The Sound Of Music

The Amazon movie rental worked well with no issues. The picture and sound quality were good, and the rental process was easy and straightforward. As for *The Sound of Music*, it is a classic for a reason. The music is beautiful, the scenery is gorgeous, and the story has a warm, timeless quality that still holds up. The performances are memorable, and the songs are the kind that stay with you long after the movie is over. Overall, this was an enjoyable movie rental and a wonderful film to watch again. It is uplifting, beautifully made, and still a great choice for family viewing or a nostalgic rewatch.

Just wonderful!!! Absolutely wonderful!!! For the timeframe of when I remember this enchanting musical, I cannot think of anything better to bring you back to when this movie was first released. How it went from a film that would be considered overbudget and a risk to one of the most beloved of all time!! Everyone pretty much knows the screen adaptation of the life of Maria Augusta Von Trapp, who went from a postulate with a true desire to give her life in service to God, to becoming the mother of 7 children plus 3 more of her own. But without taking away from any of the beauty and majesty of this film, there is a harshness in the reality of Maria's real life that is presented in the second disc of this 2-disc offering. That was the part that I became intensely interested in because what Hollywood tends to do is take "creative" license with any story and fit it into whatever fits the mold they want, regardless of the truth. The truth here was rather sobering, and even though I absolutely love this movie, I now know how far away the reality was taken, and how much Hollywood created. The packaging is of 2 DVD's with the first being the movie itself. Vivid, pure colors with incredible sound. The majesty of the Austrian mountains and villages as well as the story that pulls on the heartstrings and gives you moments to pause and admire. Disc one starts with a commercial about DVD piracy, then goes into a short commercial about purchasing other musical classics available. You are given a short introduction by the ever-elegant Ms. Andrews, who is as gracious and beautiful and charming as always, and then you are brought to the movie. But it is in the second DVD that we are given much more to enjoy and ponder in both how the movie was made and the realities of how real life was tranformed into reel life. It goes as such: 1) My favorite things: Julie Andrews remembers 2) Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer reminiscence 3) On location with The Sound of Music 4) From Liesl to Gretl: A 40th anniversary reunion 5) When you know the notes to sing: a sing-a-long phenomenon 6) A&E Biography: The Von Trapp Family, Harmony and Discord 7) Restoration comparison 8) Mia Farrow screen test 9) Trailers and TV spots 10) Still galleries It is in this second DVD that you you are treated to how this magnificent, family-friendly movie was made from start to finish. What a story you will be given! Just to mention one story without giving away much, I had always heard that Christopher Plummer had been difficult during the filming, and that he didn't really like working with kids, but because it was rumor, you couldn't pay it much mind. Well, in this documentary, he admits that he was "a boor... difficult" during the initial part of the filming, and that he agreed with W.C. Fields in that he also liked children....cooked. He also had initial disdain for the movie in that he called it "The Sound of Mucas". During this documentary, the fact that he didn't try to hide behind the truth was an interesting insight. Even in the interview that was done with the children, now as adults, they said they knew even back then, that Plummer didn't like them. But Plummer did save himself during the interview, in saying that he eventually came to appreciate the kids. How nice. For me, the most incredible part of the second disc was the A&E Biography. The Maria in the movie was just a slight shadow of the personality of the real-life Maria Von Trapp, who seemed to be a tortured soul all her life. When Maria's mother died at the fragile age of three, and her father abandoned her, she was left with her guardian uncle, who was physically abusive. She became a precocious child who lived carefree, but one day, she decided to go into a church near her home, and wondering what people were doing who were going into the confessional, found her salvation after three hours of talking to the priest. Wanting to become a nun, and finally feel the life of being within a "family", she tried to live the life of a postulate, but the Reverand Mother realizing Maria's zeal for life, turned her instead to the role of governess for the Von Trapp family. Her love for the Captain, and his desire to support the family, were immensely distorted in the film. Also, Maria's issues with control, and the childrens issues with their subserviance to her, led to a great deal of sadness and despair, which makes for the sobering reality of the real life of Maria Von Trapp. It does not change the beauty of the movie, but you certainly realize how far removed the movie was from the truth. Suffice it to say that liberal license was taken with the story. This movie itself is pure joy and comfort, and it is just perfect. But it is the insight into how it was made, and the story of the real Maria, that makes for a more pensive thought.

Unlike most people, I don't have lovely memories from my childhood related to The Sound of Music. My childhood was not filled with live-action musicals (only Disney animated ones) and I just recently discovered true gems like Mary Poppins, Singin' in the Rain, My Fair Lady, The Wizard of Oz and of course this film. I saw The Sound of Music a couple of years ago and while I love the music it did not resonate as much as for example Poppins did. A friend lent his copy and after the first time, I like it but I was not overly impressed with it. Repeat viewing increased my love for the film and while its not perfect (which film is?)is so a joy to watch that now is one of my all-time favorite musicals. R&H songs are one of the many highlights and after watching the film you can't help but sing the catchy wonderful songs from it. My personal favorites are "The Sound of Music", "Maria", "My Favorite Things", "Do-Re-Mi" and "The Lonely Goatherd". I just love the songs and the scenes in which they are played. Another highlight is the beautiful scenary of the entire film. From the beginning, your spirit is uplifted with wonderful shots of European mountains, the gorgeous city of Salzburg and more. It's pure joy!! Julie Andrews of course is the power that helps the film being as wonderful as it is. Just like in Mary Poppins, Andrews is perfect for the role and does it in a way that does not feel a stereotype. Maria is a full-fledged chararacter that we all can identify with. Add this an array of outstading supporting characters and you have a great film. Many have blamed the film of being too sugary but I think it perfectly balances all the elements and I think we have to thank that to the actors and director Robert Wise. As I said before, I had a borrowed copy of the film and just when I was about to buy the 40th anniversary edition DVD, I found out that Fox is releasing a new 45th edition and in Blu-Ray!! Of course that was the way to go. The Sound of Music comes to hi-def looking absolutely amazing. Fox must be and should be proud of the restoration efforts. The picture looks incredibly detailed and the colors are so vibrant that you can feel the rich European scenaries. All classic films should be restored this way because it looks absolutely fantastic. Likewise, the sound has a lavish new 7.1 DTS-HD sound that's completely gorgeous. You'll just experience the film like never before. Dialogue is cristal clear, the score is great and of course the songs are amazing. Impressive sound with impressive picture, What else can you ask? Well, if want more, Fox has designed a new "interactive" experience called "Your favorite things" where you can see the movie with PiP content, a karaoke track and a trivia quiz. Also you have the audio-commentaries form previous editions. In disc two, the bonus features are divided in "Musical Stages", "A City of Song", "Vintage Programs", "Rare Treasures" and "Publicity". The first two are completely new in HD and deal with the creation of the songs,R&H partnership, the restoraton of the film, the real Von Trapp family, the Broadway Musical, The producton of the film and the locations that were used in it. The others are carried overs form previous editions but that is great becuase we have a lot of documentaries, trailers, reminiscences and much, much more. I tell you, you will need a lot of time to dive into all this material but everything is fun, informative and make you appreciate the importance of the film. Without a doubt, this can be easily called THE definitive edition of The Sound of Music. The Sound of Music is one of the best musicals in the world, and one of the most (if not the most) beloved one. It's certainly one of my favorite things. With impressive picture and sound, and a wealth of excellent bonus material, Fox has created a edition that does the film justice. If you like TSOM, there is no reason why you should not get this edition. Absolutely recommended!!

This musical is a total joy to watch; I would not even try to count the number of times I've seen it but it always remains beautiful and lovely to watch and hear. This particular version is well planned and presented and seems to nicely capture the special nature of the 45th Anniversary of this fine work. It will need a special place on your shelf as it is not intended to simply fit in with all of your other discs; it is, however, worthy of the honor as it is beautifully executed and includes all of the special extras that come with the Blu-ray disc that make it truly a collectors choice. First of all, the quality of the Blu-ray disc itself is excellent; the video and the audio both are as close to perfect as I could imagine. There is absolutely nothing there that gets in between the viewer and the performance; Salzburg has never looked lovelier nor has Julie Andrews. In addition to the feature film there is a second Blu-ray disc devoted to additional special features. The fact that they are presented in Blu-ray is somewhat unusual as this kind of disc is often in a DVD format. There is a full version including special features in the DVD format on the third disc and a fourth disc which is a stereo CD of the soundtrack. There is a protective sleeve which shows the box to be part of a Limited Edition and gives the number assigned to your particular set. The inside box slips out of the sleeve and has a hinged top which opens upward to reveal a "Letter of Authenticity" from Twentieth Century Fox. On top is a large hardback book in full color called "A Few of our Favorite Things" which first tells the real story of the Von Trapp family in a section called "The Von Trapp Family: Separating Fact from Fiction." It has many photographs of the real family and tells the actual story of their lives and adventures. One quickly discovers that considerable "artistic license" was taken as the script was written for the movie. The second section of the book is called "The origins of The Sound of Music" and describes the steps that eventually led to the movie version. It is the longest part of the book and covers the original book written in 1949 by Maria von Trapp, "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers," it's progression to Broadway and its final progression to the screen. It is filled with interesting insights about the people and the process that made it all possible. Section 3 of the book is called "Salzburg: The City of Music" and along with some lovely pictures gives more information about the city, its history, and the locations where the movie was shot. The final short section of the book is called "The Legacy of The Sound of Music" and tells the story of the movie after its original release. All told, the book is a treasure and a worthy addition to the set; it will not be available for individual sale according to the inside back cover. Under the discs are two items, a reprint of the 1965 booklet which was available for sale at the 1965 rerelease of the movie, and a set of color photos of scenes from Salzburg. In addition there is a small hand painted music box which plays "My Favorite Things;" the box is curiously heavy and has a feel of quality. The bottom line on all of this is one has here a remarkable collector's item for any who appreciates this memorable musical; the excellent video and audio, the book, music box, photos and the booklet all combine to create a very special opportunity to enjoy again the wonders of this production.

Not only is it based on a true story it is one of the best musical movies they’re created. It’s about a nun that can’t seem like she fits in and they send her to a home to be a governess and she brings life back into that home since they’re mothers passing. Don’t want to say too much just go and watch it. Great family movie/ a good story.

A classic to be watched over and over again. Love it immensely.

I've been watching Blu-Ray films on my PS3 for several years now, and I figure I have a pretty good eye for quality transfers. This is one. The initial few scenes are a bit grainy, but I think it was due to the limitations of shooting from a portable camera from a helicopter in 1959. I'll forgive the grain. But once the scenes move to the amazing expanses of the Austrian countryside I was blown away. The clarity is phenomenal. Even sparkles on the water were vivid. Plus, the sound is amazing as well. Bravo on the Blu-Ray. Of note: this set apparently did not generate as much interest initially so the price has dropped. I picked it up in the gold box for $18.99. I have noted the contents and whether they are worthy: 4 disc collection: film on Blu-Ray with some features (including a sing along version!), another Blu-Ray of special features, the DVD film version, and a CD soundtrack. The music box plays "My Favorite Things" but it plays a bit fast. It is small-ish, maybe 3" x 2" x 2" or so. But it has space for some rings or a locket or some other 'favorite thing'. It says hand painted, but it looks like it was painted from a stencil. It is a stoneware style, so that is nice. The two books are the great additions to the set. They have a special feature book (soft cover) and then a production bio (hardcover). The last things are a certificate of authenticity and some post cards. The entire set comes in a stiff cardboard box with a cardboard sleeve around it. You can remove the sleeve (which has a couple of small pictures showing the contents) and the inner box is clean and looks like the picture. All in all a great set for fans of the film. For under $20 it is one of the best finds I stumbled across this holiday season. Even at $30 it is worthy. If you don't care for the extras, there is a Blu-Ray special edition that is basically the movie with the 3 discs (not including soundtrack): The Sound of Music (Three-Disc 45th Anniversary Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) . I recommend the boxed set for fans or as a gift, but the other version is great for those who just want to enjoy the film. One of the truly remarkable films on Blu-Ray to this date. Simply marvelous, epic, and breathtaking. Now I'm buying Lawrence of Arabia next!

Love the movie, great to watch with family

Je suis enchantee de mon achat. J'avais vu le film dans les annees 60 et je l'ai retrouve avec bonheur grace a ce DVD blue ray. Tres beau film. Tres belle interpretation par les acteurs. Tres belle musique

Si tratta di un classico intramontabile. Adatto a tutti. Da vedere in famiglia.

Classic film. Great story and great music.

名作を改めて観て、新たな発見と感動を覚えました。 何度も観たくなる素晴らしい作品です。

Salzburg, 1938: Maria (Julie Andrews) ist Novizin in Benediktinerinnenabtei Nonnberg und tut sich mit der erforderlichen Disziplin im Kloster schwer. Daher entscheidet die Mutter Oberin (Peggy Wood), Maria als Kindermädchen zu Kapitän Georg von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), einem Witwer mit sieben Kindern zu schicken, damit die junge Frau herausfinden kann, ob ein Leben im Kloster wirklich das richtige für sie ist. Als Marie auf dem Anwesen von Trapp ankommt, ist sie entsetzt. Der Marineoffizier a.D. erzieht seine Kinder mit strikter militärischer Disziplin, Kind sein zu dürfen ist in diesem Konzept nicht vorgesehen. Als Marie Zweifel an dieser Erziehungsmethode äußert, reagiert der Kapitän wenig verständnisvoll und auch die Kinder sind nicht begeistert von der neuen Erzieherin. Doch Maria kann mit viel Freundlichkeit und Güte die Kinderherzen erobern und auch von Trapp beginnt langsam aufzutauen… Mit der Geschichte der Familie von Trapp bin ich relativ gut vertraut, weil ich die Autobiagraphie von Maria von Trapp mehrfach gelesen habe. Das Buch stand nämlich im Bücherschrank meiner Eltern, wo ich es als lesehungriger Teenie zu einer Zeit entdeckt habe, in der ich eigentlich nie genug Lesenachschub bekommen konnte und Bücher, die ich gut fand, auch mehrfach gelesen habe. Ich denke die Geschichte von Maria hat mich damals angesprochen, weil sie ihren Platz im Leben noch finden mußte und vermutlich auch, weil das ja durchaus auch romantisch ist, auch wenn ich mich nicht daran erinnern kann, dass das Buch sonderlich schmalzig war. Danach habe ich dann irgendwann den deutschen Film von 1956 mit Ruth Leuwerik und Hans Holt gesehen, den ich durchaus gelungen fand. Aber auch er trägt jetzt nicht gerade dazu bei, dass man Kapitän von Trapp anschmachten möchte, denn Hans Holt ist zwar symathisch genau wie der Trapp im Buch, aber sexy fand ich die Beiden nun wirklich nicht. Wann genau ich dann ‚Meine Lieder – meine Täume‘ zum ersten Mal gesehen habe, weiß ich ehrlich gesagt nicht mehr, aber ich bin sicher, dass das sehr viel später gewesen sein muss. Wer mich kennt weiß, dass ich zu Musicals ja eher eine schwierige Beziehung habe und so ist von dieser ersten Sichtung damals vor allem hängen geblieben, dass in dem Film wirklich viel gesungen wird. Aber auch das Gefühl, dass Julie Andrews gut besetzt war und viel Erstaunen darüber, dass von Trapp plötzlich dieser gut aussehende Herr mit glutvollem Blick ist, der Maria anschmachtet. Damals muss ich übrigens auch die stark gekürzte Version gesehen haben, bei der Bezüge zum Nationalsozialismus bewußt weggelassen wurden und die mit der Hochzeit von Maria endet. Und obwohl ich erst jetzt die lange Version gesehen habe, ist sofort dieses bekannte Gefühl da. Ich kenne Maria und ihre Geschichte, auch wenn Judi Andrews hier gleich mal gesanglich loslegt und ich in diesem Moment nicht weiß, ob ich wirklich fast drei Stunden durchhalten werde. Ich mag Julie Andrews in dieser Rolle sehr, sie wirkt absolut natürlich und ich habe ihr sowohl ihren Glauben, als auch die Liebe und das Mitgefühl für die Trapp-Kinder abgenommen. Außerdem wirkt sie nicht zu kindlich oder unreif, aber doch irgendwie auch unschuldig, was für Maria ja auch sehr wichtig ist. Christopher Plummer ist als Georg von Trapp genauso gut. Er strahlt eine natürliche Autorität aus, schafft es im Verlauf der Handlung aber auch die warme und liebevolle Seite der Figur auf die Leinwand zu bringen. Ich habe ihm jedenfalls ziemlich schnell den Schwachsinn mit der Signalpfeife verziehen. Singen kann er auch (ich hatte den Eindruck, dass er auf meiner DVD selber singt, auch wenn ich irgendwo gelesen habe, dass das synchronisiert worden ist) und dann diese Augen und diese Blicke, die er Maria zuwirft. Das ist echt Mr.-Darcy-Niveau! Die sieben Kinder mochte ich recht gern, auch wenn nicht jedes Kind wirklich individuell erkennbar ist, dafür sind es vermutlich einfach zu viele für einen auch so schon langen Film. Allgemein ist der Cast recht gut zusammengestellt und ausgewählt. Andrews und Plummer tragen zwar die Handlung, aber Kollegen wie Peggy Wood, Richard Haydn als Hausfreund Max und Eleanor Parker als Baronin Schrader (klingt im Film amüsanterweise eher nach ‚Schröder‘) tragen durchaus zum Gelingen bei. Natürlich wird hier nicht mit Klischees gespart. Dirndl, Strudel und Kuckucksuhren dürfen keinesfalls fehlen, abre so weiß man dann wenigstens wo die teilweise etwas merkwürdige Sicht von Nordamerikaner auf Österreich/Deutschland herkommt. Die Lieder mag ich teilweise wirklich gern (vor allem das beim Puppenspiel ist so knuffig), aber ich muss zugeben, dass ich teilweise auch gespult habe. Zuviel Gesang in Filmen ist einfach schwer ertragbar für mich. Insgesamt kann ich jeden verstehen, der den Film als unsagbar kitschig abtut, aber ich mag ihn trotzdem wahnsinnig gern und auch wenn ich keinen Schimmer habe, wann und wieso die DVD in mein DVD-Regal eingezogen ist, habe ich ihn sicher nicht zum letzten Mal gesehen. Dazu sind Julie Andrews und Christopher Plummer einfach zu schön anzuschauen. Und die in Teilen wahre Geschichte hinterläßt einfach ein so hoffnungsvolles, tröstendes Gefühl, das manchmal einfach nicht schaden kann. Der leider mittlerweile verstorbene Christopher Plummer sah den Film übrigens lange sehr kritisch. Erst viel später machte er seinen Frieden damit, erkannte an, dass der Film mittlerweile wohl zu Recht irgendwie Kult geworden ist und trat sogar mit Julie Andrews, mit der er befreundet war bei den Feierlichkeiten zum 50. Jubiläum auf.