...one of Hollywood's most celebrated classics from an era when studios were still making meticulous, tune-filled musicals.
Despite the movie's questionable thematic material, the songs, costumes, settings (much of the film shot on location in Paris; yes, that really is Maxim's), and general atmosphere carry the picture, along with the actors' scintillating charm. There is endless fun and a bit of mischief in songs like "Thank Heaven for Little Girls," "It's a Bore," "The Parisians," "Gossip," "The Night They Invented Champagne," "I Remember It Well," "Lessons," "Gigi," "I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore," the "Waltz at Maxim's," "Say a Prayer for Me Tonight," and many more.
In short, it's one thing to show a phonics professor teaching a young girl to speak properly in order to gain access to high society ("My Fair Lady"), and it's another thing to show a family teaching a young girl to be a prostitute in order to gain access to high society ("Gigi"). Nevertheless, with a strong cast, splendid songs, and wonderful costumes and settings, "Gigi" continues to entertain, making us forget its dubious story line. Just be glad that it all ends well and enjoy the film's warmth along with its glitz and glitter.
Video:
The Warners video engineers have given "Gigi" a spanking new digital transfer enhanced for widescreen TVs that does justice to the movie's sparkling colors and lavish sets and costumes. The disc presents the film in its original 2.40:1 CinemaScope aspect ratio, in hues rich, deep, and luxurious. In fact, the colors are so deep and brilliant, they are almost too good a thing, particularly when set off as they are by the strongest possible black levels. The parks, gardens, buildings, and restaurants of Paris show up lavishly, with only a touch of gloss and touch of natural print grain. Even in standard definition, this film looks good, but I can only imagine how good it might look in a high-def Blu-ray transfer. How soon that will come is anybody's guess, but one can hope.
Audio:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio is a tad hard, thin, and sharp sounding, and it's oddly low in output level. When you switch back to the main menu, you'll have to turn down the volume. There is a wide front-channel stereo spread, with voices moving left and right between the speakers rather than being anchored out in the center as in most of today's films. There is also a fair degree of musical ambience reinforcement in the rear channels that fills out the room nicely.
Extras:
Disc one of this Two-Disc Special Edition contains the feature film and several bonus items. The first item is an audio commentary by historian Jeanine Basinger and Leslie Caron that can be enlightening. Next is a vintage short, "The Million Dollar Nickel," about ten minutes; and the third is an MGM "Tom and Jerry" cartoon, "The Vanishing Duck," in CinemaScope.
In addition, disc one contains thirty-three scene selections; a non-anamorphic widescreen theatrical trailer; English and French spoken languages; French and Japanese subtitles; and English captions for the hearing impaired.
Disc two contains only two items, but they are quite important. The first one is a 2008 documentary, "Thank Heaven! The Making of Gigi," about thirty-five minutes, with comments from various film historians, authors, and critics, and Ms. Caron, who is a delight. The second item is the 1949 nonmusical version of "Gigi," eight-two minutes long, with twenty-two scene selections, in French, with French and English subtitles. It stars Danielle Delorme as Gigi, with Frank Villard, Gaby Morlay, and Jean Tissier. Interestingly, the French version of a decade earlier is more provocative, more sexually suggestive, than the later Hollywood film.
Parting Thoughts:
The documentary suggests that "Gigi" was one of the last great musicals to come out of Hollywood, but that isn't quite true. "West Side Story," "The Music Man," "My Fair Lady," "How to Succeed in Business," "The Sound of Music," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Oliver," "Camelot," "Paint Your Wagon," "Cabaret," "Chicago," and many more notable productions were yet to come. Still, "Gigi" holds a firm place in many moviegoers' hearts as one of Hollywood's most celebrated classics from an era when studios were still making meticulous, tune-filled musicals. The new digital mastering is a pleasure, and, as I've said, the beauty of "Gigi" cries out for a high-definition transfer.
In short, it's one thing to show a phonics professor teaching a young girl to speak properly in order to gain access to high society ("My Fair Lady"), and it's another thing to show a family teaching a young girl to be a prostitute in order to gain access to high society ("Gigi"). Nevertheless, with a strong cast, splendid songs, and wonderful costumes and settings, "Gigi" continues to entertain, making us forget its dubious story line. Just be glad that it all ends well and enjoy the film's warmth along with its glitz and glitter.
Video:
The Warners video engineers have given "Gigi" a spanking new digital transfer enhanced for widescreen TVs that does justice to the movie's sparkling colors and lavish sets and costumes. The disc presents the film in its original 2.40:1 CinemaScope aspect ratio, in hues rich, deep, and luxurious. In fact, the colors are so deep and brilliant, they are almost too good a thing, particularly when set off as they are by the strongest possible black levels. The parks, gardens, buildings, and restaurants of Paris show up lavishly, with only a touch of gloss and touch of natural print grain. Even in standard definition, this film looks good, but I can only imagine how good it might look in a high-def Blu-ray transfer. How soon that will come is anybody's guess, but one can hope.
Audio:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio is a tad hard, thin, and sharp sounding, and it's oddly low in output level. When you switch back to the main menu, you'll have to turn down the volume. There is a wide front-channel stereo spread, with voices moving left and right between the speakers rather than being anchored out in the center as in most of today's films. There is also a fair degree of musical ambience reinforcement in the rear channels that fills out the room nicely.
Extras:
Disc one of this Two-Disc Special Edition contains the feature film and several bonus items. The first item is an audio commentary by historian Jeanine Basinger and Leslie Caron that can be enlightening. Next is a vintage short, "The Million Dollar Nickel," about ten minutes; and the third is an MGM "Tom and Jerry" cartoon, "The Vanishing Duck," in CinemaScope.
In addition, disc one contains thirty-three scene selections; a non-anamorphic widescreen theatrical trailer; English and French spoken languages; French and Japanese subtitles; and English captions for the hearing impaired.
Disc two contains only two items, but they are quite important. The first one is a 2008 documentary, "Thank Heaven! The Making of Gigi," about thirty-five minutes, with comments from various film historians, authors, and critics, and Ms. Caron, who is a delight. The second item is the 1949 nonmusical version of "Gigi," eight-two minutes long, with twenty-two scene selections, in French, with French and English subtitles. It stars Danielle Delorme as Gigi, with Frank Villard, Gaby Morlay, and Jean Tissier. Interestingly, the French version of a decade earlier is more provocative, more sexually suggestive, than the later Hollywood film.
Parting Thoughts:
The documentary suggests that "Gigi" was one of the last great musicals to come out of Hollywood, but that isn't quite true. "West Side Story," "The Music Man," "My Fair Lady," "How to Succeed in Business," "The Sound of Music," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Oliver," "Camelot," "Paint Your Wagon," "Cabaret," "Chicago," and many more notable productions were yet to come. Still, "Gigi" holds a firm place in many moviegoers' hearts as one of Hollywood's most celebrated classics from an era when studios were still making meticulous, tune-filled musicals. The new digital mastering is a pleasure, and, as I've said, the beauty of "Gigi" cries out for a high-definition transfer.
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[release]24237[/release]