Customer Reviews

The Judy Garland Show - Just Judy

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This DVD is simply amazing. The picture and sound clearaty are superb, I'm sure they exceed the quality of when the series was originally aired in 1963-1964! Included in this compilation of songs from the show are:
Keep Your Sunny Side Up
Just in Time
Moon River
Come Rain or Come Shine
Cottage for Sale
Hey, Look Me Over
From This Moment On
The Man That Got Away
All Alone
That's All
When Your Lover Has Gone
Swanee
Almost Like Being in Love
Stormy Weather
When The Sum Comes Out

They Can't Take That Away From Me
Last Night When We Were Young
When Your Smiling
Puttin' On The Ritz
The Battle Hymn of The Republic
Smile
As Long as He Needs Me
San Francisco
Over the Rainbow
Too Late Now
Who Cares
Old Man River
and....
Maybe I'll Come Back
As you can see, none of Judy Garland's classics are omitted! Every Judy fan must have this disk, alnog with the other Judy Garland Show DVDs! If you have not bought any of the Judy Garland Show DVDs, take my advice and buy The Judy Garland Show Collection! It includes this disk along with 14 full episodes of her show, and is only a little over $100.
Both are great buys though, either way!

If you love JUDY GARLAND, then this DVD is a Must Have!

Being a Judy newbie in terms of her later work, I was absolutely bowled over the first time I watched this DVD. This is one woman who truly wears her entire heart on her sleeve. Her renditions of "Old Man River," "Cottage For Sale," "Smile," and "The Man that Got Away" are in a word, monumental. I defy the hardest of hearts not to feel a welling up of emotions ranging from broken hearted to exhilarated during these songs. It's especially interesting to observe Judy's facial expressions, eyes, and body language as she delivers some of the most outstanding performances ever witnessed. "Cottage for Sale" in particular seems to really get to her at the end as she bows her head and catches her breath to check her emotions. And "Old Man River" is absolutely astounding, especially the finale in which you know she's feeling every last word down to the bone. No wonder she is worshipped the world over. This DVD shows why she is considered the eternal flame of show business.

Another eye-opening aspect of these performances is the beauty in which they were filmed, almost "film noir" in effect and mood. Nothing cheesy as one might expect from a television variety show; so classy. Mel Torme's musical direction was exquisite. The sets, the camera angles, the gowns... oh my gawd, the gowns! Everything is a class act in this 28-song compilation from her series, but the best part is experiencing Judy herself. They don't make television shows like this anymore, and they certainly don't make singers like this anymore. This is a must have for any music lover. Next purchase: I recommend "the Judy Garland Show, Legends," featuring more solos (none repeated from Just Judy), and some amazing duets with the likes of Barbara, Tony, Liza, Peggy, Lena, and more.

In 1963-64 Judy Garland was still remarkably at the peak of her powers as a singer, actress, and "Miss Showbusiness." Her voice had reached its zenith two years earlier at Carnegie Hall and because of that astounding comeback she won roles in four feature films, one of which earned her an academy award nomination, had a record-breaking concert tour, a T.V. special which was the highest rated program in CBS history, and the Carnegie Hall recording which won grammys for Album of the Year and Best Female Vocalist and was #1 on the billboard charts for 13 weeks, spending 95 weeks on the bestseller charts in all. There was also a T.V. series that resulted from an episode on The Jack Paar Show in 1962, which showcased her newly trim figure as well as her hilarious humor and wit. Her series fell victim to a deathbed timeslot as well as severe network interference, but Judy's talent rarely faltered. In this DVD Just Judy, the most brilliant aspect of her show is showcased (Judy's solos) and most of them that were selected have her in peak or near-peak form. Her Old Man River will give anyone chills. Her Cottage For Sale shows her remarkable ability to wear her heart on her sleeve, and then change moods instantly with a bubbly, energetic Hey Look Me Over. She also sings many songs from her Carnegie Hall album, and ones like Come Rain or Come Shine, The Man That Got Away, and Stormy Weather come extremely close to matching her earlier renditions. What else can I say except buy this DVD (and if you don't have her Carnegie Hall recording, get that also!) You will see and hear Judy Garland at her absolute zenith.

Make your self a drink, turn off the lights, and be prepared to experience 90 minutes of pure musical heaven. There will never be anyone who can and will make you feel the range of emotions you will experience watching this remarkable work of art.Judy was not just a performer, she was an artist who put her heart into every note and she will make you feel it as well. Her life was one of many difficulties and saddness, but when she sang I believe she was able to escape it and she was able to be that happy little bluebird, over the rainbow.

I have always loved and respected Judy Garland, but it was not until I saw her on this DVD (and the others from her legendary series), that I appreciated the enormity of her talent.

Judy was already a living legend several times over by the time this series started. And it shows. This DVD is full of awe inspiring, jaw dropping, show stopping performances that no one else could pull off.

The fact that Judy was battling many personal demons during the 50s and 60s makes these bravura performances all the more impressive. She was a consummate professional, and without a doubt, one of the greatest entertainers of all time.

Cottage For Sale and The Battle Hymn of the Republic are alone worth the price of admission. These are staggering performances.

On a technical note, the DVD transfer that is nothing short of miraculous: high contrast black and white video that could have been shot yesterday, along with thrilling 5.1 surround sound.

Fantastic collection of songs with Judy in fine voice. Her voice had 'a mind of its own.' Sometimes when she was thin her voice sounded thin and uneven. We fans can really appreciate the timbre, the enunciation, and her timing when she was in good voice - and she is in marvelous voice here. It was often hard for Judy to BOTH look excellent and sing excellent. She sang better when she was slightly overweight. One only has to listen to her Carnegie Hall CD to hear her at her best.

She comes very close at times on this DVD. Her signature songs - "The Man That Got Away", "Stormy Weather" here are equal to the best ever made before the TV Series. Her rendition of "Ol' Man River" is astonishing. And the overall picture quality (video instead of film) has an edge that even on the Old Fashioned Black & White that was CBS's standard at the time cannot mar. It is possible to forget she is dead because she LIVES on this DVD.

Judy Garland is one of the greatest singers of the 20th century and you can clearly see and hear why in this amazing DVD. It's pure Judy, pure song, pure excellence. And it's taken from when TV shows had class, grace, and charm. If you ever wondered where the place referred to as "over the rainbow" was, this must be the place. You've found it. And it's pure heaven. Ladies and Gentlemen, Miss Judy Garland...

I have been a fan of Judy Garland for much of my young life. I always admired her amazing breadth of talent, from acting to dancing, and most importantly, singing. Seeing this DVD from start to finish is breath-taking. Here we see all her myriad talents come together. She doesn't just sing. She LIVES these songs. The sheer power of her presence, the energy of her delivery, and the power of the voice, combine to be so incredibly moving. Each and every song is a show-stopper, so it's hard to pick out the very best. "Cottage For Sale" is astounding. "The Man That Got Away", one of her all-time classics, is equally jaw-dropping. "Stormy Weather", better known as being done by Lena Horne, is sung perfectly here by Judy, who really makes it her own. "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", an undeniably patriotic number, was personaly chosen by Judy to honor Jonh F. Kennedy, just recently assasinated. The raw emotion here is staggering. Of course, "Over the Rainbow" is here, performed in a Christmas episode with her children with her as she performs the song. I guess my own personal favorite performance here is "Old Man River". I got chills all over the first time I watched this. She didn't just perform it, she LIVED it, she could very well be singing about herself and her troubles in life. This injection of personal trials and troubles and overcoming impossible odds is what truly made Judy Garland unique. One felt you knew her, or could really identify with what she went through. That incredible voice, which is as strong as ever on this DVD, is bouyed by emotion; stark, real, and vivid. She connected to her audience through her songs, and they to her. This DVD is just a sample of the amazing talent this truly gifted lady was blessed with. That she shared it with us is a sign of her generosity. That we still love her is a sign of her greatness.

She made every song she touched into her own. And stamped it with a definitive version.
Once she sang a song there was no reason for anyone else to even try.

This collection is culled from the very best of her renditions as performed on her series. The version her of The Man That Got Away is the only one to rival the original movie version. Sung live, with an over head boom mic. She just tears it up.
Come Rain or Come Shine, also sung live on one of the first episodes is one of the most hair raisingly, searing performances she might have ever given.

If you could have only one of the DVD's of the series this should be the one. It's all Judy and it's just one grand slam after another.

The greatest thing about it for those who've not seen a lot of her singing on film in her "Concert Years" it forever gives you a visual to have in mind when you listen to her concert recordings since there was no one who more than Judy locked in a performance version of any song she did. If she blinked, tilted her head, made a gesture in singing a song once you can bet she never deviated from it. One only needs to view the three very differently set and costumed versions of The Man That Got Away included as bonus tracks on the DVD version of A Star Is Born to see a great example of this. Even a different set, different costuming & on screen musicians did not interfere with the "business" that she had self choreographed for the number and no one choreographed Judy's just singing of a song. Dancing yes but never when it was just her standing and singing the moves, expressions & gestures were all hers.

I have both full Pioneer box sets of the series and somewhere along the line there came a scratch in the middle of The Man That Got Away that caused it to skip and even though the set had the very same rendition in the Lena Horne episode I just had to have a clean perfect version of this disc and was so glad to find it as a stand alone.

I can't recommend it highly enough.

This is a great collection of judy's most memorable moments on the show!!!! A must have for judy fans!!! I highly reccomend the box set (The Judy Garland Show Collection) Which includes this dvd along with 14 episodes and vol.4 and 3 and 5 are very good to!!! Take my advice Buy it!!!!! you'll Love it! It's worth every penny!!!