60 Years of ‘The Sound of Music’

Category: Blu-ray's, DVD's and Digital


For those who were alive when the film came out, the memories of seeing The Sound of Music on the big screen for the first (and second, and third…) time are vivid. Not the iconic movie is 60 years old and to commemorate this grand anniversary is a newly remastered edition of the film.

The digital version as well as a 4K UHD and a Blu-ray are available with plenty of bonus features.

The story of Maria, the young almost-nun, who became the governess to the seven von Trapp children has endeared generations of film lovers. Julie Andrews is perfect as the peppy, warm, loving young woman and Christopher Plummer is the perfect Captain von Trapp who falls in love with her.

Loosely based on the story of Maria von Trapp, the film delves into the relationship between Maria and the children and Maria and the Captain. With iconic songs that almost everyone on the planet knows, the movie has entertained both young and old, male and female. It is truly a wonderful film, and now the remastered edition takes the audio and video to a higher level than what many people are used to seeing on TV. 

Rogers & Hammerstein wrote the score and the songs have become part of the culture. “Do-Re-Mi” is a classic, as well as “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” and the rest of this unforgettable soundtrack. It has truly become a soundtrack for generations.

Although there are some dark moments in the story dealing with the rise of Hitler, most of the film is light-hearted, musical, and spirited. The Sound of Music is one of the most beloved films as well as musicals of all time.

Some Fun Facts

The filming took place over a period of five months. While the exterior scenes were filmed on location, the majority of the interior scenes were filmed at the Fox Studios in Los Angeles.

The popularity of the film was so great the theatrical run lasted over four and a half years. It grossed more than $100 million and remains the sixth-highest grossing film of all time.

The American Film Institute listed the movie as the 55th greatest American film of all time and the fourth-greatest musical.

The iconic opening scene took a toll on Julie Andrews who kept getting knocked down by the gusts from the helicopter that was filming the scene.

Weather was a factor in some of the external scenes and the “Do-Re-Me” sequence took two months to film.

Look carefully when Julie Andrews sings “I Have Confidence” and you’ll get a glimpse of the real Maria von Trapp.

The restoration team spent nine months restoring this iconic movie for the 60th anniversary. “Our team is honored to care for and re-deliver this classic film to audiences around the world so they can enjoy it in all its originally intended visual and audio glory,” says Kevin Schaeffer, Director, Restoration & Library Management. 

Bonus Features

Bonus Features take viewers into the filming locations, the background, and the making of the film. Even the real Maria appears to talk about the von Trapp house, which she felt was absolutely beautiful. The house is outside of Salzburg and not used as the house in the film.

Many locations in Salzburg substituted for the actual settings in the movie. The Nonnberg Abbey, which was built in 715,  however, was used. 

Another interesting fact in the featurette is that the real Maria was married in the Abbey but the movie Maria was married in the Basilica of St. Michael in Mondsee, Austria.

The famous gazebo where “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” was filmed was actually built by the studio. After filming, the gazebo was left on the location near the lake, however due to immense tourist interest, it was relocated to another site which was more easily accessible for all the tourists who loved to visit the sites where the movie was made.

There is a 10-year-old documentary, The Sound of a City, with Julie Andrews where she revisited the locations and discusses her memories. This 50-minute documentary is filled with great background information about the cast and the film, not to mention the locations. 

  • Disc 1: 4K UHD The Sound of Music + Bonus Features – Sing-Along Version • Commentary by Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Charmian Carr, Dee Dee Wood & Johannes von Trapp • Commentary by Robert Wise
  • Disc 2: Blu-ray The Sound of Music + Bonus Features – Sing-Along Version • Commentary by Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Charmian Carr, Dee Dee Wood & Johannes von Trapp • Commentary by Robert Wise
  • Disc 3: Blu-ray Bonus Features Bonus Disc –
    • The Sound of a City Documentary – Julie Andrews returns to Salzburg, Austria
    • A City of Song – Filming locations in Salzburg, Austria
    • Musical Stages – The songs, the show & the family
    • Vintage Programs – The Sound of Music, Rodgers and Hammerstein, location interviews, and audio interviews
    • Rare Treasures – Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall: The Pratt Family Singers, The Julie Andrews Hour: Julie Andrews and Maria Von Trapp, Screen Tests, 40th Anniversary DVD Introduction by Julie Andrews, and galleries
    • Publicity – Fox Movietone News – Academy Awards,®, trailers and teasers, TV spots, and radio spots.

Movie lovers can now enjoy this remastered 60th Anniversary Edition of the iconic and classic movie. And the amazing bonus features add more insight and depth to the story, the film, and the locations.

The digital release is in 4K UHD. The physical discs are 4K UHD + Blu-ray + Blu-ray Bonus Disc + Digital Code.

The Sound of Music is rated G.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, and is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County. Francine is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

Photo credit – “THE SOUND OF MUSIC” ©1965 20th Century Studios, Inc.  All rights reserved.