A Star Is Born [Blu-ray]

"The world could end each night, with one more look at you"
A blockbuster at the time of it's original release (it was the second-highest grossing film of 1976), the third screen version of A STAR IS BORN has always divided critics and fans alike. The film open to scathingly negative reviews, however, $5.6 million-budgeted picture went on to gross over $150 million at the box office and won an Academy Award and five Golden Globes. It's not without some irony that Streisand's most commercially successful film would also remain her most controversial. For every ten fans who state that STAR is Streisand's best film, there are always ten more who claim it is the weakest film in her filmography. Although both sides have some merit to support their claims, it should still be noted that the seventies take on A STAR IS BORN remains one of the most touching and highly entertaining showbiz dramas that Hollywood ever produced. For my money, it's the best version of the often-told tale.

The film is solidly enjoyable and throughly...

A Star Is Born DVD More Than Satisfies
I highly recommend the disc to Streisand fans who will relish Barbra's full-length film commentary, 16 minute of additional scenes (many previously unseen), and original wardrobe test footage. Of course, the movie itself in all of its remastered Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack glory sounds and looks as vibrant and possibly even better than it played in cinemas. The musical numbers and theatrical lighting are exceptional and features some truly classic Streisand singing on stage. With the inclusion of Barbra's complete humming and acoustic guitar rendition of "Evergreen," we finally have the opportunity to enjoy an otherwise unused musical number. Even her commentary is enlightening, revealing that Kristofferson had a first shot at the song's lyrics but didn't submit them until just a few years ago when he sent Barbra a framed copy. Among the deleted footage is Barbra applying lipstick to KK in the bathtub scene where she admits being comfortable enough with him from earlier years to...

The Ultimate Wallow for Barbra-philes...Watch Closely Now as the New DVD Has Solid Extras
Thirty years after its initial release, the third version of "A Star Is Born" finally comes to DVD in a package that should please the most devoted fans of Barbra Streisand. That would include me since I just saw her in concert singing among other numbers, the feminist anthem "Woman in the Moon" from this 1976 film. Easy to dismiss, the movie's career-polarizing story is such a sturdy pile of Hollywood-style clichés that variations of it exist in other films including Streisand's own "Funny Girl". This time reset to the then-contemporary music scene, the timeworn plot follows self-destructive rock star John Norman Howard on his deep-dive career descent just as he meets club singer Esther Hoffman who is awaiting her big break.

Troubles dog their courtship from the outset, as John Norman (both names please) responds to grasping fans and bloodless DJs with random acts of violence (from which he inexplicably escapes prosecution). To John Norman, Esther represents his...

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