Rating: Summary: JEKYLL & HYDE Review: I Give this musical play a 4 stars for the presence of David Hasselhoff, when I went to see this musical on Broadway starring Sebastian Bach it was much better. If the DVD was sold with Sebastian I would give it a 5 star DVD,Andrea Rivette, Coleen Sexton, George Merrit and the rest of the cast was great all the time, who erased the 5th star was Hasselhoff. David Hasselhoff is a great actor but he's not a singer, I don't know who told him he could sing, PLEASE!!!, but for the rest of the actors I'd say buy it 'cause you're gonna enjoy it...
Rating: Summary: I have never been so horrified!!! Review: I think it to be a most incredible CRIME that David "Hasselputz" was actually allowed onstage to completely destroy this amazing musical sensation.I felt an insuperable amount of sympathy for the talented actors on stage that had to work with him. I'm absolutely sure that these other actors were quietly biting their own tongues not to completely lose control of their own performance on stage. If you want to listen to a talented actor sing this role, look to Anthony Warlow in the concept album. This is shear brilliance and beauty in a rare male broadway voice. (though Anthony's voice shows clear operatic training) Buy the concept album but DON'T, for you own health, but this DVD. It's far too painful!!!!!
Rating: Summary: I loved the show BUT... Review: I agree with the other reviewers - David Hasselhoff should have stayed at the beach. I saw this show twice on Broadway - once with Robert Cuccioli and once with Robert Evan. When I heard they were putting it on DVD, I naturally assumed they would use one of the original Jekyll's, who both did such a wonderful job. WRONG!! Hasselhoff must have paid for the production. That's the only reason I can see for having him ruin such a great show. His singing is atrocious, his acting hammy (especially during the transformation scenes) and he totally ruined the song I waited to hear "This is the Moment". Now having said all that, I still bought the DVD. Why? I loved the play, the production itself is well done and the supporting players are all very good. If any more Broadway shows are put on DVD (and they should be) they should use the cast that made the show a hit and not the one that sent it into oblivion. (Hasselhoff closed J&H on Broadway.)
Rating: Summary: Riveting,mesmerizing, and Simply Wonderful!!! Review: BRAVO!!!BRAVO!!!! I am in love with this Broadway musical and all I can say is buy it, buy it, buy it!! David Hasselhof may not be a seasoned Broadway performer, but he did a fabulous job. His acting was great and his transformation from good to evil was convincing and powerful. Granted a song like "This is the Moment" commands a stronger voice,but he still pulled it off and sung it well. He is a convincing Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. You can see it in his face and his emotions. As for the female leads, I am in love with them both. I can't get enough of their voices and appearances. Andrea Rivette is marvelous as Emma and her voice is truly angelic. Her rendition of "Once Upon a Dream" is beautiful. She is Emma through and through. I like her much better than Christine Noll and Carolee Carmello heard and seen on the original Broadway versions. Oh, by the way, Congratulations Andrea and Charles on your recent nuptuials!! Now I must talk about the star and most under rated of the entire cast, Coleen Sexton. I couldn't believe she was only 21 when she played Lucy Harris. Wow!! Not only is she a sight for sore eyes(she is beautiful and sexy!!!)her voice is powerful(not at all NASAL as others here have said) When power and strength in a voice is mistaken for nasal tones, that critic doesn't know about oratory capabilities. Not only can she belt out a song, but she can act too. I can't say enough about her. She must do more musicals and performances. (An update) She will be doing an off Broadway musical called "Heat Lightning" (...) Thanks Christy for the update on Coleen. George Merritt and Barrie Ingham are simply wonderful as well, and play their respective parts with such panache. The entire cast is marvelous and they hold my attention to the end. Just sit back and enjoy the mesmerizing songs such as,"This is the Moment", "The Fascade", "In His Eyes", "Good and Evil", "Murder, Murder","Once Upon a Dream" and others. I am appalled at all the negative comments made here. The hardest thing anyone can do in life is to get up and speak in front of an audience, right? Well, it must be even harder to get up on stage, sing, as well as act in front of hundreds of people ready to criticize your every movement, slip up, or crack of your voice. To all those critics, I say is, I would like to see you get up there and do a better job. May the first one who can, throw the first piece of fruit up on the stage. Shame on you all!! I think I may wear out this DVD before I ever get tired of it. It is constantly playing where my family is starting to think I am a little obsessed. Maybe I am. A good thing is hard to get enough of. You know I wrote a more critical review after watching it the very first time, but after seeing it over and over again, my critical review became a rave review. I think at first I just was not convinced David was a Broadway performer, but after careful review, I did a quick 360 and I was hooked. I hope this overrides my first review. I really want people out there to know that this rendition of the greatest of Musicals is one of the best. Robert Cuccioli and Anthony Warlow were still great as Jekyll and Hyde,especially Anthony, but if you can't get enough of J&H, go out and buy this one. You will not be disappointed at all. Thank Goodness they filmed this, so Broadway enthusiasts and Jekkies can enjoy great show anytime they choose. Jekkies, now you can have your fill of our favorite Broadway musicals. BRAVO!!! BRAVO!!!
Rating: Summary: It's wondeful if you are not expecting exceptional... Review: When the movie started, I was a little skeptical. I could not imagine how the former Baywatch star could hold up to such a demanding role. I own the soundtrack and know how strong a singer you must be to hold up such difficult songs. My assumptions were correct and Hasselhoff was shaky and weak with songs such as, "This is the Moment." However, in his defense, he did do an exceptional acting job which almost balanced out the inexperienced singing. As for the other actors, each one had their own sense of personality on stage, and they al performed with amazing talent. If you don't mind being a little disapointed with some weak singing, this is a great show.
Rating: Summary: AMAZING IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD Review: I've seen this show 3 times on the big screen as it toured the UK and I have to say that I could find no fault with it. The casting is superb - particularly Coleen Sexton (Lucy). She plays this emotive part with conviction and as well as being utterly gorgeous, her singing is completely entrancing! Buy This Vid!
Rating: Summary: LOL! Review: Last time I checked, "Jekyll and Hyde" was supposed to make you cry, not roll on the floor laughing. And yet, every time David Hasselhoff appeared on my television screen, choking out what seemed to be a mutant version of "This is the Moment", that was what happened to me. The idea of making a video version of the Broadway play had potential, but unfortunately, it hasn't lived up to it. The cast is HORRIBLE. They all have bad-to-mediocre voices and little acting ability. They give no personality at all to the characters. Hasselhoff is particulary nauseating; he can't hold a note for more than two beats, and his spoken parts all sound like they are being read off a script. His rendition of the "Confrontation" is quite possibly musical theater's lowest moment ever--he doesn't even change his tone of voice when switching between roles. The sound quality is dreadful--everything sounds distant and muffled, as though it is taking place underwater. The sets look like they are made from cardboard, and Hasselhoff's costumes don't even seem to fit him properly. It's like watching a home video of a low-quality high school production. I'm a fan of Jekyll and Hyde myself, but this video is unworthy of being identified with such a great play. I pity poor Frank Wildhorn, whose work has been twisted into this pathetic joke. In my humble opinion, you'd do better just to buy a recording on CD. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go listen to my copy of the Complete Work with Anthony Warlow. Hopefully, it will restore my faith in Broadway.
Rating: Summary: David Hassellhoff Makes You Want More Review: I didn't get to see either Robert Cucciolli or David Hassellhoff in the Broadway production of Jekyll & Hyde - The Musical, but after seeing the television airing of it I had to buy it for my collection. David Hassellhoff has really made this character come to life for me. He puts his all in this production and makes you want more!!! The music is outstanding and the overall performances of the entire cast are amazing! The music is forever embedded in my mind and once you see the show, you will want to see it again and again....David Hassellhoff's performance is the best I have ever seen...He is an amazing actor who should receive the credit he is due...He put his all into this character and it really comes through in his performance!!! I recommend that Jekyll & Hyde - The Musical with David Hassellhoff be a part of everyone's musical library!!!!
Rating: Summary: AN EMBARRASSMENT TO A GREAT SHOW - WHY??? No stars Review: Just this past weekend, I saw Jekyll & Hyde on stage at the Starlight Theatre (Balboa Park) in San Diego. This was my 7th time seeing this show on stage. I saw it twice on it's Pre-Broadway tour (with Robert Cuccioli and Linda Eder) and 5 times more in the past few years. This was by far the best (full) production of the show. Although, no one can touch Linda Eder. Although, I'm giving this DVD a bad rating, JEKYLL & HYDE IS MY FAVORITE SHOW. What I can't understand is, why didn't they film an on-stage version of the show, especially with the current touring company. This current tour has been expanded to include all the recordings missing from the Cast CD from the Broadway show. Get the double CD studio recording (CD) for the full version. A friend of mine who saw the Pre-Broadway show with me, visited New York and saw it on Broadway. He told me, "Don't see the show in New York, you will hate it" They've added new songs and deleted great songs from the show. An example, why did they replace Bring on the Men with Good and Evil? Big mistake. Also, if you pay attention to the Cast (Broadway) CD, you will notice that the show seems rushed. GET THE DOUBLE CD set for the best version of the show (musically and vocally). If they were going for a name in this DVD Production (David Hasselhof), it was unnecessary - just read the rest of the reviews here on Amazon - not good. The current touring cast is excellent and would have done justice to this great show. I guess you should just view the DVD and judge for yourself. Everyone has their own taste and opinion.
Rating: Summary: An Excellent Capturing of the Broadway Production Review: I forced myself to write a review of this wonderful DVD after reading all the horrible comments made about it recently. True, I do concede that it is maybe not the best version of the show, but it is still great on its own terms. I saw the show a year before this filming was made, with the same cast that's on the DVD minus David Hasselhoff. They were all just as superb as they are on this recording. David Hasselhoff is not my first pick of favorite Jekyll and Hyde's, but he does do the part justice. I was expecting a lot worse. I was pleasantly surprised in several places. He is a deserving actor. His voice may be lacking in some parts, but overall I think he does a good job of making Jekyll's plight convincing. Anyone who thinks the ensemble did anything other than a fantastic job is just insane. I love "Facade" and "Murder, Murder" and "Good 'N' Evil." They're stand-out pieces on this DVD. Likewise, the two leading ladies' solos are beautiful and always bring a tear to my eye. Their "In His Eyes" is just as powerful and show-stopping as it was when I saw them sing it live. The only real complaint I have about this DVD is the chapter selection. There are only twelve, and a production like this really deserves more. "In His Eyes" should have been given its own chapter, since I always fast forward to it on the "Once Upon a Dream" chapter, right after Andrea Rivette's beautiful solo, of course. Other than that, this is definitely a DVD worth having in any Broadway lover's collection. Don't miss it!
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