Rating: 
Summary: If you've seen the movie, no other version may do for you!
Review: Having heard other versions of the show and having performed in it, I disagree with the other review. While it is quite possible to find technical flaws in the singing in this version, no one makes a better madman than Peter O'Toole, and the nostalgia factor alone of the movie and it's unforgettable cast will have you searching for THIS version, as I have for about 15 years. I was absolutely overjoyed to find it's available again! While O'Toole's singing may not be perfect, he is the quintessential madman, and his singing very much carries this off. Sophia Loren's may also not be perfect, but is an excellent reflection upon her role, that of a cynical, sarcastic prostitute. Certainly any lack of technical ability can be forgiven, therefore. James Coco is simply a delight in this show, both visualy and aurally. If you want the technically finest singing and have never seen the movie, perhaps you will want another version. But once having seen the movie, you may find as I have that other versions are sadly disappointing, and that no other version will do.
Rating: 
Summary: The Impossible Dream Has Been Transformed Into Reality
Review: Granted, I have never seen the original broadway play, but no matter for I don't want to disillution my perspective of this brilliant film. Peter O'Toole's acting is wondeful and captivates the souls of the audience. His acting transforms the film into a real life experience. You (I) can almost experience his pain and courage that his quest calls for. Each line is spoken with raw emotion. His singing through is dubbed, but in no way decreases the effect of the film. Sophia Loren is also brilliant and she too captures the heart of the audience. Her portrayal as the kitchen maid is fantastic. Her singing (not dubbed) brings her character from being one dimensional to three dimensional in personality. The other cast of actors ad to this spectacular film. In cliche terms, while O'Toole and Loren are the cake, the other actors are the icing that decorate this masterpiece. The songs and lyrics are also beautiful, especially the well known song "To Dream the Impossible Dream". Well my friends, the impossible dream has finally been transformed into reality, and what a magnificent dream it is!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent played by O'Toole and Loren
Review: Excellent played by O'Toole and Loren. M.Leigh music is best
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good musically as the other recorded versions
Review: Although the 1972 movie of "Man of La Mancha" was considerably better than most people give it credit for being,the soundtrack by itself is another matter. Simon Gilbert dubs Peter O'Toole's singing (although we do get to hear O'Toole in the spoken sections),and although Peter O'Toole's acting was magnificent,Simon Gilbert is a pleasant-voiced singer,but no Richard Kiley. The other actors all do their own singing,although most of them weren't really singers at all,and they range from quite good (Julie Gregg and sole original cast member Gino Conforti) to good (James Coco and Ian Richardson) to barely passable (Sophia Loren,whose acting in the film was magnificent) to awful (Rosalie Crutchley,who in all fairness,does a comic role). Compared to the other albums,in which real singers with trained voices were used, this is a letdown,though Gilbert's singing as Don Quixote is preferable to Placido Domingo's barely understandable sung English and mediocre acting.See the movie,because in the film you get brilliant acting and beautiful photography along with the singing, but if you want an album of the songs,stick with the original Broadway cast.
Rating:
Summary: Maltin's review is off base
Review: Granted, a VHS version is not a Broadway experience and Peter O'Toole's voice falls short of Richard Kiley's, but this movie is far from "plodding" and "abysmal". First, Sophia Loren is exquisite as Dulcinea. Secondly, the power of the play itself overwhelms any weaknesses of the small screen or the individual performers. This version is an approachable production which allows the general public to experience the magic of Quixote. It is a theatrical experience well worth the time and expense.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent film...one that should get more recognition!
Review: This film is very beautiful, and has imporessed me with the song "Impossible dream". The film is well written, and I enjoyed Sophia Loren in it. It has very good restoration on the dvd. Thank you!
Rating: 
Summary: Their Impossible Dream an Impossibility to Watch
Review: Peter O'Toole and Sophia Loren dared to dream the impossible dream with this musical film version of "Man of La Mancha". Don Quixote set to music must have seemed like a good idea to director, Arthur Hiller at the time, but on screen it's about as painfully shocking as seeing your own mother drunk! Quixote(O'Toole) is a crazy nobleman who is an embarrassment to his respectable family. Together, with faithful sidekick Sancho Panza, he duels windmills and defends his "lady" (Sophia Loren), who is actually a prostitute. The songs, including "Impossible Dream" had their merits on Broadway. But on screen - and sung by actors to whom the concept of singing is clearly as foreign as the subject matter of this film - we get a cackling of melodies that is genuinely painful on the ears. All this would be forgiveable if the production values didn't herald the coming of a lavish film that, sadly, vaporizes the moment any of the principles open their mouths. But such a waste of money and talent is malicious! TRANSFER: Presumably because this film didn't get that much play time in theaters, the DVD picture exhibits striking image quality. Colors are rich, bold and vibrant. Black levels are solid. Fine details are fully realized. There are NO age related artifacts. Digital anomalies; edge enhancement, pixelization, shimmering of fine details, are rarely present for a smooth visual presentation. The audio is 5.1, made all the more strident and shrill by the deplorable lack of musical talent belting out some truly horrific tunes. EXTRAS: A Photo montage - as if reliving the film experience wasn't scary enough! BOTTOM LINE: The transfer is stunning but the film is a disaster. Like "One From The Heart", "Man of La Mancha" is a misguided attempt to capture the magic of musicals of old. It fails miserably on all levels of entertainment and isn't recommended for anyone who isn't tone deaf!
Rating:
Summary: Should have been better
Review: Yes, Peter O'Toole and Sophia Loren are great actors. Yes, the staging is excellent. But, their singing voices ruin it for me. Should have used lip sync and real singers. If you have ever attended a well-staged, sung Man of La Mancha or listened to the cast recording of Broadway Show, then this will disapoint.
Buy the record.
Rating:
Summary: A Favorite Musical
Review: Generally many people regard musicals as silly, combining the worst elements of drama and song. OKLAHOMA's singing and dancing cowboys, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN and other ridiculous productions; even so, there are notable exceptions. JOSEPH AND HIS AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT and MAN OF LA MANCHA are just two of my favorites. The latter was a success because it never lost track of the story and the music was nothing short of inspirational.
The production, rendered only so-so in conversion to DVD, is worth the price of admission, however, because of its excellent acting, subtle humor, wonderful characters and, most importantly, its lofty moral values. The music doen't require great voices to be effective (in fact, it helps if they're a bit earthy). I've read a number of unfavorable professional reviews by writers who were disappointed that the singing wasn't up to par when compared to singing gang members in New York; but it only shows they missed the point.
The production here is fabulous. I only wish greater care had been given in cleaning up the muddy colors and sound track. Still, this is well worth the price until someone wakes up and releases it with dazzling saturation and crisp sound.
Rating:
Summary: Misses the stage show's depth and intensity
Review: The stage musical was a vibrant, confrontational, brutal, fairly experimental piece of theatre when it first debuted in the middle of the turbulent 1960s, its consciously ambiguous message acknowledging the brutality of the world but suggesting that by living a courageous, engaged, aggressive life, we can stand up to the darkness we encounter. In its original incarnation, "The Impossible Dream" (its real title is "The Quest") is a subtly drawn, carefully shaded anthem about living life out loud, about fighting hard even though we can never win -- NOT about being a mindless optimist, as many people present it today. Though the source material is excellent, this film version falls into the trap people still fall into today with this show, treating it as cute, as optimistic, instead of as a call to arms against the violence and hypocrisy we will never fully defeat.
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