“I love your funny face! Your sunny, funny face!” In 1957, Paramount produced a very enjoyable musical comedy called “Funny Face”, directed by Stanley Donen, and to the music of George Gershwin, Adolph Deutsch, Roger Edens and Leonard Gershe. With a simple plot, the film begins in New York City within the offices of the major fashion magazine named “Quality”. Its president, Maggie Prescott (Kay Thompson), is determined to find a new way to promote the magazine. In a moment of inspiration, she comes up with the slogan “Think pink,” and breaks into song praising the color pink and saying that everything (from women’s clothing, soap, furniture, etc.) must be pink. Of course, she “wouldn’t be caught dead” in it.
The Centennial Collection of “Funny Face” is the definitive version to own on DVD! Think Pink! S’wonderful! Songs that are among the many wonderful memories from the classic love story and popular 1957 musical “Funny Face” starring Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire and Kay Thompson featuring memorable Gershwin songs, exciting choreography, beautiful fashion and beautiful scenes shot in Paris. “Funny Face” was not just a regular musical of that time, it was a special film that highlights the style of an era and of course, another stunning fashion collaboration between Audrey Hepburn and her designer Hubert de Givenchy. And also bringing together two top tier music talents such as Astaire and Thomas, all three in one film is just fantastic!The film starts off with publisher and editor of Quality Magazine, Maggie Prescott (Thompson), looking for a new fashion trend. A woman that exhibits beauty and intellect and both Prescott and fashion photographer, Dick Avery (Astaire) decide to look for this woman who can “think as well as they look”. So, the two along with the magazine staff visit a bookstore (Embryo Concepts) in Greenwich Village in Manhattan, they meet Jo Stockton, a shy bookstore clerk who also has a passion for philosophy.Prescott tries to convince Stockton to consider becoming a model for the magazine but she does not want any part of it. But Prescott, quite persistent in having Stockton become this new face, tricks her to bringing books to the offices of Quality Magazine. As Stockton tries to hide from staff, she hides in the film developing room where Dick Avery is working. Having known that Stockton’s dream is to go to Paris and attend a lecture of renown philosopher, Professor Emil Flostre, Avery convinces her that by becoming a model for Quality Magazine will eventually bring her to Paris and attending the lecture of her favorite philosopher.So, off to Paris they go and as Dick and Jo spend time together, they eventually start to fall in love. As Jo is being prepared for the Gala to introduce her as the new fashion trend for Quality Magazine, she gets caught up in a lecture for her favorite philosopher, Emil Flostre that she forgets to attend the Gala. Thus Dick goes to look for her and causing a scene that embarrasses her in front of Flostre. But it seems that all is lost. Quality Magazine may not have their model. Dick may have lost the special woman in his life and as for Jo, she may have lost the one person that she truly loves.”Funny Face” is a classic from it’s first song sung with Kay Thompson belting out “Think Pink” to the three talents singing in Paris, Audrey Hepburn’s dance at a bar (which many have seen through a recent GAP commercial), to Astaire’s talents as a vocalist and dancer and Gershwin songs such as “S’Wonderful”, “How Long Has This Been Going On” and “He Loves and She Loves” but for film-goers at the time, it was a film that utilized the VistaVision technology (a higher resolution and widescreen technology developed by Paramount in 1954 and an older technology that continues to be used today) and a film that featured the beauty of Paris. Talented actors, beautiful outfits, beautiful music taking place in a beautiful city, there’s nothing funny about “Funny Face”, the film is just overall… Beautiful!VIDEO & AUDIO:The film is presented in widescreen format, enhanced for 16:9 TV’s. A lot of the Centennial Collection releases have been remastered for high definition and having the previous DVD’s, I can tell you that the DVD looks great. The shots of Paris from yesteryear to the dreamlike scenes between Astaire and Hepburn as they dance to Thompson’s “Think Pink” and white and pink just stands out. There are just many of these classic scenes that the remastered video make the film come alive. But I can only imagine how this film would look in 1080P if released in Blu-ray.Audio is featured in Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround/English, Restored Mono, French Mono and Spanish Mono. The film of course is dialogue-driven but for those who love those Gershwin classics, they do come alive for this film courtesy of the Dolby Digital 5.1 track.SPECIAL FEATURES:Similar to the three previous “Centennial Collections” from Paramount, the special features are all on disc 2. Because “Funny Face” was released in 2007 as a DVD, some of the special features from that disc can be found on this Centennial Collection but there are a few new features included as well. * Kay Thompson: “Think Pink” – Kaye Thompson who played Maggie Prescott was a woman who was known for her quick wit, her sharp tongue and multi-talented. Her friends and people she worked with take part in this near-27 minute featurette in which they talk about her past, her work in “Funny Face”, the memories they had working with her but also her contributions as an author with her popular books series “Eloise”. It was a great featurette to have included on this DVD. *…
“Let’s give ‘em the old bizzazz!” FUNNY FACE is one of the most enjoyable and delightful of Hollywood musicals. Featuring an immortal George & Ira Gershwin score (“He Loves and She Loves”, “S’Wonderful”, “Let’s Kiss and Make Up”, “How Long Has This Been Going On?”); the smartly-written screenplay by Leonard Gershe also marks this film with a strong storyline. I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like this movie.When Quality Magazine invades a pokey Greenwich Village bookstore for a photo shoot, it’s the “dowdy intellectual shopgirl” Jo Stockton (Audrey Hepburn) who gets unwittingly discovered. Photographer Dick Avery (Fred Astaire) finds something special in this “funny face” and jets her off to Paris as the new model for Quality’s beauty campaign. Of course love comes knocking for Jo and Dick, but not before some marvelous songs have been sung, and showstopping dances have been performed.Kay Thompson steals the entire movie as the deadpan magazine editor Maggie Prescott. She gets things off to a cracking start with “Think Pink”, traipses all over the streets of Paris with “Bonjour Paree”; and also gets a kooky 11 o’clock beatnik routine, “Clap Yo’ Hands” (with Astaire). The character of Prescott is a thinly-veiled caricature of noted fashion editor Diana Vreeland; whilst Astaire’s role is modelled after photographer Richard Avedon. Fans of “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” should keep an eye out for former brides’ Virginia Gibson and Ruta Lee, reunited here as two of Prescott’s assistants.Audrey Hepburn’s early ballet and dance training came in handy with making FUNNY FACE, her “Basal Metabolism” routine is spectacular (and she sings quite well too). Filmed on location in Paris, the entire movie definitely has the proper European Travelogue feel to it.This 50th Anniversary Edition of FUNNY FACE will feature a brand-new High Definition transfer of the movie, some great new featurettes (“The Fashion Designer & His Muse”, “Parisian Dreams”), plus the material from the previous DVD release (“Paramount in the ’50s” featurette, a photo gallery and the trailer).
![Funny Face [Blu-ray]](http://joys.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/d65d9800b6_51ATN9itdeL.jpg "Funny Face [Blu-ray]")
“I love your funny face! Your sunny, funny face!” In 1957, Paramount produced a very enjoyable musical comedy called “Funny Face”, directed by Stanley Donen, and to the music of George Gershwin, Adolph Deutsch, Roger Edens and Leonard Gershe. With a simple plot, the film begins in New York City within the offices of the major fashion magazine named “Quality”. Its president, Maggie Prescott (Kay Thompson), is determined to find a new way to promote the magazine. In a moment of inspiration, she comes up with the slogan “Think pink,” and breaks into song praising the color pink and saying that everything (from women’s clothing, soap, furniture, etc.) must be pink. Of course, she “wouldn’t be caught dead” in it.
The Centennial Collection of “Funny Face” is the definitive version to own on DVD! Think Pink! S’wonderful! Songs that are among the many wonderful memories from the classic love story and popular 1957 musical “Funny Face” starring Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire and Kay Thompson featuring memorable Gershwin songs, exciting choreography, beautiful fashion and beautiful scenes shot in Paris. “Funny Face” was not just a regular musical of that time, it was a special film that highlights the style of an era and of course, another stunning fashion collaboration between Audrey Hepburn and her designer Hubert de Givenchy. And also bringing together two top tier music talents such as Astaire and Thomas, all three in one film is just fantastic!The film starts off with publisher and editor of Quality Magazine, Maggie Prescott (Thompson), looking for a new fashion trend. A woman that exhibits beauty and intellect and both Prescott and fashion photographer, Dick Avery (Astaire) decide to look for this woman who can “think as well as they look”. So, the two along with the magazine staff visit a bookstore (Embryo Concepts) in Greenwich Village in Manhattan, they meet Jo Stockton, a shy bookstore clerk who also has a passion for philosophy.Prescott tries to convince Stockton to consider becoming a model for the magazine but she does not want any part of it. But Prescott, quite persistent in having Stockton become this new face, tricks her to bringing books to the offices of Quality Magazine. As Stockton tries to hide from staff, she hides in the film developing room where Dick Avery is working. Having known that Stockton’s dream is to go to Paris and attend a lecture of renown philosopher, Professor Emil Flostre, Avery convinces her that by becoming a model for Quality Magazine will eventually bring her to Paris and attending the lecture of her favorite philosopher.So, off to Paris they go and as Dick and Jo spend time together, they eventually start to fall in love. As Jo is being prepared for the Gala to introduce her as the new fashion trend for Quality Magazine, she gets caught up in a lecture for her favorite philosopher, Emil Flostre that she forgets to attend the Gala. Thus Dick goes to look for her and causing a scene that embarrasses her in front of Flostre. But it seems that all is lost. Quality Magazine may not have their model. Dick may have lost the special woman in his life and as for Jo, she may have lost the one person that she truly loves.”Funny Face” is a classic from it’s first song sung with Kay Thompson belting out “Think Pink” to the three talents singing in Paris, Audrey Hepburn’s dance at a bar (which many have seen through a recent GAP commercial), to Astaire’s talents as a vocalist and dancer and Gershwin songs such as “S’Wonderful”, “How Long Has This Been Going On” and “He Loves and She Loves” but for film-goers at the time, it was a film that utilized the VistaVision technology (a higher resolution and widescreen technology developed by Paramount in 1954 and an older technology that continues to be used today) and a film that featured the beauty of Paris. Talented actors, beautiful outfits, beautiful music taking place in a beautiful city, there’s nothing funny about “Funny Face”, the film is just overall… Beautiful!VIDEO & AUDIO:The film is presented in widescreen format, enhanced for 16:9 TV’s. A lot of the Centennial Collection releases have been remastered for high definition and having the previous DVD’s, I can tell you that the DVD looks great. The shots of Paris from yesteryear to the dreamlike scenes between Astaire and Hepburn as they dance to Thompson’s “Think Pink” and white and pink just stands out. There are just many of these classic scenes that the remastered video make the film come alive. But I can only imagine how this film would look in 1080P if released in Blu-ray.Audio is featured in Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround/English, Restored Mono, French Mono and Spanish Mono. The film of course is dialogue-driven but for those who love those Gershwin classics, they do come alive for this film courtesy of the Dolby Digital 5.1 track.SPECIAL FEATURES:Similar to the three previous “Centennial Collections” from Paramount, the special features are all on disc 2. Because “Funny Face” was released in 2007 as a DVD, some of the special features from that disc can be found on this Centennial Collection but there are a few new features included as well. * Kay Thompson: “Think Pink” – Kaye Thompson who played Maggie Prescott was a woman who was known for her quick wit, her sharp tongue and multi-talented. Her friends and people she worked with take part in this near-27 minute featurette in which they talk about her past, her work in “Funny Face”, the memories they had working with her but also her contributions as an author with her popular books series “Eloise”. It was a great featurette to have included on this DVD. *…
“Let’s give ‘em the old bizzazz!” FUNNY FACE is one of the most enjoyable and delightful of Hollywood musicals. Featuring an immortal George & Ira Gershwin score (“He Loves and She Loves”, “S’Wonderful”, “Let’s Kiss and Make Up”, “How Long Has This Been Going On?”); the smartly-written screenplay by Leonard Gershe also marks this film with a strong storyline. I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like this movie.When Quality Magazine invades a pokey Greenwich Village bookstore for a photo shoot, it’s the “dowdy intellectual shopgirl” Jo Stockton (Audrey Hepburn) who gets unwittingly discovered. Photographer Dick Avery (Fred Astaire) finds something special in this “funny face” and jets her off to Paris as the new model for Quality’s beauty campaign. Of course love comes knocking for Jo and Dick, but not before some marvelous songs have been sung, and showstopping dances have been performed.Kay Thompson steals the entire movie as the deadpan magazine editor Maggie Prescott. She gets things off to a cracking start with “Think Pink”, traipses all over the streets of Paris with “Bonjour Paree”; and also gets a kooky 11 o’clock beatnik routine, “Clap Yo’ Hands” (with Astaire). The character of Prescott is a thinly-veiled caricature of noted fashion editor Diana Vreeland; whilst Astaire’s role is modelled after photographer Richard Avedon. Fans of “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” should keep an eye out for former brides’ Virginia Gibson and Ruta Lee, reunited here as two of Prescott’s assistants.Audrey Hepburn’s early ballet and dance training came in handy with making FUNNY FACE, her “Basal Metabolism” routine is spectacular (and she sings quite well too). Filmed on location in Paris, the entire movie definitely has the proper European Travelogue feel to it.This 50th Anniversary Edition of FUNNY FACE will feature a brand-new High Definition transfer of the movie, some great new featurettes (“The Fashion Designer & His Muse”, “Parisian Dreams”), plus the material from the previous DVD release (“Paramount in the ’50s” featurette, a photo gallery and the trailer).