Author Topic: Merry Music of May Group Marathon 2013  (Read 29678 times)

Corndog

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Re: Merry Music of May Group Marathon 2013
« Reply #200 on: May 28, 2013, 04:13:55 PM »
I enjoyed Meet Me in St. Louis as part of my Favorite Film Marathon, for flieger.

Still hoping to fit in Grease when I get it from the local library.
"Time is the speed at which the past decays."

Sandy

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Re: Merry Music of May Group Marathon 2013
« Reply #201 on: May 29, 2013, 10:40:50 AM »
Great month everyone!

I wish I could have reviewed more, but I've been enjoying reading about all of your musical finds. I hope we get to have this category again next year.

1SO

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Re: Merry Music of May Group Marathon 2013
« Reply #202 on: May 29, 2013, 11:17:12 AM »
Over 100 reviews, and less than half were by me. (Get a lot more watched when the wife is also interested.)
13 participants, with quite a few MDC dictations still outstanding.

I haven't posted an updated Musicals list because I don't want to exclude the Music films that aren't really Musicals and Quadrophenia was the big (though not Merry) discovery. Other highlights In Order include...

Ziegfeld Follies - Gene Kelly + Fred Astaire
Anchors Away - Gene Kelly + Jerry the mouse
Oscar Levant in Rhythm on the River, Romance on the High Seas and An American in Paris
Eleanor Powell in Broadway Melody of 1936, Ship Ahoy and Born to Dance
Lil' Abner - a thoroughly enjoyable musical done in a strict Broadway style
Calamity Jane - "The Deadwood Stage" and "The Windy City" are this month's 2 catchiest tunes
Pennies From Heaven - the beautifully staged musical numbers
French Cancan - Finale
finally watching Yellow Submarine and Head (and in the same month).


I could've done without...
Martha Raye in Rhythm on the Range
James Cagney raping Doris Day in Love Me or Leave Me

oldkid

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Re: Merry Music of May Group Marathon 2013
« Reply #203 on: May 29, 2013, 11:43:23 AM »
I have so loved this marathon!

It has been a difficult month for me, so to punctuate my month with musicals was perfect.  I am so happy to have found Linda Linda Linda and Daddy Long Legs!  I'm looking forward to doing this again!
"It's not art unless it has the potential to be a disaster." Bansky

Bondo

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Re: Merry Music of May Group Marathon 2013
« Reply #204 on: May 29, 2013, 12:28:49 PM »
And next year...Gay May. So pretty much another month for musicals. And another chance to hope someone watches Leave It On The Floor.

I think my main take home wasn't to do with musicals but what can be done with documentaries about bands.

Corndog

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Re: Merry Music of May Group Marathon 2013
« Reply #205 on: June 03, 2013, 02:28:28 PM »
My last for this marathon:

Grease (Randal Kleiser, 1978) -

I just had to include this on my short list of shameful blindspots within the musical genre. It doesn't seem to get much talk around these parts at all that I can remember, though perhaps I have just missed the Filmspotters for Grease secret club meeting notices. It's the highest grossing musical of all time and certainly has attained an iconic pop culture status, so I had to give it a shot. It turns out I knew pretty much every song in the film, that was the first thing I noticed right off the bat. I have never seen the film or any kind of adaptation of the story, yet all of these songs are familiar to me :), and all quite good, especially the title track, "Grease", and "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "You're the One That I Want". The second thing I noted was the great chemistry between Travolta and Newton-John. The film starts out with the cheesiest beach romance sequence I think these eyes may have ever seen, and I was worried then, but for the rest of the picture the pair made for a great, cute, even believable couple.

It also surprised me just how socially conscious it was, commenting not only on gang culture (though ultimately in the end it doesn't really show the dangers of it, nor does it ever really condemn it), but also on teen sex culture, the clique/bully culture, and trying to break down these superficial barriers. My favorite character in the film was Rizzo (Stockard Channing), and in fact my favorite performance. Even before the hefty news she receives I was on board with her outcast persona. But really all of the characters were fun to spend time with, if not the most thoughtfully constructed or presented. And I think that's all this film boils down to: fun. The dance numbers (especially the frenzy of the National Bandstand sequence) and the songs, while at times part of quite the cheesefest, are all just fun. They made me smile and I had a good time, which is all a film like this needs to do really to have my appreciation. It is a cultural photograph, part of the fabric of its own generation, which may lessen my connection some, but Grease will always be Grease, and it's good.

*** - Good

So how does everyone else like it?
"Time is the speed at which the past decays."

oldkid

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Re: Merry Music of May Group Marathon 2013
« Reply #206 on: June 03, 2013, 11:42:28 PM »
It was my favorite film in 1978 when I saw it, and I haven't seen it since, although I memorized the two-record album back then.  I wonder if I still remember the lyrics?  I certainly do for the song "Sandy".  So sappy and so fine.

I remember being embarrassed as an eighth grader about the sexual references, and loving how Sandy turned all "cool" at the end (in one of the most superficial turns ever).  At the time Happy Days was a thing and Leather Tuscadero was certainly a prototype for that final bit of cool. 



I don't actually know how I'd love it now, but I know that nostalgia would rear it's pretty head.  That doesn't mean I won't think it's stupid.  I think I'll stick with my memories of how much I loved it.
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Sandy

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Re: Merry Music of May Group Marathon 2013
« Reply #207 on: June 04, 2013, 12:03:08 AM »
 :D

I forgot about Leather Tuscadero!


I haven't seen Grease for many years, but it messed with my head as a tween, so the scenes and the songs stay with me. Sandra Dee or Sandy?  Hmm, what's a girl to do?

 

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