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Special Features
- More Lovely Than Ever: The Making of My Fair Lady Then & Now
- Vintage 1963/ 1964 Featurettes, Footage and Audio
- Alternate Audrey Hepburn Vocals
- Show Me Galleries
- Comments on A Lady
- Trailers
- Commentary (English, Japanese subtitles)
- Vintage 1963/ 1964 Featurettes, Footage and Audio
- Alternate Audrey Hepburn Vocals
- Show Me Galleries
- Comments on A Lady
- Trailers
- Commentary (English, Japanese subtitles)
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Hollywood's legendary "woman's director," George Cukor (The Women, The Philadelphia Story), transformed Audrey Hepburn into street-urchin-turned-proper-lady Eliza Doolittle in this film version of the Lerner and Loewe musical. Based on George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion, My Fair Lady stars Rex Harrison as linguist Henry Higgins (Harrison also played the role, opposite Julie Andrews, on stage), who draws Eliza into a social experiment that works almost too well. The letterbox edition of this film on video certainly pays tribute to the pageantry of Cukor's set, but it also underscores a certain visual stiffness that can slow viewer enthusiasm just a tad. But it's really star wattage that keeps this film exciting, that and such great songs as "On the Street Where You Live" and "I Could Have Danced All Night." Actor Jeremy Brett, who gained a huge following later in life portraying Sherlock Holmes, is quite electric as Eliza's determined suitor. --Tom Keogh
Product Description
At one time the longest-running Broadway musical, My Fair Lady was adapted by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe from the George Bernard Shaw comedy Pygmalion. Outside Covent Garden on a rainy evening in 1912, dishevelled cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn) meets linguistic expert Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison). After delivering a musical tirade against "verbal class distinction," Higgins tells his companion Colonel Pickering (Wilfred Hyde-White) that, within six months, he could transform Eliza into a proper lady, simply by teaching her proper English. The next morning, face and hands freshly scrubbed, Eliza presents herself on Higgins' doorstep, offering to pay him to teach her to be a lady. "It's almost irresistable," clucks Higgins. "She's so deliciously low. So horribly dirty." He turns his mission into a sporting proposition, making a bet with Pickering that he can accomplish his six-month miracle to turn Eliza into a lady. This is one of the all-time great movie musicals, featuring classic songs and the legendary performances of Harrison, repeating his stage role after Cary Grant wisely turned down the movie job, and Stanley Holloway as Eliza's dustman father. Julie Andrews originated the role of Eliza on Broadway but producer Jack Warner felt that Andrews, at the time unknown beyond Broadway, wasn't bankable; Hepburn's singing was dubbed by Marni Nixon, who also dubbed Natalie Wood in West Side Story (1961). Andrews instead made Mary Poppins, for which she was given the Best Actress Oscar, beating out Hepburn. The movie, however, won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Harrison, and five other Oscars, and it remains one of the all-time best movie musicals.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
446 of 457 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
MFL is a marvellous film about a professor who turns a common flower girl into a lady. It is full of sing-a-long songs and funny moments. It is basically a classic for all the right reasons! Plenty of re-watch factor makes it a film to own.
In 1994, the film was restored and thank the lord they did! The film's negative was almost lost forever. In fact, the film had become yellow-tinged and full of scratches, blotches and all the rest! It would have been a very sad day for the movie industry if a flim like this had been lost.
The original DVD that featured this new restoration was released in the late 90's. This DVD included a 9 minute featurette, actor profiles, audio commentary, and Audrey Hepburn singing in 2 scenes.
This original 1-disc DVD has since been updated to a special 2-Disc Edition. Which one to get? I have both so I feel qualified to answer this. The new DVD includes all the features found on the original DVD, except the actor profiles. The new DVD once again includes the restored print but is apparently a new transfer from the restored print. However, according to a report that I have read, the new transfer is not perfect and has aliasing problems throughout. The average watcher probably won't pick up on this detail. If this is an issue to you, purchase the original edition DVD where the transfer has been given two thumbs up!
The advantage of the special 2-Disc Edition DVD is that it includes a 58 minute 1994 documentary hosted by Jeremy Brett (Audrey's love interest in the film). Jeremy is no longer with us, so it's nice to have this as a piece of nostalgia. On top of this, there are many more features on this disc that aren't included on the original DVD such as footage from the film's premiere, production dinner, as well as discussions with Rex and Audrey.
The choice is easy. If you're a fan of the film and don't care for all the extras, buy the original DVD. You at least get the best transfer. If you do care about having all the extras, buy both!
In 1994, the film was restored and thank the lord they did! The film's negative was almost lost forever. In fact, the film had become yellow-tinged and full of scratches, blotches and all the rest! It would have been a very sad day for the movie industry if a flim like this had been lost.
The original DVD that featured this new restoration was released in the late 90's. This DVD included a 9 minute featurette, actor profiles, audio commentary, and Audrey Hepburn singing in 2 scenes.
This original 1-disc DVD has since been updated to a special 2-Disc Edition. Which one to get? I have both so I feel qualified to answer this. The new DVD includes all the features found on the original DVD, except the actor profiles. The new DVD once again includes the restored print but is apparently a new transfer from the restored print. However, according to a report that I have read, the new transfer is not perfect and has aliasing problems throughout. The average watcher probably won't pick up on this detail. If this is an issue to you, purchase the original edition DVD where the transfer has been given two thumbs up!
The advantage of the special 2-Disc Edition DVD is that it includes a 58 minute 1994 documentary hosted by Jeremy Brett (Audrey's love interest in the film). Jeremy is no longer with us, so it's nice to have this as a piece of nostalgia. On top of this, there are many more features on this disc that aren't included on the original DVD such as footage from the film's premiere, production dinner, as well as discussions with Rex and Audrey.
The choice is easy. If you're a fan of the film and don't care for all the extras, buy the original DVD. You at least get the best transfer. If you do care about having all the extras, buy both!
119 of 122 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
First things first: Amazon, would you please STOP mingling all the Blu-Ray and DVD reviews together, not to mention the different releases of a given title!!!!!!!!! This disreputable practice has gone on for years--wake up and smell the coffee!!!!! Each transfer needs its own reviews so people don't get the wrong idea about what they're wanting to buy.
Now for the Blu-Ray review of My Fair Lady. The fact that CBS/Paramount gave this title very little publicity--and that was run-of-the-mill--made many fans of this movie suspicious of what was coming. As it turns out, they had a right to be wary. CBS was asleep at the wheel when this title was being prepared for Blu-Ray release. Robert A. Harris, a highly respected film restorer who worked on this film back in the 1990s, is furious and outright sick at what was done, or rather NOT done, for this release. He and some other web reviewers feel that CBS (the owner of My Fair Lady ever since it premiered on Broadway) used some materials from the 1994 restoration that were okay for DVD resolution, but weren't adequate for high definition, and simply transfered them to Blu-Ray with little or no corrections. And instead of using 65-mm elements, which would've given an incredibly sharp and detailed picture, they used 35-mm elements, resulting in only 30-35% of the possible resolution making it to the disc, according to Mr. Harris. The transfer has other problems: speckles, dirt, and instances of the extreme sides of the picture being much lighter (or at times even foggy looking) than the middle. If a human eye even checked the picture quality before it was okayed, he didn't know any better or CBS was determined not to spend a penny more than necessary to just get the movie out there.
Please understand that the level of problems one sees is determined mainly by the size of your television screen. On my 42-inch plasma set, this disc looked sharper and prettier than I was expecting, but it certainly could have been better even on that smaller screen. There should have been greater resolution, the speckles should've been removed, and there is certainly NO excuse for the foggy sides of the picture frame! My Fair Lady is the 1964 Oscar winner for Best Picture and is one of the very best musicals ever made; it is a classic that deserves the same stellar treatment that The Sound of Music and Ben-Hur received. While not a horrible effort, CBS's indifference to one of its crown jewels is an insult to the artists who made it and to the consumer who is being asked to pay for its substandard quality.
Now for the Blu-Ray review of My Fair Lady. The fact that CBS/Paramount gave this title very little publicity--and that was run-of-the-mill--made many fans of this movie suspicious of what was coming. As it turns out, they had a right to be wary. CBS was asleep at the wheel when this title was being prepared for Blu-Ray release. Robert A. Harris, a highly respected film restorer who worked on this film back in the 1990s, is furious and outright sick at what was done, or rather NOT done, for this release. He and some other web reviewers feel that CBS (the owner of My Fair Lady ever since it premiered on Broadway) used some materials from the 1994 restoration that were okay for DVD resolution, but weren't adequate for high definition, and simply transfered them to Blu-Ray with little or no corrections. And instead of using 65-mm elements, which would've given an incredibly sharp and detailed picture, they used 35-mm elements, resulting in only 30-35% of the possible resolution making it to the disc, according to Mr. Harris. The transfer has other problems: speckles, dirt, and instances of the extreme sides of the picture being much lighter (or at times even foggy looking) than the middle. If a human eye even checked the picture quality before it was okayed, he didn't know any better or CBS was determined not to spend a penny more than necessary to just get the movie out there.
Please understand that the level of problems one sees is determined mainly by the size of your television screen. On my 42-inch plasma set, this disc looked sharper and prettier than I was expecting, but it certainly could have been better even on that smaller screen. There should have been greater resolution, the speckles should've been removed, and there is certainly NO excuse for the foggy sides of the picture frame! My Fair Lady is the 1964 Oscar winner for Best Picture and is one of the very best musicals ever made; it is a classic that deserves the same stellar treatment that The Sound of Music and Ben-Hur received. While not a horrible effort, CBS's indifference to one of its crown jewels is an insult to the artists who made it and to the consumer who is being asked to pay for its substandard quality.
31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
I was suspicious from the beginning that a film of this import was being slipped onto the blu-ray market with little to no fanfare. I read the other reviews on Amazon criticizing the transfer from the restored 1994 DVD, and dismissed the manufacturing complaints (blurred, foggy picture around the edges) as probably owing to faulty equipment. I was foolish. The disc is a mess.
From the moment the credits begin to roll, it is apparent something is not right. The gorgeous background flowers are grainy and in questionable focus, and there is indeed fog around the edge of the picture in the opening outdoor scenes. Then the fog follows the action indoors and never leaves.
Every once in a while there is a scene without fog and in crystal clear resolution. Those moments are dazzling, and it makes you realize what the film might have looked like. But it is very apparent that not only are there serious transfer issues with the disc, but also serious manufacturing problems as well.
Stay AWAY from this blu-ray, and complain bitterly to CBS for their shoddy work on this less than fair lady!!!
From the moment the credits begin to roll, it is apparent something is not right. The gorgeous background flowers are grainy and in questionable focus, and there is indeed fog around the edge of the picture in the opening outdoor scenes. Then the fog follows the action indoors and never leaves.
Every once in a while there is a scene without fog and in crystal clear resolution. Those moments are dazzling, and it makes you realize what the film might have looked like. But it is very apparent that not only are there serious transfer issues with the disc, but also serious manufacturing problems as well.
Stay AWAY from this blu-ray, and complain bitterly to CBS for their shoddy work on this less than fair lady!!!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
My Fair Lady
Excellent music - acting - story was wonderful
actors escellent. This is one of my favorite movies
of all time. Very enertaining legendary music and
singing.
actors escellent. This is one of my favorite movies
of all time. Very enertaining legendary music and
singing.
Published 1 day ago by Robert Schneider
My Fair Lady
I was surprised that the DVD digital picture for "My Fair Lady" was not a full screen picture. It spoiled the setting for this happy and enjoyable story. Read more
Published 17 days ago by MCsgirl
Excellent
Amazing how the technology today can convert such an old movie to such a modern perfect picture. will continue to purchase more old time movies.
Published 1 month ago by Rue
My Fair Lady. Blu-Ray
I already had the Special Edition DVD of "My Fair Lady", and expected the Blu-ray edition to be even better, but it wasn't. Read more
Published 1 month ago
My Fair Lady
This product came in excellent condition and played perfectly. I had never seen the movie, but had seen the play, so I enjoyed it a great deal.
Published 1 month ago by Jackie1940
For My Fair Lady
This DVD was purchased for my Wifes Birthday, she loves it, seams to be great. I didn't experience any trouble at all with this product, even though it was used & had minor wear &... Read more
Published 1 month ago by rev777
My Fair Lady
This is one of those movies that even though you have seen it before,
a couple of times, it is worthy of watching it again. Read more
a couple of times, it is worthy of watching it again. Read more
Published 2 months ago by willie
My Fair Lady
What can I say. This is a timeless classic. I've watched this movie over and over through the years.
If you have never seen this movie, I would highly recommend this one. Read more
If you have never seen this movie, I would highly recommend this one. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Donald
My Fair Lady
This is a great movie. I wish the DVD had more features, but, for the low price, I feel like this was an excellent purchase.
Published 2 months ago by Dn1075
Pygmalion to Music
My Fair Lady is, as some critics have argued, perhaps the perfect musical. Admirers of Andrew Lloyd Webber (of which I am one, btw) may quibble, but to me this was the pinnacle of... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Paul Gregson
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