'The Best of the Danny Kaye Show'
(Danny Kaye, Gene Kelly, Ella Fitzgerald, et al / 2-Disc DVD / NR / 2014 / MVDvisual)
Overview: With a primary focus on the multi-talented Danny Kaye - singing and dancing his way through comedy skits and monologues - assisted by semi-regular guests, singers, dancers and orchestra, this is 'The Best of' what the man had to offer from his beloved TV show.
DVD Verdict: To give you a peek into what to expect here, one skit sticks out from the others as being, well, simply old school hilariously divine! He plays a long-haired classical piano maestro - in full tux and tails - sitting down majestically on his piano stool before a full orchestra. He then begins to strike the keys of the grand piano in the intro of what we can only expect to then hear something like Thaikovsky's Piano Concerto #1 ... but it quickly turns out to be 'Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia'!
The studio audience roar, so do I as his long hair flails about as he pounds on the piano keys. The orchestral musical accompaniment is worthy of any classical music concert hall, or orchestra you have ever heard on NPR. This skit is a true Danny Kaye classic, but sadly no one does this kind of stuff any more. What a shame.
The rest of this wonderful 2-disc set includes a spoof of 'The Twilight Zone' with Rod Sterling, and performances of Danny Kaye classics, 'Pavlova,' 'Ballin' the Jack,' and 'You Make Me Feel So Strong,' 'Pennies From Heaven,' and a rollicking duet with Harry Belafonte on 'Hava Nagila.' Yep, these six uncut episodes, that also feature Ella Fitzgerald, Gene Kelly and Liza Minnelli are a real, true blessing to now behold in this remastered DVD collection. This is a Full Screen Presentation (1.33:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.
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