Product: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 4.0
Something A Little Different.
JOSEPH is an entertaining musical that has a little bit of everything for the entire family. Donny Osmond stars in this video version of the popular musical and he plays Joseph better than just about anyone else. Richard Attenborough portrays Jacob and Joan Collins has a non-singing cameo as Potiphar's Wife.The music in this play is quite enjoyable and covers a variety of genres from pop to country to calypso. My personal favorite tune is the moving "Close Every Door". The set in the video is rather simplistic, though extremely lavishly decorated and many of the costumes are, well, "interesting".The show has a couple of great morals (lessons in love and forgiveness) and other than the sexual innduendo and risque costumes in the Potiphar's Wife scene, the video is great for family. However, after watching this video I realized that Andrew Lloyd Webber may never had intended for the story to ever be taken seriously. For example, instead of displaying any of Joseph's noble qualities, he is portrayed as a buffoon until the end of the show. Also I could never quite figure out why all those kids are in the production; they are always distracting and take focus away from the story. After I watched this tape, it occurred to me that was the entire point. These things are subtle and just by listening to the soundtrack or even watching most school and church productions of the show they are nearly unnoticeable. However, they are there. It doesn't take anything away from this delightful musical because God's truth cannot be hidden, but it is something to think about.