Warner Archive releasing Brigadoon (1954) on Blu-ray! (1 Viewer)

[Matt Hough]

Yes, allegedly Kelly worked very hard with Edens to be able to handle the very rangy and difficult score, but he's still clearly out of his element. I'm sure that's why dance became very emphasized for his role in this version.

Robert Goulet certainly had no trouble with it in the Emmy-winning TV version though it, too, fiddled with the score. I wish we could get a faithful film or TV version of this magnificent work.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

This is great news! I fell in love with this film (and Cyd Charisse) while stuck laying on a couch for two weeks recovering from pneumonia back in my college days. It was part of HBO's playlist in that station's early days.

 

[Johnny Angell]

This is a favorite of mine, despite the fact that Gene Kelly really hasn't got the required voice for the part. Listen to the original cast, or Brent Barrett's 1991 recording for much less painful versions.

I have watched this movie a couple of times and never found Kelly's voice painful to listen to. I suppose if I had heard an original cast recording I might be somewhat dissatisfied with his voice. But painful? Never.

 

[Jim*Tod]

The 1991 recording is definitely the one to have. It is a magnificent score and the film jettisons much of it. As other posts have indicated the movie emphasizes the dancing. For me the best thing in the film is the "Heather on the Hill" number with Kelly and Charisse with an incredible arrangement.

 

[KPmusmag]

Shirley Jones made a nice recording of the score as well, with Jack Cassidy. The 1991 recording is certainly lush and beautiful. I am looking forward to this blu-ray, as I enjoy the film for its own virtues even if much music was cut.

 

[Alan Tully]

I'm not a fan of fifties musicals at all, I think I must have seen this on TV decades ago & it's just sort of stuck, also, I bought the extended CD soundtrack years ago (for next to nothing, my local s/hand CD shop was closing down, I bought a shed-load of stuff), & it's become a favourite.

 

[Keith Cobby]

Fantastic news for fans of the film - but alas not me! Perhaps eventually they will get to Three Little Words, The Belle of New York, High Society, and Seven Brides.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I'm not a fan of fifties musicals at all, I think I must have seen this on TV decades ago & it's just sort of stuck, also, I bought the extended CD soundtrack years ago (for next to nothing, my local s/hand CD shop was closing down, I bought a shed-load of stuff), & it's become a favourite.

I vaguely remember the TV production and that I enjoyed it. I remember owning the LP of the TV production.

 

[Dick]

Fantastic news for fans of the film - but alas not me! Perhaps eventually they will get to Three Little Words, The Belle of New York, High Society, and Seven Brides.

And THE HARVEY GIRLS.

 

[Dick]

I find BRIGADOON sluggish even to the point of being bored, something that does not happen to me while watching most of the MGM musicals. Still, it has some nice tunes and (as has been noted) Cyd Charisse, so I'll be picking it up. I know it's been an oft-requested title, so I'm happy for the big fans.

 

[Astairefan]

Fantastic news for fans of the film - but alas not me! Perhaps eventually they will get to Three Little Words, The Belle of New York, High Society, and Seven Brides.

And THE HARVEY GIRLS.

I look forward to this movie's release, and I hope WAC gets to those as well, but I'm not counting on them anytime soon, if only because WAC STILL has yet to release ANY MGM musicals made before 1954 on blu, and they sure don't seem to want to go earlier than that yet! Of course, I hope they prove me wrong, and soon!

 

[Dick]

. WAC STILL has yet to release ANY MGM musicals made before 1954.

To say nothing of the RKO stuff (Rogers & Astaire).

 

[AnthonyClarke]

I'm looking forward to Brigadoon ... slight, but pleasing. But no comparison to Fred and Ginger (all of them, please), along with his 'Three Little Words' and Judy's 'For Me and My Gal' and 'The Harvey Girls'. Not to mention 'Show Boat' ... but wait a minute, I just did!
We have so much already but there's still so much more to come.

 

[Garysb]

And where is that triple feature of all 3 versions of Showboat? Had to throw that one in. It must be 10 years or more since Warners mentioned it in a chat.

 

[battlebeast]

No chance!

Brigadoon is one of the weaker MGM musicals but any Cyd Charisse on Blu-ray is a mandatory purchase for me.

Why no chance?

 

[Astairefan]

To say nothing of the RKO stuff (Rogers & Astaire).

The Astaire- and Rogers films probably have multiple problems. Firstly, they are RKO films, and all the troubles associated with the films elements. Their second problem is that the first nine films were made in the thirties, and we only have ONE 30s film from WAC, and that was a little more than two years ago. This in particular is where I am getting increasingly annoyed with WAC, since I can't help but wonder what shape all of the films from this decade must be in if even the obscure films that "should" be in better shape aren't getting a release on blu (or, for that matter, any films from that decade that WAC worked on for DVD that should be in somewhat better shape because of that).

 

[Astairefan]

Why no chance?

I couldn't say for sure, but the fact that all we hear about Seven Brides is that it requires a lot of expensive restoration alone would indicate that a release is not imminent, not to mention the fact that it was filmed in two different aspect ratios, which would make it harder for WAC to figure out what to do, since that might require either two individual releases or a much higher price than normal.

 

[Mark-P]

I couldn't say for sure, but the fact that all we hear about Seven Brides is that it requires a lot of expensive restoration alone would indicate that a release is not imminent, not to mention the fact that it was filmed in two different aspect ratios, which would make it harder for WAC to figure out what to do, since that might require either two individual releases or a much higher price than normal.

Brigadoon was also filmed in two aspect ratios and they figured out what to do with that one: CinemaScope version only on Blu-ray. I doubt that they will spend the money to restore both versions of 7B47B, but if they wanted to go the cheapest route they would skip the heavily-damaged CinemaScope version and just release the 1.75:1 version which is in really good shape. But that won't happen because everyone wants the 'Scope version.

 

[battlebeast]

I couldn't say for sure, but the fact that all we hear about Seven Brides is that it requires a lot of expensive restoration alone would indicate that a release is not imminent, not to mention the fact that it was filmed in two different aspect ratios, which would make it harder for WAC to figure out what to do, since that might require either two individual releases or a much higher price than normal.

Ah. Interesting.

 

[Astairefan]

Brigadoon was also filmed in two aspect ratios and they figured out what to do with that one: CinemaScope version only on Blu-ray. I doubt that they will spend the money to restore both versions of 7B47B, but if they wanted to go the cheapest route they would skip the heavily-damaged CinemaScope version and just release the 1.75:1 version which is in really good shape. But that won't happen because everyone wants the 'Scope version.

Are you sure that is what they are doing? They don't seem to be listing the second version of Brigadoon as an extra (even in SD), and we got the alternate cut of The Big Sleep as an extra on that blu in SD. For all we know, it might be coming as a separate set. What I wonder is whether they are partially just upgrading the content of the DVDs to blu (maybe removing some extras while keeping others). I don't know whether the alternate cut is present on the DVD for Brigadoon, since I never got it, but it seems unlikely since it appears to a one-disc set (unless it was a flipper). If I am right, I still think WAC is aiming more for both versions of Seven Brides, but who knows when that will happen.