VideoDetective.com
Oklahoma (1955)
Released By: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment   Rating: Not Rated   In Theaters: N/A
Your video will start shortly...



More Videos:
Preview Details
User Reviews
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Genre: Musical
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Director: Fred Zinneman
Language: English
Official Website: N/A
Theatrical Release: N/A
Home Video Release: N/A
Cast: Eddie Albert, Gloria Grahame, Gordon MacRae, Rod Steiger, Shirley Jones
Published ID: 2868
UPC: 024543045168, 024543208433,
Plot: Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1943 Broadway musical was considered revolutionary for a multitude of reasons, not least of which were the play's intricate integration of song and storyline, and the simplicity and austerity of its production design. The 1955 film version of Oklahoma! retains the songs (except for Lonely Room and It's a Scandal!, which are usually cut from most stage presentations anyway) and the story, but the simplicity is sacrificed to the spectacle of Technicolor, Todd-AO, and Stereophonic Sound. The story can be boiled down to a single sentence: a girl must decide between the two suitors who want to take her to a social. In her movie debut, 19-year-old Shirley Jones plays Laurie, an Oklahoma farm gal who is courted by boisterous cowboy Curley (Gordon MacRae) and by menacing, obsessive farm hand Jud Frye (Rod Steiger). Fearing that Jud will do something terrible to Curley, Laurie accepts Jud's invitation to the box social. But it's Curley who rescues Laurie from Jud's unwanted advances, and in so doing wins her hand. On the eve of their wedding, Laurie and Curley are menaced by the drunken Jud. During a fight with Curley, Jud falls on his own knife and is killed (this sudden-death motif was curiously commonplace in the Rodgers and Hammerstein ouevre). The local deputy insists that Curley be arrested and stand trial, but he is outvoted by Curley's friends, and the newlyweds are permitted to ride off on their honeymoon. Counterpointing the serious elements of the story is a comic subplot involving innocently promiscuous Ado Annie (Gloria Grahame), her erstwhile sweetheart Will Parker (Gene Nelson) and lascivious travelling salesman Ali Hakim (Eddie Albert). None of the Broadway cast of Oklahoma! was engaged for the film version, though Charlotte Greenwood is finally able to essay the role of Auntie Eller that had been written for her but she'd been unable to play back in 1943. The evergreen songs include Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin', Surrey with the Fringe on Top, People Will Say We're In Love, I Cain't Say No, and the rousing title song. Two versions of Oklahoma! currently exist: the Todd-AO version, filmed on 65-millimeter stock, and the simultaneously shot CinemaScope version, shipped out to the theaters not equipped for the wider-screen Todd-AO process. Both versions have been issued in letterbox form on laser disc, and the subtle differences in performance style and camera angles in each and every scene are quite fascinating. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
IDDateTimeTitleReviewHelpfulVotesTotalVotes
OKAHOMA
Added 11/11/2009

I will not buy anymore copyrited movies, as

I have small childern & can't copy a back up copy for any misshaps I should incounter! The little devels get into everthing!

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Great Service!
Added 9/6/2009

This video arrived the next day of the order, in great condition. The service was exceptional. I highly recommend this vendor. Thanks!
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
todd ao version has better voice
Added 7/29/2009

i watched the both version and todd ao version has musch better tone,the original tone of voice and its visuals are not as bad as mentioned.
1 out of 2 people found this helpful.
The Real Miracle Of TODD-AO
Added 4/2/2009

Lets be honest here! What Fox wants you to believe is utter rubbish! Having been involved in film to video restoration as a telecine colorist I think I know a little bit about the process.

The one thing that Fox is right about is that many negs, ip's and print negs were stored impropperly. Eastman stock developed vinigar syndrome, faded and shrunk. Becoming unusable. The studio's woke up to the fact and started to store their precious titles in more climate friendly vaults and salt mines. Yup...salt mines.

I have seen several prints, (not negs) in theatres and in private collections. Some have faded and lost color, (turning pink) while others are basicly as beautiful as they day they were struck.

If Fox wnted to do an "HONEST" transfer of a TODD-AO print or neg, it could have used numerous sources to obtain, borrow or copy elements from existing materials other than a badly damaged IP. IP's (inter Posatives) that some studios will xfer from are well known to have limited range and depth for video xfers than a neg or a print-neg. Fox was being lazy and decided for some unknown reason to use most likely the only complete, or close at hand elements they had rather than do some research and find propper materials to xfer from!

The story abotu Oklahoma! being soft is that....a story. All the prints and footage and frames from TODD-AO prints are anything but soft. The efinition is the Oklahoma! prints is truely breath taking.

Fox would have been better to have left some of the film damage in and retain the sharpness of the TODD-AO versions. Fox woudl have been bette to have used the available technology and use the pre-existing 4x3 letterbox TODD-AO version and line doubled it to make it full screen.

You would be amazed aas to the amount of color that can be pulled out of a faded print using sate of the art equipment like a daVinci color corrector. Would the color be perfect? No, but it would be sharp and enjoyable. Then they could have gone into digital color restoration and boosted it up even more.

If Fox have have had the backbone to have said "hey we made a mistake" I woudl respect that and say well atlet they know they messed up. But to blaitantly lie and try to defent themselves is not only an insult to this film, it's producers, cast and crew, it's fans and to those of us who do work in the area of film xfer!

Fox, I challenge you to prove this is the only possible xfer that you can do! And you will be proved wrong!

3 out of 3 people found this helpful.
Nice, Old-Fashioned FillmI
Added 3/30/2009

Overall, this is a refreshing nice old-fashioned musical and a visual treat as well. I really liked the first part of this movie best with all the famous songs and great color that looks even better on DVD....and just a great feel of old-time wholesomeness.

The story is just about two romances: the main "contest:" Gordon McCrae and Rod Steiger both vying for Shirley Jones, and the minor one with Gloria Grahame and two suitors. Grahame, with her humor as "Ado Annie Carnes" is the best character in the film, at least to me. Eddie Albert also chips in with some humor as the "peddler" and Charlotte Greenwood was good as "Aunt Eller."

Jones and McCrae are about as "All-American" as you can get and Steiger is the lone "villain" of the film. The most colorful segment of the movie was the dream scene that featured a great set.

If I could change anything with this film, I'd reduce it in length down to two hours, which is plenty.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
OKAHOMA
Added 11/11/2009

I will not buy anymore copyrited movies, as

I have small childern & can't copy a back up copy for any misshaps I should incounter! The little devels get into everthing!

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Great Service!
Added 9/6/2009

This video arrived the next day of the order, in great condition. The service was exceptional. I highly recommend this vendor. Thanks!
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
todd ao version has better voice
Added 7/29/2009

i watched the both version and todd ao version has musch better tone,the original tone of voice and its visuals are not as bad as mentioned.
1 out of 2 people found this helpful.
Photos


There are currently no photos.
Shopping
IDPriceImageUrlPurchaseUrlIdTypeBindingStore
VHS
$3.88 @ Amazon
DVD
$15.65 @ Amazon
DVD
$19.99 @ Amazon