Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

This musical provides everything. I have been a fan of the music of Joseph for many years but I never saw it on stage. As soon as I saw that this production was being made I was very wary of televising a theatrical show but boy was I wrong. The special effects, colors, sound and quality of this production are amazing.

This is the retelling of the biblical story of Joseph and tries a variety of musical numbers, from the Elvis Pharaoh, to the Calypso Judah and the French brothers. All these numbers are in amazing colors.

This really is worth a look, entertaining and very re-watchable!

I have not seen the stage performance, but the video production was a REAL TREAT. Full of energy, color, and talent, I have treated myself to this pleasure MANY times already. Donny Osmond seemed an odd choice until I saw his talent, then I too was convinced that no one else could have done any better. Maria Freidman was absolutly charming in the role as the narrator. Each of the brothers made a standout performance and the "King of Egypt" Pharo was iceing on the cake. The music is catchy and full of emotion. My personal favorite was "Close Every Door." Donny sings it with such passion, it really spoke to my heart. This video will be a favorite among my collection, I just hope nobody asks to borrow it.

This is one of the best musicals on video that I have found. Unlike some film versions of Broadway greats (such as the Fantasticks), the producers of this film maintained, as far as I know, the lyrics and music from the stage show, and presented it in an enhanced theatrical manner. The frame story and visible stage lights kept a live feel to the film, and many live-theatre conventions made this a joy for a theatre buff to watch.

I felt that the kids were a wonderful addition. Their voices (especially in Any Dream Will Do) provided a chillingly beautiful dimension to the sound, which was, without exception, superb. The narrator was great, and, I must say, just the sort of teacher I would have like to have had in grade school. The frame story tied the show to its roots as a childrens' production, which helped. The film works on several levels, as a kids show, and as an adult show, for those who care to consider the issues at hand.

The sets were fabulous, especially the transformation of Potifer's house and the jail cell by the addition of colors in the walls and floor. Stunning.

The formatting, too, must recieve a mention. A full-fledged DVD release with extra features, full widescreen, and immaculate sound were very welcome indeed.

Nicely done on the whole.

This was much better than I thought it might be, and I give it a high grade in a number of areas, beginning with production. This looked good, sounded good and simply was good! For some reason, I didn't expect much from Donny Osmond. I guess the Osmond is a lot more talented than people give them credit for, and I won't make that mistake again. I'd say the same for Joan Collins, who I could not picture in a "biblical film," but she did just fine. Then again, she played the villainous "Potiphar," so it wasn't like she was playing against type!

Normally I wouldn't care for something that was akin to an opera (all the lyrics being sung) and would skeptical about any Hollywood did regarding the Bible (figuring it would be distorted) but - once again - I was surprised. The story stayed true to the Bible and the presentation was so well done - and so incredibly colorful on this DVD - that is was a very satisfying and entertaining adaptation..

What most people who liked this DVD would cite the acting, the singing, the songs and/or the story as what impressed them most but, to me, it was the brilliant, stunning color in this play. Besides being a classic Old Testament story, this is a real visual treat.

Nearly thirty years ago, the church choir I was a member of staged an entertainment evening, the first half of which was a 45-minute 'sung story' called Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Nearly thirty years on, and I have a chance to show my own children what a wondrous musical this was and continues to be.

I also have to confess that, when I first heard of this release, I was one of those people who went 'Donny Osmond???!!??'. Again, this was coloured by memories of 30-odd years of knowing him as a 70's teenybopper, but I have to admit that I was very pleasently surprised by his performance here. The years he spent playing Joseph on stage show in his performance, and it also made me forget Jason Donovan or Philip Schofield in the part.

The film succeeds both by acknowledging the most recent stage productions, and returning to its roots. It was originally written as a school stage show, and the prologue in the assembly hall returns to it to the original setting. Having the teachers (and yes, I took a double take on Joan Collins on the piano) go on to be the singers and actors grounds the film, and the opening up of the stage setting is done without ever letting you forget it was a stage show.

The support cast are all good - it's especially satisfying to see the likes of Richard Attenborough and Christopher Biggins doing musicals again after nearly 30 years as well. Joan Collins has a whale of a time as Mrs Potiphar, and Pharaoh gets down and rocks with the best of them. Maria Freidman as the narrator shows her vocal range to perfection - currently she is the main attraction in the stage show of Witches of Eastwick.

All in all, good family fun, and worth watching with your kids.