East Side Story

Writing in VL-3/98, Mike D'Angelo said: "Few people are likely aware that such an animal as the Eastern European musical ever existed; turns out a few dozen were made in the Soviet Union and other Eastern Bloc nations over a forty-year stretch between 1930 and 1970--generally with extreme reluctance on the part of the government-sponsored film review boards--and East Side Story features hilarious, unforgettable clips from just about all of them." To that, let us add: just like Western musicals, colors are brighter and the music is fuller on DVD. Recommended. (R. Pitman)