My ALL TIME FAVORITE and a MUST see for any "musical" enthusiast. Good story and video and the best music around. Fun for the entire family.

Oklahoma! (50th Anniversary Edition) was very good! It looked as if it was filmed in a modern-day style. I loved it and highly recommend this product to everyone! "OKLAHOMA your O-K"

I bought this for Mother's Day because my mom loved this show and knew all the tunes. Even though she has Alzheimers now and can't always remember who I am she can still sing along with the show and remember most of the words. It brings her such joy.

I bought the single disc version that was released in 1999 and the disc says that this is the Todd-AO version and so to fully appreciate the merits of an even wider than usual presentation, the film is shown here in a letterbox format which on my widescreen plasma tv just doesn't quite do it for me. I have to say that the clarity is good in that it is a lot better than what I've been used to when it comes to films of that era and comparing with films like "Rebel Without a Cause" and even "The Searchers" I have to say that just the clearness and the detail really impressed me.

The opening credits looked strange and it looked as if for me to truly appreciate the Todd-AO process I would need to wear 3-D glasses as that was what the opening credits looked like to me like one of those old movies at the drive in that required you to put on your 3-D glasses otherwise the film looked strange. However, after the opening credits, the rest of the film was okay except that the letterbox format made the film appear really small on my widescreen and I had to sit forward to enjoy the film. The sound quality had a 5.1 surround option and has been THX mastered but does not sound as good as other similar dvds with this option that I'd heard but it was nice to have this option anyway. The problem is that the spoken dialogue especially at the start was occasionally very soft but the singing parts suddenly had volume increases which bothered me a bit but I guess that shows that not enough effort was put into the proper mastering required for a 5.1 surround treatment. There are also a few frames of imperfections in terms of picture quality such as the usual culprits of white spots etc that should be cleaned up with the new and modern equipment with computers etc that they have nowadays at their disposal.

The storyline drags on just a little but I always liked "Oklahoma" for the quality of the songs anyway and so I wasn't too bothered about that as the songs are brilliantly performed and for me still stand the test of time as all classics do. I never grow tired of listening to them especially my favourites "Surrey With the Fringe On Top" and "People Will Say We're In Love." With the advent of Blu-ray, I'm hoping the powers that be will somehow adapt the Todd-AO so that we get as much of the benefits as possible but adapted to plasma widescreens as frankly the letterbox format doesn't do it for me and seems like a waste of much of the screen that is in black on the top and bottom. Also, they have to improve upon the sound quality.

Overall, this is still a good dvd but if they make the above improvements for the Blu-ray version, I'll certainly be interested in "upgrading". I'm a big fan of musicals and while the storyline isn't brilliant and in fact can get a little boring at times and the music isn't the greatest ever, this is overall when you put everything together still a great musical and strikes a chord with me that I can hardly put down in words and yet it is still my favourite musical of all time. I guess the best I can describe it is that it gives me that unique "Oklahoma Experience" just like a Jimi Hendrix performance where it's not just listening and viewing but you have to experience the whole package.

I hope you enjoy this too as much as I have over the years although you may want to wait and see what they do with the Blu-ray version. Perhaps some techniques like the Todd-AO process cannot do justice to the viewer unless it is viewed in the way it was meant to i.e. on the large screen of a properly equipped movie theatre and so any attempts at replicating the Todd-AO experience will fall short every time on dvd? If my suspicions are correct then I hope the upcoming Blu-ray version will have both the "normal" Cinemascope and the Todd-AO version to satisfy all camps but of course with all necessary improvements stated above included.

I ordered Oklahoma because I couldn't find it in any local store and our high school was getting ready to start production! It was extremely fast shipping and the movie was brand new--just as promised! This is a great old classic that I am proud to have in my collection!

It is nice to see a musical set in the Wild West era. The main thing that holds me back from considering this a worthy film is the message given to the one fellow to commit suicide. The reasoning being that he will be remembered then. It is all done very lightheartedly, but still that seems to be a rather peculiar message. And one that keeps this from being a family film, I do believe. Some of the other songs are rather enjoyable, however.

This has to be the best Rodgers and Hammerstein musical after "The Sound of Music"! I love the opening scene where Gordon MacRae comes riding in on his horse in the middle of the huge corn field singing "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'..." It has some fabulous songs! I think that is my favorite part! The main point is these two men, Curly (Gordon MacRae), the handsome cowboy, and Judd, the hired hand both love Laurey Williams (Shirley Jones). Both of them ask her to the dance, but she chooses Judd just to make Curly jealous. But she soon realizes she loves Curly!

The other reviews I was reading said how horrible this 50th. Anniversary DVD was, but my sister and I bought this for my Mom for her birthday and it played fine in the DVD player and on our laptop.

Arguably the most historically important musical in Broadway history ("Show Boat" would be its only rival), "Oklahoma" inarguably has the most arresting if not dazzling opening. We're placed smack dab in the middle of the ripe corn fields of Oklahoma and swept into the freshest, most colorful and vibrant summer morning ever captured on film--accompanied by the inviting "O" vowel that first lures us with "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" and will eventually seal the deal with "OOOOOOklahoma!" And before we've recovered from this bracing beginning, we're as captivated as Shirley Jones is by Gordon McCrae's musical-visual picture of a "Surrey With the Fringe on Top." No film let alone musical has a more spectacular beginning, and though it's impossible to sustain this level of exhilaration (for one thing, Rodgers and Hammerstein's second acts always tend to be anticlimactic), the total experience is still the most "cinematic" of all the R&H screen adaptations ("Sound of Music" is its closest competitor cinematically, though not even close musically).

The producers of this edition do a disservice to the film by the inclusion of the Todd-A-O disc which, in its unrestored state, would best be represented by a footnote in the accompanying notes. Moreover, the problem of sizing a 4:3 letterbox film to a 16:9 screen will best be dealt with when a hi-def version is available. Until then, best hang on to your old copy.

We are trying to replace things we lost during Katrina. We lost the movie and the album. This helps restore some of the lost items. It is also a classic movie and we love it.

Oklahoma is celebrating it's 100th birthday and what better way to salute our great state than by showing "Oklahoma!" ! Using the 50th anniversary CD was just perfect. The sound and color were fantastic. Couldn't have asked for better!! The additional CD had extra "goodies" on it. We gave the CD collection away as a door prize so I know whoever won it has a treasure!

Well, I've read all the reviews of the 50th anniversary edition, which I have not yet bought, but I bought the laser disc Todd A-O edition that came out some years ago, and also the DVD version that was issued in 1999. Here I have a question. Is there a difference between the 1999 DVD version and the one that's on the 50th anniversary edition that has been so thoroughly lambasted by most of the reviewers here at amazon? I ask this because I'm sitting here looking at the 1999 Todd A-O DVD on a 768 Line HD Plasma TV, and I must say that it looks utterly stunning! THe sound is as crisp and rich as the laser disc, and the picture is actually an improvement. My only complaint is that the skin tones are not quite true; but this I easily fixed by adjusting the color tint on my TV. The picture here is bright and crisp. So this leads me to wonder if something terrible happened to the Todd A-O transfer somewhere between the 1999 version and the one contained on the more recent 50th anniversary edition. Can somebody who has both versions (or all three, if you count the laser disc version) shed some light on this mystery?

The 50th anniversary DVD of Rogers & Hammerstein's "Oklahoma" is a gem. The colors and sounds are clean and clear and rich. Gordon MacRae's voice and Shirley Jones' voice are both nuanced and lovely.

Maybe it takes one years to truly appreciate the depth and power of this piece and what it might have meant to America in 1943 when it first appeared on Broadway.

This version restores all that original magic.

Oklahoma! (I didn't forget the exclamation point in the title) is a great musical and a great movie. Not wimpy or silly in the slightest, this Rodgers and Hammerstein story rocks! From good music and strong characters and performances, to a setting that carries the gaze out toward the all-but endless sky, to one of the most delightfully macabre and humorous tunes ever penned, the "Pore Jud Is Daid" piece used in the scene in which the hero, Curley, tries to talk the villainous Jud Frye into suicide by invoking images of the lovely funeral he'd have...that had me rolling. Oklahoma! is a darn good old-fashioned sort of production, and I bet it'll pleasantly surprise a lot of first-time viewers as much as it did me.

I am watching most of the Rodger's and Hammerstein musicals for the first time and I started with "The King And I" which I really liked. "Oklahoma" was my second choice and I didn't like it as much. I hate to say it,but there was too much singing in this movie! I know it is a musical,but it seemed like a minute didn't go by without someone bursting into song. I also didn't think most of the songs were all that great! It was nice to see a young Shirley Jones in this beautiful looking film, but it just wasn't for me. If you are a fan I think this 50th anniversay edition is an excellent value with a very good transfer and many extras.

These songs were instant hits from the time the show first appeared. I was around in that era, and I remember them well. They still work, in spite of being old-fashioned. The story, however, although I didn't think anything of it at the time, now strikes me as distinctly weird. There is a strangely sinister undercurrent being played out behind the front line, and it seems to be: If you don't fit in with the rest of us, like if you're a pedlar or a hired hand, get lost. In fact, we'll help you on your way, and may even try to persuade you to hang yourself. Is this the recommended tactic for a straight-shooting ideal cowboy? The dream, or substance-induced nightmare, dance sequence is very strange, and someone else has commented on the way it doesn't match the rest of the presentation. It seems to be dredged up from some suppressed vision of darkness, perhaps faintly similar to the hidden side of wholesome America in Lynch's Blue Velvet. Very curious. The music and lyrics are highly memorable. Wotcha gonna do if a fella gets flirty --- spit in his eye? It's a pity Jud won't keep, but it's summer, and we're runnin' outta ice.

I haven't watched this DVD yet as I also have Oklahoma in VHS; only purchased the DVD to take when traveling.

Though the film is long and contains a fairly high corn factor, it's also visually stunning, and truly soars whenever the music and dancing starts, with peerless renditions of "People Will Say We're In Love," "The Surrey With The Fringe On The Top," and the immortal title tune. The dance numbers, choreographed by Agnes de Mille, are original and exuberant, while Steiger and Gloria Grahame turn in fine performances, respectively playing the dastardly Jud and the naively amorous Ado Annie, "the girl who can't say no."

The music is great as well as the singing and acting. This movie is a visual treat for the eyes and it has great dancing as well. If you love musicals (particularly those made in the 40's 50's and 60's) than you will love this movie. While this movie has a dark side for the most part it reflects the optimism that seems to be so much a part of the American character. Watch it you will enjoy it.

I was so disappointed on receipt of the Oklahoma DVD that it would not work outside of the USA. I am sure it is well the cost.

This version of "Oklahoma" will always remain my favorite. Gordon McRae and Shirley Jones are sheer perfection. Every single Rodgers and Hammerstein song including "Oh What a Beautiful Morning,""People Will Say We're in Love," "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top," "I'm Just a Girl Who Can't Say No," and the title song are romantic, humorous, original and beautifully sung and directed. This show is considered the quintessential American musical and after experiencing the amazing on-location sets, costumes, choreography by Martha Graham, dream sequence, and charming and delightful overall mood of this movie, you'll be humming these tunes for days!

One of Rodgers and Hammerstein's best. I think 4.5 would be more accurate. But not quite up to "The Sound of Music", or "The King and I"

The musical was a virtual voyage back to my childhood when I saw it for the first time. My husband is no "square" and he enjoyed it all. Seniors would love to see it again. The film was obviously preserved well and the color was enriched beautifully for this dvd.

Excellent quality. Would work with Amazon again. Fast service. Very pleased.

Very good shipping time. received package within 3 days. The dvd was brand new as stated, that doesn't happen that often. Thank you and I WILL be using Amazon.com from now on. KE from OHIO

I got the DVD on time and it looks as good as described.

I absolutely love Oklahoma - one of my all-time favorites! Too bad the display is reduced to a thin 6" wide ribbon, leaving 2/3 of the screen blank. I'd really like to see product descriptions indicate the viewing size, or lack thereof! There's no way I'd purchase a mini-screen marvel if I knew better.

I received the DVD promptly and in good condition. It was a Christmas gift for my daughter, she has enjoyed watching it again and again.

I got this for my boyfriend's mother for Christmas. She simply loved it. I had seen it years ago and thought the musical was awesome. I got the best price at Amazon.com

This is the musical which best portrays middle, pioneering America. This rates right up there with Porgy and Bess, West Side Story and South Pacific. The storyline is timeless and the anniversary edition was done so well that you are right there in the scene with the cast.

In response to the missive from 20th Century Fox posted on down that the Todd-AO version was in such a bad state that even running the film through a wet gate could not bring it back to life, I say, give me a break! Think about it, the TODD-AO version sat in a vault for 40 years until a stunning version was made for the Laser disc market in the mid-1990's. And then in the last 10 years, with the studios more aware than ever of the (financial) importance of film preservation, the TODD-AO version was allowed to lapse into a state of disintegration. Who's kidding who? Hey Fox, how about pulling the other leg, why don'tcha!

The musical is blessed with so many easy-to-hum tunes and simple lyrics, which make it such a delight to watch. The outdoor scenes are well captured and the people are young and energetic.

There is also one very appealing factor - Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones make a perfect couple. When they sing the duet and swing with the melody, one can feel the happiness radiating from their faces. And Gordon MacRae sings his part with the most expression while Roy Steiger is the villain whose life begs sympathy. Shirley Jones is so special that fighting for her hand is inevitable.

The modern version of Oklahoma (Hugh Jackman) is another successful adaptation with strong voice, stage arrangement and acting. Nevertheless, this 1955 version is still one that gives great delight to those who loves music and countryside.

I specifically waited to buy this on DVD hoping to get a Todd-AO version and not just the Cinemascope version. The freaking Laserdisc looks better than this! I, for one, will not be buying any more "special editions" without reading the reviews in Amazon or elsewhere when it comes to 20th Century ripoff. This release reminds me of all the 20Th Laserdiscs that were first released when laser was just starting out and how poorly the transfers were treated...now it seems we're right back to the good old bad transfer days of yore. Yuk, I recommend that no one buy ANY of their discs (especially the upcoming crappy versions of STAR WARS non-anamorphic, non-5.1 sound original movies). These people suck big time!
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A true musical theater classic. Wonderful melodies that will last for years to come.
Other classics not to forget about are:
Mary Poppins
My Fair Lady
The Wizard of Oz
Chitty Chitty Bang Band
The first Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Sound of Music
Oliver
West Side Story
Fiddler on the Roof
Singing in the Rain
The Wiz
Little Mermaid
Aladdin
Beauty and the Beast
Grease
The King and I
Oklahoma
The Music Man
South Pacific

My Voice Students are always asking me for recommendations so I though I'd post it for all! We can't forget about these great musicals!

Like several others, I agree that the Cinemascope version was well presented, but what a disappointment as far as the Todd-ao digital transfer! The original release I bought in 1999 gives a much clearer and brighter Todd-ao version that gives you a much better idea of what the original may have looked like. I enjoyed seeing "The Miracle of Todd-ao" again, but similarly the realism that was present in the original was lost, either due to poor quality of stock or inabilty to be able to digitally correct and sharpen the image. (I find it hard to imagine that Fox couldn't resore it better).There was an apology printed on our Region 4 version.

Bought this item in April 2006 and don't find the Todd-AO version as bad as described. It looks OK on a 32" non-HDTV screen but the degradation is noticeable when run on my computer's HDTV-like 19" screen.

The movie is timeless - accept it as Hollywood fluff, sit back and enjoy the outstanding dancing, rousing music that sometimes approaches the heroic, clever lyrics and actors in atypical roles. I wish they would show this in movie houses again as it cries out for big screen treatment. Until then, this two-set DVD will have to do, warts and all.

For the film buff it is worth the price just for the comparison between the two versions. The movie was shot twice to accommodate the different cameras. Checking them out reveal subtle and not so subtle variations (the opening scene of "Kansas City" for instance) due to the angles and freshness of the actors and dancers (Todd-AO better in this respect, IMHO). There's also the scene in "Kansas City" where Will breaks through the packing case -- in CinemaScope he does it right, in Todd-AO only one foot breaks through and he is only kept from falling by Lizanne Truex's quick reaction.

I suggest that on your second viewing, concentrate on the two young girls who form an on-going sub-plot as teens infatuated with Will. They appear in every dance scene and almost attain co-star status yet are referred to only as "Dancers" in the credits. Pay particular attention to the pixie-like blonde, Lizanne Truex, who is emphasized throughout the film moreso than her partner, Jane Fischer. An outstanding and very talented actress/dancer who unfortunately didn't appear in any other films - a loss to the trade IMHO. She also had three one-liners, which is unusual for ensemble dancers.

Check out my profile's website for my tribute to her as well as the IMDb "Oklahoma" message board discussion titled "Who are the 2 dancers?" for recently discovered details about her. Recognition is long overdue.