Change Your Image
jsloan-5
Reviews
Topsy-Turvy (1999)
The Legacy of Gilbert and Sullivan
I first saw this movie in the summer of 2000. This movie means a lot to me because it made the Gilbert and Sullivan operas a keen interest of mine. I had always been somewhat intrigued by the G&S style since I first saw a production of The Mikado. This movie inflated the interest and today I know all the G&S operas by heart and a great deal about the history of the Savoy Theater and the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. In this movie there are great performances all around, especially from Jim Broadbent who personifies W.S. Gilbert almost exactly how he was in real life. The movie was so detailed, I was convinced that the characters were actually in Victorian England. Now, having a thorough knowledge of Gilbert and Sullivan, I still enjoy watching this movie and relating it to the whole Gilbert and Sullivan Legacy.
Iolanthe (1982)
Wonderful performance with a few minor glitches
When I bought this video, I had no idea what this opera was about, not to mention no idea what the music was like. I bought it because I was, and still am, a big fanatic of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. So this video was my first exposure to this particular opera. I enjoyed this video more than I had some of the previous videos I bought (H.M.S. Pinafore for example). The cast delivers a wonderful performance, especially Derek Hammond-Stroud in the role of the Lord Chancellor. Though I prefer the D'Oyly Carte recording with John Reed as the Lord Chancellor, Hammond-Stroud gives a strong performance along with most of the other cast members. The only member of the cast I didn't care for was Alexander Oliver in the role of Strephon. I just can't figure out why they cast a tenor in a baritone role. Not only that, he also kind of "overacted" a bit during some of his dialogue scenes. Another complaint is that a member of the chorus of peers was noticeably flat, which made the processional song sort of uncomfortable to listen to. Over all, however, it's a wonderful production with many strong points which more than compensate for its few faults.