Hello Dolly! [Blu-ray]

Before getting into my review, let me preface by saying that "Hello, Dolly!" has never looked better than on this restored 2013 Blu-ray release. Compared to the 2003 DVD, it's like seeing a different film. The colors are brighter and more vibrant, the overall picture is incredibly sharp and clean without being either too soft or too grainy, and the sound is so crisp and clean that I was noticing lines of dialogue that had been all but inaudible before. Fox may have released this without much fanfare, but it's one of the best restorations I've seen for a film of this age.Despite its generally limited recognition, "Hello, Dolly" stands as one of the most spirited musical creations of our century, and certainly one of the most sparkling movies of all time. Barbra Streisand shines as the indomitable Dolly Levi, the young, sassy, street-wise widow whose plan to wed herself to Horace Vandergelder (played with great alcrity by Walter Matthau), a curmudgeonly half-a-millionaire who owns a profitable hay and feed business in Yonkers, New York, and adds her own special charm to the richly detailed and brightly bubbling confection that glows just as bright today as it did back in 1969.It was because of the Disney*Pixar movie "WALL-E" that I first became aquainted with this film. Of course, I had to go out and buy the DVD and see for myself what it was all about. I fell in love with it immediately, and it quickly became my favorite film, if not my favorite musical, of all time. There is something indescribably special about it, something that makes it stand out from everything else I've seen, which I just can't get enough of. Perhaps in a time where people dress down, have little or no interest in history, don't take time to slow down and enjoy the little things, or even observe common values of courtesy and good manners, "Dolly" provides an escape into the glorious and opulent of Victoriana America, not to mention giving its viewer a lavish throwback to the last great musical Hollywood ever produced.I once heard Michael Crawford describe this as a beautiful, romantic, "old-fashioned valentine" of a musical. That is exactly what it is. It is a sweet and charming story with beautiful songs and a stellar cast that simply refuses to be lost into the passage of history. Truly, there are no bad moments. Every second has something interesting to look at or listen to or feel, and the performances from the actors are just priceless. The whole thing is a joyous spectacle from start to finish, and I am always laughing and crying and applauding the sheer brilliance of it throughout the entire experience.Unlike most musicals, the acting is uncharacteristically good. The performers are entirely believable in their roles and play them with truthfulness and reverence. Of course, there are some moments where a little zaniness is required, but it never comes over the top. Gene Kelly's stellar direction took the show to places the original creators never dreamed of going. His choice between merely making a musical and making a good movie is never questioned: he made a great movie, hands down, and it shows. The way he handled everything, from the cinematography to the choreography sequences to the musical numbers themselves just proves that he's a talented director who knows what he wants and knows just how to do it. Every choice he made was perfect, to say nothing of the brillant job he did of casting. I also applaud Ernest Lehmann for his marvelous script. He really went to town in taking a show with good songs but a somewhat boring and predictable storyline to something Oscar-worthy.As to the lady herself, I can't think of a time when Barbra Streisand ever looked prettier. She has a huge smile on her face throughout the whole film, and gives Dolly an energy and enthusiasm Carol Channing never had. She sings with vim and verve and uses every last bit of her vocal range and power to toss a little extra "oomph" into Jerry Herman's peppy songs. Even though she was criticized at the time for being too young, her performance is no doubt one of the best in her career. You need a dynamic personality like Barbra's to carry the role of Dolly Levi believably, and she carries to perfection. What really strikes me as interesting about her is the fact that although she was only in her mid-twenties when this was filmed, she manages to appear as a woman who is much older, maybe in her thirties or forties. Not that she looks old and matronly (anything but!); but rather her wisdom and persona project the air of a woman much more mature than twenty-five. Take the dancing scene, for instance. She's marvelous at giving Michael Crawford a lesson on how to waltz, and is very patient and understanding of his overly-exuberant youth. In real life she was actually three months younger than him. That type of acting is rare to be found an anyone today--someone with skills enough to make you forget how young or old the person is themselves, and just see the character alone.I simply love the characters of Cornelius Hackle and Barnaby Tucker, Mr. Vandergelder's niave young clerks, who want to spend a day in New York, spend all their money, and kiss a girl; both played expertly by Michael Crawford and Danny Lockin, respectively. Crawford, only twenty-six at the time, has a sweet, gentle voice, and uses an American accent very well in one of his earliest film roles. Despite being cast by Mr. Kelly as the "attractive idiot", Crawford puts over an equally great comic as well as heartfelt performance. The astonishing moments of excellent physical comedy are well worth watching, and it's amazing to think that he'd be playing the part of the Phantom only a few years later! I especially liked him in the "It Only Takes a Moment" sequence; just look at his expressions and gestures. He plays the role with such honesty, I almost always get teary-eyed!The two supporting women, Barnaby and Cornelius's love interests, are also very talented: E.J. Peaker as Minnie Faye, and Marianne McAndrew as Irene Malloy. Although she didn't do her own singing, Ms. McAndrew is very nice looking and a fine actress, just the sort of person you can picture Cornelius falling in love with in just one day. Or in "a moment", as the song goes.The visual look and feel of the film is gorgeous, with sumptuous sets and marvelous costumes. The widescreen, TODD-AO film captures the colors and patterns vibrantly, and still looks bright and new after fifty years. I especially liked a very obvious Gene Kelly trademark in the opening scene of the film, showing nothing but people's feet strolling the sidewalk in downtown New York. Genius.To close, "Dolly" is great fun, a terrific movie for the whole family that is truly timeless, and one that only gets better with each viewing.

Quite simply this is THE BEST that HELLO DOLLY! has ever looked on home video. It's very apparent that a lot of love, time, care and money was lavished over this restoration. 70mm titles are the ones that seem to look especially robust on Blu-ray (take for instance Fox's earlier Blu release of The Sound of Music and the forthcoming Cleopatra). DOLLY was filmed in the 70mm Todd-AO system and has yielded a gorgeous transfer on Blu which must be quite close to how the film looked in it's original 1969 theatrical release.The movie gets better with age. Barbra Streisand has been given plenty of flack, ever since the movie was first announced, for 'stealing' away the role of Dolly from original Broadway star Carol Channing - but it's actually her performance which has kept the film fresh for so long. Streisand adopted a "Mae West" flavour for the key to play Dolly, and the decision was inspired. Walter Matthau matches her step-for-step with his downplayed but still hilarious turn as Horace Vandergelder.Michael Crawford and Marianne McAndrew are lovely as Cornelius and Mrs Molloy (although McAndrews' ill-fitting dubbed singing voice robs her of some impact during her musical numbers - it's a couple of hairs higher than her regular speaking voice). Pocket-sized dance dynamos Danny Lockin and E.J. Peaker are outstanding as Barnaby and Minnie Faye.We'll never see such opulence or excess on the screen again. Musicals were fast becoming a dying breed in 1969 but the quality of the designs in DOLLY's sets and costumes are on display in Hi-Def glory here. It is truly eye-popping. You can literally see all the threads in Dolly's golden Harmonia Gardens gown. It surely cannot get better than this.If you haven't seen DOLLY before, this Blu-ray will be an ideal way to introduce yourself. If you're already on familiar terms with the old gal, you'll be floored at how she sparkles anew. My highest recommendation.

Just received my blu ray copy of DOLLY and am really impressed. The color, clarity and quality of the new high def transfer is terrific. The show is entertaining as ever and Streisand shows everyone what talent is all about. What a presence she has onscreen! And the title number is one of the biggest showstoppers in theatre AND movie history. No, it's not up there with WEST SIDE STORY or SOUND OF MUSIC, but it has charms of its own...and it is HUGE! The production values are magnificent. And it's all real. No CGI. That NYC set was actually constructed...as was the Yonkers set. And wow to the Harmonia Gardens sequence. In terms of opulence, DOLLY is an eye-popper. So is CLEOPATRA, the next big blu ray from 20th Century Fox. Can't wait for that. Oh, and a word about the packaging. Why not a blu ray book? CAMELOT had one. Hell, even NATURAL BORN KILLERS was treated to a special book. And why so few extras? A history of the show? Profile of Ernest Lehman? Interview with the cast? And the cover of the bluray is further evidence of how the studios had NO IDEA how to market a classic. The photo-shopped, cut and paste pictures are a lousy representation of the film. DOLLY had a marvelous color logo graphic that would have made a terrific cover. Instead, it appears in a tiny display on the back. Note to Hollywood---use the original graphics when marketing a classic. The art departments were far better back then and the boomers (who are the intended audience for these products) will respond to the original artwork because THAT IS WHAT THEY RECOGNIZE. I won't even get started with the awful artwork on the new GREAT ESCAPE bluray.