Oliver!/Annie (Deluxe Edition) (Box Set) (DVD)

Over Christmas my daughter really enjoyed watching a couple of musicals on T.V. I also loved musicals as a child, and this prompted a visit to my mothers to raid the old forgotten VHS box. Unfortunately twenty odd years of being played to death and then neglected hadn't been kind, and our home recorded videos were unwatchable.


Spurred on by the notion of a trip down memory lane, and a new convert to enjoy these much loved films ...
...Disc special edition set of Annie and Oliver!


== Annie ==


Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, this DVD is a special anniversary edition of the 1981 film starring Aileen quinn, Albert Finney and Carol Burnett.


The movie opens in a New York orphanage during the depression, with 10 year old Annie wistfully hoping that her parents, who abandoned her as a child, will some day come ... more

Over Christmas my daughter really enjoyed watching a couple of musicals on T.V. I also loved musicals as a child, and this prompted a visit to my mothers to raid the old forgotten VHS box. Unfortunately twenty odd years of being played to death and then neglected hadn't been kind, and our home recorded videos were unwatchable.

Spurred on by the notion of a trip down memory lane, and a new convert to enjoy these much loved films with, I headed off to Amazon and found this 2 Disc special edition set of Annie and Oliver!

Annie

Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, this DVD is a special anniversary edition of the 1981 film starring Aileen quinn, Albert Finney and Carol Burnett.

The movie opens in a New York orphanage during the depression, with 10 year old Annie wistfully hoping that her parents, who abandoned her as a child, will some day come to collect her with the other half of the locket that was left as their only reminder. The orphanage is run by the diabolicle lush Miss Hannigan, who spends her time drinking Gin and chasing any man that comes in site, while neglecting the orphans and forcing them to work relentlessly.

Annie's luck is about to change though, as she is chosen to spend a week with billionaire Oliver Warbucks, who has offered to share his home for a week with an orphan in exchange for some much needed publicity.Originally not at all keen with the idea, Annie manages to win him and the rest of his luxury household round. When Mr.Warbucks makes Annie a generous offer she turns it down, never loosing faith that her parents are out there and still love her. As a full scale search for Annie's parents takes shape, an evil plot is hatched to kidnap her and pocket the reward. Will Annie survive and find the family she so desires? And will Miss Hannigan ever sobre up enough to do the right thing?

My Daughter absolutly loves this film, as much as I did back then, and can already sing all the songs. As a child I remember loving Annie and the orphans, and despite it supposedly being a 'hard knock life', really wanting to be in the orphanage with them. Singing, dancing, pillow fights and swinging from light fittings, even when your supposed to be cleaning and half starved, looked so much fun. Miss Hannigan, rather than being a figure of fear, is actually one of ridicule, as the orphans run rings round her.

But as an adult I have found myself appreciating and loving this movie in a different way. Carol Burnetts performance as the man eating lush who has found herself in charge of an orphanage for girls, is nothing less than hilarious. Despite being a terrible guardian for the children in her care, rather than hate her you pity her. Her rendition of 'Little Girls' in which she delivers such lines as " I'm an ordinary woman, with feelings...I'd like a man to nibble on my ear, but I'll admit, no man has bit...so how come I'm the mother of the year" is hysterical. She really does put in a fantastic performance throughout.

The film is packed with memorable songs from beginning to end, my favourites of which are 'It's a hard Knock life" where the orphans dance and sing while fulfilling their chores, and "Easy Street" performed by Miss Hannigan, her brother Rooster and gangsters moll girlfriend Lilly St Regis ("Like the Hotel") which is a speak-easy, jazz type number, with loads of fantastic and comical choreography. Speaking of choreography, that's done by our very own Arlene Phillips, of strictly come dancing fame. She may have a gob like a foghorn, but my can she put on a show! The dancing and choreography throughout is full on, fast and simply brilliant.

Annie received very mixed and extreme reviews. While it was nominated for several academy awards, it also won a few Razzies. It's a love it or or hate it film indeed. There's no doubt that this film is cheese on a stick. Aileen Quinn is a typical precocious, apple cheeked, over acting child star. The film is brash, all singing and all dancing, rags to riches-American style, which won't appeal to everyone. There is some kind of political story in there somewhere concerning Republicans, Capitalists and Bolsheviks. Annie herself visits President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and gives him the vomit inducing song "I'll Love ya, tamarrah", in what is in my opinion the worst, cringe worthy part of the movie. The rest I prefer to just enjoy for what it is, a light hearted, heart warming, good old family musical with a bit of a breath taking climax.

Running time 2 hours Certificate U

* Extra's *

My Hollywood adventure with Aileen Quinn
Sing along with Annie
Act along with Annie
Set top game-the age of Annie.

I have not watched the extra's so can't comment on them

Oliver!

Another orphan, another rags to riches story. Based on Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist, this 1968 musical is darker than the previous.

Set in Victorian England, we join Oliver (Mark Lester), a young boy, in the workhouse where he has just drawn the short straw and has to ask his superiors for more gruel. This sparks a chain of events which see's him sold as a slave to an undertaker and running away to seek his fortune in London.

Arriving in the city he meets (The Artful) Dodger (Jack Wild), who offers him a home. This turns out to be an organised pick pocketing ring of poor young boys, cared for by Fagin (Ron Moody). The terrifying gang leader Bill Sykes (Oliver Reed) quickly identifies tiny Oliver as a handy little body to have around. Olivers only friend comes in the form of Nancy (Shani Wallis), the 'tart with a heart' girlfriend of Bill Sykes. Feeling maternal over Oliver, Nancy does her best to protect him, but at what cost to herself? Will Oliver ever escape the poverty that has surrounded him since birth or the clutches of Evil Gang leader Bill Sykes?

While my daughter wasn't keen on this at all, me and my 12 year old son really enjoyed it. Where the other movie in this box set is light and fluffy and full of glitz and movie star glamour, this tackles poverty, child labour, domestic violence and probaly prostitution to an adult eye.

While the story centers around orphan Oliver, I find this character weak. Mark Lester's sweet, angelic and naive performance leaves you wondering how he ever made it through a year in the workhouse, let alone the other trials and tribulations that befall him.

Jack Wild steals the show as the cheeky chappy, loveable rogue, cockney Artful Dodger. Alongside the crafty yet somehow caring Ron Moody's Fagin, they provide a great duo with some comedy moments.

However the magic in this film comes from Shani Wallis's Nancy. She is strong, passionate, caring, and while accepts the life she has, can see Oliver deserves more. Her love for nasty Bill Sykes is clear, and you can see how much it breaks her heart to betray him in the moving and powerful song 'As long as he needs me'. Oliver reed doesn't need to do anything but throw a threatening look or grunt in this movie, yet still manages to terrify as hardened criminal Bill Sykes.

This movie is also packed with sing a long songs, the best by far is street scene 'Consider Yourself' which has amazing choreography an a large scale. 'Pick A Pocket or Two' is another extremely well choreographed number, with some very comedic moments. Another favourite of mine is Nancy's lively 'OOmp pah Pa' and the more emotional and moving 'As Long As He Needs Me' and 'Where is Love'

For me Oliver is a movie that both entertains and provokes thought and emotion, and a few little tears. Oliver! was nominated for 11 Acadamy awards, and won 6.It was also the last musical to win the Best Picture Oscar until Chicago 34 years later.

Running time 2 hours 27 minutes Certificate U

* Extra's*
Sing-a-longs
Dance-a-longs
Interactive quizzes
Meeting Oliver
Interactive map of London
Charles Dickens Time Line
Oliver's Scrapbook (activity booklet)

I haven't watched the extra's, however both kids had some fun with the activity book, which includes stickers, puzzles, colouring pages, fact pages and a how to make an Oliver costume(!)

Conclusion

If you hate musicals, then obviously this isn't the box set for you. If however your a fan, then I highly recommend this set to you. It's a dream come true!

For me, twenty years probably since last seeing these movies, I have enjoyed them all over again. While being a walk down memory lane, I have also discovered new angles. They have also been a hit with the kids, proving they span generations. These movies are undoubtedly Sunday afternoon movies, or rainy Bank Holidays. While you may only watch them now and again, when you do it's like slipping on a comfy pair of slippers. While the movies both have their comparisons and it's easy to see why they were matched in a box set, they are as different as chalk and cheese. But for me, neither one fails to disappoint.

The box set they come in is really nice, both DVD's have their own individual cases, but together are housed in an attractive and sturdy cardboard box. This makes me think it would be an ideal gift for any Musical Fan you know and love, and currently selling at just £5.98 on Amazon, it's a bargain and an essential addition to any musical lovers collection.

5 stars from me. 

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