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Author Topic: May 2013 MDC: Musicals  (Read 14171 times)

Corndog

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Re: May 2013 MDC: Musicals
« Reply #70 on: May 30, 2013, 01:07:10 PM »
Completely understand that position. The gender issues are always the biggest criticism I hear, and it is a valid one, I don't disagree with it. I just choose to overlook it and enjoy how much fun the rest of the film is. I kind of take it all as tongue-in-cheek a bit as well. The whole plot start to finish is a bit silly, which is why I can get behind it. Just makes me smile and laugh and sometimes that is all I want a movie to do to me. And you're right, the dance-off scene is probably my favorite in the film. The athleticism and moves are just astounding to watch. Extremely impressive.
"Time is the speed at which the past decays."

Eldog

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Re: May 2013 MDC: Musicals
« Reply #71 on: May 31, 2013, 10:57:30 PM »
The Red Shoes

Despite the marathonic attention afforded to British film makers Powell and Pressburger by the Filmspotting faithful, 1948's "The Red Shoes" was my first foray into their acclaimed canon. In the film, Moira Shearer plays Vicky Page, a young dancer prematurely promoted to play the lead in a new ballet called "The Red Shoes" following a fallout between the ballet company's prima ballerina and it's Svengali-like impresario, Boris Lermontov (Anton Walbrook). Lermontov also engages a talented yet inexperienced composer Julian Craster (Marius Goring) to write the music for the adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson macabre fairy tale. Despite Lermontov's warning, "a dancer who relies upon the doubtful comforts of human love will never be a great dancer", the inevitable happens when Vicky and Julian fall for each other and a tug a war for Vicky Page's heart begins.

In what may seem a brave directorial decision, The Archers (Powell and Pressburger) dedicate 18 minutes of screen-time to "The Red Shoes" ballet, breathtakingly choreographed by Australia's (Sir) Robert Helpmann. It is a truly transcendent masterstroke and easily the highlight of the film, full of imagination and with immaculate execution from the three principal dancers, Moira Shearer, Leonide Massine and Robert Helpmann. Shearer and Helpmann are fantastic and Massine is spellbinding as the demented shoemaker.

Despite the fairly simple plot and telegraphed ending (not to mention the infamous red shoe plot inconsistency), this film is definitely worthy of its acclaim. Is it enough to persuade me to try another Archer sample? Only time will tell...

8.5/10


jensuch

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Re: May 2013 MDC: Musicals
« Reply #72 on: June 01, 2013, 11:29:28 AM »
The Red Shoes is on its way from the public library.  I can't wait to check it out.

Sandy

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Re: May 2013 MDC: Musicals
« Reply #73 on: June 14, 2013, 10:38:09 PM »
If Might Get Loud




I just want to quote, quote, quote, so I will.





Want to figure out how you play guitar, what your niche will be? You just start digging deeper. When you're digging deeper in rock n' roll, well, you're on a freight train heading straight for the blues... 1930's, really scary version of the blues: minor key, anti-establishment, questioning themselves, painful. There's a tension in that music that you can feel. It just feels like there's this place where in my soul rests and those guys were expressing it.  --Jack White





Fifteen minute guitar solos. Fifteen minute organ solos or the drum solos. There was this huge element of self indulgence. Professional rock musicians who looked down upon their fans. Those old colors were dead and we wanted none of it.  --The Edge





Whether I took it on or it took me on, I don't know. The jury's out on that, but I don't care. I just really, really enjoyed it. That's it... For me it was a much bigger work. I had a voracious appetite for everything. All of it.  --Jimmy Page



Okay, reveling in quotes does not a complete response make, so I'll throw in some words. A sign of a good watching experience is struggling to find those words to take the place of wanting to just sit down with someone, or send them the link, so they can benefit from the film in full. Under two hours to condense three creativity filled lives is not nearly enough. 3 minutes on a page? Impossible. Three approaches to guitar playing: love affair, acoustical physicist, man vs. machine, you guess who is who. :D  Regardless of the hows and whys, all three possess passion and precision and not a little obsession--this level isn't achieved any other way. "I drive everyone crazy. I drive myself totally crazy, trying to get the sound that I can hear in my head, come out of the speakers."  Oops, there I go quoting again.



Thanks for your patience JolietJerry and for the recommendation. :)

jensuch

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Re: May 2013 MDC: Musicals
« Reply #74 on: June 15, 2013, 11:01:17 AM »
The Red Shoes


Despite the fairly simple plot and telegraphed ending (not to mention the infamous red shoe plot inconsistency), this film is definitely worthy of its acclaim. Is it enough to persuade me to try another Archer sample? Only time will tell...

8.5/10

Finally got around to seeing this and I adored it.  But I'm curious-what's the infamous red shoe plot inconsistency?  Nothing jumped out at me.

JolietJerry

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Re: May 2013 MDC: Musicals
« Reply #75 on: June 15, 2013, 05:18:21 PM »

Thanks for your patience JolietJerry and for the recommendation. :)

Sandy, I'm glad you liked it so much  :)

Eldog

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Re: May 2013 MDC: Musicals
« Reply #76 on: June 16, 2013, 08:26:38 AM »


Finally got around to seeing this and I adored it.  But I'm curious-what's the infamous red shoe plot inconsistency?  Nothing jumped out at me.

That she is already wearing the red shoes despite the fact that she shouldn't get the red shoes until part of the way into the ballet.

 

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