Barbra Streisand - A Happening in Central Park

Barbra Streisand - A Happening in Central Park
by Robert Scheerer

Barbra Streisand - A Happening in Central Park
Our Price: $119.61
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy Used: from $10.96 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details


(Click here)
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada

DVD details

Actor: Barbra Streisand
Director: Robert Scheerer
Brand: WEA DES Moines Video
Producer: Robert Scheerer
Producer: Martin Erlichman
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); French (Subtitled); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); German (Subtitled); Portuguese (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 60 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-08-29
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Rhino / Wea
Product features:
  • On the evening of June 17,1967, Barbra Streisand and 150,000 of the "luckiest people in the world" gathered together in Central Park's massive Sheep's Meadow for a once-in-a-lifetime outdoor concert event. If New York were a kingdom, Barbra was its reigning queen. It was the most attended concert event of its time. Track Listing 1. The Nearness Of You [Act 1] 2. Down With Love [Act

DVD Reviews of Barbra Streisand - A Happening in Central Park

DVD Review: A Happening in the True Sense of the Term...Streisand Captured in Her Youthful Performing Prime
Summary: 5 Stars

Barbra Streisand took a weekend break from filming her screen debut, "Funny Girl", to come back to New York to give a free concert for over 135,000 attentive fans. Unlikely ever to happen again given the top dollar she is charging for her upcoming tour, the June 1967 performance was staged in Central Park's Sheep Meadow, probably among the first of the city's "happenings" led by then-Mayor Lindsay to encourage an urban revival. Always the trendsetter, Streisand led the way for others including Diana Ross, the Dave Matthews Band and the reunited Simon and Garfunkel to stage their own happenings in later years. I'm happy to report that the restoration effort behind the audio and visual quality of this TV special is quite stellar.

But nothing is more stellar than Streisand in her youthful, exuberant prime. The camera pans from the Manhattan skyline to the assembled crowd and finally her over "The Nearness of You". Looking particularly diaphanous in a pink sheath, she does a smashing "Down With Love", a highly theatrical "Cry Me a River", and one of her typically eccentric monologues from the sixties followed by one of my favorites among her rarities, "Value" (a ditty about Harold Mengert and his car). She ends the first act with a soaring rendition of "I Can See It". It's particularly amusing to see random shots of adoring spectators looking very much like sixties squares from Squaresville.

Returning for the second half in a sleeveless red print evening gown, Streisand evokes a sweet innocence to her classic version of "He Touched Me", which is then followed by an extended comedy bit about "a schloon for the gumpert". She swings into a languorous "I'm All Smiles" and then segues into a comic beatnik number, "Marty the Martian" ("hand in hand in hand in hand..."), accompanied by a sassy saxophone. The high point is a beautiful folk-sounding ballad, "Natural Sounds", in particular, when the wind picks up exactly when she mentions the wind in the song (an eerie coincidence Streisand points out in her 1987 video introduction). She gets amusingly hammy on her signature "Second Hand Rose" and then quite stentorian on her anthem, "People".

The climax comes with a strangely appropriate "Silent Night" (it was summer). With the camera dramatically panning back from her, Streisand ends the performance with a splendiferous "Happy Days Are Here Again". Because it was so darkly lit among the throngs, it's hard to fathom the real size of the audience in the days until the very end of the show. My one regret with the DVD is that there seems to be a missed opportunity to include the entire concert, which included eleven other songs she performed that night. Even though the archival footage apparently exists, I'm just happy they have been able to capture what was quite obviously a special evening.
More Barbra Streisand - A Happening in Central Park reviews:
1

Description of Barbra Streisand - A Happening in Central Park

Studio: Wea-des Moines Video Release Date: 08/29/2006

Pop Music CDs

Bestsellers in Pop Music CDs
Dinah Was (L.A. Theatre Works Audio Theatre Collection) ImageYvette Freeman - Dinah Was (L.A. Theatre Works Audio Theatre Collection)
Release date: 2005-04-12; Music CD
Best price: $21.07
Price in other shops: $25.95
Building Character Music CD ImageTwin Sisters Productions - Building Character Music CD
TWIN SISTERS PRODUCTIONS; Release date: 2007-01-01; Music CD
Best price: $7.25
Price in other shops: $12.99
Bernadette Peters in Concert ImageBernadette Peters in Concert
DVD
Best price: $129.99
Everything Must Go/Two Against Nature ImageEverything Must Go/ Two Against Nature
by Steely Dan
Published: 2003; Music CD
Scattered Ashes ImageScattered Ashes
by Ihsahn / Emperor
Candlelight Records/Emi; Published: 2009-07-28; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $9.75
Price in other shops: $21.98
Christmas at the Biltmore Estate [VHS] ImageChristmas at the Biltmore Estate [VHS]
A&E Home Video; Release date: 1998-09-04; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $13.51
Price in other shops: $19.98
The Shadow: Rare Radio Gems (Rare Radio Gems) ImageThe Shadow: Rare Radio Gems (Rare Radio Gems)
Release date: 2002-09-01; Published: 2002-09-01; Music CD
Best price: $20.00
Price in other shops: $37.98
On the Shoulders of Giants, Vol. 1: An Audio & Musical Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance ImageOn the Shoulders of Giants, Vol. 1: An Audio & Musical Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance
by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Release date: 2011-09-06; Published: 2008; Music CD
Best price: $1.98
Price in other shops: $21.98
Radio Show ImageFrancis Durbridge, Paul Temple & The Gilbert Case - Radio Show
Release date: 2003-05-12; Music CD
Best price: $21.49
Price in other shops: $53.99
My One and Only You ImageThe Serenaders - My One and Only You
Release date: 2011-05-28; Music CD
Best price: $8.76
Price in other shops: $10.00
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
Butterfly ImageBarbra Streisand - Butterfly
Release date: 2008-03-01; Music CD
Best price: $2.73
Price in other shops: $7.98
Third Album ImageBarbra Streisand - Third Album
Release date: 2008-03-01; Music CD
Best price: $2.55
Price in other shops: $7.98
Stoney End ImageBarbra Streisand - Stoney End
Release date: 2008-03-01; Music CD
Best price: $2.55
Price in other shops: $7.98
Je M'Appelle Barbra ImageBarbra Streisand - Je M'Appelle Barbra
Release date: 2008-03-01; Music CD
Best price: $2.55
Price in other shops: $7.98
Second Barbra Streisand Album ImageBarbra Streisand - Second Barbra Streisand Album
Release date: 2008-03-01; Music CD
Best price: $2.55
Price in other shops: $7.98
Simply Streisand ImageBarbra Streisand - Simply Streisand
Release date: 2008-03-01; Music CD
Best price: $2.73
Price in other shops: $7.98
Barbra Streisand: And Other Musical Instruments ImageBarbra Streisand - Barbra Streisand: And Other Musical Instruments
Release date: 2009-12-16; Music CD
Best price: $10.37
Price in other shops: $11.98
What About Today ImageBarbra Streisand - What About Today
Release date: 2008-04-01; Music CD
Best price: $2.55
Price in other shops: $7.98
My Name Is Barbra ImageBarbra Streisand - My Name Is Barbra
Release date: 2008-02-01; Music CD
Best price: $2.73
Price in other shops: $7.98
Live Concert at the Forum ImageBarbra Streisand - Live Concert at the Forum
Release date: 2008-03-01; Music CD
Best price: $2.67
Price in other shops: $7.98
Compare prices and read customer reviews for more than one million DVD titles.
Oscar 2005 Winners