Product Details

• Actors: Anita O'Day
• Directors: Robbie Cavolina, Ian McCrudden
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: RED Distribution DVD
• DVD Release Date: July 21, 2009
• Run Time: 120 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001W3P50O
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,894 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

ANITA O'DAY:LIFE OF A JAZZ SINGER - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No stylist quite like Ms O'Day, July 23, 2009

By 

Ian Muldoon (Coffs Harbour, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Anita O'Day - The Life Of A Jazz Singer (DVD)

Ms O'Day preferred the title "stylist" as opposed to "singer" which I find an interesting distinction. I gather she made the distinction in acknowledgement that she had little vocal range, an ordinary tone, and a strange timbre.
My first significant encounter with her music was post Gene Krupa with the release in 1956 of ANITA by Norman Granz and the best version of HONEYSUCKLE ROSE with its solo bass opening and quartet of trombones closing the final chorus. The whole album though, was and remains, one of her best, and one of the best of any JAZZ singer. And that's where her reputation so superbly lies - as one of the very best JAZZ vocalists ever, and an individual woman who was a great survivor in a very difficult business - that she was embraced by the jazz community including afro american musicians, she got through the heroin journey, she overcame the "canary" prejudice of "girl" singer by her musical brilliance in being accepted rather as another musical INSTRUMENT instead of the "front" for a band.
This documentary - one of the best (musical ones) I've seen which was featured in the 2008 Sydney Film Festival - also reveals her character. Moral strength, modesty, honesty, understanding and self awareness and I guess, joy of music, of living, are her distinguishing characteristics.
PLenty of good music in the film as well!!

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Under-appreciated jazz vocalist!, June 8, 2009

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J (Jersey City, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Anita O'Day - The Life Of A Jazz Singer (DVD)

For a film documentary profile, there's no substitute for substantial footage of the subject him/herself providing their own reflections on his/her life and career. It's great that this documentary captures so much of Anita's own charmingly candid recollections of the ups and downs in her under-appreciated career. An interesting look of the life of a great, great jazz singer.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Won't find it at Redbox or anywhere save Netflix..., September 7, 2009

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Anthony Pierulla - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Anita O'Day - The Life Of A Jazz Singer (DVD)

But it is worth the price. It covers it all no holds barred.
Story of a great singer/stylist with a dramatic life. Read her book and she for sure was one of a kind and her singing always makes my heart skip and beat faster, love her reditions.
Saw her at the Rainbow Room in '99 and she was well past her prime. Another fan, a girl, and myself asked her if she could sing "Am I Blue" and she said she never heard of it. When we both said it was our favorite she told us to go to the bandstand and sing it ourselves. I was blue after this but after watching the movie I realized I had been O'Dayed by the real thing.
The angels will be hard pressed to keep up with her scat, that is if she made it there but if god loves to swing she is there and doing it her way. Loved her since 1958.