Customer Reviews

Liza With A "Z"

5 star:		(80)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This "Concert for Television" from 1972 has been beautifully restored, in a DVD package that has lots of extras, and will delight all of Liza's fans, as well as those who admire choreographer/director Bob Fosse. Liza's natural sensuality fits into Fosse's unique (and difficult to master) choreography as if she was born to dance it, and she is one of the best interpreters of his work, which is no easy feat. Liza is fantastic in this concert, with her one-of-a-kind talent shining in every number. With 4 (Halston) costume changes, the show has sections of solo "spotlight" songs, and several production numbers where she is joined by some superb backup dancers, who unfortunately have not been given credit...my only other complaint is that with the running time of 1 hour, one wants more of this terrific multi award winning show! Those who enjoy this concert will also like the 1992 concert with Charles Aznavour at the Palais des Congres available on DVD.

The songs are:
1: "Yes," from the Kander & Ebb show "70, Girls, 70."
2: "God Bless the Child," a marvelous take on the Billie Holiday classic.
3: "Say Liza," a novelty John Kander number and the show's title song.
4: "It Was a Good Time," a touching song where Liza gets to use her acting talent.
5: "I Gottcha," the first of 3 production numbers, with Liza in a red micro mini.
6: "Son of a Preacher Man."
7: "Ring Them Bells" is very amusing with Liza having to travel to Europe to meet the boy next door.
8: "Bye Bye Blackbird," the standout number for choreography, staging and performance. Liza dazzles in black velvet!
9: "You've Let Yourself Go," Charles Aznavour's mature love song, and few can sing Aznavour like Liza.
10: "My Mammy," wonderful!
11: "Cabaret" medley ("Wilkommen," "Married," "Money," "Maybe this Time," "Cabaret"). What can you say...Liza IS Sally Bowles!
12: Curtain calls and titles.

Not seen since its initial airing in September, 1972, fans of Liza Minnelli have waited patiently for over 30 years to have this show released on DVD. The recording has never gone out of print for good reason -- it was Liza's first landmark live solo performance that was put to vinyl and by 1972, she had honed her talents and worked out her material and it all came together in an extraordinary achievement under the amazing hand of director Bob Fosse. Kander & Ebb, Fosse and Minnelli all had quite a time of it in 1972 with triumphs on film, television and the theatre.

I've only seen clips of the show over the years and look forward to sitting down and seeing it as those lucky enough in the audience did. Shot on film for a unique and different approach to the traditional variety or musical show, it's more like a movie of a concert than a TV special.

Grab this one right away...lest it disappear from the shelves for another 30 years!

UPDATE: I saw the show in Los Angeles on 03/23/06 at a screening with Liza herself, sponsored by the TV Academy, and it's truly amazing. I've had the album for years so I know every song, but to actually see the show as it was intended added a whole new layer and dimension. In the discussion panel afterwards (featuring Minnelli and the producers), they said, and rightly so, after the years of bad headlines and drama played out in the public, putting this out points the press back in the direction of what they should be talking about -- the singular and stunning talent that is Liza.

Run don't walk...and see what real talent is all about. This is it!

Rather than review the fantastic material in this wonderful "time capsule," I want to add a few comments about the technical quality of this DVD.

In nearly all of the extras, especially the panel discussion that's worth the price of the DVD itself, you're looking at contemporary digital video.

However, in the restoration of "Liza with a "Z" -- the 1972 program itself -- it must be noted that the video quality isn't up to the quality of the audio.

In fairness, this video restoration was based on raw material that was originally captured on 16 millimeter film. This is the kind of lower grade film stock shown in schools and small auditoriums. And small TV screens.

When you blow up 16-millimeter film stock (rather than standard 35-millimeter), you'll sometimes get, depending upon the size of your display screen -- a fuzzy, off-and-on, "out of focus" appearance.

This is most apparent in close-ups of Liza's face. The colors are brilliant, the sound is wonderful, the production is spectacular -- but this show was not intended for big-screen projection screens now available at electronics stores in the 21st century.

The intermittent fuzziness is more noticeable watching "Liza with a "Z" on a 32-inch TV screen vs. your computer.

One can only imagine the horrific problems that must have emerged during the restoration of this important historical document. That we're able to view anything at all with no degradation in color or sound is a miracle.

So to that end, customers -- be advised that this package is still, in my view, worth every penny. But given the 16mm film stock upon which the restoration is based -- do not expect the same image quality with which you're accustomed to seeing with contemporary films on standard DVDs.

More than anything, "Liza with a "Z" has a "lost and suddenly rediscovered" quality that's out-of-this-world. Be patient with it. After the first few minutes, you'll get used to the off-and-on fuzziness -- and before you know it, you'll be transported to a time and a place that reminds us what a sensation Liza Minnelli became, especially from 1972 to 1989, when it seemed she was destined to become an icon, placed on the short list of the greatest entertainers in history.

She might still get there with the release of this important DVD, and I'm optimistic she will.

In sum, "Liza with a "Z" obliterates the trashy tabloid stories which have chased Liza Minnelli's life during the past decade. And when you're done watching this show -- and all of its fabulous extras -- you're left with the indisputable fact that Minnelli remains a unique talent that transcends adversity. Everyone associated with its restoration should be applauded.

At some point -- it belongs in the Smithsonian AND at the Museum of Radio and Television for future generations to enjoy -- for free.

This DVD/CD combination of Liza's infamous 1972 "concert for television" (as Liza herself recently referred to it) is unequivocally Liza at her zenith. I have never seen her move, strut, dance and sing to such perfection in all the years I've been watching her. She worked her little ol' tushie off; and it shows--practically literally as well as figuratively, but that's neither here nor there! (SMILE)

Bob Fosse was also at his best for staging this show. The music by Kander and Ebb is sublime. There's so much electricity here the whole concert is hot to the touch! I love the moments when you see Liza dancing with all the others while wearing the white gloves during "Bye Bye Blackbird;" the show-stopping "Ring Them Bells" which has a strong vaudevillian flavor here; and the next to the last song, "My Mammy" is not just touching and nostalgic; it is perhaps the most definitive performance since Jolson himself sang it. Personally, I have always been a fan of vaudeville; and there's a strong current of that running through the entire show. Yes, the show was so state of the art at the time, with Liza's risqu? costumes and all--but the nostalgia and the vaudeville flavors make it a universally appealing performance. The trademark Cabaret medley at the end of Liza's concert is equally thrilling. Encore!

The extras are plentiful and make this a very good product. You get, as you may already know from reading above, Liza's performance at the 2005 GLAAD Awards and footage of Liza at the 2005 Toronto Film Festival. The complete A&E biography of Liza is here, too! AWESOME!!!!!

Of course, fans who rushed to buy this may have noticed that, at least for most of the first issued CDs, the first note is missing from the CD. Do not fear! In fact, take a lemon and turn it into lemonade. Why not keep the CD instead of returning it? After all, you'll eventually have a collectible in the CD itself since obviously the CD will be re-manufactured to include the first note. (That was a surprise to me; why this mistake? Four and three-quarter stars for that error.)

All in all, this instant classic DVD/CD combination would have to appeal to any fan of top notch theater, not just Liza's core fan base. With Liza, Fosse, Kander and Ebb, all the stars were in the right place at the right time to produce an unforgettable legendary concert. Even if you've never seen Liza Minnelli perform you owe it to yourself to get this for sublime entertainment. God bless you, Liza; what a gift we have in you!

Liza Minnelli amazes and dazzles in this television special. She is absolutely wonderful. She is playful, artistic, dramatic, comedic, gracious, spirited, and sensual. Her rendition of "Mammy" (NOT referring to Judy Garland!!) still sends chills up and down my spine whenever I hear it. This gal can sing and dance up a storm. One reviewer was highly critical of her as a person, which I felt was extremely unfair. She had her share of "issues," as many celebrities do. These problems have nothing to do with her performance in this special.
If the reviewer had watched the A&E biography of her, he would have been aware of some of her other artistic accomplishments. For example, the Broadway show CHICAGO was about to close because Gwen Verdon took ill. Liza stepped in and saved the day, garnering great reviews for her performance. She has won 3 Tony awards, an emmy, a grammy, and an Oscar.
But getting back to the review of "Liza With a Z": So what if maybe she lipsynched a few numbers? Could you dance like that and be able to sing at the same time? It was still HER vice, for crying out loud.
I would not call myself a Liza fanatic by any means. I do admire her and belive she is a tremendous talent, as is clearly evident int his special. She has a very commanding stage presence and is a top-notch entertainer.

Good Lord, how did she do it? This is one of the most amazing performances in the history of theater, movies or television. Thank Heaven it has been restored so we can see it again and again and again. This is definitely Liza at the top of her game; Bob Fosse on top of his. Combine that with the great Kander and Ebb music and you've got a musical treasure right there on your shelf. Looking as cool as a seasoned pro, and dressed in some amazing Halston creations, Liza delivers an hour of great entertainment packed with sizzling emotion, cleverly times humor and outstanding movement. If you saw it in 1972, rush out and buy it again. If you'e never seen it, don't miss it.

"Liza with a "Z" - A Concert for Television" is simply one of many reasons for owning this excellent set: the extras and full-length soundtrack CD are worth the price of admission alone.

The show itself is a testament to the power of Liza Minnelli both as a singer (she really outdoes herself on numbers such as "God Bless The Child" and "My Mammy") and as a dancer ("Ring Them Bells" is perhaps one of the most entertaining and exciting routines I've ever seen, on DVD or otherwise...). The sense of excitement and theatricality is palpable - even with the (understabdably) lip-synched numbers, and the staging by Bob Fosse is slick, stylish, pared-back and... well, very Fosse indeed. It's so refreshing to see a young Liza in action outside of "The Judy Garland Show" and "Cabaret", you really do need to sit down and watch this concert to understand fully why she was and is such a big deal.

The Biography documentary about Liza's life is excellent - a 90-minute ride through the high and low points with, surprisingly, more input from Liza herself than from any other contributor - and the contributor's list reads like a Who's Who and Who's Left of Broadway Royalty - Chita Rivera, Kander and Ebb, Billy Stritch, Liz Smith and others all come together, not to pay saccarine lip service to a showbiz legend, but to illustrate and share their memories and takes on the life of Liza Minnelli. It's riveting stuff.

Other wonderful surprises come in the shape of the audio CD album of the concert, Liza's dramatic and dynamic performance at the 2005 GLAAD awards (she has It more now than ever, it would seem...) and the cut "Mein Herr" sequence from the actual concert are all fascinating clips of Liza at her most entertaining.

Ausio-video quality for the main feature is superb - remastered to within an inch of perfection, the crystal clarity of the visuals is matched by the sharp, balanced stereo sound. One for any fan of broadway, live performance or just plain old-fashioned showmanship, "Liza with a "Z" - A Concert for Television" is an absolute must-have.

Recommended!

I would have been 18 when I saw this special on TV back in 1972. It was terrific. Minelli was on top with her role in Cabaret, and Judy Garland's death was still recent enough that for all that everyone realized Liza's own talent, there was still the echo of her mother with every song she sang. And especially when singing a song like Mammy. We've been waiting for this show on DVD forever, it seems like, and I, for one will be among the first to get it.

As a further note, it sounds like the extras on the DVD that go along with the TV special will make this a really terrific set to have.

This is one of Liza Minnelli's best performances. Its fun for everyone and although it seems to be a 70's experience, and it is, the show transcends all time. It is Fresh, Showy, Talent packed and GREAT performances.
I advise people to buy this DVD or at least rent it at your local store and see for yourself.
Liza with a Z.

I was lucky enought to meet Liza when she was signing her dvd on the release date in April 4th in the Tower Records in NY, and it was an experience i NEVER forget!!! She was so loving and so kind, i became speechless and when she saw it on me she held my hand and told me it's okay and smiled at me!!! Looking in her beautiful eyes is such a great feeling!!! She gave me so much love in that little time!!! I was crying all the way home, happy tears i was deeply touched!!! THANK YOU LIZA!!! But she is a giving person, a true, honest soul and it shows in her art, she NEVER has a false move or a false emotion, she is always giving, warm and loving. You can see it in Liza with a Z , in this fantastic piece of work, the emotions on her beautiful face, her deep soulful eyes is just really fascinating to watch. Her Mom was the same way, giving, loving and excellent in everything, and Liza was able to make her own art, their art is individual, but what connect them is both of them are honest, deep, giving performers!!! And Liza with a Z has something for everyone, excellent choreographed numbers, beautifully sang melodies, heart and soul, and everything you need for a great entertainment!!! I hope they release more of her performances what she did over the years, and i hope we can see many more wonderful things from her!!! She is an excellent singer, a great actress and a great, loving person!!! LOVE YOU LIZA AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE AND THE TREASURE WHAT YOU GAVE IN YOUR ART TO US ALL!!!