Box set featuring Barbra Streisand in five era-defining
television specials that introduced her to the world. 'My Name Is
Barbra' (1965) was Streisand's first solo television outing,
featuring fantastic sets as a backdrop to her dynamic vocals. The
programme won five Emmy Awards. A sequence at Bergdorf Goodman
mixes satire with music and high fashion fantasy; her medley of
songs includes 'Second-Hand Rose', 'Brother Can You Spare A
Dime?' and 'The Best Things In Life Are Free'. 'Color Me Barbra'
(1966) was aired just after Streisand had completed a successful
Broadway run in 'Funny Girl' and had seven gold records to her
credit. She sings surrounded by animals in a circus dream
sequence and wanders the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In 'The
Belle Of 14th Street' (1967), Streisand is joined by actor Jason
Robards in this tribute to turn of the century vaudeville.
Amongst the highlights is a duet with herself via the miracle of
technology, and Streisand and Robards performing excerpts from
the Tempest. In 'Barbra Streisand: A Happening In Central Park',
an estimated 135,000 people jammed Central Park's Sheep Meadow
for this free solo concert in 1968. Six televison cameras and a
film camera ed on a helicopter recorded this concert and the
audience from every conceivable angle. Finally 'Barbra Streisand
and Other Musical Instruments' (1973) was her first television
appearance after a five year gap. It features over 150 musicians
from around the world performing on almost every conceivable
instrument.
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A feast for Barbra Streisand fans, The Television Specials
collects five one-hour programs she recorded between 1965 and
1973 when she was known simply as a artist and Broadway
star rather than a film director, reclusive performer, and
political activist. The first is My Name Is Barbra (April 14,
1965), shortly after she played in Funny Girl. in black
and white, it's a little different from the other variety shows
of the day (e.g., The Judy Garland Show) in that there's no
parade of guest stars or dancing girls. That's a good thing, as
those are the numbers that get dated very quickly . Instead, we
have all Barbra, even if she's more comfortable singing than
doing comedy monologues. The show winds its way through an Alice
in Wonderland sequence which ends in a plain but magnificent
rendition of "People," then has Streisand in a store's fur
department. Last is a simple concert setting that includes a
Funny Girl medley with "Don't Rain on My Parade" and "The Music
that Makes Me Dance." The closing concert segment would become a
ste, and the peak, of all her shows.
Color Me Barbra followed on March 30, 1966 and is, naturally,
filmed in color. The first sequence was at the Philadelphia
Museum of Art, with Streisand wandering among the masterworks and
antiquities, even singing "Where or When" dressed as Nefertiti.
Next she's among a circus of animals, singing "Try to remember"
to the elephant or poking fun at herself by telling the anteater
"We have so much in common." Again, the final act is her just
singing at a mike, with "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home" and "It
Had to Be You." Making its home-video debut, The Belle of 14th
Street (October 11, 1967) is something of an oddity. It's styled
like a vaudeville show, with period costumes (including the
audience) and old-time numbers. Jason Robards (singing and
dancing!), John Bubbles, and others guest-star. Streisand plays a
modest stripper for "Alice Blue Gown," plays an operatic diva for
"Liebestraum," then does double duty as a boy (pre-Yentl) in the
audience invited to sing a duet of "Mother Macree" with the
on-stage Streisand. The last segment is Streisand singing
(accompanied on stage by David Shire before he wrote shows on
Broadway with Richard Maltby) such songs as "My Melancholy Baby,"
"I'm Always Chasing Rainbows," and a medley that includes "My
Buddy" and "How About Me?"
The highlight of the collection, A Happening in Central Park
(September 15, 1968) is refreshingly free of gimmicks and
concepts. It's just Streisand with an orchestra in front of a
live New York audience. "The Nearness of You," "Cry Me a River,"
"I Can See It," "Second Hand Rose" (the audience enjoys singing
along)," "People," and "Happy Days Are Here Again." Barbra
Streisand... and Other Musical Instruments (November 2, 1973)
returns to the concept-show format. Streisand takes her place
among the symphony orchestra members sporting her own instrument:
her voice. One medley groups a number of favorite songs but in
"international" settings, such as "People" accompanied by sitar
and "Don't Rain on My Parade" by bagpipe band, and Streisand
changes costumes to match. Ray Charles is on hand for four songs
in the second set, then Streisand returns to the orchestra to
sing such songs as "On a Clear Day" and "The Sweetest Sounds."
Picture quality is good, and sound is presented in original
mono, 2.0 stereo, and 5.1 surround. The only bonus features are
three introductions Streisand filmed for the 1987 home-video
releases, but the set is beautifully packaged with a detailed
booklet of liner notes, photos, and song lists. The five
50+-minute programs are ungenerously spread over five discs,
however. --David Horiuchi
