Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! [Blu-ray]

arrived on time. looks great. have not watched yet

Saw this on TV many years ago. Just finished up a Rogers and Hammerstein musical movie marathon on DVD and got to thinking about this version of Oklahoma and wanted to see it again especially the young and talented Hugh Jackman pre-Wolverine in the role of Curly. It was just as good as when I first viewed it. The fresh takes on the songs and characters are why this was released to DVD for all R&H fans. A must for any collection.Now if Lin Manuel Miranda would just release "Hamilton" to DVD...pretty please?!!!

I know some might approach this with doubt and trepidation - havingendured various ho hum stagings of this 'old thing'. I know I did. Gradually, however, it became clear that virtually every bit player, dancer,singer on stage is performing brilliantly. I kept thinking about how Placido Domingo lights up the stage with a voice that causes the stage boards to vibrate-with every chorus member so inspired, they are all just start "living the parts"! Hugh Jackman, of "Nicole Kidman-Australia" movie fame, electrifies the entire ensemble. Here is a seriously underated actor in Hugh, nay, singer, and dancer!...They are all supreme naturals. I could go on with detailed descriptions of each character-such as the Italian peddler, whose performance rivals Simone Alaimo as Dr. Dulcamara in "l'Elisir d'Amore " . Or Hugh playing "Curly" who sings a delightful tune to Judd about how delightful it would be if he just went ahead and"offed his-self"..and you might think, well, that's not a very nice thing to sing to the poor old sweaty , filthy,trigger happy, knife happy, arson happy, dangerously crazed muscle head...until you get a load of his chilling performance, and you'll be thinking, "Oh yeah...the sooner we arrange this suicide the better".Enjoying the perfection of the performances allowed me to really appreciate the array of melodis and tempo changes. It saddens me to think that it seems no one can create a timeless libretto, choc a bloc with memorable music today.I found myself laughing til I cried at the "girl fight". This performance is full of these sparkling vingettes.A production that comes very close, might be "Death Takes a Holiday", also available on Amazon, but only in CD soundtrack form. That one too should be staged and filmed by the same people dripping with talent that staged this 'old thing'.You will be proud to have this 'early Hugh Jackman' in your collection. I'd go so far as to say, it isn't a "collection" without this fine work ...don't dawdle , now. You people study this and see how it's really done.

How can one match a singing cowboy on a horse riding through the cornfield as seen as in the original film? You probably can't. In some ways, this stage production was excellent and better than the original. I think the dramatic scenes were much more intense and finely acted (especially by Josefina Gabrielle as Laurey). But when I went back to compare parts of the older film, Ms. Gabrielle just didn't compare to Shirley Jones' mastery of flirtiness and false indifference with Curly. Gabrielle's Laurey was a stronger female character (which I liked) but I didn't really feel the genuineness and chemistry between the two lead characters, both of which came across as much older than their roles. Although they sang well, their acting was not good enough to fully immerse the audience in the story. To me, Jud's character was exceptionally played, however -- and weakest of all, was the peddler. (The accent seemed all wrong.)All in all, it was fantastic to hear the music again, especially some of the songs and lines not included in the 1955 film. And the "Oklahoma hello" with a flip was wonderfully executed. So some parts were better than the original, but some fell short. Despite flaws in the original, I would not watch this newer version again (it is not good enough to be considered a classic) but will stick with Gordon and Shirley. If a redo does come along in the future, they should do a better job of capturing the youth and playfulness of its young characters.

From the very first moments with "Oh, what a beautiful morning" to the last "Oklahoma!", everything, every actor, the singing, the dancing, the costumes, sets and even the lighting, are as I always imagined. I grew up watching the Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones version on TV every year. And I loved it, but always wanted to change things here and there. The treatment of Judd, facial expressions, etc. This production it's as though someone entered my dreams and created what I saw. Director Trevor Nunn did an incredible job.

Compared with the 1950's MGM Gordon McRae staring vehicle, this video is not at all a "movie." It is a video recording of an on stage production that places the viewer in the midst of the action on stage,. An opening sequence during the overture takes up p the Thames and into the theatre, where we see an audience settling down. (But it never interrupts the action to applaud the songs or laugh at the action - it's as if the viewer is part of a dress rehearsal.) I saw Hugh Jackman in this at the National Theatre in 1999. It was tremendously exciting with a massive revolving stage, a curtain made of cornstalks, and an automotive surrey with fringe on top. It offers a blue jeans tom boy version of Laurie (who does her own dancing in "out of my Dreams<" and is almost too frustrating for Curly in "People Will Say We're In Love"), a compassionate approach to Jud (which briefly makes Curly seem cruel) and a slightly tame rendition of the title song. (The "YOW" on the 1943 recording always made me jump.) Young Jackman is an inspiration, as is older Jackman in his bromance with Zac Efron in "Greatest Showman." I find no real fault with this strange experience of "viewer in the midst of action" - I saw it from the back of the house in London - but I can be immersed in Oklahoma as video any night of the week. I sang a few naughty old man songs and danced a little in summer stock in the 60's - this immersion in the on-stage experience is YOW!!!

I saw the original production of Oklahoma at the National Theatre and then interviewed the charming Mr Jackman for the BBC. This quality blu ray features a generally good recording of that much praised show. The fact the musical deteriorates somewhat in the overlong second half, and the leading lady isn’t quite up to the show’s demands, should not deter any potential purchasers. Jackman’s performance makes up for everything. Seeing his energy, and dynamism years back convinced me then that a new star was born and this disc brings back many happy memories.

bin wohl nicht aufmerksam genug.die dvd kommt aus den usa und ich kann sie folglich in deutschland leider nicht ansehen.war sehr enttäuscht!ich habe wohl übersehen,daß es keine pal-version ist.könntet ihr die hinweise deutlicher machen,oder bin ich zu blind?

Did not work on my all region player I bought

I put in codes supplied by the net but wouldnt play. Very upset it woudnt play,

The dvd which arrived was region specific for the USA and can’t be played in Europe which was not mentioned in the product description so it was a complete waste of £20