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  Directed by
  Starring
  Specs
  • Widescreen 1.85:1
  • 16:9 Enhanced
  • Dual Layer ( )
  Languages
  • English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
  • English: Dolby Digital Stereo
  Subtitles
  • None
  Extras
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Audio commentary

Topsy-Turvy

Universal/Universal . R4 . COLOR . 160 mins . M15+ . PAL

  Feature
Contract

Topsy-Turvy comes as the latest in a venerable line of bio-pics about the lives of the 19th century masters of English musical theatre, Gilbert and Sullivan. And it is undoubtedly the best so far - a warts-and-all look at the frustrating process of creativity.

I did a direct comparison between this Region 4 transfer and the Region 1 version available from America. The picture quality is very similar. More astonishingly, the running-time of the Australian PAL transfer is identical, without the usual PAL-speedup effect.

The soundtracks too are virtually identical, providing the same options, of Dolby 5.1 or surround-stereo.

But the Australian disc gives a third soundtrack option, a commentary by director Mike Leigh, which is missing from the Region 1 release, though present on the British Region 2 disc. But the Region 1 does offer instead an Easter-egg isolated complete music track of the Act Two finale of The Mikado, TV spots, and a wonderful featurette about the making of Topsy-Turvy which tells us far more than the Mike Leigh commentary.

The Australian release in fact is quite plain compared to the colourful American release, with its animated menus and extra features.

But the local disc is still worth acquiring. This is one of the best musical narratives on film, as Mike Leigh tackles the story of the irascible wordsmith William Schwenck Gilbert and his partnership with composer Arthur Sullivan, who together created some of England's best, wittiest and downright sublime musical theatre, despite their almost continual mutual antagonism.

They were an odd couple indeed, and Mike Leigh milks this situation for all its worth, in this moving tale based around the creation of Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular work, The Mikado.

Mike Leigh, in his usual warts-and-all fashion, gets rid of the Broadway concept of the partnership and focuses on the humanity and foibles of that initial Mikado's creators and premiere cast. Drug addiction, alcoholism, plain envy, petty rivalries and hatred - it's all here, as it would have been.

The casting is fresh and convincing. Mike Leigh has gone for dramatic believability first, and voice second. So if you're looking for the absolute best singing of The Mikado, go instead to the Decca 1960s cast recording.

For instance, Leigh has chosen Shirley Henderson as the actress who brings the role of Yum Yum to life on stage - you'd know Shirley as the girlfriend in the television series Hamish Macbeth, or as one of Renee Zellweger's best friends in Bridget Jones's Diary. Shirley hadn't sung since early her teenage years - she does so very touchingly and sweetly, with a suitable fragility about her performance.

This is a wonderful movie, full of theatrical life and flavour, and with great musical moments, and Jim Broadbent's playing as Gilbert is particularly fine - aggressive, rude and poignant all at the same time. The final scene, as Shirley Henderson's Yum Yum greets the morning sun, is heart-rending. The film's two hours and 40 minutes is not a moment too long.

  Video
Contract

This is an excellent anamorphic transfer, with glowing colours. There is some grain, which makes the overall effect fall just short of demonstration-quality, but the transfer certainly does justice to this colourful movie.

  Audio
Contract

The 5.1 sound has appreciably more presence than the stereo option; nothing exaggerated, but more warmth and presence - a sort of opening-out of the soundstage in a really believable way. The commentary track has the normal soundtrack muted right down; I prefer being able to hear a reasonable level of the original soundtrack under the comments.

  Extras
Contract

The director's commentary is the only extra feature worth noting, apart from a non-anamorphic trailer. The menu is standard; non-animated.

  Overall  
Contract

This is a terrific movie which deserves to be in a permanent collection. But it is short on features; the featurette provided on the Region 1 disc would have made this a much stronger offering.


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      And I quote...
    "This is a wonderful movie, drenched in theatrical life and flavour; full of comedy and pathos, and suffused with the wonderful music of that antagonistic partnership of genius, Gilbert and Sullivan."
    - Anthony Clarke
      Review Equipment
    • DVD Player:
          Panasonic A330
    • TV:
          Loewe Profil Plus 3272 68cm
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