Chess in Concert
by Hugh Wooldridge
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Adam Pascal, David Bedella, Idina Menzel, Josh GrobanDirector: Hugh Wooldridge
Brand: WEA DES Moines Video
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 145 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-06-16
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Reprise Records
Movie Reviews of Chess in Concert
Movie Review: Magnificent, Stunning
Summary: 5 Stars
The 2008 production of "Chess in Concert" is a masterpiece in my view. Moreover, it contains my favorite score of music ever composed for the stage. For someone like me who loved the original production back in 1984, it's like an old friend coming back to life. No, we don't have the sexy little blonde, Elaine Paige, to hit all the high notes with ease but we have a lot of other things.
Anyone who views the storyline of "Chess" as trivial is simply wrong. I remember back in 1972, when Bobby Fischer beat the Russians and the chess world was sent tumbling. Even a person with no interest in chess could sense how the Soviet mystique was shattered.
16 years later, the USSR collapsed and the West had won the cold war. Bobby Fischer may have flipped out later on and embarrassed himself but he did his part in helping mankind survive. In January, 2008, he died in Reykjavik, Iceland, the place where he won his world title. Rest in peace, Bobby.
Back on "Chess in Concert," Tim Rice says "after 25 years we may finally be getting it right." My wife and I agree. What Sir Tim and his collaborators have given us are 2 ½ hours of one great song after another, joined to a now-coherent story, and beautiful visual effects. It all builds to a stirring conclusion that surpassed all our expectations.
The show has everything--drama, humor, dance, visuals, music, and some of the best lyrics anywhere. If critics continue to say that it's too cerebral that's their problem. I think I know when something's good and this is very good indeed.
Which songs do we love most? Are they the lively ones, like "One Night in Bangkok?" "The Arbiter?" Or, the playful witty pieces like "Merano?" "The Diplomats Lament?" "The Merchandisers?" "A Model of Decorum and Tranquility?"
Then what about the moving ballads? "Where I Want to Be?" "Heaven Help My Heart?" "Anatoly's Anthem?" "I Know Him So Well?" "Someone Else's Story?" "You and I?"
Even the rough-edged numbers like, "Nobody's Side," "Difficult and Dangerous Times," and "Pity the Child" are dramatic and memorable. Pick a favorite or high point? You make the call. I certainly can't. There's so much here that the uninitiated might want to view Act 1 the first night and save Act 2 for another time.
Comparing this cast and performances to those of 25 years ago is not easy. There still is a lot to recommend the 1984 cast and staging. Nevertheless, the new version has Josh Groban; he is a marvel in his role as Anatoly, the defecting Russian. The range and power of Josh's voice are well-suited to his part.
Did Idina Menzel make us forget Elaine Paige? Maybe not. But Idina has a big voice, too, and fine stage presence. To me, she holds her own in the comparison. My wife and I see the role of Florence as key to the whole show. Idina carries it off beautifully.
Well into Act 2, Kerry Ellis appears as Anatoly's estranged wife Svetlana and almost steals the show. Her rendition of "Someone Else's Story" is as moving a song on lost love as we've ever heard. Later on, Kerry sings a duet with Idina in "I Know Him So Well." Would someone help me to my feet?
There are several other cast members worthy of note, including Adam Pascal as Freddie, the American champion; Clarke Peters as Walter, the West's impressario; David Bedella, as Molokov, the Russian head man; and Marti Fellow, as the Arbiter. They all turn in fine performances.
We also have the western diplomats, the marvelous dancers, the 50-piece orchestra, and the 100-person choir. Masterful coordination is done by the director, Hugh Wooldridge and David Firman, the conductor. Yes, Sir Tim, you've got it right.
At 2 hours and 15 minutes into the program, my wife and I were exhausted. (Who knows how the cast was able to keep going?) I couldn't imagine musical theater getting any better. But then the finale came with Josh and Idina singing "You and I" at the top of their lungs while holding hands. Wow, is all I can say.
To our surprise, PBS did a broadcast of "Chess in Concert" the day before the DVD was released. For those who might have recorded the program off TVa question might be why buy the DVD? Answers include widescreen format and the ease of a) adding Subtitles, b) invoking SurroundSound, c) navigating to favorite songs, and d) reading end credits.
Video transfer of this DVD concert is impeccable. Nevertheless, more "making of" interviews and features would be nice. Maybe those will come with a Collector's Edition? If so, we might hear from the Swedish geniuses, Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. Without them there'd be no ABBA music, no "Mamma Mia," and no "Chess in Concert."
Is "Chess in Concert" perfect? No. Why Sir Tim Rice would throw in an "F--- You," from the American to the Russian toward the end was vulgar and out-of-place. But I'm giving this work five (5) stars for all its grand design, innumerable classic songs, choral and instrumental accompaniment, choreography, and stunning visual effects. At twice its current price, this DVD is a real bargain.
Summary of Chess in Concert
Starring multiplatinum artist Josh Groban, Tony-winning Idina Menzel (Wicked) and Tony nominated Adam Pascal (RENT), Chess In Concert revives the eclectic yet wonderfully pop 1984 concept album featuring the music of ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson and lyrics of Tim Rice (Jesus Christ Superstar, The Lion King, Evita). Recorded at London's Royal Albert Hall in May 2008, this spectacular Chess In Concert - introduced by Rice and with the 50- piece City of London Philharmonic and 100-voice West End Chorus - finally fulfills the promise of the popular cult musical.Similar DVD Movies
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