Description: Hailed as "irresistible" by the New York Times, Moon Over Broadway is a no-holds barred, behind-the scenes look at the making of the Broadway comedy, Moon Over Buffalo, starring TV sensation Carol Burnett. Revealing what really goes on before the curtain
Amazon.com: In 1995, Carol Burnett returned to Broadway after an absence of three decades to costar in Ken Ludwig's comedy, Moon over Buffalo. Legendary documentary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker and his wife, Chris Hegedus, enjoyed extraordinary access to capture the nuts and bolts of mounting a Broadway play in this video equivalent of a backstage pass. It is more entertaining than the strained farce we glimpse onstage.
Like Pennebaker's cinéma vérité masterworks, the filmmakers do not impose themselves on the proceedings. There is no narration. The cameras record the process, from the introductory press conference to the anxious anticipation of the opening night reviews.
The play's director, Tom Moore, certainly has his hands full. Ludwig (who hit it big with the play Lend Me a Tenor) bemoans what the actors are doing to his words. "It's like a pact with the devil, having to cast stars," he complains. He must massage the actors' egos (the play's ingenue dislikes the picture of herself displayed outside the theater) and assuage their insecurities. Observe how he deftly and delicately reins in Burnett, who initially falls back on shtick to get a laugh. In one tense moment, Philip Bosco, Burnett's esteemed costar, becomes flustered when he believes his input is not appreciated. "Don't you want the benefit of our years of experience, of our sense of comedy?" he demands of Moore. Moon over Broadway is just the ticket for theater buffs. --Donald Liebenson
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - BS Over Broadway
Everyone who's reading this already knows the premise of this documentary about the backstage machinations of Broadway show biz: One of America's best loved television stars agrees to make her Broadway ... Read More
Rating: - A well documentary and someone should be embarrassed...
The film went into unexpected details about the whole Broadway process. What is most interesting is the arrogance of the playwright: a man who seemed obsessed with the thought of being embarrassed by actors ... Read More
Rating: - Two films in one...
Chris' review has it right: this DVD contains one of the best uses for a Commentary track yet devised.
The film itself is a feast for any theater fan. DA Pennebaker has complete access to the actors, ... Read More
Rating: - God Bless Her
God bless Carol Burnett.
The fact that she was saddled with a mediocre play, a mediocre playwright, and a mediocre director did not ruffler her professional feathers.
Rating: - One of the Best DVDs Commentary Tracks EVER.
Moon Over Broadway co-directed by legendary documentary director D.A. PENNEBAKER and his wife Chris Hegedus, is a behind the scenes documentary of the making of the Broadway Show Moon over Buffalo which starred Phillip ... Read More
- A well documentary and someone should be embarrassed...