Copacabana

Rating:
Summary: Cute, Cute, Cute
Review: Barry isn't quite as stellar an actor as he is a singer, but it doesn't matter. I smiled the entire way through this movie. The story is charming, the ending suprisingly unexpected, the actors adorable. If you love Barry, you will forgive his goofiness. I loved it!!

Rating:
Summary: Cute, Cute, Cute
Review: Barry isn't quite as stellar an actor as he is a singer, but it doesn't matter. I smiled the entire way through this movie. The story is charming, the ending suprisingly unexpected, the actors adorable. If you love Barry, you will forgive his goofiness. I loved it!!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful performances
Review: Both Barry Manilow and Annette O'Toole do a wonderful acting job. The music is, of course, incredible. The video quality of the DVD is not as great as I would have expected but it's still good. If you're a Barry Manilow fan you will love this DVD, especially Who Needs To Dream and I'm In Love Again.

Rating:
Summary: This Movie Is Manilow Showing Us Wholesome Fun And True Love
Review: COPACABANA was made back in 1985 for ABC pictures and Dick Clark's production company. Dick approached the thwen famous Barry Manilow about his song Copacabana and actually making a story about it for the small screen. It works very well and has a bitter sweet quality to it. It stars Barry Manilow himself with Annette O'Toole (now on the WB's Smallville).

Directed by Warren Hussen, it tells the story of two aspiring performances meeting at a radio competition and then finding out they have much more than music in common. They strive to be who they are. Tony Star (Manilow) an aspiring writer and performer and Lola Lamar (O'Toole) a singer dance who's on;y dream is to perform at the Copacabana.

Along the way the evil Rico - and owner of another club in Havana tried to steel mis Lamar away. She finds who she really love is Tony and in the end - well. You'll have to listen to Barry's song and you'll know what happens.

The movie is tastefully done and Barry although not a great actor - pulls it off well. Annette is very good and broad in her performance. Other cast members include Estelle Getty, James Callahan and Joeseph Balogna. There are not many extra's, but the movie is still entertaining. A family film. P.S. See my other Manilow Music Reviews and I have seen him 19 times in Person on tour!(8-15-02)

Rating:
Summary: At the Copa! Copacabana! the Hottest Spot North of Havana!
Review: Every Barry fan should have this movie with their fan collection & memorabilia! Barry gave a wonderful performance in this movie as "Tony Starr". I enjoyed his sense of humor when Barry("Tony")said, "Riley, Stern, & Starr ... sounds like a lawfirm" - haha!
It's a wonderful movie but I have to admit that I avoid watching
the ending of this movie cause it's terribly sad. I only go as far watching the movie of the part when Tony rescues Lola, takes her back to New York with him & marries her. After the wedding scene, I don't watch the rest of the movie cause Rico should've been the one to have gotten killed by that gunshot, not Tony!!

Rating:
Summary: Love this movie!
Review: I guess you'd have to be a true Manilow fan to really love this movie...the acting is not great (especially Mr. Manilow...sorry), but its a great story and fabulous music. I just found out this was available on DVD...I've been watching an OLD taped-from-TV version for years!

Rating:
Summary: BARRY MANILOW SHOULD HAVE MADE MORE MOVIES!
Review: I HAVE BEEN A BARRY MANILOW FAN FROM THE FIRST SONG HE CAME OUT WITH. HIS MUSIC TUGS AT YOUR HEART AND MAKES YOU WANT TO SMILE, DANCE, AND CRY ALL AT THE SAME TIME. WHEN THIS MOVIE CAME OUT, I RECORDED IT BECAUSE I NEW IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL, WHICH IT WAS. WELL, SOMEONE IN MY FAMILY RECORDED OVER IT BY MISTAKE NOT LONG AFTER IT AIRED, AND I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR IT EVER SINCE. MY FAVORITE SONG IN THE MOVIE IS "WHO NEEDS TO DREAM". WHEN HE SINGS THAT SONG IN THE STREET, IT GAVE ME BUTTERFLIES IN MY STOMACH. I LOOKED EVERYWHERE FOR THE SONG, BUT COULDN'T FIND IT ON ANY OF HIS ALBUMS. MY BROTHER FOUND IT ON THE INTERNET NOT LONG AGO, AND DOWNLOADED IT ON MY COMPUTER. NOW WHEN I WORK ON MY COMPUTER, I CAN LISTEN TO IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I NEVER GET TIRED OF LISTENING TO HIM. MY MOTHER WHO IS 77 YEARS OLD ALSO LOVES BARRY, AND LOVES THIS MOVIE. SHE IS ALWAYS BRINGING IT UP AND SAYING HOW MUCH SHE WANTS TO SEE IT AGAIN. WELL, I ALSO BOUGHT THE VHS VERSION FOR HER 78TH BIRTHDAY WHICH IS IN AUGUST. SHE DOESN'T KNOW I FOUND IT. SHE WILL BE SO SURPRISED! I REALLY HOPE I GET IT IN TIME FOR HER BIRTHDAY WHICH IS AUGUST 24TH. I JUST WENT TO HIS CONCERT HERE IN ARIZONA, AND HE JUST GETS BETTER WITH TIME. I LOVE HIM, THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RELEASING THIS BEAUTIFUL MOVIE. IT WILL BRING JOY TO MANY! ANNE FROM AVONDALE ARIZONA.

Rating:
Summary: BARRY ROCKS!
Review: I have been waiting for this in ANY format since it first aired on TV in 1985. I wondered how Barry as an actor would be, but found myself so caught up in the story, I forgot to critique his performance! He tugs at my heartstrings when he stands in a darkened street and sings "Who Needs To Dream". His energy, vitality and charisma shine in "Sweet Heaven I'm In Love Again" and in "Copacabana". I loved Lola, sprawled on the piano, singing "Man Wanted".
As I've discovered over the years, Barry LIVE doing ANYTHING enervates me, has me singing along, and jumping up to dance! You can't go wrong buying this DVD!

Rating:
Summary: Great film, poor release
Review: I have long enjoyed this fun musical ever since it was first broadcast on CBS way back in December '85. It is a throwback to the early days of the MGM movie musicals, complete with great songs, a paper thin plot, and truly enjoyable characters. Barry Manilow has received a lot of flack for his one and only outing as an actor, but I found his performance genuine and just as over the top as his live concert performances. Manilow has always been a master showman, kind of like a favorite uncle. I give this 4 out of 5 stars because I found myself very disappointed with this DVD release. If Mr. Manilow can sit through a 2-hr. concert of his and provide audio commentary, would it really be that hard to do it for this enjoyable 90-minute musical romp? What about the other actors or the director? How about an introduction by Dick Clark, TV commercials, a 5 to 10 minute retrospective interview with Barry? This release is cheap and could have been so much more, though it is simply nice to have it on DVD. [...]!) Be prepared for a disc as bare-bones as they come. There is not even a main menu (gasp!) The only menu availabe is the scene selections. Copacabana deserves more, much more.

Rating:
Summary: Great film, poor release
Review: I have long enjoyed this fun musical ever since it was first broadcast on CBS way back in December '85. It is a throwback to the early days of the MGM movie musicals, complete with great songs, a paper thin plot, and truly enjoyable characters. Barry Manilow has received a lot of flack for his one and only outing as an actor, but I found his performance genuine and just as over the top as his live concert performances. Manilow has always been a master showman, kind of like a favorite uncle. I give this 4 out of 5 stars because I found myself very disappointed with this DVD release. If Mr. Manilow can sit through a 2-hr. concert of his and provide audio commentary, would it really be that hard to do it for this enjoyable 90-minute musical romp? What about the other actors or the director? How about an introduction by Dick Clark, TV commercials, a 5 to 10 minute retrospective interview with Barry? This release is cheap and could have been so much more, though it is simply nice to have it on DVD. [...]!) Be prepared for a disc as bare-bones as they come. There is not even a main menu (gasp!) The only menu availabe is the scene selections. Copacabana deserves more, much more.