Customer Reviews

The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie in the theater and plan on purchasing the DVD for the ability to watch it again and again and for the bonus features which appear plentiful. The set up of Richard Sherman as the light weight,melody minded Paul McCartney type and Robert as the more thoughtful and brooding John Lennon type who carries the trauma of war throughout his career came across as a bit contrived and not matching the record if one cares to investigate further.

There is no doubt that these two amazing artists , Richard the musician and wordsmith and Robert, his lyrical foil, have contributed more catchy and wonderful tunes than almost any other pair in recent history. The music of the Sherman Brothers is deceptively simple and quite intelligent. There is an excellent 2 cd set available on Amazon.com which highlights their music and a recent guitar tribute Poppin' Guitars : A Tuneful of Sherman (CD/DVD) also available on Amazon.com which also demonstrates that even without lyrics their tunes are ridiculously memorable.

If you are a fan of classic Disney scores and or great song writing I'd recommend this movie...just realize that dramatic license is taken in the story which was most likely the only way it could be sold ...sad that their amazing volume of work wasn't enough on its own. The score is also very emotional and features Richard M Sherman on piano ...much of this score can be heard on his recently released CDForgotten Dreams which I would also recommend.

From Mary Poppins, to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, to hits like "You're Sixteen" and classic park songs like "Its a Small World After All" the Sherman Brothers music has brought joy to millions around the world and this movie (directed by their sons) Is certainly worth your attention if you have any interest in any of this...

UPDATE: I just received the DVD and WOW...the bonus features are plentiful and wonderful! Obviously when the directors cut the film they had interviews and more importantly archival film to spare and much of it has landed in a series of very informative and entertaining bonus features...which even include an extensive JUKEBOX of classic songs with clips of the boys in archival footage playing many of them and discussing their creation...THIS is why we buy DVDs...not just for the films but the extra goodies that make these things heirlooms!

Although I am a huge Disney fan, I honestly had no idea that the relationship between the brothers was so strained. Not only is this documentary a great chronicle of all of their wonderful catchy songs, it is a great account of their backgrounds, family lives, and professional lives. It is evident that the strain of their relationship is particularly hard on Richard and both of their families. There are many touching parts that will leave you in tears but regardless, you get to know the two wonderful boys that many of us only thought we knew. I will never watch one of the movies or stage productions with their songs without really appreciating their efforts again. It is my wish that the brothers take whatever time they have left to reconcile and appreciate each other for who they are.

I saw this documentary when it was in too-limited release two summers ago. I have been a lifelong Disney fan which of course means that the Sherman Brothers have been a huge part of my constitution since I saw "Mary Poppins" when I was three years old.

Most Baby Boomers consider the music and songs of the Sherman Brothers as the soundtrack of our childhood, and I distinctly recall playing my Disney Song Collection LP (purchased with a tank of gas at Gulf!) and can still rattle off the order of the song line up. And 95% of the songs were written and composed by the Sherman Brothers.

"the boys" gives fans of this talented duo an intimate look into what took place behind the scenes of not only their years at Disney but in their personal lives as well. I was surprised at just how SAD this story is; we all grew up hearing such happiness come from these talented siblings, but what happened when they weren't collaborating on their music on the Disney lot will really astound any fan who believes that Richard and Robert's lives have always been as sweet and simple as "a spoon full of sugar."

Adding to the depth of this interesting bio-pic are the original tunes composed by Richard M. Sherman (short-sightedly considered the light-weight "Tigger" of the duo). Haunting, melodic, and a way for him to break away from the happy-go-lucky music with which he's always associated, if you are a fan of the Shermans, you absolutely must hear the album of these never-before heard melodies played by this deep soul. I was SO pleased to discover that these songs were available on their own on the wonderful CD, "Forgotten Dreams." Forgotten Dreams

I enjoyed this documentary very much - particularly the interviews with family members as well as some of our favorite performers who got to work with the brothers. As uncomfortable as it was to hear and see the angst and sadness between these two men and their families, "the boys" definitely gives its viewers a new lens from which to look at this amazing songwriting team.

** On an additional note for Sherman Brothers fans - Another reviewer mentioned Poppin' Guitars : A Tuneful of Sherman (CD/DVD) and while it's a great review, they forgot to mention that the bonus DVD features a lot of great Richard M. Sherman footage interacting with the guitarists, discussing his songwriting, and sharing some interesting anecdotes in a much more laid back and casual environment than we've seen him before. Great stuff on this extra DVD and worth checking out.

After watching "the boys," you can't help but wonder if maybe the friction between them and rubbing up against each other so often was an important part of their process in creating the "diamonds" we all have enjoyed and appreciated for the past five decades.

A must-see for ANY Disney or Sherman Brothers fan.

Just make sure you've got some Kleenex handy.

"The Boys", is one of three Disney History DVD's released in November 2010, along with "Waking Sleeping Beauty" and "Walt & El Grupo". All three are excellent chronicles of Disney History and worth a watch.

"The Boys, The Sherman Brothers Story" is the documentary I was really looking forward to. It's the rather bitter-sweet story of the Sherman Brothers, from their Dad's influence to their eventual connection with Walt in the 60's, through the opening of Mary Poppins on Broadway. In a lot of ways, it's the history of Disney musical hits through the 60's and 70's, and if you aren't already familiar with their music, you'll recognize all of it as their history is chronicled.

It might not be the movie you're really expecting to see, but it does celebrate the triumph of this musical team and the influence they've had on the entertainment industry. It seems inconceivable that the duo responsible for all that greatness pretty much didn't like each other. It's presented by Jeffery Sherman and Gregory Sherman, the sons of the pair, who wanted the story told before those involved disappeared. Interviews lauding the The Boys range from Julie Andrews to John Williams to John Landis to Roy Disney to Haley Mills to Barbara Broccoli to dozens of others, but the most poignant interviews themselves are from Robert and Richard themselves.

I can't recommend this video highly enough. If, like me, you grew up on Disney Musicals from Mary Poppins to The Jungle Book to Winnie the Pooh, as well as non-Disney classics such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (as well as Theme Park attractions such as "small world", "Carosel of Progress" and the "Enchanted Tiki Room") this doesn't only tell the story of the greatest songwriters of my childhood, but of childhood memories themselves.

Props to Disney for releasing these modern documentaries. "The Boys" is a story that needed to be told before the actual facts of events fade into obscurity like so much other history.

Five stars.

Even if everyone doesn't know their names, very few people are ignorant to the musical magic that the Sherman Brothers, Richard & Robert (aka "The Boys") have created over the last 50 years or so. Best known for their Disney work ("Mary Poppins," "Bedknobs & Broomsticks," "The Parent Trap"), they also have a healthy repertoire of non-Disney musical hits ("Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," "Charlotte's Web," "Tom Sawyer"). Despite the upbeat catchy tunes they have crafted over the years, the two brothers have always had somewhat of a rift between them. Produced by Richard & Robert's sons, Gregory & Jeffrey Sherman, it was hoped that the estrangement would end as a result. Even though it doesn't appear to have accomplished that task, this documentary is an excellent inside look at how the two developed into one of the most successful songwriting teams.

It is an emotional journey as the brothers tell firsthand about their differences, their experiences with their mother and dad (also a songwriter), their time in the War, and their special relationship with Walt Disney. The deep emotion in their remembrances will make it difficult to keep the tear ducts dry, and the heartfelt tales told by Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews, Debbie Reynolds, Hayley Mills, and Roy Disney (just to name a few) convey how thoughtful the two were in the creative process and how beloved they are in the industry.

Through vintage movie clips and photos that are creatively presented (old photos have been crafted in such a way as to appear layered and three dimensional), this movie is also a visual treat.

And the extras? Quite a few to choose from and just as interesting as the documentary itself! Inside the DVD case is a print of the original song sheet for "Tuppence A Bag," later renamed "Feed The Birds." It has been said that it was Walt's favorite song, and he often requested that "The Boys" would play it when they were in his office.

* Why They're "The Boys"--Despite their age, Richard and Bob Sherman are still called "The Boys." This short tells how the name has stuck over the years.

* Disney Studios in the '60's--Take a look at the era of the legendary studio when the Sherman Brothers were under contract and part of the life and culture of a creative playground of animators, filmmakers and producers.

* Casting Mary Poppins--Bob and Richard tell how Julie Andrews got the part of Mary Poppins. Previously unknown to me, according to this featurette, the Sherman Brothers cleverly orchestrated Walt's "discovery" of Julie.

* The Process--Richard Sherman looks at the song writing process.

* Theme Parks--The Sherman Brothers also wrote many popular songs for the Disney theme parks, such as "it's a small world," one of the best known songs ever to emerge from Disneyland.

* Roy Williams--Roy Williams was a Disney animator who had an office next to the Sherman Brothers. Through the use of Roy's black and white cartoon sketches, stories from the Disney Animation Building in the 1960's are told.

* Bob's Art--Besides his gift in creating music, Bob is also a talented painter. It would seem that the art of the canvas has replaced his interest in creating music.

* Celebration--Memories from industry giants about "The Boys."

* Sherman Brothers' Jukebox--Each song is presented here with vintage clips and interesting background information. Some are very rare and all are fun to watch/hear.

o "Tall Paul"

o "Chim Chim Cher-ee"

o "Feed the Birds"

o "Gold Can Buy Anything (But Love)"

o "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow"

o "Jolly Holiday"

o "Oh, Gee, Georgie!" (performed by Eddie Cantor, 1924)

o "Up, Down and Touch The Ground"

o "A Spoonful of Sugar," performed on the guitar by Laurence Juber

o "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"

o "Ugly Bug Ball"

o Der Wienerschnitzel Commercial

If you're looking for some dramatic blowout or a reason as to why the two are estranged, you won't really find it. It appears to be nothing more than family tension that was increased to them working together. Despite the estrangement, these two have left a memorable musical legacy that will be sung for many years to come. For Disney fans and those interested in music, this documentary is a must.

At this time of year the Disney Home Video folks are trotting out reissues of films like Fantasia and new films like Santa Paws but hidden among there releases are three for the true "classic years" Disney fan. This is one of them and I can't rave about it enough.

The Sherman Brothers wrote songs for 30(!) Disney films but they hits before that. Their first recorded song was by Gene Autry. Their dad, Al Sherman, wrote many hits in the 1920s for folks like Al Jolson and Eddie Cantor. Yes, though they wrote great together they were - in life - far from close to each other. That makes this film both a celebration of their music and a bittersweet - and often sad - picture of family relations.

The film was produced and directed by the sons of the two brothers - cousins who never met as they grew up. The Shermans were interviewed extensively over the years and these interviews are the core of the 90-minute film There are also great interviews by Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Roy E. Disney and more.

The film did play in some film festivals but - even if you saw it - you need the DVD. There's nearly 30 minutes of bonus interviews where they discuss, not only their music, but Disney co-workers like Roy Williams (cartoonist who also starred in The Mickey Mouse Club in the 1950s). And then there is the "Jukebox" feature which includes oddities like Eddie Cantor's 1925 Deforest Phonofilm where he performs Al Sherman's song.

This DVD will probably not get heavy promotion by Disney but its one of the most important release from them this year.

Note: The other two releases I mention above are films on Walt Disney in Mexico and the resurrection of Disney Animation with the The Little Mermaid. While I have these, I haven't watched them yet.

Steve Ramm

"Anything Phonographic"

This is a fantastic documentary that tells the story of a song writing team without who our childhood memories would never be the same! The body of work is astounding! They've written most of the songs that I can remember from my childhood; Mary Poppins, Jungle Book, Winnie the Pooh, The Parent Trap, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and on and on....

The wrote the songs for many of the rides at Disneyland such as, "It's a Small World", "The Tiki Room", and "It's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow".

This is such an informative film that makes you wonder why these brothers are not more well known? Their work is a national treasure and this documentary is fascinating - be sure to watch the bonus material!

The Sherman brothers, Dick and Bob, have written so many wonderful Disney classics over the years. From Mary Poppins to Annette Funicello, and from Winnie the Pooh to It's a Small world, everything the Sherman brothers touch seems to sparkle with magic. Unfortunately, under their facade and their heartwarming lyrics lies a troubled relationship. For the first time we get to see the formerly private world of the brothers and the events that brought them together - and tore them apart. The film moved at a quick but not impossible to follow pace, and I truly enjoyed this glimpse into the lives of the songwriters whose words have touched my life. It was heartbreaking to see this amazing duo not get along, but I think deep down inside the boys truly love each other, just from afar. Still, it's sad to not see them together, and knowing the true story you can read their body language in past interviews of "I don't really want to be near you." For their troubled history, the film had several funny moments and my family laughed out loud more than teared up (Dick Sherman accidentally breaking a doorknob in his old home was pretty funny). I also really enjoyed watching Dick "banging" on the piano and I am so impressed that with as many songs as he's written/composed, how he could just sit down and plunk any song out without errors. Will you be my neighbor? The special features were just as impressive as the movie with extra interviews, a song book (more piano banging - YAY!), and more. This is a film worth watching, especially for Disney fans. For someone who doesn't watch documentaries a lot, I've seen a fair amount of them recently and this is among the BEST I have ever/will ever see (the others being Waking Sleeping Beauty and The Pixar Story - look for it to play on TV).

I just finished watching the DVD and I was blown away. I grew up in the 60's and I think I saw every Disney movie that came to my little town theatre. As a result I think I can probably sing most of their songs.

It was shocking to find out that their private lives were so separate, so much so that the cousins never really grew up knowing each other.

I am glad that the cousins did make this film, to set the record straight if nothing else. This was a story that needed to be told while everyone is still alive to tell it.

I went through many Kleenex tonight, especially seeing Roy Disney before he died in 12/2009

A great movie, not only for Disney and Sherman Brothers fans but for everyone who appreciates a good story about Disney and the people behind the movies.

Anyone who has been alive in the past 50 years has heard a Sherman Brothers song, but very little is known about these writers. This is an absolute must-see for anyone interested in the history of pop culture, and especially for Disney fans. You'll laugh, cry, relive childhood, and learn a lot by watching this film.