The Judy Garland Show

Well... What to say...? Here's a show i discovered not so long ago, when trying to know more about the dramatic life of Judy Garland. Surely, i didn't expect to enjoy it that much! I knew almost nothing about it when, as an impulsive buyer, i purchased the two parts of The Judy Garland Show Collection, released by Pioneer. Watching DVD after DVD, I discovered an amazing show, with incredible singing, true emotions and real fun. Of course, the humor is a bit dated, and some of the guests are - for me- simply annoying, but let's face it, if you watch this show, it's for Judy and Judy only! She's there, she's alive and she surely shows it : she sings, she dances, she moves like she did 20 years before. Yes, there are flaws, after all, she would die a few years after... But it doesn't really matter. You just enjoy the terrific performance and praise the technicians from Pioneer who did such a fantastic job on these shows and gave us the possibility to enjoy them like never before, more than 40 years after their original broadcasting. My advice? Get these two box sets while they're still available! And have fun.

"The Judy Garland Show" has found new life thanks to Pioneer Artists' DVD release of most of the series episodes. After years of clips and compilations, it is a incredible to finally be able to see these shows in their entirety. Garlands's performances are undimmed by the passage of time. And so many wonderful performances by guest stars like Barbra Streisand, Peggy Lee, Mickey Rooney, Lena Horne, Tony Bennett, Vic Damone and Liza Minnelli are preserved here as well. The technical quality of these DVD releases is astounding. Included also are many outtakes, alternate takes, and other fascinating behind-the-scenes shots. I just can't recommend these shows too much

Unquestionably, Judy Garland was a uniquely talented performer. Much of her great talent as a singer is seen in this series, one that would undoubtedly have lasted longer if not for the fierce competition from NBC's Bonanza (in color) and the negative opinion by CBS head James Aubrey (who would certainly have supported the program if the ratings had been there). As a child, I would leave my parents to Bonanza on the color TV in the living room, while I would go down to our basement and watch Judy Garland on the old black and white, fascinated by her wonderful singing ability. Though many people criticize Judy Garland for her consistent drug and alcohol abuse, it's important to realize that it was a different world. One that largely ignored addictions, mental and emotional failings, in hopes that they would go away. But people didn't want Judy Garland to go away. Her series was like a lingering closeup of a super-talent. Intimate, powerful, fragile, and emotional. She is clearly demonstrative of the delicate nature of actors and singers who are so often misunderstood by producers, and a system that capitalizes on the spectacular energy of a singularly unequaled performer like Judy Garland. This show, in spite of its producers' and CBS executives' usual inability to understand Judy herself, is a remarkable jewel in TV history.

Judy Garland's one foray into series television was not perfect, but that was not entirely her fault. She was more anxious than anyone to make this a success, but the show's producers tweaked and ravaged the show's format so much that it ended up a flawed gem. Audiences would've been more than happy to see Ms. Garland just belt out one song after another, but early on her show was a musical variety hybrid, co-starred with 'second banana' dimwit Jerry Van Dyke, and featuring an uneven roster of guest stars, comedy sketches, and interviews over tea. Still, subsequent shows featured unforgettable appearances by Mickey Rooney, Mel Torme,' Lena Horne, Donald O'Connor, Ray Bolger, Jane Powell, George Maharis, and two honorable mentions: her own teenage daughter Liza Minnelli, and a 21-year-old Barbra Streisand who had not yet begun her own star launch with 'Funny Girl.' But then there was Judy herself- 41 years old, slimmed down to a gorgeous waif in beautiful gowns by Bob Mackie and Ray Aghayan doing incredible things: one-woman concerts, clown skits, comic improvisations, pantomime, and of course, the songs: 'Ol' Man River,' 'Live Your Life Today,' 'You Go To My Head,' 'Too Late Now,' 'Swanee,' a stunning up-tempo version of "Come Rain Or Come Shine,' and a positively blazing rendition of "As Long As He Needs Me-' with the voice in the unforgettable quiver and vibrato that always brought audiences to their feet, even in a darkened theater. The DVD's render a marvelous B&W picture, as these shows are digital transfers from the original, show quality, 2-inch videotapes. Kudos to Pioneer Entertainment for making this series possible.

If you want to see an excellent performer at the peak of her career, then these two boxed sets will not disappoint.

Everything is here ... Judy singing solo, duet, and in chorus. Bob Mackie evening gowns and the costumes we know so well....from the clown to the glamorous. It's quite obvious that Judy put her heart and soul into these performances.

You'll have to get past the ridiculous Jerry Van Dyke (even he admitted, years later, that his presence on the show was a big mistake). But I can assure you the good parts far outweigh the bad. Just listen to her renditions of "When The Sun Comes Out" or "Battle Hymn of the Republic" or her duets with Liza or Streisand or Merman or Bobby Darin (to name only a few) ... it's all about the WOW factor.

The producers, the CBS executives, the writers (if you can call them that), had absolutely no idea how to package Judy so they threw in all this junkie filler, which slowed the show down and detracted from Judy's talent ... SINGING. You'll notice (in the last few shows when there was yet another change in producers) that somebody finally GOT IT and just let her sing. Those are the best shows of all. They're simply timeless -- totally relevant to today and not "of the moment" like so many variety shows from the 60's.

These shows are the closest we'll see to Judy performing live ... thank goodness Pioneer put some thought into these sets and packaged them beautifully with the respect due an artist of Judy's stature. It's ALL here....the outtakes, flubs, Judy joking with the audience. A true performer.

There's a reason these shows are being released 40+ years later ... Judy is an incomparable performer capable of wringing every emotion from her listeners. Who cares what problems she had, really? I've been hearing this stuff for years but what does that have to do with an artist's performance? Don't we all have problems????