The Movie
A wonderfully elaborate period picture, Topsy-Turvy recounts the behind-the-scenes drama lived by Gilbert & Sullivan, the most famous writer/composer team in the history of popular opera. We glimpse the personal lives of each as well as the challenges they faced together, the near-implosion of the duo at a creative impasse before their great triumph as they reunite to bring The Mikado to life.
That production forms much of the fodder of Topsy-Turvy, which is exquisitely conceived and executed not merely for its sumptuous physical trappings but also for the long takes favored by writer/director Mike Leigh, and for his unerring selection of ideal actors across the board. In addition to all of the off-stage talent, we see just enough of the performers' foibles to be interesting, without veering into the precious pap all too common in this genre.
The Picture
With Oscars for the costumes and the makeup, and a nomination for the art direction, there is a lot to see here. This cinematographer-supervised and director-approved transfer, at Leigh's preferred 16:9 aspect ratio, is a definite step up from DVD, but still not razor-sharp. Blacks are too often a lifeless mass devoid of nuance, and I noted some isolated flickering on fine text. Colors are delicious though, some well-lit close-ups are quite impressive, and we can almost read Sullivan's sheet music at the piano.
The Sound
The "live," in-scene music throughout the movie really makes the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, the deft placement of the chorus apart from the featured singers, the delicate resonance of a cymbal crash, and always a natural presence. The home theater wakes up whenever the house comes alive with applause, although scenes can also be simple and quiet, perhaps two people chatting, generally fine but their volume, accents occasionally talking with their mouths full can make the dialogue difficult to comprehend. Pleasing details like a bit of stage thunder remind us that the subwoofer is indeed working.
The Extras
The mix of old and new supplements kicks off with an archived audio commentary with Mike Leigh. Years later he sat down for a lively new 37-minute, one-on-one discussion with the film's musical director, Gary Yershon. Leigh and star Jim Broadbent also share their 26-minute short, A Sense of History, from 1992, which is around the time they began to hatch the notion of a Gilbert & Sullivan movie.
There are four deleted scenes, including a cut song, totaling 14 minutes with the bridging sequences. These, like all of the video extras, are presented in HD, but have been culled from a work copy and look a tad harsh. Last is a vintage featurette from 1999 including interviews with Leigh and the stars, about ten minutes, at 4:3.
Final Thoughts
Topsy-Turvy is an entertaining, illuminating film even for folks who thought they didn't care about the enduring Gilbert & Sullivan. Criterion has done their usual fine job procuring, remastering and adorning a worthy bit of cinema.
Product Details
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