Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

This filmed version of the popular stage play stars Donny Osmond, who is very funny in the role that made him even more adored than he was as youngest of the singing Osmond Brothers. Cleverly filmed as a classroom presentation with the students as the chorus, the biblically based story of attempted fratricide and the importance of hope and forgiveness is told entirely in music, with Maria Friedman as the narrator and Joan Collins as the greedy wife of of the Potiphar, captain of the Egyptian palace guard. This is not the benign show it might appear to be at first, and it mixes up time and cultural references in dreamlike fashion. This Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Weber creation is not aimed at the wee ones; children are probably ready to see it about the time they are ready to learn how much violence and sex there really is in the Bible.

Those hoping to see a direct translation of the stage show might be slightly dissapointed. It has lost some of it's wit and charm, but has replaced them with an exuberance reminisant of the old time film musicals, where everyone looked as if they were having the time of their lives. This is what shines through mostly about this video. The feeling that the people involved knew they wanted it to be special, and they have succeded.

They have opened the show up slightly, with the opening set in a school and all the main cast as the teachers. They've added some rather snazzy special effects which on this occassion don't overwhelm the whole film, but help to draw the viewer into the world which they create. There are some wonderful cameos from a few familiar faces and the largely unknown cast of Brothers and Wives shine, with a few stand out performances from some of them. One of the girls reminds me of a young Joyce Grenfell.

Then we have our Two principals Donny Osmond and Maria Friedman. There were a few raised eyebrows when it was announced that Donny would be playing the lead role, but all misgivings are swept away as he makes the part all his very own, with a mixture of playful charm and vitality. Maria Friedman is a screen star in the making, with a charisma that makes her seem a natural for the screen. She has been wowing audiences in the West End for sometime now, but I'm sure that soon Tinseltown will take her and make her the star she should be.

There is very little wrong with this production and I'm sure that it will have been in many peoples Christmas stocking. So while it may not be a gem, you can safely say it is a rough diamond, which in many cases shines much brighter.

I must say how I was very surprised at how good this show actually was. I have seen it many times on the stage so thought that the video would not be very good at all. However, I was really pleased with the entire thing. The characters were just as good as on the stage and Donny Osmond fitted the part perfectly, another thing I was adamant about at first being a strong Jason Donovan supporter!! Donny did a good job. As for the special guest Joan Collins, I only wished she toured with the stage show! She was good at the small part she played and it was a shock to see her there. Fantastic. It was also very good at how they made the show so that it was like a school production type of thing. Great idea that worked well in my opinion. It is a must-see for any musical fan and a definite must have for a Donny fan. He is gorgeous in it!

This is one of the best musicals on video that I have found. Unlike some film versions of Broadway greats (such as the Fantasticks), the producers of this film maintained, as far as I know, the lyrics and music from the stage show, and presented it in an enhanced theatrical manner. The frame story and visible stage lights kept a live feel to the film, and many live-theatre conventions made this a joy for a theatre buff to watch.

I felt that the kids were a wonderful addition. Their voices (especially in Any Dream Will Do) provided a chillingly beautiful dimension to the sound, which was, without exception, superb. The narrator was great, and, I must say, just the sort of teacher I would have like to have had in grade school. The frame story tied the show to its roots as a childrens' production, which helped. The film works on several levels, as a kids show, and as an adult show, for those who care to consider the issues at hand.

The sets were fabulous, especially the transformation of Potifer's house and the jail cell by the addition of colors in the walls and floor. Stunning.

The formatting, too, must recieve a mention. A full-fledged DVD release with extra features, full widescreen, and immaculate sound were very welcome indeed.

Nicely done on the whole.

I was very impressed about how everything flowed in this production. I have to admit I was very skeptical about how film captures biblical stories, and if you've had the misfortune of seeing NBC's atrocious waste of time "Noah's Ark", it's not hard to be skeptical. However, I was VERY impressed with not only the main principals (Donny Osmond, Maria Friedman) but also with the supporting cast. Any production that can make A-list stars like Lord Richard Attenborough, Joan Collins, and Ian MacNiece take such small roles you know has to be good. I was particularly impressed by the brothers. Among the best of the group were Simeon, Benjamin, Ruben and Judah. I wanted to not like them because, after all, they are the bad guys. But they made me laugh more than anything else, which I believe was the whole point. A splendid variety of music and choreography make this one a keeper. (P.S. My absolute favorite character was Pharoh played by Richard Torti. "Pharoh is in the building!"... classic!