Product Details

• Actors: Judy Garland, Tony Martin, Risë Stevens, Six Hits and a Miss, Herbert Stothart
• Directors: Andrew J. Kuehn
• Writers: Frederick L. Greene, Joe Gilford, John Ardoin, Mary Cleere Haran, Scott McIsaac
• Producers: Andrew J. Kuehn
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• DVD Release Date: April 22, 2003
• Run Time: 175 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00008AOWT
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #32,310 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #51 in	Movies & TV > Classics > Classic Stars > Garland, Judy
  #53 in	Movies & TV > Classics > Classic Stars > Astaire, Fred

• For more information about "The Great American Songbook" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The Great American Songbook is an ambitious documentary that chronicles 100 years of American popular song through film clips and photographs. It stretches from minstrel shows to Elvis, but features most prominently the "Golden Age" songwriters of the 1930s through the 1950s--Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, the Gershwins, Richard Rodgers with both Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein, and others. That means you can enjoy some of the most exquisite music of the 20th century including Paul Robeson singing "Old Man River," Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing "Cheek to Cheek," and Judy Garland's "The Man That Got Away," plus performances of historical importance such as Al Jolson's "Swanee."

Over the course of its three hours (it was cut for PBS broadcast), the program has some drawbacks--performers are identified but films aren't, the performances tend to be almost complete rather than complete, and scenes from fictional films illustrate the earliest historical moments, which doesn't feel true--but they're minor, and Michael Feinstein proves a perfect host, narrating and occasionally singing at the piano. Fans of Feinstein's cabaret shows will also enjoy his commentary track, which provides a lot of interesting and funny background on the songs and songwriters. His commentary isn't constant, but a useful icon allows the viewer to find the next section of commentary with the click of a button. Another slight inconvenience is that chapters are named by subject matter rather than by song title so if you're skimming for highlights you have to know what you're looking for. --David Horiuchi

Product Description

The people and events that put the music in our lives are celebrated in this lively anthology hosted (and featuring vocals) by Michael Feinstein that traces popular music from its roots in ballads and minstrel shows through the jazz age big bands Broadway and Hollywood. Delight as Fats Waller boogies George Gershwin invents a musical rhapsody Arthur Freed becomes the wizard of oohs and aahs and biopics like "Three Little Words" (Boop-boop-bedoo!) bring lives of famous tunesmiths to the screen. Among some rare performance footage Bessie Smith sings the blues Hoagy Carmichael is touched by "Stardust" Fred and Ginger dance the Depression away and Judy pines for the place beyond the rainbow. It all adds up to one very special musical treat!Running Time: 175 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 085393738525

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's Great!!!, May 24, 2003

By	Gwendolyn Aughtry "aughtryg" (Landover, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This wonderful DVD features songs written by the Gershwins, Cole Porter, Frank Loesser, Irving Berlin, Rodgers & Hart, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Jerome Kern & Dorothy Fields just to name a few composers and lyricists. A big plus is that the entire musical numbers are shown, but not just short clips. If you love great American songs, this DVD is for you. Highly recommended.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest Era of Song is collected in a wonderful Program, March 15, 2003

By	Kimberly S. Loeffler (Binghamton, New York USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I just saw this wonderful PBS special last night on the "Great Performances" special and I must say that this is one of the best and well documented accounts of the most incredable music from the song writers and the stars who made these songs Unforgettable. This show pays tributes to Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter and countless other composers.
The Musicals of Astaire and Rogers, Rooney and Garland, Bing and Bob, Ethel Merman and many others. I really learned alot and enjoyed this DVD greatly. This show is hosted by Michael Finestein and full of the best pre-war, post-war and Big band music that movie lovers are acustomed too! If you love this era of popular song, Love Judy Garland who is featured 4 times or just enjoy musicals. This is the program to have in your collection. I can't wait to get my copy.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great American Songbook, March 7, 2003

By	Kurt Tostenson (Cambridge, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews

This was a wonderful trip down memory land with some of the best known songs and the preformers who made it Great. From Lena Horn to Judy Garland, Fred Astar, Gene Kelly, Frank Sanatra, and more this show is packed with clips of your favoriate songs. Kate Smith and God Bless America, Judy Garland and On the Atchicison & Topka and Santa Fay, Fred Astar dancing to putting on the Ritz, Have your self a Merry Little Christmas, The Last Time I saw Paris and others. This is one show you will watch over and over again. It is well put together and well narited.