Here's my new "desert island" pick for DVDs...

This boxed set goes a long way to explaining why Barbra Streisand is the giant star that she is today...

She plays Madison Square Gardens on October 9 at 8pm -- gee, I'd sure like to see that!

But seriously, watching these TV specials is a unique experience -- this is really innovative stuff. I having trouble imagining how any of this would get on the air today, and it makes me a bit sad -- I still believe that people would watch this, but it has to be packaged properly. That's the problem with today -- ain't nobody got no class?

There's little argument that Barbra Streisand is one of the most highly regarded performers of our time. Never has this fact been better confirmed than by the thrilling performances evident on the recent DVD release, Barbra Streisand: The Television Specials (Rhino Records), a long-awaited beautifully packaged boxed-set collection of the star's first 5 television specials, which include "My Name is Barbra" (1965), "Color Me Barbra" (1966), "The Belle of 14th Street" (1967), "Barbra Streisand: A Happening in Central Park" (1968), and "Barbra Streisand...And Other Musical Instruments" (1973).

From her first sung notes in the black and white "My Name is Barbra", filmed while still appearing in FUNNY GIRL on Broadway, Streisand displays the voice, talent, and a ground-breaking approach that helped catapult her to stardom. As we learn in the accompanying notes, the unheard of granting of "complete artistic control" to Streisand is seen completely throughout the special, and was a wise decision, as we witness her vision and touch, visible here in every detail.

For me, the most enjoyable of the specials are the earliest ones, where her youth, passion and drive are most evident. The later specials, while still well worth watching, become more polished -- losing a bit of the initial hunger. As the specials go on, you get to watch Barbra evolve as a performer, from the tender age of 23, when the first special was filmed.

All of the television shows are dripping with Broadway material. Tunes range from shows as varied as SHOWBOAT to MY FAIR LADY to Off-Broadway's THE FANTASTICKS. The FUNNY GIRL material on the first disc is worth the price of the entire set (which is actually reasonably priced). The mere hour of material shown on "A Happening in Central Park", makes one wonder what happened to the other 90 minutes of material referenced as having been performed as well.

Accompanying this beautifully designed package of DVDs is a fascinating 60-page booklet, written by Streisand collaborators Jay Landers and Richard Jay-Alexander. Sprinkled with many pages of never before seen photographs from Barbra's archives, the notes provide further insight into the making of the specials, as well as their place in history and effect on the cultural landscape. Reading the booklet and watching these awe-inspiring specials made me sad that talents like this (assuming they're out there) are rarely showcased as well as they used to be by television (which has surely grown into mass media).

It is unlikely that we will ever witness an ascent such as Streisand's again in our lifetime. She was the right talent, in the right place, at the right time and nothing could have stopped her.

"Barbra Streisand: The Television Specials", the 5 DVD boxed set, is a "must-have" for fans of this true diva. It is also enjoyable for anyone who wants to witness great musical performances, providing a master-class on earning the right to be called a star.

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