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37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dark Reinterpretation of an American Classic, October 5, 2001
This review is from: 1989 Thornton Wilder's Our Town [VHS] (VHS Tape)
Over the decades Thornton Wilder's play "Our Town", while justly recognized as an American classic, has gotten a reputation for a kind of sappy sentimentality. That was not Wilder's intention, and this production restores the play's multiple dimensions. It takes places "under the eyes of eternity", as the philosophers used to say, and this fearfully objective viewpoint can be terrifying as well as consolong. The key to this darker interpretation, produced for Lincoln Center and taped for the PBS series "Great Performances", is the casting of monologuist and actor Spalding Gray as the Stage Manager. He gives a sardonic, astringent performance, and much of Wilder's dialogue sounds distinctly chilling coming from him. This version re-emphasizes the play's criticism of the provincialism and narrowness of American small-town life; it adds a needed dose of irony and ambiguity to the play's emotional impact. It takes place on a nearly bare stage, just as in the original Broadway production; everything is stripped down to essentials. Penelope Ann Miller is heartbreaking as Emily, the dead girl who is allowed to re-live once again her 12th birthday. This scene is shattering as the opportunity to return becomes both a blessing and a curse. One can see in this production one of the sources of Ray Bradbury's nostalgic stories of America as both dream and nightmare. It is simply impossible to finish viewing this video without tears.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the most engaging productions of a drama ever filmed., March 19, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: 1989 Thornton Wilder's Our Town [VHS] (VHS Tape)
This production of the classic drama is extremely well done. The actors are superb, the editing nearly flawless, and the overall effect exactly as Thornton Wilder himself would have wanted it. I use this in my classroom and my students are impressed with the number of name actors (Stoltz, Miller, et al). The video, rather than film, quality adds to the effect of seeing a live performance. In short, this is engaging, educational and entertaining. It's about time the video went on sale.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Our Town never disappoints me, January 4, 2004
This review is from: 1989 Thornton Wilder's Our Town [VHS] (VHS Tape)
No matter what version of Our Town you see, this is one you want to get ahold of. Penelope Ann Miller is absolutely wonderful, along with the rest of the cast. Because I have been in this wonderful piece by the amazing Thornton Wilder, I have learned to appreciate every version for different reasons. Many argue that versions with no props make it annoying and harder to understand. In my opinion, it makes it much more easier to understand. Wilder's idea was to pantomime all props. If you're interested in Our Town, make sure to see the original television 1977 version with Robby Benson and Glynnis O'Connor, the original film,the 2003 version, and the documentry OT:Our Town.
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