| Brigadoon | 
 enlarge | Category: Video
List Price: CDN$ 18.46
Buy Used: CDN$ 4.99
You Save: CDN$ 13.47 (73%)
New (2) Used (3) from CDN$ 4.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  24 reviews
Format: Import, Ntsc
Media: VHS Tape
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 4.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 0792837533
UPC: 027616683830
EAN: 9780792837534
ASIN: 0792837533
Theatrical Release Date: September 8, 1954
Release Date: January 6, 1998
Availability: Usually ships within 1 - 2 business days
Condition: Gene Kelly in BRIGADOON: VHS & Original Coverbox in Excellent Condition (Almost "Like New") (Not an ex-rental) Very Rare/Out of Print Original MGM/UA Home Video Release, In stock, Ships Fast
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From Amazon.com
This Cinemascope production brought Lerner and Loewe's hit Broadway musical to the big screen with Gene Kelly and Van Johnson as the American hunters who stumble upon Brigadoon, the magical Scottish village that went to sleep in 1754 and awakens for just one day each century. MGM had originally planned to shoot this film on location in Scotland, but budget considerations turned it into a studio production, costarring Cyd Charisse as the bonny lass who wins Kelly's heart. Although it has never been ranked among the great musicals of MGM's golden age, Brigadoon has still got plenty of charm and continues to gain a loyal following. --Jeff Shannon
Amazon.com Essential Video
Anything is possible in Brigadoon, the Lerner and Loewe musical put to celluloid in 1954 by director Vincente Minnelli: a village can reappear for only one day each century, and Gene Kelly can tap-dance on a dirt path. Kelly and Van Johnson play a pair of New Yorkers who go on a hunting vacation in the highlands of Scotland. But what Tommy Albright (Kelly) captures is the heart of a bonny Scottish lass, Fiona Campbell (Cyd Charisse). The catch: Fiona lives in Brigadoon, an enchanted town that appears for only one day every 100 years. If Tommy stays, he must give up everything (including his fiance back home); if Fiona leaves with Tommy, Brigadoon will vanish into the highland mist, never to be seen again. Not that this keeps anyone from having a good time. The men are clad in vivid tartan kilts and leggings, and the women swish about in multicolored petticoats. Fiona's sister Jean is getting married, and the whole town is drinking ale and singing cheery songs--except for Jean's ex-beau, who threatens to leave and thereby end the town's existence. Brigadoon is a charming escape into a sweet fairy tale. Some of the songs may be less than memorable, but Kelly's choreography is often as witty as the banter. When the hectic pace of the modern world threatens to overtake you, consider a brief vacation in the highlands of Scotland. As one character says, "There must be an awful lot of folk searching for a Brigadoon"--even if it only lasts for a couple of hours. --Larisa Lomacky Moore
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| Customer Reviews: Read 19 more reviews...
 "I'll go home with beautiful Jean" July 21, 2006
In mid-18 th century, Highlands of Scotland, Rev. Mr. Forsythe decided that they village of Brigadoon was being unduly influences by witches and the outside world to he asked for a miracle that was granted and The village only appears one day once every hundred years.
It just so happens that on this very day two hunters from New York were lost in the Highlands Tommy Albright (Gene Kelly) and Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson). There Tommy meets and falls in love with a girl (Cyd Charisse), but does she really exist?
Things get a bit complicated and Tommy has a lot to think about while Jeff under the influence of alcohol may have shot more than a bird.
Ones man's miracle can be another man's curse.
An often overlooked musical, the music and songs of Lerner and Loewe, which is a product of its time. This movie does not pretend to be anything but a movie version of the stage production directed by Vincente Minnelli, with Jan Johnson and Gene Kelly at their best. I have seen several liver productions and this is one of those rare occasions in which the movie is superior. A must for any collection.
Brigadoon an Overlooked Masterpiece May 20, 2005
Brigadoon is widely considered as one of Vincente Minnelli's lesser achievements. The critics were somewhat disenchanted that Brigadoon was filmed on a sound stage in Culver City rather than "on location" in Scotland. MGM had not helped matters by actually dispatching Minnelli and Producer Arthur Freed to Scotland to scout for suitable filming locations. MGM, like the other major studios, were finding themselves in somewhat dire financial straits due to competition from television and certain pieces of anti-trust legislation that loosened their monopolistic grip over the entertainment industry. When MGM pulled the plug on the concept of an "on location" shoot (they were well aware of Minnelli's obsession with perfection and expected that he would go well over budget if given a free rein), the entire project became saddled with an image problem. By 1954, movie audiences expected something more than fixed indoor sets and painted scenery, especially from a work so site specific as Brigadoon.
Minnelli faced other obstacles. Ansco was a cheaper and somewhat inferior colour processing system than Technicolor, which no doubt irritated his refined sensibilities. He also had to come to terms with the new demands of Cinemascope and full stereophonic sound, with somewhat mixed results.
Even more troubling is that the choreography was in the hands of Gene Kelly, who seemed determined to emphasize the dancing rather than musical element at the heart of Brigadoon. The two had worked wonderfully together on "An American in Paris", but on the set of Brigadoon their artistic visions clashed. It is telling that Brigadoon was their last collaboration.
Critics in the 1950's were also a better informed breed than they were 20 years earlier and they were quick to pounce on certain "inaccuracies", such as the outrageous blends of tartans, which cerainly would have made any Laird wince, and the suitability of much of Mr. Kelly's choreography; hardly Scottish by a long stretch.
Yet in spite of these encumberances, I love this film. The painted diaramas are in keeping with the preposterous nature of the storyline, and what beautiful sets they are! Minnelli's artistic flourishes are evident eveywhere, such as the ample plantings of heather which must have caused a state of full employment for local florists. Minnelli"s outstanding contribution to American Film was his refined palette of colour schemes, and in Brigadoon his genius achieves its climax. Make no mistake, Brigadoon is a feast for the eyes.
The music by Lerner and Loewe is superb, with haunting melodies and stirring choruses. Cyd Charisse, always more celebrated for her dancing than her thespian skills, in Brigadoon achieves her finest hour, even though her singing voice is dubbed. Gene Kelly's type of acting is perhaps an acquired taste, but there is no denying his cat like grace and radiant boyish good looks.
On the whole, the imperfections of Brigadoon only make it more endearing. It is the one musical I never tire of seeing over and over again.
Brigadoon is out of this world! April 24, 2003
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I thought that "Brigadoon" is one of Gene Kelly's best films. As you watch "Brigadoon", you will be transformed into another world, both beautiful and mysterious. The scenery and dances are very impressive. "Heather on the Hill", "Go Home With Bonnie Jean", "Almost Like Being In Love", and the wedding dance are all brilliant and breathtaking. This film also shows how true love conquers all, even the spell of Brigadoon. A must-see.
One of my favorite movies December 31, 2002
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
When I first rented BRIGADOON from the public library last spring, I immediately fell in love with it. Just added the DVD to my collection yesterday. It is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. It is a 1954 film adaptation of the 1947 Broadway musical. The Lerner and Loewe score is one of the greatest ever written for the stage (or screen). The great cast includes Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, and Cyd Charisse. Although certainly not the greatest singers in the world, Kelly's and Johnson's singing is more than adequate and is really quite lovely. Charisse's singing voice is dubbed for this film, and she works great as well. When Brigadoon made the transition from Broadway to Hollywood, a good chunk of its score was dispensed with in order to make room to highlight the dancing abilities of its stars. This is, in fact, where many people find fault with this film; the lack of the rest of the Broadway score. To these people, I have this to say... ---This movie is not the Broadway play. It is a **film adaptation.**--- This is also the common complaint about MGM's "Show Boat" from 3 years earlier. Another common complaint about "Brigadoon" is that it was obviously shot in soundstages on the MGM lot in Culver City instead of the highlands of Scotland. This was due to the fact that producers were working with smaller budgets than they had been just 3 or 4 years earlier. This, coupled with the unpredictable weather in the British Isles, necesitated that the film be shot at the studio. This is also evident in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" from the same year. Although the sets are obviously painted backdrops, they are nicely done and work well. IMO, they do not demerit the film. Brigadoon more than makes up for the missing songs by adding some spectacular dance numbers. "Heather on the Hill" is one of the most sweeping dance numbers I have ever seen in any film. Kelly's and Charisse's gracefulness really hits the spot. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the DVD, with its lush color, clear picture, and stereo sound. If you haven't seen "Brigadoon," you should see it. At the very least for some of the greatest dance numbers you will ever see.
 Once in the "Highlands" December 20, 2002
Vincente Minnelli's film of Brigadoon suffers greatly from its reliance on studio recreations of the Scottish Highlands. Instead of shooting on location, MGM provided very fake-looking scenery and landscapes, and although these perhaps add to the image of Brigadoon as a mythical town, they nevertheless rob the film of its potential grandeur. Additionally, the score is mutilated; 6 songs were cut from the original Broadway score, including the rapturous "Come to Me, Bend to Me", the lovely 2nd act duet between Tommy and Fiona ("From This Day On"), and the 2 'naughty' songs for Meg, the town squeeze. Gene Kelly is outstanding as Tommy, and the very flexible Cyd Charisse makes a wonderful leading lady, despite her dubbed singing voice. Their dance sequences are the film's most beautiful moments. Van Johnson provides some welcome humor that counteracts Kelly's dreamy and relaxed manner, and the cast as a whole performs with zest and folksey charm. Still, the film, despite its widescreen splendor and expert direction, is overall an underwhelming presentation of one of the musical theater's great shows.
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