| On a Clear Day You Can See Forever | | Cast : | Barbra Streisand, Yves Montand | | Director : | Vincente Minnelli | | Studio : | Paramount Home Video | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | June 17, 1970 | | DVD Released Date : | February 22, 2005 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed) | | Audience Rating : | G (General Audience) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | July 02, 2005 | | Summary | LOVE THIS FILM... | Content
 | I have never really understood why this film didn't get more attention? I love it. Barbra Streisand is so perfect in the part of Daisy Gamble. Boy is she ever glamorous in those Cecil Beaton Costumes! There isn't anything about this film I don't like. I remember seeing it in the theater when it first came out. I thought WOW! This girl (Streisand) has really got what it takes. One thing I'm a bit disappointed in is that there are no extras. It would have made a get deluxe set with deleted numbers added. I still highly recommend this DVD. It's vintage Streisand at her best. |
| Rating | | | Date | May 22, 2005 | | Summary | The most underrated film of both Streisand and Minnelli | Content
| This was one of the very last of the lavish screen musicals to be made in the classic mode, and, by the time of it's early 1970 theatrical release, it already seemed tired and dated. This is why it is somewhat shocking that, when viewed today, One A Clear Day is not only tremendously entertaining, but that it's also possibly the most underrated film of both director Vincent Minnelli and star Barbra Streisand. The film's reincarnation theme was pretty cutting-edge back in the early-seventies, and it still feels unique even today. The film received fair-to-negative reviews from critics at the time, and even though it proved to be a modest hit at the box office, it has been long forgotten by the general public, and it even goes unlisted on many of Streisand's selected filmographies. This is a shame, for Streisand's highly impressive dual performance may prove to be a revelation for some of her admirers and critics alike.
Streisand does some of her very best screen work in the film's frequent flashbacks. Not only does she look absolutely beautiful as Melinda in Cecil DeVille's many elaborate costumes, but her Regency- era poise and accent are completely flawless. Streisand also gives one of her most likable performances as kooky Daisy (her character's present-day incarnation), and her outstanding performance(s) make the contrast between the two characters completely convincing and believable. Yves Montad is acceptable in his role - I don't believe he really deserved all of the criticism that he's received over the years, yet I do find his performance to be somewhat stiff. Having said that, though, Montad is perfectly serviceable as the skeptical hypnotist. Jack Nicholson, Bob Newhart, and John Richardson appear in small supporting roles, and, though they all feel rather underused, their appearances here are all great fun.
However, there's something about the Streisand-Minnelli pairing that seems to have brought out the best in the two legendary talents. The flashback segments in particular provide the perfect showcase for Minnelli's imaginative visuals, and these are also the very scenes that allow Streisand to stretch the most as an actress. In particular, the "Love And All The Trimmings" sequence is easily one of the best moments that Minnelli ever captured on film, and Streisand has rarely been more intensely seductive than in this one sequence. Score-wise, the soaring title song is the only real classic of the eight Lenner-Lowe compositions, but a few of the others (the comic "Go To Sleep," the gorgeous "He Isn't You") are nearly as great. Bottom line: On A Clear Day is a film that's usually funny, sometimes touching, and always inventive and enjoyable. It's undervalued gem if there ever was one.
About the DVD: The film's print has obviously not undergone an extensive restoration (there are quite a few nicks and visible dirt), however, Paramount has given the an well-balanced transfer that is above average for a vintage catalog title. Contrast, sharpness, and especially those vibrant colors are all well-rendered. The new Dolby 5.1 sound is top-notch, however, there are no supplemental features. |
| Rating | | | Date | March 01, 2005 | | Summary | Seeing CLEAR DAY Forever | Content
| Paramount's new DVD of ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER is probably the best "version" of the film Streisand fans have seen in years. I can finally ditch my old VHS tape.
For those of us who weren't old enough to see it in movie theaters, it is finally available for us in WIDESCREEN, too! Paramount did the widescreen television owners a favor by releasing the DVD in ANAMORPHIIC format, too -- thank you!
The depressing fact that there are no bonus items is tempered by the gratitude of simply, finally having it available on DVD. [Although it wouldn't have killed Paramount to include the two featurettes (The "Reincarnation Ball" and the behind-the-scenes featurette) that still exist...]
The DVD itself does look good. This discerning eye, though, felt that the colors are a bit off -- dark, too. The greens aren't quite green enough. And that orange Scaasi dress at the end of the movie is kind of muddy. I'm sure Paramount did the best job possible. What CLEAR DAY really needs is a makeover from the negative up! (i.e. a restoration). The colors aren't as brilliant as the HELLO DOLLY! restoration, which really *pops* off the screen.
The sound .... oy. Paramount has created a 5.1 mix that, for the most part, sounds good. Most of the musical numbers really open up and have good fidelity. Some, though, sound "processed", especially "Go To Sleep".
Finally, I've given up on the cut scenes. It's doubtful they still exist. Film studios simply didn't keep that stuff back then. The "deleted scenes" phenomenon is fairly new, due to the development of the DVD format. We didn't have that back in 1970. Unless Streisand herself or the Minnelli estate have the scenes, I doubt they exist any more. Recently in a home video forum, someone who worked for a laser disk company in the 90's said that they worked with Paramount on the laser disk version of CLEAR DAY and they could not find any of the cut scenes.
As most of the CLEAR DAY fans out there know, the film was cut from a "road show" version (with intermission and more songs and scenes) to what we have today. Excised were a duet with Larry Blyden (WAIT TILL WE'RE 65), a Jack Nicholson song (WHO IS THERE AMONG US WHO KNOWS?), a Yves Montand reprise (SHE ISN'T YOU) and many acting subplots, including more Nicholson scenes, more flashback scenes with Robert Tentrees, and a bit more. I just discovered that the other long-lost song, E.S.P., was sung by Yves Montand, not Streisand. It's questionable whether E.S.P. was ever filmed, though. You can read more about the "lost" CLEAR DAY cut at my Streisand fan site barbra-archives dot com.
So .... it's nice to have CLEAR DAY on DVD finally! Now ... if only Warners & MGM would get in step and release A STAR IS BORN and YENTL! |
| Rating | | | Date | February 23, 2005 | | Summary | Finally in Stereo Surround | Content
| This is one of my favorite musicals. The color, music, and production numbers are all sumptuous. It is not quite what the original stage show was, what with much of the original songs changed to suit Ms. Streisand, and Yves Montand's fractured singing. That aside, it's a pleasure in itself, and I only wish that Paramount had dug through the vaults to try and restore this film to the full length that it never had a chance to be seen in. Hopefully one day we can hope to see a revival of it in that form.
This DVD release is quite nice visually, with a clean anamorphic transfer. Certainly better then the bleached out, cropped VHS releases of the past. There are no extras at all (not even the trailer, which exists), but the best part of all, is that the soundtrack has been remastered for 5.1 Surround, and it is WONDERFUL, with many audible nuances that were lost in the previous mono mixes. Not even the earlier laserdisc release accorded such a nice stereo mix.
This is definitely a movie for the musical and/or Streisand fan. I still think it's her best film.
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| Rating | | | Date | February 23, 2005 | | Summary | NO EXTRAS | Content
| It is a shame how Streisand fans have been treated in the dvd releases of her films. We have waited decades to see the cut musical numbers and this was the opportunity to share them with her loyal fans. But alas, nothing. Shame, shame, shame. |
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