# Gilbert and Sullivan- what's good that's available on DVD **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 30, 2007, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gilbert-and-sullivan-whats-good-thats-available-on-dvd/410013 "2007-06-30T04:21:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gilbert-and-sullivan-whats-good-thats-available-on-dvd/410013/1 "2007-06-30T04:21:11Z")
Just recently trying to get acquainted with G&S. What’s available on DVD that’s good- I’m open to both film adaptations as well as filmed stage performances. **Please note:** by “what’s good”, I mean what film versions are well done, what stage performances are well done filmings of well done performances? In making a suggestion, please suggest a specific film or filmed production available on DVD- don’t just say “Ooh, _The Mikado_ is good! Check that one out!” P.S. because I know you people far too well, feel free to open your response by copying and pasting “Ooh, _The Mikado_ is good! Check that one out!”. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gilbert-and-sullivan-whats-good-thats-available-on-dvd/410013/2 "2007-06-30T05:37:38Z")
The 1999 Mike Leigh film [Topsy-Turvy](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151568) is immaculate fim-making, and pretty much essential viewing for anyone interested in Gilbert and Sullivan: it’s not exactly a biopic, more a comic drama about the duo’s original writing and production of The Mikado. Also recommended is my current CS thread about new lyrics for “As Some Day It May Happen” {I’ve Got A Little List}, which is currently languishing on zero replies. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gilbert-and-sullivan-whats-good-thats-available-on-dvd/410013/3 "2007-06-30T05:54:29Z")
The version of [Pirates of Penzance](http://imdb.com/title/tt0086112/) with Kevin Kline and Linda Ronstadt in it is pretty good. She plays Mabel. He plays the Pirate King and wears tight pants, which probably isn’t on your list of qualifications, but a young Kevin Kline and tight pants is a very good thing. Anyway, Mr. Kline’s hotness aside, it takes the silliness that all productions of Gilbert & Sullivan operettas require to divine levels. It should be noted that this version is only available on VHS. The copy I watched came from my school’s library, and it may be difficult to track down a copy. You can, however, watch the most famous number from the production, [A Modern Major General](http://youtube.com/watch?v=vytosDX9dVM) on YouTube. In my search for this movie on DVD, I found this [list of Gilbert & Sullivan production on DVD](http://amazon.com/Heres-How-Gilbert-Sullivan-Video/lm/25YBZS3KH9UL8/ref=cm_lmt_srch_f_1_rsrsrs0/104-6906371-1034315), if that’s any help for you. The list shows the VHS of this version of Pirates, starting at $30, which I think is kind of steep. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gilbert-and-sullivan-whats-good-thats-available-on-dvd/410013/4 "2007-06-30T05:56:20Z")
Ah, I just noticed that you said available on DVD. I wish this version was available on DVD. It’s hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gilbert-and-sullivan-whats-good-thats-available-on-dvd/410013/5 "2007-06-30T07:35:34Z")
There’s also Sideshow Bob performing the entirety of HMS Pinafore as Bart’s last wish in “Cape Feare”… ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gilbert-and-sullivan-whats-good-thats-available-on-dvd/410013/6 "2007-06-30T12:15:31Z")
My brother’s family got me this DVD boxed set last Christmas: [Amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com/Gilbert-Sullivan-Favorites-Collection-Opera/dp/B00006JU6J/ref=cm_lmf_tit_1_rsrsrs0/105-0964730-5733241) The production values aren’t always great–they look like filmed stage versions–but the performances are mostly good and I have had a lot of fun watching them. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2007, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gilbert-and-sullivan-whats-good-thats-available-on-dvd/410013/7 "2007-06-30T12:33:00Z")
If you like “modern” and slightly revisionary, there is a DVD set of three – Mikado, Iolanthe, and Pirates of Penzance – from the Canadian Stratford Festival that we enjoy a lot. I see that Amazon doesn’t seem to have them separately: [Mikado](http://www.amazon.com/Gilbert-Sullivan-Mikado-Stratford-Festival/dp/1569383464/ref=sr_1_8/105-4209386-9523660?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1183206326&sr=1-8) You can probably find the set in various PBS or BBC catalogs, not sure. As noted, the movie version of Kevin Kline’s “Pirates of Penzance” is great fun, but (alas!) not available on DVD – there is a DVD version of the stage play, but the quality of photography is very weak (grainy). If you prefer the traditional, the [Opera World](http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B00006JU6J/ref=s9_asin_image_1-1966_g1/105-4209386-9523660?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=1V00PBDED3HAE6SRKMRS&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=292858701&pf_rd_i=507846) set is very nice.