Search - The Making of "Miss Saigon" on DVD

The Original Miss Saigon

Manuel Pubillones | Florida | 01/22/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Almost two decades after the creation of Miss Saigon, the DVD version is finally released. Well, it was worth the wait... Just like the VHS, this is a documentary on THE MAKING OF, and does not include much footage from any of the productions.

Actually a behind the scenes look at one of the best musicals. Starts when the producers are searching for the lead singer Kim; the Vietnamese girl. Auditions were conducted in New York, later In Hawaii and finally in the Philippines where Lea Salonga (Kim) and Monique Wilson (Mimi) were selected. Scenes of the staging, coreography and rehearsals have been included which do not contribute much to the documentary.

Fortunately, there are some scenes that make this production very valuable including the earliest rehearsals of Salonga, Wilson and Jonathan Price (who played then the Franco-Vietnamese engineer). Some songs vary considerably from the Broadway production. As well, this documentary includes scenes that never made it to Broadway and others with different lyrics; the originals.

A few minutes (too few perhaps) are dedicated to actual footage of the original London production ending with The Fall of Saigon (with an helicopter on stage) and The American Dream (platinum hair girls and the twenty foot long Chevy). Overall this is an excellent production with good quality of video but poor audio. Nevertheless, is highly recommended to every fan of Miss Saigon."

Someone Please Do Justice to "Miss Saigon"

Chess Master | Columbus, Ohio | 06/17/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"As some of the reviewers below have pointed out, this DVD is primarly about the auditions for Miss Saigon, and in that sense it is merely a "tease" for those of us craving to see the actual musical on DVD. And while it is exciting to see Lea Salonga audtion and be selected for the lead role, it is overall a very disappointing DVD because of what it is not. I cannot understand why Miss Saigon, one of the greatest musicals ever, has never been filmed for DVD release. Perhaps if the recent DVD release of the musical Chess (another fantastic musical) with Josh Groban is successful, someone will release this outstanding musical for the enjoyment of generations to come."

The Process of Producing a Hit

Angelito C. Diego | 01/18/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The documentary itself was very informative and it's interesting to me how a production materializes. I just wished they would've added interviews of principal cast members, producers, writers and director since the DVD was produced some ten years or so later. Otherwise, it was still interesting to me."

Miss Saigon

David A. Rex Ltc | Katy TX USA | 01/11/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a DVD for fans of the Broadway show Miss Saigon and/or folks who are curious about the process."