Mame (1974) Coming to DVD

[AwallaceUNC]

Warner Home Video is finally releasing <i>Mame</i>, the ill-reputed 1974 film adaptation of the 1966 Broadway classic, to DVD! The film, which stars Lucille Ball in the role that Angela Lansbury made famous along with Golden Girl Bea Arthur in her original Tony-winning Broadway role, has been very difficult to find, previously available only on VHS in the '90s. Now many of us will get to learn more about this musical and find out if the movie is as bad as people say it is!

The DVD comes out June 19th and can currently be pre-ordered from Amazon for $14.99: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... eimprovemz (link supports UD).

I just discovered this on Amazon today. I'd begun to think this would never get released, so I'm quite excited.

-Aaron

[AwallaceUNC]

There will also be a Lucille Ball Film Collection box set released that same day, featuring the following titles:

*Mame
*Dance Girl Dance
*The Big Street
*Du Barry Was a Lady
*Critic's Choice

Amazon.com's current pre-order price is $34.99: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... eimprovemz (link supports UD)

-Aaron

[SpringHeelJack]

I've been too psyched for this. I've always heard how terrible it is, and I'll be buying this day of. I also have the film version of "A Little Night Music" with Elizabeth Taylor to look forward too, so two miscast musical disasters are coming my way.

[Rowlf_The_Dog]

Kinda old news ... but happy news ...

I actually remember seeing this on ... prolly AMC ... when I was younger ... around the time my love for Lucy started ...

I don't remember much about it ... but I remember liking it ... and I remember the big musical number titled "Mame" ... and I remember trying to find it on VHS ... yea it was that long ago ...

[PapiBear]

I haven't seen this film since it was released to theaters back in 1974.

That's right, I saw this film theatrically, when I was 7 1/2 years old. I don't recall being especially crazy about it, but as far as I remember, I did enjoy it. The score is pretty darn well unforgettable. It'll be interesting to see it again, with relatively fresh eyes (trust me, not seeing a film for 33 years pretty much makes seeing it again a whole new experience).

[Ting Ting]

Being the life-long "Lucy Lover" that I am, I'll be adding the entire box-set to my collection the day it's released! I'm highly looking forward to it, especially Mame!

[xxhplinkxx]

AWESOME! I've always wanted to see this.

[my chicken is infected]

I wish Amazon would have info about any bonus materials that might be on the DVD. I can't find ANY information about it.

[AwallaceUNC]

Does anyone happen to know if the box set will have each film packaged in its own standard keepcase or if they'll all be housed in slime cases or one big Digipak?

-Aaron

[SpringHeelJack]

I saw a pic, I think on broadwayworld.com, and each movie will be in its own plastic keepcase, and all four will be in a cardboard case. Like the other WB DVD sets, I think.

[pinkrenata]

I saw Mame a few years ago, and it was about as dreadful as a movie could get. I would be much more apt to recommend the non-musical version with Rosalind Russell.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... eimprovemz

[Billy Moon]

I found the soundtrack LP of Mame in a second hand store a few months ago. I have only listened to it once. I don't know, maybe it was Lucy's singing voice... :/

[my chicken is infected]

My DVD arrived in the mail yesterday. Despite Lucy's lack of dancing and vocal prowess and the infamous soft-focus closeups, it's actually a very entertaining film. I do enjoy the soundtrack because although Lucy just doesn't have the technical abilities to sing these songs, she does at least give every aspect of her performance everything she's got. Not shocking, as Lucy was never one to do things half-assed. Even in this case, when half-assed was all she had to give, she worked very hard to do better than that. I still need to watch the DVD, as I've previously only seen it on an old pan and scan VHS tape. I've previewed it though, and the video and audio transfer are beautiful.

[AwallaceUNC]

I saw the movie recently and actually really liked it. Lucille Ball was clearly not the best choice and should at least have had her singing parts dubbed but singing aside, she was terrific as an actress. I was thoroughly entertained from beginning to end. I am, however, very glad that I got to know the Broadway soundtrack first. I'm not sure how I would have taken to the songs otherwise.

Oh, and it's not just Lucy. The entire cast was populated by terrible singers. When Bea Arthur is your most impressive vocalist, something's wrong (I actually really like Bea as a singer but her voice isn't conventionally beautiful and isn't meant to be). Granted, Gooch is supposed to sound a little off, but I'm guessing that people unfamiliar with the Broadway soundtrack (and who didn't realize that the OBC's Gooch was reprising her role) didn't know that and just figured she was yet another awful singer. The boy might have been the worst!

It's to the movie's credit that it can still be thoroughly enjoyed despite the bad singing (especially considering that it is a musical).

-Aaron[/i]

[my chicken is infected]

Oh man, I can only tolerate Gooch's Song and St. Bridget now that I've seen the movie. Jane Connell is far less shrill and annoying on the OBCR. And let's face it, Lucy may be the queen of the world, but vocally, she can't hold a wet match to Angela Lansbury's performances on the OBCR.

The cinematography and production design is absolutely gorgeous and perfect, and the widescreen DVD makes the soft-focus closeups of Lucy far less noticeable, meaning it's just a little less jarring to go from a Lucy closeup to a clear shot somewhere else.

[SpringHeelJack]

It's really a shame that Lucy replaced Madeline Kahn with Jane Connell as Gooch. I would have loved to see her in that.