With Netflix, I’ve watched a lot more TV than movies, but in 2021 I still got in an average of just under 2 movies a month, ranging from the absurd to the surprisingly good. Some highlights:
The Muppets – To save the now dilapidated Muppet Theatre, the Muppets must reunite to fundraise via a telethon. Scattered across the world and out of practice, will they be able to put their show together in time? The plot is simple and contrived to showcase classic Muppet songs, but it’s funny in a self-aware way and features some fun celebrity cameos alongside the Muppets. [The sequel Muppets Most Wanted suffers a bit from the sequel syndrome where the plot becomes just a little too wacky, but it still has its moments and it’s where the evil Kermit meme comes from.]
To All the Boys: Always and Forever – The conclusion of the To All the Boys trilogy, this movie is affected the most from the decision to set the movies in Portland, OR instead of Virginia where the books took place. While the first two books/movies mainly featured Lara Jean’s high school and the nursing home where she volunteered, which could plausibly be located in most places in the US, the third installment is about choosing a college, so basically every location in the book had to be changed for the movie. Because of that, large portions of the book were altered, but overall it’s still a nice finish to the trilogy.
Onward – A fairly standard quest movie with lovely animation, a solid soundtrack, fun characters, and a gelatinous cube. With one chance to temporarily see their deceased father again, brothers Barley and Ian must work together to survive a D&D-style adventure. It’s not earthshattering, but after a string of sequels (excepting Coco), it was nice to see something new from Pixar.
Cats – Yes, the 2019 CGI/live action monstrosity or whatever you’d like to call it. Where do I even begin. There’s a great hour-long video that breaks down a lot of the technical and musical issues with this movie, but to sum things up: the star casting was a problem and changes to the script completely undermined the entire point of the original musical. Apparently the actors were told they didn’t need to sing in time at all, which led to Rebel Wilson’s very messy number, Laurie Davidson’s excruciating feature song, and whatever it was that Ian McKellen ended up doing.1 On the other hand, Steven McRae as Skimbleshanks has to perform his eponymous song in 13/8 (subdivided into 3+3+3+2+2) and so he does it exactly in time and it works, unlike a lot of the rest of the movie.
1I have no problems with any of these actors, just their extremely questionable performances in Cats.
Little Women – I enjoyed this adaptation (the 2019 movie) of the novel. It captured the feel of the characters and plot well and didn’t overdramatize or overcomplicate things.
Labyrinth – Again, a somewhat straightforward quest plot in which Sarah has to make her way through a labyrinth to save her baby brother Toby from Jareth the Goblin King after wishing Toby gone. The characters and setting are memorable, helping this film to earn its status as a cult classic.
The Nightmare Before Christmas – Jack Skellington, citizen and hero of Halloween Town, is dissatisfied with the same old Halloween routines. Looking for something new, he discovers Christmas and is determined to celebrate it, with Halloween Town’s own spin on it. The soundtrack (instrumentals and songs) is very strong, and the stop-motion animation, done in 1993, still looks great. Only one question remains after watching it: is this a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie?
The Rocky Horror Picture Show – The science fiction musical parody is arguably best viewed live, but this was an interesting introduction to the movie. It’s . . . bizarre.
And very briefly: Hook is good in places and the cast includes Robin Williams and Dante Basco (the voice of Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender). The Mitchells vs. The Machines was overall pretty good but felt like it was trying too hard at times. Raya and the Last Dragon – great animation, good characters, average plot. Frozen II was a pretty solid sequel and I enjoyed “Lost in the Woods.” I have mixed feelings about Toy Story 4; for what it was, it was well done, but in some ways it opened up questions that didn’t need to be asked.
I also finished Star Trek: The Next Generation, wrapped up a final half season of Schitt’s Creek, watched all of Kim’s Convenience, saw the latest season of The Great British Bake Off, caught up with Grey’s Anatomy by watching 9 more seasons of hospital drama, went back to watch Star Trek: The Original Series, watched the She-Ra reboot She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and started Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Showing posts with label musicals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label musicals. Show all posts
Saturday, January 29, 2022
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Top Ten _____ [Musicals]
I’ve documented my musical viewings, but what you really want to know is what’s worth watching out of all those overtures, choreography, love songs, and . . . ABBA?
10) Mamma Mia! – That’s right, we’re starting things off with a jukebox musical romantic comedy set on a Greek island featuring a Swedish pop group. It’s light and fun, and doesn’t try to be anything it’s not. Watch at your own risk of getting the songs stuck in your head for weeks.
9) The Phantom of the Opera – One of two musicals I’ve seen on Broadway. Some people can’t stand Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, but I don’t think he’s too bad. Phantom has a coherent enough plot, good songs, a dance number, and generally ticks all the boxes of what you want in a musical, which may be why it’s Broadway’s longest running show.
8) The Music Man – Too classic to leave off the list. It’s got a lot of recognizable songs. The competing conman/falling in love plots are similar to A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, but it’s more well known, maybe because its title doesn’t take three years to type.
7) Rent – Yes, the characters are kind of lazy jerks, but you don’t always need fully lovable protagonists. The score is rock solid, and I can’t speak to how much or little it parallels Puccini’s La Boheme because I’ve never seen or read about it.
6) West Side Story – The other musical I’ve seen on Broadway, and I recently watched the 1961 movie on Netflix. It’s based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, so if you think about the plot too much it makes no sense. However, it’s a Leonard Bernstein score, Stephen Sondheim wrote the lyrics, and Jerome Robbins did the choreography, so that more than makes up for all the characters’ questionable decisions.
5) Mary Poppins – There’s something about the 1964 movie that just feels magical. Well, besides the fact that Mary Poppins magically descends from the clouds, transports children into paintings, and hosts a floating tea party.
4) Into the Woods – Scored by Sondheim, book by James Lapine. It’s a clever musical adaptation and intertwining of fairy tales. I’ve seen the Jr. version staged live and the movie, but not the full live musical.
3) Les Miserables – Probably the only musical on this list that could possibly be described as epic, in terms of both the music and the plot. It’s a sung-through adaptation of Victor Hugo’s 3000-page novel, which I have not read. (Rent and Phantom are both almost sung-through, but do have some spoken lines.)
2) Guys and Dolls – Based on Damon Runyon’s short stories of the New York underworld. Reasonable plot, interesting characters, strong songs, and interspersed funny moments make this a very solid musical, and one of my favorites.
1) The Sound of Music – Couldn’t not have a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical on the list. Based on the number of times I’ve seen this movie, I’ll call it my favorite. Besides the classic Julie Andrews 1965 version, I’ve also seen the recording of NBC’s 2013 live production starring not-Julie Andrews as Maria. Doesn’t compare to the original movie.
I've compiled a list of musicals the library has that 1) I haven’t watched and 2) aren’t random obscure productions like The Utter Glory of Morrissey Hall (run of a single show on Broadway). There’s nothing huge on the list that I think would unseat anything in my top ten musicals, but you never know. I also haven’t seen Wicked, Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, etc., or any of the Disney spectacles, so this ranking is subject to change. But this is the list for now, and here’s where I try and convince you all that Shrek The Musical is not terrible, and also surprisingly, the songs for School of Rock (scored by Andrew Lloyd Webber) are pretty good.
10) Mamma Mia! – That’s right, we’re starting things off with a jukebox musical romantic comedy set on a Greek island featuring a Swedish pop group. It’s light and fun, and doesn’t try to be anything it’s not. Watch at your own risk of getting the songs stuck in your head for weeks.
9) The Phantom of the Opera – One of two musicals I’ve seen on Broadway. Some people can’t stand Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, but I don’t think he’s too bad. Phantom has a coherent enough plot, good songs, a dance number, and generally ticks all the boxes of what you want in a musical, which may be why it’s Broadway’s longest running show.
8) The Music Man – Too classic to leave off the list. It’s got a lot of recognizable songs. The competing conman/falling in love plots are similar to A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, but it’s more well known, maybe because its title doesn’t take three years to type.
7) Rent – Yes, the characters are kind of lazy jerks, but you don’t always need fully lovable protagonists. The score is rock solid, and I can’t speak to how much or little it parallels Puccini’s La Boheme because I’ve never seen or read about it.
6) West Side Story – The other musical I’ve seen on Broadway, and I recently watched the 1961 movie on Netflix. It’s based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, so if you think about the plot too much it makes no sense. However, it’s a Leonard Bernstein score, Stephen Sondheim wrote the lyrics, and Jerome Robbins did the choreography, so that more than makes up for all the characters’ questionable decisions.
5) Mary Poppins – There’s something about the 1964 movie that just feels magical. Well, besides the fact that Mary Poppins magically descends from the clouds, transports children into paintings, and hosts a floating tea party.
4) Into the Woods – Scored by Sondheim, book by James Lapine. It’s a clever musical adaptation and intertwining of fairy tales. I’ve seen the Jr. version staged live and the movie, but not the full live musical.
3) Les Miserables – Probably the only musical on this list that could possibly be described as epic, in terms of both the music and the plot. It’s a sung-through adaptation of Victor Hugo’s 3000-page novel, which I have not read. (Rent and Phantom are both almost sung-through, but do have some spoken lines.)
2) Guys and Dolls – Based on Damon Runyon’s short stories of the New York underworld. Reasonable plot, interesting characters, strong songs, and interspersed funny moments make this a very solid musical, and one of my favorites.
1) The Sound of Music – Couldn’t not have a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical on the list. Based on the number of times I’ve seen this movie, I’ll call it my favorite. Besides the classic Julie Andrews 1965 version, I’ve also seen the recording of NBC’s 2013 live production starring not-Julie Andrews as Maria. Doesn’t compare to the original movie.
I've compiled a list of musicals the library has that 1) I haven’t watched and 2) aren’t random obscure productions like The Utter Glory of Morrissey Hall (run of a single show on Broadway). There’s nothing huge on the list that I think would unseat anything in my top ten musicals, but you never know. I also haven’t seen Wicked, Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, etc., or any of the Disney spectacles, so this ranking is subject to change. But this is the list for now, and here’s where I try and convince you all that Shrek The Musical is not terrible, and also surprisingly, the songs for School of Rock (scored by Andrew Lloyd Webber) are pretty good.
Thursday, April 16, 2020
The Sound of Music, Volume 6
This will catch these posts up to all the musicals I’ve watched so far. I also forgot about two musicals that go together, so this post will have a bonus musical and bring us to 31 musicals in total.
Guys and Dolls (1955 movie) – This is probably one of my favorite musicals. I’ve seen it performed live twice, but have not played music from it. Guys and Dolls is based on stories by Damon Runyon and follows Nathan Detroit as he searches for a location for his illegal craps game. To pay for his chosen locale, he makes a bet with gambler Sky Masterson that Sky won’t be able to convince a woman of Nathan’s choice to accompany him (Sky) to Havana. Nathan picks Sarah Brown of the Save-A-Soul Mission, believing that there’s no way he can lose the bet. In the movie version, Marlon Brando plays Sky, which Frank Sinatra, who got the role of Nathan, was not happy about because he was a better singer. Vivian Blaine reprises her Broadway stage role as Adelaide, Nathan’s fiancée, and Jean Simmons is Sarah. Brando and Simmons sing all their parts (they’re not dubbed in the movie), but you can definitely tell Sinatra and Blaine are the better singers.
Notable songs: “Runyonland,” “A Bushel and a Peck,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Luck be a Lady,” “Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat”
The King and I (1956 movie) – My last major Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Like other works from this era, it’s both racist and sexist, but for the sake of this post we’ll ignore all of that. It’s a well-composed musical based on the book Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon, which was based on memoirs by Anna Leonowens, who actually did teach King Mongkut’s children in the 1860s in Siam (Thailand). King Mongkut and Anna are thus “the king and I,” and the musical describes the conflict between the two as they differ over their views of women and slavery while Anna teaches the king’s numerous children.
Notable songs: “I Whistle a Happy Tune,” “Getting to Know You”
Annie (2014 movie) – Interesting adaptation that takes place in Harlem, New York City with music arranged in a pop/hip hop style. I was not a huge fan of it, and neither were the reviewers. The story loses its classic feel when Annie’s adopted by a cellphone mogul and there’s a helicopter chase. In Cameron Diaz’s last acting role, she manages to be nominated for, but doesn’t win, the Worst Supporting Actress Razzie as Miss Hannigan. Not to worry, though, she wins Worst Actress that same year for not one, but two other roles. Personally, I thought her as Miss Hannigan was one of those “so bad it’s good” things.
Notable songs: “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “Tomorrow”
Mamma Mia! (2008 movie) – This is the musical I forgot. I actually didn’t realize it was on Broadway first and the movie is the adaptation, not the other way around. Featuring the music of ABBA and set on a Greek island, Mamma Mia! is about hotel owner Donna’s daughter Sophie trying to find her father, who could be any one of three different men, so he can walk her down the aisle at her upcoming wedding. Naturally, she invites all three men so she can figure out which one is her father. Is ABBA – or the plot of this movie – the peak of sophistication? No, but it’s pretty darn entertaining.
Notable songs: “Mamma Mia,” “Dancing Queen,” “Super Trouper,” and more
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018 movie) – I rewatched Mamma Mia! flying back from Singapore a year and a half ago, then rewatched Frozen, then watched Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Did I have ABBA songs stuck in my head for weeks? Yes. Do I regret it? Not one bit. In the sequel/prequel, Sophie is preparing to reopen Donna’s hotel. Interspersed with her plot are scenes showing how Donna met Sophie’s three potential fathers and leading up to Sophie’s birth. It’s not quite as good as Mamma Mia!, and the back and forth in the timeline can be a little disruptive, but it’s pretty close.
Notable songs: “Thank You for the Music,” “One of Us,” “I Have a Dream,” reprises of songs above
Shrek the Musical (2013 Broadway recording) – Hear me out. This is not a terrible musical. When Shrek’s solitude is threatened by the arrival of fairy tale creatures kicked out of Duloc by Lord Farquaad, he embarks on a quest to rescue a princess in order to save his swamp. While searching for Princess Fiona, he meets Donkey. Will he be successful in rescuing the princess and getting the fairy tale creatures out of his swamp – and maybe find friendship and love along the way? The plot follows what I remember of the movie pretty well, with a couple additional bits for exposition purposes. It definitely feels like modern Broadway, with a pop/rock score and flashy (sometimes kind of weird) costumes, but it mostly works. The staging is coherent, with the song lyrics and dialog working together to advance the plot, as opposed to what I’ve heard can be true of some of the Disney musicals that follow more of a pattern of alternating song-with-no-plot/dialog-with-all-the-plot. And maybe I wouldn’t pay to see it on Broadway, but I’d voluntarily watch it again.
Notable songs: “Big Bright Beautiful World,” “Story Of My Life,” “I Know It’s Today,” “What’s Up, Duloc?,” “Travel Song,” “I Think I Got You Beat”
That’s everything I’ve got for now on the musical front. The library’s closed, so it might be time to consult Netflix since I’ve finished The Office.
Guys and Dolls (1955 movie) – This is probably one of my favorite musicals. I’ve seen it performed live twice, but have not played music from it. Guys and Dolls is based on stories by Damon Runyon and follows Nathan Detroit as he searches for a location for his illegal craps game. To pay for his chosen locale, he makes a bet with gambler Sky Masterson that Sky won’t be able to convince a woman of Nathan’s choice to accompany him (Sky) to Havana. Nathan picks Sarah Brown of the Save-A-Soul Mission, believing that there’s no way he can lose the bet. In the movie version, Marlon Brando plays Sky, which Frank Sinatra, who got the role of Nathan, was not happy about because he was a better singer. Vivian Blaine reprises her Broadway stage role as Adelaide, Nathan’s fiancée, and Jean Simmons is Sarah. Brando and Simmons sing all their parts (they’re not dubbed in the movie), but you can definitely tell Sinatra and Blaine are the better singers.
Notable songs: “Runyonland,” “A Bushel and a Peck,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Luck be a Lady,” “Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat”
The King and I (1956 movie) – My last major Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Like other works from this era, it’s both racist and sexist, but for the sake of this post we’ll ignore all of that. It’s a well-composed musical based on the book Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon, which was based on memoirs by Anna Leonowens, who actually did teach King Mongkut’s children in the 1860s in Siam (Thailand). King Mongkut and Anna are thus “the king and I,” and the musical describes the conflict between the two as they differ over their views of women and slavery while Anna teaches the king’s numerous children.
Notable songs: “I Whistle a Happy Tune,” “Getting to Know You”
Annie (2014 movie) – Interesting adaptation that takes place in Harlem, New York City with music arranged in a pop/hip hop style. I was not a huge fan of it, and neither were the reviewers. The story loses its classic feel when Annie’s adopted by a cellphone mogul and there’s a helicopter chase. In Cameron Diaz’s last acting role, she manages to be nominated for, but doesn’t win, the Worst Supporting Actress Razzie as Miss Hannigan. Not to worry, though, she wins Worst Actress that same year for not one, but two other roles. Personally, I thought her as Miss Hannigan was one of those “so bad it’s good” things.
Notable songs: “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “Tomorrow”
Mamma Mia! (2008 movie) – This is the musical I forgot. I actually didn’t realize it was on Broadway first and the movie is the adaptation, not the other way around. Featuring the music of ABBA and set on a Greek island, Mamma Mia! is about hotel owner Donna’s daughter Sophie trying to find her father, who could be any one of three different men, so he can walk her down the aisle at her upcoming wedding. Naturally, she invites all three men so she can figure out which one is her father. Is ABBA – or the plot of this movie – the peak of sophistication? No, but it’s pretty darn entertaining.
Notable songs: “Mamma Mia,” “Dancing Queen,” “Super Trouper,” and more
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018 movie) – I rewatched Mamma Mia! flying back from Singapore a year and a half ago, then rewatched Frozen, then watched Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Did I have ABBA songs stuck in my head for weeks? Yes. Do I regret it? Not one bit. In the sequel/prequel, Sophie is preparing to reopen Donna’s hotel. Interspersed with her plot are scenes showing how Donna met Sophie’s three potential fathers and leading up to Sophie’s birth. It’s not quite as good as Mamma Mia!, and the back and forth in the timeline can be a little disruptive, but it’s pretty close.
Notable songs: “Thank You for the Music,” “One of Us,” “I Have a Dream,” reprises of songs above
Shrek the Musical (2013 Broadway recording) – Hear me out. This is not a terrible musical. When Shrek’s solitude is threatened by the arrival of fairy tale creatures kicked out of Duloc by Lord Farquaad, he embarks on a quest to rescue a princess in order to save his swamp. While searching for Princess Fiona, he meets Donkey. Will he be successful in rescuing the princess and getting the fairy tale creatures out of his swamp – and maybe find friendship and love along the way? The plot follows what I remember of the movie pretty well, with a couple additional bits for exposition purposes. It definitely feels like modern Broadway, with a pop/rock score and flashy (sometimes kind of weird) costumes, but it mostly works. The staging is coherent, with the song lyrics and dialog working together to advance the plot, as opposed to what I’ve heard can be true of some of the Disney musicals that follow more of a pattern of alternating song-with-no-plot/dialog-with-all-the-plot. And maybe I wouldn’t pay to see it on Broadway, but I’d voluntarily watch it again.
Notable songs: “Big Bright Beautiful World,” “Story Of My Life,” “I Know It’s Today,” “What’s Up, Duloc?,” “Travel Song,” “I Think I Got You Beat”
That’s everything I’ve got for now on the musical front. The library’s closed, so it might be time to consult Netflix since I’ve finished The Office.
Tuesday, April 7, 2020
The Sound of Music, Volume 5
It’s been awhile since I rounded up my musical watchings, which have slowed down, but not stopped entirely. In this edition, I review two movie musicals, one old and one new, two film versions of Broadway musicals, and a musical in which the movie score is almost completely different from the stage version. [Mild spoilers for Les Miserables ahead, if you’ve somehow never seen or heard anything about it and care about not knowing the ending.]
La La Land (2016 movie) – The movie was enjoyable enough, even if the plot is a little bland (two struggling artists, an actor and a musician, meet and fall in love). I wouldn’t have given it all the award nominations it received, but it was certainly more watchable than several other Oscar nominees I’ve sat through. The music’s not bad, and there are a couple good dance sequences, including the ending scene, borrowed from An American in Paris, which is TBD (to be discussed) below.
Notable songs: “Another Day of Sun,” “City of Stars”
Chicago (2002 movie) – Based on the stage version, which is based on a play, which is based on a real-life trial. I like this movie, and would classify it as one of the better movie adaptations. The plot centers on two women convicted of murder in jail and how they manipulate the criminal justice system and the press to not only win their freedom, but also fame. It’s meant to be satire/social commentary, so it’s not actually advocating for lying and bribing your way out of punishment. We played songs from Chicago a couple years ago at a band concert (it’s scored by Kander and Ebb, who also did Cabaret and New York, New York).
Notable songs: “All That Jazz,” “Cell Block Tango,” “Roxie”
An American in Paris (1951 movie) – Not a bad movie, though I don’t remember a whole lot about it. So take that as you will. It’s about an artist who falls in love with a perfume saleswoman who’s dating a singer. There’s also an heiress who takes an interest in the artist and a struggling pianist friend and it ends with a seventeen-minute long ballet sequence. I watched this partly because La La Land took so much inspiration from it, and thinking about it more now, yeah, it really did.
Notable songs: An American in Paris (by George Gershwin; we played it at the same concert as Chicago)
Les Miserables (2012 movie) – This was the musical freshman year at my high school, so I’m pretty familiar with it, though I wasn’t involved with the musical beyond going to see it. I did, however, play songs from it at some point during high school. If you’ve never seen any version of it, it’s complicated, but here’s the gist of it. Les Miserables follows an ensemble cast up to and during the French Revolution. Former prisoner Jean Valjean turned factory owner ends up caring for worker Fantine’s daughter Cosette while being pursued by police chief Javert. Valjean finds Cosette living with the Thenardiers, thieving innkeepers, and their daughter Eponine, and pays for Cosette’s freedom. Years later, Marius, a student revolutionist, falls in love with Cosette, but then the June Rebellion happens. Lots of people die, Valjean saves Marius, Marius and Cosette marry, and Valjean gains peace at last. Anyway, the movie’s good.
Notable songs: This is another musical where I know a lot of the songs, and the whole 2 hour, 40 minute show is almost sung through. Some highlights: “At the End of the Day,” “I Dreamed a Dream,” “Master of the House,” “On My Own,” “One Day More,” “Do You Hear the People Sing?,” “Bring Him Home,” “Empty Chairs and Empty Tables”
On the Town (1949 movie) – Based on the stage version, based on the Jerome Robbins ballet Fancy Free. It’s about sailors on shore leave in New York and their adventures on the town in places including Symphonic Hall, the Empire State Building, and Coney Island. It’s from the 1950s, so it’s all about the men trying to get women, but it’s mostly a fun musical. This is the movie that doesn’t have the same score as the stage version. The original music was composed by Leonard Bernstein, but it was “too hard and complex” so new music was composed. Seriously.
Notable music: (Yes, I’ve played this – Bernstein’s version – too.) “New York, New York” (not the theme from New York, New York by Kander and Ebb, sung in the movie by Liza Minelli and now associated with Frank Sinatra)
As it turns out, I guess I could have called this edition “the one with all the music I’ve played in band.” I’ve got four more unreviewed musicals, but I don’t know yet if I’ll write a slightly shorter post or wait until I watch one more musical. Until next time.
La La Land (2016 movie) – The movie was enjoyable enough, even if the plot is a little bland (two struggling artists, an actor and a musician, meet and fall in love). I wouldn’t have given it all the award nominations it received, but it was certainly more watchable than several other Oscar nominees I’ve sat through. The music’s not bad, and there are a couple good dance sequences, including the ending scene, borrowed from An American in Paris, which is TBD (to be discussed) below.
Notable songs: “Another Day of Sun,” “City of Stars”
Chicago (2002 movie) – Based on the stage version, which is based on a play, which is based on a real-life trial. I like this movie, and would classify it as one of the better movie adaptations. The plot centers on two women convicted of murder in jail and how they manipulate the criminal justice system and the press to not only win their freedom, but also fame. It’s meant to be satire/social commentary, so it’s not actually advocating for lying and bribing your way out of punishment. We played songs from Chicago a couple years ago at a band concert (it’s scored by Kander and Ebb, who also did Cabaret and New York, New York).
Notable songs: “All That Jazz,” “Cell Block Tango,” “Roxie”
An American in Paris (1951 movie) – Not a bad movie, though I don’t remember a whole lot about it. So take that as you will. It’s about an artist who falls in love with a perfume saleswoman who’s dating a singer. There’s also an heiress who takes an interest in the artist and a struggling pianist friend and it ends with a seventeen-minute long ballet sequence. I watched this partly because La La Land took so much inspiration from it, and thinking about it more now, yeah, it really did.
Notable songs: An American in Paris (by George Gershwin; we played it at the same concert as Chicago)
Les Miserables (2012 movie) – This was the musical freshman year at my high school, so I’m pretty familiar with it, though I wasn’t involved with the musical beyond going to see it. I did, however, play songs from it at some point during high school. If you’ve never seen any version of it, it’s complicated, but here’s the gist of it. Les Miserables follows an ensemble cast up to and during the French Revolution. Former prisoner Jean Valjean turned factory owner ends up caring for worker Fantine’s daughter Cosette while being pursued by police chief Javert. Valjean finds Cosette living with the Thenardiers, thieving innkeepers, and their daughter Eponine, and pays for Cosette’s freedom. Years later, Marius, a student revolutionist, falls in love with Cosette, but then the June Rebellion happens. Lots of people die, Valjean saves Marius, Marius and Cosette marry, and Valjean gains peace at last. Anyway, the movie’s good.
Notable songs: This is another musical where I know a lot of the songs, and the whole 2 hour, 40 minute show is almost sung through. Some highlights: “At the End of the Day,” “I Dreamed a Dream,” “Master of the House,” “On My Own,” “One Day More,” “Do You Hear the People Sing?,” “Bring Him Home,” “Empty Chairs and Empty Tables”
On the Town (1949 movie) – Based on the stage version, based on the Jerome Robbins ballet Fancy Free. It’s about sailors on shore leave in New York and their adventures on the town in places including Symphonic Hall, the Empire State Building, and Coney Island. It’s from the 1950s, so it’s all about the men trying to get women, but it’s mostly a fun musical. This is the movie that doesn’t have the same score as the stage version. The original music was composed by Leonard Bernstein, but it was “too hard and complex” so new music was composed. Seriously.
Notable music: (Yes, I’ve played this – Bernstein’s version – too.) “New York, New York” (not the theme from New York, New York by Kander and Ebb, sung in the movie by Liza Minelli and now associated with Frank Sinatra)
As it turns out, I guess I could have called this edition “the one with all the music I’ve played in band.” I’ve got four more unreviewed musicals, but I don’t know yet if I’ll write a slightly shorter post or wait until I watch one more musical. Until next time.
Sunday, January 20, 2019
Roll out the Red Carpet
I was going to jam in my movie recommendations/awards/comments in my book post, and then that got kind of long, so you get another post. Here’s the best of what I watched in 2018:
In general:
2001: A Space Odyssey – This movie does not look like it was produced in 1968. Visually, it could have been made in the 21st century. The pacing is slow, there’s no dialog for the first or last 20 minutes, you listen to The Blue Danube for like, half an hour, and the ending scenes are flat out weird, but it’s all so well done.
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure – Bill and Ted use a time travelling phone booth to amass a collection of historical figures to pass history class. Is this an artistic masterpiece? Absolutely not, but it’s so stupidly ridiculous that it’s good.
Soundtrack:
Original – Jurassic Park – Two words. John Williams. (And dinosaurs.)
Use of music – 2001: A Space Odyssey – According to Wikipedia, director Stanley Kubrick wanted to use music to create atmosphere and mood instead of relying on narrative techniques to drive the plot. He ended up using Richard Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra, Johann Strauss’ The Blue Danube, and pieces by Gyorgy Ligeti and Aram Khachaturian.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1 – The soundtrack (Awesome Mix Vol. 1) is just the right mix of weird/wacky 70s to accompany a bunch of misfits and aliens as they save the galaxy.
Star Wars – Both the original and prequal trilogies. Yes, I’m including all six episodes, Jar Jar, Ewoks, sand, and all.
1I’m not including any of the Marvel movies as rewatches, even the ones I’ve seen before, using the argument that I fell asleep during every single one except for The Avengers and the first Guardians of the Galaxy.
Animated:
Coco – Similarly to Inside Out, I wasn’t expecting to like this as much as I did. In this Pixar film, Miguel accidentally ends up in the land of the dead on Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) and needs to figure out how to get back to his family. The animation is what you expect from Pixar and the plot is straightforward but well-developed, even if the plot twist is more evocative of “of course that’s the plot twist” rather than “I had no idea that was coming.”
Marvel Cinematic Universe:
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1/2 – After making my way through the 17 Marvel movies before Infinity War, Peter Quill and his really weird gang and their kind of strange adventures backed by their 70s soundtrack win this award.
Musicals:
Chicago – We were supposed to be watching this after our last concert in band one year. We were probably not paying attention and fooling around instead. Chicago is supposed to satirize the criminal justice system, which it does with a catchy jazzy/vaudeville score.
Les Mis – Strong score, cast, set, lyrics, etc. Good adaptation overall.
Guys and Dolls – This is my favorite musical (not musical adaptation) of the musicals I watched this year. The 1955 movie version features Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra, and Vivian Blaine as Skye Masterson, Sister Sarah Brown, Nathan Detroit, and Miss Adelaide respectively. Apparently Sinatra wanted the role of Skye, which went to Brando, and the two of them would not get along on set. Matters weren’t helped by the fact that Sinatra was a better singer than Brando. [Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons’ lack of singing experience is particularly obvious in “I’ll Know,” but they both sang all their parts themselves.]
Also watched: An American in Paris; New York, New York; On the Town; Beauty and the Beast; The King and I; Annie (The 2014 version with Cameron Diaz as Miss Hannigan in her last acting role. She was nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress. Again, in my opinion, it was one of those so bad it was good things.)
Disney progress: So far I’ve gotten through Snow White, Pinocchio, The Reluctant Dragon, Bambi, Dumbo, Make Mine Music, Saludos Amigos, The Three Caballeros, Victory Through Air Power, Alice in Wonderland, Melody Time, and Peter Pan.
In general:
2001: A Space Odyssey – This movie does not look like it was produced in 1968. Visually, it could have been made in the 21st century. The pacing is slow, there’s no dialog for the first or last 20 minutes, you listen to The Blue Danube for like, half an hour, and the ending scenes are flat out weird, but it’s all so well done.
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure – Bill and Ted use a time travelling phone booth to amass a collection of historical figures to pass history class. Is this an artistic masterpiece? Absolutely not, but it’s so stupidly ridiculous that it’s good.
Soundtrack:
Original – Jurassic Park – Two words. John Williams. (And dinosaurs.)
Use of music – 2001: A Space Odyssey – According to Wikipedia, director Stanley Kubrick wanted to use music to create atmosphere and mood instead of relying on narrative techniques to drive the plot. He ended up using Richard Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra, Johann Strauss’ The Blue Danube, and pieces by Gyorgy Ligeti and Aram Khachaturian.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1 – The soundtrack (Awesome Mix Vol. 1) is just the right mix of weird/wacky 70s to accompany a bunch of misfits and aliens as they save the galaxy.
Rewatch:1
Star Wars – Both the original and prequal trilogies. Yes, I’m including all six episodes, Jar Jar, Ewoks, sand, and all.
1I’m not including any of the Marvel movies as rewatches, even the ones I’ve seen before, using the argument that I fell asleep during every single one except for The Avengers and the first Guardians of the Galaxy.
Animated:
Coco – Similarly to Inside Out, I wasn’t expecting to like this as much as I did. In this Pixar film, Miguel accidentally ends up in the land of the dead on Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) and needs to figure out how to get back to his family. The animation is what you expect from Pixar and the plot is straightforward but well-developed, even if the plot twist is more evocative of “of course that’s the plot twist” rather than “I had no idea that was coming.”
Marvel Cinematic Universe:
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1/2 – After making my way through the 17 Marvel movies before Infinity War, Peter Quill and his really weird gang and their kind of strange adventures backed by their 70s soundtrack win this award.
Musicals:
Chicago – We were supposed to be watching this after our last concert in band one year. We were probably not paying attention and fooling around instead. Chicago is supposed to satirize the criminal justice system, which it does with a catchy jazzy/vaudeville score.
Les Mis – Strong score, cast, set, lyrics, etc. Good adaptation overall.
Guys and Dolls – This is my favorite musical (not musical adaptation) of the musicals I watched this year. The 1955 movie version features Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra, and Vivian Blaine as Skye Masterson, Sister Sarah Brown, Nathan Detroit, and Miss Adelaide respectively. Apparently Sinatra wanted the role of Skye, which went to Brando, and the two of them would not get along on set. Matters weren’t helped by the fact that Sinatra was a better singer than Brando. [Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons’ lack of singing experience is particularly obvious in “I’ll Know,” but they both sang all their parts themselves.]
Also watched: An American in Paris; New York, New York; On the Town; Beauty and the Beast; The King and I; Annie (The 2014 version with Cameron Diaz as Miss Hannigan in her last acting role. She was nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress. Again, in my opinion, it was one of those so bad it was good things.)
Disney progress: So far I’ve gotten through Snow White, Pinocchio, The Reluctant Dragon, Bambi, Dumbo, Make Mine Music, Saludos Amigos, The Three Caballeros, Victory Through Air Power, Alice in Wonderland, Melody Time, and Peter Pan.
Saturday, March 24, 2018
The Sound of Music, Volume 4
Rent (2005 movie) – I was familiar with a good amount of the music from Rent before I saw it. After seeing it, I liked the soundtrack even more. It goes with the plot/book well and is varied in melody and tempo.1 The plot follows a group of struggling artists living the Bohemian life in New York City while dealing with various relationship troubles and HIV/AIDS. It’s based on Puccini’s La boheme, if that gives you any further clue about the plot.
Notable songs: “Seasons of Love,” “One Song Glory,” “La Vie Boheme,” “Without You”
A Chorus Line (1985 movie) – Apparently the original Broadway version of A Chorus Line was supposed to be about aging stars looking for one last chance, not young dancers trying to get their first big break, but if you can get over that, it’s not a bad movie. It takes place almost entirely onstage and depicts dancers auditioning for a new musical. As the day progresses, the auditionees are asked to talk about their lives and reveal their pasts, all while vying to be chosen for the chorus line.
Notable songs: “I Hope I Get It,” “Nothing”
Carousel (1956 movie) – After seeing this musical, I think my last major Rodgers and Hammerstein musical to watch is The King and I. Overall, I liked it, but it was slow, and this is coming from someone who enjoys doing things like making eight dozen of the same sandwich and reading cereal boxes. The plot can mostly be summed up as “do Billy and Julie really love each other?” with some side issues. It’s based on a Hungarian play by Molnár, Liliom. “June is Bustin’ Out All Over” is a fun extended dance break though. [Side note: For some reason, this musical reminds me of the third act of Burning Bright by John Steinbeck, which has little to no relation except both works contain a boat.]
Notable songs: “June is Bustin’ Out All Over,” “A Real Nice Clambake”
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1999 movie) – In this musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber takes on the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors (plus what follows). This version includes an unnecessary (in my opinion) frame story but otherwise is flashy and entertaining, and I am a fan of Pharaoh/Elvis.
Notable songs: “Any Dream Will Do,” “Joseph’s Coat,” “Go, Go, Go Joseph”
Jesus Christ Superstar (1973 movie) – And here’s more Andrew Lloyd Webber, presenting a somewhat fictionalized version of Jesus’s last week on earth. There’s an entire subplot involving Judas. Mainly, this musical was a little weird – partly true, partly not, and sung entirely as a rock opera. Then again, someone else wrote an entire musical about the Shroud of Turin (Into the Light, which lasted a whole five days on Broadway, in case you were wondering).
Notable songs: “Hosanna,” “King Herod’s Song,” “Superstar” [Incidentally, “Red Solo Cup” by Toby Keith has a line that sounds exactly like a line in “King Herod’s Song.” It makes for a slightly bizarre listening experience.]
That wraps up another group of musicals, probably my last for the near future. At this point I’ve seen most of the common/popular musicals that the library has, plus I haven’t been watching as many movies in the past couple months.
1Not going to name names here2, but there are some musicals where every song sounds the same, except with different words.
2But . . . if I have a hard time coming up with notable songs for a musical, it’s probably one of those musicals where every song sounds the same, except with different words.3
3Nested footnotes.
Notable songs: “Seasons of Love,” “One Song Glory,” “La Vie Boheme,” “Without You”
A Chorus Line (1985 movie) – Apparently the original Broadway version of A Chorus Line was supposed to be about aging stars looking for one last chance, not young dancers trying to get their first big break, but if you can get over that, it’s not a bad movie. It takes place almost entirely onstage and depicts dancers auditioning for a new musical. As the day progresses, the auditionees are asked to talk about their lives and reveal their pasts, all while vying to be chosen for the chorus line.
Notable songs: “I Hope I Get It,” “Nothing”
Carousel (1956 movie) – After seeing this musical, I think my last major Rodgers and Hammerstein musical to watch is The King and I. Overall, I liked it, but it was slow, and this is coming from someone who enjoys doing things like making eight dozen of the same sandwich and reading cereal boxes. The plot can mostly be summed up as “do Billy and Julie really love each other?” with some side issues. It’s based on a Hungarian play by Molnár, Liliom. “June is Bustin’ Out All Over” is a fun extended dance break though. [Side note: For some reason, this musical reminds me of the third act of Burning Bright by John Steinbeck, which has little to no relation except both works contain a boat.]
Notable songs: “June is Bustin’ Out All Over,” “A Real Nice Clambake”
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1999 movie) – In this musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber takes on the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors (plus what follows). This version includes an unnecessary (in my opinion) frame story but otherwise is flashy and entertaining, and I am a fan of Pharaoh/Elvis.
Notable songs: “Any Dream Will Do,” “Joseph’s Coat,” “Go, Go, Go Joseph”
Jesus Christ Superstar (1973 movie) – And here’s more Andrew Lloyd Webber, presenting a somewhat fictionalized version of Jesus’s last week on earth. There’s an entire subplot involving Judas. Mainly, this musical was a little weird – partly true, partly not, and sung entirely as a rock opera. Then again, someone else wrote an entire musical about the Shroud of Turin (Into the Light, which lasted a whole five days on Broadway, in case you were wondering).
Notable songs: “Hosanna,” “King Herod’s Song,” “Superstar” [Incidentally, “Red Solo Cup” by Toby Keith has a line that sounds exactly like a line in “King Herod’s Song.” It makes for a slightly bizarre listening experience.]
That wraps up another group of musicals, probably my last for the near future. At this point I’ve seen most of the common/popular musicals that the library has, plus I haven’t been watching as many movies in the past couple months.
1Not going to name names here2, but there are some musicals where every song sounds the same, except with different words.
2But . . . if I have a hard time coming up with notable songs for a musical, it’s probably one of those musicals where every song sounds the same, except with different words.3
3Nested footnotes.
Thursday, February 8, 2018
The Sound of Music, Volume 3
I’m back with yet more musicals, and this edition even has The Sound of Music itself in it.
Once Upon a Mattress (2005 TV version) – This is an adaptation of “The Princess and the Pea,” and it’s on the light and fun side. The plot is simple, but the somewhat exaggerated behavior of the characters is amusing and keeps the musical going.
Once Upon a Mattress (2005 TV version) – This is an adaptation of “The Princess and the Pea,” and it’s on the light and fun side. The plot is simple, but the somewhat exaggerated behavior of the characters is amusing and keeps the musical going.
Notable songs: “Shy,” “Nightingale Lullaby”
South Pacific (1958 movie) – This was better than I thought it would be. The story is about Seabees and Navy nurses on an island in the South Pacific during World War II. There’s love, espionage, malaria, and the mysterious island of Bali Ha’i. Some of the visuals were . . . interesting – a few times when the characters were singing (usually about Bali Ha’i or love) colored mist would descend over everything, which mainly made me question if my computer monitor had suddenly broken. I’m not quite sure what effect they were going for, but whatever it was, I didn’t get it. Additionally, a number of the main actors don’t sing their parts. It’s more noticeable for some of them than others.
Notable songs: “Bali Ha’i,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair”
The Sound of Music Live! (2013 live TV production) – Basically any production of The Sound of Music is going to be compared to the 1965 movie (which I’ve seen multiple times). For this version, Carrie Underwood was cast as Maria. She can sing, but she’s not an actress, and unfortunately, through no fault of her own, every time she appears the first thing you think is, “that’s not Julie Andrews.” The von Trapp kids worked well together, and the producers stayed true to the original Broadway musical. (The 1965 movie is pretty close, but it moves some of the songs around and cuts a couple.) Worth a watch just for the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical numbers.
Notable songs: Basically all of them (“The Sound of Music,” “Maria,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” “The Lonely Goatherd,” “So Long, Farewell,” “Edelweiss”)
The Phantom of the Opera (2004 movie) – Solid adaptation. None of the actors were amazing, but they all performed well. I do disagree with some of the director’s choices to value cinematic spectacle over atmosphere and storytelling; there are a couple big scenes that are filmed more to show off camera angles and sets than to tell the story. Yes, this is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, but we don’t need Starlight Express levels of spectacle. Starlight Express is a musical about trains performed entirely on roller skates. There’s lots of strobe lighting and neon and it would not be out of place to have a disco ball hanging from the theater ceiling.
Notable songs: Also a lot – “Think of Me,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” “The Music of the Night,” “Notes/Prima Donna,” “All I Ask of You,” “Masquerade”
Newsies (1992 movie) – All I knew about this musical before I watched it was the song “Seize the Day.” It’s based on the New York City newsboys strike of 1899, and it’s a pretty standard Disney happy-ending-type movie, but I liked it anyway. When Newsies was originally released, it did not do well, but later gained popularity and was adapted for Broadway. Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, etc.) did the score and 18-year-old Christian Bale stars as Jack Kelly.
Notable songs: “Carrying the Banner,” “Santa Fe,” “Seize the Day”
Another decent set of musicals. Nothing earth-shattering, nothing that made me want to gouge my eyes out, which is always a good thing.
South Pacific (1958 movie) – This was better than I thought it would be. The story is about Seabees and Navy nurses on an island in the South Pacific during World War II. There’s love, espionage, malaria, and the mysterious island of Bali Ha’i. Some of the visuals were . . . interesting – a few times when the characters were singing (usually about Bali Ha’i or love) colored mist would descend over everything, which mainly made me question if my computer monitor had suddenly broken. I’m not quite sure what effect they were going for, but whatever it was, I didn’t get it. Additionally, a number of the main actors don’t sing their parts. It’s more noticeable for some of them than others.
Notable songs: “Bali Ha’i,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair”
The Sound of Music Live! (2013 live TV production) – Basically any production of The Sound of Music is going to be compared to the 1965 movie (which I’ve seen multiple times). For this version, Carrie Underwood was cast as Maria. She can sing, but she’s not an actress, and unfortunately, through no fault of her own, every time she appears the first thing you think is, “that’s not Julie Andrews.” The von Trapp kids worked well together, and the producers stayed true to the original Broadway musical. (The 1965 movie is pretty close, but it moves some of the songs around and cuts a couple.) Worth a watch just for the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical numbers.
Notable songs: Basically all of them (“The Sound of Music,” “Maria,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” “The Lonely Goatherd,” “So Long, Farewell,” “Edelweiss”)
The Phantom of the Opera (2004 movie) – Solid adaptation. None of the actors were amazing, but they all performed well. I do disagree with some of the director’s choices to value cinematic spectacle over atmosphere and storytelling; there are a couple big scenes that are filmed more to show off camera angles and sets than to tell the story. Yes, this is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, but we don’t need Starlight Express levels of spectacle. Starlight Express is a musical about trains performed entirely on roller skates. There’s lots of strobe lighting and neon and it would not be out of place to have a disco ball hanging from the theater ceiling.
Notable songs: Also a lot – “Think of Me,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” “The Music of the Night,” “Notes/Prima Donna,” “All I Ask of You,” “Masquerade”
Newsies (1992 movie) – All I knew about this musical before I watched it was the song “Seize the Day.” It’s based on the New York City newsboys strike of 1899, and it’s a pretty standard Disney happy-ending-type movie, but I liked it anyway. When Newsies was originally released, it did not do well, but later gained popularity and was adapted for Broadway. Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, etc.) did the score and 18-year-old Christian Bale stars as Jack Kelly.
Notable songs: “Carrying the Banner,” “Santa Fe,” “Seize the Day”
Another decent set of musicals. Nothing earth-shattering, nothing that made me want to gouge my eyes out, which is always a good thing.
Monday, July 24, 2017
The Sound of (More) Music
The next batch of musicals. Including two more live musicals (because they’re already filmed, and so end up on DVD), two classic-ish (depends on your definition) musicals, and three Disney-related musicals.
Into the Woods (2014 movie) – The plot mashes elements of “Cinderella,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” and “Rapunzel” with the story of a baker and his wife trying to have a child. I realized halfway through that I had previously seen Into the Woods Jr., which cuts the entire second act, so there were still a lot of things about to happen. It was a bit dark, but I was pleasantly surprised by the cast. I did not know James Corden could sing, though I guess he does host carpool karaoke. . . . The princes were wonderfully dense (see “Agony”). Also, Meryl Streep as the witch was pretty fabulous.
Notable songs: “Prologue: Into the Woods,” “Giants in the Sky,” “Agony”
Peter Pan Live! (2014 live TV production) – This was based on a musical adaptation of Peter and Wendy, J. M. Barrie’s play. I haven’t seen the Disney movie in years, but I remember it being at least somewhat decent. That said, Peter and Wendy did not make a great musical. Most of the songs, excepting the pirate features, were forgettable or not that exciting musically or lyrically. At least the choreography in the pirate songs was fun to watch. Neverland was very Technicolor. I don’t think I would have gone quite so cotton-candy-colored, but that’s a production choice. Also on the production side, the commercial cuts were terrible. The scenes would cut out while the orchestra was still holding their last note. That’s not how cutoffs work.
Notable songs: “I Won’t Grow Up,” maybe?
Mary Poppins (1964 movie) – Another Disney movie I hadn’t seen in years, and I was surprised by how good it still is. The scene inside the chalk drawing is still my favorite.
Notable songs: “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,”
“Chim Chim Cher-ee”
The Music Man (1962 movie) – I’ve seen either the Jr. or full version of this performed live, so I knew the basic story – Harold Hill sells marching band instruments and uniforms to towns, collects the money, and flees before everyone realizes he knows nothing about teaching music, except this time he falls in love. Robert Preston is great as Hill and Winthrop is child Ron Howard. If you’ve ever wanted to see Ron Howard as an 8-year-old singing, this is your chance. I didn’t realize the number of songs I was familiar with, but it was almost half the musical numbers.
Notable songs: “Rock Island,”1 “Seventy-six Trombones,” “Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little,” “Gary, Indiana,” “The Wells Fargo Wagon,” “Shipoopi,” “Till There Was You”
The Wiz Live! (2015 live TV production) – Like Peter Pan, this is another musical where I just don’t like the musical itself. The Wiz is a soul/R&B reworking of The Wizard of Oz, and it’s well done and produced, but I remain partial to the 1939 movie.
Notable songs: “Ease on Down the Road”
More of a split decision this time. Into the Woods was unexpectedly well done, while Peter Pan and The Wiz aren’t must sees, in my opinion, and Mary Poppins and The Music Man are two standards from the golden age of musicals.
1This is a very clever song. It uses the natural sounds and rhythms of the words to suggest the motion of a train even as the actors remain stationary (in the stage production). “Comedy Tonight” in Forum (see previous musical post) does a similar thing where Sondheim decreases the number of syllables in a series of rhyming words to speed up the feel of the song without increasing the tempo. These observations courtesy of The Secret Life of the American Musical by Jack Viertel.
Into the Woods (2014 movie) – The plot mashes elements of “Cinderella,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” and “Rapunzel” with the story of a baker and his wife trying to have a child. I realized halfway through that I had previously seen Into the Woods Jr., which cuts the entire second act, so there were still a lot of things about to happen. It was a bit dark, but I was pleasantly surprised by the cast. I did not know James Corden could sing, though I guess he does host carpool karaoke. . . . The princes were wonderfully dense (see “Agony”). Also, Meryl Streep as the witch was pretty fabulous.
Notable songs: “Prologue: Into the Woods,” “Giants in the Sky,” “Agony”
Peter Pan Live! (2014 live TV production) – This was based on a musical adaptation of Peter and Wendy, J. M. Barrie’s play. I haven’t seen the Disney movie in years, but I remember it being at least somewhat decent. That said, Peter and Wendy did not make a great musical. Most of the songs, excepting the pirate features, were forgettable or not that exciting musically or lyrically. At least the choreography in the pirate songs was fun to watch. Neverland was very Technicolor. I don’t think I would have gone quite so cotton-candy-colored, but that’s a production choice. Also on the production side, the commercial cuts were terrible. The scenes would cut out while the orchestra was still holding their last note. That’s not how cutoffs work.
Notable songs: “I Won’t Grow Up,” maybe?
Mary Poppins (1964 movie) – Another Disney movie I hadn’t seen in years, and I was surprised by how good it still is. The scene inside the chalk drawing is still my favorite.
Notable songs: “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,”
“Chim Chim Cher-ee”
The Music Man (1962 movie) – I’ve seen either the Jr. or full version of this performed live, so I knew the basic story – Harold Hill sells marching band instruments and uniforms to towns, collects the money, and flees before everyone realizes he knows nothing about teaching music, except this time he falls in love. Robert Preston is great as Hill and Winthrop is child Ron Howard. If you’ve ever wanted to see Ron Howard as an 8-year-old singing, this is your chance. I didn’t realize the number of songs I was familiar with, but it was almost half the musical numbers.
Notable songs: “Rock Island,”1 “Seventy-six Trombones,” “Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little,” “Gary, Indiana,” “The Wells Fargo Wagon,” “Shipoopi,” “Till There Was You”
The Wiz Live! (2015 live TV production) – Like Peter Pan, this is another musical where I just don’t like the musical itself. The Wiz is a soul/R&B reworking of The Wizard of Oz, and it’s well done and produced, but I remain partial to the 1939 movie.
Notable songs: “Ease on Down the Road”
More of a split decision this time. Into the Woods was unexpectedly well done, while Peter Pan and The Wiz aren’t must sees, in my opinion, and Mary Poppins and The Music Man are two standards from the golden age of musicals.
1This is a very clever song. It uses the natural sounds and rhythms of the words to suggest the motion of a train even as the actors remain stationary (in the stage production). “Comedy Tonight” in Forum (see previous musical post) does a similar thing where Sondheim decreases the number of syllables in a series of rhyming words to speed up the feel of the song without increasing the tempo. These observations courtesy of The Secret Life of the American Musical by Jack Viertel.
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
The Sound of Music
You may have noticed that a lot of my post titles come from songs [see: every post I wrote about summer 2016 (posted in January 2017)]. You can thank band for that. I’m beginning to reach the point in my musical career1 where I have a song for most occasions2. In that line of thought, I’ve been watching a number of musicals. The branch of the Ann Arbor public library system I go to sorts their DVD selection by genre (action, comedy, etc.) and musicals have their own section, so I’ve been working my way through some of the more well-known musicals, including the following:
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966 movie with Zero Mostel reprising his stage role) – Forum is one of those works where everyone spends their entire time running around trying to trick everyone else. Several identities get stolen, there are numerous love polygons, and it’s absurd overall. It’s a fun watch.
Notable songs3: “Comedy Tonight”
Hairspray (2007 movie) – A movie adapted from a Broadway show (2002) adapted from a movie (1988). Based on three minutes of research on Wikipedia, it looks like the 2007 movie and the Broadway show are pretty similar while the original movie has the same plot but a lot of details were changed for the later musical and movie. Hairspray follows Tracy Turnblad’s journey to stardom as an overweight dancer on The Corny Collins Show and her efforts to desegregate the show. The score contains a number of upbeat 60s dance tunes with a bit of a Broadway ballad feel at times. Some of the songs could have been more varied in style and dragged on a little, but overall I liked the movie. And in keeping with tradition, John Travolta plays Edna Turnblad, Tracy’s mother.
Notable songs: “Good Morning Baltimore,” “You Can’t Stop the Beat”
Company (2011 staged reading with the New York Philharmonic) – Company is a series of scenes about the perpetually single Robert and his married friends as they have dinner, fight, get married, and live their lives. This filming used minimal props/set/costumes and the orchestra was actually seated at the back of the stage rather than in a hole in the ground. It worked, and keeping the set simple focused attention on the lines instead of flashing lights or smoke machines.
Notable songs: “Another Hundred People,” “Being Alive”
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967 movie) – In the “see how many people you can scam” style of Forum, J. Pierpont Finch scams his way into jobs at the Worldwide Wicket Corporation. If you know that guy in group projects who does nothing but answers all questions after the presentation with “we,” that’s Finch. Worth a watch for its (satirical) take on climbing the corporate ladder.
Notable songs: Nothing very memorable, but “Grand Old Ivy” is amusing
Grease Live! (2016 live TV production) – This was an interesting production. The opening and closing numbers were purposely done on the soundstage set, with clearly visible supports and the cast riding around in backstage vehicles. The rest of the musical was contained in single scenes that looked like elaborate stages. It was all fine except for the race, which looked like two grown men pretending to drive stationary cars like kids ride carousel horses. I wish they’d found a way to make it look more convincing, but they tried. They also added a song for Frenchy (Carly Rae Jepsen) so she could show off her singing ability, but the style wasn’t quite right. In addition, the actor playing Danny Zuko, Aaron Tveit (who went to Ithaca College), looked too old. My personal policy is that actors playing high school characters can look like they’re in college, but not any older than that. And finally, Grease commits the offense of two characters singing a duet in perfect harmony . . . from two completely different locations (I’m looking at you, “Summer Nights”). Other than that, Grease is a classic. I’ll be looking for the 1978 movie starring John Travolta as Danny Zuko; fun fact: Aaron Tveit was in Hairspray on Broadway. However, he was not Edna Turnblad. He was cast as Link Larkin.
Notable songs: A bunch – “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’,” “Beauty School Dropout,” “Born to Hand Jive,” “You’re the One That I Want,” “We Go Together”
I’d say all of the above musicals are worth watching. Grease Live! was a little unconventional and if you don’t like watching musicals filmed on stage, skip Company, but otherwise there are a lot of good lyrics and songs and some fun acting. The next set of musicals is still to come.
1Not actually a career
2Road trip? “On the Road Again.” Long walk? “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles).” Just set your pet budgerigar loose? “Free Bird.” Missing hairbrush? “The Hairbrush Song.”
3Notable to me, in that I remember them or they’re known in pop culture.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966 movie with Zero Mostel reprising his stage role) – Forum is one of those works where everyone spends their entire time running around trying to trick everyone else. Several identities get stolen, there are numerous love polygons, and it’s absurd overall. It’s a fun watch.
Notable songs3: “Comedy Tonight”
Hairspray (2007 movie) – A movie adapted from a Broadway show (2002) adapted from a movie (1988). Based on three minutes of research on Wikipedia, it looks like the 2007 movie and the Broadway show are pretty similar while the original movie has the same plot but a lot of details were changed for the later musical and movie. Hairspray follows Tracy Turnblad’s journey to stardom as an overweight dancer on The Corny Collins Show and her efforts to desegregate the show. The score contains a number of upbeat 60s dance tunes with a bit of a Broadway ballad feel at times. Some of the songs could have been more varied in style and dragged on a little, but overall I liked the movie. And in keeping with tradition, John Travolta plays Edna Turnblad, Tracy’s mother.
Notable songs: “Good Morning Baltimore,” “You Can’t Stop the Beat”
Company (2011 staged reading with the New York Philharmonic) – Company is a series of scenes about the perpetually single Robert and his married friends as they have dinner, fight, get married, and live their lives. This filming used minimal props/set/costumes and the orchestra was actually seated at the back of the stage rather than in a hole in the ground. It worked, and keeping the set simple focused attention on the lines instead of flashing lights or smoke machines.
Notable songs: “Another Hundred People,” “Being Alive”
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967 movie) – In the “see how many people you can scam” style of Forum, J. Pierpont Finch scams his way into jobs at the Worldwide Wicket Corporation. If you know that guy in group projects who does nothing but answers all questions after the presentation with “we,” that’s Finch. Worth a watch for its (satirical) take on climbing the corporate ladder.
Notable songs: Nothing very memorable, but “Grand Old Ivy” is amusing
Grease Live! (2016 live TV production) – This was an interesting production. The opening and closing numbers were purposely done on the soundstage set, with clearly visible supports and the cast riding around in backstage vehicles. The rest of the musical was contained in single scenes that looked like elaborate stages. It was all fine except for the race, which looked like two grown men pretending to drive stationary cars like kids ride carousel horses. I wish they’d found a way to make it look more convincing, but they tried. They also added a song for Frenchy (Carly Rae Jepsen) so she could show off her singing ability, but the style wasn’t quite right. In addition, the actor playing Danny Zuko, Aaron Tveit (who went to Ithaca College), looked too old. My personal policy is that actors playing high school characters can look like they’re in college, but not any older than that. And finally, Grease commits the offense of two characters singing a duet in perfect harmony . . . from two completely different locations (I’m looking at you, “Summer Nights”). Other than that, Grease is a classic. I’ll be looking for the 1978 movie starring John Travolta as Danny Zuko; fun fact: Aaron Tveit was in Hairspray on Broadway. However, he was not Edna Turnblad. He was cast as Link Larkin.
Notable songs: A bunch – “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’,” “Beauty School Dropout,” “Born to Hand Jive,” “You’re the One That I Want,” “We Go Together”
I’d say all of the above musicals are worth watching. Grease Live! was a little unconventional and if you don’t like watching musicals filmed on stage, skip Company, but otherwise there are a lot of good lyrics and songs and some fun acting. The next set of musicals is still to come.
1Not actually a career
2Road trip? “On the Road Again.” Long walk? “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles).” Just set your pet budgerigar loose? “Free Bird.” Missing hairbrush? “The Hairbrush Song.”
3Notable to me, in that I remember them or they’re known in pop culture.
Thursday, January 12, 2017
New York, New York
In the spirit of adventure and because I really wanted to see a Broadway show, I travelled with my mother and visiting relatives to New York City after only a week at home. We rode the bus down, which was mostly okay until we exited the highway and travelled a hundred blocks in Manhattan traffic. At best, you can make it four blocks per green light. I spent the next hour counting down the blocks to the bus drop off point.
While planning for the trip, we decided to see a Broadway show on our first night in the city. Based on ticket availability and price, I chose The Phantom of the Opera. We got seats in the rear mezzanine, which were just fine for me. I could hear and see all of the show, excepting parts missed because the people in the row in front of us kept moving. Other people had complained online about everything from the ushers shining flashlights in peoples’ faces for cell phone use to an ancient subpar sound system to not being able to see anything without a telescope from the rear mezzanine, but I didn’t have any of these issues. The show was great; the only thing I would have liked was to see more of the pit. Yes, I am aware you go to a Broadway show to see the stage, but I’m a musician1.
Day two was spent at the Museum of Natural History, crossing a large portion of Central Park, and at Times Square. The Museum of Natural History is my favorite New York City museum, because they have a giant whale.2,3 We also saw lots of other animals and rocks, and an entire hallway full of the mussels of New York. Very exciting. The crossing of Central Park was partly thanks to my fabulous wayfinding skills. My home city is Boston, okay? I don’t know how to navigate if I can’t turn kind of left onto a one way street. The grid makes too much sense. And our last event of the day was stopping by Times Square to see vast amounts of people and lights. Why so many people flock to Times Square just to see it, I don’t know, but the lights kind of make it look like year-round Christmas.
Day three featured the 9/11 Memorial Museum and the Empire State Building. I did not go up the Empire State Building because I’d been not too long ago and it’s a glorified, expensive elevator ride. (See: previous post’s comments regarding the CN Tower.) I had been to the 9/11 memorial a couple times previously, but this trip was the my first time seeing the museum. There was a lot to see; the main exhibit is a detailed walkthrough of the events of 9/11 with photos, recovered items, and audio and video clips. After the Empire State Building, we called it an early night.
The next morning, our last day, we went to Highline Park. It’s an interesting concept – the entire park is built on an old elevated railway bed – but it was surprisingly crowded, and there was a lot of construction in the surrounding neighborhoods. Large portions of the park were surrounded by plastic sheeting and you could hear drills/hammering/large machinery a lot of the time. I’d like to walk it again after the revitalization happens. After lunch, we made another quick stop at Central Park, then caught the bus back to New England. We got caught in traffic. Again.
1Debatable
2I haven’t been to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, which I’ve heard is also good.
3Favorites of the Smithsonian museums in DC are the Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum. I’m also a fan of giant Lincoln.
While planning for the trip, we decided to see a Broadway show on our first night in the city. Based on ticket availability and price, I chose The Phantom of the Opera. We got seats in the rear mezzanine, which were just fine for me. I could hear and see all of the show, excepting parts missed because the people in the row in front of us kept moving. Other people had complained online about everything from the ushers shining flashlights in peoples’ faces for cell phone use to an ancient subpar sound system to not being able to see anything without a telescope from the rear mezzanine, but I didn’t have any of these issues. The show was great; the only thing I would have liked was to see more of the pit. Yes, I am aware you go to a Broadway show to see the stage, but I’m a musician1.
 |
| The Majestic Theatre, home to Phantom on Broadway |
Day two was spent at the Museum of Natural History, crossing a large portion of Central Park, and at Times Square. The Museum of Natural History is my favorite New York City museum, because they have a giant whale.2,3 We also saw lots of other animals and rocks, and an entire hallway full of the mussels of New York. Very exciting. The crossing of Central Park was partly thanks to my fabulous wayfinding skills. My home city is Boston, okay? I don’t know how to navigate if I can’t turn kind of left onto a one way street. The grid makes too much sense. And our last event of the day was stopping by Times Square to see vast amounts of people and lights. Why so many people flock to Times Square just to see it, I don’t know, but the lights kind of make it look like year-round Christmas.
 |
| Obligatory photo of Times Square at night, since this is a post about New York City |
Day three featured the 9/11 Memorial Museum and the Empire State Building. I did not go up the Empire State Building because I’d been not too long ago and it’s a glorified, expensive elevator ride. (See: previous post’s comments regarding the CN Tower.) I had been to the 9/11 memorial a couple times previously, but this trip was the my first time seeing the museum. There was a lot to see; the main exhibit is a detailed walkthrough of the events of 9/11 with photos, recovered items, and audio and video clips. After the Empire State Building, we called it an early night.
 |
| Highline Park |
The next morning, our last day, we went to Highline Park. It’s an interesting concept – the entire park is built on an old elevated railway bed – but it was surprisingly crowded, and there was a lot of construction in the surrounding neighborhoods. Large portions of the park were surrounded by plastic sheeting and you could hear drills/hammering/large machinery a lot of the time. I’d like to walk it again after the revitalization happens. After lunch, we made another quick stop at Central Park, then caught the bus back to New England. We got caught in traffic. Again.
1Debatable
2I haven’t been to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, which I’ve heard is also good.
3Favorites of the Smithsonian museums in DC are the Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum. I’m also a fan of giant Lincoln.
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