thirty year after it initial release and the third version of a star be bear finally come to dvd in a package that should please the most devoted fan of barbra streisand . that would include me since i just saw her in concert singing among other number and the feminist anthem woman in the moon from this 1976 film . easy to dismiss and the movie career polarize story be such a sturdy pile of hollywood style clichés that variation of it exist in other film include streisand own funny girl . this time reset to the then contemporary music scene and the timeworn plot follow self destructive rock star john norman howard on his deep dive career descent just a he meet club singer esther hoffman who be await her big break . trouble dog their courtship from the outset and a john norman ( both names please ) respond to grasp fan and bloodless dj with random act of violence ( from which he inexplicably escape prosecution ) . to john norman and esther represent his last shot at happiness and and in turn and she be draw to the innately decent and creative musician underneath the façade . in the movie most pivotal scene and he give esther her big break at a benefit concert and and her career take off . inevitably and he can not handle the failure of his career in light of her meteoric success and and if you be familiar with any version of this story and you know the rest . direct by frank pierson ( although streisand bud directorial talent be obviously on display ) and the film still manage to draw me in and even though i know it be shamelessly contrive and manipulative . it still have a certain emotional resonance despite it numerous flaw . although streisand in her prime seem like the ideal choice to play a rise singing star and her screen persona be simply too strong and predefined to play esther credibly . the same can be say for her performing style since the script seem to make allowance for her soft adult contemporary orient material to be accept within the otherwise hardened world of arena rock . from the moment she pop her head up a the middle of the oreo and she can not help but come across a an establish star . i can forgive the lapse simply because she be an unparalleled vocal talent and but what become less forgive be how she make esther more strident than poignant when john norman woes become overwhelming . this create an oddly discomfiting dynamic in the last part of the film when it become less about what cause the climactic event than esther response to it . this be cap off by an uninterrupted eight minute close up of her memorial performance great except when she regrettably mimic john norman style toward the end . kristofferson and on the other hand and give a superb performance throughout and manage a level of honesty that ground the film and make palpable his concurrent feeling of love and pride and resentment toward esther . he make his vodka soak onstage growling work within this context . otherwise and what always strike me a strange about this version be how all the support character be relegate to the background a if they do not exist unless they be interact with the two principal . the only one who register be paul mazursky a john norman level head manager brian and gary busey a his cynical band manager bobbie . veteran cameraman robert surtees provide a nice burnish to the cinematography though a level of graininess persists in the print . a big seller in it day and the soundtrack be a hodgepodge of different style from the 1970 some song still quite good ( everything and woman in the moon and watch closely now ) and some that have move to kitsch ( queen bee and kenny loggins i believe in love ) and of course and the inescapable evergreen . the print transfer on the 2006 dvd be clean and the sound gratefully crisp thanks to digital remastering . streisand participation be the chief lure of the extra begin with her feature length commentary . she give insightful information about the genesis of the film and the casting and the reportedly troubled production . she be also refreshingly candid about the megalomania of jon peter and her hairdresser boyfriend who become the movie producer and and her dissatisfaction with pierson a a director . i just wish she could have provide more scene specific comment that directly relate to what be on screen . she also tend to repeat the same anecdotes when the mood strike her and e. g. and it get tire to hear for the third time how the person play the chauffeur be a friend of peter . i think have a second commentator could have draw out other nugget from her . there be a wardrobe test reel that show some amusing 1970 clothes and especially kristofferson mixed fabric poncho and orange polyester shirt . there be also twelve delete scene include with streisand optional commentary . one be a comic bread bake scene which remind me how much i like streisand in farcical comedy . another be an extended scene in which she play evergreen on the guitar in front of an awestruck kristofferson who then fall asleep . the most interesting be an alternate take on the musical finale incorporate fast cut and which i agree with streisand should have be use . fittingly and the theatrical trailer for all three version of a star be bear be also include .