Search - The Sound of Music [Special Edition] on DVD

MPAA Rating: G Content Advisory: Child Classic, Excellent For Children Movie Release: 1965 DVD Release: 08/29/2000 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Special Collection Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 2 Number of Discs: 2 Run Time: 2 hrs 55 mins Studio: 20th Century Fox Members Wishing: 91 Genres: Musical, Children's/Family, Musical Drama, Musical Romance See Also: The Sound of Music [Fullscreen], The Sound of Music [Widescreen], The Sound of Music [40th Anniversary Collector's Edition]

One of the most popular movie musicals of all time, The Sound of Music is based on the true story of the Trapp Family Singers. Julie Andrews stars as Maria, a young nun in an Austrian convent who regularly misses her morning prayers because she enjoys going to the hills to sing the title song. Deciding that Maria needs to learn something about the real world before she can take her vows, the Mother Superior (Peggy Wood) sends her off to be governess for the children of the widowed Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer). Arriving at the Trapp home, Maria discovers that her new boss is cold and aloof, and his seven children virtual automatons-at least, whenever the Captain is around. Otherwise, the kids are holy terrors, as evidenced by the fact that Maria is the latest in a long line of governesses. But Maria soon ingratiates herself with the children, especially oldest daughter Liesl (Charmian Carr), who is in love with teenaged messenger boy Rolf. As Maria herself begins to fall in love with the Captain, she rushes back to the Abbey so as not to complicate his impending marriage to a glamorous baroness (Eleanor Parker). But the children insist that Maria return, the Baroness steps out of the picture, and Maria and the Captain confirm their love in the song "Something Good." Unhappily, they return home from their honeymoon shortly after the Nazis march into Austria. Already, swastikas have been hung on the Von Trapp ancestral home, and Liesl's boyfriend Rolf has been indoctrinated in the "glories" of the Third Reich. The biggest blow occurs when Von Trapp is called back to active duty in the service of the Fuhrer. The Captain wants nothing to do with Nazism, and he begins making plans to take himself and his family out of Austria. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Julie Andrews - Maria von Trapp
Christopher Plummer - Captain Von Trapp
Eleanor Parker - The Baroness
Richard Haydn - Max Detweiler
Peggy Wood - Mother Abbess

Along with A Star Is Born, Robert Wise's 1965 classic The Sound of Music is one of the prime examples of a timeless musical that has been translated into an excellent DVD. Indeed, this double-disc set is one of the best packages available for any genre, offering a widescreen, anamorphic 2.20:1 transfer, Dolby Digital 4.0 and Surround Sound Audio, two documentaries, interviews, games, web links, art galleries, and a wide array of trailers and promotional spots. Disc one features Wise's engaging commentary and links to fan sites for The Sound of Music, while disc two traces the history, production, and promotion of the film. The 14-minute 1965 documentary "Salzburg Sight and Sound" provides insight into the film's setting and features narration by Charmian Carr (Liesl), while the lengthier 1995 film "The Sound of Music: From Fact to Phenomenon" includes pictures of and information about the real-life Maria, as well as interviews with the principal cast members and scenes from Die Trapp-Familie, the 1956 German film that inspired the musical. On its own, "The Sound of Music: From Fact to Phenomenon" contains more information about the film than all of the extra features on most DVDs. But the audio supplement with screenwriter Ernest Lehman, the storyboards, sketches, promotional stills, theatrical trailers, and TV and radio commercials added to all of the other features make The Sound of Music a thoroughly impressive and entertaining DVD package. Though much of the bonus material was also collected on the 30th anniversary laserdisc, this set is a necessity for film and musical buffs looking to add one of the best musicals on DVD to their collection. ~ Heather Phares, All Movie Guide