A Star Is Born (1976 film): Difference between revisions

[[Roger Ebert]] gave the film two and a half stars out of four, writing in his review, "There is, to begin with, no denying Barbra Streisand's enormous talent. At the end of 'A Star Is Born' the camera stays on her for one unbroken shot of seven or eight minutes, and she sings her heart out, and we concede that she's one of the great stars of the movies, one of the elemental presences...I thought Miss Streisand was distractingly miscast in the role, and yet I forgave her everything when she sang."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-star-is-born-1976 |title=A Star Is Born Movie Review & Film Summary (1976) |website=[[RogerEbert.com]] |publisher=Ebert Digital |access-date=June 7, 2018 |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141934/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-star-is-born-1976 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Gene Siskel]] also gave the film two and a half stars, calling it "a lumbering love story made palatable by Streisand's superb singing."<ref>[[Gene Siskel|Siskel, Gene]] (December 27, 1976). "'Star' is a battle royal of titans in a two-note script". ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''. Section 2, p. 6.</ref> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' was positive, calling Streisand's performance "her finest screen work to date, while Kris Kristofferson's portrayal of her failing benefactor realizes all the promise first shown five years ago in '[[Cisco Pike]].' Jon Peters' production is outstanding, and Frank Pierson's direction is brilliant."<ref>"A Star Is Born". ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]''. December 22, 1976. 20.</ref> [[Vincent Canby]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' called it "a transistorized remake, louder than ever, but very small in terms of its being about anything whatsoever." He also noted that Kristofferson "walks through the film looking very bored."<ref>[[Vincent Canby|Canby, Vincent]] (December 27, 1976). "Film: Streisand Soups Up a Classic". ''[[The New York Times]]''. 56.</ref> [[Charles Champlin]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' wrote, "The treatment of Streisand is so ceaselessly close up and reverential from the start that there really seems nowhere to go but further up, and little of the mutuality of need that is essential to a love, or a love story ... A half-hour in, I wrote 'a star is boring' in my notes, and was not later persuaded I'd been wrong."<ref>[[Charles Champlin|Champlin, Charles]] (December 21, 1976). "Barbra Stars in 'Star'". ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''. Part IV, p. 1, 12.</ref> Gary Arnold of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' suggested that the film "should be retitled 'A Star is Embalmed" or "'A Star is Entombed' or simply 'A Star is Lost' .... One loses sight of the ostensible dramatic tragedy, because the real tragedy appears to be Streisand's misuse of her talent."<ref>Arnold, Gary (December 25, 1976). "A Born-Again Failure". ''[[The Washington Post]]''. p. C1, C5.</ref> Geoff Brown of ''[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]]'' faulted the film for "Streisand's failure to convince as a rock star, even when singing the docile brand of rock supplied here. Luckily, Kris Kristofferson makes a far better impression. His eyes have the proper faraway look that betokens a mind besotted either with booze or love, and he drifts toward his destiny with none of [[James Mason]]'s fireworks but with a great deal of quiet charm."<ref>{{cite journal |last=Brown |first=Geoff |date=March 1977 |title=A Star Is Born |journal=[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]] |volume=44 |issue=518 |page=53 }}</ref>