Rating: 
Summary: The Greatest Star Comes to DVD - Worth the Wait!
Review: First off - the DVD: It's a letterbox transfer of pristine new print that has been digitally restored (sometimes frame by frame) back to its original condition. Funny Girl hasn't looked this good in thirty years - so if you've only seen it on VHS or TV, you're in for a visual treat. I saw the restored print on a huge screen this past fall, and believe me, this transfer does it justice. In addition they have included the pre-show and intermission music as well. The additional documentary material is nothing to write home about. But I think whoever did the DVD menu deserves kudos for styling it like the New Amsterdam theater marquee from the first shot of the movie, with highlights from the film playing in the background. Very appropriate and very clever. Funny Girl is A.) the musical biography of comedienne-singer Fanny Brice, and B.) the Oscar-winning film debut of 26 year old Barbra Streisand. As theatrical history lesson it's pretty flawed - (Arnstein was Brice's *second* husband, for example). The Streisand - Brice connection is strong, however. Fanny, like Barbra, wore her Jewishness as a badge of honor - in contrast to most Jewish performers of the day, who tried to blend in as much as possible. As a matter of fact, the "You Are Woman, I Am Man" seduction scene plays like a Brice "Follies" sketch. And as a star vehicle for Striesand, it's a winner. When she belts out "I'm the Greatest Star" at the beginning of the picture you will understand what it feels like to be in the presence of raw, pure talent. At the end of them film when she falters on the opening words of "My Man", you'll remember what it feels like to watch your beloved walk out of your life. William Wyer seems to be aware that he's launching a new star. The way he introduces Barbra - that long walk with her back to the camera in the leopard coat - ending with the first teasing glimpse of her face in the mirror - "Hello, gorgeous." It was certainly a closeup that many film folk were sure would have audiences recoiling in horror. Certainly plain looking Barbra couldn't make it as a movie star. Well, it's not news anymore, but certainly a surprise at the time, Barbra photographs beautifully. Even Barbra-hater Rex Reed had to admit at the time, "It took the combined efforts of God knows how many people to do it, but I'll be damned if they haven't made her beautiful!" Omar Sharif plays opposite Barbra, and he holds up his end of the film nicely, no small feat when you consider that the script gives him little to do and the entire property has been tailored to Streisand's strengths. No one else registers, with the possible exception of Kay Medford as Fanny's mother. (Poor Anne Francis sued Columbia after the film was released, claiming Streisand had her cut out of the finished film. Most of you are sitting there thinking, "Anne, who?") All in all, one of the better Sixties Broadway musical adaptations. (Note: Funny Girl was nominated for Best Picture in 1968. It lost to another Columbia Pictures musical - Oliver! If you liked Funny Girl, check out Oliver! - it's a better movie, even though it has no star names over the title. More 1968 Oscar trivia - Barbra won for Best Actress in a tie with Kathrine Hepburn of "Lion in Winter". In Oscar balloting there can only be a tie when there are the exact same number of votes. Why do I mention this? Well, it just so happens that because of her "special stature" in the industry, Barbra Streisand was admitted as a voting member of the Academy that year - with the release of just her first film. I wonder who she voted for???? If she hadn't been given special treatment, maybe Kate Hepburn's name would had been the only one announced that night!)
Rating: 
Summary: The ultimate screen debut...
Review: Hello, gorgeous. Funny Girl is the ultimate Streisand film. Barbra's Oscar winning film debut as the Ziegfeld star Fannie Brice has never been in better form. After a frame-by-frame image restoration and digitally remastered audio, this popular musical packs all the glitter of its 1968 premiere. Ray Stark, son-in-law to the legendary Brice, first began working on a screen biography of his famous mother-in-law in 1948, but Brice herself rejected several scripts. Nearly a decade later, he commissioned a new screenplay from Isobel Lennart. When studios didn't bite, Lennart adapted her script for Broadway, with Jule Styne and Bob Merrill getting the nod to write the songs. Stark tapped a young Barbra Streisand, already a Broadway sensation in "I can get it for you wholesale" to play the Brice. The rest is entertainment history. This DVD presentation is spectacular in quality, but its "Special Features" pale in comparison to those of "The Way We Were." The documentaries "Barbra in Movieland" and "This is Streisand" are almost camp in their approach and scope, and I long for a present-day interview (better yet, audio commentary) with la Streisand that would have put the making of this film in better context. I'm hoping her future films, especially her directorial efforts, include a director commentary and background footage. ("Barbra, can you hear me?) That said, Funny Girl is still the centerpiece any Streisand fan's collection. A must have.
Rating:
Summary: She "IS" The Greatest Star
Review: My dad was a movie projectonist when I was growig up and he took me to see Funny Girl when I was in the 4th grade. I saw that movie 5 times that week and a total of 26 times in every movie theater in town. What an impression it made on me as a yougster, that if you believed in yourself there isn't anything that you can't do. Of course it is my favorite movie of all time and one that I watch over and over again as if I had never seen it before. I see something new every viewing. Do you want to see one of the greatest performances of all time, then watch her perform "I'm The Greatest Star" and then watch it again and again, there has never been a debut performance like this one and probably never will again. I have been the BIGGEST Streisand fan since and have followed her through all her movies, saw her twice in concert and have everything she has recorded, albums, tapes, 45's, CD's, foreign releases and hard to find classics, every movie poster, every book written about her and every magazine cover she has been on. This collection started back in 4th grade and now I am 47 years old so you can imagine the collection. Of it all Funny Girl has to be the shining moment . If I could have just a few hours with Ms. Streisand I would thank her and ask hundreds of questions, we are only seperated by 2 degrees of seperation, maybe that day will come! Buy this movie, if you are not a fan, you will be--I PROMISE.
Rating:
Summary: "He's got polish on his nails."
Review: The ultimate showcase for an actress, Barbra Streisand's highly publicized film debut in FUNNY GIRL met every single expectation and then some. The film was the highest-grossing film of 1968, and it's very easy to see why. The film has many great qualities: It's expertly directed by three-time Academy Award winner William Wyler (the finale of the "Don't Rain On My Parade" number is just as astonishing as the chariot race in Wyler's BEN HUR), the storyline is extremely compelling, Omar Sharif is an incredibly suave and charismatic leading man, the supporting players are perfectly cast (particularly Kay Medford, Lee Allen, and Walter Pidgeon), and the song score (primarily by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill) is first-rate. However, virtually everything that FUNNY GIRL has working for it would be worthless without Barbra Streisand's absolutely phenomenal performance. I honestly cannot think of enough good descriptive adjectives to do justice to her amazing performance in this film. She handles drama, comedy, music numbers, and tearjerking sentiment with equal aplomb, and she does it all better than any actress before or since. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had no choice but to honor her with the Oscar for Best Actress (in an extremely rare tie with academy favorite Katherine Hepburn; only the second tie in Oscar history to date), it is a performance that is nothing less than perfect. About the DVD: Columbia-Tristar has done an excellent job in bringing FUNNY GIRL to DVD. The restoration of the original source elements may have taken nearly three years to complete, but it was time well spent - the picture quality is gorgeous! Sure, there are a few nicks on the print, but the color, sharpness, and virtually everything else is nearly flawless. Quite possibly one of the best vintage transfers yet. The sound is also excellent, and while there are no new features included (only vintage featurettes - I expect we'll see a special edition re-issue in the future) the menu design is fantastic.
Rating:
Summary: A classic!
Review: There has never been another Hollywood debut quite like Barbra Streisand's in FUNNY GIRL, and there probably never will be. Everyone knew she could sing beautifully, but this film proved that she was an actress, and a great one! Streisand proves that she is a true star, she is hilarious in the film's uproarious opening and she's absolutely heart-breaking in the dramitic end. She picked up a well-deserved Oscar for her work here. The rest of the cast is also good (Omar Sharif is especially suave in the role of Nicky Arnstein), the production values are high, the music is great, the direction is lively, and the story is touching. But above all else, it is Streisand's versatile and extremely likeable performance that holds the whole film together. Watch to laugh, watch to cry, watch to be entertained. A classic.
Rating:
Summary: My most enjoyable cinema experience in years!
Review: I had the great fortune to see the theatrical re-release of FUNNY GIRL in Denver this week! I first saw the movie when I was very young, so seeing it now was like seeing it for the first time. I have been more a fan of Streisand pre-1980s than of her latest work, both in music and on film (i.e. The Mirror Has Two Faces.) The newly restored Technicolor print and the remastered sound are in a word, FABULOUS. Experiencing and not just watching, a film like FUNNY GIRL reminds me of the days when Hollywood was really bringing movie magic to the American screen. Alas, those days have passed us by for the most part, when we're saddled with drivel like Pearl Harbor, Shallow Hal, etc. It's not to say there aren't great movies being made anymore, but they are certainly the exception rather than the rule. Streisand truly, truly stands out among all the costumes, glamour and other actors and actresses in the movie. I don't know much of the life story behind Fanny Brice, but Barbra brought it forth beautifully with her enthusiasm, that voice and her smile. The story is involving, the acting terrific, and oh those costumes and sets! The closest movie I can compare this to is Moulin Rouge from Baz Luhrmann, and that still pales in comparison to the artistry that Streisand and all involved made in producing this cinematic gem. The DVD and CD are going on my Christmas wish list now!!
Rating:
Summary: Best Musical
Review: I saw this movie as a teenager and loved it. Barbra Streisand is timeless. I can't wait to add Funny Girl to my collection.
Rating:
Summary: Hello! This Movie is Georgous
Review: What a tour de force!!! Barbra's first movie is AMAZING!!!
I think Babs was born to play Fanny Brice. What a wonderful and
beautiful portrayal of a young woman struggling to try to "fit"
onstage and then "makes it big" Of course Barbra's singing is
just too perfect and her acting is amazing. I think it is her
best movie. Her comedic timing in this movie is so natural that
she should have done standup. Her comedy movies of the 70's
definately showcase her comedic gifts. One sad note, of course,
is Barbra's character "Fanny" just loves Nicky Awnstein too much.
He knows he isn't good for her and lets her go. He really broke
her heart. So, if you want a movie with vintage style from the 20's, Fabulous Singing, Dancing, Wonderful Costumes, and a great
story, then please watch this movie. It is #1 on my list.
Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: BARBRA STREISANDS BEST EVER
Review: THIS MOVIE IS ONE TO KEEP IN YOUR LIBRARY THAT YOU CAN WATCH OVER AND OVER. IT GIVES YOU A GLIMPS OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEING A ZIGFIELD GIRL.(A GREAT HONOR) AND WHAT IT TOOK TO GET THERE. ALSO HOW TO GET WHAT YOU REALLY WANT WITH YOUR WITS. BARBRA DID A WONDERFUL JOB PORTRAYING FANY. NOT TO MENTION HER VOICE. SOMEONE JUST TELL ME, WHY DID SHE GO AND MAKE FUNNY LADY. THE WORST ONE SHE EVER DID. IT SHOULD HAVE JUST ENDED WITH "OH MY MAN I LOVE HIM SO"
Rating:
Summary: DON'T RAIN ON THIS PARADE - A FANTASTIC DVD!
Review: Barbra Streisand is a young Fanny Brice - inexperienced, desperate to make good on her contract with Florenz Ziegfeld and desperately in love with the first of her two husbands, Nick Arnstein (Omar Shariff). After playing the role on Broadway and making it her own, Bab's took home the Best Actress Oscar of the year for her eclectic, electric and thoroughly engaging performance. Co-stars Walter Pidgeon. Director, William Wyler - best known for his efforts in "Ben-Hur" or "Mrs. Miniver" has oft' been criticized for his heavy-handed direction on this film. True - the pace of the musical doesn't rival say, "The Sound of Music" or "West Side Story" but the material is so good, and Wyler brings his own inimitable staging to the show, that I can't really fault the old master for a slightly stoic presentation which, if anything, does not detract from the overall enjoyment of this classic movie musical.
Columbia Tristar has done an outstanding job in remastering this movie for DVD. Colors are rich, vibrant and bold. Shadow delineation is incredible and contrast levels are as they should be. Edge enhancement is practically non-existant while shimmering and aliasing simply don't appear on this disc at any time. This is a fantastic example of just how good an older movie can look on DVD if the proper amount of time and effort is taken to do the job properly. The soundtrack is remastered in 5.1 and positively explodes across all the channels, particularly during the musical sequences. Just listening to Bab's do "Don't Rain On My Parade" or "My Man" will give one goose bumps. Bar none, an incredibly solid remastering effort of a vintage soundtrack. No extras but with quality like this it's hard to squawk. A very fine effort and a definite must have!
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