The Sound of Music (Two-Disc 40th Anniversary Special Edition)

Read our interview with Charmian Carr, who played Liesl von Trapp in The Sound of Music.

The DVDs
As if the direct involvement of Julie Andrews weren't enough, the 40th Anniversary Edition of The Sound of Music is a must-have for fans because of the fond sense of nostalgia that will touch all but the worst cynic's heart. Andrews introduces both discs and contributes a commentary track on the film. It's a joy to hear her speak about the film (for example, she explains how she solved her dislike for the lyrics of "I Have Confidence"), and also heard are remarks by Christopher Plummer (who at one point refers to his being 48, which if true would mean his comments were made in about 1975), Charmian Carr (Liesl), choreographer Dee Dee Wood, and Johannes Von Trapp (the real-life Maria Von Trapp's youngest son, who admits that his father did have a whistle but claims that he was not as stern as portrayed in the film). Even with all those people involved, there are still significant gaps of silence, however. Retained from the previous two-disc editions is the commentary track by director Robert Wise, which during the musical numbers becomes an isolated score with no vocals. Also new are sing-along subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, which allow you to have your own sing-along at home. In addition, the film's remastering shows off a truer and much warmer sense of color.

On the second disc, Andrews participates in a new 63-minute documentary "My Favorite Things: Julie Andrews Remembers." But it's really a general making-of documentary with contributions from a number of principals, including director Robert Wise, who died in mid-2005 (not surprisingly, some stories are repeated from the commentary track and from the 87-minute documentary on the previous DVD). Andrews also shares a warm 19-minute sit-down with Christopher Plummer. Carr, who over the years has become the film's biggest advocate, narrates a new 22-minute documentary, "On Location with The Sound of Music," in which she revisits the places in Salzburg where the movie was filmed, and even joins one of the "Sound of Music tours" that have become a booming industry. And acknowledging another big industry, there's a 12-minute featurette on the sing-along phenomenon, focusing specifically on the audience, costumed and otherwise, that attended a sold-out Hollywood Bowl sing-along in 2005. Making special appearances at the event are four von Trapp great-grandchildren and all seven of the actors who played the children. Thankfully, those actors also appear in a 33-minute documentary "From Liesl to Gretl: A 40th Anniversary Reunion," in which they explain what they do now (many are still in show business) and share stories about the film, who was afraid of Christopher Plummer, and what they feel is their responsibility to the film's passionate fans. What's touching is how the group still considers themselves a family so many years later. Other material includes an A&E documentary on the von Trapps, Mia Farrow's screen test for the Liesl role, and a restoration comparison.

What's Missing?
If you already own the previous two-disc editions, you'll want this 40th Anniversary Edition as well, but you might not want to toss those versions. Probably the most significant omission from this edition is the original 14-minute documentary Charmian Carr made in 1967, "Salzburg Sight and Sound." Carr's new documentary includes only a couple clips from the vintage piece. It's not a great work of art, but it's a notable loss and would have made a good contrast with the new documentary. In addition, the new making-of documentary is about 24 minutes shorter than the old one. Also missing are the audio-only features--the interviews, the radio programs, the Ernest Lehman spotlight--and the historical still gallery examining the history of Salzburg and the film. Granted, this material probably got the least play of any of the old features, but completists might want to hold onto their old discs for it. It would have also been nice to have screen tests other than Farrow's. Tests for all the children and for Christopher Plummer (including singing in his own voice before he was dubbed for the film) were included on Hollywood Screen Tests and Rodgers and Hammerstein: The Sound of Movies. Again, they're not critical but it would have been nice to have them all in one place. So maybe the 40th Anniversary Edition isn't the complete package on The Sound of Music, but it's the most satisfying edition yet, with enough new material to please even the veteran SoM DVD watcher. --David Horiuchi


Stills from The Sound of Music (Click for larger image)

The feature disc offers an audio commentary by director Robert Wise that is quite interesting and informative, but repeats much of the same information included in the documentary. Parts of it seem a bit rushed, perhaps because he doesn't speak over any of the musical sequences, which are presented without vocals to highlight the orchestral arrangements and allow one the opportunity to sing along. Wise points out where songs that were deleted or moved would have gone as compared to the original stage show, and one can see how such changes made the film adaptation superior. He also explains the technical aspects of shooting on location and how location shots were seamlessly matched with footage shot back in L.A. on stages. There were also a couple of scenes that were shot but later cut--it makes you wish they had included these outtakes on the supplemental disc of extras. There are some gaps in the commentary where only the movie plays--leaving you a bit hungry for more interesting anecdotes from Mr. Wise, but after over 35 years I guess his memory is as good as can be expected.

The French audio track is fun--How strange to hear the familiar songs in French--not an easy task to translate a song like Do Re Mi which seems it wouldn't make sense in any language other than English. They did an excellent dubbing job--the voices are quite similar to the original actors' voices, and the woman dubbing for Julie Andrews holds her own.

The 35 minute audio spot by screenwriter Ernest Lehman is extremely interesting, giving you a taste of what went on behind the scenes in the development of the production, from William Wyler's indifference to the film he agreed to direct despite hating the Broadway show, and prospective director Gene Kelly kicking Mr. Lehman out of his house and telling him to "shove" his screenplay.

Actor Dan Truhitte also provides an "audio telegram" detailing his experience winning the part of Rolf and some personal anecdotes. But all we hear is his voice--a still picture of his present-day self would have been a nice touch.

We also get some sound bytes of old radio interviews that are typical PR fluff but still an interesting time capsule. The video of theatrical trailers and TV spots is interesting but repetitive. They are almost all the same, with only subtle changes. For those interested in the location there is even a brief but detailed written history of Salzburg.

All in all, this has to rate as one of the best and most complete DVDs ever released (despite those missing outtakes!) Fox did a terrific job, and should be commended for NOT offering the inferior pan and scan version of the picture usually shown on TV. This is one of those wide screen masterpieces that lose a lot when the original aspect ratio is altered. A must for all film collectors and Sound of Music fanatics alike.


This classic is available in Europe, so why not in the US?   March 6, 2000
16 out of 16 found this review helpful

While I greatly appreciate it for its superior cinematic qualities, The Sound of Music is also special to me for other reasons. I first saw it as a six-year-old in New Zealand in early 1966; it was the second full-length feature film that my parents had taken me to see (the first having been what could be considered its twin, Mary Poppins). My impressions of the film back then were so vivid that even today I can still remember exactly what I felt during most of it. I remember seeing the backdrops of Salzburg and the Alps hugely sprawled across the cinema screen and wondering where these fantastically beautiful places were, and whether one day I would be able to see them for myself. My father bought the soundtrack LP, and of course the songs inevitably became ingrained in my memory. Years later, I felt the desire to tour Europe, as Australasians do, and was unexpectedly offered work near Munich. Since then, I have often hiked in the Bavarian and Austrian Alps and made the day trip from Munich to Salzburg, and, not surprisingly, my thoughts drifted back to the film that first drew my attention to the region long ago.

When I see SoM today, I am struck by its epic sweep, stunningly beautiful photography and lighting, those somehow unforgettable songs, and its intense, sometimes pensive loveliness and sweetness of tone, something that has become increasingly rare in modern cinema. True, the film is perhaps a bit too sugary at times, but, in view of its overwhelming positive attributes, not enough to really matter. I was surprised to see that it is unavailable to buy in the U.S. just now - so here are two tips in the meantime for true devotees, just for fun:

1) For the sake of sheer curiosity, try to see the original German film on which SoM is partially based, Die Trapp Familie (1956). At the least, excerpts of both this film and its sequel, Die Trapp Familie in Amerika (1958), are available in the U.S. as a dubbed compilation (which, like the sequel, I haven't seen), although I strongly suspect a full-length, subtitled version of the original would be preferable. It is a fascinating experience to watch this modest, but quite well written and acted, pleasantly old-fashioned "Heimatfilm" ("heartland" film), little known abroad, when you know what it helped to inspire. (Georg Hurdalek, who wrote the screenplay, is given due credit in SoM's opening titles.) It is very different in style to SoM. Strictly speaking it is not a true musical, though there are the expected traditional folk songs instead of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Its tone is much more restrained and naturalistic, really quite underwhelming by comparison. Many of the characters, including the children, are different, although some still have their obvious counterparts in SoM. To be fair, as might be expected, Die Trapp Familie is more authentically Central European. SoM, while to my mind far superior and infinitely more spectacular, is unavoidably anglicized to an extent, with its mostly British or North American actors (manner and body language!), and, as a musical, its story line is in any case more stylized. It is especially fascinating to see how many sequences, camera shots, and even pieces of dialogue in Die Trapp Familie were later used in SoM with comparatively little modification. The line "When the Lord closes a door, somewhere he opens a window" (in German) is just one example, and numerous sequences, including Maria's scenes with the Mother Abbess, her departure from the Abbey and first meeting with the family, and the wedding will be instantly familiar to anyone who has seen SoM. In particular, the scene in which the children come into Maria's bedroom, frightened by the thunderstorm, is almost identical in both films.

If you see Die Trapp Familie, ponder the bewildering fact that this, if any, and not SoM, is the film that a great many Germans associate with the story of the Trapps. Unlike Die Trapp Familie, at the time of its release Germany's most successful postwar film at the box-office, SoM flopped here and now never even seems to be shown on national television - presumably, the Germans were too fond of their own film and couldn't relate to a "Hollywood remake." When talking to people here, I have generally met with the same response: most of whom I've asked (even in Bavaria) had never even heard of SoM before (!), let alone seen it, although the film is known to some enthusiasts and to those who have otherwise come across it by chance, and is occasionally mentioned in the press. Given its truly universal renown elsewhere, and the Germans' enthusiasm for Hollywood movies in particular, this is quite remarkable, even considering that Rodgers and Hammerstein aren't as well known here either. SoM has an understandably higher profile in neighboring Austria though, since the film was set and partially made there and draws many tourists to Salzburg each year. Here, I have shown SoM to a number of unsuspecting German friends who I thought might enjoy it and have watched their eyes glued to the screen growing wider and wider and wider and wider and wider... (For some reason, the puppet theater and the song "Edelweiss" go down particularly well...)

2) The official SoM website is a mine of information, but for an extra treat, don't miss Angela Cartwright's (Brigitta) own delightful and very personal website. Look at page 2 of her scrapbook (be sure to click on "What are the `Sound of Music kids' doing now?") and her December 1998 news update in particular.

I am fond of many different film genres, but for me, The Sound of Music remains unquestionably one of the most consistently entertaining, enjoyable, and enduring of all the big Hollywood classics, despite some excessive sentimentality. Now, it is a fond childhood memory come back into the present; looks like I'll still be watching it when I'm old and gray.


fabulous new 40th Anniversary edition is one to treasure...   December 1, 2005
Byron Kolln (the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood)
17 out of 18 found this review helpful

This lovely new 40th Anniversary 2-disc edition of THE SOUND OF MUSIC is a real treat. But, for those in a quandry about buying yet another DVD release of the film (following the "Five Star" 2-disc edition), I say, buy this version but keep the old one too, because it has some great extras that were not ported onto this new edition (more about that later).

THE SOUND OF MUSIC is of course based on the long-running 1959 hit Broadway musical that originally starred Mary Martin. The musical was inspired by a Geman film called "Die Trapp Famile", based on the book by Maria Augusta Trapp. The story is as well-known as those hills that truly did come alive with the sound of music: Maria (Julie Andrews) is a postulant nun at the Nonnberg Abbey in Salzburg circa 1938. The Mother Abbess (Peggy Wood) becomes well-aware that the spirited Maria is hardly suited to the cloistered life of a nun. So Maria is assigned as governess to the seven children of an autocratic widower, Captain Georg von Trapp (Christopher Plummer). Like a breath of fresh mountain air, Maria transforms the children and eventually steals the Captain's heart away from a worldly Baroness (Eleanor Parker). But the Nazi Anschluss is coming, and the family's safety is under threat...

This new DVD contains a wealth of new bonus material including :
"Audio Commentary" - brand new commentary track with Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, choreographer Dee Dee Wood and Charmian Carr amongst others. The Robert Wise director commentary (from the "5 Star" release) is also included.

"A Few of My Favourite Things" - Julie Andrews hosts this generous-length documentary which features new interviews with key cast and production team members, some rare photos, footage from behind the scenes and more.

"Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer: A Reminiscence" - Julie and Chris sit down and share their memories from the film.

"From Liesl to Gretl: A 40th Anniversary Reunion" - This is something truly special. This segment reunites all seven von Trapp children to share their own memories and talk about the film. With Charmian Carr (Liesl), Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich), Heather Menzies (Louisa), Duane Chase (Kurt), Angela Cartwright (Brigitta), Debbie Turner (Marta) and Kym Karath (Gretl).

"On Location with The Sound of Music" - Charmian Carr takes us on a personally-guided tour of Salzburg, taking in the historical sites as well as the locations featured in the film. This is a cute update on "Salzburg Sights and Sounds", which Carr made as a featurette during production of SOM in 1965 (and which can be found on the "5 Star" release).

"When You Know the Notes to Sing: A Sing-Along Phenomenon" - This takes a look behind the scenes during the 40th Anniversary "Sing-Along a-Sound of Music" screening held at the Hollywood Bowl with an audience of over 18,00 people. The "Sing Along" version of the film has taken off all over the world, and this featurette gives you a definite flavour of one.

"The von Trapp Family: Harmony and Discord" - This is the fantastic `Biography' episode which takes an in-depth look at the real von Trapp clan. We learn that the real Maria was a far more flawed and fallible human being than we ever saw in "Sound of Music", and also the shocking fact that infamous Himmler took over the von Trapp villa shortly after their exit from Salzburg. Featuring interviews with several of the real von Trapp children.

"Mia Farrow screen test" - A fascinating look at the girl who might have played Liesl if Charmian Carr was never cast in the role. Farrow sings a brief section of "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" in a blonde wig. Lesley Ann Warren also auditioned for the role (she appeared in the title role of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" instead), but it might have been nice to have had Lesley's screen test also. Oh well...

"Restoration comparison" - Compares a 1993 print of the film with the new 40th Anniversary restored print.

There are also copious trailers and galleries to watch and explore.

The "Five Star" double disc set also included the fabulous doco "From Fact to Phenomenon", and that is the main reason why I'll keep my old DVD alongside this new version. I recommend that all fans purchase this new edition, if only for the reunion featurette. For those who have yet to buy SOM in digital format, this release is a no-brainer.


This has been a great thing to share with my daughter.   July 3, 2004
16 out of 17 found this review helpful

I grew up with this video and watched it on TV every year. The songs have always stuck in my head. I even did the Sound of Music Tour when I was in Austria. But now I've got my daughter introduced to this beautiful music. This and the Wizard of Oz are her favorites.

I bought the easy piano scores for her to play the songs on the piano, and singing lessons on CD "Voice Lessons TO GO", by Vaccarino (They're great and a lot cheaper than private voice lessons!) for her, (even though I use them when she's at school). So she is confident to sing along while she plays her Edelweis and Do a Dear. We love it.