Fiddler On The Roof

This is a great movie! Yes, and you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy this masterpiece. Perfect casting of characters and I love all the songs. Standouts would be: Tradition + If I Were A Rich Man + Matchmaker, Matchmaker + Sunrise, Sunset + Chava Ballet Sequence. To be honest, I had to watch this DVD in 2 parts since "Fiddler On The Roof" runs for about 3 hours. How Chaim TOPOL (although nominated) did not win the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1972 is beyond me. The Academy folks gave this Award to Gene Hackman for his portrayal of Popeye Doyle in "The French Connesction". Trouble is, lots of male actors could play Popeye Doyle, but if you ask me, how many of them could play Reb Tevye??? It takes a boat-load of talent, and TOPOL does a super magnificent job !!! WOW !!! Perhaps if TOPOL were an American actor instead of being from Israel, he would have won the Academy Award in 1972. God knows !!! (forgive the pun, hahaha) I happen to like Gene Hackman, but the Best Actor Award should have gone to TOPOL. / AND... AND... AND...Excellent Movie but Optional English Subtitles (for the deaf and hard of hearing) was totally DISAPPOINTING !!! Who decided to add subtitles for the conversations.... but not the songs??? After all, "Fiddler On The Roof" is known for its tremendous songs . Why not add English Subtitles for these songs too??? / Anyhow, with all that, "Fiddler On The Roof" still stands as one of the BEST MUSICALS of all time. The wedding song "Sunrise, Sunset" has always been my favourite, and these words will stay with me forever: "Sunrise, Sunset...Sunrise, Sunset... Swiftly Fly The Years...One Season Following Another... Laiden With Happiness and Tears." / ps: As a point of interest, the song "When Messiah Comes" was excluded because of the 3 hour movie length. Too bad, because I heard the original sung by Herschel Bernardi (who sang in the Broadway play) and what a terrific song this was. As Mick Jagger would say: "You can't always get what you want." (I'm a big fan of The Rolling Stones too)

This is a very moving movie. The music holds up, and the story is somber

Fiddler on the Roof (Single-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) Just to be perfectly clear, I want to state right from the beginning that I am reviewing the 40th. Anniversary Edition of Fiddler on the Roof Blu-Ray/DVD Combo! This set comes with two Discs. One is the movie in Blu-Ray with loads of extras & the second is the movie on DVD. As I have only viewed the Blu-Ray Disc, this review pertains to the beautifully remastered Blu-Ray version of the movie only. That said, any problems I have experienced in the past regarding the quality, or should I say lack thereof, on Blu-Ray Discs in general, have been easily rectified by updating the Firmware on my Blu-Ray player. Most Blu-Ray Disc manufacturers recommend this as do I. I am pleased to report that I had no such problems with this Blu-Ray Disc. Fiddler on the Roof is one of my all time favorite classics! In this version, the extremely talented actor, Topol, is still Papa! I absolutely cannot get over how great this film looks in Blu-Ray! I must admit that I was skeptical before viewing the film! However, I was very pleasantly surprised! The Blu-Ray looks beautiful & sounds great as well. I certainly wish I could say the same for several of my old favorites remastered in Blu-Ray. Would they all turned out as well as Fiddler on the Roof! Regarding the inquiry about this version including "Italian Audio 5.1", I only see the following printed on the box for the Blu-Ray: "Audio: English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, Spanish Mono & French 5.1 DTS". For the DVD: "Audio English 5.1 Dolby Surround, English Mono, Spanish Mono & French Mono". I hope this information is helpful. This version is in Widescreen with an Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1. I must confess that I haven't the means which will enable me to watch one version of a movie directly next to another version simultaneously. However, I was unable to detect any discernible differences between my old VHS version of Fiddler on the Roof compared to this Blu-Ray version. Therefore, if there are any differences, I consider them to be negligible. As is always the case with Amazon.com, The 40th. Anniversary Edition of Fiddler on the Roof arrived very well packaged, with lightening fast speed & was very reasonably priced at the time of purchase. As it so happens, we do not have a Costco in our local area. It would cost much more than $2.00 in gas to drive to the nearest one. I highly recommend this Blu-Ray Version of Fiddler on the Roof! You will not be disappointed.

Classic! Excellent Classic that will Never Be outdated…Good for an Education as well! Fantastic Entertainment done in excellence of music and choreography!! A Must see! Over and Over!

Excellent movie. Highly recommend

Fiddler on the Roof is a 1971 American epic musical comedy-drama film produced and directed by Norman Jewison. It is an adaptation of the 1964 Broadway musical of the same name, with music composed by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and screenplay by Joseph Stein based on stories by Sholem Aleichem. Starring Topol, Norma Crane, Leonard Frey, Molly Picon, and Paul Mann, the film centers on Tevye, the father of five daughters, and his attempts to maintain his Jewish religious and cultural traditions as outside influences encroach upon the family's lives. Complaints around ‘Fiddler on The Roof’ generally involve its length, and to be quite frank: that’s rather fair.. “Fiddler On The Roof’ is a total of 3 hours long, and its pace is not best enjoyed by those in a hurry or those in need of constant motion to be engaged. I dare remind people that this film is based off a play (Which, the play is about 2 hours and 45 minutes long ), and is considered one of the best Broadway-To-Motion-Picture adaptations even now almost 50 years after having been released . A majority (if not all) of the dialogue is pulled straight from the source material (sans some changes in lyrics) and there are some scenes added in so as to make the material resonate more with its audience. Regardless, the musical numbers and the contained performances are charming and the essence of the original musical is successfully captured despite not being as transcendent as the experience of watching a live performance (and, honestly, does this even need to be said?). As the film progressed I couldn’t help but think of how some of the characters exhibit behaviors and personality traits that can be rather divisive; furthermore, these elements are often used as a way of categorizing characters as being “good” or “bad” or whatever else is needed to guide the opinion audience members should have of them. How often are parents that feverishly plan who their daughters will marry painted as ‘controlling’ and ‘authoritative’? And these daughters - are they not often labeled as being “rebellious” and “naive”? I DIGRESS - but my point being: ‘FOTR’ makes an incredible effort in making the overall context of its story understood which adds a complexity to the characters and the plot that is very easily taken for granted. Points of contention related to faith, traditions, and poverty beautifully combine in a way that is easy to follow and grounded in reality. I have seen comments in the past regarding the fact that ‘FOTR’ is not exciting and rather boring, and in response I just have some thoughts when taking the target audience of this film and its story in to account; Firstly, I am not Jewish. Despite the amount of sympathy that can be pulled from me, the hard truth is this: no amount of time spent watching footage related to the subject matter contained in ‘FOTR’ will ever make me understand the plight of its main characters. What business would I - or anybody else watching that isn’t Jewish- have in arriving to a film that is meant to encapsulate the discrimination and the persecution of this group of people with expectations that it needs to be exciting to be valuable? ‘FOTR’ is not exciting nor does it try to be in ANY WAY and is more accurately described as a slow burn in to melancholy - and that’s exactly what 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 be felt by the time it’s over. There was /one/ detail specifically that haunted me from the moment it was mentioned from the start and really brought the entirety of the plot together for me when I arrived to the conclusion; early on, Tevye leads a musical number in which he sings about the items he would have if he was considerably wealthy. He doesn’t mention anything I would consider to be luxurious or lavishing, but of property (Like, a number of farm animals) that speaks to his innate sense of modesty and humility. These desires - so seemingly simple - force upon me a sense of humbleness that can’t be ignored. In passing, ‘FOTR’’s appeal is not in forcing a connection between me and the subject material - but in making me grateful for the distance from it my privilege allows. In terms of how much I “enjoyed” this film I would give it a 3.5; the inclination I am suddenly feeling to count my blessings bumps it up to a four. I would recommend!

I never was a big fan of musicals. To me, they are characterized by an excess of sentimental slush, paper-thin plots, two-dimensional characters and contrived scenarios for an excuse to add another song or dance. However, Norman Jewison's Fiddler on the Roof seems to exhibit more of the genre's strengths than weaknesses. The episodical plot involves the everyday life experiences of a Jewish milkman named Tevye and how each of his three older daughters marry away from the law and tradition, one 'pushing the envelope' a little further than the one before. Tevye is high-strung, hot-tempered, gruff, cantankerous and sometimes plain annoying but if you look beyond his rough exterior you'll see that he really does love and care about his family. One of his most consistent traits is that in spite of having almost no spare time to read the scriptures as he often longs to, he carries on a constant conversation with God. One thing I admire about Jewison's direction is that he doesn't fall into the trap of casting big stars (Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, etc.--all undeniably favorites of mine.) in the leading roles simply because the iconic names would sell more tickets. He chooses his actors based on who is most suited for their parts regardless of their popularity or star status. In other words, he is more concerned with the artistic quality of the film than making a quick buck. Chaim Topol (Tevye) lights up the screen with his stagey, larger than life, multi-dimensional performance in the leading role and won a richly merited oscar nomination although he didn't win it. And it does not matter as the Academy is mostly a popularity contest with actors, having little to do with true merit. You win the trophy, you are the talk of the town for a week and then everyone forgets you in the next two or so decades. What really matters is the quality of your performance--that you gave the audience something to remember for years to come. (Julie Andrews losing out a Best Leading Actress nomination for Maria in The Sound of Music is a perfect example.) Topol can do more with a look in his eyes than most actors today can with an entire script. The scene where Lazar Wolf says "This means a lot to me Tevye because frankly I'm lonely. I like her." referring to Tevye's eldest daughter, and Tevye thinks he's talking about his milkcow is a perfect example. Norma Crane (what a sadly underused actress who died tragically young) is also superb as Tevye's wife Golde, the grumpy old shrew with a heart of gold. The scenes where she and Tevye re-evaluate their marriage "Do you love me?" and where she tells him tearfully that her third daughter has married against their will is profoundly moving. All three elder daughters (Rosalind Harris, Michele Marsh and Neva Small) are very well cast. They are not made up to look like fresh new Hollywood starlets; (manicured eyebrows, make-up, lipstick and bangs) they resemble real, plain, ordinary farm girls with freckles, moles, etc.) Usually, I like to see the actresses prettily made up, but here the gritty realism works perfectly. Leonard Frey is solid as Motel the Tailor. If I don't give him the Supporting Actor nomination he recieved, it is not because he is bad but simply because he never really stood out to me in anyway. Molly Picon is hilarious as the eccentric matchmaker Yente. Even in the bleakest moments, she can still find room for a joke. "Well, Anatevka hasn't exactly been the Garden of Eden." The best (and most powerfully done) scenes were: 1. When Lazar Wolf tells Tevye how lonely he is and how he wants to marry Tzitel and Tevye thinks he's talking about the milkcow he wants to buy. 2. Tzietal and Motel's wedding. "Sunrise Sunset." 3. When Golde runs to her husband with terrible news-Chava has married a Gentile. He tells her Chava is dead to them and she must forget her. Golde cries and trembles all over. That part was very emotionally draining. 4. When Chava comes back with her new husband to say goodbye and Tevye ignores her. The expression on Golde's face during this scene is well worth watching. Like Topol, Norma Crane could do more with a mere look than many actresses can do with a whole script. 5. When Tevye and Golde think back over their arranged marriage and discover that they've learned to love one another. "Do you love me?" The musical score was one of the oscar winning features. It deserved it because it was magnificently orchestrated and did a great job balancing the sad and humorous. Oswald Morris' autumn and winter cienematography contains muted, subtle shades of yellow, orange, green, brown, black and white. The only percivable flaw I can find is that some scenes go on a little too long. You could probably cut out fifteen minutes and it wouldn't hurt. One such example is the opening sunrise. We get three minutes of a town's sihlouette before Tevye's narration. The ending is also too drawn out. When Tevye picks up the wheelbarrow with all the family's possessions, he says to his family "Now let's go." and they leave the house. We get another shot of the two youngest daughters opening the gate for him. That would have been the perfect place to wrap it up. But instead we get a series of shots of the other Jews leaving their homes with the constable inspecting them on his horse while the dirge-like "Anatevka" song is repeated over and over. The film editor didn't have to do this because we already know beforehand the villagers of Anatevka are leaving their homes. I recommend this film. Great for discussions and more deep than your average musical. Five Stars.

I have lots of wonderful memories attached to this movie and the original play. I listened to a beat up eight-track of the original Zero Mostel Broadway cast in my dad's pickup as a small kid maybe 10,000 times. Then, when we as a family went to the Eastcoast a little later to visit some relatives my dad and I went to see it on Broadway. Then, finally when the movie came out a couple of years later another pilgrimage was made by a group of family and friends to see it on opening week. I can probably sing along with quite a few of the songs and much of the dialog by heart, still! Certain things become a touchstone in one's life and Fiddler would be one of those to me and I'm sure to many of us. Whether you are Jewish or Gentile this wonderful story speaks (and sings!) with a strong voice on faith, family and life's ups and downs. I decided I needed a physical copy of the movie before it possibly disappears from existence, so this Blu-ray was added to the collection. The HD picture and sound is quite good and other than a couple of noisy frame transitions and a few seconds of some slight dropped and mismatched audio timing this will capture your imagination and entertain you for all 3 hours of running time. There's a very good collection of special features including a deleted song and nice commentary by director Norman Jewison and Tevye himself, Topol. Highly recommended.

Nominated for 8 Academy Awards and winner of 3. Magnificent film adaptation of broadway play. Topol is excellent in his role as Tevye a milkman with 5 daughters. The film starts with him singing Tradition, accompanied by a fiddler on the roof, violin played by Isaac Stern. Also Sunrise Sunset and If I were a Rich Man and do I love you with wife. Orchestration by John Williams, famed for Indianna Jones and Star Wars theme songs. Topol makes a bargain with butcher who is very wealthy for his daughter to marry but she falls in love with a very shy tailor. Great dance sequence in marriage. Also in tavern Russian dancers excellent as is dancers who dance with bottle on hat. Second daughter falls in love with a revolutionary played by Michael Glasser, and third daughter falls in love with non jew and he is violent in saying his daughter will no longer be part of the family. Tragically the entire village must leave on orders from the Russian government and it is sad to see the village packing up and leaving some for America. Excellent music, great cast and wonderful music. Highly recommended.

Chef d'oeuvre 🏆 UN vrai regale a voir 😍

An enjoyable film and on blu-ray the quality of the film is better

Ich habe diesen Film das erste Mal in Kanada gesehen und völlig begeistert von diesem Musical. Als ich dann in den Geschäften hier danach suchte, fand ich es nirgends. Zum Glück bin ich dann auf Amazon fündig geworden! Dieser Film ist immer wieder schön zu sehen, das Musical ist einmalig! Es bietet nicht nur einen tollen Einblick in das Leben eines kleinen jüdischen Dorfes in Russland während des Weltkrieges, sondern beinhaltet auch wunderschöne musikalische Momente! Für mich volle und ganze 5 Sterne!!!

One of the best to watch.