My Fair Lady (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Years ago I saw the original Broadway stage version with Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews. This film version is more complex, with more in-depth characterization, and is impeccably filmed with many imaginative and original touches. Audrey Hepburn was an attractive Liza, but her singing was done by Marnie Nixon, and her cockney speech at the very beginning of the movie was needlessly incomprehensible. It was a classic Hollywood mistake not to use Julie Andrews in the screen version.
Harrison is brilliant as Henry Higgins, and the supporting cast is first-rate. The musical numbers are well-structured with a flair and zest which shows George Cukor's taste and sensibilities. The movie deservedly won eight Oscars.
The widescreen, letter-box version I found annoying as I usually do. The movie's sumptuous sets seemed to lose out by this process.
The movie is enlightening about the British class system which persists to this day. Higgin's mansion is artfully rendered, and the scenes in which the servants sing are captivating.
This film captures the spirit, the style, and the genius of the musical and provides us with an archival record of the show.
Nine Lives Too Many
Clawed Back from the Dead
The Daemon in Our Dreams
The Rice Queen Spy

This musical won 8 Oscars including Best Picture and it is richly deserving of the accolades. The cast is superb and the songs are all standards destined to be appreciated over the years. I've watched this film many times over the years and I never get tired of watching it and in fact I'm looking forward to the next screening. No fan of musicals should be without this dvd in their collection.

The dvd itself is also a treat as it has been restored pretty well. Picture quality-wise it isn't perfect but it's still very good given the state of the severely deteriorated original master and is still a lot better than many other "restored" older films that I've seen. Also widescreen format is the best way to view this film and this is the format in which it is presented here on this dvd. There is a nice short making-of documentary included and the biggest plus of this dvd version is the excellent sound quality that comes in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. I've seen other films with this feature but they don't sound as good but it is clear here that a lot of effort went into vastly improving and getting the most out of the 5.1 format.

Excellent sound quality and very good picture quality make this dvd great value for money. I wonder what other improvements we can expect from the upcoming Blu-ray version? As far as standard dvd versions go though, this version is very, very good.

Recommended.

I am a huge Hepburn fan, she has such a way when you are watching her you forget....everything else around you! the films I do own breakfast at tiffany's roman holiday, sabrina, funny face, One that is vastly different is The nun's story... she is quite deglamorized in that one! she truly was a talented beauty of her time AND YES, my fair lady made me laugh!!!

I had seen My Fair Lady as have most people and enjoyed it. We went to the recent stage play and I wanted to see again Audrey and Rex. It was great. I recommend it to all who love to be uplifted when they see a movie.

Sadly, I had never seen this movie before purchasing it here. And this comes from a girl who adores Audrey Hepburn! But the moment the score began I was hooked at this humerous, enchanting tale of an very unusual Cinderella and Fairy Godmother. The music is perfect, suited to every emotion felt by every character, making for a bright, fun, and touching musical experience. The setting is grand, even for the streets of London (though it is probably not a good thing to romanticize poverty) but in the guise of the theatre it works perfectly. The direction is different, slightly wild, and dare-I-say incredibly imaginative. The very motions of the actors are brilliantly thought-out. The acting is spot on, especially by the great Audrey who rids herself of charm to play the most obnoxious street urchin you will ever meet. Even as she rises through the process of becoming a proper lady she never quite loses that earthy charm. It's a touching story full of vivid, wild characters and plenty of heart. As for the second disk, the geek in me loved the features that added plenty of trivia to my first "My Fair Lady" experience.