Customer Reviews

Oliver 30th Anniv Trib Ed [VHS]

5 star:		(150)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

Until CHICAGO reenergized the movie musical genre, this musical version of Charles Dickens' immortal "Oliver Twist" was widely regarded as one of the last of the great movie musicals. Indeed, with its high-energy performances, infectious music, steady direction by Sir Carol Reed and glorious sets, this movie won the 1968 Best Picture Oscar over such formidable competition as THE LION IN WINTER, CHARLEY, and FUNNY GIRL.

Of course, most people are familiar with the classic story of young Oliver Twist, whose mother dies giving him birth and is forced to be raised under the cruel supervision of the English workhouse officials. When he dares beg for more than his meager ration of gruel, the youngster is apprenticed to an undertaker and his extremely nasty family. After escaping this hostile environment, he finds himself taken in by the roguish Fagin, the Artful Dodger(Fagin's best pupil), and the rest of his band of young pickpockets. In time, however, Oliver will find his home, but not before dealing with the likes of the brutal Bill Sikes with the help of Sike's sympathetic lover, Nancy, and the kindly Mr. Brownlow.

As musical films go, it is hard to fault the wonderful casting in this film. Mark Lester makes a perfectly, if maybe overly, innocent Oliver, while Jack Wild is a delight as the rascally Artful Dodger. Shanie Wallis is heart-rending as the tragic Nancy. Oliver Reed (Sir Carol's nephew) is truly scary as the menacing Bill Sikes. Harry Secombe displays a glorious tenor in the comic role of Mr. Bumble, the beadle of the workhouse. However, it is Ron Moody's fantastic performance of the rascally Fagin that steals this movie. It is not surprising, when you consider that he created the role when the musical was first produced in London. Of course, the character itself has gone quite a change from Dickens' original, going from the debatably nasty anti-Semitic portrait of the novel to that of a lovable, if sneaky, eccentric. Indeed, Moody's excellent portrayal would set the tone for almost all future performances of the role to date, including those of such actors as George C. Scott and Richard Dreyfus, among others.

Some Dickens fans may quibble about the liberties taken with the book, from the softening of Fagin to the elimination of Oliver's evil step-brother Monks from the storyline. And it isn't a perfect film by any means. (The child singer who dubbed Mark Lester's songs sounds like she's in an echo chamber of some sort, which makes Oliver's singing a jarring contrast to the rest of the cast.) But, as a musical film, it is a wonderful entertainment and superb introduction to the classic story. As a result, this is one musical that I would DEFINITELY recommend.

The movie musical was on its way out by the time 'Oliver!' hit theaters in 1968. Happily, this marvelously fun and entertaining film swept the Oscars and earns my vote for the best musical of the 60s (although 'The Music Man' ranks a close second). Mark Lester is adorable in the title role and Jack Wild is a kick as the mischievious Artful Dodger. Then there's Ron Moody recreating his stage role as the villainous (but still likable) Fagin. He's not exactly the same character created by Charles Dickens but he's memorable just the same. And Shani Wallis' Nancy along with Oliver Reed's Bill Sikes give the film some real dramatic punch. The production design strikingly recreates the feel and flavor of mid-19th century London. And the songs which include 'Consider Yourself' and 'Oom Pah Pah' are the icing on the cake. Do your family a great favor and add this timeless treat to your DVD collection.

I must say, I've never really been a big fan of musicals perse, but four years ago, I caught this delightful rendition of the Charles Dickens classic on the ENCORE movie network and I instantly changed my tune. I love movies, and I have always loved movies, but I never got so much enjoyment out of watching a film in my life until I saw OLIVER!. It's "freely" adapted from the Dickens novel, and there's the inclusion of song and dance, but the film still manages to stay fairly close to its source, and the entire production is successful at capturing the mood of 19th-century England, and the spirit of Dickens' original novel is alive throughout. Those not familiar with the story, OLIVER is the tale of a little orphan boy whose life has been nothing but workhouse servitude. When he finally escapes from his turbulent and unhappy life, he falls in with a band of young thieves led by the incorrigible Fagin(Ron Moody, Oscar-nominated). British child actor Mark Lester is appealing and absolutely adorable in the title role. Jack Wild(Oscar-nominated) is equally winning as his slick sidekick, The Artful Dodger. In fact, Lester and Wild worked so well together in the film that they went on to appear together in the popular 1971 release MELODY. Oliver Reed is appropriately menacing as the brutish Bill Sykes. The film was directed by Reed's uncle, Carol Reed. Some might say this film compares in comparison to David Lean's straight-faced 1948 filmization of the Dickens classic. That version of the story is also a confirmed classic, but it's not nearly as much fun as this one. If you're a parent and want to introduce your children to the classics, this film is the way to do it!

Don't get me wrong, Oliver is a fabulous musical. A great adaptation of Charles Dickens classic. My 3 stars for this is because the DVD could have been so much better. First of all this is advertised as the 30th Anniversary edition. Well where are the extras? An Oliver reunion, or making of commentary with the stars would have been such a great addition. My understanding is all of the leads are still alive and breathing. Why didn't you get them for this? Also....BIG complaint.....If Titanic, which is over 3 hours long, can be put on one side of a DVD then WHY did this movie have to be put on two sides? When watching a movie I do not want to have to get up, eject the DVD, turn it over and start part two. That should have gone out with Laserdiscs. VERY BIG DISAPPOINTMENT! Alll in all , a great movie. Hopefully for the 40th Anniversary the studio will re-release this THE RIGHT WAY!

The musical is exactly what I wanted. I was disappointed that the DVD itself was completely plain (no label). I didn't think the second act was on it! So I returned it and was sent another exactly like it. Only then did I realize that in the tiniest print around the hole in the middle it said Side 1 on one side and side 2 on the other side. A word of explanation with the packaging would have been helpful.

Dickens' story of Oliver Twist has always been popular and heart wrenching. Well, unless you are just too too sophisticated for such things. I find that being "above" such works just too deadly dull. A small boy simply trying to survive in the world that is not only indifferent to him, but actively hostile to his trying to live, is something people identify with and want to do something about. And it was the desire to prick the conscience of the public to inspire action to care for the poor and orphans that Dickens was after. David Lean made a fine film of the novel in 1948. This musical was made twenty years later and won the Oscar for Best Picture of 1968. There were many nominations including Ron Moody's wonderful portrayal of Fagin. His is a very different Fagin from the character in the novel, but one that is always a delight on the screen and is indelible in the memory.

And what Moody did for Fagin is pretty much what happens to the whole story. Everything is cheered up quite a bit (for the most part) and cleaned up for a musical that sends everyone home singing some pleasant tunes. The story follows the broad outlines of the novel. Nancy (Shani Wallis) is freshened up and made more beautiful than such a creature could ever have been, but she still pays the price for protecting Oliver from Bill Sykes. Oliver Reed's Bill Sikes is amazingly threatening and burns in the memory of children who see the movie, even today.

The musical does have a sharp split in mood. The first half of the movie, all the way to the song "Who Will Buy" is pretty much treated as a journey, but one of improving fortune for Oliver and culminates in that song. The mood is jolly and full of tunes one can't help but remember. You find yourself singing them for days afterwards even when you don't want to. They are that infectious. However, after that song, once Sikes decides he needs to get the boy back to protect himself, no matter what. The story and the film change a great deal. It is almost like falling off a cliff.

The musical finds a happy ending for all except the one great villain and his beautiful victim. However, the jolly mood of the first half returns with some more happy tunes and we leave the theater with the horror of Sikes and Nancy sort of tucked away behind our good mood. As I watched this musical again, I was amazed how well things still hold up. There is one song, though, that as an adult I found a bit unnerving. When Nancy sings "As Long As He Needs Me", I thought about how too typical this self destructive attitude is and wish such an awful sentiment didn't get such a beautiful song. She isn't staying by a cancer patient, you know. She is pledging to a monster. Still, it is a beautiful song. I just hope it is more often sung in the context of a more noble situation.

Oh, and for you younger viewers. All those huge crowd scenes are actually full of people. I know that today all those little folks in the back would all by CGI. However, those did not exist in 1968. Those are all people dancing way in the back. Yeah, even the dots way way in the back are actual people dancing. This musical was already a bit dated when it was done as far as style and being happy and cheerful without irony. Such a movie was, I believe, never made again. So, it is great that we have this multiple Oscar winning film to remember a time before everyone felt the need of being miserable as a fashion statement. Strongly recommended for all audiences, except the too ironically detached.

With lavish sets, tasteful color, hummable tunes, and two well-cast parts (Moody and Wild), this can hardly fail to be a pleasant slice of solid entertainment. But to the viewer from Ft. Lauderdale and all cinema buffs out there, I cannot stress enough that maestro David Lean's 1948 filming of "Oliver Twist" is the one to see! (See my review--and Amazon's--for the Criterion DVD edition.) For all that "Oliver!" provides in the above categories, "Oliver Twist" blows out of sight. Acting, script, music, everything truly represents cinema at it's utmost brilliant! For you visual connoisseurs, the spellbinding photography and art direction is the greatest ever crafted (you Welles and Kubrick fans which is an ordinary series of shots in Reed's "Oliver!", becomes the most brilliant five minutes in film history in Lean's "Oliver Twist!" P.P.S. Just to prove that I'm not an easy audience, check out my review for "Citizen Kane!"

Carol Reed's "Oliver!" is the musical version of Dicken's Oliver Twist. It stars Mark Lester as the irrepressible street urchin, suckered into the lair of a vagabond by The Artful Dodger (Jack Wild) and forced into a life of crime by Fagin (Ron Moody). But when Oliver is salvaged from the slums by a benevolent philanthropist, Bill Sikes (Oliver Reed) decides to make a quick buck off of the trade. Shani Willis costars as Sikes' girlfriend, Nancy, who thwarts the kidnapping plot and pays for her betrayal with her life. This is a very stoic, stagy and rather dry musical that may capture the essence of Dickens in its settings characters and plot but seems totally out of touch with the effervescence of the traditional Hollywood musical. Even with such main staple songs as "Consider Yourself", "Boy For Sale" and "Food, Glorious Food", truly, the spoon full of sugar remains a bitter pill to swallow on this occasion.

Columbia Tri-Star has made "Oliver" available in a startlingly good looking transfer. Colors are solid, rich, vibrant and bold. Contrast levels are exactly where they should be. Blacks are incredibly deep. Fine detail is fully realized. Only occasionally do age related artifacts betray the vintage of the film. The audio is 5.1 and wonderfully spread across all five channels of the sound field. There are no extras. This film is spread across two sides of a single disc. The break comes at the point of intermission.

"Oliver" is a remarkable achievement for a musical. Each scene expertly envelops the listener and viewer into a feast of a visual and audio masterpiece. For those who hate musicals or are at least less partial, the Dicken's story will quell some of the sentimentality associated with this genre. The rough atmosphere helps with some of the songs and invites those who would have a cursory interest to join in for the fun. The characters are engaging enough to begin with, but the performances are superb. Ron Moody's Fagin is masterful, especially that he can take a hardened character and make him seem likable. An emotional connection is easily made with every character: We like Dodger (Jack Wild), love Nancy, root for Oliver (Mark Lester), and sneer at Bill Sykes (Oliver Reed), a nuanced and menacing enemy.

The technical achievements are also hallmark. It is no small thing that the camera angles are expertly framed for the wide view as well as for the intimate, closer shots. (Take a look at the first "Annie" movie and see if you don't agree.) The editing, too, is great, making the scenes unfold with grandeur and a timing that is as close to perfect as a musical movie gets. The songs are great, too, even if they sometimes linger too long, especially "As Long as He Needs Me," but at least it gives the audience a moment to pause and catch its collective breath. Some are sing-alongs, like one would expect at a lively pub, including "Oom Pah Pah," "Consider Yourself" and "It's a Fine Life". Then, there are songs with the grandeur of "Who Will Buy?" Variety is enhanced with other songs, like "Boy for Sale," which seems rooted in opera.

This movie makes one believe it could be made today; it is so timeless. Yet, it draws so much from the old musicals and innovates with new elements, that it could only have been made in this place and time (England, 1968). It is hard to find anything (except maybe "The Sound of Music" or "An American in Paris") that matches the quality of this film. It is heart-warming, suspenseful, and engaging throughout.

I miss these kinds of films. They are classics for the whole family. I put together a list to remind folks of some of the best ones out there that are family oriented interesting and full of great music. It blows me away when I meet a 10 year old who hasn't seen something like Sound of Music or Wizard of Oz. It's been a long time since Hollywood has come up with one of these!

Mary Poppins

Sound of Music

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

My Fair Lady

Wizard of OZ

Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Annie

Oliver

I am an advocate of good old fasion family fun. I try and take my kids to these and other live musicals as well. We even do voice lesson Cds: (I recommend them as well)

"Voice Lessons To Go" by Vaccarino, to prep before we sing through their sound tracks. It's just another alternative to regular television time. There is a wholesome quality to them that sadly is not very prevelent today.