Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1999)

Framed by the device of school children at assembly watching a musical production of the biblical story of Joseph (Donny Osmond) and his brethren. The school's staff become characters in the play. Based on the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics) and directed by David Mallet and Steven Pimlott. Just awful! It's the kind of amateurish musical that a church might have performed in their basement. Although this musical came after Webber and Rice had achieved international success with their "rock opera" JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, it had been on the backburner since the late 1960s. It lacks the edginess of SUPERSTAR and this filmed production goes overboard in being family friendly with shots of angelic school children watching the play rapturously. Most of the acting consists of mugging and playing to the balcony but some of the choreography of Dean McKerras isn't bad. Released in cinemas in Europe but straight to home video in the U.S. With Joan Collins, Richard Attenborough, Maria Friedman and Robert Torti.