Rating: 
Summary: JUDY GARLAND COMES TO LIFE AGAIN IN THIS SENSATIONAL BIOPIC!
Review: "Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows" is a movie that has to be seen to be believed. Fans of the revered actress/singer will thrill to the film's spectacular performances, and those new to Garland's story will be moved by and in awe of a woman who, whether on top of the world or scraping to make a comeback, would always known as a legend, and to many, as the world's greatest entertainer. As a teenager, the young Garland (Tammy Blanchard) is signed by MGM Studios, where she becomes a sensation in the film classic "The Wizard of Oz". With stardom comes a bumpy road, in which the nervous Garland is fed a diet of amphetamines to keep her going at a breakneck pace. As an adult, Garland (Judy Davis) is caustic and wry, but optimistic and searching for love. In her late twenties, Garland leaves MGM and, with the help of her manager/husband Sid Luft (Victor Garber), becomes a legendary stage performer. Along the way she is wed five times, and becomes a mother of three. On top of the world again, but now dependent on amphetamines, Garland travels a rocky road that leads to terrific triumphs and emotional disappointments. And through it all, she is supported by Luft and her adored children, who becomes part of the whirling maelstrom of their mother's life. And life with Judy Garland proves to be an extraordinary ride...of love, desperation, and hope. "Life With Judy Garland" has many ornaments in a particularly sumptuous and satisfying movie, but its greatest ornaments are undeniably the actresses who play Garland: as the young Garland, Tammy Blanchard (who bears a spooky resemblance to the real Garland) is buoyant, eager to please, an emotional girl looking for happiness. As the adult Garland, Judy Davis is nothing short of a miracle: she BECOMES Judy Garland. Davis captures Garland's wry humor, her infectious charm, her emotional needs, and desire to entertain and be loved so brilliantly that the viewer forgets they're not watching Judy Garland. Davis is extraordinary. Both Davis and Blanchard won Lead Actress and Supporting Actress (Miniseries/Movie) Emmys for their outstanding performances. (The film also won three more Emmys for Costuming, Hairstyling and Makeup, the most for a miniseries this year.) Garber lends staunch support as the charismatic Luft, Marsha Mason is well cast as Garland's overbearing stage mother, and John Benjamin Hickey is wonderful in his role of Garland's vocal coach and staunch supporter throughout her life. Also, Alison Pill, as Garland's second daughter Lorna Luft (who acts as the story's narrator), is also outstanding. This film was produced by Ms. Luft, and she and her colleagues produce a powerful, moving tribute to her mother. Garland's real voice is used, and is lip-synched brilliantly by both Davis and Blanchard as some of Garland's classic film scenes and concert appearances are re-created. Blanchard shines as she sings with Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion in tow, "We're Off to See the Wizard," shooting the famous scene from "Wizard of Oz." Davis recreates with intensity Garland's "The Man That Got Away" from "A Star is Born" and is THRILLING as Garland in concert at the Palace and Carnegie Hall. Davis, in tramp costume, sits on the Palace stage, singing to Garland's "Over the Rainbow" in one of the film's most moving scenes. These scenes are so realistic they feel like documentary footage (which also lends itself to the extraordinary work of the art decoration and set designers). In fact, the whole film has a voyeuristic, documentary quality about it, which is rather unnerving in several scenes in which a burdened Garland breaks down and takes her frustrations out on people. This is a film that grabs the viewer, and makes them get involved with the drama and heart of the story, feel for the heroine. The film is brilliantly directed by Robert Allan Ackerman, and with a sympathetic but honest script by Robert Freedman, the film is very entertaining, and never skips a beat; you can't take your eyes off it for a second. "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows" is indeed an extraordinary ride. It is a powerful, moving piece of entertainment and a rich, human story that gives the audience a sincere appreciation not only for Garland's talent, but for the life she lived and the legacy she left us. Her story is one that has long needed to be told, and with "Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows" comes forth the tribute this shining star has long deserved.
Rating:
Summary: JUDY GARLAND COMES TO LIFE AGAIN IN THIS SENSATIONAL BIOPIC!
Review: "Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows" is a movie that has to be seen to be believed. Fans of the revered actress/singer will thrill to the film's spectacular performances, and those new to Garland's story will be moved by and in awe of a woman who, whether on top of the world or scraping to make a comeback, would always known as a legend, and to many, as the world's greatest entertainer. As a teenager, the young Garland (Tammy Blanchard) is signed by MGM Studios, where she becomes a sensation in the film classic "The Wizard of Oz". With stardom comes a bumpy road, in which the nervous Garland is fed a diet of amphetamines to keep her going at a breakneck pace. As an adult, Garland (Judy Davis) is caustic and wry, but optimistic and searching for love. In her late twenties, Garland leaves MGM and, with the help of her manager/husband Sid Luft (Victor Garber), becomes a legendary stage performer. Along the way she is wed five times, and becomes a mother of three. On top of the world again, but now dependent on amphetamines, Garland travels a rocky road that leads to terrific triumphs and emotional disappointments. And through it all, she is supported by Luft and her adored children, who becomes part of the whirling maelstrom of their mother's life. And life with Judy Garland proves to be an extraordinary ride...of love, desperation, and hope. "Life With Judy Garland" has many ornaments in a particularly sumptuous and satisfying movie, but its greatest ornaments are undeniably the actresses who play Garland: as the young Garland, Tammy Blanchard (who bears a spooky resemblance to the real Garland) is buoyant, eager to please, an emotional girl looking for happiness. As the adult Garland, Judy Davis is nothing short of a miracle: she BECOMES Judy Garland. Davis captures Garland's wry humor, her infectious charm, her emotional needs, and desire to entertain and be loved so brilliantly that the viewer forgets they're not watching Judy Garland. Davis is extraordinary. Both Davis and Blanchard won Lead Actress and Supporting Actress (Miniseries/Movie) Emmys for their outstanding performances. (The film also won three more Emmys for Costuming, Hairstyling and Makeup, the most for a miniseries this year.) Garber lends staunch support as the charismatic Luft, Marsha Mason is well cast as Garland's overbearing stage mother, and John Benjamin Hickey is wonderful in his role of Garland's vocal coach and staunch supporter throughout her life. Also, Alison Pill, as Garland's second daughter Lorna Luft (who acts as the story's narrator), is also outstanding. This film was produced by Ms. Luft, and she and her colleagues produce a powerful, moving tribute to her mother. Garland's real voice is used, and is lip-synched brilliantly by both Davis and Blanchard as some of Garland's classic film scenes and concert appearances are re-created. Blanchard shines as she sings with Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion in tow, "We're Off to See the Wizard," shooting the famous scene from "Wizard of Oz." Davis recreates with intensity Garland's "The Man That Got Away" from "A Star is Born" and is THRILLING as Garland in concert at the Palace and Carnegie Hall. Davis, in tramp costume, sits on the Palace stage, singing to Garland's "Over the Rainbow" in one of the film's most moving scenes. These scenes are so realistic they feel like documentary footage (which also lends itself to the extraordinary work of the art decoration and set designers). In fact, the whole film has a voyeuristic, documentary quality about it, which is rather unnerving in several scenes in which a burdened Garland breaks down and takes her frustrations out on people. This is a film that grabs the viewer, and makes them get involved with the drama and heart of the story, feel for the heroine. The film is brilliantly directed by Robert Allan Ackerman, and with a sympathetic but honest script by Robert Freedman, the film is very entertaining, and never skips a beat; you can't take your eyes off it for a second. "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows" is indeed an extraordinary ride. It is a powerful, moving piece of entertainment and a rich, human story that gives the audience a sincere appreciation not only for Garland's talent, but for the life she lived and the legacy she left us. Her story is one that has long needed to be told, and with "Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows" comes forth the tribute this shining star has long deserved.
Rating: 
Summary: Incredible Performances, But More Than Slightly Inaccurate
Review: Arguably the single greatest talent to emerge from golden-era Hollywood, Judy Garland continues to fascinate us even more than four decades after her untimely death. As a singer, she was incomparable; as an actress, she was exceptional; as a star, she was perhaps the most brilliant celebrity of her generation. But behind the brillance there was a deeply troubled woman who began her career as a child in the hands of a driven mother and an all-powerful studio, who raced through five husbands, who fought a losing battle with chemical dependency throughout most of her life, and who self-destructed time and time again--only to arise, phoenix-like, from her own ashes over and over again. It was an extraordinary life. So it should come as no surprise, really, that this three-hour television falls a bit short. Realistically, it would take a talent of Garland's own scope to bring her fully to the screen. But what the film does right, it does extremely, extremely well--and the centerpieces of the film are the remarkable performances of Tammy Blanchard and Judy Davis. Both give extraordinary performances. That said, however, both performances are flawed due to the age of the actresses. Blanchard, who plays the teenage Garland, is clearly too old to be thirteen-ish when the film begins; Davis, who plays Garland from her twenties until her death, is clearly too old to be Garland in her twenties. But so exceptional are the performances that these are actually minor quibbles. When made up for the role and placed in period attire, both Blanchard and Davis have the look to an absolutely uncanny degree. More importantly, they match each other in their skill at playing Garland, who was one of the most uniquely idioscyratic personalities of her era--indeed, Davis has been described by many as having "channeled" Garland, and I certainly wouldn't disagree. And the supporting cast is quite good as well, ranging from above average to extremely good, something of a surprise in a made-for-television movie. Equally impressive is the painstaking recreation of the world in which Garland moved; her wardrobe, both on stage and off, has been meticulously recreated right down to the hat she wore for her wedding to Vincent Minnelli. Be it sets, costumes, or props, the design staff did a truly miraculous job. But the film falls down in both script and detail. Part of this is due to fact that Lorna Luft's memoir was, naturally enough, based on what her mother told her about her life. Doubtlessly Luft accepted much of this as fact, but Garland was notorious for twisting the truth if it would make a good story--and consequently the film includes several depictions of events that by all other accounts didn't happen that way, assuming they happened at all. When filming THE WIZARD OF OZ, SHADOWS shows Garland being crowded out of the shot by her co-stars, prompting director Victor Flemming to say "You three dirty hams, let that little girl in there!" It was one of Garland's favorite party stories--but it didn't happen. Garland was well known for her ability to perform complex musical numbers with little rehearsal in a single take, and SHADOWS offers her performance of "The Trolley Song" in MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS as an example of her ability to do that--but while she certainly could and often did perform her numbers in a single flawless take, she didn't do it for that particular number. In fact, she mis-mouthed her own vocal play-back during filming, and later had to re-record the vocal as a result. Perhaps the most obvious gaffe in the film is when Garland is found dead in the bathroom of her London apartment; SHADOWS shows her husband going to the bathroom door and seeing her sprawled out on the floor, clearly dead. In reality, the door was locked and he had to climb out on the roof to look in the window--and from her appearance he was unsure of her condition until he actually got into the room. That aside, the script does a superior job of showing Garland's racy, acid, and often self-mocking sense of humor and her often-hidden powerful sexuality. It also does a fairly good job of displaying her love-hate relationship with her own talent. But it is extremely spotty, skipping over major events and focusing on considerably more trivial incidents. (Garland's first husband, David Rose, is never seen in the film--and indeed, scarcely mentioned at all.) It lacks flow. And were it not for the incredible performances of both Blanchard and Davis, it would often also lack drama--a pretty astonishing thing when one considers how electrically dramatic Garland's life was from day to day. Perhaps most frustrating, the film also has a certain aloofness from its own subject; we observe Garland, but the script itself never really allows us to get inside her. In the final analysis, ME AND MY SHADOWS is a film that will most greatly appeal to casual viewers or to new Garland fans, for it does show the main outlines of her life and her career. Hardcore fans, however, will be frustrated by its covert inadequacies--and will be quick to spot the numerous moments when the script goes awry. Still, even with its numerous flaws, Blanchard and Davis are exceptional. And I strongly recommend it on that basis.
Rating:
Summary: Judy Garland's Story is riveting and emotional.
Review: Being a die-hard Judy Garland Fan. I couldn't wait for this film to come out. I have the video and DVD> The DVD has 10 minutes cut from the film where the VHS is complete. I feel this movie should be seen by everyone. The performances by Tammy Blanchard and Judy Davis are knockout performances. When you watch the film you really fall into Judy's world and Life. You feel her pain and her joys. her broken hearts and her love. One of the really great things about this film is that her real singing voice was used, both Tammy and Judy lip synced to the classic recordings. I love how authentic the costumes were they are exactly like they did in the original films. The most heart renching scene is where Judy is in her Dressing room with her husband vincente Minnelli right before they film "The Trolley Song" and she's in tears saying "I Can't Be Judy Garland Today" and another really great moment is when CBS Chews her out and she stood up for herself and her TV show.
I knew she loved her children but it this film It really came across and you knew that Liza Minnelli and Lorna Luft were her world. They ment everything to her. It will bring tears to your eyes. It's a really powerful film about one of the greatest Singers in the world andI recommend this film to Oz Fans/Judy fans or fans of great entertainment!!! A Dynamite, powerhouse performance! Winner of 5 Emmies awards.
Kimberly
Rating:
Summary: Judy Davis Shines as Judy Garland
Review: Being an avid Garland fan for the last 40 years, I always thought that nobody could get close to bringing the personification of the World's Greatest Singer to the TV screen until I saw Judy Davis tackle the job. She was superb. There is only one other person who could have donea similar job, and that is Liza Minnelli, but she always vowed that she would never do it. My only disppointment was with the screenplay, in that they did not spend enough time depicting Judy in the recording studio.Judy, like Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, agonized over every note they sang with Nelson Riddle and Gordon Jenkins to make sure it was correctly delivered. Judy spent a lot of time perfecting her art. The TV mini-series tended to spend an un-balanced amount of time of her foibles in the bathroom, yet she spent as much time perfecting her art. Yet, with all its minor weaknesses, this DVD of the Judy Davis portrayal of Miss Garland is a marvelous testament to one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.
Rating:
Summary: Judy Too Old
Review: Beloved Judy Garland was a tortured soul who had her life run by other people! This movie conveys the essence of that fact and one realizes what a beautiful, wonderful, funny, witty, talented extraordinary woman she really was!!
The performances here are top notch. I've noticed that Judy Davis has received many negative reviews here. I am not one of those. Truthfully .... no one can capture the true essence of Judy but I think Judy Davis did an outstanding job! They could have done better with the make-up.....especially during Judy's last years.....Davis looks too healthy when in truth, Judy was emaciated and her body had broken down.....
Tammy Blanchard, as the young Judy is the one who gets the real kudos here......uncanny.....and she definitely captured the young Judy......
Davis' and Blanchard's lip synching to Garlands music is done superbly and the film is top notch in every quality. The young man who played Mickey Rooney was great too!!
The man who played Vincente Minnelli looked to be on auto-pilot...completely wooden. Victor Garber as Sid Luft was fine.
Marsha Mason looked like Ethel Gumm and it is understandable why Judy always said her life was ruined by her mother. Mason is great!
This movie is exceptional and shows why Judy, little Girl Lost, God Bless Her will always hold a special place in the heart of America. She is an American Institution. She had her problems but she had a heart of gold and best of all....she loved her kids......no one will ever deny that. Mommie Dearest she was NOT!! May she rest in peace in the Glory of God's loving arms!
Rating: 
Summary: Not so good
Review: Give me a break. I could not believe my eyes when I saw a 50 year old woman play a 21 year old Judy Garland. This movie totally avoided some very important parts in Judy's life. Basically, this movie made it seem as if Judy Garland was some maniac. I thought at the end of the movie there would be some clips of the REAL Judy Garland, like there were clips of Selena in the movie about her life, but nothing. If someone wants to know about Judy Garland's life, read a book on her. If you watch this movie without knowing a thing about Judy Garland you will be confused. End of story. By the way, the "Behind the Scenes" was 10 minutes. What a great extra.
Rating:
Summary: Video version missing scenes
Review: Great movie, which I first saw when broadcast, but was disappointed when I rented the video and found they'd trimmed out scenes (for time?) Two that spring to mind are a date with Rooney, and the discovery that her current lover is gay. I'm sure there are others. Maybe the DVD is not edited, but I doubt it.
Rating:
Summary: Triumph and Tragedy
Review: Having seen this remarkable film when it premired on TV I could not await it's arrival on vhs. However, I was shocked that this incredible film had been senselessly choped up. On the vhs key sequences were deleted. Most of Tammy Blanchard's emmy award winning performence was cut in more than half. All of the scenes depicting Judy's relationship with Artie shaw, her mother's remarrige and young Judy's increasing addiction to prescription drugs and collapse on the set of Strike up the Band has all been cut out. Other scenes when Judy is played by Judy Davis have also been cut including Judy's acclaimed Palace song. Other missing scenes include the chopping up of Judy's film A Star is Born and the scence in which Judy recovers from life threating Hepititus which shows Garland at the top of the stairs looking incredible and her husband Sid Luft whisks her away into the bedroom. Also the scene where Lorna and Joe talk to the judge at the custody hearing in which they tell him their mama needs them is also deleted. This was a key scene that shows the childrens love for their mama. Although the tape is missing alot of the original context,about 30 to 40 mins, it still is a treasure that will grace anyones collection. I just hope a special edition with the deleted scenes intact is released in the near future.
Rating:
Summary: incrediable
Review: I adored this movie, just as i adored the book. Some of you have been saying that key scenes were left out of the VHS version, and i find this very dissapointing. i never watched the mini-series when it was on tv (i forgot it was on), so i'm annoyed i didn't see the movie in it's entirety.
That's the only critcisim i have of this movie, though. I think it deserved every award it got, and the performances of both Judy Davis and Tammy Blanchard were amazing. i liked how excerpts of Lorna's book were voiced-over (read by Cynitha Gibb, not Lorna Luft as was orginally thought) throughout the movie, so the audience didn't get lost in what was happening, particularly when they skipped years. i'm surprised Alison Pill (who played teenage Lorna) didn't get nominated or win an award for her performance, i thought she did extremely well, especially in the hospital scene talking to her mom ('so you're running out on me too?' 'no, Mama, i'm not running out on you, i love you, i love you more than anything. but Mama, please understand, i can't do it anymore.') i didn't just cry, i literally sobbed through that scene, it broke my heart. Hopefully the DVD will include the entire movie, and will be released in New Zealand, as i live there now, and can't wait to see it again. This movie was fantastic and incrediably moving, i could watch it over and over again.
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