CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

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The Gang's All Here

starring: Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda, Benny Goodman
directed by: Busby Berkeley

Release Date February 26, 2007
The only problem with The Gangs All Here is the plot. It keeps getting in the way of the production numbers. Busby Berkeley manages to shoehorn four major numbers in the just the first 30 minutes, and he doesn't let up much after that. These numbers include everything Busby Berkeley could think of, from Benny Goodman swinging "Minnie's in the Money" to Alice Faye singing "No Love, No Nothin'" to some bizarre extravaganzas featuring lots of thighs, bananas and Carmen Miranda. You'll want to hit the fast forward button at regular intervals to get past the dull parts between them. The story is corny, the romantic misunderstanding is...yawn... and the acting is often weak (James Ellison as the male lead) or prissily unfunny (Edward Everett Horton). ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

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The Last Performance of Benny Goodman at the Tivoli in Sweden

starring: Benny Goodman

Release Date July 12, 2004
The information on the sleeve is somewhat limited and not quite relevant to this DVD, but the contents and music are just great. For those who are interested in the location of the concert it takes place in a small jazzclub called "Jazzhus Slukefter" in Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, in 1981- (and it's not in "Tivoli, Sweden", as indicated by Amazon).
As mentioned in another Amazon review the first "improvisation" is "After you've gone", and it's a joy to listen to Benny Goodman interplaying with violinist Svend Asmussen.
Later the fine trumpetplayer Jimmy Maxwell joins in a fiery version of "Airmail Special", and it's amazing to hear the drive that Goodman is still able to perform in his solos.
(During the same stay in 1981 Benny ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

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Make Mine Music [1946] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

starring: Nelson Eddy, Dinah Shore, Benny Goodman, The Andrews Sisters, Jerry Colonna
directed by: Bob Cormack, Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, Jack Kinney, Joshua Meador

Release Date June 06, 2000
Like reviewer “Lenfran” I saw this as a child when it was first released and agree with everything he says in “Make mine day” and will just add a few comments.

Apparently due to a misguided sense of political correctness or whatever the lively and tuneful “Martins and the Coys” (great fun about feuding hill billy families) has been omitted, why? I saw the unexpurgated version and suffered no ill effects whatsoever.

Some of the sequences are truly beautiful, “Blue Bayou” with its wonderful subtle palette of blue is the most sophisticated animation I think I have ever seen, with “Two Silhouettes” close behind, but this is not a true cartoon as the dancers are live (Riabouchinska ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

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Lights, Camera, Action [2005]

starring: Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton, Peggy Lee

Release Date March 07, 2005
Like reviewer “Lenfran” I saw this as a child when it was first released and agree with everything he says in “Make mine day” and will just add a few comments.

Apparently due to a misguided sense of political correctness or whatever the lively and tuneful “Martins and the Coys” (great fun about feuding hill billy families) has been omitted, why? I saw the unexpurgated version and suffered no ill effects whatsoever.

Some of the sequences are truly beautiful, “Blue Bayou” with its wonderful subtle palette of blue is the most sophisticated animation I think I have ever seen, with “Two Silhouettes” close behind, but this is not a true cartoon as the dancers are live (Riabouchinska ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

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Hollywood Hotel [1937] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

starring: Eddie Acuff, Don Barclay, Benny Goodman, Curt Bois, William B. Davidson

Release Date September 16, 2008
It may be that Hollywood has made a musical with a more energetic, dynamic opening than Hollywood Hotel, but I haven't come across it. Right off the bat there's Benny Goodman and his orchestra, all dressed in white suits, each standing in a convertible, all being driven down a highway led by motorcycle cops to the St. Louis airport, and all playing loud and fast one of Richard Whiting's and Johnny Mercer's greatest songs. They're sending off to Hollywood the orchestra's saxophonist, Ronnie Bowers (Dick Powell), who has just won a ten-week contract in Tinsel Town. Without skipping a beat, Johnnie Davis, a mug-faced trumpet player, starts singing the lyrics, then Frances Langford picks up a chorus or two.

Hooray for Hollywood!
That screwy, ballyhooey ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

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Stage Door Canteen [1943]

starring: Judith Anderson, Henry Armetta, Tallulah Bankhead, Ralph Bellamy, Benny Goodman

Release Date October 29, 2005
It may be that Hollywood has made a musical with a more energetic, dynamic opening than Hollywood Hotel, but I haven't come across it. Right off the bat there's Benny Goodman and his orchestra, all dressed in white suits, each standing in a convertible, all being driven down a highway led by motorcycle cops to the St. Louis airport, and all playing loud and fast one of Richard Whiting's and Johnny Mercer's greatest songs. They're sending off to Hollywood the orchestra's saxophonist, Ronnie Bowers (Dick Powell), who has just won a ten-week contract in Tinsel Town. Without skipping a beat, Johnnie Davis, a mug-faced trumpet player, starts singing the lyrics, then Frances Langford picks up a chorus or two.

Hooray for Hollywood!
That screwy, ballyhooey ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

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A SONG IS BORN

starring: DANNY KAYE, VIRGINIA MAYO, BENNY GOODMAN, TOMMY DORSEY, LIONEL HAMPTON
directed by: HOWARD HAWKES

Release Date
It may be that Hollywood has made a musical with a more energetic, dynamic opening than Hollywood Hotel, but I haven't come across it. Right off the bat there's Benny Goodman and his orchestra, all dressed in white suits, each standing in a convertible, all being driven down a highway led by motorcycle cops to the St. Louis airport, and all playing loud and fast one of Richard Whiting's and Johnny Mercer's greatest songs. They're sending off to Hollywood the orchestra's saxophonist, Ronnie Bowers (Dick Powell), who has just won a ten-week contract in Tinsel Town. Without skipping a beat, Johnnie Davis, a mug-faced trumpet player, starts singing the lyrics, then Frances Langford picks up a chorus or two.

Hooray for Hollywood!
That screwy, ballyhooey ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

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Benny Goodman: Adventures in the Kingdom of Swing [1993] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

starring: Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald, Lionel Hampton, Harry James
directed by: Oren Jacoby

Release Date November 07, 2000
I love biopics and so I when I requested for Xmas 'The Benny Goodman Story' I expected to see Steve Allen and Donna Reed.I was disappointed to receive this documentary instead but that was before I watched it. It's a fascinating account of the great man's life and music with wonderful illustrations of a range of Big Band greats and famous performances. It's recommended for all fans of swing music and American musical history. I've enjoyed it about 10 times already.

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

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Stravinsky - Works (Cbc So) [1965]

starring: Benny Goodman, Pope John Paul II, Igor Stravinsky
directed by: Wolf Koenig, Roman Kroitor, Roman Kroiter

Release Date July 12, 2004
I love biopics and so I when I requested for Xmas 'The Benny Goodman Story' I expected to see Steve Allen and Donna Reed.I was disappointed to receive this documentary instead but that was before I watched it. It's a fascinating account of the great man's life and music with wonderful illustrations of a range of Big Band greats and famous performances. It's recommended for all fans of swing music and American musical history. I've enjoyed it about 10 times already.

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

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Benny Goodman - Adventures In The Kingdom Of Swing [1993]

starring: Benny Goodman

Release Date July 14, 1997
An excellent resume of Goodman's career and influence. Not only does the video indicate his significance in the world of Jazz, but it also provides a social history of the US during his lifetime. A highly recommended and well made documentary on the King of Swing.