upbeat and fun songs in the show, and instead, the film sets words to the play's abduction-background music and the charm is lost entirely. And how sad that the film could not find room for "Plant a Radish" and could find only a cursory salute to "Try to Remember." It was announced last week that after 40 years the show will close in the Village in January 2002. It has suffered there for many years, IMHO, in part due to a lack of appealing actors in the El Gallo role. The film version suffers in that respect, as well, as do some of the other roles. As one reviewer suggested, the current NY production should be captured on film for future reference, because the film version (destined for the closeout bin at your local video store) is a charmless attempt to modernize a simple, timeless production that lived well for 4 decades.
Rating:
Summary: This Remains One of the Best Musicals of All Time
Review: There is a reason why this show is still playing off-Broadway after over 30 years - it's just down-right brilliant. What makes the show work so well is it's intimacy, but it's intimacy only works when it's scaled for a small audience. Try and make this bigger, and it suddenly becomes pale, even silly at times. I was horrified to hear that an attempt was made to film this, and glad it was shelved for 5 years. Unfortunately, it has now been released, after being re-edited. Don't get me wrong - the cast is more than respectable; even NKOTB-ex, Joseph Mulrey McIntyre is sweet as Matt. Jonathon Morris as El Gallo is also a wonderful piece of casting, not to mention Joel Grey and Bernard Hughes as the feuding parents. Even the settings are wonderful, but at the end of the day, the magic of this show is created in a 300 seat theatre with 2 pianos and a harp...anything more is less. To add insult to injury, someone obviously got cold feet about the song "Rape", and exchanged one of the show's highlights for a banal ditty. If you don't know "The Fantasticks", please don't watch this film, because it will make you hate the musical. If you know the musical, you might want to see it out of curiosity.
Rating: 
Summary: Like Visiting and Old and Dear Friend
Review: As a favorite play for more years than I like to remember, I still go see it every few years. Now that it is available as a movie, I recommend you buy it. One of the all time great masterpieces, no. As an absolutely delightful way to spend an hour and a half, it will be hard to beat. The play is best performed in tiny theaters where the audience is almost part of the play. I couldn't imagine how this feeling could be converted to the screen. Then watching the movie, the feeling is there. I don't know if it's the cinamagraphic style, the sets, the costumes or just what -- but the magic is there. The movie version is different enough to make it a piece of art all in itself. Far, far better than simply taking the play to the screen. In a way it's almost refreshing. I didn't want to buy the tape and then lose interest in ever seeing the play again. And now there are two versions almost, the tape and the play which is still worth a trip down to the old Sullivan theater in NYC once every half dozen years or so.
Rating:
Summary: The Play was good
Review: I have seen the play many many times and even been in a few productions of it myself nd have always loved it! I give it four stars for the fact that i know that the moie wil never be as good as the play. I've yet to see the movie but would like to own it just as a kind of keepsake if I don't like it! I've heard it was better than the play but I doubt it...stage is so much bettern than screen.
Rating:
Summary: 'FANTASTICKS' charming, yet slightly flawed
Review: Take away the lights, bangs and smash of Andrew Lloyd Webber-ish big-time Broadway productions and you might have 'The Fantasticks'. Its charm, simplicity, and beauty, as well as a superb songwriting and lyrics make the stage production of the Fantasticks STILL Fantastick after all these years! Translating the same spirit of the stage show to film was a challenge, and it's none more apparent in Micheal Ritchie's "The Fantasticks". Still retaining it's clever, charming, and magical spirit, the film version's main problem is in it's editting. No wonder it took 5 years before they released it! Songs have been taken out, characters such as the ever-lovable Mute have been removed, characters (some quite needless) have been added, and as you can gather, it's slightly disturbing for anyone who knows "The Fantasticks". For this reason, I recommend getting the movie on DVD, which contains deleted scenes, songs, etc. which should quench your passion for more of a feel of adhesiveness to the film. Other than that, "The Fantasticks" on film is a delight to watch, real eye candy! If you have ever been in love with "The Fantasticks", you'll love, love, love what Schmidt, Jones, and Ritchie have done with it! And that's far greater than a metaphor could ever, ever be! Try to Remember... and get Fantasticks on DVD!
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