The Band Wagon (Two-Disc Special Edition)
starring: Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Vincente Minnelli, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli
directed by: Vincente Minnelli, Richard Schickel
directed by: Vincente Minnelli, Richard Schickel
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Product Description:
A washed-up movie star tries his luck on a faltering broadway show and manages to turn it into a smash hit. Some of the dazzling astaire dance numbers include triplets girl hunt dancing in the dark and thats entertainment.Studio: Warner Home VideoRelease Date: 03/15/2005Starring: Jack Buchanan Cyd CharisseRun time: 112 minutes
Amazon.com:
The Band Wagon (1953) marked the culmination of a series of near-autobiographical pictures Fred Astaire made for MGM following his return from premature retirement in the late '40s. Astaire plays Tony Hunter, a fading film star (his big hit: Flying Down to Panama) who decides to return to his former glory, the Broadway stage. (In 1931, Astaire had starred on Broadway with sister Adele in The Band Wagon, a revue that lent some of its songs to this film.) His playwright-songwriter friends (Nanette Fabray and Oscar Levant) hook him up with Broadway's hottest director, Jeffrey Cordova (a nicely hammy Jack Buchanan), who proves that the "new" theater traditions can be an awkward fit with the old. Hunter also finds himself at odds with his prima ballerina leading lady (Cyd Charisse), one of his chief worries being that she seems a little tall. Along the way, producer Arthur Freed, director Vincente Minnelli, choreographer Michael Kidd, and songwriters Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz treat us to some quintessential MGM numbers: Astaire's solo ode "By Myself," the flashy arcade romp "A Shine on Your Shoes," Astaire and Charisse's romantic duet "Dancing in the Dark," the faux-German drinking song "I Love Louisa," the manic trio "Triplets" (with Astaire, Fabray, and Buchanan in matching baby outfits), the Mickey Spillane-esque "Girl Hunt Ballet," and the classic show-biz anthem "That's Entertainment." Even if its ending and obligatory romance fall a little flat, The Band Wagon is one of the classic backstage musicals, a grandiose MGM spectacle that also manages to poke some fun at how grandiose MGM pictures had become. --David Horiuchi
A washed-up movie star tries his luck on a faltering broadway show and manages to turn it into a smash hit. Some of the dazzling astaire dance numbers include triplets girl hunt dancing in the dark and thats entertainment.Studio: Warner Home VideoRelease Date: 03/15/2005Starring: Jack Buchanan Cyd CharisseRun time: 112 minutes
Amazon.com:
The Band Wagon (1953) marked the culmination of a series of near-autobiographical pictures Fred Astaire made for MGM following his return from premature retirement in the late '40s. Astaire plays Tony Hunter, a fading film star (his big hit: Flying Down to Panama) who decides to return to his former glory, the Broadway stage. (In 1931, Astaire had starred on Broadway with sister Adele in The Band Wagon, a revue that lent some of its songs to this film.) His playwright-songwriter friends (Nanette Fabray and Oscar Levant) hook him up with Broadway's hottest director, Jeffrey Cordova (a nicely hammy Jack Buchanan), who proves that the "new" theater traditions can be an awkward fit with the old. Hunter also finds himself at odds with his prima ballerina leading lady (Cyd Charisse), one of his chief worries being that she seems a little tall. Along the way, producer Arthur Freed, director Vincente Minnelli, choreographer Michael Kidd, and songwriters Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz treat us to some quintessential MGM numbers: Astaire's solo ode "By Myself," the flashy arcade romp "A Shine on Your Shoes," Astaire and Charisse's romantic duet "Dancing in the Dark," the faux-German drinking song "I Love Louisa," the manic trio "Triplets" (with Astaire, Fabray, and Buchanan in matching baby outfits), the Mickey Spillane-esque "Girl Hunt Ballet," and the classic show-biz anthem "That's Entertainment." Even if its ending and obligatory romance fall a little flat, The Band Wagon is one of the classic backstage musicals, a grandiose MGM spectacle that also manages to poke some fun at how grandiose MGM pictures had become. --David Horiuchi
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- Movie purchase
Have always loved this movie - Fred Astair, Cyd Charisse - what's not to love.
Rating: 
- Don't miss bonus disc
The film itself is good and there is no more to add about it. The special thing about the 2-DVD edition is the 'Two-Faced Woman' number (on Disc 2) danced by Cyd Charisse & the chorus. This excellent number-- at about 5 minutes, it is long for a movie-musical dance-- was cut from the release. Talk about hard work going to waste. Thankfully someone decided to include it here, although the materials still haven't been restored as the film itself has. Part of it was shown in THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT; the ... Read More
Rating: - Wonderful and classic
Perhaps one of the rarer teens of our generation, I discovered good, old MGM musicals when my father became sick and had to watch movies at home. As we became closer, it seemed that both of us had a healthy interest in musicals. After we watched the "That's Entertainment" series, we rushed to buy "An American in Paris," "Take me out to the Ball Game," "Singin' in the Rain," and "The Band Wagon." We would soon get a collection that rivaled any DVD store's.
Cyd Charisse had always ... Read More
Rating: - The Band Wagon
I had heard this old musical was very good.
It certainly is! So glad I can get these classic movies
thru Amazon.
Rating: - Absolutely Amazing!!!
I have a huge collection of Musicals, but this one is quickly becoming one of my favorites!! What's not to like about Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse!!! The supporting cast is wonderful and it's truly a timeless classic!! The scene with "The Triplets" is not to be missed...it leaves you scratching your head and wondering HOW they did it!! The answer is revealed in the comentary by Lisa Minelli whose father directed this fantastic musical. The dancing is superb and there's so many marvelous dance routines ... Read More
- Movie purchaseHave always loved this movie - Fred Astair, Cyd Charisse - what's not to love.
- Don't miss bonus discThe film itself is good and there is no more to add about it. The special thing about the 2-DVD edition is the 'Two-Faced Woman' number (on Disc 2) danced by Cyd Charisse & the chorus. This excellent number-- at about 5 minutes, it is long for a movie-musical dance-- was cut from the release. Talk about hard work going to waste. Thankfully someone decided to include it here, although the materials still haven't been restored as the film itself has. Part of it was shown in THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT; the ... Read More
- Wonderful and classicPerhaps one of the rarer teens of our generation, I discovered good, old MGM musicals when my father became sick and had to watch movies at home. As we became closer, it seemed that both of us had a healthy interest in musicals. After we watched the "That's Entertainment" series, we rushed to buy "An American in Paris," "Take me out to the Ball Game," "Singin' in the Rain," and "The Band Wagon." We would soon get a collection that rivaled any DVD store's.
Cyd Charisse had always ... Read More
- The Band WagonI had heard this old musical was very good.
It certainly is! So glad I can get these classic movies
thru Amazon.
- Absolutely Amazing!!!I have a huge collection of Musicals, but this one is quickly becoming one of my favorites!! What's not to like about Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse!!! The supporting cast is wonderful and it's truly a timeless classic!! The scene with "The Triplets" is not to be missed...it leaves you scratching your head and wondering HOW they did it!! The answer is revealed in the comentary by Lisa Minelli whose father directed this fantastic musical. The dancing is superb and there's so many marvelous dance routines ... Read More
