DVD Review: “Fiddler on the Roof (2-Disc Collector’s Edition)”

So…being Jewish in Czarist Russia was pretty tough. However, to call this movie strictly Jewish is to miss much of the point. It’s the story of a poor milkman, his family and his village as they deal with persecution, political upheaval and the erosion of their long-held traditions. Although a bit on the long side, this is a pretty fantastic movie. The characters are well-developed, the cinematography is beautiful and the music ranges from joyous to sorrowful and all shades in between. It’s enough to make a goy like me jump up and shout “L’chaim!” MGM spared no expense on this rerelease, with a cleaned-up 2.35:1 widescreen presentation and 5.1 Dolby surround. The first disc contains the movie with commentary track from director Norman Jewison (who despite his last name, is Protestant) and actor Topol. The second disc has featurettes about John Williams’ adaptation of the music (he won an Oscar), Teyve’s daughters, the production and set design, historical background, production designs, diaries, etc., etc. It’s a lot to take in, but worth it.