Tuesday, August 25, 2020
Musicals to watch : KEEP UPDATED!
Musicals to watch (already have):
-Show Boat (Howard Keel, Ava Gardner, Kathryn Grayson) - not particularly looking forward to this one
-You'll Never Get Rich (Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, 1941)
-Call Me Madam (Donald O'Connor, George Sanders, ETHEL MERMAN, Vera-Ellen) -- should at least be entertaining...though I'm not really a huge fan of Ethel Merman (!)
-Holiday Inn (Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby) -- the OTHER Christmas musical? I should at least see it, even if I will probably always be biased in favor of White Christmas over it
-Sweeney Todd
-
Musicals to re-watch:
-The Belle of New York (Fred Astaire, Vera-Ellen) -- this was pretty bad, but some of the dances were good
- Mary Poppins -- it's been awhile
Re-watched recently:
-The Sound of Music --So...what to say about this one, that hasn't already been said? Grandiose, but somehow...disappointing and a little disjointed. The definitive version...but I want to see it live sometime. It can't be as grandiose, but maybe it would be more cohesive?
-Anchors Aweigh (Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Jose Iturbi) Just as I remember...a little silly but maybe my 3rd or 4th favorite from Gene Kelly. I think the songs and dances are better than in On the Town, actually. Production values seemed very high; lovely colors. Some of the songs are plot-related, some aren't. Some have reasons for the characters to sing and/or dance, some don't.
-On the Town (Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Vera-Ellen, Ann Miller, Betty Garrett, Jules Munshin)--not as great as I remember...probably my 5th favorite of Gene Kelly's, though I think it's considered his 2nd or 3rd best. The ballet, while much easier to follow and less artistic than the one in An American in Paris....is kinda boring. I still like it fine, but the replacement dancers, both keep the focus on the main couple...but they distract me from them a little, too. It seemed a little cheap-looking, too, though that's probably not a fair criticism artistically or anything. I haven't seen or listened to the original stage version so maybe some of the problems I have with this one comes from the adaptation from stage to screen, since some of the songs seem...silly, and a little random. They're all plot or character-related though.
-An American in Paris (Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges Guetary, Nina Foch) My 2nd favorite, originally more of a hit than Singin' in the Rain. Although the ballet is long and a little weird, it's still interesting. And the production values in this one must have been pretty high; definitely had a bigger budget. Songs are better quality and most are integrated in to the plot, though a couple give a reason for the character to sing (because they are a nightclub act or pianist, etc.)
-It's Always Fair Weather (Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, Dan Dailey, Michael Kidd, Dolores Grey) Although maybe a little lower-quality, and lower-budget, and maybe looks a little cheap (and some cuts just couldn't be restored in the DVD release?) I think the plot on this one is good, and the theme gets me a little bit. The numbers are good, but mostly not GREAT. Used a split-screen (partially for novelty value I think and not that well-done...not sure if that was just the technology at the time or if it was just not done well) and Gene Kelly's rollerblades (also more for novelty and maybe not for quality dancing--though I have to admit, some of it is pretty impressive. Definitely still entertaining). My 3rd or 4th favorite (currently neck-and-neck with Anchors Aweigh. This one wins plot-wise, but Anchors Aweigh has better quality dances and songs, IMHO).
saw:
-Kismet (Howard Keel): Only available in a set with other stuff I don't really want...?); Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory, Volume 3 (Hit the Deck/Deep in My Heart/Kismet/Nancy Goes to Rio/Two Weeks with Love/Broadway Melody of 1936/Broadway Melody of 1938/Born to Dance/Lady Be Good)--honestly not great. Howard Keel is in great voice but everything else is pretty bleh. Vic Damone is a terrible actor.
List of musicals I need to get:
-Anything Goes (Frank Sinatra & Ethel Merman, recording of a TV thing?)
-You Were Never Lovelier (Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, 1942) -- maybe watch the other one with the two of them first
-High Society (Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly - Louis Armstrong)
-For Me & My Gal (Gene Kelly, Judy Garland)
-The King & I (Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner)
-The Pirate (Gene Kelly, Judy Garland)
-Summer Stock (Gene Kelly, Judy Garland)
-Take Me Out to the Ball Game (Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett...)
-Cover Girl (Gene Kelly, Rita Hayworth)
-Camelot (Broadway version and Special Edition of Movie version)
-Cinderella (Have newest one with Brandy; need Julie Andrews TV version and Lesley Ann Warren versions)
-Finian's Rainbow
-Snoopy, Come Home
-Had a bunch at Barnes & Noble...
-Hairspray?
-A Star is Born?
Others to get
-The Rescuers Down Under
-Labyrinth?
-Alice in Wonderland?
-Bambi?
-Little Mermaid?
-Peter Pan?
-Lady & the Tramp?
-Show Boat (Howard Keel, Ava Gardner, Kathryn Grayson) - not particularly looking forward to this one
-You'll Never Get Rich (Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, 1941)
-Call Me Madam (Donald O'Connor, George Sanders, ETHEL MERMAN, Vera-Ellen) -- should at least be entertaining...though I'm not really a huge fan of Ethel Merman (!)
-Holiday Inn (Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby) -- the OTHER Christmas musical? I should at least see it, even if I will probably always be biased in favor of White Christmas over it
-Sweeney Todd
-
Musicals to re-watch:
-The Belle of New York (Fred Astaire, Vera-Ellen) -- this was pretty bad, but some of the dances were good
- Mary Poppins -- it's been awhile
Re-watched recently:
-The Sound of Music --So...what to say about this one, that hasn't already been said? Grandiose, but somehow...disappointing and a little disjointed. The definitive version...but I want to see it live sometime. It can't be as grandiose, but maybe it would be more cohesive?
-Anchors Aweigh (Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Jose Iturbi) Just as I remember...a little silly but maybe my 3rd or 4th favorite from Gene Kelly. I think the songs and dances are better than in On the Town, actually. Production values seemed very high; lovely colors. Some of the songs are plot-related, some aren't. Some have reasons for the characters to sing and/or dance, some don't.
-On the Town (Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Vera-Ellen, Ann Miller, Betty Garrett, Jules Munshin)--not as great as I remember...probably my 5th favorite of Gene Kelly's, though I think it's considered his 2nd or 3rd best. The ballet, while much easier to follow and less artistic than the one in An American in Paris....is kinda boring. I still like it fine, but the replacement dancers, both keep the focus on the main couple...but they distract me from them a little, too. It seemed a little cheap-looking, too, though that's probably not a fair criticism artistically or anything. I haven't seen or listened to the original stage version so maybe some of the problems I have with this one comes from the adaptation from stage to screen, since some of the songs seem...silly, and a little random. They're all plot or character-related though.
-An American in Paris (Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges Guetary, Nina Foch) My 2nd favorite, originally more of a hit than Singin' in the Rain. Although the ballet is long and a little weird, it's still interesting. And the production values in this one must have been pretty high; definitely had a bigger budget. Songs are better quality and most are integrated in to the plot, though a couple give a reason for the character to sing (because they are a nightclub act or pianist, etc.)
-It's Always Fair Weather (Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, Dan Dailey, Michael Kidd, Dolores Grey) Although maybe a little lower-quality, and lower-budget, and maybe looks a little cheap (and some cuts just couldn't be restored in the DVD release?) I think the plot on this one is good, and the theme gets me a little bit. The numbers are good, but mostly not GREAT. Used a split-screen (partially for novelty value I think and not that well-done...not sure if that was just the technology at the time or if it was just not done well) and Gene Kelly's rollerblades (also more for novelty and maybe not for quality dancing--though I have to admit, some of it is pretty impressive. Definitely still entertaining). My 3rd or 4th favorite (currently neck-and-neck with Anchors Aweigh. This one wins plot-wise, but Anchors Aweigh has better quality dances and songs, IMHO).
saw:
-Kismet (Howard Keel): Only available in a set with other stuff I don't really want...?); Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory, Volume 3 (Hit the Deck/Deep in My Heart/Kismet/Nancy Goes to Rio/Two Weeks with Love/Broadway Melody of 1936/Broadway Melody of 1938/Born to Dance/Lady Be Good)--honestly not great. Howard Keel is in great voice but everything else is pretty bleh. Vic Damone is a terrible actor.
List of musicals I need to get:
-Anything Goes (Frank Sinatra & Ethel Merman, recording of a TV thing?)
-You Were Never Lovelier (Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, 1942) -- maybe watch the other one with the two of them first
-High Society (Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly - Louis Armstrong)
-For Me & My Gal (Gene Kelly, Judy Garland)
-The King & I (Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner)
-The Pirate (Gene Kelly, Judy Garland)
-Summer Stock (Gene Kelly, Judy Garland)
-Take Me Out to the Ball Game (Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett...)
-Cover Girl (Gene Kelly, Rita Hayworth)
-Camelot (Broadway version and Special Edition of Movie version)
-Cinderella (Have newest one with Brandy; need Julie Andrews TV version and Lesley Ann Warren versions)
-Finian's Rainbow
-Snoopy, Come Home
-Had a bunch at Barnes & Noble...
-Hairspray?
-A Star is Born?
Others to get
-The Rescuers Down Under
-Labyrinth?
-Alice in Wonderland?
-Bambi?
-Little Mermaid?
-Peter Pan?
-Lady & the Tramp?
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