United States
December 18, 1998
Harry Nilsson's music lives on in the film You've Got Mail.
The romantic comedy reunites "Sleepless in Seattle" stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan with director and writer, Nora Ephron. The film contains four songs performed by Nilsson.
The plot of "You've Got Mail" centers on Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) and Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) as their relationship progresses from an Internet-based, e-mail courtship to a live in-person romance. While surfing the Internet, Joe and Kathleen may have encountered the Harry Nilsson web pages at www.nilssonschmilsson.com.
The Harry Nilsson web pages provide a look into the singer and songwriter's life and career and have served to unite Nilsson fans from around
the world. Browsing the web pages, Joe and Kathleen would have learned that Harry Nilsson had a love for movies. In 1968 he wrote the score for Otto Preminger's bizarre film "Skidoo" which featured Groucho Marx's last screen appearance. In 1969,
"Everybody's Talkin'" became Nilsson's first hit when director John Schlesinger used it as the theme for Midnight Cowboy.
Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Nilsson himself had submitted original songs to Schlesinger for "Midnight
Cowboy," but the director chose Nilsson's recording of Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'" for the film. Nilsson's submission was "I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City".
Although Sinead O'Connor performs "I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City" on the You've Got Mail soundtrack CD, Nilsson's version is used in the film. Three other
songs in the soundtrack are also performed wonderfully by Nilsson.
"The Puppy Song" (from Nilsson's Harry album) is a joyful pop number originally written for Paul McCartney's protégé, Mary Hopkin. "Remember (Christmas)" (from Son of Schmilsson) is a moving and beautiful ballad. Nilsson's final contribution to "You've Got Mail" is his version
of "Over The Rainbow" (an outtake from his 1970 album of pop standards, A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night).
BURBANK, Calif.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--March 4, 1999--Warner Home Video (WHV) Thursday announced the release of the blockbuster, romantic comedy "You've Got Mail" on DVD-ROM-enabled DVD [Buy It!].
The film, which reunites the "Sleepless in Seattle" team of stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan with director Nora Ephron, will be available on May 4, just in time for Mother's Day. "You've Got Mail" opened as the No. 1 movie in America on Dec. 18 and was still running in 1,600 theaters nine weeks after its release. The film is expected to gross $115 million domestically.
This new, old-fashioned love story is based upon the classic films "The Shop Around the Corner" and "In the Good Old Summertime," updating that tale of anonymous pen pals to a modem romance. Two-time Oscar(R) winner Hanks plays a chain-bookstore mogul who falls for three-time Golden Globe(R) nominee Ryan in an Internet chat room, not realizing that in the real world, she's the small-bookshop owner he's putting out of business.
"You've Got Mail" DVD Heralds New Era of Internet Connectivity
Ushering in a new frontier in DVD design, the "You've Got Mail" DVD combines the best of digital packaged media with the thrills and opportunity of the Internet. This new direction in home entertainment demonstrates DVD's limitless potential for content breakthroughs.
In addition to more than 70 pages of cast interviews, commentary and special features, the DVD offers users with DVD-ROM-enabled personal computers and Internet access a one-click feature that links directly to communities of "You've Got Mail" fans. Once online, users can interact with others in movie-related chat rooms, post messages about the stars or the film on bulletin boards, send "You've Got Mail" Web greeting cards, access tools to build their own Web sites, or search for their own online romances.
"`You've Got Mail' is one of the most advanced, feature-rich DVD titles ever created," said Thomas F. Lesinski, WHV senior vice president, worldwide marketing. "It represents a combination of technological firsts, exciting new content and Internet connectivity."
"You've Got Mail" will be the first DVD to include film production call sheets, enabling users to learn how specific scenes were arranged before taking them directly to scenes in the movie, to see how the same shots appeared in the final cut.
Additionally, with a feature called "The Buzz," lovers of the movie's soundtrack will be able to queue specific scenes by selecting the accompanying music. A $5.00 mail-in rebate will also be offered to those purchasing both the VHS or DVD and the soundtrack.
In another leap forward for interactive features, the "You've Got Mail" Web site has been enhanced with extra material and video and is included on the DVD for DVD-ROM users. Users will be able to read correspondence between the Hanks and Ryan characters in the film, view video interviews of cast members, read about the film's production and even take a tour of New York's Upper West Side. "You've Got Mail" desktop patterns, icons, screensaver and movie poster will allow even the most insatiable fans to customize their PCs with official "You've Got Mail" images and memorabilia.
The DVD also pays tribute to past triumphs, enabling film historians and romantic comedy buffs with DVD-ROM drives to compare crucial scenes from the film to earlier classics that inspired them. The DVD-ROM features require PCs running Windows(R) 95 or better. To utilize Web-based features, Internet access is
required. All other software needed to run the included features is contained on the disc. Users viewing the DVD on set-top players will enjoy a host of new features, as well. In addition to cast and crew bios, commentary and interviews, the DVD offers the HBO First Look Special: "A Conversation with Nora Ephron," an interactive map of New York's Upper West Side with selectable clips enabling viewers to retrace the steps of the movie's characters, a music-only track option and trailers for the classic romantic comedies "The Shop Around the Corner" and "In the Good Old Summertime," which inspired the film. DVD, offering superior picture and sound quality, convenience, exciting interactive features, viewing options and an affordable price, was launched in test markets in
March 1997 and rolled out nationwide in August of that year. In the first two years, DVD has outsold the VCR 13-to-one and the CD four-to-one.
More than 2,400 DVD titles are currently available from every major studio for sale or rent through traditional retail outlets and through online services. For more information access www.dvdwb.com. "You've Got Mail" is a Lauren Shuler Donner Production, produced by Lauren Shuler Donner and Nora Ephron. Delia Ephron, Julie Durk and G. Mac Brown are executive producers. The film also stars Parker Posey, Jean Stapleton, Dave Chappelle, Steve Zahn and Greg Kinnear. It is rated "PG" and has a 119 minute running time.
The DVD has an aspect ratio of 16:9 with a letterboxed, widescreen format and 5.1-surround sound.
Copyright 1999, Warner Home Video
End Of Release
On March 9, 1999, Varese Sarabande Records released You've Got M@il: Original Motion Picture Score. The CD contains the film's beautiful score composed by George Fenton and two of the most important songs from the film, Harry Nilsson's "Remember" and "Over The Rainbow".
Track Listing:
- Butterflies In The Subway
- Kathleen Computer Sneak
- What A Beautiful Day!
- Goodnight Dear Void
- Books And Cocktails
- To The Mattresses
- Meet Me At Cafe Lalo
- You Weren't There
- I Was In Vancouver
- Dear Friend
- To The Movies And Back
- "Remember (Christmas)"
- Empty Store
- For Years To Come
- Are You Married?
- NY 152
- I'll Be Waiting
- If Only
- "Over The Rainbow"
Reviews
Eugene Chua, Movies Online:
With 4 Nilsson faves on the album, with "The Puppy Song" lending a gloriously reminiscent
young pop feel to the opening of the album. Although Sinead O'Connor performs "I Guess The Lord Must Be in New York City"
here, Nilsson sings it in the film. A Nilsson ballad is thrown in for good measure and to great effect with his "Remember,"
moving audiences with its sincere beauty.
Janet
Maslin, New York Times, December 18, 1998:
"You've Got Mail" deserves to
trigger a revived interest in the late, honey-voiced singer
Harry Nilsson, whose music on the light-hearted soundtrack
provides just the right mix of jauntiness and yearning. Mr
Nilsson's beautiful music hasn't figured this prominently in
a film since it turned up in "Midnight Cowboy",
used to quite different effect.
Lawrence Toppman, The Charlette Observer, December 18,
1998:
The low ebb comes when
Nora Ephron relies on the second feeblest trick in the
director's arsenal: a whimsical reaction from a dog, who
rolls his eyes in disappointment at Joe's behavior. (The
feeblest is a reaction from a baby.) What else can you expect
from a film that starts with "The Puppy Song," one
of pop's most cloying interludes? Diabetics, be advised.
Moira
Macdonald, Film.com:
The chemistry between Ryan and Hanks is
undeniable, and the final scene, when they kiss in a
fairytale garden to the shameless strains of "Over the
Rainbow," is pleasantly over-the-top. But all this
adorableness got tiresome long before Kathleen and Joe
arrived in each other's arms. If "You've Got Mail"
were online, I'd have logged off early.
Lael
Loewnstein, Variety, December 14, 1998
The soundtrack, filled with well-chosen
oldies and classic hits, is assembled with a savvy eye toward
CD sales.
Entertainment Weekly
Some nifty tracks, but as a DJ mix, it makes more sense on screen.
Susan
Wloszczyna, USA Today, December 17, 1998:
The Ephrons don't give capable scene
stealers like regally ditzy Jean Stapleton enough to do. The
pacing sags after one street fair too many, and some may
think Hanks is a louse to lead Ryan on after learning her
real identity. But the end is a true classic, complete with a
sunburst of spring blooms and "Over the Rainbow" on
the soundtrack. It'll send ya.
Order the Video
Where to Find the Songs
on CD
"Over the Rainbow"
"You've Got Mail" Soundtrack [Buy
It!]
More Music From "You've Got Mail"[Buy
It!]
As Time Goes By - The Complete Little
Touch of Schmilsson in the Night [Buy
it!]
Personal Best - The Harry Nilsson
Anthology [Buy
It!]
Without Her Without You - The Very
Best of Nilsson Vol. 1 [Buy
It!]
"The Puppy Song"
"I Guess The Lord
Must Be In New York City"
"Remember (Christmas)"
"You've Got Mail" Soundtrack [Buy
It!]
More Music From "You've Got Mail"[Buy
It!]
Lullaby In Ragtime - The Very Best of
Nilsson Vol. 2 [Buy
It!]
Personal Best - The Harry Nilsson
Anthology [Buy
It!]
Son of Schmilsson [Buy
it!]
"Everybody's Talkin'"
Credits:| Actor ("Annabelle Fox"): | Hallee Hirsh |
| Actor ("Birdie Conrad"): | Jean Stapleton |
| Actor ("Capeman"): | Peter A. Mian |
| Actor ("Cecilia Kelly"): | Kathryn Meisle |
| Actor ("Charlie"): | Michael Badalucco |
| Actor ("Christina Plutzker"): | Heather Burns |
| Actor ("Decorator"): | Santiago Quinones |
| Actor ("Florist"): | Nicole Bernadette |
| Actor ("Fox Books Shopper"): | Mary Kelly |
| Actor ("Fox Salesperson"): | Chris Messina |
| Actor ("Frank Navasky"): | Greg Kinnear |
| Actor ("George Pappas"): | Steve Zahn |
| Actor ("Gillian Quinn"): | Cara Seymour |
| Actor ("Henry"): | Howard Spiegel |
| Actor ("Joe Fox"): | Tom Hanks |
| Actor ("Juggler"): | Nick Brown |
| Actor ("Kathleen Kelly"): | Meg Ryan |
| Actor ("Kevin Jackson"): | Dave Chappelle |
| Actor ("Man at Cafe Lalo"): | Ronobir Lahiri |
| Actor ("Matthew Fox"): | Jeffrey Scaperrotta |
| Actor ("Maureen"): | Katie Finneran |
| Actor ("Miranda Margulies"): | Veanne Cox |
| Actor ("Mother of Twins"): | Dolores Sirianni |
| Actor ("Nelson Fox"): | Dabney Coleman |
| Actor ("Party Guest"): | Neil Bonin |
| Actor ("Party Guest"): | Bill McHugh |
| Actor ("Patricia Eden"): | Parker Posey |
| Actor ("Rose"): | Sara Ramirez |
| Actor ("Sarah Mancini"): | Ann Fleuchaus |
| Actor ("Schuyler Fox"): | John Randolph |
| Actor ("Shopper"): | Leila Nichols |
| Actor ("Shopper"): | Julie Galdieri |
| Actor ("Shopper"): | Dianne Dreyer |
| Actor ("Shopper"): | Meredith White |
| Actor ("Shopper"): | Michelle Blakely |
| Actor ("Starbucks Customer"): | Enzo Angileri |
| Actor ("Starbucks Customer"): | Richard Cohen |
| Actor ("Sydney Anne"): | Jane Adams |
| Actor ("T.V. Reporter"): | Nina Zoie Lam |
| Actor ("Thanksgiving Guest"): | Reiko Aylesworth |
| Actor ("Theater Patron"): | Maggie Murphy |
| Actor ("Veronica Grant"): | Deborah Rush |
| Actor ("Vince Mancini"): | Bruce Jay Friedman |
| Actor ("Voice"): | Elwood Edwards |
| Actor ("Waiter at Lalo"): | Andre Sogliuzzo |
| Actor ("Woman"): | Brick Mason |
| Actor ("Young Kathleen Kelly"): | Katie Sagona |
| Actor ("Yvette Fox"): | Lynn Grossman |
| Actor ("Zabars Shopper"): | Diane Sokolow |
| Actor ("Zabars Shopper"): | Julie Kass |
| Associate Producer: | Dianne Dreyer |
| Cinematography: | John Lindley |
| Co-Producer: | Donald J. Lee Jr. |
| Director: | Nora Ephron |
| Editor: | Richard Marks |
| Executive Producer: | G. Mac Brown |
| Executive Producer: | Julie Durk |
| Executive Producer: | Delia Ephron |
| Original Music: | George Fenton |
| Playwrite: | Nikolaus Laszlo |
| Producer: | Nora Ephron |
| Producer: | Lauren Shuler Donner |
| Screenplay: | Nora Ephron |
| Screenplay: | Delia Ephron |
Songs:Links: | 
