5 comments about Carousel (1956 Film Soundtrack).

1. My father beat me once for a misdeed, and I resolved then
   and there that Iwould never cry under his beltings again.
   He whipped me 'til his belt broke and I would not give him the satisfaction of one tear.
   
   But this music...and this movie... draws out what
   the belt could not. It gets me every time. I fight it and the
   tears well up on their own...what a perfect tragedy this movie
   is, how haunting the music. Gordon McRae was such an artist.
   His singing is perfect and inspired in these songs --- and
   Shirley Jones complements him so well. I fell in love with her
   Julie at first sight. If you haven't got this music or this
   movie, you are missing out on one of life's greatest treasures.



2. Since the 1970's newer copies of Carousel Have tracks that are edited
   Thank God this version has a lot more music including the complete seven minute version of The Carousel Waltz I believe the movie itself doesn't play the whole waltz



3. Ahhh...absolutely the most Golden sounds from Gordon McRae. Makes you gain a whole new appreciation of this man's incredible voice. He seems to know exactly how Rodgers & Hammerstein wanted these songs to be sung.
   Only soundtrack more comparable is "Okalahoma."



4. LOVE SOUND TRACTS FROM OLD MOVIES - SING ALONGS AND THE BEST ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE TRAVELING AND CAN SING LOUD. IT IS A KEEPER



5. This film adaptation of Carousel came shortly after the Oklahoma! film and reunited Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones. Although the film was not well-received at the box office, the soundtrack shows MacRae, Jones and the superb cast performing their roles to their heart's content. Their performance helps bring out the pathos in this tragic R&H musical, which Rodgers himself considered his favourite of all his works.
   
   MacRae shines vocally as Billy Bigelow, bringing an open-hearted musicality and sincerity to his stout-hearted portrayal. MacRae stands out in Billy's pivotal Soliloquy, which some reviewers have considered one of the finest vocal performances of the 20th century. He is well-partnered by Shirley Jones, who lends her tender voice and personality to her portrayal as Julie. Listen to the chemistry they exude during the pivotal If I Loved You duet, as if they're overcoming their shyness and drawing sustenance from each other with their love. The supporting cast also gives its all in performing their roles. Claramae Turner's hearty Nettie brims with sincerity, warmth and tenderness, and she leads a rousing rendition of June is Bustin' Out All Over and renders You'll Never Walk Alone touchingly. Barbara Ruick and Robert Rounseville are superb as Carrie and Mr. Snow, although I admit I would have liked a little more humour. I also admit I would have liked Cameron Mitchell as Jigger to sound more sinister, like Fisher Stevens did in the 1994 Broadway revival recording. But even as it is, everyone sings gloriously and is given sumptuous backing from Alfred Newman's superb arrangements and the 20th-Century Fox Orchestra, when it shines out in the ballets.
   
   If I'm adding to the praise of these critic-proof performance, you'll wonder, why am I giving only 4 stars? Well, it's because the extra sound effects from the unreleased sequences tend to jar after a while. I know some of you are complaining that the dance sequences are plagued by extraneous sound effects and noise. I share the same feelings too and also wish that the producers had utilised the original studio pre-recordings for a sumptuous listening experience. However, let us at least be grateful that Didier Deutsch and his production team have made these unreleased sequences available on a soundtrack CD reissue. At least it's a step in the right direction before the entire canon of R&H film soundtracks (yes, including South Pacific and The Sound of Music) gets its due as deluxe 2-CD sets, complete with underscore.
   
   However, don't let this gripe dissuade you from buying this soundtrack. It offers a complete musical experience that one could only dream of in the previous CD reissues of the soundtrack. And it demonstrates the element that Rodgers & Hammerstein were discovering in their musicals.

5 comments about Evita (1978 Original Broadway Cast).

1. Evita needs a new review like a hole in the head, so forgive the indulgence.
   Always will be the greatest CD presentation of the Rice/Webber masterpiece. Why Lloyd Webber has felt it needed the bastardisation of its more recent incarnations?.. I will never understand.



2. Package came only with cd#1 out of a 2 cd set. otherwise would have been 5 stars.



3. This seems like a very old recording and the sound quality was way below my expectations. I would not suggest buying this if you are looking for a wonderful recording of this fabulous (my favorite of all times) play.



4. This is Miss Lupone's signature tour de force performance. Even though she has expressed the difficulty and torture of doing the show,(the score was very demanding), she will always be remembered for this performance. I wish video was more alive in those days and they would have also filmed the stage production for future generations. I saw a couple of other performances in LA and they were good but I wish I could have had the opportunity to see this version on Broadway. Even though I also agree that the musical arrangement was better on the Madonna soundtrack and even the creators said that they just didn't have the capacity to fill out the score like they did for the movie, the main problem with Madonna's version is that she didn't understand Eva Peron. She tried so hard to make her a sympathetic character and cover up the hunger that possessed Eva Peron to get to the top. Miss Lupone cut through the sentiment and gave us a Eva Peron that I think was closer to the real First Lady of Argentina. She was a dictators wife and even though I'm sure she may have been concerned for the poor, she also used them to get back at the aristocracy that had shunned her all her life, even after becoming Peron's wife. I think this is why she is the icon that we know today and she has been remembered. After Madonna had sung "Don't cry for me Argentina" and the crowd was calling for her to come back, she gave this "Who me?" "They want little me?" reaction which was totally off base. Patti's reaction was "Damn right they want me!" and if you watch the actual footage of the speech on the Casa Rosada (which is on the Criterion Lasar disc) you can see that Patti Lupone's reaction is more true to form. It's too bad the producers thought Patti Lupone was too old to make the film. I think it would have been a bigger success even though I do like Madonna and give her credit for her performance. Even her interpretaion of "Rainbow High" was off and weak and that's one of my favorites from the show. Some of the lyrical cuts on the movie soundtrack I didn't understand either. Especially during the first time you hear from Eva during the funeral. In the Broadway show she sings, "Ride on my train all my people. And when it's your turn to die, you'll remember. They fired those cannons, sang lamentations. Not just for Eva, for Argentina. Not just for Eva, for everybody. So share my glory, so share my coffin." It's very powerful and really sets up things. Why cut it out? Anyways to wrap this book up, brilliant work! Thank god, they got it on tape.



5. Patti Lupone is wonderful in this Broadway cast production. Forget the movie with Madonna; this is THE recording to own. Mandy Patinkin is superb as the antagonist, Che and Bob Gunton rounds out the cast playing Eva's husband, Juan Peron. I fell in love with this album long before I was able to see the musical on stage. If you want to get this recording, I suggest you order the CD, rather than a download. It's a double CD and comes with a synopsis.

5 comments about The Essential Barbra Streisand.

1. Listening to Barbra Streisand's voice it's no mystery why she has sold millions of cd's according to the Recording Industry (RIAA) and Nielsen SoundScan. Included in this set is her last Top Ten Hit on "The Billboard Hot 100", "I Finally Found Someone" a duet with Bryan Adams (from her movie "The Mirror Has Two Faces") She's won multiple Grammy's and an Academy Award for her music, multiple Emmy's for her various television work (and her February 14, 2001 Fox/TV concert special had 8.7 million viewers according to Nielsen Media Research) She won an Academy Award for her role in the movie "Funny Girl" (tied with Katharine Hepburn) and received a Tony for her Broadway work. She's also well known for her political work, including her support of Hillary Clinton for President, Hillary Clinton went on to receive more votes than any other Presidential primary candidate in history.



2. For anyone out there who's a Barbra Streisand fan, this 2-set CD is a must-have! I may not necessarily agree w/ Barbra's political views, but I certainly love her voice and acting abilities.
   
   I believe Barbra Streisand is a musical icon, and all should know who she is. This album is a masterpiece of all her greats, and I was especially happy to know that two of the Yentl songs were on this album. What a great movie that was!
   
   You'll love this CD-set! Enjoy!
   
   Debbie



3. I love this album. It is one of my favorites. The disco type song "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" with Donna Summer is a great 70s one. "The Way We Were" is a great slow song from 70s. Check out "Woman in Love" which is my favorite song by her. It is really just an amazing love song. "Memory" which is from the musical CATS she really sings well. A lot of other songs on here that are really good. She has such a great voice any song she sings sounds great. Sample them all. A great purchase.



4. The ESSENTIAL is the part not to miss... If you are a Barbra Streisand fan, and/or music collector, this one CD has it all! You can't miss with her standards, and more contemporary hits all on two outstanding CD's.
   It's like butta !



5. Even as a fan of Barbra, I think there are only on few songs on these two cd's that I look forward to hearing. Those are really good, but the others are just mediocre, songs I have never heard before. But the price is right.

5 comments about Grey Gardens - The Musical.

1. After seeing the DVD (documentary) of Grey Gardens the musical more than met my expectations. I would highly recommend it to anyone.



2. This is a real original treat. It's incredible that they've come out with a musical based in such a (real) story. And it certainly works wonderfully! Beautiful - and sometimes very funny - songs, fascinating story and originality at its very best. "The Revolutionary Custome for Today" is hilarious. Donçt miss it.



3. The score is nigh perfect in evolving from a Cole Porter, Irving Berlin pastiche in Act One to a Stephen Sondheim, neo Phillip Glass tone in Act Two. The song, "Will You," so brilliantly acted by Christine Ebersoll, never fails to bring me to tears. I was thrilled to see Grey Gardens on Broadway and shocked to learn it closed in late July 2007. In a half-century of theatre going around the globe, this show remains an all-time highlight for me...up there with Gypsy, West Side Story, Follies, Candide, Cabaret, Sweeney Todd and Billy Eliot. Thank God for this wonderful CD.



4. GREY GARDENS, the musical that won Christine Ebersole her second Tony, is a stunning achievement. It is not a musical you will be able to shake from your mind when after you listen to it.
   
   How best to describe this musical? Well, it was inspired by the documentary of the same name about Jackie Onassis' eccentric relatives, her Aunt and cousin, both named Edie Beale. However, the musical take the documentary one step further by re-imagining what the Beales might have been like in their heyday, as well as why they might have ended the way they did.
   
   So, as many are aware, there are two cast recordings of this fabulous musical. Both recordings were produced by PS Classics. I have both, and highly recommend getting both. However, if you can only afford one, or only want one, here is a summary of the differences between the shows.
   
   The below lists the changes made for the BROADWAY cast album:
   
   1. "Toyland" was replaced with "The Girl Who Has Everything" for the opening number.
   
   2. "Beautiful Body Beale" and "Better Fall Out of Love" were replaced by "Goin' Places."
   
   3. "Being Bouvier" and "Tomorrow's Women" were merged into the song "Marry Well."
   
   4. "Miss Porter's Anthem" was dropped from "The Five Fifteen reprise."
   
   5. "The Telegram," a song in the off-Broadway show, is included on the Broadway cast album.
   
   6. The Sister Marla verse was changed in "Choose to Be Happy" reflecting the song changes in the Broadway version.
   
   7. The "Peas in a Pod reprise" is dropped for a reprise of "The Girl Who Has Everything."
   
   The booklets for both cds are essentially the same. The main difference is that the off-Broadway version has a small interview about how the creators came up with the show, and the Broadway version has more pictures (as well as the artwork/logos used to promote Broadway show).
   
   The biggest difference between the two is in the casting. When the show transferred to Broadway, two of the cast members were replaced.
   
   On the Off-Broadway version, Little Edie is played by Sara Gettelfinger. The role is taken over by Erin Davie on the Broadway version. Both sing the role equally well. Each has a different take on Little Edie. Sara sings in a more elegant and refined voice, however it is Erin that brings out and highlights Little Edie's eccentricities and quirks. Each in their own way prepare the listener for Christine Ebersole as Little Edie in Act Two.
   
   The second change is that Audrey Twitchellm, who played Lee Bouvier, is replaced by Kelsey Fowler. Twitchell outgrew the role she had originated so was replaced by Fowler.
   
   Warning: both versions of GREY GARDENS have the same cd number. So, be sure when you order you specify which version you want. The Off-Broadway version is said to be going out of print. However, it may be awhile before it actually does go out print, so be aware that you might have to email amazon.com if you don't recieve the version of the show you want.



5. This is a show that ought to be seen, not just heard, to appreciate truly the emotional passage these two women travel in their tortured lives. The score isn't a classic, but it's worth getting the CD just to hear Christine Ebersole sing "Another Winter in a Summer Time." It should become a classic, and her rendition is sublime.

5 comments about Man of La Mancha: A Decca Broadway Original Cast Album (Original 1965 Broadway Cast).

1. I found the album version of this in college and loved everything about it, from the edgy Aldonza to the humorous Sancho. Beware, the album had much of the play's dialog on it which the CD lacks. Even so I'm happy to have the music back in my collection. My family appropriately thinks I'm a little crazy as I sing along loudly when I listen to the music.



2. Man of La Mancha accomplishes the impossible! Turning Cervantes classic (at least part of it) into a musical that works has to be a near miracle. The writers tried for years to get producers interested in it, but to no avail, no body beleived a musical version of Don Quixote could possibly work...well the rest is history. MOLM is one of the greatest American musicals. The book perfectly incorporates Cervantes story into musical form. The score is breathtaking, with Dulcinea and, of course, The Impossible Dream becoming two of the most beautiful songs written for the theater. Every word and every note work and further the story. Richard Kiley and Joan Diener's performances are now legendary, others in revivals come close, but no one can beat their original performances.
   A glorious recording!!!!



3. I finally wore out the cassette I had of this recording, bought in 1982. It is definitely the best of all the casts that are out there- I'm going to have to get the CD!



4. I was hooked on "Man of LaMancha" when I heard excerpts played on the radio in the mid-60s. I enjoyed adding "The Impossible Dream" to my personal repertoire.I was enthralled by a dinner theater staging I saw in the early 70s. And, like most, I was greatly disappointed by the movie version.
   Richard Kiley had already proved himself an exceptional singing actor in "Kismet" and "No Strings," but it was "Man of LaMancha" that really brought him the recognition he deserved.
   Mitch Leigh has written a fabulous score. The contrast from the pensive "To Each His Dulcinea" to the humorous " I Really Like Him" to the emotional "Impossible Dream" is enough to keep almost anyone's attention. The interplay between/among voices in "I, Don Quixote" and "I'm Only Thinking of Him" is glorious. It is too bad that Leigh proved to be a "one-hit wonder," although, personally, I like "Cry for Us All."
   The musical play itself deserves all the raves it has received. And the original cast recording merits all its positive reviews.



5. What more can be said about this timeless classic. Richard Kiley's best, I saw him in the original on Broadway, what a keepsake. People who see this show don't usually go once, they go 3-5-7 times.

5 comments about Hair: Original Soundtrack Recording - Special Anniversary Edition.

1. this special anniversary edition is better than I expected. I saw the movie dozens of times and it always gave me "crystal mistyc revelations" . This soundtrack teleport you to those places where the anti war movement is present,where the freedom of the souls and the bohemian life rouls your existence. Let "the tribe" play their game and enjoy all these 27 tracks full of life. "The air is everywhere..."



2. I saw this movie when it came out and I have always loved the soundtrack. Someone told me the Broadway soundtrack was better, so I listened to it recently. I ended up appreciating even more how good this is. The singing is better, the arrangements are better, and I am guessing the choreography in the film is better (though I never saw the play--I was too young).
   
   I would recount how great the various songs are but other reviewers have already done that.



3. I love this soundtrack. Of course I would though, especially since the movie is the first and ONLY movie I have ever owned. Born in the early 60's I really didn't "live" the life - but by the time I got to college I was a latent hippy. I hadn't watched the movie for several years when I stumbled upon a scene while browsing on one of those post-your-own video websites - and I immediately dug my movie out from storage. After the viewing, went right to Amazon.com and ordered the soundtrack. I had to have it. Since then I have played it in my car, at work in my cubicle (with headphones on), and even on the laptop while I sit here today. The soundtrack captures the movie in it's entirety. Man, I really miss Nell Carter.



4. Allready knew the music (had it as an LP for many years)
   Like an old friend you meet again after a lot of years.
   
   A-OK!!
   
   
   C.



5. I saw the movie version of "Hair" when it came out back in 1979. I was so floored by what I saw that I went out and bought the 2-record vinyl soundtrack album the next day. I have now listened to this album at least once a week since then. The Anniversary edition is a vast improvement on the original CD soundwise, and restores two incidental pieces, "Party Music" and "My Conviction" which were on the vinyl, but cut from the first CD issue, to the mix. There is much to love about this album, as many of the songs were familiar to all of us already. Ren Woods' stunning performance of "Aquarius", and Cheryl Barnes' gorgeous "Easy To Be Hard" are alone worth the price of the CD, but then you hear all the other songs, with then-unknowns Nell Carter, Ellen Foley, and Charlayne Woodard (most recently seen as "Sister Peg" on "Law & Order:Special Victims Unit") sprinkled throughout the movie and the soundtrack album, in superlative performances. The actors mostly voiced their own songs for the film, in one hilarious turn, the voices of the Black Recruiting Officers during "White Boys" are dubbed in by the classic soul group the Stylistics. And memorably, Melba Moore and Ronnie Dyson (from the original play) make a cameo in the film and perform "3-5-0-0". There is even a turn on the soundtrack by Betty Buckley, voicing for the Vietnamese girl singing in "Walking in Space". I guess when the calls were made for vocalists, many people who were then appearing in Broadway shows got the jobs. But it all adds up to one of the most memorable soundtrack albums EVER made. And the 20th Aniversary release says on the back of the jewel box that the first generation mixed masters were used for this release. The sparkling sound attests to that fact.

5 comments about Miss Saigon (Original 1989 London Cast).

1. Following the huge success of their grand masterpiece, LES MISERABLES, Alain Boubil & Claude-Michel Schonberg came out with MISS SAIGON. For those looking for the best version of the show on CD, this is the one you want. The show is basically a love story between an American G.I., Chris (Simon Bowman) and a young Vietnamese girl, Kim (Lea Salonga) just before the American departure from Saigon in 1975. The show attempts to address some similar issues from LES MISERABLE, such as the cruelty and injustice of unfair working conditions and timeless love, but these are basically camouflage for an ill-fated love story. My favorite songs from the album and show include:
   
   "Why God Why"
   "I Still Believe"
   "This Is the Hour"
   "Bui-Doi"
   "The Fall of Saigon"
   "The American Dream"
   
   The performances by the actors are very well done, especially Simon Bowman, Lea Salonga, and Jonathan Pryce (as The Engineer). LES MISERABLE, with a central story about the life-changing power of grace, is a stronger show than MISS SAIGON. However, MISS SAIGON does have its moments and is a grand musical story of tragic love.



2. I love Miss Saigon, but I bought this CD just because of Lea Salonga. I really love her, but I was a little disappointed in this performance. I watched her in Miss Saigon in 2001 and thought she was amazing. She sung the songs with much more power. I thought she was good in the CD, but not great. She was only 18 when she recorded this CD. I guess it was a mistake thinking she sung as well as she does now. I did love the CD, though, and I'm happy I bought it. The reason I keep listening to it is for the great songs and story. They lyrics really are amazing.



3. Great service. Product arrived 8 days earlier than promised. Well packaged and postage costs were reasonable. would buy from Amazon again. Cast not as good as the original Taped Set which features some of the original Australian Cast. This one was produced by Festival Records in Australia in 1995, Featuring Joanna Amphil and Peter Cousens, and is the best version I have heard. If anyone has a CD of this version I would love to purchase. Patricia



4. The 1989 Original London Cast Recording of Miss Saigon is absolutely amazing!!! I have never seen the show, but I have wanted to for a long time - I was actually supposed to see it with my family when I was about 12, but I ended up being sick so they went without me (and unfortunately, it is now no longer on broadway). Listening to this soundtrack, however, I feel like I am there. The music is so powerful and captivating. (And thankfully, the cd insert provides the storyline with the lyrics so I was able to understand what was going on when things were not exactly clear - I listened once through without looking at the cd insert and it was amazing, but then I listened again following along and it was even more amazing.) The storyline is heart-wrenching and powerful (very classic of Alain Boubil and Claude-Michel Schonberg (at least in my opinion)), and it is brought home with the passion in the voices of the cast. It made me wish I could take a time machine to London in 1989 so I could see this live. I am now still praying that there will be a revival on broadway (and I can only hope that there will be a cast even half as amazing as the original london cast).



5. When I was a kid, Mom used to put on the soundtrack of Oklahoma!, turn it up loud, and clean house while she sang along. Eventually, my brother replaced her music with West Side Story... and then one day my daughter introduced me to the music of Miss Saigon and Les Miserables. I love both equally, though I can't say I'd ever clean house while listening; the music here is so deeply moving in terms of subject and lyric that I usually end up just sitting, staring, listening. And I've never even seen the actual production....

5 comments about Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1982 Original Broadway Cast).

1. This is an excellent version of Joseph. This is the standard to which all other versions should be compared!



2. I think "Joseph" is an enjoyable listen as a whole. I mean, obviously Webber and Rice were just beginning to find their stride, so it's not as strong as some of their later stuff, but it is a good start. As far as this CD goes, I personally think the 'Joseph" is a tad weak as a singer. I don't really know how to explain it. He isn't bad by any means, but it is only average. The 'narrator' is good though. It, as a whole, is a good interpretation of what I'm sure Webber and Rice had in mind.



3. I had just watched yet another production of "Joseph" and decided to purchase the DVD to keep the music going. I'm a happy camper!



4. I first met "Joseph ..." with a national touring company in the mid '80s, and was grabbed by it. The productions I have seen since have all been so "campy" that the story line was almost neglected. The production I saw first is proof that "Joseph ..." can be done as a real musical.
   It is, of course, a mishmash of musical styles. Almost everybody will like something in it; and almost everybody will dislike something in it. But altogether, it plays well.
   For me, the enjoyment comes from listening to the music, not from seeing the productions that are now being staged.



5. I'm never quite sure whether I like this recording or not. On the one hand, it's energetic, it's got good performances from the supporting cast, and the orchestra doesn't sound canned like on the 1990s recordings. On the other hand, its faults, while few in number, can feel a lot stronger than its strengths.
   
   The first has to do with the added material. Between 1968 and 1974, Lloyd Webber and Rice built Joseph up from a 15-minute pop cantata to a one-hour musical. The studio album they recorded in 1974, and the accompanying vocal score which was published the following year, present the show in its completed form. When this Broadway production was mounted, however, it was felt that one hour was too short for a stand-alone musical, and so even more material was added, such as the Prologue ("You Are What You Feel"), which is not only completely unnecessary, but is actually a much weaker opening than "Jacob and Sons".
   
   The other, and even more serious, problem with this recording is the Narrator. Laurie Beechman is, hands down, the worst Narrator on record (or, at least, of the eight recordings I've heard). She frequently seems to be trying to sing the music at a slower tempo than everybody else, and her "r"s are painfully exaggerated. Worse, she just doesn't have the voice to sing the role as written; several songs are transposed down for her, and even then she can't always hit the high notes. ("Joseph's Coat" is an excellent example: follow along with the score and see what I mean.) Sadly, this has become the standard practice, as, since Beechman, the Narrator is typically cast as a belting mezzo, rather than a tenor.
   
   However, as I mentioned before, the album has a lot to recommend it -- when Beechman isn't singing -- and is certainly worth a listen. All the same, I'd still recommend the 1974 studio album over this one in a heartbeat.

5 comments about Billy Elliot.

1. I saw the play in London while I was on vacation two years ago and it was fantastic. The film is great but the music from the play is complely different. If you enjoyed the soundtrack from the film you must hear the cast soundtrack.



2. At age 12 I saw the original production of "Oklahoma". Then, yeah God,I saw the orginal "South Pacific, "kiss Me Kate", My Fair Lady", "Mame","Gypsy" AND let me tell you loud and clearly "Billy Elliot, The Musical" is right up there!!! Don't miss it. I saw it in London and can't wait to bring my grandchildren to the N.Y. production.



3. It is charitable to call this show mediocre. The music isn't the usual Sir Elton theatrical music dreck. I guess that's a plus. The lyrics are awful. The same words are repeated over and over and over, so the pointed is quickly made, the song goes nowhere. Most of the lyrics are generic. Most of the songs give the impression of being the same length. I hope the show never makes it to Broadway. Stick with the movie!



4. What a stirring musical! I had heard so much about this musical having seen the film version and knowing a musical adaptation was going to be made. Several people had recommended it after have they had the opportunity to see it on the West End. Also being a huge fan of Elton John, enjoying his pop records as well as his musical ventures, I was really interested in giving this CD a listen...
   
   ...and I'm sure glad I did! Again, I'll say it's absolutely stirring. The chorus numbers are probably the most powerful particularly the opening number "The Stars Look Down" which features as a theme several times throughout the score. You can really imagine them filling an entire auditorium.
   
   Liam Mower as Billy has the sweetest most resonating voice. When he sings "The Letter" and his Mum joins in, you are moved to tears. Other great numbers include "Shine" where Haydn Gwynne gives her character of Mrs Wilkinson such a personality. Her voice isn't particularly outstanding but I love her character. It's nice to see characters like Mr Braithwaite being given some personality and filling out Grandma's back story with her own song "Grandma's Song". Other uplifting numbers include "Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher" and "Expressing Yourself".
   
   There is mild language but it adds to the mood of the piece. All in all thoroughly entertaining and I can't wait for it to come to Sydney in 2008!



5. A bit different than the movie which was delightful, this soundtrack remains very loyal to the original.

5 comments about Little Shop Of Horrors (1986 Film).

1. I love this soundtrack! LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (original motion picture soundtrack)cd is great. The songs all sound like they from the 50s and 60s, that do-wop sound, but the real gems are the greek chorus girls from the movie(Tisha Campbell, Tichina Arnold, Michelle Weeks).
   
   The reason I didn't give 5-stars is because this cd needs to be remastered. Although it says that it's a "digital recording," the volume is really low so you have to crank it up.



2. I got this to replace the cassette that I left in a car I sold. Love, love, love this soundtrack! All the music is well produced & in proper order of the movie so I can see it in my head while I listen. The actor who plays the plant is so wonderful & "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space" is one of the best songs ever!



3. This adaption of a famous Broadway play is a truly funky story with overtones of science fiction and some of the greatest music ever performed on screen. I never get tired of the soundtrack and play it often.



4. This album contains must of the song fron 1986 movie. This movie is great the music is fantastic. Unlike the on the movie the song are all unabriged on the track. The final song one the second version of the movie mean green mother from outer space for reason I don't understand was abriged for the movie. The songs running time was drasticaly cut from about 4.5 minutes on the album to about a little over 2 minutes. This originally was not the final song for the movie. When this movie was original first the last song was Don't Feed the Plants from the off brodway play. However six months after the movie was first released the whole ending sequence of the movie with Rick Morransis, Ellen Greeen. Levi Stubs and Jim Bilusie had to be shot over again due to negative audience reactions from several people who were upset and not stastified with director Frank Ozze's original first ending. As a result of the ending being modified from a sad depressing ending to a lovely romantic happy ending the song Don't feed the plants and the footage that went along with it were instantly trimed out of footage and only a small fragmet of it exist on the dealete scenes and out take portions of the dvd. However for reason I could never figure out don't feed the plants is include as the final song one the last track of the album even though it no longer exist in the current dvd and vhs formats of the movie



5. The film recording of Little Shop is the best recording of the score yet (despite missing many of the stage version's more superflous and campy ditties)The vocal arangements and orchestrations are the best and most appropriately complementary to the piece. They capture the sound, and spirit in full and with fun and excitement. The cast is superb, and Ellen Greene proved herself quite brilliant in her ability to adapt her stage performance for the small size of film. The performance of Levi Stubbs, criticized on this site, is actually the BEST interpretation and vocal performance of Audrey II to date, anywhere. It is the only performance to truly bring the role to life and is damn funny. The cuts and changes are all logical for the medium of film, and obviously approved of as they were made by Howard Ashman himself. The original off-broadway cast (yes, the show was NOT an official broadway show, therefore could not have won a tony for anyone) is the next best recording. But to those who harp on the film for cutting the stage songs, the original cast album is not the full score, and has cuts made as well. The New Broadway Cast recording, which had great potential and money behind it, is the full stage score. Yet the worst in orchestration, quality, and casting to date. Though bland enough to easily digest, it is no where close to the film's sound and energy.