Miss Saigon: 25th Anniversary

The production value of this version is impressive, and the performances are mostly good... but the changes they've made are inexplicable. I understand the necessity of rewriting lyrics when needed, but to change them to nonsensical drivel is unforgivable. For instance, they absolutely destroyed the song "Please" by altering the lyrics and making them totally lame and completely devoid of passion and feeling. The song is supposed to end on the word "please" for a reason...

As for casting, I'm pleased with everyone except Ellen. Her performance was just awful. Add that to the mortal sin of deleting one of the best Broadway songs of all time ("Now That I've Seen Her"), and I just have to shake my damn head. I don't know why they got rid of this beautiful gem of a song and replaced it with an empty, boring piece of garbage that made no sense.

For all of that, I gave to give this a mediocre review. Miss Saigon has always been one of my favorite musicals... but I simple can't include this production. I have season tickets to our local broadway theatre and will be seeing Miss Saigon this season. I only hope it has improved or at least been restored to its former glory.

To quote the critic of the Daily Mail, "The best live film of a stage show that I've seen". And I fully agree with him. I am an avid fan of musicals with a DVD collection over 700+.

Having had to wait 25 years since my late wife and I saw it at Drury Lane, London, I have had to be content with the CD.

This production and the DVD are worth more than 10. If you buy only one DVD of a musical, stage or screen, it has to be this one. From the two showstoppers at the beginning and end, The heat is on in Saigon and American Dream, to the beautiful duet, The last night of the World, the score and the performances are fantastic.

After Les Miserables, still the best musical ever, Boubil and Schonberg came up with another smash, this time based on Madame Butterfly. And thanks to Cameron Mackintosh for his foresight in producing both shows.

Bringing this show to a smaller stage than Drury Lane created several problems the least of which was the helicopter and the number involving the statue of Ho Chi Min was more cramped.

There are two extras with the DVD, one giving a history of the musical and the other, the after show performances from the original cast which reduced me to tears of joy. Each member of both casts and the production team deserve a huge amount of applause, which they duly got.

The close up singing shots strongly suggest there were so many cameras, that many were on stage and thus part of the performances were filmed not on the night. If you love musicals, this one totally without fault with a dream cast and incredible production values. Enjoy.

The fact that the CGI bundle of cheese The Dark Knight is rated above this is unfathomable.

Some pretentious 5+6/10 reviews on here. It's just 100% brilliance. The nit picking is pathetic.

Amazing product of amazing human skill.

Just fabulous stay till the end

Up there with Les miserable

This show is magnificent, so powerful. I was there opening night of the original production and I loved some of the changes they made. I cried at least 3 times (and I am very familiar with the show). I am so glad that these actors were filmed and we now have this amazing production we can now see over and over again. It is perfectly cast, the intensity of the show is overwhelming (in a good way) these actors give you no choice but to go on this journey with them, they pull you in from the beginning. I especially loved the new opening with Kim and the Engineer. The strength of these talents on the stage is a gift we are given while we watch this journey. The Engineer was amazing, to be able to despise his cruelty but yet like and feel for him is an amazing actor embodying the best of his gifts. I am not sure of the words for the actress playing Kim, the minute you see her you want to protect her but we watch her strength emerge, stunning performance. Everyone in this company gives it their all every minute, every second and never lets us done. The act 2 opening is powerful, beautiful solo done with such emotion and conviction, Bravo! Highly recommended!