weekilter Reviews

Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

A good film but cannot compare to the 1964 film

[7/10 · 21 January 2019]

I thought that the film was very enjoyable, however, even though I've been cautioned not to I cannot help but compare this film to the original 1964 film with Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. There's so much to like in the 1964 film.

Porgy and Bess (1959)

A good if imperfect version of Porgy and Bess

[7/10 · 30 August 2016]

I have seen and listened to many versions of Porgy and Bess the first being "selections" on a Decca LP with Todd Duncan (Porgy) and Anne Brown (Bess). I have heard and seen full casts of the opera in person (Metropolitan Opera/Houston Grand Opera/Seattle Opera) as well as seen video presentations (San Francisco Opera/Glyndeborn (Trevor Nunn) versions as well as the film version directed by Otto Preminger. I've seen some very bad performances (Metropolitan Opera) and seen some excellent ones (San Francisco Opera and Trevor Nunn's) and think the Preminger version is actually pretty good. The film takes the music and treats it basically as they do when Porgy and Bess is presented as a stage musical in that there is dialog instead of arias between major numbers. What I don't know and have not been able to determine from reading Wikipedia and IMDb is who does all the singing. I assume Pearl Bailey sings and Sammy Davis, jr. sings, but I find it hard to believe that Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge actually sing since the singing is really too operatic for them. I've not heard of Sidney Poitier or Dorothy Dandridge singing in other film so I have questions about who is actually singing and wonder if they are not why the actual singers have not been credited for their work.

Peter Pan Live! (2014 TV Movie)

A good production but the original 1955 production is better musically

[8/10 · 5 December 2014]

I'm not going to make a big review since many people have made reviews some positive and some negative. It's hard not to compare this to the NBC broadcast of 1955 with Mary Martin and Cyril Ritchard. Contrary to what some have written I think Ms. Williams as Peter Pan was totally enjoyable. About the only quibble I have with any of the casting is with Christopher Walken. He is a good actor but not at all a decent singer and I can understand whey some of the musical things were done as they were. If he had attempted "Oh My Mysterious Lady" with Peter Pan it would have been disastrous.

I know the parts are the parts, but I was disappointed that Kelli O'Hara had such a small part.