Product Details

• Actors: Valerie Masterson, Anthony Raffell, George Cook, Donald Adams, Philip Potter
• Directors: Stuart Burge
• Writers: W. S. Gilbert, Arthur Sullivan
• Producers: D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
• Format: Classical, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: VAI
• DVD Release Date: September 30, 2003
• Run Time: 122 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000DD76Z
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83,096 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

MIKADO - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Huh? What did they say?, April 5, 2005

By 

Bob Manson (Berkeley, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Mikado (DVD)

I suspect this was an excellent performance, based solely on the fact that it was D'Oyly Carte in the 1960s, it looks expertly performed, and it's received excellent reviews. But... the sound on this DVD is like "two cats in a sack", and the video isn't so great either. Maybe the VHS version is loads better, but you have to be a dedicated fan to want to watch this.

If you have the lyrics memorized it might be comprehensible, as I was able to mostly follow along after finding a text copy of the lyrics/dialogue on the web. The first time I tried to watch it, I listened for about five minutes, realized I had no idea what the *#&@! they were saying, and started looking for other resources beacuse otherwise I was going to return it. No subtitles, more's the pity.

Frankly, it sounds like a typical Frumpies album: literally taped in someone's bathroom. It's musical, but with a ton of echo... maybe this was originally filmed in mono? The audio stream claims to be 2-channel Dolby. Impressively awful, whatever it is.

As for the video, it looks like it was filmed in Ektachrome, exposed to UV light for about twenty years, then soaked in water for another twenty. My inexpert guess is that it was actually filmed in Technicolor and not preserved very well, and whoever did the DVD transfer either did it from a poor VHS copy (unlikely) or didn't try to do any restoration/enhancement to the film transfer. A bit grainy, but the worst problem by far is the washed-out colors; everyone looks like they've been living in a cave, wearing the same clothes, for the last 40 years. Odd flashes of color, but it's mostly drab.

I recommend this one, but only because the vast majority of G&S video productions are horrid things guaranteed to induce agony and irritation. All of them (and I *do* mean all of them) have major problems. This one is the least wretched because the quality of the performance makes up for not being able to understand or really see it.

Frankly, I have given up on the idea of ever seeing a truly enjoyable Gilbert & Sullivan production. I am unlikely to see a decent live performance. Nobody's going to film a new one "straight" because that would require effort, and only a few people these days would want to see it. Most modern versions have been heavily rewritten and the older ones are poorly filmed or badly performed.

From now on, I'll stick to the sound recordings.

66 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mikado: The Ultimate, April 26, 2004

By 

Rudy Avila "Saint Seiya" (Lennox, Ca United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Mikado (DVD)

This is it. The classic 1966-67 D'Oyly Carte Opera production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. No other production holds a candle next to the superior performance of this movie. Back in the 60's, a talented cast of singers were performing all the classics of the Gilbert and Sullivan light operas under the direction of Bridget D'Oyly Carte and conductor Isodore Godfrey. They were John Reed, who performed all the comedic, fast-voiced baritone roles (Ko-Ko on here) Major General Stanley in Pirates of Penzance and Sir Joseph Porter in H.M.S. Pinafore, lyric tenor Phillip Potter, who was charming and romantic in a matinee idol sort of way (Nanki Poo on here, also sang Frederick in Pirates Of Penzance), Valerie Masterson, the coloratura and lyric soprano who played all the leading ladies (Yum Yum, Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore, and Mabel in Pirates Of Penzance)
Donald Adams (The Mikado, The Pirate King) and Christene Palmer, who played all the mezzo soprano roles (Katisha, Buttercup and Ruth). These singers are at the top of their game on this film,
their voices are fresh and the performance is to die for. Phillip Potter is romantic as the minstrel son of the Mikado, Donald Adams is regial, Christene Palmer is an imperious and vengeful dragon lady, Valerie Masterson is sweet, youthful and charming as Yum-Yum. John Reed is as comical as ever.The Mikado is delivered here in the manner of Kabuki Japanese theatre. It really works. The authentic kimono wardrobe, music and poses from the actors gives the whole thing an artsy Japanese look. In addition, the camera does'nt move much, giving this a very staged and museum-style feel. Even if some say its campy, it does'nt diminish its value. It's a classic film that all Gilbert and Sullivan fans have to watch.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So Good I Had To Review A Second Time, May 26, 2004

By 

Rudy Avila "Saint Seiya" (Lennox, Ca United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Mikado (DVD)

The release of the 1966 D'Oyly Carte Opera production of The Mikado on DVD in 2003-2004 was a capital idea. Gilbert and Sullivan fans have been waiting years for the classic film to appear on DVD. VAI (Video Artists International) offers many fine and rare operas on film. Gilbert and Sullivans' light operas were the signature of the D'Oyly Carte Opera and in the 60's this cast was the leading performers of the genre. Tenor Phillip Potter portrays Nanki Poo, the son of the Mikado disguised as a wondering minstrel. His performance is top-notch and Valerie Masterson, the soprano singing the part of Yum-Yum is his perfect counterpart. Together, they make beautiful music as in their duets. The comic actor John Reed sings Ko-Ko the Lord High Executioner. A short, playful and silly man, he's far from the expected strong and fearsome image of a Lord High Executioner. Christene Palmer is Katisha. Her commanding presence, dramatic mezzzo soprano voice and imperious nature make her the perfect Katisha. She's got some powerful scenes, such as the Act I Finale in which she interrupts the Wedding of Yum Yum and Nanki Poo and threatens to reveal his true identity, operatically dramatic in her cries "My Wrongs With Vengeance Shall Be Crowned !". Donald Adams plays The Mikado Emperor. He's at his silliest in the aria "My Object All Sublime" in which he lets out a high pitched shriek as he describes his fascination for torture and execution. The authenticity of the mood and setting, a Japan of fable and art, is gloriously manifested in the scenery, which gives off a Japanese "Floating World" look and the props, bridges, lakes, tea houses, aesthetically classical in space and shape. And those costumes ! Exquisite and very Oriental with colorful patterns on the silk. And the use of fans was almost over-the-top, the characters closing and opening their fans in Japanese poses, but still it works effectively. All the great numbers that made this opera famous are here- "Three Little Maids from School" and Ko-Ko's List Song. Coincidentally, this was the same production that inspired the crazed Zodiac Serial Killer who was fond of twisting the Lord High Executioner's image. He even re-wrote the lyrics to Ko-Ko's List Song. This is the best version of The Mikado ever made. It's worth the price and has value because of its camp classic appeal.