Yentl (DVD, 2009, 2-Disc Set, Director's Extended Edition; Checkpoint; Sensormatic; Widesc)

"Barbra Streisand cowrote, produced, and directed as well as starred in this popular motion picture, based on a short story by Isaac Bashevis Singer. The story follows the adventures of Yentl, a courageous young woman growing up in Eastern Europe at the turn of the 20th century. Inspired by her father's teaching to become a Talmudic scholar--despite the religious restrictions against her doing so--she manages to make her dreams come true by disguising herself as a boy and entering an orthodox Jewish school. But her masquerade causes big problems when she falls in love with her fellow scholar Avigdor (Mandy Patinkin)...and his fiancée (Amy Irving, in an Oscar-nominated performance) falls in love with her. In an interesting twist on the musical genre, Streisand performs each song as an interior soliloquy, as if she were speaking to herself. This lends the film an air of analysis and introspection, two notions not commonly found in a musical but which would later be employed to great effect in movies such as VELVET GOLDMINE. Streisand made her debut as a feature-film director with YENTL, which was nominated for five Academy Awards."

What Can I say about this film. I love this film from beginning to end. The music, the story, the actors, everything! I've loved this film ever since I first saw it in 1994 however, it was first released in 1983. I've worn my VHS tape out and now a DVD at last!

If you love Babs! You'll love this film. She can act, sing and Direct!

Make the Popcorn and I'll be over to watch this with you! enjoy!

My favorite close up of Barbra is during - the song " Where is it Written" when she is photographed with long hair peering through pillars-looking at her father below- I was very disappointed Barbra tinted this scene a dark red - the original flim had her skin porcelain and her eyes blue- I was really upset with that color error as this is my favorite close up of her in the whole movie- The soundtrack is much improved - the extras are great to have but the wonderful british documentary A Film is Born is omitted --the test films of Where is it written are fascinating - was very surprised on the storyboards showing Barbra almost did a nude scene for "The Moon and I" which was replaced with "No matter what happens"...The dvd is marked with all kinds of macrovision that if you have a lot of machines hooked up to each other - you have to go through the trouble of connecting your tv and direct dvd to get a clear run without the macrovision interferences. I did not notice slide shows - other cast -or trailers from the film but what is included is very generous- I wished the music video for The Way he makes me feel was included- on the dvd as her golden globes acceptance speech- the early test stuff with the Bergmans and their daughter is very interesting- I think I will keep my video version for the correct color and the fact that it has no anti copy - I can dub my own music videos from Yentl- Other than that I recommend this version to fans- who own other earlier versions and i recommend the video version from mgm ua as well and the normal dvd release that came out before this one.

I was hoping the special features would be a bit more comprehensive - i.e. interviews with the cast, or perhaps something on the author of the story; Isaac B. Singer, or even a little more depth or insight regarding the struggle and fight that Streisand encountered in Hollywood in bringing us this wonderful film. . . (this was her directorial debut - and just how many female directors are given the respect due for their vision and craft by Hollywood anyway?)

It's still a brilliant film and I'm thrilled to finally have it on DVD.

I just wish Ms. Streisand would have been less reserved in her recollections of it and offered her viewers the chutzpah and passion behind it's creation. Why was this story so terribly important to her?

This is Barbra at her best. Yentl was hungry for knowledge but as she was a girl, was forbidden to learn. Her only choice was to don men's clothing, go to the university, and hope that no one would find her out. However, while there, she didn't expect to fall in love with her best friend or marry her best friend's girlfriend. A wonderful story of love, excitement, and gives us a glimpse into the jewish faith.

Is A very hard movie to find these days. So my wife was overjoyed when I finally was able to find it, and the directors extended addition at that. Part of the reason it was hard to find is the zone for which so many copies are made for. It seems Zone 1 (North America) is not really popular for this film. The quality of the DVD very high in all aspects. The number of languages on disc available was also something not seen very much today. Highly impressed. The directors addtion is a must for Steisand fans, as it gives a lot of detail about why the film took the course it did. Having the directors addition helped my wife to really understand how Streisand felt about making this film, and how she overcame so many obstacles to making it. Enlightening.