Product Details

• Actors: Keith Michell, Alexander Oliver, Janis Kelly, Peter Allen, Gillian Knight
• Directors: Rodney Greenberg
• Writers: William S. Gilbert
• Producers: Edward Simons, George Walker, Judith de Paul
• Format: Classical, Digital Sound, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Image Entertainment
• VHS Release Date: January 1, 1997
• Run Time: 98 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 1578900069
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #294,977 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The Pirates of Penzance would seem to be one of the most indestructible of theatrical works, with its seamless parody and melodic brilliance. No material is surefire, however. In this lackluster version, the pleasures are sporadic at best. The production, originally shown on the BBC, is a nondaring affair that avoids any modern sensibility or satiric edge. Mabel's song "Poor Wand'ring One," a swipe at the trilling idiocies of opera, here lacks any sting at all, with Mabel's sisters pirouetting in wholesome Victorian fashion--just what the antisentimental Gilbert & Sullivan didn't have in mind. Nevertheless, there are some good gags. When Frederic reveals himself to the sisters as they are daringly taking off their shoes, they hop backward in fright, simultaneously, on one foot. The casting includes some fatal errors. Alexander Oliver as Frederic is plainly so much older than his juvenile character that the role is reduced to nonsense. Worse, his performance is drab and lethargic. The singer-songwriter Peter Allen, cast as the Pirate King presumably for star appeal, contributes a hip-swiveling Vegas style that jars with everything around him. Keith Michell, as a charming, befuddled Major-General, is much better.

This is an entry in the Opera World series of Gilbert and Sullivan videos, made in the early 1980s. The operettas in the series, which in many cases feature the considerable asset of subtitled lyrics, were sometimes cut to fit a two-hour time slot. Pirates, instead, was padded with a bland making-of-the-film segment, followed by endless travelogue shots of the seaside town of Penzance. Don't bother. --David Olivenbaum

Product Description

A group of pirates celebrate the coming of age of their apprentice, Frederic. But Frederic has only remained a pirate because of his excessive sense of duty. Now he plans to return to normal life, and go to the police to have his friends arrested. The arrival of a chorus of beautiful 17-year-old girls on a beach outing with their guardian, Major-General Stanley, leads to one complication after another. The opera ends with a hilarious battle between pirates and police, and the discovery that the pirates are, after all, "noblemen who have gone wrong."

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mediocre at best--but it has its moments., June 30, 2001

By 

Sean "jjpeachum" (LOOK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gilbert & Sullivan - The Pirates of Penzance / Michell, Kelly, Oliver, Allen, Opera World [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Okay. Here goes:

Ruth is pretty much perfect for her role, because--next to being old and ugly--she's funny and her voice shows her age. Major General Stanley is ideal, good timing and a nice delivery of his song.

Mabel is not young enough, and-curiously--at the end of both finales she never sings the top part above every one else. Other than that, she sings nicely. Frederick! My Gawd, he's like 45! And not attracive at all! And tubby! So with all of the female chorus singing of his beauty all of the time, you'll be in disbelief. And his singing is only okay at that.

Peter Allen as the Pirate King is--well--let's say "effeminate and unattractive" to put it nicely. The Police Sergeant and his men are unfunny and unmemorable--except for the (*gasp*) midget police officer.

The sets are amateurish and disappointing. The choreography is a tad on the ridiculous side. And moments such as the "Paradox" number are just bland, because they want it to be funny, but are not even trying. The whole moment with the guns pointed at him and the nods--not funny! The jaunty steps on the refrain make it mildly entertaining.

But there is one small moment that makes this video worth owning:"Climbing Over Rocky Mountain," the female chorus entrance number, is absolutely CHARMING! The staging and the singing and everything all come together and make it a perfect moment.

Yeah, so basically avoid this, unless you want to see an adequate Ruth and Major-General and a charming ladies chorus' entrance all bunched up against a lowsey production on the whole.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A more detailed follow-up, May 10, 2000

By 

Yi-Peng (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gilbert & Sullivan - The Pirates of Penzance / Michell, Kelly, Oliver, Allen, Opera World [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I know that even though a lot of the Amazon.com community complain about this video, I still find it enjoyable from first to last. Peter Allen is really a swashbuckling Pirate King, though not a really good singer, acting the part extremely well. Keith Michell finds every nuance in his portrayal of Major-General Stanley. Though his famous patter song seems difficult to sing, he sings it well and effortlessly. Janis Kelly and Alexander Oliver make an excellent pair of lovers, singing sweetly, and with romanticism. Gillian Knight makes a perfect Ruth, appealing and with a crisp performance. The choruses of pirates, policemen and daughters of Major-General Stanley are bright, crisp, supportive and clear. Though the Sergeant may need polishing, he still sings as well as Owen Brannigan. Overall, this is an excellent traditional performance, and I find this better than the Broadway-Hollywood version. It seems to me that nobody but the Brits does Gilbert and Sullivan in the way I expect it to be done, and it is not becuase of a "Rule Britannia" attitude. It seems that they present more logical versions of Gilbert and Sullivan, and this video really proves it. I would suggest that you think carefully before buying either this or the Broadway-Hollywood version.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It Was Okay But It Could Have Been Better!, October 9, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Gilbert & Sullivan - The Pirates of Penzance / Michell, Kelly, Oliver, Allen, Opera World (DVD)

I love the Pirates of Penzance and have seen other productions that were great but though not horrible this is far from perfect! Peter Allen wasn't the best Pirate King and not the greatest singer but his acting was good and was kind of enjoyable, I think what really bothered me about this production was that Frederic is 21 years old and the man playing him looked more like he was 51 years old and way to old to be playing a 21 year old, the woman playing Mabel looked kind of too old to be playing Mabel but at least she didn't look as old as the man playing Frederic and was somewhat more believable! There were some good performances from the people playing Ruth and Major Stanley and some good musical numbers with Mabel's sisters but I just could not get past the fact that the man playing Frederic was too old for the part and was badly miscast!