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You've Got Mail

You've Got Mail Features Music by Harry Nilsson

Harry Nilsson's biggest hit, "Without You" was released more than two decades ago and Nilsson died of a heart attack five years ago, but his music lives on in "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.jadebox.com.

The 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'Conner 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 VHS [Buy It!] and 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 both formats for purchase and rental May 4, just in time for Mother's Day ($22.96 suggested retail price for VHS and $24.98 for DVD). "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 More Music from "You've Got Mail". 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." [Buy It!]

Track Listing:

  1. Butterflies In The Subway
  2. Kathleen Computer Sneak
  3. What A Beautiful Day!
  4. Goodnight Dear Void
  5. Books And Cocktails
  6. To The Mattresses
  7. Meet Me At Cafe Lalo
  8. You Weren't There
  9. I Was In Vancouver
  10. Dear Friend
  11. To The Movies And Back
  12. Remember
  13. Empty Store
  14. For Years To Come
  15. Are You Married?
  16. NY 152
  17. I'll Be Waiting
  18. If Only
  19. 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'Conner 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.

 

Links

 

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'"
roger@jadebox.com