Seven Brides for Seven Brothers [50th-Anniversary Special Edition] [2 Discs]

Director: Stanley Donen Stanley Donen

Overview

"One of MGM's most joyously rambunctious musicals gets a deluxe treatment for this special two-disc DVD release. This edition of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers from Warner Bros. Home Video features two versions of the film -- the original, shot in a special Cinemascope process at the aspect ratio of 2.55:1, and another filmed in a more conventional widescreen process at 1.77:1. Both versions appear in this edition, letterboxed in their proper aspect ratio and enhanced for anamorphic play on 16 x 9 monitors. The audio for the 2.55:1 version has been remixed for Dolby Digital 5.1, while the 1.77:1 version features a single-channel mix in Dolby Digital Mono. Both versions feature the audio in its original English-language version, as well as a dubbed track in French, with optional subtitles in English, French, and Spanish also featured. Bonus materials include a commentary track from director Stanley Donen; a documentary on the making of the movie featuring Howard Keel, Jane Powell, and Jacques D'Amboise; newsreel footage of the film's premiere; a collection of trailers for Stanley Donen's pictures; and more."

Product Details

Release Date:	10/12/2004
UPC:	0012569592629
Original Release:	1954
Rating:	G
Source:	STUDIO DISTRIBUTION SERVS LLC
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:42:00

Special Features

Closed Caption;All-new digital transfer (16 x 9, 2.55:1); Soundtrack newly remastered for Dolby Digital 5.1; Commentary by director Stanley Donen; Donen musicals trailer gallery; Subtitles: English, Français, & Español; Rarely screened alternate widescreen version in flat (1.77:1) aspect ratio (16 x 9); Behind-the-scenes documentary "Sobbin' Women: The Making of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers," hosted by Howard Keel and updated with new interviews of Jane Powell and Jacques D'Amboise; New York premiere and MGM 30th-anniverary celebration newsreels; Vintage short "MGM Jubilee Overture

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Howard Keel	Adam Pontipee
Jane Powell	Milly
Jeff Richards	Benjamin
Russ Tamblyn	Gideon
Jacques D'Amboise	Ephraim
Tommy Rall	Frank
Ruta Lee	Ruth
Marc Platt	Daniel
Matt Mattox	Caleb
Virginia Gibson	Daniel
Betty Carr	Sarah
Howard Petrie	Pete Perkins
Ian Wolfe	Rev. Elcott
Nancy Kilgas	Alice
Norma Doggett	Martha
Earl Barton	Harry
Dante DiPaolo	Matt
Kelly Brown	Carl
Matt Moore	Ruth's Uncle
Dick Rich	Dorcas' Father,Prospector
Marjorie Wood	Mrs. Bixby
Russell Simpson	Mr. Bixby
Anna Q. Nilsson	Mrs. Elcott
Larry Blake	Drunk,Drunk
Lois Hall	Girl
Russ Saunders	Swain
Terry Wilson	Swain
George Robotham	Swain
Walter Beaver	Lem
Jarma Lewis	Lem's Girl Friend
Sheila James	Dorcas' Sister
I. Stanford Jolley	Father
Tim Graham	Father
Julie Newmar	Dorcas
Gary Armstrong	Member of Second Barn Raising Team
Ann Baker	Town Girl
Paul Bradley	Storekeeper
Chet Brandenburg	Townsman
Russell Saunders	Actor
Gene De Paul	Composer
Adolph Deutsch	Composer
Conrad Salinger	Composer
Saul Chaplin	Composer

Technical Credits

Albert Hackett

Frances Goodrich

Dorothy Kingsley

Stanley Donen	Director
Albert Hackett	Screenwriter
Frances Goodrich	Screenwriter
Dorothy Kingsley	Screenwriter
Jack Cummings	Producer
A. Arnold Gillespie	Special Effects
Douglas Shearer	Sound Effects
Matthew Yuricich	Special Effects

Editorial Reviews

Two discs for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers! Fans of Stanley Donen's rowdy, lusty MGM musical will kick up their boots for this truly special edition. It contains not only a close approximation of the original CinemaScope version but also the rarely seen full-screen version that MGM insisted Donen make simultaneously, so it could be shown in theaters that lacked the then-revolutionary widescreen equipment. Howard Keel stars as Adam, an Oregon mountain man in the market for a bride. Jane Powell is Milly, who accepts the proposal, only to find herself playing cook and maid to Adam and his six boisterous, brawling brothers. She attempts to civilize her new husband and her lovelorn brothers-in-law, all of whom want wives of their own. Adam proposes a more direct approach than "goin' co'tin" -- kidnap the prospective brides! According to Donen's commentary and an entertaining documentary about the making of the film, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was budgeted as a B-movie by MGM, forcing Donen to film on sound stages rather than on location. But it endures as one of the last great MGM musicals, and one of the most beloved. The high-spirited performances are infectious, especially during the classic barn-raising extravaganza, and the Saul Chapin-Gene de Paul score, while it did not produce any hits, remains a delight, with such tunes as "Bless Your Beautiful Hide" and the haunting "Lonesome Polecat." A decided improvement over previous pan-and-scan versions, this features-laden set is the one to have and to hold, from this day forward.