听 Whether you've seen it 20 times or avoided it like the plague, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is a must-have DVD. One of MGM's last and best musicals waits to thrill and excite again like never before.
Shot in Cinemascope and transferred from a 70mm print, this is one fine-looking film. The opening credit sequence seems grainy but once into the film, the rich Technicolor process shines through, clear and vibrant.
When films as old as this are re-mixed into 5.1, it tends to be the case that the music score is separated around the speakers, while all effects stick to the centre speaker. As this is a musical, the songs come first and the orchestration makes the most of the surrounds, while Howard Keel's impressive baritone really takes the centre speaker to task. What separates this disc from similar efforts is the trouble that has been taken to mix sound effects too. Listen out for the reverberating echoes in the pass or the mighty thunder of the avalanche. This disc is a true treat to listen to and adds a lot of fun.
The production of what was regarded as a B-movie by MGM - along with a slashed budget - forced the disappointed director, Stanley Donen, to use painted backdrops. He reveals his feelings in a 30-minute documentary included on the disc. Key cast and crew also contribute on the ingenuity, tricks, and weeks of rehearsal that created a film that blew MGM's expected big budget hit "Brigadoon" right out of the water.
"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" has always been fun but wait until you experience it on this DVD.
Chapters: 38
Region: 2
Ratio: 2.55:1 (Anamorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Extra Features: Scene selection, 'Sobbin Women' ('making of' documentary), trailer, multiple languages, subtitles, English and Italian for the hearing impaired.
