Guys,

The Sound of Music is one of my favorite "musical" movies. I have some questions/comments about the film:

1.) How many versions of this movie now exist on DVD/VHS? Is there a special edition out or planned for the movie's 40th anniversery?

2.) There is a new revised DVD soundtrack with new songs and music from the film.

3.) I understand that four songs from the stageplay were cut from the movie, but some footage is included on the soundtrack DVD special edition. (Not sure on this) They included:

a.) "No Way to Stop it

b.) "Oridinary Couple"

c) "How Can Love Survive?"

d.) "A Bell is No Bell"

Several relatives told me that when the movie was first released in 1965, that the song "A Bell is No Bell" was included in the original release. One said that it happens when Maria takes the children on the picnic. I think IF it was included, it would have been a part of the conversation with Maria and Liesil in the reprise of "Sixteen Going on Seventeen." (some words of the song are spoken on the Special Edition Soundtrack, but not the complete song.)

Can anyone varitfy if ABINB was at one time included in the film, or any of the other above songs that are no longer a part of the movie?

Jack

Guys,
1.) How many versions of this movie now exist on DVD/VHS? Is there a special edition out or planned for the movie's 40th anniversery?

2.) There is a new revised DVD soundtrack with new songs and music from the film.

3.) I understand that four songs from the stageplay were cut from the movie, but some footage is included on the soundtrack DVD special edition. (Not sure on this) They included:

a.) "No Way to Stop it

b.) "Oridinary Couple"

c) "How Can Love Survive?"

d.) "A Bell is No Bell"

Several relatives told me that when the movie was first released in 1965, that the song "A Bell is No Bell" was included in the original release. One said that it happens when Maria takes the children on the picnic. I think IF it was included, it would have been a part of the conversation with Maria and Liesil in the reprise of "Sixteen Going on Seventeen." (some words of the song are spoken on the Special Edition Soundtrack, but not the complete song.)

Can anyone varitfy if ABINB was at one time included in the film, or any of the other above songs that are no longer a part of the movie?

Jack

1) I'm not quite sure what you mean by "version" as far as I know there's only one original cut of the film. The special edition DVD came with a commentary by Robert Wise and interviews with Julie Andrews, Chris Plummer, and Charmaine Carr, but there were no changes made to the film itself (thank God).

2) Yes, there is an extended soundtrack that's now available - it's easier to find that one than the original now. The new version contains much of the background music and things such as the Landlier which were orchestral without anyone singing. It's worth the extra bucks - buy the extended soundtrack ;)

3) I can't answer all of this, but I think I can help a bit. First of all, the song "Ordinary Couple" was originally sung by Maria and the Captain. However Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein both said they were never really happy with that song so they decided to replace it with "Something Good" for the film - it has also been replaced in most modern stage revivals. So "Ordinary Couple" was never planned to be in the film at all.

"How Can Love Survive" was sung by Max and Ilsa and was a fun song, but the decision was probably made to cut it because it really takes away some of the dramatics at a time when Maria and the Captain were falling in love. That song was never recorded for the film either, but you can hear a version of it quite clearly as the dance that Ilsa and the Captain have when Maria is packing up to return to the Abbey. That orchestral version is probably on the extended soundtrack.

I don't remember "A Bell is No Bell" or "No Way to Stop it" but it wouldn't surprise me if they were cut as well. For the film the songs "Something Good" and "Eidelweiss" were both added, so some things had to be dropped. Additionally, in the stage show "Favorite Things" was sung at the very beginning while Maria is still at the convent, and "Lonely Goatherd" was sung during the thunderstorm. All in all, I'd say the movie really made the right decisions and ended up with a much stronger musical :)