Customer Reviews

Calamity Jane: First Complete Recording (1995 Studio Cast)

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

 

 

The first complete recording of Calamity Jane does not disappoint. Previous "highlights" recordings do nothing but annoy the serious musicals fans as they often leave out some of the most relevant parts of the show.

This recording is really excellent, both in content and cast. Debbie Gravitte (formerly Debbie Shapiro) gives a "rootin' tootin' shootin'" rendition of Calamity's songs to "out Calamity" Doris Day's movie version from the 50's.

"Careless with the Truth", which is invariably missing form other recordings of Calamity Jane is included here and forms an integral part of the show when seen on stage, as do "Adelaide" and "Men". This long- awaited full recording really fills a gap in the market.

I hope it's not too long before we see similar full recordings of many of the other great musicals like "Anything Goes"

I had grown up on the movie, and really didn't know what to expect from this new version. It's based on the theatrical production which was produced after the movie in 1979. I loved it. Debbie Shapiro entertains with a lively Calamity Jane. Her performance of "My Secret Love" is delicate, and beautiful. The whole cast creates a comedic feel that rivals that of the movie. Orchestra interludes throughout the 2-CDs help maintain a level of energy that is hard to find on some studio releases. That energy carries through to spoken dialog that is included. The only thing lacking is a liberetto.

This CD is better for people, such as myself, who are more familiar with the play than the movie, in which songs like "Men!" and "Adalaid" are not featured. Also, if you want some background music to play, the scene change music is great.

I really enjoy listening to this newly released version of Calamity Jane. I was looking for the Doris Day version and found this instead. I am very please with it. Excellent cast with outstanding performances.

This CD is good and the orchestra is great, but Debbie Shapiro is really no way as good as Day and her singing is pretty flat and would rather suit a role in chicago than good ol' calam. Doris Day was the best and the original master of the role, ALWAYS halarious and brilliant at the role with a beautiful singing voice, so I suppose anyone who wants to follow has darn hard competition! Jason Edwards however is wonderful as Bill and his voice rings out fantastically, and is about as good as Howard Keel. The stage version is fun with good new songs, but I don't know why they changed some of the words! But apart from these points, the chorus and cast members are good. It's a good listen for the fantastic writing of Sammy Fain and co.! Whip crack away!!!!!!

I confess that I had a crush on Doris Day. Starting with "Tea for Two" in 1950 through "Billy Rose's Jumbo" in 1968, there was hardly a Doris Day movie that I missed. I could name a dozen favorites, and at the top of the list would be "Calamity Jane," ". . . released by Warner Brothers in 1953 to cash in on the popularity of the musical western, and in particular Annie Get Your Gun which had been released in 1950 and had been box-office gold." (Liner notes from the Jay recording)

No complete soundtrack was ever released. Only four songs on the Columbia 10-inch LP "soundtrack" were actually from the film soundtrack: "The Deadwood Stage", "I Can Do Without You", "Higher Than a Hawk" and "Secret Love." The other four songs were studio recordings. A stage version of the film, with book by Charles K. Freeman, made its debut in England in 1979, with five additional songs by Sammy Fain & Paul Francis Webster. This recording is based on that production.

Frankly, I think you'd be better off renting or buying the DVD and enjoying Doris Day & Howard Keel rather than purchasing this CD, unless - like me - you are intent on collecting all the cast recordings in the universe. The new songs are boring and banal, the expansion of the film plot really makes no sense, and no one in the cast compares favorably with their movie counterparts. Jason Howard has a fine baritone, but peculiar pronunciation. At times he sounds as though he's channelling Emile De Beque instead of Wild Bill Hickock. Susannah Fellows is an okay Katie Brown, but Debbie Shapiro Gravitte tries way too hard to be Doris Day. Furthermore, she bleats when she sings "now I SHOUT it from the highest hill." Ouch!!

Personally, I don't see any reason for CALAMITY JANE to exist as a stage play, unless a high school somewhere wants to produce a musical western with a strong female lead. Frankly, they'd do better with ANNIE GET YOUR GUN or THE UNSKINKABLE MOLLY BROWN.

Enjoy CALAMITY JANE, the movie & forget CALAMITY JANE, the musical.

This Cd was very good execpt for a few changes they have made in many of the songs and the new songs they added. I am not quite sure why they changed the lyrics but who knows. One is when Calamity Jane says the word Damn in the middle of the song. andother one is in widy city. She says on this cd indor outdoor plumbing but on the movie soundtrack she says they ought to hair cuts cost a quarter. I enjoy all the songs very much except that the new songs don't fit in with the original song by the style. They also sound like they were written for small children. I like this cd a lot.

From the opening of the film to the very end, Calamity Jane's soundtrack is a total delight. The songs are funny, romantic, melodic and sing about the old west. Doris day's performance in the film is high energy and great acting with a terrific comic touch. Howard keel is the perfect foil for "Calam" and the duo's relationship moves swiftly through song. It is a film you can watch over and over, marveling how today's stars could not even approach the superb, appealing, zesty, performances. The beautiful songs are all singable and memorable.