Rating: 
Summary: Judy At Her Best
Review: Anyone with a love for Judy Garland must own ASIB. It is Judy finest performance. She takes her talent to new levels with her costar, James Mason. She tears your heart out with every lyric. The film is completely heartbreaking with just enough of a conclusion to make you feel like Esther/Vicki will be the person she once was. Kudos to Warner Bros. for allowing Judy and Sid to make such a brilliant piece of work. Anyone who is a fan of classic movies, musicals or Judy Garland is lacking the biggest part of their collection if they are lacking this.
Rating:
Summary: Lovely and charming!
Review: The is THE Judy Garland movie to own. Brilliantly acted with a wonderful script and lovely songs. James Mason gives one of his best performances as the alcoholic husband of the rising starlet. Touching and charming, with a great ending about the importance and power of love.
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Summary: A STAR IS BORN IS REBORN
Review: What more could possibly be said that has not been said before.I placed my order for this DVD months ago and waited patiently for the arrival.. Well, needless to say it arrived this morning and I have been sitting here speechless and in awe of the treasure i have purchased.. It truly is a remarkable restoration on DVD and the extra features are superb. The Pantages premiere is even more special to me because i had the privilege of attending that premiere at the Pantages Theatre at the age of 19. I remember that night vividly. This new DVD brings it all back so clearly. If you were not there, buy this DVD and see what glamour and what Hollywood was like back in those early 50's days... The restoration of the film is absolutely specatacular, the color, the sounds and more than anything else THE GARLAND VOICE is there to thrill you for years to come. It was worth the wait I shall be watching this one for a long long time.
Rating:
Summary: Judy's Star Is Reborn!
Review: Let me begin this brief text by informing, you the reader, that this film is my very favorite of all. However, I shall do my best to be impartial! I just received this DVD in the mail from Amazon today....I rushed home to open the plastic and sat down for a treat. Well, let me tell you! Much more of a treat than I had anticipated! The transfer of this CinemaScope edition of the film is breathtaking. Brilliant colors and a visual that is as sharp as a pin! The audio sounds as if it were recorded two weeks ago, let alone 47 years ago.(The film began production in 1953) The DVD package includes three alternate takes of Garland's "The Man That Got Away", deleted musical sequence "When My Sugar Walks Down The Street", the complete televised Hollywood Premiere, footage from the after premiere party with Judy and Jack Warner, a newsreel covering the premiere, and theatrical trailers from the 1937, 1954 and 1976 versions of the film. There are also on-screen production notes. I have seen this film many, many times. The VHS editions all pale in contrast to this edition. Even prior laser disc can't hold up. Judy is in top form in her finest role, James Mason is perfect casting as troubled Norman Maine. The music by Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin are all top notch. Treat yourself to this movie. It's classic Hollywood at it's best.
Rating:
Summary: DVD looks GORGEOUS!
Review: Wow! I am very impressed with the DVD of this film. I have to admit that the first thing I did (after unwrapping it, of course) was pop it in the DVD player and chapter-skip to the BORN IN A TRUNK sequence. Ahhhhh. It is SO NICE to see this film in widescreen. I knew Warner had done an excellent job with the transfer as soon as those red roses were wheeled in behind Judy Garland in her "Swanee" outfit. Gorgeous! The "Peanut Vender Song" set is GREEN! Who would have known? The set and costume design in "You Took Advantage of Me" is fabulously clear (Judy's grey suit, red portfolio, matching lipstick...wow!)The film just looks great. The soundtrack sounds pretty clear (for a 1954 film...) The disc is two-sided. The film is on one side, and the bonus stuff is on the other. The three versions of MAN THAT GOT AWAY are very interesting. It is fascinating to see the versions that were filmed. It seems like they started out too bright. And Garland's costumes were not flattering. One note about the non-technical part of the film: After not having seen A STAR IS BORN for a few years, the main thing that struck me is how incredible Garland's performance is. She is truly a realistic actor -- not over-the-top and theatrical. Her scene in the dressing room before LOSE THAT LONG FACE is truly shattering ("I hate him..."). Garland, besides being a gifted songstress, was a breathtaking actress as well. I highly recommend this DVD of A STAR IS BORN, which just happens to be one of my favorite movies, if not one of my favorite movie musicals.
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Summary: One of the all-time greats of Hollywood!
Review: Hello everybody, this is Mrs. Norman Maine! What an incredible classic film! I've waited forty-five years to see this film again as I saw it when it was first released in theatres, and it's been worth the wait! (I just got the DVD this week, and have now seen it for the first of many times, I'm sure. I'm anxious to see the extras on the DVD, but they can wait -- just having the film in such a restored condition is enough to start.) (Oh yes, go for the widescreen edition, if you get the VHS tape instead!) What can I say? --this is the classic Judy Garland, in my humble opinion better than either before or since. The classic actor James Mason, likewise. The music, the production, the script, everything about this film is absolutely top drawer, and must be considered to be among the greatest all-time Hollywood films ever. What I do not know, so cannot represent, is how well it travels over time. As I said, I saw it when it first came out, and loved it then, at the tender age of fifteen. I bought the soundtrack, on 45 rpm records, which I still have, and almost wore them out! For those of you like me who remember it, it's a time travel trip you can't afford to pass up! For those of you who are younger, it's your opportunity for a truly remarkable glimpse into the past which many consider the golden age of musicals, and so much more as well! I totally agree with the reviewers who have already contrbuted their thoughts over the past six months, and so have little more content to add. Suffice it to say that the emotional connection via song was every bit as well established just now as it was forty-five years ago, if not more so! Especially so for "Born in a Trunk"! And, I hasten to add -- If you consider yourself an "amateur" of film, you should own this one, just as you obviously own (as classic jazz lovers) Benny Goodman's "Swing, Swing, Swing", Dave Brubecks's "Take Five", Miles Davis' "So What", John Lewis' "Django", etc -- the creme de la creme! Hopefully, you get the idea. Absolute classic!
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Summary: Knockout DVD from Warner Bros.
Review: This is the way DVD's should always be: a perfectly crisp anamorphic transfer with vibrant colors, lots of mesmerizing extras like the different takes of "The Man That Got Away" and the premiere pieces, and an altogether top-ten movie with a great story and the quintessential Judy Garland part. And one more thing. For the first time that I've ever seen on DVD (and I've seen a lot of DVD's) this title contains the restored trailer of the 1937 version of A STAR IS BORN in non-wide screen anamorphic format. That's right, 1.33:1 anamorphic format, with black bars on the side and an absolutely pristine look. This is, I hope, the way all falt movies will be transferred in the future and for those with wide screen TV's, really the best way to look at pre-1953 Hollywood classics. Buy this DVD right now -- you will not regret it.
Rating:
Summary: GARLAND AT HER VERY BEST
Review: This is THE Judy Garland film to own. I know most people would say "Wizard of Oz" is her signature piece but I have to disagree. Her portrayal of Esther Blodgett truly shows every last inch of her endless talent. Even without the fantastic musical score, Judy would still be at her best. She looks great. She sounds great. She is great. Due to be released on DVD in the fall of 1999, I have been counting the days for the DVD edition of this film to be released. The extras are also extremely entertaining. The parade of stars who attended the premiere of "A Star Is Born" and also the post screening party at the Coconut Grove. There are two alternate filmings of "The Man That Got Away" and a deleted segment from the "Born In A Trunk" sequence - "When My Sugar Walks Down The Street." All very interesting. The soundtrack is clearer than ever and the print is gorgeous. If you are a Garland fan, BUY THIS DVD. If you are not a Garland fan, this might be the film that could change your mind.
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Summary: There was only one JUDY....Only one STAR!
Review: A STAR IS BORN was/is the ultimate Hollywood movie.......as ALL ABOUT EVE is the ultimate Broadway movie. And in both cases, the leading ladies were cheated of the Oscars they so richly, honestly deserved. But to concentrate on this classic.......to a certain group, Judy Garland will always be represented by THE WIZARD OF OZ, as a young, innocent girl. At the opposite extreme, her singing and style in her final movie, I COULD GO ON SINGING, eximplify the Ultimate Garland.......over the hill, ravaged by time and circumstances, but still able to absolutely knock you over with belting renditions of 'Hello, Bluebird' and 'By Myself.' In WIZARD she was a sweet child, in SINGING she was a staggering Legend. But ah, that beautiful in-between role in STAR! At the pinnacle of her acting and singing abilities, she did it all.....to perfection. Legs crossed on the edge of the stage, tuxedo and top hat, 'Born in a Trunk at the Princess Theater....' Her voice never had more depth, more perfection. But the acting was perfect too.....painful acting that left her raw and the audience too. Begging the head of the studio to re-hire her alcoholic husband; Trying to cheer up that husband with musical numbers after she's had a hard day at the studio and he's been sitting at home taking her messages; humbly standing up to the Judge swearing to take responsibility for his future; sweetly singing 'their' song from somewhere in the house while he is out on the beach, preparing himself for the ocean and her ultimate freedom; the scene when an old friend urges her to leave the house, and she simply stares into the fireplace.....and finally when she proudly announces to the world that she is still "Mrs.....Norman.....Main." I doubt if Judy garland ever gave as much of herself to a part, a character, as she did in A STAR IS BORN. James Mason certainly never came close to this great a performance in his career, either. The absolute Hell he goes through in the bedroom, recovering from his latest drunk while he can hear Vicki in the living room renouncing her own career for his, was worth at least 6 or 7 Oscars......which means Judy should have won 19 or 20. So many great stars and great roles have been overlooked in Hollywood's history...James Mason in this movie, Bette Davis in ALL ABOUT EVE, Jane Wyman in THE BLUE VEIL, Lana Turner in MADAME X...but no robbery short of Brink's compares to Judy Garland's lost Oscar for A STAR IS BORN!
Rating:
Summary: ''A Star'' Is Whole Again!
Review: This beautifully restored print of the classic musical includes over an extra hour of scenes,photos and dialog that was cut from the film after it's premiere,despite objections from director George Cukor and Judy Garland. Sadly,much of the footage no longer exists,and this is why they have had to reconstruct the scenes with photo stills and audio tracks,making the film seem less choppy,and the story makes more sense and flows more easily with the cut scenes restored. Judy Garland should have REALLY won the Oscar for her role,and her rendition of the bluesy 'The Man That Got Away',is magic. James Mason adds a new dimension to his Norman Maine,and the suicide scene is tenderly done. Also featured are the songs 'Born In A Trunk'and 'That's What I'm Here For'
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