Mad About Music Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

Mad About Music Blu-ray Movie Review

A charming musical-comedy which will please cinema aficionados.

Mad About Music is a delightful confection as a musical comedy. Nominated for 4 Academy Awards, Mad About Music is full of charm and wonder from beginning to end. Based on an original story penned by Marcella Burke (The Toy Tiger) and Frederick Kohner (The Lady and the Monster), Mad About Music is well worth seeing for classic cinema enthusiasts. Produced by Joe Pasternak (In the Good Old Summertime, Please Don't Eat the Daisies) and starring Hollywood legend Deanna Durbin.

Gwen Taylor (Gail Patrick) is a celebrated actress who is forced to hide-away her 14 year old teenage daughter, Gloria Harkinson (Deanna Durbin). The film studio doesn't want to tarnish Gwen's image (which would hurt box-office ticket sales). Sent to a boarding school, Gloria invents stories to tell school-girls at her boarding school about: creating stories about an imaginary father-figure who traverses the globe. When Gloria manages to convince composer Mr. Harkinson (Herbert Marshall) to help fill the role of her fictitious father, trouble ensues (and adventure unfolds). A fun journey ahead!

The most wonderful element of Mad About Music is the sheer star-power of Deanna Durbin. Her charming personality radiates throughout the film. Durbin has a wonderful personality and her performance helps to carry the filmmaking. With style and wit, Durbin carries the show.

The art direction by Jack Otterson (First Love, The Boys from Syracuse) adds to the filmmaking experience as well. The sets are well designed and make a nice impression. The costumes are outstanding and are another example of the great skills of Vera West (Smooth as Silk, Night in Paradise).

A must-see performance by star Deanna Durbin.

The cinematography by Joseph A. Valentine (Shadow of a Doubt, Mad About Music) shines brightly. The black-and-white cinematography adds to the experience. The efforts of Valentine are quite compelling. A beautiful looking film that is easy to become lost within.

The music score composed by Charles Previn (Hero for a Day, For Love or Money) and Frank Skinner (Portrait in Black, Madame X) adds a beautiful serenity to the filmmaking as well. The score provides charm, wonder, and subtle delights to the production.

The screenplay penned by Bruce Manning (So Goes My Love, Roaming Lady) and Felix Jackson (Lady on a Train, I'll Be Yours) has plenty of unique charms: Mad About Music has well-written characters and lots of great lines. The pace of the script is managed well. The storytelling has a nice flow.

Norman Taurog (Room for One More, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer) capably directs Mad About Music and assembles a production full of romance and wit throughout the experience. A delightful effort by Taurog: one that audiences won't want to miss. The direction is well-paced and Mad About Music is nicely edited by Ted J. Kent (The Invisible Man, Creature from the Black Lagoon). Deanna Durbin fans should take note.

Mad About Music Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Universal, Mad About Music is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The presentation is impressive throughout the encode. The black-and-white cinematography looks nice and crisp during the transfer. This is certainly a wonderful scan that never struggles with egregious scratches or dirt. A solid effort by Universal.

Mad About Music Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio mono. The lossless sound quality for Mad About Music is superb and satisfying. The music soundtrack was well preserved within the audio track. Dialogue was crisp and clear throughout the presentation. A well-done sound mix by Universal.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Mad About Music Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release is surprisingly feature-less and there are no making-of extras (or even trailers promoting other releases).

Mad About Music Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Mad About Music is a cinema classic which wears its beautiful heart on its sleeve. The production is impressive on many levels (with stunning sets and radiant costumes). The screenplay by Bruce Manning (So Goes My Love) shines. Star Deanna Durbin radiates with charm and makes the filmmaking all the more magical. The Blu-ray release features a strong video and audio presentation. Highly recommended.