Product Details

• Actors: Hosted By Placido Domingo
• Format: Black & White, Classical, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Kultur Video
• DVD Release Date: November 30, 1999
• Run Time: 70 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00003M5GD
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,729 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

This revealing program presents the highs and lows of the remarkable life of tenor mario lanza. Features clips from lanzas many popular films and recordings as well as interviews with his co-workers and friends. Studio: Kultur Release Date: 11/30/1999 Starring: Hosted By Placido Domingo Run time: 70 minutes Rating: Nr

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine documentary, October 17, 2001

By 

DJ McGovern "Derek McGovern" (Busan, South Korea) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Caruso (DVD)

Host Placido Domingo does his idol proud in this long-overdue documentary of Mario Lanza. Made in 1983, the doco includes interviews with numerous Lanza co-stars, friends, family members & associates: Kathryn Grayson, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Anna Moffo and conductor Peter Herman Adler, to name just a few. All are unanimous about one thing: that potentially, at least, Mario Lanza was the American Caruso.

Backing up this assertion are some well-chosen operatic clips from six of Lanza's seven movies, including a heartrending Vesti La Giubba from For The First Time, which movingly concludes the documentary. (Inexplicably missing, however, are excerpts from Serenade, vocally Lanza's finest film.)

There are also a number of rare TV appearances and newsreels that provide titillating glimpses of the man.

The doco makes an honest effort to convey the essence of the man, and it largely succeeds. I would, however, take the tabloid claims that Lanza died as the result of a Mafia "hit" with a large pinch of salt! This is one aspect that should been dealt with more objectively.

All in all, a fascinating introduction to a one-of-a-kind vocal genius.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A decent biography but not as much fun as his films, March 31, 2001

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Mario Lanza - The American Caruso [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Warning: The tape being reviewed here is the 1983 biography of "Mario Lanza: The American Caruso" and not the 1951 feature film "The Great Caruso" starring Mario Lanza as the previous reviewer claims. The Hollywood musical star of the 1940s and 50s was born Alfred Cocozza and while this biography traces his success with films and records it also plays straight with his drinking and eating binges until his sudden death in 1959 at the young age of 38. This biography tries to deal with the persistent rumors that Lanza was killed by the mob because he never paid back Lucky Luciano, who reported had financed Lanza's career, but in the end there is mere suspicion rather than hard evidence. Watching this film will probably make you wish you had rented "The Great Caruso" or "The Student Prince" instead. The clips of Lanza singing will only whet your appetite to hear more.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Opera made Popular, October 11, 2002

By 

Juan B. Mansfield (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Caruso (DVD)

If there ever was an artist who made opera reachable to anyone was Mario Lanza. His films made opera familiar to those people in countries not having an opera tradition. I can be a witness to that from the Dominican Republic of the 1950's. This video shows Lanza and his life. When a supermega star like Placido Domingo decides to become the voice of this project then you should realize the greatness of Lanza. I read a book on the life of Jussi Bjorling and is interesting to read about the friendship and respect this other megastar had for Lanza. This video is a must for the new generation of opera lovers or curious so they know who was the generator of opera as a more popular art form years before the three tenors. Juan Mansfield