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As much an homage as it is a documentary, "The `I Love Lucy' 50th Anniversary Special" is ideal for those who would love to find out just why the legacy of Lucy lives on. The special features vintage clips from some of Lucy's funniest and famous skits, as well as interviews with those performers who have been inspired and influenced by the red-hot redhead, including Whoopi Goldberg, Cher, Paul Rodriquez, Lily Tomlin and Dick Van Dyke. Some of the guests will surprise you, such as Antonio Banderas, Andy Garcia and Larry King. [One interesting sidenote: Roseanne Barr Arnold makes an appearance, yet in past interviews, Arnold was quick to boast about how much she did not love Lucy. Time for penance, Rosie?] Original "I Love Lucy" writers Madelyn Pugh Davis, Bob Carroll Junior and Bob Schiller, as well as other crew members, shed some insider insights into the Lucy legend. Desi Arnaz's genius is also honored, with a look at his Cuban
background and influence on Latin music in the United States. Latin music sensation does a knock-'em dead "Babalu," on a stylized set so reminiscent of The Tropicana. Perhaps most touching is the visit Lucie Arnaz and Desi Junior make to Lucy's birthplace, Jamestown, New York ... it is Desi's first visit, and the camera doesn't shy away from the emotional experience. Add to that Desi and Lucie singing "Patria" ("Homeland"), a tune
especially written for the special, with multi-Grammy winner Auturo Sandoval on trumpet. Just marvelous!
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I LOVE Lucy. "I Love Lucy" is the greatest show ever, but this botched special celebrating the series' 50th anniversary was just bad. Who cares what Andy Garcia, Cher or Roseanne have to say? I would like to have seen more focus on William Frawley and Vivian Vance, whose on-screen chemistry with Ball and Arnaz really helped to make "I Love Lucy" so funny. It goes to show you that the days of wonderfully funny shows like "I Love Lucy" are long gone. Not one person in Hollywood today is talented enough to hold a candle to the producers and creators of "Lucy" and this [bad] attempt at a two hour special to celebrate it is a mockery of the show's half century contribution to laughter.
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I love Lucy, I really do... But I was disappointed by this DVD: I've purchased it to enjoy "I Love Lucy" show and got a number of celebreties talking ABOUT Lucy instead...
Bits and pieces, not a single full episode on a whole DVD. Do not buy it...
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I missed this special when it was originally broadcast on CBS last year, so I bought the DVD just so I could see it, not expecting to be overly impressed. "I Love Lucy", one of the most popular sitcoms ever, and, in my opinion, the best, deserved a really great special to commemorate its 50th anniversary. And let me tell you: it got one! The people who put this show together did an outstanding job. Of course, there are clips galore from both "I Love Lucy" and "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour", as well as brief interview segments with the surviving production team (inclucing three of the writers) and many celebrities. Cher, Roseanne, Whoopie Goldberg, Larry King, Barbara Walters, and Dick Van Dyke, just to name a few, share their fond memories of watching the show and provide some insight into the show's lasting popularity. Some of the interviews are conducted on a mock-up of the original set: a very nice touch, since you don't often get to see 623 East 68th Street in color. The show was produced by Desi Arnaz, Jr and Lucie Arnaz (who is looking surprising beautiful these days), and a short segment has them visiting Lucy's hometown, Jamestown, and the house she grew up in, and Desi Jr's reaction is quite touching. Unfortunately, the show comes to a complete standstill while these two sing a song--not a bad job of singing, but it doesn't belong here (that's what the chapter skip button is for), but I guess they deserve their moment in the limelight for producing an otherwise highly entertaining piece of television. There is a countdown of the "ten best episodes", not all of which would have made my personal ten best list, but good choices none-the-less. Also, some of the original animated openings and act-changes are used to good effect, between segments and commercial breaks (and, this being DVD, there are no commercials, thank goodness). There are no extras, but the show is so full of "everything Lucy", you don't need any. This DVD will make a great companion piece to a collection of the Lucy DVDs that are currently being released, and is a must for any "I Love Lucy" fan!
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