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By
NICK ZEGARAC
Is she a woman pretending to be a man, pretending to be a woman? Or, is he a woman, pretending to be a man, pretending to be a woman? Blake Edward's hilarious gender-bending musical comedy "Victor/Victoria" has Julie Andrews impersonating a count, who is hired to perform as a female impersonator in a posh Paris nightclub circa 1920's. If you think it sounds confusing, it does, and, it is, but it's all so magnificently pulled off with panache and style that one hardly minds stretching the mind in believing that the fabulous Ms. Andrews could be anything but "all" woman. The musical numbers are as hot as the comedy. Andrews stops the show with "Le Jazz Hot." Robert Preston is Toddy, a gay impresario who is determined to make "Victor" the toast of Paris. James Gardner is a big time bootlegger, King Marchand, who begins to question his own heterosexuality when he falls in love with Victor/Victoria. Leslie Ann Warren is a hilariously, if at times grating, as King's gun maul dumb blond.
Warner Brothers has done a wonderful job remastering Victor/Victoria for DVD. Colors are warm, rich and vibrant. For the most part, details are sharp. Some scenes appear slightly softly focused. Contrast and shadows are nicely balanced. Blacks are deep and solid. There's no film grain or digital anomalies to speak of for a very smooth looking transfer. The newly remastered 5.1 stereo thunders across the screen during the musical sequences and is very ambient during dialogue portions of the film.
An audio commentary with Edwards and Andrews that is fairly dull and gets old fast is the principal extra.
This is a hell of a good show on every level, but chiefly because Julie Andrews is once again so "practically perfect in every way." |
