Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1999) (V)

Director:

David Mallet

Writer:

Tim Rice (book)

Release Date:

5 April 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Musical

Tagline:

Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber's Classic Family Musical

Plot:

A humourously musical retelling of the Biblical story of Joseph.

Plot Keywords:

Joseph | Pharaoh | Slavery | Bare Chested Male | Old Testament

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Donny Osmond	...	Joseph
Maria Friedman	...	Narrator
Richard Attenborough	...	Jacob
Joan Collins	...	Mrs. Potiphar
Christopher Biggins	...	The Baker
Robert Torti	...	Pharaoh
Alex Jennings	...	Butler
Nicholas Colicos	...	Reuben
Ian McNeice	...	Potiphar
Jeff Blumenkrantz	...	Simeon
David J. Higgins	...	Levi
Patrick Clancey	...	Isaachar
Shaun Henson	...	Napthali
Martin Callaghan	...	Asher
Sebastien Torkia	...	Dan

Also Known As:

Great Performances: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (USA) (series title)

Runtime:

76 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:G | UK:E

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Really Useful Films

Trivia:

Several of the cast members were already veterans of the musical. Nicholas Colicos, Michael Small, Amanda Courtney-Davies and Wayne Fowkes all played the same roles at the London Palladium in 1991 (with Patrick Clancy playing the same role as well as the Baker). And in the Broadway production in 1993, Robert Torti and Gerry McIntyre also played the same roles as here. Donny Osmond himself had also played Joseph several times in U.S. tours. Also, all the sets and costume designs are based on the Los Angeles version.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: During the Jacob & Sons number when each of the brothers introduce themselves, Levi says his name and accidentally bumps into the Narrator who is clearly caught off guard.

Quotes:

Reuben: When I think of his last great battle, A lump comes to my throat. It Takes a man who knows no fear to wrestle... with a goat.

Movie Connections:

Version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (1991) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Close Every Door

Ah, a return to my own childhood

Nearly thirty years ago, the church choir I was a member of staged an entertainment evening, the first half of which was a 45-minute 'sung story' called Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Nearly thirty years on, and I have a chance to show my own children what a wondrous musical this was and continues to be.

I also have to confess that, when I first heard of this release, I was one of those people who went 'Donny Osmond???!!??'. Again, this was coloured by memories of 30-odd years of knowing him as a 70's teenybopper, but I have to admit that I was very pleasently surprised by his performance here. The years he spent playing Joseph on stage show in his performance, and it also made me forget Jason Donovan or Philip Schofield in the part.

The film succeeds both by acknowledging the most recent stage productions, and returning to its roots. It was originally written as a school stage show, and the prologue in the assembly hall returns to it to the original setting. Having the teachers (and yes, I took a double take on Joan Collins on the piano) go on to be the singers and actors grounds the film, and the opening up of the stage setting is done without ever letting you forget it was a stage show.

The support cast are all good - it's especially satisfying to see the likes of Richard Attenborough and Christopher Biggins doing musicals again after nearly 30 years as well. Joan Collins has a whale of a time as Mrs Potiphar, and Pharaoh gets down and rocks with the best of them. Maria Freidman as the narrator shows her vocal range to perfection - currently she is the main attraction in the stage show of Witches of Eastwick.

All in all, good family fun, and worth watching with your kids.