Last year, a poll was conducted by an Internet research group of thirtysomethings in the United Kingdom to try and discover more about their lives, loves and pastimes. When the results were tabulated and eventually published, the picture painted was alarming to say the least. While 85% claimed to hold immense pride in being British, 30% slagged off the Royal Family as "patent rubbish." Another 79% bragged of "high self-esteem," yet 42% expressed fears that they may be uncontrollable alcoholics. And while nearly four-fifths believed "honesty is the best policy," almost a third claimed to have recently shoplifted!

So what do these statistic prove? Are the people of England simply a diverse and cheery lot, or a bunch of depressive liars who can't even deceive an incompetent census taker? Crazy or not, the land of the Brits can rightly claim to be the home of thousands who routinely dress up as nuns, brown paper bags and "alpine virgins" and sing along to likes of "I Have Confidence" and "These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things." But what phenomenon on earth could possibly possess such usually-reserved folk to obsessively "sing-a-long-a" to chirpy family classics dressed in drag?

Why, The Sound Of Music, of course!

While it might seem strange to see grown men and women dressing up as a Von Trapp and belting out a show tune, "The Sound Of Music Sing-A-Long-A" remains a huge theatrical hit in England and is just another indicator of the enduring phenomenon that is The Sound Of Music. Produced in 1965 and directed by legendary filmmaker Robert Wise, The Sound Of Music is easily the most successful screen musical of all time and a timeless tale of sacrifice, courage and the communal power of music.

Originally a stage musical chronicling the real-life adventure of the singing Von Trapp Family, the play was magnificently adapted by Screenwriter Ernest Lehmann for the screen, and filled with the glorious music of Rogers & Hammerstein. And with a cast that included Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer in perhaps their most well-known performances, it is no surprise The Sound Of Music remains a perennial classic.

The DVD

Originally released in the early 90's in one of the most acclaimed laserdisc box sets ever made, Fox Home Video is finally issuing The Sound Of Music on DVD in a new 2-disc special edition. Featuring a sparkling new THX-certified, anamorphic widescreen transfer and 5.1 Dolby Digital surround mix, the disc also includes a host of extras culled from the acclaimed laserdisc. A full-length documentary chronicling the entire production from historical fact to cinematic fiction, extensive cast & crew interviews, promotional materials and a still gallery with hundreds of photos are just a few of the goodies included.

But although the the bulk of the material inlcuded on this new DVD set was originally produced for the laserdisc, how does one take material created for a linear for and update it for a new generation of fans? The challenges are many and the obstacles high, but that's where the producer comes in...

Making Music

Michael Matessino is a native of Westchester County, New York, and became interested in entertainment and film at a very young age. After graduating high school, he actively pursued filmmaking, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Film and Television from New York University. In the early 1990's, together with partner David C. Fein, he founded the production company Sharpline Arts.

Matessino's notable credits as Creative Supervisor at Sharpline include the acclaimed behind-the-scenes looks at ALIEN, JOHN CARPENTER'S THE THING and THE LAST STARFIGHTER. He has also supervised the restoration of several noted film scores, including the STAR WARS TRILOGY SPECIAL EDITION, and has produced industrial video, written for various publications, and contributed to several television specials.

DVDFILE had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Matessino and talk about his passion for film, the challenges of documentary production and the enduring legacy that is The Sound Of Music...

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