4/5 Fragments of FOLLIES
  by Gregor von Kallahann
I've learned a lot about this production from reading some of the other reviewers commentary below. One very informative posting included quotes from Lee Remick that it was unlikely that a more complete version of the concert would ever be released since there wasn't more footage in anybody's vault (although I'm not sure why the concert's having been a benefit would have put a crimp on recording it in its entirety). But I suspect that the fact that it was recorded BEFORE the DVD era was the main problem. Nowadays anyone filming such an event would probably record the event in full and then--as many reviewers have suggested--included a "Making Of" documentary to be included as "Disk Two." Nowadays, I suspect, that kind of packaging would be a virtual given.

Whether or not you find the current available product acceptable may depend on whether you're a "half full" or "half empty" type. Me, I'm enough of the former to be very glad to have this. But then, I didn't pay full price AND I had just come off seeing an above average regional production so the story was fresh in my mind (and filling in the blanks relatively easy).

It's not clear whether or not, the entire concert would have given neophyte viewers an adequate sense of the plot or not. Some might say that the plot was minimal to begin with. Still the audience benefits from knowing who Ben and Phyllis and Buddy and Sally are (by the way, was Sondheim a fan of the old DICK VAN DYKE SHOW? I mean, BUDDY AND SALLY, c'mon). The others, sketchy enough in the stage production, are strictly cameos, and that can be confusing.

The documentary describes the assembled artists as pretty much a dream cast, and that would certainly seem to be a fair description: George Hearn, Lee Remick, Mandy Patinkin, and Barbara Cook as your leads with luminaries of stage and screen like Elaine Stritch and Carol Burnett on hand. While Remick and Burnett are known primarily for their work on TV and in film, they both had experience in the musical theater and more than hold their own in this production. Cook, mainly a concert performer nowadays, provides several musical highlights, including a memorable "In Buddy's Eyes." Patinkin has been criticized here and elsewhere for hamming it up--and it probably was NOT a good idea to get rid of the "Comic Sally" and "Comic Phyllis" figures in favor of a straight solo on "Buddy's Blues." I won't dispute the claim made elsewhere on the page that this was done at Patinkin's insistence, but I don't know that for sure. Suffice it to say that it works so well done as a duet that it's a shame to lose that kind of real life back and forth. And we all know that Mandy has a strong, sustained falsetto, but it's not used to great effect here.

Along with Remick and Elaine Stritch, George Hearn proves most masterful at interpreting the lyrics. The dramatized breakdown in "Live, Laugh and Love" is tough to pull off under the best of circumstances. To do it successfully as a concert piece, divorced--for the most part--of any real context is quite a feat. And that's exactly what Hearn does here.

There will purists out there (and God love 'em) for whom the fragmented nature of FOLLIES IN CONCERT will never do. Many would likely have found even a full-length concert version lacking. These folks make several valid points, not the least of which is that the current product probably would have more accurately been called THE MAKING OF FOLLIES IN CONCERT. But for what it is, it works. There is a nice flow to it, and even the songs that are abbreviated are not really (IMO) totally butchered. The cuts do give one incentive to buy the CD, however, which from a marketing standpoint, may have been a pretty clever idea.

Seriously, though, if additional footage ever is dug up, a more complete version should definitely be considered. If the commentary here is any indication, they'd definitely be a market for the whole shebang. And what a shebang, it'd be.

5/5 the best of the best
  by PeterA (USA)
A valuable piece of theatrical history. I was there in that audience and watching the film gives me the same thrill! The only criticism is that the concert was presented and recorded in order to preserve a much fuller recording of the show than the original cast album which was heavily edited. Unfortunately, this film is also heavily edited and, therefore, is as guilty as the original cast recording. But with a cast like this, it's a minor quibble. There are now complete recordings of this magnificent score but nothing to compare with the likes of this concert!

3/5 Excellent "Disc 2".
  by Good Stuff
This is Disc 2, the "Making of" Disc of a fabulous 2 DVD set called "Follies in Concert".

The only problem is, they forgot to include Disc 1, "Follies".

OOPS!!

What happened? Actually, no one really knows. Was it ever actually said that the video of the concert (not the concert itself or it's audio facsimile) was to be a complete representation of Sondheim's show? That is unsure.

Were there problems? With a cast as talented and, dare we say, as ego driven as this, we must assume so.

One problem shown, but carefully glossed over in the documentary, is the fact that the show's stage director, Herb Ross, bailed out half way through the four day rehearsal schedule, leaving cast and crew to fend for themselves. He opted to leave because an unnamed film he was involved in the production of (Director? Writer? Producer?") was in trouble and needed his presence post haste. The problem is, according to Internet Movie Database, Mr. Ross had no productions released for that entire year as either a writer, producer or director. Why did he leave? Was this the cause of the somewhat disjointed performance (including the always-difficult Mandy Patinkin's disastrous performance of "Buddy's Blues"). Possibly.

Did Ross' defection cause the concert to not be filmed? Well, the camera's were definitely there. We know that. Footage was shot. Are we to believe that whomever was left in charge of the filming itself decided what snippets would be filmed? Were camera personnel actually told "Now when so-and-so starts to sing such-and-such, stop filming? That seems odd to me.

Or, amazing though it seems to us now, is it just possible some 20 odd years ago it still wasn't deemed important enough to posterity that a Stephen Sondhiem show was to be given a single performance more-or-less complete?

What happened? Actually, no one really knows.

And if they do know, they ain't talking.

After all, this is only one of the biggest screw-ups in Broadway history!



2/5 Heartbreaking!!!! A PBS Rip-off!
  by Tom George (Wash. DC)
THIS IS NOT FOLLIES IN CONCERT. It is a PBS documentary about the coming together of, and performances of Follies In Concert. But do not be misled and think you will get the entire concert...not even close. I remember watching the initial airing of this on television and at one point stood up and screamed at the TV. I could not beleive that what should have been an historic, television event, was actually a schmaltzy, documentary about the concert. I, like most every person I knew who saw this at the time, was pissed! Why? Why? Why couldn't they have taped and shown the entire concert instead of this 90 minute fluff? Yes, I am sure all the performers were excited to be performing in this "once in a lifetime" event, I got that, but why couldn't they have shown it in it's completion as they do with other things. I really didn't need to see Elaine Stritch, sans make-up, pulling on her leotard. I would have liked to have seen her perform Broadway Baby in it's entirety however. And with the most astonishing cast ever assembled it was truly heartbreaking.
Shame on PBS for robbing Sondheim and theater fans of the chance to see the whole concert. Get the CD, skip this rip-off!!

5/5 Sondheim's Follies - How to Make a Musical.
  by Henando DeSoto (New York City)
In spite of the fact that I am a Follies Fanatic, junkie, and completist, I missed this concert. Back in 1971, I was too young to fully appreciate Follies and although I bought the OBC and loved it, I didn't get to see FOLLIES on stage before it closed.

By the time 1985 rolled around, I was ecstatic at the thought of this revival and planned on buying tickets and attending. It "sold out" within an hour or so and I coudn't get tickets. I should have slept on the ground in front of Lincoln Center.

Anyway,the concert gave us a new cast recording with almost all the music restored. And then, there was the VHS of this presentation, half-concert and half documentary. I purchased the VHS and, years later DVD. The DVD is only the VHS material transferred to DVD. There were no new additions but I think I prefer the DVD because the sound and picture are ever so slightly better. The back stage comments and rehearsals are wonderful for any musical theater fan and anyone who has ever been involved in the production of a musical on any scale from Community Theater to Broadway. It's fun to see these big name producers and legendary stars have trouble with their lyrics, squirm and get the jitters just like they were novices. It's still hard work, and it never gets easy. But,as Elaine Stritch says waiting in the wings to go on "It's Fun, Gawdammit!". You get all the excitement of an opening night as seen through the eyes of these performers. I actually met Lee Remick not too long after this concert. She was as beautiful, charming and as gracious as one could imagine. I asked her if there would ever be a release of the entire concert and she said "No, owing to the fact that the concert was a benefit". She went on to say that she didn't believe the entire concert was even recorded on video, so, there's probably nothing "in the vaults" to re-construct. Still, watching Stritch backstage telling jokes and being Elaine Stritch is a howl and finally watching her NAIL "Broadway Baby" shows you why she is a legend. I fell in love with Barbara Cook in this concert. With all due respect to the late Dorothy Collins, Barbara's version of "Losing My Mind" is such perfection that she renders the song almost untouchable by anyone else. Carol Burnett blew this audience away as Carlotta singing "I'm Still Here". As I said, I loved Lee Remick personally but the truth be told, she fell a little behind on "Lucy and Jesse". I love George Hearn too, but I found him a little too "Operatic" for this musical. The only major disappointment came from Mandy Patinkin. I admire his talent but sometimes he goes too far. He was supposed to sing "Buddy's Blues" with Stritch as Comic sally and Burnett as Margie and then decided to do it solo singing all three parts himself. What a missed opportunity! What a Show-off! What a Ham! I had some friends that did see this concert in person. They told me that Mandy "went up" (Forgot his lyrics) and had to start all over again during this song. Good for him! Serves him right!

I finally saw this show in a revival at City Center not too long ago. It was great. It moved me all over again in all the same places. Broadway Baby, One More Kiss, Losing My Mind, You're gonna love tomorrow, I'm Still here. Even with an entirely different cast, the magic is there. There's more to this musical than meets the ear and it deserves to be seen complete in all its glory.

Still, this truncated DVD version is all we have until Rob Marshall or somebody like him manages to get the movie version off the ground.

Hollywood was supposed to film this in the 70's. It would have starred Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor and Shirley Maclaine. Star turns were to go to Bette Davis ("I'm Still here"), Joan Crawford ("Broadway Baby") and Joan Blondell ("Who's that Woman" I guess). Now, even my contemporaries like Barbra Streisand are too old to play the principals. I think I'd like to see Catherine Zeta-Jones as Phyllis and folks from my generation as the old bags. Can't you see Liza Minelli singing "Broadway Baby", Bette Midler singing "Whose That Woman" and Cher singing "I'm Still Here". How much longer will Hollywood wait to do it?

I hope Tim Burton's "Sweeney Todd" is a huge hit; then we might hve a chance of seeing FOLLIES done as a movie. In the meantime: 5 STARS for this DVD: what it is, what it represents and the performers it showcases.