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The Band Wagon (Two-Disc Special Edition) |  | Directors: Vincente Minnelli, Richard Schickel
Actors: Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Vincente Minnelli, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $26.98
Buy Used: $4.72
as of 9/2/2010 13:57 CDT details
You Save: $22.26 (83%)
New (12) Used (17) from $4.72
Seller: goHastings
Rating:  72 reviews
Sales Rank: 52333
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Special Edition, Subtitled, NTSC
Languages: English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Discs: 2
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Running Time: 112 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: WARD66984D
ISBN: 0790795663
UPC: 012569698420
EAN: 9780790795669
ASIN: B0007939MK
Theatrical Release Date: August 7, 1953
Release Date: March 15, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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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
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 Video Release Date: 03/15/2005 Starring: Jack Buchanan Cyd Charisse Run time: 112 minutes
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 72
 OK, but not as great as... March 26, 2010
Eric J (Minnesota , US)
...the "That's Entertainment" series implied.
MINOR SPOILERS BELOW
At least one of the "That's Entertainment" documentaries implies that "The Band Wagon" is the second-best movie-musical after "Singin' in the Rain."
But I disagree.
It's interesting to see Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse in "The Band Wagon" playing characters so similar to themselves.
However, I wasn't rooting for them as a couple. Maybe if the husband of the Cyd Charisse had been a villain, then I would have been rooting for her to leave him for the Fred Astaire character. But he wasn't. I felt that she should have made more effort to work things out with her husband.
I also didn't like that there were a bunch of musical numbers for the show-within-the-movie presented without explaining how they tie to the plot of the show-within-the-movie. The movie audience should have been shown the segue of the show-within-the-movie into those musical numbers.
Similarly, they don't explain why the show-within-the-movie is titled "The Band Wagon."
 The Band Wagon special ed. dvd March 25, 2010
Oldfrisbee (Mill Creek, WA USA)
Came quickly & at a great price for an upgraded 5.1 dolby surround sound track ed. with many great extras.
One of the Best Musicals March 16, 2010
R.L.
The jacket of this 2-disk DVD says "the greatest of the movie musicals." I don't know if it is the greatest. After all, it doesn't have Astaire in his prime--and it doesn't have Judy Garland. Not that it doesn't have a lot of great things.
Notably a couple of great numbers of Fred with long-legged Cyd Charisse--with those fabulous Minnelli sets. Then there's the famous "Triplets" number--three hams dancing on their knees. And Fred's shoe shine number, where they found a real shoe shine kid in NY who could actually dance! And the wonderful Jack Buchanan duetting with Fred--and holding his own. And finally the "That's Entertainment" gem which has become the National Anthem of musicals. Did I mention the Minnelli sets? The fabulous colors and artwork--especially in the Buchanon character's house when Fred first meets Cyd. The box stages, the bright red walls, etc.--much like Minnelli's own house, according to Liza Minnelli in her movie commentary with singer Michael Feinstein. There is also a documentary on the making of the movie and another on Vincente Minnelli in the 2nd DVD.
The digitalized video quality is excellent--movie theater quality--especially played on a blu ray player which upgrades the resolution to near HD.
This is a great musical, but I can't say it's my all-time favorite--or the best.I mean, has anyone ever seen Fred's movies with Ginger in the 30s--especially Swing Time and Top Hat? And the ones with Rita Hayworth and Garland in the 40s?
Astaire was still great in the 50s, but he was just a bit past his incredible prime. And we haven't even mentioned Gene Kelly's Singin'in the Rain and An American in Paris.
Excellent DVD !! January 27, 2010
Cynthia Carter Satterfield
Wonderful movie and really enjoyed the extra DVD with commentary by some of the actors !!
The Band Wagon (Two-Disc Special Edition) January 13, 2010
P. Dunn (PA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
The Band Wagon (Two-Disc Special Edition)Almost everything that Fred Astaire dances in can be called a classic. There isn't another dancer known as well for his style and grace as Fred Astaire who virtually made "The Musical" with Ginger Rogers back in the 30's. And this one is no exception with leading lady Cyd Charisse especially with there beautiful romantic dance in the Central Park that is noted by many as a favorite. Some people believe the character Tony Hunter (Fred Astaire) was somehow suppose to represent what was happening to Fred Astaire (somehow feeling like he Tony Hunter was a has-been) in his life however I couldn't imagine anything farther from the truth. There is a universal appeal of Fred Astaire's light grace and motion is still felt in this film. You can even see exactly how Fred moves in scene where he dances in slow motion while the rest of the cast dances at normal speed.
This is a light musical with not the best of plots but it is workable venue for a dancing and singing scenes. Tony Hunter (Fred Astaire) a "has-been" musical star comes into town to see his playwright friends Lily Marton (delightful Nanette Fabray) and movie husband Lester Marton (as always himself Oscar Levant). These two have written a play for him, which they want big-shot "artistic" director/producer/star Jeffrey Cordova (Jack Buchanan) a pompous a-hummm, to help run the production. He changes their little musical comedy into a modernistic Faust insisting on hiring prima ballerina, Gabrielle Gerard (the fabulous Cyd Charisse) as leading lady to Tony. Of course it's hate at first sight with Gabrielle's and her jealous boyfriend/manger/choreographer bringing even more tension to a tense situation. The whole combination creates a huge egg. In the midst of the insanity Tony walks out, Cabrielle is sent to apologize - the beautiful dance in the park ensues - beginning of romance - "the show must go on" they take back their show creating a series of creative sometimes innovative musical numbers.
Some of my favorite musical numbers are Fred Astaire and the shoe shine man "A Shine on My Shoes" (played by an actual shoeshine man who dances that way shining shoes). Of course the Central Park Dance "Dancing in the Dark", the slow-mo dance, One of my favorites "Triplets" where Fred Astaire is joined with Jack Buchanan and Nanette Fabray playing triplet babies who hate each other - this one still gets letters on how'd you do that. And "That's Entertainment" (which was first introduced by Betty Hutton, Howard Keel & Louis Calhern in "Annie Get Your Gun" a musical about Annie Oakley) and in this film this song in it's presentation is the title and theme song for 3 more movies.
So in conclusion Two Thumbs up!!!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 72
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