The Sound of Music (50th Anniversary)

A round of applause for Robert Wise. What a career this guy had, starting out with RKO in the 1930s and finishing in the year 2000. Along the way he directed this landmark musical, another landmark musical (West Side Story), one of the great mid-century horror movies (Scorsese favourite The Haunting), allegorical sci-fi (The Day the Earth Stood Still), hard sci-fi (The Andromeda Strain), and epic sci-fi (Star Trek: The Motion Picture). Oh yeah, and he edited Citizen Kane to boot.The year is 1938. Maria (Julie Andrews) is sent from the abbey to become the governess at the Von Trapp mansion. The Captain (Christopher Plummer, full of the charm and menace that Michael Fassbender might these days display) is struggling to cope with his seven kids, following the death of their mother. The Captain commands the children with military precision. Maria, however, immediately puts aside adult things and reminds the family of the joy of play. Meanwhile, the shadow of Nazism is crawling across the land, its vile purity threatening to destroy their... well, nice purity.You know all the songs from Rogers’ & Hammerstein’s musical, even if you’ve avoided the film for the past six decades. It’s as comfortingly dated and surprisingly dark as ever. By “dark” I’m not talking about anything gothic or brooding – but nor is Maria a mere manic pixie girl. She is life, she is love, but as the nuns point out early on, she’s a complex character, full of contradictions. She wishes to love but also she seeks love. Andrews’ performance is very external but also very subtle: when she’s pushed out of the household by the cruel Baroness (Eleanor Parker), the sense of bereftness isn’t in a song, it’s in Maria’s eyes.The Sound of Music is a film about, amongst other things, light and darkness and the power of positivity. And it dares to make a grey area of what positive forces actually are. Love, for example, isn’t presented as some divine power that transcends all boundaries: indeed, it is love that almost forces Maria away for good; and it is Liesl’s (Charmian Carr) love that almost destroys her family. Faith, too, is not enough – indeed, the one time we see her praying Maria is irreverent.But what is never in doubt is the power of goodness; of good intentions. This is the compact between the Von Trapps and their new mother, and regardless of the machinations of state, they’ll always have each other. The Captain makes an impassioned appeal to the people of Austria to feel that togetherness – but, as the Von Trapps march lonely over the mountains, we’re left with a slightly sad feeling that what’s being annihilated through the Holocaust is the possibility of a love universal.A perfect musical? As close as. The sinisterly saintly children will at times test even the cutest of viewers. Edelweiss, for all its repeated relevance, is a bit of a dud. And the tempestuous Climb Ev’ry Mountain is inertly staged. But I’m nitpicking. This is pure cinema: vast, dramatic, humorous, complex, and beautifully staged and choreographed. And it sounds just swell. You can glimpse the highlights in the trailer but there’s no substitute for watching Andrews stride into the hills and blast the clouds away. It’s enough to make you feel alive.

I recommend anyone else to buy this Item very good family music and movie

Came home to find my 60-year-old husband, in a rare burst of spontaneity, had decided to revisit The Sound of Music on Prime Video. Little did I know, this classic musical would have him humming "Do-Re-Mi" in the shower & contemplating a second career as a lederhosen model. (A very scary thought, indeed.)The film's picturesque Austrian landscapes & catchy tunes transported him back to a time when his biggest worry was whether to record songs off the radio on cassette or pop down the park on his trusty chopper to meet his mates. Julie Andrews' portrayal of Maria was delightful as ever, & I found him rooting for the von Trapp family as if they were his own. (Perhaps even more so than his own family—should we be worried? 🤔)In conclusion, The Sound of Music is a timeless classic that resonates with viewers of all ages. Whether you're revisiting it after many years or experiencing it for the first time, it's a film that continues to charm & inspire.

Who hasn't watched this movie, if you have never heard of the Sound of Music your missing out. Roger and Hammerstein at their very best, although I love all their movies.This one is based on real life story, romance, tension. Christopher Plummer, Julie Andrews, many more fantastic stars and the children. Seven children, and a Governess. I don't need a Governess! Captain and a whistle, I'm not a dog! I will never answer to a Whistle. Trouble from the off set, you could have written a Mills and Boon from this the way it plays out. But its Fact and Fiction. Tension with the Start of the 2nd World War. Family Movie absolutely.

Picture quality is good considering the age of the film . The original sound track has been split from mono to a subtle 5.1 and the songs and music have also been cleaned up ... Quite impressive ... Of course I'm sure you know the film and at a sale price it is good value.

I wasn't going to bother posting a review for a film as popular as the Sound of Music on the basis that it has been reviewed countless times and what more is there to say. However, I felt that I just had to redress the very negative reviews of one or two people who had commented on this blu-ray edition. The disc is simply fabulous! I can only assume that the negative reviewers had mistakenly inserted the standard dvd into their recorder! Such an error is entirely feasible because one has to look carefully to ensure that the correct disc is used.Anyway, for the benefit of anyone who is hesitating about whether or not to upgrade I would wholeheartedly encourage you to take the plunge. You will not be disappointed! The meticulous upgrade is simply fabulous and at the current price the 3 discs are an absolute bargain. I am viewing this blu-ray on good equipment through a JVC projector onto a large screen. This will show up any imperfections. Both the video and audio quality are superb.Some months prior to the release of this Blu-ray I sold my 40th Anniversary Edition of this film. While that was quite a good standard dvd version it was poles apart from this new edition. The colours and image on the new release are so sumptious and sharp. Very, very occasionally the image may soften slightly but the overall definition is just fantastic. This is a wonderful film and everyone who loves it should upgrade to this version. This will not be bettered! In due course I am looking forward to viewing the copious extras. Oh, and by the way, the menu system is top quality which is more than can be said for many new releases. The menu system on the new 25th Aniversary edition of Les Miserables is rubbish compared with the menu on the blu-ray Sound of Music!