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Fiddler on the Roof

Fiddler on the Roof

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: good movie, but could have been shorter
Review: i like musicals and i like lengthy movies but i just don't like the two of them combined. i love grease because it is only 1 hour 52 minutes. Fiddler on the Roof is a good movie but heck it's 3 hours! I watched this movie in drama class because we are doing the play in spring so my teacher wanted us to see what we were doing. don't get me wrong, i like this movie, it has a great story, great characters, everything, they just could have cut 1 hour out of it and made it about 2, 2 1/2 hours the most. But still I need to get the DVD and watch it like that because we watched it on video and the image wasn't that great. but check this movie out, if you can sit down long enough

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the Best Movies of All Time!
Review: I hadn't seen this movie for about 15 years, of course on TV. I'm sure it was at that time severely edited, probably down to only a couple of hours as TV movies are like that! I didn't think much of it until I saw it on the shelf at the movie rental place. I recalled that I loved the play, so I rented it. I was blown away by this movie and was moved to tears and laughter! There are several scenes that are so well-done that I would call them the best scenes ever made, of all time! The scene where Tevye is recalling memories of his little girl, whom he has now lost forever to the Russian, is one of the best pieces of filmmaking I have ever scene. The camera shows a closeup of his face and them pans slowly away. I have never seen better acting than at that moment. Tevye's eyes actually show the severe grief he is feeling. What an amazing actor! The whole movie is just amazing and wonderful.

The scenes where he is debating with God "on the other hand" about whether he should accept the marriages of his daughters were some of the best moments in filmmaking also. I would also be moved to tears when he would say, "Look at my daughter's eyes, she loves him, so hopeful..." Those were really touching moments. It was wonderful how the filmmakers would move Tevye farther away from the daughters at those moments, as if he were far away, deep in thought.

The whole movie is beautifully made. The clothing and settings are very appropriate and don't give the viewer any indication of when the movie was made (like some 50's movies do with the heavy makeup the women would wear). The dancing was excellent. The characters were very funny and likeable.

The DVD is just amazing. I love widescreen and also love all the extras on this DVD. I wish they hadn't cut the song "Any Day Now" because the scene is really setting itself up to lead into a song, but then suddenly they are at the bridge with Papa. The song is a fine song and would have worked well, but I suppose it was in the interest of time that they deleted it.

I will definitely purchase this DVD since it's a movie that can easily be watched again. Its quality also will never become outdated.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: AWESOME MOVIE! BUY IT!
Review: I own it and my whole family loves it, so does my 10 y/o! I love how they made Tevye loud and obnoxious, yet soft and lovable. Great film!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the Best Films/Musicals Ever Made!!!
Review: Without a doubt, "Fiddler on the Roof" is one of the best musicals ever filmed! Directed by the Norman Jewison, "Fiddler on the Roof" is based upon stories written by Sholom Aleichem (1859-1916). The film follows the lives of Tevye (a poor Jewish milkman, played by Topol), his wife Golda (played by Norma Crane), their five daughters and other residents living in the small, Russian village of Anatevka in pre-revolution, Czarist Russia in 1905, where they wrestle with issues of racial & religious intolerance and modern ways infringing upon their traditional ways & values.

Tevye's three oldest daughters are Tzeitel (played by Rosalind Harris), Hodel (played by Michele Marsh) and Chava (played by Neva Small). Against tradition and unknown to Tevye and Golda, Tzeitel has maintained a secret romance with Motel (played by Leonard Frey), a poor tailor. They promise one another that they will one day marry, but Golda intends for the local matchmaker, Yente (played by Molly Picon), to find a wealthy man for Tzeitel to marry. Yente comes through with a proposal from the town butcher, Lazar Wolfe (played by Paul Mann), who is probably older than Tevye. Tzeitel is, of course, very upset when she is informed that she is to marry a much older man that she doesn't love; but Motel (who previously could never find the courage to stand up to Tevye) finally announces to Tevye his and Tzeitel's desire to marry. Tevye cannot believe what he hears because it is completely untraditional for two young people to make such a decision for themselves; but when Tevye realizes how important Motel is to Tzeitel, he relents and gives them his blessing to marry. Unfortuneatly for Tevye, he made a bargain with Lazar Wolfe for him to marry Tzeitel, but Tevye thinks of a clever scheme to renounce the agreement.

Tzeitel and Motel marry in a beautiful ceremony and a huge reception with the town's entire Jewish population follows. During the celebration, a group of non-Jewish residents from the town interrupt the celebration and begin to destroy the wedding gifts, as well as burn and loot many Jewish homes & businesses. Tevye, who is friends with the town's non-Jewish constable, is stunned when he sees the constable leading the "pogrom" (Russian word for riot), but the constable had no choice as he was ordered to carry it out by his superiors.

The first act of the film ends, but the second act finds Tevye facing even more threats to his traditional way of life by his next two oldest daughters; but these issues are small in comparison to the final insult that hits all ofthe Jewish residents of Anatevka: an expulsion order from the Czar. Tevye, Golda and their two remaining unwed daughters, as well as all of the other Jewish residents of Anatevka are forced to leave their home behind to find new lives elsewhere. The film ends.

Throughout the film, a number of very memorable songs are heard:
* "Tradition" which introduces the entire Jewish community of Anatevka, as well as their daily life.
* "Matchmaker" as sung by Tevye's daughters exploring their fantasies and the possible consequences of potential husbands that Yente the matchmaker might bring.
* "If I Were a Rich Man" as sung solo by Tevye, expressing his desire to be wealthy instead of a poor milkman.
* "Sabbath Prayer" as sung movingly by Tevye and Golda describing their desire for their daughters to have good lives and husbands.
* "To Life" ("L'Chayim") as sung by Tevye and Lazar Wolfe and later joined by many of the town's men expressing their joy over a new marriage.
* "Miracle of Miracles" as sung by Motel, celebrating Tevye's blessing for him to marry Tzeitel
* "Tevye's Dream", as sung by Tevye, Golda, Golda's dead grandmother (played by Patience Collier), Lazar Wolfe's dead wife Bona Sara (played by Ruth Madoc) and joined by the town's dearly departed as part of his plot to show Golda who Tzeitel needs to marry.
* "Sunrise Sunset" as sung by Tevye, Golda, Hodel, Perchik (a man with radical ideas, as played by Paul Michael Glaser) during Tzeitel's marriage with Motel.
* "Do You Love Me" as sung by Tevye and Golda, questioning each other's love for one another.
* "Far From the Home I Love" as sung by Hodel when she leaves to be with Perchik, who she loves and who is arrested and sent to Siberia for protesting against the Czar.
* "Chava Ballet" as sung by Tevye, as he distresses over Chava's unwelcome and unapproved marriage to a Russian peasant.
* "Anatevka" as sung by Golda, Tevye, Yente, Lazar Wolfe, the Rabbi's son (played by Shimen Ruskin) as well as the entire town when the learn of their expulsion from Anatevka.

It is no wonder that "Fiddler on the Roof" won 3 Oscars for Best Cinematography (the film was shot mostly in Croatia, former Yugoslav republic), Best Original Music (courtesy of John Williams) and Best Sound. The film was also nominated for Best Picture, Topol was nominated for Best Actor, Leonard Frey was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Norman Jewison was nominated for Best Director.

Though the film is long at 181 minutes, time passes quickly as you are caught up in the lives and music of Anatevka's residents. "Fiddler on the Roof" is a classic, immortal film and that I am very happy to own in my personal DVD collection. Extras on the DVD include the deleted song "Any Day Now" as sung by Perchik (Paul Michael Glaser), wonderful commentaries by Norman Jewison and Topol, a documenatary about Norman Jewison (who also directed "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Moonstruck" and many other films), stories of Sholom Aleichem as read by Norman Jewison and a historical background presented by Norman Jewison.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: You will love this movie!
Review: "Fiddler on the Roof" is one of the greatest films ever made! Topol is excellent as Tevye, a poor milkman whose love, pride, and faith help him face the oppression of turn-of-the century czarist Russia. I suggest you see "Fiddler on the Roof" right away if you have not seen it! It's a masterpiece! The DVD is fantastic! You must own it, if you own a DVD player. I think you won't be disappointed.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A TRUE MOVIE CLASSIC
Review: Unreal, beautiful, musical, great. This is a choice movie about the choosen people.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent
Review: One of the greatest movies. Great to watch with the whole family. Unlike a lot of other movies, I could probably watch Fiddler several times in a row and never get tired of it. It's delightful to watch from the first minute to the last. The dialogue is excellent. The music is excellent. You feel for Tevye's desires to keep the old traditions in tact in a quickly changing world. And you feel for the Jewish citizens as a whole as they go from a basic struggle through familial conflicts and poverty to being faced with the threat of Pogroms and are eventually forced out of their homes to search for safety.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Tradition!
Review: This is one of the greatest movies ever made from a play. Not only is the quality better on the new DVD, but the interviews with Norman Jewison are stupendous. You really get the inside view of how the film was cast, made, etc. The commentary is also excellent, mostly because both Topol and Norman Jewison are commenting on the movie as it goes along. This is one movie I will always cherish. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to see a good musical.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Hurray For Fiddler On The Roof!
Review: I saw Fiddler on the Roof when I was just 10 years old in Phoenix, Arizona when the movie first came to the theaters and I loved every minute of it...now I can have a copy of my own from Amazon.com. I love the music in this music, the dancing, the story, it's memorable, moving, funny at the same time. And it tells the true story of Jewish people having to leave their homeland. Wonderful movie!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Feel good staple
Review: If you've never seen this consider yourself disadvantaged. The music makes you feel light and good at times and sadder emotions other times. The soundtrack comes on CD too.


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