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The Judy Garland Collection (The Judy Garland, Robert Goulet & Phil Silvers Special / Live at the London Palladium with Liza Minnelli / The Concert Years / Judy, Frank & Dean Once in a Lifetime)
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DVD Cover InformationActor: Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli Brand: Kultur DVD: Region Code 1 Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language) Format: Black & White, Box set, Color, DVD, NTSC Picture Format: 1.33:1 Running Time: 270 minutes DVD Release Date: 2002-11-19 Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Studio: White Star
Movie Reviews of The Judy Garland Collection (The Judy Garland, Robert Goulet & Phil Silvers Special / Live at the London Palladium with Liza Minnelli / The Concert Years / Judy, Frank & Dean Once in a Lifetime)Movie Review: 4-Disc Set Captures The Legend That Was (And Still Is) Judy! Summary: 5 Stars
"The Judy Garland Collection" (marketed by "Kultur Video") is a 4-Pack DVD set, with each disc featuring one program/concert starring the incomparable Judy Garland. Miss Garland can belt out a tune like no one else before or since. And she's in fine voice during these four programs featured in this boxed set.
The video quality on these discs certainly isn't going to win any prizes; but it's not TOO terribly bad either. Maybe a tad better than you'd find on a VHS tape. Obviously, no major re-mastering or restoration process was undertaken for these DVD transfers here. However, it's nevertheless still nice to be able to have these "Classic Judy" programs on Digital Disc.
Programs included in this collectible DVD set (all presented in their original Full-Frame TV ratio of 1.33:1)
>> "Judy Garland: The Concert Years" (Color and B&W; 1 hr., 26 min.) --- This biography-like program, hosted by Judy's daughter Lorna Luft, presents many film clips of Judy "in action" on stage. Guest-star interviews also dot this touching tribute to Judy.
>> "Judy Garland: LIVE At The London Palladium With Liza Minnelli" (B&W; 54 minutes) --- This is a great, great concert (one of my faves). It was filmed in November of 1964, with an 18-year-old Liza Minnelli (an up-and-coming star in her own right) holding her own with her famed mom on stage in London. You can really tell that mother and daughter are having a blast as they sing and dance together here. Unfortunately, picture quality for this program is not real good. But even though it lacks a sharp, detailed picture, this disc is nevertheless still a must-have for any collector of Miss Garland's concert material.
Judy and Liza's "curtain call" at the end of this fun-filled hour elicits a spine-tingling (and nearly deafening) roar of approval from the Palladium crowd that will very nearly bring a tear to your eye. This concert is pure "Magic" from start to wonderful finish.
NOTE: The actual title of this program (altered slightly for this DVD release) is: "Judy And Liza At The Palladium".
>> "Judy, Frank And Dean: Once In A Lifetime" (Color; 51 minutes) --- I was kind of surprised to see this program presented in "color". The trio of legendary singers had never performed together before this "once in a lifetime" get-together, which aired on network TV on February 25, 1962. Judy looks a bit different here (her looks would often change during her career), but she sounds fantastic.
The color on this program is a tad dull. Evidently this show was originally shot in B&W; but was "colorized" for the video release. This is a darn good program, one that captured the fancy of many viewers during its original 1962 television airing -- so much so that it was nominated for FOUR Emmy Awards.
NOTE: Some interesting "Title Trivia" concerning this "Judy, Frank, and Dean" special -- The original title of this TV special was: "The Judy Garland Show" (not to be confused with Judy's other "series" with the very same title, which came a year later). Another alternate (home video) title for this concert program is: "Judy, Frank And Dean: The Legendary Concert". And this special had still *another* name as well before airing, being called "Miss Show Business" for a time before the moniker was changed to simply "The Judy Garland Show".
>> "Judy Garland, Robert Goulet & Phil Silvers Special" (B&W; 51 minutes) --- This TV Special from early 1963, with Judy kicking up her heels on stage with Mr. Goulet and Mr. Silvers, was instrumental in launching Judy's very own CBS-TV series in the fall of '63 ("The Judy Garland Show") -- a series that was sadly way too short-lived, surviving just one season and spanning 26 memorable shows with Judy and her array of guest stars.
NOTE: This program's original title is: "Judy Garland And Her Guests, Phil Silvers And Robert Goulet".
Two of the discs have bonus programs attached. .... The famous "Gala Hollywood Movie Premiere" of Judy's 1954 film "A Star Is Born" is presented as an extra bonus on "The Concert Years" DVD. Watch as dozens of top movie stars of the era file past the TV cameras and into the "Pantages Theatre" for the debut of Judy's triumphal "comeback" motion picture on September 29, 1954. Judy herself makes an on-camera appearance near the end of this enthralling 31-minute star-laden program.
The other bonus (on the "Goulet/Silvers" disc) is a 26-minute segment from an episode of Judy's TV series, in which Ken Murray appears and shows many of his "Home Movies of the Movie Stars". Video quality for this bonus is a notch or two above what we find on the rest of these discs.
Each of these discs also contains some "text" extras -- "Biography" and "Filmography" sections spotlighting Judy Garland. (The text is the same throughout the set of DVDs. However, different pictures of Judy are used within each disc's text areas.)
I'm very pleased with the packaging for this DVD collection (although the outer slipcase is a bit flimsy -- but still adequate enough). Each single-sided disc gets its own Keep Case package, complete with a colorful "Chapter Selections" insert. I also feel the need to praise the impressive work done on the "disc art" here. The labels on these four discs literally glisten. The artwork on each disc is smooth-as-glass to the touch. Very nicely done! It looks "classy".
Diminutive in physical stature (at a mere 4-feet, 11.5-inches), but certainly not short on talent by any sane person's yardstick, Judy Garland wowed audiences with her incredible voice (and underrated acting ability) for more than forty years. Taken from us at much, much too early an age (47) when she passed away in England on June 22, 1969, her legacy remains as strong as ever. And DVD compilations like this nice one will only aid in keeping our memories of her strong and vivid for many generations to come.
Summary of The Judy Garland Collection (The Judy Garland, Robert Goulet & Phil Silvers Special / Live at the London Palladium with Liza Minnelli / The Concert Years / Judy, Frank & Dean Once in a Lifetime)JUDY GARLAND COLLECTION - DVD Movie
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