Rick Shur It's not a minor problem that ten minutes into the opening, I had trouble buying the premise, that Vanessa Williams had waited eight years for Jason Alexander to become an English professor and marry her. In the original, Dick Van Dyke and Chita seemed like a match made in heaven, so I was on board from the word go. Otherwise, I thought the casting was great, although Chinna Phyllips didn't have the voice of either Susan Watson (stage) or Ann Margrett (screen), and she couldn't do her songs justice. I thought Reinking's choreography was a bit claustrophobic, although the kids were energetic and adorable and really evoked a sixties innocence. Strouse was about 30 when he wrote the music, which I think epitomizes the melodiousness of the best of Broadway musicals. Every number is catchy and so many remain in the canon of unforgettable theater hits. As for the book, the farcical treatment of small town America is hilarious, but I think you need to have been alive in the early sixties to appreciate it fully. Finally, if you need the best excuse to check out this version, it's Tyne Daley as Alexander's bullying mother. Having played in Birdie and Gypsy (as Mama Rose), she has established herself as the comic mother from hell, her franchise for all time. It's like she's possessed, and her performance is mesmerizing.

Susan Wilson Why? Because for one reason, there has never been a more adorable scene in any film than Ann Margret singing "Bye Bye Birdie" at the opening. She reprises it again at the ending, too (in a different mood!). Both wonderful. Rent it and see. Even if that's all of it that you watch. You'll agree, I'm sure.Everything about the original was so excellent it just didn't need a remake, sorry! Jason and Vanessa gave commendable performances, as well as Tyne and Chynna. In fact, all the actors and singers in this new version were giving their 'all,' but it's like trying to improve on "Casablanca" -- it just can't be done! It's even annoying finding yourself comparing the two mentally as you try to appreciate the remake, and it just falls short, through no fault of the actors.

darteo I guess I am coming late to the party. I just saw this 1995 version of Bye Bye Birdy on Sky TV. I didn't know it existed and was fully prepared to see the 1963 film version when I turned it on.I played Albert a long time ago and I am thinking of putting on an amateur production of the show because I remembered it as being so much fun to do. I was not impressed with this newer version. It just wasn't enough fun. It was not colorful. It lacked the exuberance of youth. The lighting was bad. No one seemed to mention this fact. This is not a moody musical, it is bright and up beat. The lighting decision was a poor creative choice.Bye Bye Birdy is a farce, a comedy of errors. I got no sense of that in this version. The lighting was awful and it dulled the overall performances. The dance numbers seemed anemic as well. We do have music videos these day. At least the dance numbers should have measured up to some of the best of those, or how about some of the best of Broadway. The choreographer was asleep at the wheel it seemed.Although all the actors were supremely talented, there were some really bad casting choices. Vanessa Williams is not Latin, and with so many talented Latin performers out there, wouldn't it have been more correct to cast one of them in the role of Rosie. Vanessa is African American, lovely and talented, but bad casting. Jason Alexander's effort was astounding, he always does intelligent work, but he just wasn't Albert. He was miscast and I think that is obvious to most people who see this version.The medium of film is not the medium of stage. There needs to be translation from one medium to another. The exuberance and the flash of stage musical must be TRANSLATED to film. There is no merit being faithful to a stage script when it is being filmed. The spirit, the essence of the production must be brought forth. To me the 1963 film production of Bye Bye Birdy was bright and lively, while the 1995 production was as gloomy as the lighting and as lackluster as the dance numbers. It turned out to be an unfortunate waste of effort by many really talented people.

BrooklynTheatre I have to say, first off, that it is terrific that the TV Studios are participating in the current revival of screen musicals. In fact, they invented it. Fortunately / unfortunately, this film seems to waver between great musical theatre, and just plain wrong. Being very close to the original Broadway production, this film gets a bit wordy and long as a movie. It is surprising that all of the dialogue was left in. Seems like if you're going to add three or four songs, you need to trim elsewhere. The TV film of "Annie" was very successfully trimmed while still maintaining the spirit of the show.The cast ranges from divine to pointless; but I suppose we had Hollywood concessions to deal with if we wanted this film made. First the divine. Vanessa Williams as Rosie. Miss Williams Rosie is fiery, classy, and beautiful. Really, a terrific performance. Dancing, singing, and presence is equal to the best of them. Another fine performance is given by Brigitta Dau in the small role of Ursula. She is wonderful in song and scene, and really pulls of the addition of the title song in grand style. It is always fun to see stars in musical roles, and Tyne Daly is plenty fun as Mrs. Peterson, if a bit underwhelming sometimes. Broadway baby Sally Mayes is great as Mrs. MacAfee, almost begging for more material. Marc Kudisch (another Broadway performer) is a terrific Conrad - singing and dancing it with bigger spirit than ever, and a nod to the King.On the down side, Jason Alexander was a bit strange as Albert (and the rug bothered me). I think I had trouble getting "George" out of my head. He sang and danced well, but just not an Albert. Chynna Phillips, alas, is just plain awful as Kim. She can't belt, she doesn't have any high notes, she seems to be half-asleep, and she sticks out as way-too-old far more than Ann Margaret ever did. And on the bottom, George Wendt simply wastes a ton of great material as Kim's Father. Paul Lynde originally forced the supporting role of Mr. MacAfee into a star role with his brilliant comic acting. George Wendt simply lacks the skills required for a musical. On the music end, I absolutely loved the addition of Miss Dau and friends in the title number. Best thing in the show. I liked the addition of "Let's Settle Down" for Miss Williams, but it did sound like a pop-song from an smooth jazz radio station. Still, she performs it beautifully. The endless padding for star Jason Alexander is just plain awful. "Giant Step" stinks and he doesn't pull it off (besides it drags down the end of the film), and his "What Did I Ever See in Her" is just plain dumb. I'll agree with the shortening of "Spanish Rose" for TV, but I would have rather seen one of Mr. Alexander's songs cut. "A Mother Doesn't Matter Anymore" was put over well enough by Tyne Daly that it is now included in the live stage show.The new orchestrations are inspired - a really nice new sound for the show with lots of fun and the spirit of the original. The direction is good and suitably "made bigger" for modern audiences; but one would have thought that Bob Fosse's bearer of the torch, Anne Reinking would know enough about showstoppers to send the musical numbers skyward. This is not the case, and in fact, the dancing is minimalist and non-existent in most places. The choreography succeeds beautifully in the title number and in Miss Williams songs, but there is little else to recommend. "Happy Face," "Telephone Hour," and "Lotta Livin" are left flat.All in all, I still enjoy watching it, and some performances aside, it is a really good translation of a musical from stage to screen. Besides, you can FF through the ponderous book scenes.