Pirates Of Penzance - Gilbert And Sullivan DVD

Advantages: Good fun for G&S fans
Disadvantages: Won't always play on my DVD player; not a huge choice of songs

...I am a little obsessed with Gilbert and Sullivan, to say the least, and I received this for my last birthday, from an aunt. It is a standard karaoke DVD with selections from the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The first problem I had with this DVD was that it refused to play on my DVD player. It plays the copyright warning very, very slowly, then refuses to go to the menu where you choose songs, and stops playing instead. I don't think that there's anything wrong with my DVD player because every other DVD I put in works fine. However, this DVD does work on my laptop, so that's how I've been playing it (and I am told by a friend that it works fine on his DVD player, so I'm not sure if it's a fault with my disc). So, when I finally was able to get the DVD working, I was less than happy with the song choice available. There were... Read review

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Advantages: Good cast; great costumes
Disadvantages: Some of the cast are underused; far too many music scenes

...Steadman (as Madame Leon, Costume Designer) are only on screen very briefly. Actually, the fact I saw Steadman in the trailers was a definite reason why I went to see the movie at all. Alright, on to the movie itself. It is about a period in the careers of Gilbert and Sullivan, who were responsible for many, successful operettas (The Mikado, Pirates of Penzance, Iolanthe, Yeoman of the Guard, and so on). They were successful in the 1880s, the era covered by the movie, and many of them are still performed today. Gilbert wrote the lyrics, and Sullivan composed the music. The term “Topsy-turvey” refers to the topsy-turvy world and storylines that was a hallmark of their operettas – comical fantasies, whimsical and light. Basically, Sullivan had grander aspirations, and always wanted to produce ‘proper’ classical... Read review

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Advantages: Biopic of Gilbert and Sullivan, comic period drama
Disadvantages: Quite slow in part. 160 mins in length

...Chord. The delivery of the songs is well choreographed and the result is a both a visual and auditory treasure. The actors sing the parts surprising well including Timothy Spall who rises to the task admirably. The film is rated 18 due to some nudity and sexual behaviour filmed to depict Sullivan’s lifestyle and morality necessary to the story. I first saw the film at the cinema at the time of its release in 1999 and enjoyed it immensely. I have also watched it since when shown on television. The film lost none of its original appeal delighting me just as much the second time around. It is now available to buy on DVD from approximately £10. I love the film and although, yes, I am a confessed ardent admirer of Gilbert and Sullivan, I do think the film has a wider appeal than just their fans or fans of operetta in general. The film... Read review

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