Camelot and Tony Plays on DVD

Prolific thespian Richard Harris has reprised his role of King Arthur once again, as he takes to the small screen in Acorn Media's DVD release of Lerner & Loewe's "Camelot."  Capturing on home video for the first time the 1980's HBO television special, the timeless love story of Arthur, Queen Guenevere (Meg Bussert) and Lancelot (Richard Muenz) is a great accomplishment in the stage-to-screen catalog.

Harris was no stranger to the role of Arthur when he performed it at Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre, as he first immortalized the royal part nearly 15 years earlier in the Hollywood adaptation.  Interestingly, Harris was not the first choice for the extensive Camelot tour, which this television special was culled from over several nights in New York, as Richard Burton had initially performed the lead role, bowing out following illness.

The recasting of Harris is of great benefit to viewers of this disc, as he delivers a masterful performance as the distressed king, though his aged look lends to a slightly comical appearance next to the adorable Bussert.  With an angelic voice, Bussert is touching as the object of both Arthur and Lancelot's affection.  And Muenz is an able knight, providing a blameless turn as Lancelot.

Included with the DVD is a wonderful recollection of the taping process by Bussert, in which she describes the restaging of certain scenes to capture close-ups and more screen friendly shots.  Such close-ups are key to the magnificence of the HBO special, rising to the ranks as one of the most successful filmed stage productions.  The fact that much of the filming took place without an audience present goes mostly unnoticed, save for the fade outs between scenes.

Unfortunately the special features are rather lacking, simply providing bios of Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Lowe and Harris, plus a copy of the original Broadway Playbill.  Presented in 4:3 full screen color video, "Camelot" is a fine addition to any Broadway home video collection.  ($29.99).

Acorn Media has made their theatrical DVD release a double billing, as they have also made available "The Best of the Tony Awards – The Plays," individually for the first time.  Contained on this single disc are 19 Tony Award performances ranging from 1969 to 2003. 

For those without the already released "Broadways Lost Treasures" box set (which includes this DVD), the sheer historic value many of these one-time performances hold is worth the purchase for any theatre fan. 

Tony Award winning actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein adds his loveable touch as host for the compilation, introducing some not to be missed clips.  Selecting a standout performance from the bunch proves rather difficult, though James Earl Jones and Courtney Vance in Fences pack quite a punch.  Joe Mantegna and Ron Silver master a scene from Mamet's Speed-The-Plow alongside Charles Dutton, Rocky Carroll and S. Epatha Merkerson in The Piano Lesson.  ($19.99).

The complete list of included performances is:

James Earl Jones, Jane Alexander, cast, THE GREAT WHITE HOPE
Gary Sinise, Tim Sampson, cast, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST
Maggie Smith, Margaret Tyzack, LETTICE AND LOVAGE
John Lithgow, B. D. Wong, M. BUTTERFLY
Robert Prosky, Sam Waterston, A WALK IN THE WOODS
Annette Benning, Timothy Daly, COASTAL DISTURBANCES
Robert Klein, Jane Alexander, Madeline Kahn, SISTERS ROSENSWEIG
Art Carney, Anna Manahan, LOVERS
Joan Allen, Peter Friedman, THE HEIDI CHRONICLES
Michele Lee, Linda Lavin, Tony Roberts, THE TALE OF THE ALLERGIST'S WIFE
Joe Mantegna, Ron Silver, SPEED-THE-PLOW
Philip Bosco, Victor Garber, LEND ME A TENOR
Charles S. Dutton, Rocky Carroll, Carl Gordon, S. Epatha Merkerson, THE PIANO LESSON
James Earl Jones, Courtney B. Vance, FENCES
Viola Davis, Brian Stokes Mitchell, KING HEDLEY II
Ed Hall, Delroy Lindo, Mel Winkler, JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE
Kevin Kline, HAMLET
Len Cariou, LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT
Morgan Freeman, AS YOU LIKE IT

Both DVD's can be purchased directly through Acorn Media at www.acornonline.com or any home video retailer.