Rating: 
Summary: Buy this video!
Review: This was Frank's coming out of retirement special in 1973. Along with "Concert for the Americas", this video best captures the magic of being at a live Sinatra concert. You'll enjoy watching it over and over again.
Rating:
Summary: Better than ever!
Review: While it's true that Frank in 1973 didn't have the vocal range or exuberance from the Capitol years, his phrasing, intonation and presence were still wonderfully intact. His ability to convey emotion in a song is unsurpassed. I'm one of the few Sinatra fans who actually prefers his Reprise period and think his voice became more resonant, deeper and expressive as he aged. Certainly he couldn't sing as exquisitely as he had in 1955, but he added a world-weary pathos and life experience to his performances as he entered his sixth decade.The format of this performance is intimate and interesting; it's not just Frank swinging in front of an orchestra on stage. The camera does many close ups which capture Sinatra's ability to convey the meaning of a lyric not just in phrasing, but in facial expression. It's fascinating because we usually only hear Frank sing, we don't see him when listening to a record. The highlight has to be "Send in the Clowns," which is a bare-bones and nearly definitive interpretation of this song, which in 1973 was still brand new. Who else can bring such remarkable clarity and emotion when singing? No one! The segment with Gene Kelly is interesting and their chemistry is obvious. It's interesting to contrast how Kelly's dancing ability had radically declined and that Sinatra's vocal majestry hadn't diminished since their initial onscreen pairing in 1945. If you appreciate the older, more mature Sinatra, then by all means purchase this video. I've watched it several times and enjoy it immensely. It makes us wish there was someone today... anyone... who could sing like this amazing man.
Rating: 
Summary: Difficult to resist
Review: Yes, it is always difficult for me to resist peformances by Frank Sinatra. I always imagined I would dislike him, personally, but there is no question that he is one of the finest performers of his era. This television special is a must-have for any Sinatra buff. After all, it's from when he came out of retirement in front of an all-star audience. There's a very nice balance between what was new material from arguably his finest album (of the same title -- particularly including "You Will Be My Music", "Let Me Try Again", and "Send In The Clowns") and Sinatra standards (who can resist his joy in singing "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "I've Got You Under My Skin", or "I've Got The World On A String"). The saloon segment is typically sentimental Sinatra. The segment with Gene Kelly is great fun! Their personal pleasure in working together is quite evident, and the blend of flash-back scenes to the MGM years and their ability to still do a few dance steps is charming. The video quality is good for the era, but too bad it had not been recorded in stereo. However, it's difficult to imagine many people not enjoying this delightful trip into the past, and certainly one of the best television performances by a performer who didn't always shine in that medium.
Rating:
Summary: Difficult to resist
Review: Yes, it is always difficult for me to resist peformances by Frank Sinatra. I always imagined I would dislike him, personally, but there is no question that he is one of the finest performers of his era. This television special is a must-have for any Sinatra buff. After all, it's from when he came out of retirement in front of an all-star audience. There's a very nice balance between what was new material from arguably his finest album (of the same title -- particularly including "You Will Be My Music", "Let Me Try Again", and "Send In The Clowns") and Sinatra standards (who can resist his joy in singing "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "I've Got You Under My Skin", or "I've Got The World On A String"). The saloon segment is typically sentimental Sinatra. The segment with Gene Kelly is great fun! Their personal pleasure in working together is quite evident, and the blend of flash-back scenes to the MGM years and their ability to still do a few dance steps is charming. The video quality is good for the era, but too bad it had not been recorded in stereo. However, it's difficult to imagine many people not enjoying this delightful trip into the past, and certainly one of the best television performances by a performer who didn't always shine in that medium.
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