(I'm posting this same message on a few boards. Sorry for duplication) Yesterday I got the most wonderful DVD and it?s a MUST for anyone interested in early Musicals or Vaudeville stars. It?s the newly restored and released Broadway Melody from Warner Home Video. In a simple 3 word review : ?Just buy it!?. It looks like any normal reissue of an early Warner Brothers film on the front of the package but ? for the bonus features alone ? this is packed with hours of GREAT entertainment! The film itself is 100 minutes long with great musical numbers but I haven?t even gotten to that yet! There are FIVE complete Metro Movie Tone Revues ? each about 20 minutes ? including known performers like Johnny Marvin, Van & Schenk and the Happiness Boys ? plus a bunch of lesser known acts and great number by the huge band ?The Capitolians?. There?s another 5 min short with just Van & Schenk. You will not believe the 20 minute MGM short Dogway Melody.... it?s a full variety show performed by DOGS in costume (with human voices), including a fabulous take off of Al Jolson! They there are pristine copies of the trailers for the four other Broadway Melody musical films (the 1940 one is due next month). These really make you want to see all of them. The Suggested Reatail price is only $19.97. A steal! George Feltenstein ? who is Warners man for reissues, has to be congratulated to this project! I know he?s trying to get The Jazz Singer released but it?s no where near completion. While we wait for the issue of the Dawn of Sound laserdiscs on DVD, this will help ease the pain a little! I just had to share this immediately with everyone on my Internet newsgroups and mailing list. Steve Ramm
