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By
NICK ZEGARAC
"Hello Dolly!" is the elephantine musical film based on the long running stage play. In 1969 it failed miserably to find its audience at the box office. Directed by legendary song and dance man, Gene Kelly and featuring the meticulous choreography of Gower Champion, this is a big, brassy, spectacular production, the likes of which we aren't likely to ever see again. Barbra Streisand is Dolly Levi, a matchmaker whose heart is set on landing the stuffy hay and feed owner, Horace Vandergelder (Walter Matthau).
The off camera bickering between these two co-stars is legendary, but none of their backstage hatred shows up on the screen. Streisand and Matthau are ably assisted by Marianne McAndrews (Irene Malloy) and Michael Crawford (Cornelius Hackell) -- playing the second string love interest. The incomparable Louis Armstrong appears during the electric and brilliantly staged title number, in a cameo as himself. Removed from all the angst, hype and negative publicity that branded musicals box office poison from about 1959 onward, "Hello Dolly!" emerges today as one of the best of the genre, an outstanding, tune filled epic production that never fails to entertain!
Fox has given us a handsome looking DVD. Colors are rich, bold, vibrant and extremely well balanced. Black and contrast levels are only slightly on the weak side but adjusting one's television contrast and brightness fixes this right up. There is no edge enhancement, aliasing or pixelization or film grain or age related artifacts for a visual presentation that is as smooth as the plot. The soundtrack has been remixed to 5.1 surround but suffers slightly from a muffled effect, perhaps because of noise reduction equipment used. Still, most of the film has a crisp, clean and not overly bright sound that, while dated, nevertheless is easy on the ears.
A short subject on the making of the film and its theatrical trailer are the extras. That's it.
I should fault Fox for giving us no extras but with the film looking as though it were shot last week I have to stop myself and just proclaim, "Well done!" An absolute must for your DVD library! |
