Fri, Mar 14, 1986
Film of the legendary 1985 concert performance presented by the New York Philharmonic of Stephen Sondheim's classic musical at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. The plot of the musical centers around a reunion of showgirls who appeared in an annual Follies extravaganza when it was staged between the wars. Sally and Phyllis are two of these former showgirls, now middle-aged. Sally is married to Buddy, and Phyllis is married to Ben. Sally is unhappy with Buddy, and still is madly in love with Ben after a brief affair they had when they were younger. Phyllis is going to divorce Ben, so all seems right. But the reason Phyllis is divorcing Ben is because he is incapable of showing real, genuine love. Will Sally truly be happy if she leaves Buddy and marries Ben? Okay, the plot isn't much, but the songs are wonderful. The show features frequent "pastiche numbers" in which other former showgirls perform numbers in the style of the period in which this Follies was staged. These numbers, juxtaposed against the moving "book songs," make for a truly brilliant score.
Fri, Mar 7, 1986
The life and work of the great composer Irving Berlin, tracking his work against the history of 20th century America, its ups and downs, in war and peace, progress and sentiments. Interviews with many of the people who worked with him and knew him best. And appearances in many film and television excerpts of the leading performance artists of our time, including Fanny Brice, Eddie Cantor, Al Jolson, Harry Richman, Rudy Vallee, Fred Astaire, Kate Smith, Jack Benny, John Raitt, Betty Hutton, Ethel Merman, Willie Nelson, Diana Ross, Linda Ronstadt and many others.
Fri, Oct 17, 1986
A documentary on the music of Miles Davis which contains concert footage from the1986 New Orleans Jazz Festival and interviews with Miles Davis, Bill Cosby, Keith Jarrett, Dizzy Gillespie, Gil Evans, George Benson, Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams and Robben Lee Ford. Music includes "Human Nature", "Al Jarreau, "Blues for Pablo", "Human Nature", "So What" and "Time After Time."