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Summary: Something for everyone
Review: Great film. Soundtrack is unforgetable. Romance is real. Political themes are simplified, but interesting. Great family dynamics. Super-clean for the young ones.
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Summary: Wonderful!!! One of the Best Musicals Ever Made!!!
Review: First of all, I'd like to confess that I've probably watched this movie more than one hundred times in my lifetime. "The Sound of Music" is such a popular movie that people can't enough of making fun of it, which is understandable: I mean, a nun, seven children, songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Austrian landscape. In reality, most of these people probably haven't sat down and watched this movie, because it is an absolutely unforgettable experience. Julie Andrews is absolutely magical as Maria. When she runs on the mountaintop and starts singing the famous lyrics "The hills are alive...," it sends chills down my spine to this day. Christopher Plummer cuts a good figure as the captain but gave a rather stiff performance: he doesn't bring anything extra to the role. Eleanor Parker, as the Baroness, was wasted--a role like that was far beneath her talents. But the children were all wonderful, especially Charmian Carr who was charming as Liesl. This movie is ultrasentimental and proud of it. But I'll stick with this rather than some of those one-dimensional slasher flicks which are in fashion these days. It has a plausible story, some of the world's most remembered songs, and the glorious Austrian and Swiss Alps in the background. Overall, I can't say anything other than I loved it.
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Summary: This Film Needs No Introduction!
Review: When you think of popular movies, "The Sound Of Music" is definitely going to be on many people's lists. Infact, it's probably the most famous movie of all time, with more than 1 billion people having seen it. The words of the movie title are so famous, and the whole story of the film is just part of cinema legend. When it was released in cinemas back in 1965 it captured the imaginations of all those who viewed it, and this fact still remains by people who view it for the first time today. The scenery of the film, along with the classics songs in it have made The Sound Of Music a legendary experience in cinematic history and an icon out of Julie Andrews. The plot of The Sound Of Music is simple and easy to follow. The film is set in Salzburg, Austria in the last Golden Years of the 1930's before World War II choked Europe. Maria (Julie Andrews) is training to be a nun, but her frequent faltering in obeying tasks causes Mother Abbess (Peggy Wood) to re-think Maria's potential position in the Abbey. She sends Maria to Captain Georg Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) to act as a governess and govern his highly eccentric seven children. Since their mother passed away, the seven children have had a string of governesses look after them. All of which could not cope with the demanding task of managing the troublesome seven. Maria reluctantly agrees with Mother Abbess, and makes her way to the household. At first she finds it difficult identifying with the children and getting them to open up, but as time goes by they gradually succumb to Maria's charms and her adorable ways. Over time, Maria poses a problem for Georg's new love interest who plans to marry him for his money. She tries to drive Maria away by embarrassing her at a party, and she does, for a brief while. Maria returns to the Abbey with Mother Abbess, who inspires her to return, no matter what the consequences. The final outcome is one of courage, power, love and the restoration of faith. It's a heart-warming tale of family values that appeals to people of all ages. I loved this film the first time I saw it, and my Grandma loves it even more! Some people think it's corny, but they're the critics who don't like something that achieves success because it's good. It's also a rather camp film, which makes it so much more fun in my eyes. The most famous scene in the film is the opening sequence, where we are given a stunning view of the entire country. The rolling hills, the snow-covered mountain peaks, and the tranquil lakes. The camera moving in to Maria on the hill as she spreads her arms and sings "The hills are alive, with the sound of music!" is just superb. What an opening to a film. From here on, the scenery of the film just continues to expand and grow. The mansion is a beautiful place to live with its surrounding lake, and the city is a picturesque landscape that defines the time and culture. It is almost impossible to review The Sound Of Music without mentioning the music that makes it such a classic film. From the first song, "The Hills Are Alive," you know this is going to be something spectacular. "Maria," "I Have Confidence," "Sixteen Going On Seventeen," "My Favourite Things," "Do-Re-Mi," "The Lonely Goatherd," "So Long, Farewell," "Climb Every Mountain," "Something Good," and "Edleweiss" are all amazing compositions. It's musical music, and not really something I would usually like, but you just can't help but hum along. You know all the lyrics and have known them for years. They're forever etched into your memory, and you know they're never gonna leave! The Sound Of Music is an exceptional film that everyone should see. It's a film where nothing bad happens. You won't find any death or violence in this. It's a very stereotypical film, but one that everyone can relate to at the same time. I urge you to buy this DVD, because this is a film that you can watch again and again. It's a masterpiece and to buy it would be a very wise move indeed.
Rating:
Summary: It climbed every mountain!
Review: Full of breathtaking scenery, catchy tunes, delightful romance, and set during the golden age of innocence prior to the darkest chapter in humanity, "The Sound Of Music" has become one of the 20th century's greatest cinematic treasures. A movie that becomes more enjoyable with each repeated viewing, it centres around Maria, (a role Julie Andrews was undoubtedly preordained for) a spirited apprentice nun who is appointed governess to the 7 unruly Von Trapp children during one summer vacation in late 1930's Austria. After initial mishaps, Maria succeeds in winning the affections of the children, the hearts of the viewers, and ultimately the love of her employer, the autocratic Captain Von Trapp, (played to dignified indefectibility by Christopher Plummer). Released in 1965 to worldwide kudos, this movie was an instant box office success and won multiple Oscars, including the coveted Best Picture award. Debuting during a decade of metamorphosis and turbulence, it injected a dose of sweetness into a world which was losing its sparkle. That it remains a bestseller nearly 4 decades later indicates that this injection of sweetness was permanent.
Rating:
Summary: Miraculous, Timeless Musical
Review: The Sound of Music is a movie that rightfully earned so many superlatives from the moment it premièred in 1965 that almost as soon as it came out, people were also creating spoofs, making fun of the movie. Interestingly enough, Julie Andrews, together with Carol Burnett, created a spoof on The Sound of Music in a Carnegie Hall appearance long before she made the film, and she was as spectacular in that performance as she was in The Sound of Music. The film is now a classic, and it has been immortalized now on DVD.
If I have one critique of the home version, it is that a film such as The Sound of Music was created for the wide screen and simply cannot be displayed in all its magnificence on a small screen. In the opening when the audience views the Austrian Alps and sees the spectacular scenery, those views are so breathtaking on the expanses of the big screen but look so miniscule on a television screen and jokingly small on a DVD screen or computer monitor, so my preference remains to see this film on a large screen with surround sound; it preserves the true magnificence of the film as I remember it originally. However, nothing can really ruin this film; even taken in microcosm, the film is still a masterpiece to behold.
Julie Andrews is a natural in the character of the hapless postulate Maria who can never really fit in as a future nun and ends up becoming the governess at the von Trapp estate. Christopher Plummer assumes the role of Captain von Trapp very convincingly. It turns out that the two did not get along so well, and the love song "Something Good" had to be shot in silhouette to hide the fact that they were definitely not amorous with one another in the slightest, but the two play their parts with flair all the way to the end. Eleanor Parker as Baroness von Schrader is a perfect foil to Maria when she shows up for a visit and says, "My dear, is there anything you can't do?" Richard Hayden is charming as the amoral entrepreneur Max Detweiler who books the children into the festival and, ultimately, is responsible for enabling the family to escape from the Nazis. Peggy Wood as the Mother Abbess plays a very small part but gets to sing the immortal Climb Every Mountain that is, in many ways, the turning point for Maria in the film.
The children, of course, get quite a bit of the attention as Maria came to care for them. The critics often commented that it was less than convincing that all the children seemed to get along so well without fighting, without having to go to the bathroom or having a runny nose -- well, somehow things like those DID seem to get left out, but in the span of the movie, just how much were they supposed to include and still get in the entire Rodgers and Hammerstein score? The score is such an impressive part of the movie, and the choreography with the children is so well staged -- don't forget that the children were growing during the film, so it was necessary to make adjustments for the changes in height -- that it's important to appreciate the film's many virtues. Note that in the song Do Re Mi, the song covers many different scenes and locations; a lot could have gone on in the interim!
I always found the performance of Charmian Carr to be rather shallow, so it never surprised me that her career ended with this film; many people argued that an ingenue doesn't need to be able to act, but I always argued that she does if she wants to continue acting! Heather Menzies certainly did, as did Nicholas Hammond and Angela Cartwright; of course, Angela Cartwright was already well known to American audiences from television when she did the film.
So much can be said about the film, but one thing I can say that says it all: you'll definitely enjoy it. It's probably the happiest film ever made, and you'll enjoy watching it throughout. If you are the sort of person who likes being happy and likes watching happy films, this is the film for you. Great music, beautiful scenery, and a happy story with a happy ending. How can you go wrong with that?
Rating: 
Summary: The Hills Are Alive!!! But not so Pristine...
Review: I used to own the Two - Disc R3 version of this film and decided to get the R1 Digipack release for distinctive packaging and to re-view this classic this coming Xmas (a tradition of some sort). to my surprise, the R1 transfer is the same with R3 release. the only noticeable difference is the transition of menus which in R1 is animated. the audio-video transfer is average for this classic. Read DD4.0 and not so pristine video presentation.
nevertheless, this is an interesting addition to one's collection... a film about challenging traditional family values in a "discomforting" environment.. in a two disc digipak.
still hoping for a better transfer this year...
Rating: 
Summary: The Sound of Mucus
Review: This movie should be called the Sound of Mucus. The only redeeming quality is that the family has to run from nazis.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Maigc
Review: The Sound of Music has been one of my favorite musicals since i was a kid well I still kind of am i guess lol (15) Anyway Sound of music is just a great musical the musical numbers r definitley in their own class no other musical can dare even catch them. It's a very happy musical but also very emotional and sad at many parts as you see the characters all go through changes some great (Maria and George being married) but as well terrible changes such as (Liesel losing Rolf so that he may join the Nazis) this is a great musical with so many different angles to watch it from and I suggest you see it many times so you can appreciate it from many different ways.
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Summary: in a class by itself.....
Review: For me, this film remains as one of the greatest musicals of all time. It has warm, self deprecating humor, drama, and beautiful, beautiful music.
It's hard to beat the opening scene with Maria (Julie Andrews), the young woman in training to become a nun. spinning with youthful exuberance, on a stunningly gorgeous green hill in Austria. Then, the beautiful words, "The hills are alive with the sound of music...." For me, only Julie Andrews could capture the wit, the whimsy and the spirit of Maria. Though, Mary Martin was wonderful in the staged production, Julie added her own touch of class, mischief and flamboyance to the role, along with that gorgeous, gorgeous soprano voice.
This wonderful, delightful and poignant story of the young Maria, who has too much spirit to stay within the confines of the convent, is sent out into the world to be a governess for a widower and his seven children, remains timeless, irresistable and very entertaining. Amazing to imagine that it is now forty years old!!! The young actors and actresses, cast as Baron Von Trapp's (Christopher Plummer) children, dance and act wonderfully. Also, even though I have heard stories that Christopher Plummer refers to this musical as THE SOUND OF MUCOUS, he managed to pull of his role as the gruff Baron, whose heart melts after coming to know the irresistable Maria, with class. (Though, I swear , there are some scenes where I swear he is trying to keep from sneering, and doesn't always succeed!)
This film is filled with some of the most well known tunes from musical theatre repertoire ("Edelweiss," "Do Re Mi," "Climb Every Mountain," and "My Favorite Things," among others). Also, the cinematography is gorgeous. You feel like you are in the Alps with Maria and the children, and can almost smell the dew in the grass. Perfect for the family, and essential for every film buff. Even if you aren't a fan of musicals, I think almost everyone can find something to love about this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Experience
Review: When I first watched `the sound of music` it turned to be my favourite film immediatly and it still is now it is an excellent full of fun film!
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