Product Description

A history of Hollywood films and musicals produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, featuring excerpts from many beloved classics.
Genre: Documentary
Rating: G
Release Date: 12-OCT-2004
Media Type: DVD

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14169 in DVD
• Brand: TAYLOR,ELIZABETH
• Released on: 2004-10-12
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, Original recording remastered, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .26 pounds
• Running time: 134 minutes

Amazon.com
In an era when we have an unprecedented number of movies and other diversions at our fingertips, is there still a need for a clip show like That's Entertainment? Certainly, because the film series, beginning in 1974, was an unabashed peddler of glorious nostalgia, not only collecting many of the most memorable moments in the magical history of the MGM musical--and therefore in the history of film--but bringing in many of the original stars to introduce them decades later. And another few decades after the series was released, the nostalgia is that much greater since many of those stars are now gone. In addition, the sheer number and variety of clips (though they're often too short) would be hard to match in any collection or in the span of an evening's viewing. Where else could you enjoy Gene Kelly singin' in the rain and also James Stewart crooning "Easy to Love"? Or follow fun trends like the Mickey Rooney-Judy Garland "let's put on a show" pictures, of which Rooney says "only our names seemed to change"? Following the surprising box-office success of the initial film, Part 2 was released in 1976 and it still had plenty of famous and obscure clips (remember Bobby Van?), and even a nod to the nonmusical films of the era such as the Hepburn-Tracy pictures. It topped everything off with the irresistible pairing of hosts Kelly and Fred Astaire, who share a dance--for only the second time in their careers--at the ages of 64 and 77, respectively (and a more graceful 77-year-old you never will see!). The third film wasn't made until in 1994 (host Kelly is strikingly older), but it offered more of the usual fare plus a variety of cut numbers by such stars as Judy Garland, Lena Horne, and Debbie Reynolds. A half-century later, Hollywood's valentine to the movie musical was still shining strong.

The DVD trilogy set offers all three films with the choice of widescreen anamorphic or full-screen formats (don't worry, the clips are in their original aspect ratio). There's also a two-sided fourth disc with supplemental material, most interestingly the "musical outtakes jukebox," a 16-song, 49-minute collection of numbers that were cut from musicals of the era. None of the selections are Great Songs, but it's hard to discount any musical number from the MGM vaults, for example, three selections by Garland and two by Horne (only one of which, Garland's "Mr. Monotony," appears in TE3, and there in a slightly shorter form). The rest of the content is behind-the-scenes documentaries, the most significant being "That's Entertainment: The Masters Behind the Musical" (37 minutes, profiling the talent behind the films such as Arthur Freed and Michael Kidd), "That's Entertainment III: Behind the Screen" (1994, 53 minutes), and vintage black-and-white footage of MGM's 25th anniversary celebration (10 minutes). Not included in the set: the 1985 compilation That's Dancing, which was released separately in 2007. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

WHO COULD ASK FOR ANYTHING MORE?!?!
Upon its release "That's Entertainment!" became the biggest and brightest money maker of 1974...and it's no wonder. For a little over two hours one had the enchanted experience of being teleported to a world just this side of over the rainbow. Here is a cornucopia of magical scenes and snippets from MGM's most magnificent musicals. Directed with adroit - if self congratulatory - wit and concision by Jack Haley Jr. (son of Oz's Tin Man), "That's Entertainment!" is the sort of blindingly spellbinding extravaganza that reinforces MGM's once galvanic mottos of "art for art's sake" and "more stars than there are in heaven." At its gala premiere Jack Haley Sr. was heard declaring, "This isn't nostalgia. This is art." Rightly so, by 1974 the MGM musical had been dead for some time and the studio itself was on the verge of a restructuring that would ultimately reduce its holdings to garage sale status. But at least in this film such forgotten treasures were resurrected from oblivion to their rightful place in film history. Variety gave "That's Entertainment!" a glowing review, trumpeting, "That while many may ponder the future of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, no one can deny that it's had one heck of a past!"

Naturally, MGM just had to have a sequel. Two years later "That's Entertainment II" came out. But David Melnick's follow up was decidedly a let down on several levels. First, it removed the star cameos that so poignantly buttressed the original's vintage clips. Second, it presented the footage in a seemingly hap-hazard chronology. And finally, it interrupted the musical performances with a showcase from some of the studio's non-musical performers in a string of disjointed word play that neither enhanced the memory of their original performances or the film experience that was to be had. Though not nearly as successful as its predecessor, "That's Entertainment II" was nevertheless a box office titan.

In 1994 MGM once again revisited its vaults for "That's Entertainment III" the final installment in the series. But by now the experience was vaguely beginning to resemble grave robbing. The new film's primary selling feature was that, in addition to showcasing another round of classic performances, it also dug deep into the coffers of outtakes for a series of deleted musical numbers which, until 1994, had either never or rarely been seen. Despite these innovations the final installment to the trilogy was the one most poorly received. It's the original that continues dazzle us all and it's the original that remains the cornerstone of this newly minted DVD box set.

Warner's DVD transfers of all three "That's Entertainment!" films is a welcomed delight. After years of viewing parts one and two with poorly mastered vintage clips, these newly minted discs appear to have been the benefactors of some digital restoration. Beginning with the original film, there is a decide lack of grain and grit on this transfer that is most becoming. Colors (during the Technicolor clips) are vibrant, rich and deep. B&W images are very crisp, nicely balanced, with an often stunning gray scale and superior attention to fine details. There is only the slightest amount of edge enhancement for a picture that is very smooth. The audio has been remixed and remastered to stereo for all three films. Part II seems to suffer from slightly lower contrast levels overall, but the same review for Part I applies. The most outstanding example of digital mastering comes in Part III - a marvelously vibrant array of clips remastered (as they were for the theatrical engagement) in high def that positively glows off the screen. The audio is 5.1 surround and is remarkably aggressive throughout.

Extras include a bonus disc of musical outtakes and extras, audio only catalogue of songs and dances, the original footage of the LA premiere with all of the old time musical stars in attendance and a series of short subjects that collectively perform like a documentary on the series. There are also the original theatrical trailers for each film to be had. In the immortal words of George Gershwin..."who could ask for anything more?"

Trilogy Captures Magic of Era...
While this trilogy of MGM musical tribute films have been available on VHS as a boxed set, the sheer quantity of unforgettable musical highlights showcased make them 'naturals' for DVD, with the format's superior 'search' accessibility, and improved picture and sound quality. There should be a 'warning label', though; these movies MAY cause you to start singing and dancing, and turn you into a musical 'junkie'!

Each film, besides offering a spectacular array of showstoppers, has a style uniquely it's own; the first, THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT! (1974), is the glossiest, with an array of 'guest stars' introducing clips (Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Elizabeth Taylor, Kelly, Astaire, Jimmy Stewart, and more) that is matchless; the second, THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT, PART II (1976), provides a last opportunity to see hosts Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly do a bit of singing and dancing together, and expands the 'musical' format to include montages of classic comedy, and tributes to Tracy and Hepburn, and other 'non-musical' MGM stars; the oft-overlooked THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT! III (1994) eschews the 'soft-focus' approach of it's predecessors, adding a 'behind-the-scenes' look at the demanding work of creating 'classic' routines, and an unflinching acknowledgement of the prejudices of the era, to the mix of musical highlights.

My only quibble is that the musical output of the other major Hollywood studios tends to be downplayed, particularly in THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT!, implying that MGM had the 'corner' on the market. Certainly, the Warner collection of Busby Berkeley spectaculars of the 30s, YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, and the Doris Day musicals, Fox, with Shirley Temple, Alice Faye, and Betty Grable, Columbia (Rita Hayworth), Paramount (Bing Crosby and Bob Hope), and, most significantly, RKO's classic series of Astaire and Rogers vehicles, all deserve as much recognition and credit for their input to the genre of 'classic' musicals. In terms of sheer 'star power' and overall quality, however, MGM was unmatched.

Whether you grew up loving musicals, or were introduced to the genre through recent films like CHICAGO or MOULIN ROUGE!, this collection of highlights should be essential viewing!

More Stars Than There Are In The Heavens
Musicals--that most surrealistic of motion picture genres--have fallen out of fashion over the past few decades... but at one time they dominated motion picture screens. MGM, a studio which boasted it had "More Stars Than There Are In The Heavens," was reknowned for the musical talents it had under contract. And this clever compilation, with its various segments introduced by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Debbie Reynolds, Bing Crosby, and Mickey Rooney, offers an extraordinary collection of musical moments from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s--the golden age of the genre.

The compilation is very, very broad and includes performances by both the still-famous and once-famous, and gives us the opportunity to see some magical moments without having to wade through the entire genre or assess whether or not you actually want to sit through an obscure film in order to see one five minute musical moment. While it includes performances by the delicious Lena Horne (performing "Honeysuckle Rose" before a sophistocated set of drapery and mirrors), the brilliant Elenor Powell (with several offerings, the most memorable being "Begin the Begine" with Fred Astaire), and a host of others, most of the collection revolves around four MGM superstars: Gene Kelly, Esther Williams, Fred Astaire, and Judy Garland. The tribute to Esther Williams is particularly welcome, a marvelous array of some of the most beautiful and beautifully surreal scenes ever put to film; the tribute to Judy Garland, touchingly introduced and narrated by daughter Liza Minnelli, is also particularly well done.

But the real feast here is of musical oddities and rareities. In its search for musical talent, MGM put almost every star under contract through their musical paces--and the result is often truly bizarre. Among the most memorable of these is Joan Crawford, who believe it or not was considered a jazz dancer of some note during the 1920s, and here she (introduced by an emcee as "the personfication of youth, beauty, joy, and happiness) sings and then athelitically stops through "Got A Feeling For You." Robert Montgomery looks awkward trying his hand at light opera; Jimmy Stewart sings pleasantly but unspectacularly; Jean Harlow belts out "Reckless;" and Clark Gable gives a remarkably charming throw-away performance of "Puttin' On The Ritz." It is all tremendous fun.

Of further interest is the fact that most of the narrators have filmed their scenes on the MGM backlot--which was on the verge of demolition when this compilation was made in 1974. It's fading glory is touching, nostalgic, and offers a final glimpse of what was the world's greatest film studio before it entered its final decline. A drawback to the compilation is that at the time it was made few if any of these films had been restored; some of the oldest film clips are in rather poor condition and the brilliance of Technicolor is somewhat reduced in certain scenes. But even with this problem, THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT is a feast of brilliant colors, costumes, spectacular dance numbers, and beautiful sounds, enough to delight any long-time musical fan and convert newcomers to the genre--and the inexpensive price of the video leaves you without excuse for not having it. Strongly recommended.