Video

Watch: A Star Is Born – Judy Garland vs Lady Gaga

Words by Leigh Singer

A man in a suit and a woman in a pink dress gesturing with their hands, seated on a sofa.
A man in a suit and a woman in a pink dress gesturing with their hands, seated on a sofa.
A side-by-side look at two very different takes on a classic Hollywood cautionary tale.

Judy, Rupert Goold’s heartrending portrait of Judy Garland, sheds new light on the life and career of one of Tinseltown’s most talented and tragic figures. The film and particularly Rénee Zellweger’s extraordinary central performance got us to thinking about Garland’s greatest screen moments.

Top of the pile is surely her role in George Cukor’s 1954 version of A Star Is Born, which itself reentered the spotlight recently thanks to Bradley Cooper’s 2018 update. In the latest episode of Remake/Remodel, video essayist Leigh Singer compares and contrasts these very different – but equally excellent – interpretations of a classic Hollywood cautionary tale.

While both films hit all the right notes, it’s Judy Garland and Lady Gaga who will be remembered for their respective lead turns. But whose star shines brightest? Watch the video below and share your thoughts with us @LWLies

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