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Summary: Absolutely sensational
Review: This boxed set is absolutely fabulous. From the trunk-like box to the wonderful liner note booklet to the highly informative paperback "Rainbow's End", the production values are of the highest calibre. As for the TV shows, outtakes, and commentary by first producer George Schlatter, all I can say is that I am absolutely blown away by the incredibly wonderful entertainment value of these shows. Judy Garland is positively mezmerizing in her every second on screen - you can't take your eyes off of her. Her voice is absolutely perfect in every single song, and watching these TV shows gives you the feeling that you really get to see the real Judy Garland - as close as we can ever come to knowing the real person, not confined to the restrictions of a movie role. This is by far the best DVD boxed set I have ever seen, and worth every penny. I will enjoy these performances by Judy Garland for many years to come - they are timeless, classic, and tragically heartwarming. You can clearly sense the struggle that Judy was enduring to overcome the immense obstacles that CBS was imposing on her, as well as the inner demons that she had fought all her life. The makers of this DVD collection deserve immense gratitude from every Judy Garland fan. Judy would be proud of the way in which this collection has been presented. First class.
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Summary: Some of the GREATEST performances of the 20th century!
Review: This boxed set of "The Judy Garland Show" is truly amazing! In an era of dreadfully untalented "stars", it is a refreshing to see someone whose talent would blast them all off the stage with one note. (So would the great Liza Minnelli and Ethel Merman who are also included in this set.)Buy this boxed set. Some of the performances are truly among the greatest in recorded history. Judy's version of "Old Man River" alone is worth the price!
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Summary: Powerhouse Judy! A glimpse of TV history (with a warning)
Review: This DVD set is any Judy Garland fan's dream. It showcases her raw talent and mesmerizes the viewer even if Judy is not at the absolute peak of her vocal powers (as in the Carnegie Hall concert days). But Garland at less than her absolute best runs circles around any modern diva that hides behind over-production and glitz. These shows present Judy simply and purely, most often alone on a stage singing from her classic repertoire as well as a lot of new material ("A Cottage for Sale" was a new discovery for me - a Garland masterpiece!) "The Judy Garland Show" presented here is a slice of TV history of the 60's, showing simple, stylish sets, silly dance routines, dumb comedy spots (that's what the DVD forward/skip button is for!); but most importantly, a showcase for the vocal talent of Judy and her guests that we never get to see in the 90's. Read the reviews for Volume One and Two for eloquent words from other reviewers which certainly apply to this set. In addition, I especially wanted to offer this word of warning for those who have already bought Volumes One and Two.... These are also contained in this set! So, to get the other material, you have to re-buy these two DVDs. As much as I appreciate the chance to get these shows, I felt cheated by this bad marketing ploy. So, if you haven't bought the single Volumes 1 & 2, skip them and get this set. Despite my grumpiness at being "taken", I will eagerly be awaiting more releases (Where is the Streisand show? ).
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Summary: Judy Garland Show Collection
Review: This is the best network television I have ever seen. There is no other performer that has the impact this woman had. She was magic, and she shines in these shows.
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Summary: A decades old dream comes true!
Review: This is the most amazing DVD set you'll probably ever own. These shows have been mostly out of circulation for ages; what has been available has been cheaply produced and of poor audio/video quality, such that even if you've seen some of the material before, you haven't experienced it like this! A revelation! The quality is just amazing, and Judy is more brilliant than even I thought! Plus, great guest turns by Tony Bennett, Martha Raye, Count Basie, Mel Torme, Lena Horne, Liza Minnelli, and more. You won't believe how great this is! Buy a DVD player if you don't have one! Plus, the outtakes! They're releasing every scrap of videotape that exists on these programs, and this set contains a treasure trove of moments not meant for broadcast - rehearsal footage, candid moments behind the scenes, flubbed takes, you won't believe it! (And, it's a great tribute to the lost art of the television variety show, which we took for granted back then, but it sure looks great now!)
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Summary: comparable to ella's songbooks
Review: This is truly a masterpiece. It is a shame that ardent fans who rushed to buy volumes one and two weren't given the option of a rebate or any bonus when purchasing the collection... BIG QUESTION: has anyone figured out how to activate the audio commentary! PLEASE EXPLAIN...Thanks! The box and advertisment says there is an audio commentary track by the show's director/producer. But I can't find it anywhere in the discs.
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Summary: Judy's star shines better than ever on DVD set
Review: This new set of the Judy Garland television series has got to be one of the best things that could happen to a Garland fan. The quality is exceptional. I'll bet the shows didn't look this good on the dates of their initial broadcast in the early 60's! Judy's program still holds up all these years later. As I said to a friend of mine who is not a fan of Miss Garland's, even just to watch the guest roster. Judy had some of the all time greats on her show. From Peggy Lee to Lena Horne to Ethel Merman to Jack Jones. Can't wait for the second set, scheduled as I understand, to be released in the spring. Try it, you'll love it!
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Summary: The Most Exceptional Entertainment Package--EVER
Review: We all have a few defining moments in our lives. Man on themoon. A first kiss. Death of a loved one. Our first puppy. This DVDcollection is one of those such moments. As one who had never seen 'Judy' live, I apprehensively ordered Volume One of the Judy Garland Show. From the second Judy opens with 'I Feel a Song Coming On' I was hooked.Stunned.Overwhelmed. I ordered this boxed set. It's even better. The pictures are astoundingly crisp and sharp, in fact it's hard to believe it's off videotape! The resolution is light years ahead of any VHS tape - in fact it's so good you can pick the (few) slightly out of focus shots better than the camera operator could! The pictures have excellent texture and contrast ratio- there are very few video releases that can come under such scrutiny on an 8 foot screen. This 39 year old release looks better than most stuff shot yesterday! If the pictures are stunning, the audio is simply dazzling! The Dolby digital soundtrack is a masterpiece in audio transfers. But it would all be pointless without the real star of the show. Judy. Isn't it ironic. We spend thousands of dollars on sophisticated home theaters,projectors that can show 2 million colors, Dolby 5.1 sound, the best speakers we can afford......... And this nearly 40 year old black & white boxed set makes it all worthwhile. Finally someone has got it right, congratulations to Pioneer for what is, in my opinion, quite simply the best release, of the best artist, of the century.
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Summary: Amazing, Simply amazing!
Review: What a great collection--15 hours of the Judy Garland show! The included book was a wonderful, unexpected pleasure of this set--with all the backstage stories of each episode--interesting to read how Judy performed all the songs on show 1 in just one take! (Before other material was inserted later.) Or to know that Judy was coming down off an OD just hours before the Count Basie episode, and yet is simply riveting! You've probably seen some of Judy's best songs from the show over and over on PBS, but there are many forgotten gems that are just sublime! (Did you know she sang 'Some People' from Gypsy? Or 'Shenandoah'?) Even when Judy forgets the lyric she can still play a song (and ad lib new lyrics on the fly) to the hilt! Yes, some (most) of the non-musical material (like comedy sketches) is below par. But how great for a JG fanatic to experience the shows in their entirety. And the guests! Wonderful to see the obvious love between Judy and Mickey Rooney! Liza Minelli is young but already a powerhouse. Martha Raye and her hilarious faces as she tries to steal the scene from Judy. Rich Little's TV debut. A young Chita Rivera dancing a 60's style 'I Got Plenty of Nothin'.' Ethel Merman belting and playing (old-school) to the camera while Judy plays to Ethel. (And don't miss the easter egg--the only time you'll ever hear Barbra Streisand's voice get overpowered--by both Judy and Ethel!) Lots of outtakes give you the opportunity to watch alternate takes (I only wish more were included!). The only question is when will they release the rest of the episodes (like show 9 with Barbra Streisand)!
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Summary: Easter Egg
Review: What can I say that hasn't been said before. This excellent collection, preserves television's final days of black and white, exquisitely. There is an Eeaser Egg on DISC 4 Side 1. Go to the menu. Use the arrows on the remore. Go to the circle. Click on, making it blue. Press execute. You will be in for a short surprise. I bet you'll watch it more than once.
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