By 1979, fans of 'The Divine Miss M' thought that, as a performer, Bette Midler could do anything, sing anything, BE anyone. She'd more than proven herself onstage in her live concert extravaganzas, and wowed us with her TV appearances and vinyl offerings. She could be raucous, outrageous, heartbreaking, bawdy, sing her heart out with an inimitable belting style, or croon with sweet seductiveness, so when word got out that she would be making her film debut playing a fictionalized Janis Joplin-esque character, frankly, we expected the moon.....with the stars thrown in for good measure!Of course, until the actual release of 'THE ROSE', even her most ardent fans didn't know for sure if this larger-than-life stage performer would be accepted in such a dramatic role and be able to carry a major film on her tiny shoulders--even though those shoulders were strong enough to carry the weight from her legendary 'over the shoulder boulder holders'. Sure, beginning in the early 1970's she'd managed to introduce the pre-Disco pop music world to gems from the 1940's, quirky torch songs, art-house rock songs, many with gay/camp sensibilities, but could she also bring depth, vulnerability and believability portraying a ballsy blues-rocker on the big screen? We were hoping......waiting.I was still in college when 'THE ROSE' opened in November, 1979, and a friend and I took a chance and actually got tickets to attend the premiere at the Century City theater in Los Angeles. The movie's NYC premiere, with Midler in attendance, had been the evening before L.A.'s, and reviews were mixed but favorable.....especially for Bette. At the L.A. premiere we stood in the theater lobby as the VIP's arrived, and when Midler finally walked in on the arm of her then-beau, Peter Riegert, she was a dazzling sight for sure--peroxided to within an inch of her life, and dressed all in white in a shimmery satin gown and fur stole worthy of Miss Monroe herself. Up to that moment, I'd only seen her on the small screen, and everyone appears bigger--larger-than-life--in a film version somehow. Here, just a few feet away, she was beautiful, but so tiny.......fragile almost, and she seemed thoroughly weary from all the exposure. Of course she smiled for the cameras, but it may have been the first time I truly considered how much of a toll fame, notoriety and massive expectations must take on an artist.As we sat in the audience that evening, we were treated to a wondrous film on many levels--from the acting by a topnotch cast, to the wrenching drama of the story, to the full-on, gutsy musical sequences--with much credit due director Mark Rydell. But as I watched, I couldn't shake the feeling I had witnessing Bette's arrival at the theater earlier in the evening, and wondering what must have been going through her mind, waiting for the critics and 'the suits' to render their verdicts.Quite honestly, as good as the film seemed to us that night, looking at it some 35 years later my appreciation for Midler's performance has grown immensely. No more wondering, no more comparisons. She IS a massive talent, and she's proven it again and again. I'm left considering who of this current crop of pop 'Divas' could even come CLOSE to delivering a performance as soul-stirring as Miss M's? And now, FINALLY, Criterion gives us the opportunity to see the film again in this beautifully restored and re-mastered version that does 'THE ROSE' (and, of course BETTE) justice! I can't wait to put in the Blu-ray, sit back, and watch and listen to the powerful story and dynamic music all over again!