That's Entertainment [VHS]
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VHS Movie Reviews of That's Entertainment [VHS]
Movie Review: For Widescreen Viewers
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm a purist and love to see the productions in their original aspect ratio. Having a widescreen HDTV adds to this pleasure, but could also have made viewing "That's Entertainment" problematic because of the film's mix of clips from the pre- and post-widescreen eras. Thankfully, this DVD is anamorphic and the clips roll seamlessly from standard to wide and back again. It was a sheer pleasure to watch - not quite the same as sitting in the massive 70mm theater in which I first experienced this movie, but as good as you can get for staying at home. My only quibble is that many of the older (ca. 1930s) B&W clips are quite grainy. If it's that noticeable on my small HDTV, I'm sure the grains would have seemed huge on the big screen - yet I don't recall that being a problem. So I wonder about the quality control when they made the digital transfer. Still, that's only a minor complaint for a thoroughly enjoyable movie.Movie Review: First Class
Summary: 5 Stars
Simply top-notch. Period. If you don't enjoy or understand these cinematic jems, you're still stuck at the bottom level of Maslov's hierarchy of needs. Try harder.Movie Review: That's Entertainment DVD
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the best collection of classic musical movies and their stars ever! It is a must for anyone who enjoys the old classics and the stars who can never be replaced.That's Entertainment! The Complete CollectionMovie Review: That's Entertainment
Summary: 5 Stars
What makes this dizzying whirl of spectacular montages so much fun is the mix of famous sequences with colorful lesser-known bits, like Clark Gable's rendition of "Puttin' on the Ritz," Jimmy Stewart's serenade in "Easy to Love," and Jean Harlow vamping up "Reckless." Narrated by a roster of screen legends, Haley's magnificent homage to the big-budget musicals of yesteryear was a surprise box-office hit for MGM in 1974, and led to two sequels. Pure movie magic from start to finish, "That's Entertainment!" will sweep you off your feet.Movie Review: Excellent series which was WAY too late in coming!
Summary: 5 Stars
This combines a group of movie clips that both the musical lover AND those who things musicals are "dumb" will enjoy. The clips where the musical stars are doing what they do best is the best of the best; the clips where the actors are attempting to sing is some of the best compilation footage out there today, and a real laugh! It provides a glipse into what was one of the great motion picture studios in the history of Hollywood (California), and a tribute to those people who created the foundation for a medium that sometimes gets lost in trying spread a message. This collection pays homage to a time when movies weren't out to change the world, but to make the world a better place if even for only a few hours at a time.
For years, this has been something that people had wanted on DVD, but it took almost 25 years for this to make it into DVD format, and with that, the print is excellent. However, don't be worried that your DVD player is in the wrong mode (widescreen or 4:3): it is how the movie was shot. Remember: there was a time when widescreen did not exist, and this shows us what happens when you widen the screen for more picture AND more sound.
Some of the greatest stars ever to grace a movie screen are in this collection: Elizabeth Taylor, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Judy Garland (known as the biggest star MGM created by historians), Mickey Rooney (truly one of the film industry's finest actors), Lena Horne, Ava Gardner, Jimmy (James) Stewart, Liza Minelli, Clark Gable and so many others. The moments with Clark Gable trying to sing and dance make you glad he decided not to do it anymore; it was wartime (World War II), and many of the folks were off fighting the war.
Growing up, the movies this collection features in its clips were films that were only seen on television in showcases like "The Million Dollar Movie" and such, with black-and-white televisions at first, then color sets. Because MGM did their best to make sure this collection was thorough and complete, when a movie is in widescreen (Cinescope), it is presented that way ... unlike that of the modern day pan-and-scan film edits we see on TV today.
If you have young children, I believe this is a bit of history in Hollywood that even they will enjoy, especially if they enjoy more of the standard, mellower music of our times. The songs that were introduced by these films are now considered standards, and have stood the test of time, unlike so much of what we hear today. Though we've progressed in so many ways, the phrase, "They don't write 'em like that anymore" really does apply to the music in these clips.
In a day and age when Hollywood is rediscovering the power of the movie musical, perhaps the directors and producers, as well as cinemetographers, can look to these films as something that has endured a test of time, and was proven effective in helping the world when it was so much in need of cheering-up. Remember the old song: "Forget your troubles, c'mon get happy ... " This film collection will make even the crabbiest person smile, if for only a little while.
For more historical information on MGM, and the rise and near collapse of the studio, I recommend the series, "When the Lion Roared" --- you and your kids can learn a lot for it.