An American in Paris

Vincente Minnelli's "An American in Paris" is one of the most luscious movie musicals ever made, a romantic fantasy with the colors and compositions of French impressionist masterpiece set to the music of Gershwin. Gene Kelly stars, choreographs the lavish dance numbers (all shot on the MGM back lot's colorful re-creation of the City of Lights), and romances his discovery Leslie Caron (in her screen debut). The new, two-disc set features an audio documentary of a commentary track, hosted by Patricia Ward Kelly (Gene Kelly's widow), who narrates and introduces the wealth of rare archival interview clips with creators Kelly, Minnelli, Arthur Freed, Alan Jay Lerner and many others. The second disc features the new documentary "S'Wonderful: The Making of An American in Paris" and the 2002 documentary "Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer" (originally made for "American Masters"), along with a marvelous selection of archival goodies. Also new this week is a gorgeous two-disc special edition of the 1958 "Gigi," another Minnelli collaboration with screenwriter Lerner and the winner of nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Among the supplements is the first screen version of the story, the non-musical French "Gigi" from 1949.