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Posted: |
Apr 26, 2016 - 8:52 AM
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By: |
SoundScope
(Member)
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It has been 13 years since the original post on this thread. And still, PORGY AND BESS is considered a lost cause. What a shame that this “American Classic” is held captive by a few people with what in my mind, are Ill-considered opinions.
From the earlier posts, those who have been lucky enough to see PORGY AND BESS were more than a little impressed with its production values, sound and image quality. So why are we still hoping beyond hope that PORGY AND BESS might appear on Blu-Ray or DVD? I’ll be 62 this year and it’s saddens me that I will probably never see this film again.
From what I know, the Gershwin Estate simply refuses to let go of this because it was made as a “musical” and not the “opera” that Gershwin wrote. While I understand this “take” on the piece, I find it utterly snobbish and ridiculous. In the first place, can anyone of us imagine a 1958 movie-going audience sitting still for any of the recitative? Not by any stretch of anyone’s imagination would this have happened.
As far as interpretation goes, there is not a Gershwin composition out there that has not been affected by personal tastes and choices in orchestration, arranging, style, genre and performers whim. So why then is there all this animosity, and reticence to release PORGY AND BESS (the film) to the public based on interpretation?
I, for one, find the performances of the recorded singers to be my favorite. Andre Previn’s scoring is absolutely impeccable and production values are indeed high. Mr. Samuel Goldwyn did not set out to make a bad film… just one that the general movie going public could relate to at the time. The film was a product of its time. I also understand there are some issues concerning the race issue, but again, you cannot look at a film like this, from this period, with anything other than 1958 eyes. It needs to be seen, discussed, praised or dismissed, but NOT by a biased few who act like the “thought police.”
I would love to speak, or write to Michael Feinstein, who is considered a leading authority on all things Gershwin to get his honest opinion. And even knowing he might agree with the “who-cares-about-that-film” take on this, convince him and the Gershwin Estate to relent. The film of PORGY AND BESS is not worthless, just a different interpretation of an astounding work.
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