DVDizzy Forum

I've just been randomly playing Disney tunes on my computer and have replayed "Sieze The Day" about 10 times in a row, I'm so smitten with it.

The DVD on Amazon seems cheap and pretty stacked. Is it worth a purchase - bearing in mind, I've never head of the film before now?

I highly recommend this film; if your getting into the songs then youll definately get into the spirit of the movie. Although released at a time when no one would be seen dead at a musical- there has been a significant turn around, it has since spawned its own cult status as well as multiple fan sites; I promise you youll love it, why not try renting it first to see if you like it.

I don't think it's available at all in the UK.

This is one of the movies I use to dislike because my sisters always wanted to watch it all the time when we were younger but now I consider it to be a great movie it is hard not to enjoy it with all the great music in it. It also has a great story.

This is one that's been on my "Movies to Rent" list since it came out on DVD. It received some poor reviews upon release, but I've heard glowing things from a number of people. And it has Robert Duvall, which is always a plus.

I purchased it the first week it came out. I am really into musicals (althought I have only seen a few in person) and reallllly enjoyed Newsies. (I also like the redu of Annie).

Plot is wonderful: about overcoming, looking at the potential within.

I would highly recommend it.

It has wonderful music too...not just that one song!!!

Thanks everyone.

I've just ordered this, and Swing Kids from Amazon.Com (it was one of their linked offers) and the "Swing Kids" write up sounded promising (a Swing musical set in Nazi Germany? There's something you don't see everyday!). Besides, it was cheap.

Looking forward to watching them both - especially "Newsies".

Let me know what you think of it 2099.
I'm really curious about that film too. I might see if my video store has it next week (they are pretty well-stocked).
I tend to make fun fo this film, but haven't actually seen it. But how can you go wrong with Christian Bale, Robert Duvall and Bill Pullman?
Well, who knows? After my video store trip, I just might make a purchase too!

I saw Swing Kids for the first time not to long ago and I thought it was a great movie the story is touching and there are a lot of fun musical songs. I would reccomend it to anyone who liked Newsies. I think I found my Swing Kids DVD for $8.99 at Best Buy. And I was going to mention that I noticed Target had Newsies for $14.44 for any of those who might still be looking.

Swing Kids' SRP is just $9.99, so you should be able to find it for maybe even cheaper. Those $9.99 SRP Buena Vista titles turn up in a lot of bargain bins for like $5.88. Nice price.

Man, i'm behind the times... Everyone says its good but i've still yet to see it... And i've been collecting disney movies for how long?

Newsies is one of my all-time live-action favorites! I discovered it back in the Fall of 2000, and I fell in love with it. As soon as I finished watching it, I knew that I had to get it on DVD as soon as it came out. I actually ended up preordering it, so I got it a day before release! I was so excited. It's got great music, a great moving story about the power that people can have, great ceorography, and great cinematograpy. The Widescreen DVD image is very clean, crisp, bright, and detailed. The special features are also very nice. It goes into the history of the newspaper strike, an actual event. It also has an in-depth feature on the making of the movie. Very nice package indeed.

Well I got my "Newsies" DVD the other day, and watched it last night. Overall, I thought it was very good – certainly much better than it's (lack of) reputation would indicate. But I did find certain aspects of the musical numbers disappointing.

It's not that I'm against Musicals – far from it. But as was said on one of the supplements making a musical is the hardest genre to make on film.

Why? Because even though the vast bulk of musicals are very obviously fantasy – they have to have one foot firmly in 'reality'. What do I mean by this? Well, the songs and dances have to exist in the context of the musical for a reason. Most times, this is an audio and visual presentation of the emotions of the characters.

Look at the zenith of this thinking in the "Your Song" number in "Moulin Rouge!". Obviously a fantasy with the two leads dancing on air… literally but utterly believable in the context of the film – the characters' feelings for each other build to a crescendo as the music swells. Their dance movements broaden out from small and intimate to wide and expansive, while at the same time their world changes from the small room and balcony to they end up dancing over the whole of Paris. Then as the music fades, they return (in a transition) back to the room in the Stone Elephant. A visually, aurally and emotionally stunning moment. (how Baz Luhrmann didn't win the Oscar for best director, let alone wasn't even nominated for best director frightens me – I've certainly no faith in the Academy anymore).

But other successful musicals employ the same rules: Look at the musical numbers in "Grease", "West Side Story" and "The Sound of Music". Look at the musical moments in Disney's animated films – the joyful, colourful, Caribbean "Under The Sea". The old fashioned 50's musical staging of "Be Our Guest", or the slow moving, romantic "Beauty and the Beast". The majestic and powerful "Circle of Life"… the list goes on and on.

All are true not only to the characters and moments, but also have a staging true to the overall "truth" of the story.

Now "Newsies" did this well a number of times – I liked the "King of New York", "Santa Fe" and to a certain extent "Carrying the Banner" numbers. All of them had staging that made sense in the context of the story and characters.

However other numbers disappointed me. Nothing against the songs ("Seize the Day" is still my favourite) but I did have problems with the choreography. To cut a long story short, I don't feel the fast, high kicking and jumping choreography chosen fitted either the characters or the story at the time. Listening to "Seize the Day" it's certainly not how I imagined it. Of course, this doesn't make it wrong as such – my option is only that an option – but I do feel the staging was, for want of a better description, fighting against the emotional "truth" of the film at times.

Enough about my musical theories! I'm sure I've probably already alienated a few people already!

As for the film on the whole it more than matched my other expectations – wonderful Cinemascope cinematography. An excellent realisation of the period. Christian Bale is superb, as are most of the cast. Bill Pullman shows he's one of the best 'low key' actors in America today, and as a result continues to be criminally overlooked by his peers. Alan Menken's songs are as good as we're used to from his more popular animated work.

I was surprised that the film was released under the Disney name, rather than something like Touchstone. At times the film was more violent than I associate with the Disney branding.

I'll certainly be watching this again a few more times. Who knows, perhaps my appreciation will grow with each viewing.

As for the disc itself, it's probably one of the most loaded Single Disc releases I've ever seen from Disney. As well as the 2 hour film (with commentary) there's three twenty minute documentaries, including a fascinating description of the real "Newsies" strike, plus two trailers (You remember them Disney – trailers?).

Recommended for anyone (unless, you really, really, really, don't like musicals. But if so, what are you doing on a Disney forum?)

LOL, actually I am not a fan of musicals. I just like animation.

How in the WORLD can you be an animation fan and not like musicals. Almost every one of Disney's classic animated films are in fact musicals. The only ones that aren't are some of the newer ones; Tarzan, The Emporer's New Groove, Atlantis, Lilo and Stitch, and Treasure Planet. Then there are a few more. The Black Cauldron and The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad aren't musicals if I recall correctly.

So there are a few more than I thought. Still, that's not very many. 7 out of 42 animated classics. All the rest are musicals in some fashion.

[Sorry about the double post. You can delete the above post if neccessary.]

Joshua Clinard wrote:How in the WORLD can you be an animation fan and not like musicals. Almost every one of Disney's classic animated films are in fact musicals.

For some reason, when animated characters break into song in the middle of their lives it doesn't seem quite as strange. I can't stand "live action" musicals. Why the hell some one would start singing and dancing while strolling through a crowded park has never made any sense to me. Neither has the fact that every one else in the crowded park feels the need to join in.

For some reason, when animated characters break into song in the middle of their lives it doesn't seem quite as strange. I can't stand "live action" musicals. Why the hell some one would start singing and dancing while strolling through a crowded park has never made any sense to me. Neither has the fact that every one else in the crowded park feels the need to join in

Well that's the difference between a good musical and a bad musical. In a good musical the singing seems to natural to the character and story that this really isn't an issue. It's what makes making a musical the hardest of all genres.

i bought newsies without watching it first, i really liked it

Pulling up old threads, la la la...

I just rented Newsies and watched it last night. I liked it. What with all the dusty little street urchins singing flamboyantly...

Dunno if I'd buy it, though. Musicals are cool, but I just never feel compelled enough to own them. I have not a one live-action musical in my collection. So, scratch that one off my Disney Movie Club options...

Never heard of Swing Kids, myself. I do want to watch Oliver! again after seeing Newsies, though... "Cone-sidah yaself... at 'ome! Cone-sidah yaself... one o' the family!!"

As one poster at the IMDb lovingly put it - "Cheesy Hollywood backlot sets with overblown Broadway-style production numbers. Yes, just the thing to remind us all of the wretched squalor that was Victorian England!"

The Newsies, great show. Only, now my little brother watches it all the time, so I get kind of sick of it.

Otherwise, it's a great show!