Customer Reviews
I wanted the movie 
2008-08-24
My mistake. This is good, but I liked the movie better than this filmed stage play. I hope the movie comes to DVD soon.
Looks like it was made by an amature film company 
2008-06-23
This is the worst DVD I have ever seen. I love the VHS version and I have been waiting for the Pirates of Penzance with Kevin Kline to come out on DVD for years. I had a lazer disc of it years ago and loved it. The picture on this DVD is so bad it is unviewable. It is blurry and was obviously done on a home camera. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS. The audio is poor also so it cannot even be used as a CD.
Delacorte Theater version - Gilbert & Sullivan - The Pirates of Penzance 
2008-06-23
I was hoping to get the version with Angela Lansbery but it appears this version is not available in DVD. Please let me know when it is available as i would like to purchase it.
Good, but the film version released in America is better 
2008-05-29
I do enjoy Patricia Rutledge, from ages of watching her perform in BBC Keeping Up Appearances as a social climbing civil servants wife. Her skill as a singing actress is every bit as delightful as her portrayal of Hyacinth in that series. As a staged version this is excellent. However, I do remember the film version which was released with Angela Lansbury playing the part of the nurse. Obviously there is more you can do with a filmed version than you can with a staged version. Kevin Kline's antics in the film version of "I Am a Pirate King" allowed for much more than you can do on stage, and Tony Azevedo as the policeman with his Keystone Cops gang were highlighted with the camera angles and staging. Saying this, it must be remembered that any performance of Pirate's will by nature be performed on a stage, and this is an excellent reference for what is possible on stage.
ratings for 1st purchase 2008-04-25
Dear Amazon, I have already purchased thgrice from you that too a bulk ordrer but sadly the first purchase was rthe most dissapointing.
The packing weas superb in the two ordrs but the DVD print for the Pirates movie was SAD....did not feel like a DVD print at all.
I read your return policy but from India it would cost even double to send it to you than recieve thus changed my mind.
Actually the print is horrible....My mistake is there too, i wanted the movie not the orchestra film.
Regards
Andrew Ryder
Four stars for the performance; two stars for the video recording 2008-04-10
Gilbert and Sullivan's raucous operatic tale is captured in all its fun and glory in this production, recorded live at Central Park's Delacorte Theater. Kevin Kline sparkles as the swashbuckling and libidinous Pirate King while Linda Ronstadt makes her theatrical debut as the lovely and virginal Mabel. When Mabel and Frederic, a young pirate bound to serve the Pirate King, fall in love, complications arise and high spirited antics ensue. The incomparable cast offers the best in this boisterous romp. END
Pretty good pirates 2008-02-09
This version of the pirates differs from the movie substantially even though the main players are the same. The full version with all songs and all verses is included. Audience reaction in this version is also interesting. It is more difficult to see the individuals in this version and the view from a distance makes me feel like I had to sit in the cheap seats at this event. I enjoyed hearing all the songs. I particularly enjoyed Patricia Routledge's characterization of Ruth. I am a big fan of "Keeping Up Appearances" and enjoyed hearing her voice in it's real beauty. So, there are advantages to each version, and I believe I enjoyed them about equally.
Possibly excellent but you have to get past the horrible video quality first 2008-02-05
It's entirely possible the performance recorded was excellent. However, the video quality is horrible. Apparently whoever filmed this could not manage to compensate for the bright lighting required for a live perfornace as the video is far too bright, looking badly washed out as a result.
My wife is hardly what you would call a video phile, but she could barely make it through the first 20 minutes of this DVD. The video looks as if the DVD were made directly from the original video tape release with no attempts to enhance or improve the picture. Honestly, I have seen better video quality from the small city little theater my niece worked for.
Another reviewer has claimed that one should be prepared for poor quality video based on the age of the recording. I disagree. Before selling a DVD as a professionaly produced product, you ought to actually have a product that looks as if it were professionaly produced. If the company cannot be bothered to put some effort into improving the video quality, they should at least warn potential customers of that fact. I'd suggest a banner across the front of the DVD reading "WARNING: Sub par video quality, buy at your own risk!" Of course, that would cost them sales, but failing to disclose the poor quality of the video strikes me as dishonest.
Bottom line: if the prospect of the poor video quality doesn't bother you, I'm sure you'll enjoy the presentation. Otherwise, steer clear.
Energetic and enjoyable 2007-12-28
This isn't the usual kind of video. It presents a live stage production, performed in front of a large and very enthusiastic audience. As a result, it captures the best of live theater, including the energy that the cast seemed to draw from the crowd. Between G&S's original intent and the remarkable staging, the entire crew threw themselves into athletic over-acting that enhanced the musical humor with physical humor - including some sparring with the orchestra pit. The musical humor was there too, not just in the original libretto, but in Ronstadt's amazing use of her vocal skills as Mabel. Routledge put in an outstanding performance as Ruth, and who knew that Kevin Klein could sing? Maybe he'll never headline at the Met, but he served the role of the pirate king more than adequately.
Anyone minded to complain will find plenty to complain about. The camera's focus sometimes takes a moment to find itself, and the first half is as bright and washed-out as the second half is dim. Production doesn't meet blockbuster standards, and post-production just doesn't exist. All those things apply to a video that this never tried to be. This documents a unique, live performance, in which recording took second place behind pleasing the audience in front of the stage. Taken for what it is and meant to be, it's huge fun.
-- wiredweird
horrible video and sound quality 2007-12-23
The video and sound quality on this performance of "Pirates" are so wretchedly horrible that I found it unwatchable.
I'd expect better of a bootleg!
Eric Alan Isaacson
