Search - A Star Is Born on DVD

The Film That Almost Got Away !

Jack F. Perin | NYC | 07/24/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This Blu-ray restoration of this classic Judy Garland movie belongs in every DVD library. The restored (sepia) scenes that were cut from the original print add to the storyline and make it the movie that it should always have been. Garland does her best singing and acting on film and James Mason must have been her mentor. The sound quality of the musical numbers from the dingy nightclub trio of the "Man That Got Away"to the big production number "Born in A Trunk" are a joy to be heard. The accompanying book with the disc is a terrific momento to the making of "A Star Is Born" and Miss Garland's career. A special features DVD on the making of this movie is also included to complete this collector's treasure."

Great Classic Restoration on Blu-Ray

Anton Beat Riess | Buch, CH Switzerland | 09/03/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When you thought the 2-Disc DVD is great....now on bluRay it looks amazing. It looks like filmed yesterday!!!

The Blu-Ray by Warner Bros/MGM is Codefree, but contains not a german soundtrack.

The Bonus-materials are very interesting.

Trivia:

The film was re-edited several times. Premiering at 181 minutes, the studio (Warner Bros.) cut the film by 30 minutes despite the objections of director George Cukor and producer Sidney Luft (Judy Garland's husband). In 1983, all but 5 minutes of the cut footage was found and re-instated, but some footage had to be reconstructed using production stills.

Average Shot Length (ASL) = 16 seconds

Humphrey Bogart (one of the possible candidates for the role of Norman Maine) can be heard as the voice of the drunk requesting "Melancholy Baby" in the café

Early tests were made using WarnerScope (Warner's own wide screen format) and WarnerColor. Both were judged to be unsatisfactory. The film was shot in CinemaScope (licensed from Fox) and Technicolor.

In the scene after the movie premiere, Matt Libby is at a party where he passes a man and says, "Hey, Ray! Great score, the best!" The man is Ray Heindorf, musical director for this film.

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Please more classic releases like this one"

A Star is Reborn

R. D. McDermott | Levittown, NY USA | 08/09/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Loved it - Judy at her acting best. She looks a little matronly in some shots so you have to suspend your belief that she was just a kid on the verge or stardom, but she and Mason made it work. The extras on the Blu-ray were great, especially juxtaposing several outtakes of "Man That Got Away" at the same time, all with her lip-synching to the exact same pre-recording. Good job, WB!"

A Star Is Re-Born on Blu-ray

Bruce Aguilar | Hollywood, CA | 08/04/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's the story of a rising Hollywood star and a fading one. It's the story of a real-world woman battling with her daemons. It's a peek inside the magic and politics of 1950's Hollywood. It's told with supreme craft and excellence. It's a classic that can't be missed. And you've never seen it as dazzling, colorful and crisp as on this Blu-ray release.

A Star Is Born can't be missed by anyone interested in the heights that film can achieve. As an added bonus to this Blu-ray release, the second disc is chock full of vintage audio and video from the film's initial release. Comparisons of alternate takes, a 30 minute premiere special, speeches, interviews, all from 1954. Watching it all is like being transported back in time. It's a fabulous time capsule. My only quibble is that there is no historical commentary placing the film in context and exploring it's many layers. The 40 page book touches on some of these aspects, but I wish more time would have been devoted to them on the disc itself.

But the real highlight here is the film itself and it's shining star, Judy Garland. Fans won't be disappointed."