Alive with their sounds

It’s a grand week for Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals with the release today on Fox DVD of the 40th anniversary edition of the Oscar-winning “The Sound of Music” ($27); the 60th anniversary edition of “State Fair” ($27), the only original musical Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II wrote for the movies; and the 50th anniversary edition of “Oklahoma!” ($27), based on the team’s groundbreaking first Broadway musical.

The “Sound of Music” two-disc set includes a beautiful new transfer of the musical drama; commentary with the late director, Robert Wise, as well as with stars Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and Charmian Carr; a retrospective documentary; a delightful reminiscence with Andrews and Plummer (who has a great sense of humor); a reunion of the actors who played the Von Trapp family children; a look at the sing-along “Sound of Music” phenomenon; a biography on the real Von Trapp family; a restoration comparison; and a short but very amusing screen test with a young Mia Farrow, who was auditioning for Liesl.

“I feel immensely grateful for the gift that [my films] have been for me and everybody,” Andrews says. “I can’t believe that it’s 40 years ago when this film came out. It is mind-boggling.”

Andrews, who provides introductions on both discs, says it’s fun to participate in the DVDs of her films.

“Obviously, it’s very nostalgic because, you know, it brings back so many memories, and lovely ones, but also it reminds me of little things I have forgotten about, or a little photograph I have never seen before or rehearsal footage that no one ever showed me.

“So I think, ‘Oh my God, it’s captured.’ How great.”

Andrews never asked how she was cast as Maria.

“I did know Rodgers from a couple of previous encounters, one being ‘Cinderella,’ but my instinct it was more Robert Wise,” she says. “I think Disney was kind enough to show him some footage of ‘Mary Poppins,’ which in those days was quite rare because Disney was very protective.”

“State Fair,” which features the Oscar-winning best song “It Might as Well Be Spring,” includes personable commentary with musical historian Richard Barrios and Tom Briggs, the author of the “State Fair” stage musical; a retrospective on the project’s history; stills galleries; and even sing-along subtitles. The second disc includes the disappointing 1962 remake, folksy commentary with the remake’s star Pat Boone, the pilot from the mid-’70s for a “State Fair” series and an excerpt of Mary Martin singing “It Might as Well Be Spring” on a 1954 TV special honoring Rodgers & Hammerstein.

The two-disc set of “Oklahoma!” includes both the CinemaScope version (about 1 1/3 as wide as movies in the 16:9 format) and the rarely seen Todd-AO version (even taller and wider). The CinemaScope version includes informative commentary with Ted Chapin of the R&H; Organization and writer Hugh Fordin, sing-along subtitles and a chapter list of songs. The second disc features nostalgic commentary from star Shirley Jones, a look at the differences between the two screen formats, a vintage documentary on Todd-AO and “Oklahoma!” excerpts from the 1954 TV special with a very young Florence Henderson.

Also new this week:

“Madagascar” (DreamWorks, $30): Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith and David Schwimmer supply the voices for this popular computer-animated adventure about four New York zoo animals who find themselves on a ship bound for Madagascar. Extras include numerous interactive games, passable documentaries and a holiday short featuring the wisecracking penguins.

“The Skeleton Key” (Universal, $30): Kate Hudson goes dramatic in this spooky story set in the swamps of pre-Katrina Louisiana. The disc includes several behind-the-scenes documentaries, Hudson’s unnerving recollection of staying in a haunted house when she was a child, deleted scenes, an alternate opening and serviceable commentary with director Iain Softley.

“Happy Endings” (Lions Gate, $28): Writer-director Don Roos created this offbeat comedy for Lisa Kudrow, the star of his successful art house comedy, “The Opposite of Sex.” Kudrow plays a divorced woman who gave her baby up 19 years ago for adoption and is being blackmailed by a would-be filmmaker who claims he knows the child’s whereabouts. Extras include a breezy commentary track with Roos, Kudrow and cinematographer J. Clark Mathis, a making-of featurette, a gag reel and deleted scenes with commentary

“Fantasy Island -- The Complete First Season” (Sony, $50): Ricardo Montalban was the perfect choice to play Mr. Roarke, a nattily dressed man of mystery who owned a special kind of resort in which he could fulfill any visitor’s fantasy. Herve Villechaize played his assistant, the diminutive Tattoo, who would shout “De plane! De plane!” to herald the arrival of guests. Extras include a retrospective on the inception of the ABC series, which aired from the late ‘70s to the early ‘80s, plus a documentary with several guest stars.

“The Huckleberry Hound Show -- Vol. 1” (Warner, $45): The venerable Hanna-Barbera cartoon concerned the adventures of a southern blue dog with a drawl (voiced by the legendary Daws Butler). Also appearing on the Emmy Award-winning series were Yogi Bear, Hokey Wolf, Mr. Jinks and Pixie and Dixie. Warners also is releasing the spinoff, “The Yogi Bear Show -- The Complete Series” ($45).

“The Oprah Winfrey Show -- 20th Anniversary DVD Collection” (Paramount, $55): This six-disc set includes a retrospective of her early days, guests who have touched her heart, her most fascinating interviews, an overview of her hairstyles and weight fluctuation, and her 50th birthday bash. Winfrey also introduces the segments.

What’s coming:

Nov. 22: “War of the Worlds,” “The Polar Express.” Nov. 29: “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” “March of the Penguins,” “Murderball.”

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DVD sales

Here are the 10 top-selling DVDs for the week ending Nov. 6. Ranking are compiled from a variety of major retailers, including Amazon.com, Best Buy, Blockbuster, Circuit City and Tower.

1. “Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith”

2. “Batman Begins: Deluxe Edition”

3. “Office Space: Special Edition”

4. “Bewitched”

5. “Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace”

6. “Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones”

7. “Herbie: Fully Loaded”

8. “Cinderella: Platinum Edition”

9. “Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story”

10. “House of Wax”

Source: DVDExclusive.com

Los Angeles Times