Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1999)

I'll tell you why so serious

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The acting in this movie is really good.

I really love musicals, and this is one of my favorites. Of course it's silly and nonsensical, but who cares! I watch my DVD of this musical when I'm depressed and need a lift. Pure escapism! I've also seen it on stage three times, and I have loved it every time. There are some differences between the stage production and the movie, but both are very entertaining.This production is staged like a 60's show, and that just adds to the fun.Donny Osmond makes a great Joseph, and the other actors do a good job too. Nice!

I had never heard of this show 20-some years ago when I went with friends to see a local amateur production because their son played one of the brothers. The witty lyrics, the catchy tunes, the sheer creativity of throwing all those different musical styles together in the same show… wow. I went right out and bought the soundtrack.Then I saw this version in the TV listings and my first thought was: oh no, NOT Donny Osmond. Well, I'm still not a fan of his, really, but I thought he was absolutely perfect as Joseph. In fact, I'm not an Andrew Lloyd Webber devotee either, but that doesn't stop me from loving this show. The whole thing was fabulous, all of the casting choices (with the exception of Joan Collins… ugh) were perfect, and it's so entertaining I've probably seen it 20 times. I even recommended it to my elderly father, who is religious enough to require kind of a heads-up disclaimer for something like this that treats a Bible story with less than straight- faced reverence… he enjoyed it so much he bought the DVD.Highly recommend, but if you have little kids you might want to preview it to make sure the costumes are something you're okay with… some of them are a bit skimpy, but being child-free myself it wasn't a concern.

Boy, I wish we had assemblies like this when I was in school!I was introduced to Andrew Lloyd Webber and the wonderful lyricist Tim Rice through Jesus Christ Superstar. Joseph is somewhat of a cousin to that show but it is a different kettle of fish at the same time. It is clearly designed to be accessible to school children-- which is great. Kids are an audience worthy of being catered to and it's wonderful to see them becoming involved in the arts, as the DVD extras show us that English schools host their own productions. But Dreamcoat also holds much for adults who are willing to forgo pretensions in favor of fun. This is not classical theatre but it is enjoyable lightweight popular theatre, accessible to anyone with an appreciation for the wacky and zany. In short, it is entertaining. It is good music with a good message for kids--and Tim Rice's lyrics are witty as ever. Another thing this is not, however, is a religious show. Parents, note that this isn't to the Bible for kids. It's not a Christian (or Jewish) perspective; rather, it is universal. Joseph and friends are depicted no differently than if they were figures in Greek or Norse mythology; there is no special reverence nor special disdain, although the approach is light-hearted and fun-loving. It's another story. At one point, Maria Friedman, playing narrator, stumbles and drops her Bible, telegraphing that this is a non-traditionalist, possibly off-center treatment of scripture, one that absolutely requires a taste for the whimsical.I've sadly never seen the show on stage, which m I'd love to, but I do see how this rendition could disappoint one in search of the purely theatrical. However, one of two things I like is actually dependent on the filmic medium. The story is bookended as a play children are watching in school. When Joseph emerges, it becomes a blend of reality and fantasy. The lines are blurred and the action is effectively placed in a unique realm that, I find, engages the imagination. It's a bit of a throwback to the like of the 1973 film of Jesus Christ Superstar, which similarly bookends its main story as a performance of sorts. Except Dreamcoat is presented ideally for connecting with kids. At the same time, this presentation is strongly theatrical on other ways and I really appreciate getting a bit of the theatrical experience in the living room, as I do love theatre.The other thing I really like is the sheer variety. There's '50s-style rock 'n' roll with the classic Go, Go Joseph and Pharo's Dream, an outrageous Elvis imitation. There's a faux country/western ballad as Joe's bros deliciously pretend to mourn him. And there's a wonderful calypso that will get stuck in your head for days. Webber takes a pantheon of popular music styles that people love and weaves them together in storytelling. That's pop theatre. It seems typical of Webber and it's similar to the musical brilliance that makes Superstar a classic of fantastic appeal. Dreamcoat is cut from the same cloth, dyed in different hues.As to the cast, the all-star approach seems over the top but it's always nice seeing Richard Attenborough (Jacob). And I've never followed Osmond but I crest him for a good performance, making Joe warn and radiant. Watching him with the kids is a joy. The ending Coat of Many Colors sequence is marvelous, as we see the kids form a unified body of many colors on stage, and the bookending number, Any Dream Will Do, can stand as a classic entirely on its own (more so than Joseph's slower ballad while in prison). The supporting cast is uniformly excellent, especially Judah, Pharo, the butler, and the baker. Friedman is amusing if over the top as narrator, a device that seems conceived to help kids understand the story. I recognized Englishman Ian McNiece as Potiphar, a delightful performance of a colorful characterization, not to be missed.In short, Dreamcoat lives up to its title: the characters are all colorful. The music is fun and the themes poignant. The story and music conjure and help to preserve a spirit of dreaming and daring to have and glorify dreams and hope, as well as a spirit of love and unity. Which is beautiful. This show could also serve as a fun way to introduce kids to musical theatre. The upbeat music, goofiness, and presence of kids in the story should help draw kids in. If I chose two words to describe Dreamcoat, they would be "color" and "dreams", two things children should not be short of. Everyone should sew a Dreamcoat.

First I'll admit I am a huge Osmond fan, doesn't matter which one, I just am (and always have been). Second, this is the best Broadway musical I have personally seen, I am sure there are a lot more shows out there that are better, I just haven't seen them yet.The costumes, music, voices and dancers are all so perfectly chosen for this film. I was amazed when I first watched it. The story is quite close to the Bible story, without going into too much detail. I love the use of many of the actors as multiple characters.I knew this movie was a hit when I showed it to my husband, daughter and son and all three loved it immediately. It also helps, for those of you who may not like the Osmonds, to know that when Donny auditioned for this part, Andrew Lloyd Weber asked him where he has been all this time. Andrew personally chose Donny to take on the film role. From what I understand there were several well seasoned former Joseph's who could have done this role, but Andrew wanted Donny.