Pippin

Rating:
Summary: Fosse show marred by a lackluster Stephen Schwartz score
Review: "Pippin" is a musical that has something to say. This musical is a celebration of the individual going through life and having to see what is your calling or what you are meant to be. Pippin is a young man on this quest. Fresh out of college, Pippin is very unsure of what to do with his life, or where to go with it. Through the course of this musical, he dabbles in war, sex, politics, love, and domesticity. This journey leads up to the eerie "grand finale" goaded by the Leading Player.

So there you have it, a commendable story. Unfortunately, the Stephen Schwartz musical score does a horrible disservice to a show that Bob Fosse directed so masterfully. To me, a musical is NOTHING without a solid score. I'm not just saying a musical has to have a million catchy tunes that you can whistle afterwards, but it wouldn't have hurt to have more than just two. "Magic to Do" offers an enticing opening for the audience. Everything falls FLAT after that, the only exception being "No Time At All"--a funny heartwarming anthem about "seizing the day." Not even Bob Fosse's visionary direction and choreography can make up for such a bland, uninteresting score.

Some performances do rise above this problematic production. Ben Vereen and Chita Rivera, veteran Fosse disciples, really shine respectively as the Leading Player and Fastrada (Pippin's sex-pot stepmother). Leslie Denniston gives an underrated performance as the "ordinary" Catherine. The rest of the performances are so-so. You just want to boot Christopher Chadman off the stage for his cheeky, unbelievably effeminate portrayal of Lewis--Pippin's stepbrother. William Katt offers a "teeny-bopper" quality to his portrayal of the title role, but not much more. Martha Raye was nice as Berthe, Pippin's granny, but I would have rather seen Irene Ryan (may she rest in peace).

The DVD suffers from the lack of sound quality and seems hastily produced. On a decent sound system, there is no consistency in the sound balance. Intensity of sound fades in and out, and at the worst times. The video is decent, for the early eighties, but with the technology we have today, I expect a lot better.

If you really want to know the real spirit of "Pippin," I wouldn't look here. Try the original cast recording, or see an actual live production if you can.

Rating:
Summary: Pippin...Magic To Do
Review: What can one say about a DVD that preserves much of what made it a hit on Broadway...Bob Fosse's Direction and Choreography? It is a wonderful piece of musical theater history and a wonderful representation of a hit that stormed Broadway in the 70's.

That is not to say that this DVD is not without its problems. One of the main problems is that part of the show have been edited out. A song, jokes, a pivotal moment with a talking head are missing leaving viewers perplexed at times. It seems that the editor didnt have a copy of the script to work from. The saving grace is the wonderful performance of Ben Vereen as the Leading Player. For those who want to see Vereen at his peak I would suggest you skip the Fosse DVD and get Pippin. He was one of Fosse's favorite dancers and Pippin shows off his skills. Other actors do a fairly admirable job with their parts. William Katt is good at Pippin, but no matter how many times I watch this producation I get mad that he drops the last line of the show and loses some of its punch in the dropping. Chita Rivera and Martha Raye handle their roles well and Christopher Chadman, who later went on to become a choreographer before passing away, reprises his role of Louis, Pippin's half-brother, and is as wonderful here as he was on Broadway.

Stephen Schwartz and Bob Fosse battled throughout Pippins creation, but Pippin is one of Schwartz's nicest score. And the opening number, Magic To Do, is a Broadway classic (which is why I wonder why it didnt make it into Fosse).

If you collect Broadway Musicals, Pippin is a great addition to your collection. It is a close replication of the Broadway production and it worth having.

Rating:
Summary: Enduring Broadway Classic
Review: A confounding tale that ultimately works, Pippin charmed me in the Seventies and all over again recently when it was released on DVD. The songs are truly stunning, from the opening number "Magic to Do" to the classic "Corner of the Sky." Although the cast included in the filmed versions are not all the originals (especially missing John Rubenstein), the treatment is still strong and the songs transcend the genre. Who'd ever think Broadway would embrace a nusical about Charlemagne's son set in the Middle Ages? I loved it on stage and its great to revisit again on DVD.

Rating:
Summary: Great story, really BAD video
Review: Pippin is the story of a young man searching for total fulfillment in life. Having seen it live 4 times (both professional and dinner theater) I love the story and the script.

But this video is strictly bush league. Poor video and sound quality make it look amateurish, despite the all-star cast. (Ben Vareen, William Katt, and the ensemble are great.) I swear, the video quality was so bad that my daughter walked in the room and asked if this was a home video of a local production. Editting problems between cameras make it obvious that this was filmed over several nights, or badly cut in the finishing room (cast member body positions change between shots and then return again, songs appear badly lip synced, despite the "live" stage setting in front of an audience, etc.) Scenes are jerky, with one jarring splice of Fastrada and Louis obviously re-recorded and cut into place just prior to "Spread a Little Sunshine."

I was also a little disappointed with the scenes cut and songs revised from the original production. "War Is A Science" is greatly cut back, the role of Katherine and the beautiful scenes with her son and his duck are all but missing, and the battle scenes that play out behind the Lead Player during Glory are not present. Also missing is one of the most memorable scenes from the stage, in which Pippin questions the value of war and the meaning of life with the disembodied head of a Visigoth (the scene was set up pretty obviously with cameras focusing on the head, but was apparently not included in the final edit.)

If you love Pippin and need a video to help rekindle memories of the play, this will do fine. If you are new to the show, this will leave you wondering what all the fuss was about 25+ years ago. Personally, I wish I had not spent the money. I went away remembering how good the stage production was, instead of having happy thoughts about having this film in my collection.

Rating:
Summary: More PIPPIN
Review: Having owned the VHS tape of PIPPIN for quite a few years, I was excited to see that this DVD version included eight more minutes than was on my videotape. Parts of "War Is a Science" were put back in, totally missing from the tape version. The song (as well as the show) is still incomplete on this version, but it's likely the most complete issue of this ground-breaking show we'll ever see.

Performance wise, you couldn't ask for more from Ben Vareen, William Katt, and Chita Rivera, all of whom give exciting performances captured here for all-time. Christopher Chadman, who plays the egotistical Lewis, brother of Pippin, went on to have a successful career as a Broadway choreographer before his untimely death. And it's great to see Martha Raye playing a role on stage since most of our memories of her are from dated 1940's movies that emphasize her brashness and not her humanity.

The most disappointing aspect of this DVD was its sound quality. The "surround" sound as digitized through my receiver muffled the singing and emphasized the orchestra. I found that sending the sound through the side speakers made the singing much clearer and less problematic.

The interview with Bob Fosse by critic/video producer David Sheehan isn't long on substance, but it's great to see this theater and film icon again in interviews not seen before.

All-in-all, PIPPIN is a sound DVD investment.

Rating:
Summary: Every DVD has a title, Not Every DVD is a classic
Review: When we did a song from this for chorus, i had to see it, so i ordered and watched it. When it was over, i went to the menu, and played it again. it was so good. Now i sing along with the songs and listen to the CD of pippen in the car. This is really good.

Rating:
Summary: Pippin DVD
Review: I first saw the great Musical Comedy Broadway show Pippin in New York City in 1977, and then a few years later when it toured in Los Angeles, and each time was great. I have the Pippin CD and VHS tape, and I recently bought the Pippin DVD. The Pippin DVD is great. The great thing about watching Pippin is that you are watching Pippin on stage as it is being filmed before a live audience. Ben Vereen and William Katt, and all the cast members are outstanding. Buy Pippin! The plot, choreography, and acting are excellent.

Rating:
Summary: Classic Fosse!
Review: This video is worth every penny because it is a classic view of the Fosse direction/choreography/staging talent. Amazing to realize that he was setting trends and styles that every other choreographer will continue to emulate.

Rating:
Summary: Poor Quality DVD
Review: Warning to those who expect great recording on image and sound, this is not a superlative disc...it didn't even include a one-sheet inside with chapter titles. The direction of the project is spotty, too many close-up shots and not enough establishing shots make following the visual flow of the production difficult. And, unfortunately, the cameramen must not have thought too highly of Fosse's choreography because they cut away from it as much as possible to facial closeups. Also, the audio is horrible. On the bigger cast numbers, it actually 'blows out' on group notes. As for quality of filming and DVD presentation, this is an awful disc... But -- for those who love live theater, it's still a record of an interesting show with great performances by Vereen, Rivera, and Raye. It's definitely not a kid-appropriate piece, however. A long sex dance and a rather graphic war dance pull it out of the parent comfort zone for preteens.

Rating:
Summary: Not very good
Review: This movie was, in my opinion, not very good. I recently saw Pippin done by my high school, and they did a much better job than this video. If you really like Pippin, maybe it is acceptable because it is the only thing out there, but rent it before you buy it.