Customer Reviews

South Pacific: An Original Soundtrack Recording (1958 Film Version)

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This remastered Original Soundtrack Album of South Pacific is very wonderfully done. Lush, beautiful orchestrations go hand in hand with the wonderful singing found herein. Mitzi Gaynor is as nicely suited to the part here as Mary Martin was in the original Broadway version. Rossano Brazzi is wonderful as well, even though his singing is dubbed in by Giorgio Tozzi. Bill Lee steps in here to sing Lt. Cable's songs and is nice... he also did C. Plummer's voice in The Sound of Music.

This new remastered CD is well worth its price and sounds better than ever. Lush gorgeous stereo sound-what are you waiting for?

The Original Cast Album, with Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza, though, will always hold a special place in my heart and is truly the definitive version of South Pacific, but this soundtrack album is definately not bad. It does, of course, put the new TV soundtrack of the Glenn Close production to shame.

The 1958 film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC won an Oscar for its spectacular 6 track Stereophonic Sound Mix, which can be heard on the recent DVD release from Fox Video. Unfortunately, this RCA Victor remastering is from a 40-year-old 2-channel tape, which, while a slight improvement over the earlier CD mastering, simply pales by comparison to the DVD sound. Why RCA didn't remaster this popular album from the original 6 track masters is a mystery. If they had done so about 30 more minutes of music from the film not on the original album could have been accommodated on the CD in addition to the vastly improved sound. Unfortunately, this is typical of today's music industry. They keep doing it over and over until it is finally done right, all at the consumer's expense. Ironically, the DVD can be had for about the same money as this outrageously overpriced CD, with both picture and superior sound. Chalk up another botched effort to RCA/BMG.

I grew up listening to the original Broadway cast recording and have always loved the music, and like everyone else thought Mary Martin was superb. However I believe the film has always received an unnecessarily hard rap. The orchestrations are lush and gorgeous, and all of the singers are wonderful, especially Mitzi Gaynor, the only principal who was not dubbed. Her voice is beautiful and highly expressive. I will never understand the criticism directed towards her by so many, particularly those who say she is too "spunky" in the role. Nelly Forbush is a spunky character, which is what the song "Cockeyed Optimist" is all about! Giorgio Tozzi, who sang for Rossano Brazzi, is an improvement over Ezio Pinza. I can't imagine why Juanita Hall was dubbed, as she was the only member of the Broadway show in the film, but Muriel Smith is very evocative, especially in "Bali Hai." All in all an extremely enjoyable recording of one of the greatest, if not the greatest, musicals of all time.

Movie buffs and fans of the great musicals will not be disappointed in the original soundtrack recording of the words and music from the epic motion picture South Pacific. The digital transfers by Mike Hartry provide us with a fresh sound exactly the way it was intended to be heard; and the quality of this sound on my portable CD player is excellent.

The CD begins with the "South Pacific Overture." This beautiful, bold and striking piece of music sets the tone for a musical of magnificent acting, singing and cinematography. The next track is very sweet; "Dites-moi" is a ballad performed by Mitzi Gaynor as Nellie Forbush and a children's choir playing the roles of island native children.

A number of songs and ballads on this CD are worth special mention. "Twin Soliloquies/Some Enchanted Evening" deals with the emotions two people feel as they are falling in love; and "There Is Nothin' Like A Dame" is a memorable homage to beautiful women sung by incredibly talented men playing the roles of soldiers. In addition, "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" is an amusing ballad about a lady who cannot tolerate her man's flaws while "I'm In Love With A Wonderful Guy" and "Happy Talk" express the joy of love. Finally, "This Nearly Was Mine" is a touching ballad by a man who has lost a love. Excellent!

The Ken Darby Singers work wonders to enhance the beauty of songs including "Bali Ha'i;" "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" and "I'm In Love With A Wonderful Guy." You will be thrilled with their performances.

The liner notes offer us a track listing of the songs on the CD. Moreover, Joseph F. Laredo writes an extensive essay about the history of the Broadway show and how it was transformed into a major motion picture. Of particular note we learn that the film version of South Pacific has several "ghost singers." Mitzi Gaynor sang her own songs; but leading man Rossano Brazzi's vocals were dubbed by Giorgio Tozzi. Juanita Hall played Bloody Mary but her vocals were dubbed by Muriel Smith who had played Bloody Mary in the London production. John Kerr plays the role of Lieutenant Cable; but his vocals are dubbed by Bill Lee.

South Pacific remains one of the greatest motion picture musicals to this day and this CD proves why. The songs are written by Rodgers and Hammerstein; consequently both the vocals and the musical arrangements are flawless. The performers who sing these songs express every single emotion--even mixed emotions--with great sensitivity and much thought. Fans of great classic musicals will be thrilled by the quality of this CD; and people who appreciate music from both stage and screen will never be dissatisfied. ENJOY !!!

I agree that Mary Martin (orig. cast album) is superb, but this soundtrack recording is superior in sound and in quality. Mitzi Gaynor is WONDERFUL as Nellie Forbush, and the other performers are fine. But the best reasons to buy this cd instead of the original cast album are: 1.The sound on the o.c.(mono)is boxy and shallow while the sound on this cd (stereo)is full and lush. 2.The supporting singers are better. 3.Mitzi Gaynor gets a bad rap from the previous reviewer. She was a fabulous performer with a beautiful voice and a sparkling personality that perfectly suits the character of Nellie. You will love this cd.

Another reviewer posted here is all mixed up. He/she mentions the original Broadway cast with Mary Martin and Rossano Brazzi? He/she meant Ezio Pinza. Everyone seems to hate the movie of South Pacific so much, and I agree it is a disappointment when one thinks of what it could have been. But it ranks as the number one movie at the boxoffice for all films released in 1958. And the original record was a tremendous best seller. So how bad could it be? There is a major fault on this CD and that is indeed that Mary Martin is a zillion times better than Mitzi Gaynor. But everyone else is dubbed and dubbed superbly. Giorgio Tozzi does Brazzi's songs, Bill Lee (my favorite male dubber -- he also did C. Plummer in The Sound of Music) does John Kerr's, and as good as Juanita Hall is, her songs do sound better as done by Muriel Smith, from the original London cast. But above all the improvement here over the Broadway version is the orchestrations. If you get used to the movie version, the orchestra on the original Broadway cast sounds awfully thin. This record makes these great songs sound absolutely gorgeous. It's one of the most atmospheric soundtrack recordings of all time.

There are two things I would like to hear done with this CD ... The first is to add more music. Most musicals of this nature have an overture, main titles, intermission, and exit music. Why can't all this be included? It's all on the DVD so I know they have access to it.

Secondly, why can't the music be presented in chronological order? While listening to the CD I want my mind to visualize the scene that the music comes from in the order it happens in the film. One explanation always heard is that they want to retain the original album concept. NONSENSE! The vinyl was limited to time and space on each side. The CD can hold almost 80 minutes if they really want to, so they certainly can add more to it and present it as the authors intended.

Why not take advantage of the medium they're using and do it right!!

Most people who own this film soundtrack recording of South Pacific think it doesn't match up to the legendary original Broadway cast rendition with Mary Martin. However, this film recording has strengths of its own, and Mitzi Gaynor and Giorgio Tozzi give solid performances of their principal roles. Mitzi Gaynor's Nellie is a different breath of fresh air from Mary Martin. Her voice might lack the belt tones that characterised Mary Martin, but she makes up for it with a stylish spunk and sass. She has an infectuous cockeyed optimism that translates into all her songs, especially on I'm Gonna Wash That Man, A Wonderful Guy and a truncated Honey Bun. Giorgio Tozzi, although a voice-double for Rosanno Brazzi, gives a ravishing portrayal of Emile. It's true that Ezio Pinza has a powerful voice, but listening to Twin Soliloquies/Some Enchanted Evening and This Nearly Was Mine, the listener is able to appreciate a different side to the character of Emile. The rest of the cast is just as strong, as the voice doubles perform their singing parts to a very high standard and act them as well as sing. Bill Lee (who also dubbed Christopher Plummer's Captain in The Sound of Music) gives a ravishing rendition of Younger than Springtime, and Muriel Smith gives a dreamlike rendition of Bali Ha'i and a lightly frolicsome Happy Talk. The soundtrack gains over the Broadway version with sweeping, sumptuous Alfred Newman orchestrations, glorious stereophonic sound and also a rendition of the cut song "My Girl Back Home". It also boasts a highly humorous version of There is Nothin' like a Dame. Overall, a handsome recording of one of the most famous Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals, and worthy of a place alongside the Broadway cast album.

I'm glad to read some of the reviews correcting the conventional wisdom that Mitzi Gaynor does not compare to Mary Martin. She is perfectly suited to the part of Nellie Forbush and does a superb job singing (and acting in the film). Of course Mary Martin is great - that goes without saying, but in this part, Mitzi Gaynor, while different, of course, is every bit her equal - and the orchestrations and other voices are as good as, and in some cases (the orchestration, for one), better than the Broadway version.

Although there was much controversy over the film itself, the best-selling album was the first soundtrack to sell a million copies. Here are superlative dramatic and vocal interpretations and the lushest, most dramatic use of orchestrations, both in the numbers and in the background scoring, ever to grace a musical film. The six-track TODD-AO stereo sound deservedly won an Oscar. Alfred Newman/Ken Darby are responsible for the dramatic and vocal readings and as with THE KING AND I, outdid themselves. Brilliant all round. Note: only Mitzi Gaynor did her own singing - all others were dubbed, but "grandly."