- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
- Messages
- 18,272
- Real Name
- Robert Harris
Fred Astaire was past retirement age, when cast as the magical Finian McLonergan, for Francis Coppola's W7 roadshow of the Harburg / Lane 1947 Broadway musical.
For Yip Harburg, Finian and his Rainbow, would place him forever among the great lyricists.
It would be Mr. Astaire's final musical production, a full-fledged roadshow presentation,(yes, the new Warner Archive Blu is the Roadshow) with a budget 25% that of Camelot, which was produced a year earlier, it's a film that beautifully stands the test of time.
Generally, studio-bound, with a few exceptions, this Blu-ray is a gorgeous representation of the film, as photographed by Philip Lathrop.
An unabashedly sweet film, Finian was a quality attempt to bring the musical back to the Hollywood ethic. It's interesting that while musicals of the 1930s-50s are often discussed, those produced in the 60s and 70s seem to get short shrift. They were very different from their predecessors, making the attempt to tie in the old with the new.
Image - 5
Audio -5
4k Up-rez - 5
Pass / Fail - Pass
Recommended
RAH
For Yip Harburg, Finian and his Rainbow, would place him forever among the great lyricists.
It would be Mr. Astaire's final musical production, a full-fledged roadshow presentation,(yes, the new Warner Archive Blu is the Roadshow) with a budget 25% that of Camelot, which was produced a year earlier, it's a film that beautifully stands the test of time.
Generally, studio-bound, with a few exceptions, this Blu-ray is a gorgeous representation of the film, as photographed by Philip Lathrop.
An unabashedly sweet film, Finian was a quality attempt to bring the musical back to the Hollywood ethic. It's interesting that while musicals of the 1930s-50s are often discussed, those produced in the 60s and 70s seem to get short shrift. They were very different from their predecessors, making the attempt to tie in the old with the new.
Image - 5
Audio -5
4k Up-rez - 5
Pass / Fail - Pass
Recommended
RAH