Sinatra - The Classic Duets
by David Leaf, John Scheinfeld
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davis Jr.Director: David Leaf, John Scheinfeld
Producer: David Leaf
Writer: David Leaf
Producer: John Scheinfeld
Writer: John Scheinfeld
Editor: Peter S. Lynch II
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Black & White, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 62 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-06-10
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Arts Alliance Amer
Movie Reviews of Sinatra - The Classic Duets
Movie Review: "If My Lips Should Meet...With Frank Sinatra"
Summary: 5 Stars
For those who've enjoyed listening to Frank's two duet cds in '93 and '94, I must say, for sheer all-time star power and for the sense of fun invoked, SINATRA: THE CLASSIC DUETS is an even better compilation. At just a little over an hour in feature length, this dvd offering has almost no fat on it and I actually zipped thru it twice on the same night. All the duets are gleaned from Frank Sinatra's television shows between 1957 and 1960 and either paired Frank with bonafide big names in the biz or are landmark moments (or both). In 17 musical duets on this dvd, Frank's love of music and his respect, deference (of Ella Fitzgerald, in particular) and admiration for his friends and colleagues shine clear through. Every time he's onscreen with his guests, he seems to be revelling in the moment and having a grand time.
In this disc, you can check out the momentous meeting between past and present singing heartthrobs as Frank sings with Elvis Presley ("Love Me Tender" & "Witchcraft"), as well as a delightful sequence with Frank and a mob of kids as they have fun with "High Hopes," a number wherein you can see just how fond Ol' Blue Eyes is of the rugrats. Speaking of kids, he's here on stage with his daughter Nancy, who, at that time, was engaged to Tommy Sands. Ergo, Frank's rewording of the song "You Make Me Feel So Young" to "You Make Me Feel So Old."
Frank Sinatra is universally celebrated for his phrasing, for the singular way he interprets and personalizes a song. Here, he partners with several artists who are also well known for their phrasing. Frank rhapsodizes with jazz greats Ella Fitzgerald ("Moonlight in Vermont" & the fun "Can't We Be Friends"), Louis Armstrong ("The Birth of theBlues"), and Lena Horne (medley). He gets with Bing Crosby for two songs ("Together Wherever We Go," along with Dino, & "September Song"). My favorite number, though, is Frank and Dinah Shore's breezy rendering of a medley of standards. I get a kick out of how, as they both bob and sway to the tunes, Frank kept cracking Dinah up with wiseacre comments while she was in mid-song ("It's a switchblade!"). There's a fun, vibrant chemistry between these two singers and you can sense the great friendship there. Also highly entertaining is Frank and Dino at the bar as they mess around with another medley while sharing a cigarette stub.
Now the gripes: to be honest, I've never liked Ethel Merman so, not too surprisingly, the "You're the Top" number left me cold. It also sucks that the number with Louis Prima & Keely Smith is so truncated. I love Prima and Keely Smith and the spontaneous and vigorous way they went after a song. Their Vegas stints were legendary for their off the cuff pizzazz, raucousness, and for the cool jet-set audience who made their shows the hot spot to be. So, it's a shame that they didn't get more camera time here. Plus, it would've been great to see more of Frank's hip playfulness unleashed in this wild team-up. Oh, well...
While the commentaries which take place in between the duets by Sinatra's kids do tend to be repetitive, there are still enough funny and interesting behind-the-scenes anecdotes told about their dad. Check out the bonus features which expand on several of these commentaries. The bonus features also have further comments by the Sinatra offsprings. But the best part of the extras showcases several sequences of Frank engaging in playful conversations with his co-stars. Particularly humorous are his introductory moments with Bing, Dino, and the Hi-lo's.
SINATRA: THE CLASSIC DUETS is very much deserving of gracing a music lover's shelf collection. And for fans of Frank Sinatra, this unveils a glimpse of not only a more relaxed Sinatra and the hip swagger and swinging personality he developed in the mid-fifties, but also presents a cast of wondrous co-stars who will always be deemed giants in the universe of music. And, of course, the singing doesn't exactly suck. So this one's a four and a half starrer; I definitely recommend it for anyone's viewing pleasure, with or without a martini in hand.
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