The Sound Of Music
Product ID: 66929486
The most widely seen movie produced by a Hollywood studio, The Sound of Music grows fresher with each viewing. Though it was planned meticulously in pre-production (save for the scene where Maria and the children take a dipping in an Austrian lake that nearly cost a life), on each viewing one is struck anew by the spontaneous almost improvisatory air of the acting, notably of Julie Andrews under Robert Wise's direction. There are also the little human touches he brings to, for instance, the scene where Maria leads the children to the hills, over bridges and along tow paths where the smallest boy trips up and momentarily gets left behind: it creates a feeling that most of us have encountered. From the opening pre-credit sequence of muted excitement as the camera roves over the Austrian Alps (photographed in magnificent colour), where little phrases from the wind instruments on the soundtrack are flung as if on the breeze, foreshadowing the title song to follow, the production never puts a foot wrong. Classic 1960s musical starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. Former nun Maria (Andrews) becomes the governess for a family of seven children who live in the shadow of their domineering and repressed widower father Captain Von Trapp (Plummer). Along with the required discipline Maria brings love, music and excitement into the children's lives and also eventually begins to have an effect on their father. But just when things are looking up, the rise of Nazism and the threat of the coming war darkens all their futures. The cast also includes Charmian Carr, Nicholas Hammond and Eleanor Parker. Review: The sound of life - A round of applause for Robert Wise. What a career this guy had, starting out with RKO in the 1930s and finishing in the year 2000. Along the way he directed this landmark musical, another landmark musical (West Side Story), one of the great mid-century horror movies (Scorsese favourite The Haunting), allegorical sci-fi (The Day the Earth Stood Still), hard sci-fi (The Andromeda Strain), and epic sci-fi (Star Trek: The Motion Picture). Oh yeah, and he edited Citizen Kane to boot. The year is 1938. Maria (Julie Andrews) is sent from the abbey to become the governess at the Von Trapp mansion. The Captain (Christopher Plummer, full of the charm and menace that Michael Fassbender might these days display) is struggling to cope with his seven kids, following the death of their mother. The Captain commands the children with military precision. Maria, however, immediately puts aside adult things and reminds the family of the joy of play. Meanwhile, the shadow of Nazism is crawling across the land, its vile purity threatening to destroy their... well, nice purity. You know all the songs from Rogers’ & Hammerstein’s musical, even if you’ve avoided the film for the past six decades. It’s as comfortingly dated and surprisingly dark as ever. By “dark” I’m not talking about anything gothic or brooding – but nor is Maria a mere manic pixie girl. She is life, she is love, but as the nuns point out early on, she’s a complex character, full of contradictions. She wishes to love but also she seeks love. Andrews’ performance is very external but also very subtle: when she’s pushed out of the household by the cruel Baroness (Eleanor Parker), the sense of bereftness isn’t in a song, it’s in Maria’s eyes. The Sound of Music is a film about, amongst other things, light and darkness and the power of positivity. And it dares to make a grey area of what positive forces actually are. Love, for example, isn’t presented as some divine power that transcends all boundaries: indeed, it is love that almost forces Maria away for good; and it is Liesl’s (Charmian Carr) love that almost destroys her family. Faith, too, is not enough – indeed, the one time we see her praying Maria is irreverent. But what is never in doubt is the power of goodness; of good intentions. This is the compact between the Von Trapps and their new mother, and regardless of the machinations of state, they’ll always have each other. The Captain makes an impassioned appeal to the people of Austria to feel that togetherness – but, as the Von Trapps march lonely over the mountains, we’re left with a slightly sad feeling that what’s being annihilated through the Holocaust is the possibility of a love universal. A perfect musical? As close as. The sinisterly saintly children will at times test even the cutest of viewers. Edelweiss, for all its repeated relevance, is a bit of a dud. And the tempestuous Climb Ev’ry Mountain is inertly staged. But I’m nitpicking. This is pure cinema: vast, dramatic, humorous, complex, and beautifully staged and choreographed. And it sounds just swell. You can glimpse the highlights in the trailer but there’s no substitute for watching Andrews stride into the hills and blast the clouds away. It’s enough to make you feel alive. Review: Timeless classic - Came home to find my 60-year-old husband, in a rare burst of spontaneity, had decided to revisit The Sound of Music on Prime Video. Little did I know, this classic musical would have him humming "Do-Re-Mi" in the shower & contemplating a second career as a lederhosen model. (A very scary thought, indeed.) The film's picturesque Austrian landscapes & catchy tunes transported him back to a time when his biggest worry was whether to record songs off the radio on cassette or pop down the park on his trusty chopper to meet his mates. Julie Andrews' portrayal of Maria was delightful as ever, & I found him rooting for the von Trapp family as if they were his own. (Perhaps even more so than his own family—should we be worried? 🤔) In conclusion, The Sound of Music is a timeless classic that resonates with viewers of all ages. Whether you're revisiting it after many years or experiencing it for the first time, it's a film that continues to charm & inspire.
R**Y
The sound of life
A round of applause for Robert Wise. What a career this guy had, starting out with RKO in the 1930s and finishing in the year 2000. Along the way he directed this landmark musical, another landmark musical (West Side Story), one of the great mid-century horror movies (Scorsese favourite The Haunting), allegorical sci-fi (The Day the Earth Stood Still), hard sci-fi (The Andromeda Strain), and epic sci-fi (Star Trek: The Motion Picture). Oh yeah, and he edited Citizen Kane to boot. The year is 1938. Maria (Julie Andrews) is sent from the abbey to become the governess at the Von Trapp mansion. The Captain (Christopher Plummer, full of the charm and menace that Michael Fassbender might these days display) is struggling to cope with his seven kids, following the death of their mother. The Captain commands the children with military precision. Maria, however, immediately puts aside adult things and reminds the family of the joy of play. Meanwhile, the shadow of Nazism is crawling across the land, its vile purity threatening to destroy their... well, nice purity. You know all the songs from Rogers’ & Hammerstein’s musical, even if you’ve avoided the film for the past six decades. It’s as comfortingly dated and surprisingly dark as ever. By “dark” I’m not talking about anything gothic or brooding – but nor is Maria a mere manic pixie girl. She is life, she is love, but as the nuns point out early on, she’s a complex character, full of contradictions. She wishes to love but also she seeks love. Andrews’ performance is very external but also very subtle: when she’s pushed out of the household by the cruel Baroness (Eleanor Parker), the sense of bereftness isn’t in a song, it’s in Maria’s eyes. The Sound of Music is a film about, amongst other things, light and darkness and the power of positivity. And it dares to make a grey area of what positive forces actually are. Love, for example, isn’t presented as some divine power that transcends all boundaries: indeed, it is love that almost forces Maria away for good; and it is Liesl’s (Charmian Carr) love that almost destroys her family. Faith, too, is not enough – indeed, the one time we see her praying Maria is irreverent. But what is never in doubt is the power of goodness; of good intentions. This is the compact between the Von Trapps and their new mother, and regardless of the machinations of state, they’ll always have each other. The Captain makes an impassioned appeal to the people of Austria to feel that togetherness – but, as the Von Trapps march lonely over the mountains, we’re left with a slightly sad feeling that what’s being annihilated through the Holocaust is the possibility of a love universal. A perfect musical? As close as. The sinisterly saintly children will at times test even the cutest of viewers. Edelweiss, for all its repeated relevance, is a bit of a dud. And the tempestuous Climb Ev’ry Mountain is inertly staged. But I’m nitpicking. This is pure cinema: vast, dramatic, humorous, complex, and beautifully staged and choreographed. And it sounds just swell. You can glimpse the highlights in the trailer but there’s no substitute for watching Andrews stride into the hills and blast the clouds away. It’s enough to make you feel alive.
L**S
Timeless classic
Came home to find my 60-year-old husband, in a rare burst of spontaneity, had decided to revisit The Sound of Music on Prime Video. Little did I know, this classic musical would have him humming "Do-Re-Mi" in the shower & contemplating a second career as a lederhosen model. (A very scary thought, indeed.) The film's picturesque Austrian landscapes & catchy tunes transported him back to a time when his biggest worry was whether to record songs off the radio on cassette or pop down the park on his trusty chopper to meet his mates. Julie Andrews' portrayal of Maria was delightful as ever, & I found him rooting for the von Trapp family as if they were his own. (Perhaps even more so than his own family—should we be worried? 🤔) In conclusion, The Sound of Music is a timeless classic that resonates with viewers of all ages. Whether you're revisiting it after many years or experiencing it for the first time, it's a film that continues to charm & inspire.
G**G
Great musical
Great musical
M**Y
Lovely family film
This dvd is 1st class entertainment and this was the 2nd film I saw when I was young and the 1st film was G I Blues with Elvis Presley and you can get this on Amazon at good price
B**Y
needed my fill
There has been a lack of SOM on the television recently so I succumbed to buying the disc. Arrived well packaged and having the added return to the venues that were used was an added bonus. Pleased with the purchase
M**R
Classic
This is Justin’s classic and despite being years old we all still enjoy watching it
T**K
Best 4K Pressing Ever!!!!!! The Hill's Are Indeed Alive!!!!!
Beautiful transfer and a wonderful fantastic copy. This copy and the quality would make Mr. Robert Wise very proud He is my favorite director and his film has not looked better. This is a superior pressing to the one from the United States. This has been my very most favorite film since 1965. What a beautiful gift of this film Mr. Wise gave to the world. My Highest Recommendation!!!!! A+
A**R
Watched
Love it
J**E
Un clásico que no hay que dejar pasar
Esta película es simplemente genial, hay que tenerla en la colección
S**Z
much to my delight, it was actually a 'region free" English steelbook ...
Just received and watched this 2-disk steelbook. While it was advertised as region 2/B Italian version, in reality, much to my delight, it was actually a 'region free" English steelbook that was essentially identical to my own region 1/A [North American] "collectors edition" housed in a plastic case. (I'm upgrading movie library from those housed in cheap plastic cases to those contained in more attractive, and sturdy, steelbook cases.) This popular classical romantic musical deserves its 5-star rating. And quality of Blu-ray disk reproduction is superb as well. As an aside, steelbook arrived in record time from the UK supplier (one week), another pleasant surprise!
S**W
Great gift for my Daughter
This is a Birthday gift for my daughter and I know she will love it.
R**O
Un classico
Si tratta di un classico intramontabile. Adatto a tutti. Da vedere in famiglia.
S**E
Family entertainment
Classic film. Great story and great music.
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