Customer Reviews

Star! (1968 Film)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When STAR! was being prepared for VHS and LaserDisc (from original 65mm camera negative and six track magnetic soundtrack) Fox Records decided to jump on the bandwagon with a CD reissue of the soundtrack album.

A strong case was made for a full remaster of the CD, using all the complete musical numbers from the original film soundtrack elements (which were all within reach) but creating new complete tracks would mean paying re-use fees, and a lot more money than Fox Records wanted to spend.

Polygram/Fox Records had the rights, but not the masters. Just a digital tape of HALF of the original album. Because the album rights had changed hands more than once, the original master tapes resided in another company's vault. Instead of making a polite request, the Fox Records producer simply demanded them back. Arrogance is not a winning trait, so of course the answer was no. Fox then had to master the CD from what they later claimed were "the best available elements."

One of the original soundtrack engineers had kept a copy of the masters on an old reel of tape stored in his garage since 68.. That's what the other half of the album was mastered from, and that is why the CD sounds as it does. The material on the digital tape had to be degraded to match the old analog reel.

A small budget was allowed to reconstruct the extended version of the title song from the original masters. This version had been released as a 45 single, so no re-use fees were necessary.

Daniel Massey graciously granted permission to include Forbidden Fruit (without compensation - Fox Records didn't even give him copy of the CD). Fox Records would not let Forbidden Fruit be inserted where it belongs in the album sequence, because they had already sent the track list and liner notes to a graphic designer, and they didn't want to pay to have the graphics for CD liner and booklet changed. (though nothing had been printed yet - apparently tacking the song title onto the end of the printed list was cheaper than inserting it where it belonged??)

The Fox Records producer then decided to ignore the actual (vintage 40s mono) Fox Fanfare used in the film, and instead added a technically perfect new stereo version with the CinemaScope extention. While the actual fanfare from the film would have better matched the limited fidelity of the garage tape, this newly recorded fanfare only made it more obvious that the rest of the album sounded inferior.

So yes, the CD was mastered quite cheaply, And so was the new DVD, which is in every way is an atrocity compared to the quailty of the LaserDisc. It's even missing material from the feature that was carefully presented on the LD.

One can only hope that by the time HD DVD and CDs become common, both the album and film of STAR! will be remastered with care, but this assumes that the young people in charge will listen to older folks who know the material, and they don't like to be told anything.

The LaserDisc Release of STAR! capped a turnaround, following a successful art house revival, cable debut, and print articles that turned the film's reputation from a lameted flop into a "lost cult classic." It's a better film than it's been given credit for, and deserves better treatment. As for the fans, Fox's attitude is "they'll buy it anyway."

This soundtrack from the troubled Julie Andrews 1968 movie STAR! is a great find. What ever problems the movie had are not transfered to this wonderful soundtrack. Julie Andrews is in top form singing many great theatre standards associted with Gertrude Lawrence (whose biography STAR! is). The Lennie Hayton arrangements are fabulous and worthy of their Oscar nomination. I would love to give this long awaited soundtrack reissue 5 stars, however I was disappointed to learn that its contents replicates, with 2 exceptions, the LP release of 30 years ago. The new additions are FORBIDDEN FRUIT, sung by Daniel Massey and omitted from the original album, and an alternate, single version of STAR. Due to licensing problems with Polygram, who owns the LP rights, the release could not be expanded beyond its LP contents. This is a shame since a number of the selections had to be edited to fit on the orginal LP. An expanded CD would easily hold over 60 minutes of music. However, fans of the movie and Julie Andrews would still love having this recording in their collection as is. Despite my disappointment in the abbreviated contents, I wholeheartly recommend this release.

In probably the most ambitious undertaking of her film career, Julie Andrews played the formidable legendary Gertrude Lawrence in the 1968 musical-biography STAR!. The film traces the stars' rise from the tenemants of Clapham to the footlights of London's Charlot Revue, and finally Gertie's Broadway success in LADY IN THE DARK. Gertrude Lawrence appeareed in countless plays and musicals, many with her childhood friend Noel Coward. For the movie, Noel's real-life godson Daniel Massey played the legendary raconteur. Julie Andrews sings an incredibly-eclectic array of numbers in this film including "Berlington Bertie from Bow", "Limehouse Blues", "Someday I'll Find You" and "The Saga of Jenny", the latter is the showstopper from Lawrence's most successful 40's Broadway show LADY IN THE DARK. In real life, Lawrence went on to marry Richard Aldrich, prompted Rodgers and Hammerstein to write THE KING AND I and starred in the original Broadway mounting before dying of complications from hepatitis and cancer.

The soundtrack album of STAR! - and the film itself - are marvellous tributes to the contributions of Gertrude Lawrence, but they also showcase Julie Andrews at the height of her Hollywood superstardom and musicality.

"STAR!" is the film-bio of tempermental, self-absorbed, incandescent Gertrude Lawrence. Lawrence may have been the subject but JULIE ANDREWS IS THE REAL STAR OF "STAR!" Some of the songs are clinkers, but Andrews gets to go all soft with "Someone To Watch Over Me" and "My Ship" and then belt out slightly risque and bawdy renditions of Cole Porter's "The Physican" and the Kurt Weill-Ira Gershwin classic "Saga Of Jenny." Andrews also does a fantastic version of Noel Coward's "Parisian Perrot." Julie Andrews would not have as varied a role as this until "VICTOR/VICTORIA" some 14 years later.

THIS CD IS WONDERFUL MY PERSONAL FAVORITE IS THE COLE PORTER SONG THE PHYSICIAN....GOD I LOVE IT IT'S SO NAUGHTY
IT SOUNDS EVEN DIRTIER COMING OUT OF JULIE ANDREWS MOUTH
THIS WAS A WONDERFUL MOVIE AND SOUNDTRACK
ANYONE THAT DOES NOT THINK SO IS A COMMIE TOOL!!!

Sometimes you just have to be glad/thankful YOU CAN EVEN GET the music from a favorite film or artist. I remember feeling that way when I saw this CD in a store some time after viewing what I thought was an EXCELLENT movie.
I have to say I haven't listened to this one in a bit, BUT I do remember thoroughly enjoying it over and over again when I purchased it. I don't remember poor sound quality...not to say that may be the case BUT, once again, sometimes it's just nice to be able to play some of your favorite tunes on CD when you feel like it (in this case excellent material sung by the OUTSTANDING Julie Andrews).
I don't want to offend audiophiles out there. Certainly quality matters...but just the element of availability can't be dismissed. It's ashame this is OOP (out-of-print) again. Perhaps someone IS working on a better version.

Julie Andrews made the movie in 1968 the catchy opening title track only just over a minute on the vynal album is still here but an added 20th century fox bonus Star! the 2min 16sec 45rpm track restored here!, simply fabulous , glorious, stunningly , marvelous , wonderfully, fabulous STAR!
buy this or be without this great reissue , remastered stereo cd

The undiscovered treasure of all time! The movie Julie Andrews made after Sound of Music. The soundtrack to one great movie. No one can see this movie or hear this soundtrack without realizing just what a great actress and singer is Julie Andrews. The movie is lavish in every detail. Even the jewelryof the 1920's is vintage and real! This lavishness is carried over to the faithful soundtrack and this cd release has songs not avialable on the original vinyl release. Unavailable in any form for years, what a pleasure to have it back on video and cd!

The only reason I didn't give this CD five stars is because of the inferior sound quality.This is the original 1968 album,and it is evident
that poor sound elements were used for the transfer.However,I understand that there were problems with album licensing rights,so this one will have to do until someone does a remastered version.But bad sound aside,
"Star!" is also a top-notch musical showcase for its star.Julie has never sounded better.Her voice is crystal-clear,and her timing,phrasing,and
delivery are perfect.She gets to perform some great material here,well
backed up the cast,chorus,and that great Twentieth Century-Fox orchestra
under the superb baton of Lennie Hayton.All the songs are great,but the
highlight is a simply magnificent "My Ship"(beautifully done with just
a simple piano accompaniment).For what it is,and on its own terms,this is
a good Julie Andrews soundtrack.

The CD,the movie poster and even the trailer of the film for that matter, outshines the movie itself, which is a shame. I'm a huge fan of Julie Andrews and have enjoyed most things she's done. The CD soundtrack of the movie is excellant. All the numbers are here and some new and extended versions as well, FORBIDDEN FRUIT, STAR.

So why do both the record and now the CD have edited versions of BURLINGTON BERTIE and THE PHYSICIAN. The film version has extra verses on both these songs that seem to have been cut from the released recordings. I'm not sure why this has been done. Still, it's a great addition to my CD collection.