Customer Reviews

Copacabana

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have been waiting for this in ANY format since it first aired on TV in 1985. I wondered how Barry as an actor would be, but found myself so caught up in the story, I forgot to critique his performance! He tugs at my heartstrings when he stands in a darkened street and sings "Who Needs To Dream". His energy, vitality and charisma shine in "Sweet Heaven I'm In Love Again" and in "Copacabana". I loved Lola, sprawled on the piano, singing "Man Wanted".
As I've discovered over the years, Barry LIVE doing ANYTHING enervates me, has me singing along, and jumping up to dance! You can't go wrong buying this DVD!

This movie is great. This movie was broadcast on CBS originally in December 1985. Barry,Bruce and Jack outdid themselves on the songs and score. This movie runs a gambit of emotions. It is set in the 40's right after WWII. Two people meet,begin to fall in love, then interrupted by a third party. Lots of drama, action, romance and you never know what will happen next. A must have for any fan of Barry Manilow. This was his first acting experience as Tony and he is terrific. Of course, I am extremely biased. Friends of mine who watched it even though they were not fans, loved it. Who knew that Annette O'Toole could sing? She also is a wonderful dancer. Joseph Bolonga is wonderful as Rico. Great supporting parts done by Ernie Sabella as Mr. Gropper the owner of the Copa and Estelle Getty as Tony's mother.

Both Barry Manilow and Annette O'Toole do a wonderful acting job. The music is, of course, incredible. The video quality of the DVD is not as great as I would have expected but it's still good. If you're a Barry Manilow fan you will love this DVD, especially Who Needs To Dream and I'm In Love Again.

I have wanted this movie for oh so many years!!! Ever since I first saw it on television. I love all the songs! It a cutesy movie with a thin plot, but the music is what Barry is known for and it will have you humming along! I wish there would have been some special features on this DVd version....it is pretty bare, but after waiting all these years, I AM VERY HAPPY WITH IT!!! Buy this one, you won't regret it!

Every Barry fan should have this movie with their fan collection & memorabilia! Barry gave a wonderful performance in this movie as "Tony Starr". I enjoyed his sense of humor when Barry("Tony")said, "Riley, Stern, & Starr ... sounds like a lawfirm" - haha!
It's a wonderful movie but I have to admit that I avoid watching
the ending of this movie cause it's terribly sad. I only go as far watching the movie of the part when Tony rescues Lola, takes her back to New York with him & marries her. After the wedding scene, I don't watch the rest of the movie cause Rico should've been the one to have gotten killed by that gunshot, not Tony!!

Barry isn't quite as stellar an actor as he is a singer, but it doesn't matter. I smiled the entire way through this movie. The story is charming, the ending suprisingly unexpected, the actors adorable. If you love Barry, you will forgive his goofiness. I loved it!!

COPACABANA was made back in 1985 for ABC pictures and Dick Clark's production company. Dick approached the thwen famous Barry Manilow about his song Copacabana and actually making a story about it for the small screen. It works very well and has a bitter sweet quality to it. It stars Barry Manilow himself with Annette O'Toole (now on the WB's Smallville).

Directed by Warren Hussen, it tells the story of two aspiring performances meeting at a radio competition and then finding out they have much more than music in common. They strive to be who they are. Tony Star (Manilow) an aspiring writer and performer and Lola Lamar (O'Toole) a singer dance who's on;y dream is to perform at the Copacabana.

Along the way the evil Rico - and owner of another club in Havana tried to steel mis Lamar away. She finds who she really love is Tony and in the end - well. You'll have to listen to Barry's song and you'll know what happens.

The movie is tastefully done and Barry although not a great actor - pulls it off well. Annette is very good and broad in her performance. Other cast members include Estelle Getty, James Callahan and Joeseph Balogna. There are not many extra's, but the movie is still entertaining. A family film. P.S. See my other Manilow Music Reviews and I have seen him 19 times in Person on tour!(8-15-02)

Re-write Jan. 2009

I just watched this DVD again and I must apologize. Although I previously gave it 5 stars, my first review just did not do Copacabana justice, so I had to rewrite it. Maybe I was having an off-day the first time I watched it because when I watched it a second time, all the love just spilled out all over the floor. What an absolutely beautiful moving story and movie! I found myself falling in love with Lola (Annette O'Toole) and Tony (Barry Manilow) while I watched them fall in love with each other.

The movie opens, as the song says, with the Copa, now a disco. An aged, broken, and drunken Lola sits at the bar with her troubles buried in the bottom of her glass. She looks toward the dance floor and gets a vision of her love, Tony, playing piano and smiling at her. It was so sad, I could feel the pain in her eyes and heart. You know the storyline already because it follows the ever popular Copacabana lyrics (Tony and Lola fall in love; he gets killed by Rico; Lola is alone, grieving, for the rest of her life.) In between, you can enjoy the beautiful songs, and the lavish costumes and scenery. The movie again ended with Lola's beautiful vision of Tony, and it left me in tears.

Barry does a great job throughout the movie singing, dancing, playing the piano, and even the accordion--and acting! And don't forget, MUSIC BY MANILOW--he arranged the songs and he wrote most of these songs, too! How talented and versatile he is and has always been! Geeze! When you watch him in the scenes, the look in his eyes is so pure--so like a young man full of love and hope and dreams of the future. He certainly loves his music because the passion shows big time. And I love the scene where he sings "Sweet Heaven" at the Copa in a white tux.

Annette does such a great job as Lola, too. In her case, she sings, dances and acts and is superb! Let's not forget Joe Bologna as smarmy (I love that word) Havana nightclub owner, Rico, and a cast of other fine actors who certainly add to the movie. Of course, the colors of the glamorous costumes and sets are great. Oh, and Barry (age 42-ish) is so cute and Annette is gorgeous.

By the way, to those recent articles cracking Barry about being thin--he was always thin and you can see he was thin in this DVD--so P-t-t-t-t-h!

The music was recorded in Burbank, California (listed in random order)
Featured songs by Barry Manilow (in association with others-in some cases):
Let's Go Steppin'
Aye Caramba
Man Wanted
El Bravo
Sweet Heaven (I'm In Love Again) (One of my favorites)
Changing My Tune
They Call Me Mr. Lucky
Lola
Who Needs to Dream (Another of my favorites)
Copacabana (At the Copa)
Blue Nightsong
Say No More
Where Have You Gone
Big City Blues
What Am I Doin' Here
Goodbye My Love
I Was A Fool (To Let You Go)
When Love Is Gone
I've Never Been So Low on Love

Songs by others:
How About You
The Aba Daba Honeymoon
Deep Purple
I Feel A Song Comin' On
Chattanooga Choo Choo

There are 22 scene selections in this wonderful 95 minute musical, produced in 1985 by Dick Clark Cinema Productions, Inc./Stiletto, LTD--Executive Producer: Dick Clark. What a fine movie. I won't wait so long to watch it again. As a matter of fact, I think I will put it on again as we speak. All I can say is, "Sweet Heaven, I'm in Love, AGAIN!"

I guess you'd have to be a true Manilow fan to really love this movie...the acting is not great (especially Mr. Manilow...sorry), but its a great story and fabulous music. I just found out this was available on DVD...I've been watching an OLD taped-from-TV version for years!

I HAVE BEEN A BARRY MANILOW FAN FROM THE FIRST SONG HE CAME OUT WITH. HIS MUSIC TUGS AT YOUR HEART AND MAKES YOU WANT TO SMILE, DANCE, AND CRY ALL AT THE SAME TIME. WHEN THIS MOVIE CAME OUT, I RECORDED IT BECAUSE I NEW IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL, WHICH IT WAS. WELL, SOMEONE IN MY FAMILY RECORDED OVER IT BY MISTAKE NOT LONG AFTER IT AIRED, AND I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR IT EVER SINCE. MY FAVORITE SONG IN THE MOVIE IS "WHO NEEDS TO DREAM". WHEN HE SINGS THAT SONG IN THE STREET, IT GAVE ME BUTTERFLIES IN MY STOMACH. I LOOKED EVERYWHERE FOR THE SONG, BUT COULDN'T FIND IT ON ANY OF HIS ALBUMS. MY BROTHER FOUND IT ON THE INTERNET NOT LONG AGO, AND DOWNLOADED IT ON MY COMPUTER. NOW WHEN I WORK ON MY COMPUTER, I CAN LISTEN TO IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I NEVER GET TIRED OF LISTENING TO HIM. MY MOTHER WHO IS 77 YEARS OLD ALSO LOVES BARRY, AND LOVES THIS MOVIE. SHE IS ALWAYS BRINGING IT UP AND SAYING HOW MUCH SHE WANTS TO SEE IT AGAIN. WELL, I ALSO BOUGHT THE VHS VERSION FOR HER 78TH BIRTHDAY WHICH IS IN AUGUST. SHE DOESN'T KNOW I FOUND IT. SHE WILL BE SO SURPRISED! I REALLY HOPE I GET IT IN TIME FOR HER BIRTHDAY WHICH IS AUGUST 24TH. I JUST WENT TO HIS CONCERT HERE IN ARIZONA, AND HE JUST GETS BETTER WITH TIME. I LOVE HIM, THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RELEASING THIS BEAUTIFUL MOVIE. IT WILL BRING JOY TO MANY! ANNE FROM AVONDALE ARIZONA.