Product Description
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For the first time ever, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's
fun-filled musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
has been specially filmed for video. Inspired by the
record-breaking London Palladium stage show, this production
stars Donny Osmond, Maria Friedman, Richard Attenborough and Joan
Collins. A lively and colorful journey through ancient Egypt,
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat follows the
rags-to-riches story of Joseph, his eleven brothers and the coat
of many colors. Spectacular visuals and an enchanting score
packed with hit songs, including "Close Every Door to Me," "Go,
Go, Go Joseph" and "Any Dream Will Do" make this a dream of a
show for all the family.
Bonus Content:
* Go, Go, Go Joseph: The Making of Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat
* Production Notes
* The History of Joseph
* The Enduring Appeal of Joseph
* Cast and Filmmakers
* Recommendations
.com
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Following the successful 1998 video release of Cats comes
another Andrew Lloyd Webber blockbuster musical, Joseph and the
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and it's a savvy choice. It hasn't
been represented on film before, it's short enough (78 minutes)
to present without cuts, and it has the star power of former teen
icon Donny Osmond, who played over 1,800 performances across
North America. Rather than record a live performance, Cats
director David Mallet conceived Joseph as a film, though one that
is based strongly on codirector Steven Pimlott's 1991 London
revival and relies more on camerawork than venturing beyond its
stagelike sets.
Lloyd Webber's first project with lyricist Tim Rice was
originally written in 1968 as a school cantata; accordingly, this
film uses a framing sequence of a school recital, with an
audience of clapping, singing kids and members of the faculty
playing the roles. The Old Testament tale of Joseph and his coat
of many colors gets a splashy, vigorous with an
energetic cast, Las Ve-style glitz, and catchy, eclectic songs
( /dp/B000001E0A ), including "Any Dream Will Do," "Close Every
Door," the peppy "Go, Go, Go Joseph," and various bits of
country, calypso, and Elvis. Osmond is perfect in the title role,
with a strong voice and winning persona, while London stage
veteran Maria Friedman performs well in the central role of the
narrator. Richard Attenborough appears (and sings a little) as
Jacob, and Joan Collins makes a brief, nonsinging cameo.
Joseph certainly isn't revolutionary musical theater, but if you
view it as a kids' show, it's a silly good time (though there are
poignant moments too). Parents should note, however, that this
production might warrant a little discretion due to one
suggestive scene and some risqué costumes. --David Horiuchi
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Set Contains:
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The DVD includes a modest widescreen presentation (1.55:1 aspect
ratio), DTS and Dolby Digital soundtracks, and Go Go Go Joseph, a
30-minute behind-the-scenes look at Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat. Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, star Donny
Osmond, stage director Steven Pimlott, and others provide in
on the show, its history, and the creation of the film. One point
frequently stressed is that Joseph began as a school production,
and as such can still coexist with large-budget professional
versions. To prove the point, the film observes two British
schools rehearsing and performing the show. Perhaps the most
amusing segment shows numerous people--from Rice and Lloyd Webber
on down--trying to recite the line "It was red and yellow and
green and brown and let and black and ocher and peach
and...." Fortunately for the onscreen actors, they get cue cards!
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