CD-Charts Position 121
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Carmen Jones

CD-Charts > Music > Musicals
by: Original Soundtrack

Release Date October 08, 2007
I loved this forty years ago when I wasn't even into double figures and still do now as I approach fifty. Back then it was the centre two songs - "beat out a rhythmn on a drum", and "stand up and fight" that really drew me to my Dad's vinyl album. To me they are still the high points of the soundtrack but I have now embraced the others (though I am still somewhat cool towards the ending - still too immature emotionally to appreciate it I guess).
These are songs that will get inside your head and keep playing there until you need to listen to the CD again and again and again.
Even better once you have the pictures from the film in your head too.

CD-Charts Position 122
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Footloose

CD-Charts > Music > Musicals
by: Original Cast Recording

Release Date December 06, 1999
I saw a live performance of this in the UK and immediately fell in love with it. I managed to obtain a sampler with four of the tracks from this on but it still wasn't enough! Footloose, the stage musical, was adapted from the film Footloose, the film. The film was based on the true story of the small town of Elmore City, Oklahoma. Every since the founding of the town (1861)holding public dances had been illegal (no one knew why). Then the students of Elmore City High School wanted to hold a public dance and found themselves up against the church elders. Footloose is a slightly exaggerated retelling of this story. Its a classic story of a stranger coming to a town and changing everyone's lives forever. Its a fantastic story of misunderstanding, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 123
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Barnum [1986] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

CD-Charts > Music > Musicals
starring: Michael Crawford, Eileen Battye, Michael Heath, Christina Collier, Sharon Benson
directed by: Peter Coe, Terry Hughes

Release Date February 27, 2001
For anyone who is hesitant about ordering this DVD because it is Region One fear not- it is actually region free. The picture and sound quality are TV broadcast standard and Michael Crawford's performance is superb.

CD-Charts Position 124
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Lopez - Avenue Q

CD-Charts > Music > Musicals
by: Original Broadway Cast Recording

Release Date November 10, 2003
Avenue Q is Really Funny, Some Crude and Aduit Nature lyrics, Love it, Saw it in London West End at Noel Coward Theature in 2008, Just Brillant, Different musicial, A Must See Production

CD-Charts Position 125
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The Likes Of Us

CD-Charts > Music > Musicals
by: Andrew Lloyd Webber

Release Date November 07, 2005
This is a great addition to the Lloyd Webber catalogue and deserves to be on the shelf of any Muscials fan. It's easy to see why it never made it to the stage when it was written - why would the West End need another 'Oliver'-esque musical. But forty years later it sounds fresh and is a real pleasure to listen to. Unlike the aformentioned 'Oliver' the piece is generally one of pleasure and there are few moments of sadness, and the songs are quite spirited! The title song is melancholic but never does it stir the same deep emotions that you get when listening (or watching) Oliver, but saying that, the ensemble pieces are fun and evoke the same satisfaction as the company numbers in 'Oliver'.

Anyway, 'Oliver' aside, the music is more reminiscent of ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 126
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Bernstein - West Side Story: film soundtrack

CD-Charts > Music > Musicals
from: Sony Classical

Release Date August 21, 1995
There are a few minor complaints about this soundtrack. Why on earth didn't they dub the Sharks in the Quintet? Some of their notes are quite flat and the Jets also go wrong in this song. Why did no one notice?
Beautiful vocals from Marni Nixon and Jim Bryant (dubbing Natalie Wood & Richard Beymer) but the info on the CD isn't correct about Anita's vocals.
They are all credited as being sung by Betty Wand but that isn't the case. Wand dubs "A Boy Like That", Rita Moreno sings her own in "America" and the "Quintet" is Moreno until the counterpoint section when Marni Nixon takes over to sing the high notes (singing both Anita & Maria's vocals). It also fails to mention that it is Tucker Smith who sings the opening of "The Jet Song" and not Russ Tamblyn. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 127
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Bernstein - West Side Story

CD-Charts > Music > Musicals
from: Sony Classical

Release Date October 05, 1998
Bernstein wrote himself into the annals of musical history with the score which he composed for West Side Story, a nineteen fifties version of Romeo and Juliet, and Stephen Sondheim did it justice with the terrific lyrics he wrote which made the music soar even higher. This a musical which has entered the popular consciousness with good reason. Who hasn't heard the beauty and poetry of "Maria", the expectant poignancy of "Tonight", or the eternally hopeful "Somewhere" and not been touched, especially when sung, as they are here, by Jim Bryant and Marnie Nixon? There is also the upbeat "America" and "I Feel Pretty" which are ensemble songs geared to showcase Jerome Robbins' choreography to perfection.This is a magnificent CD which should be a part of any collection, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 128
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Girl Happy [1965] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

CD-Charts > Music > Musicals
starring: Elvis Presley, Shelley Fabares, Harold J. Stone, Gary Crosby, Joby Baker
directed by: Boris Sagal

Release Date August 07, 2007
Elvis movies. They're that strange breed of film that however poor the finished product, they still have the potential to be enjoyable. Most of the films that Elvis made are poorly acted and scripted, and if judged by most benchmarks that film buffs use to evaluate movies, can easily be ripped apart and dismissed as cheaply made garbage. This is exacerbated by the fact that in the sixties, Elvis was working flat out churning out these musicals for the big screen faster than a chicken lays eggs.

Despite this though, there is a small group of films that Elvis made that are hugely enjoyable, more than the sum of their parts if you like, and this is one of them. I rate this as a 5 star effort, my favourite of the King's movies, and one slight step ahead of Blue Hawaii. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 129
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Fiddler On the Roof - Original Film Soundtrack

CD-Charts > Music > Musicals
from: EMI

Release Date September 01, 1994
From time to time I need to select cds to get through a boring time. This one is a regular and I never seem to tire of it.

CD-Charts Position 130
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Complete Beyond the Fringe

CD-Charts > Music > Musicals
by: Cook, Miller Bennett

Release Date October 21, 1996
This album is the definite recording of the complete 'Beyond the Fringe', as well as including various extra bits from the American version. The sound quality is what you'd expect from a live recording, but is mainly excellent.
This is British comedy at it's best, and is a must-have buy for anyone with an interest in satire, British humour, or just laughing themselves silly!