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Posted: |
Aug 26, 2002 - 4:50 PM
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By: |
Ron Pulliam
(Member)
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On September 24, a special edition of "Singin' in the Rain" will be released on DVD. Its most notable feature will be its commentary, featuring Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Cyd Charisse, Rita Moreno, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Rudy Behlmer, Stanley Donen, Baz Luhrman, and Kathleen Freeman.
Other features:
-- Theatrical trailer(s)
-- "What a Glorious Feeling": a new 30-minute documentary about the making and impact of Singin' in the Rain
-- Musicals Great Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit at MGM, a 96-minute documentary about the career of producer-songwriter Arthur Freed
-- Excerpts of movies in which Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown songs originated
-- Outtake musical number: "You Are My Lucky Star"
-- Stills gallery
-- Scoring stage sessions
-- Full-screen format
-- Number of discs: 2
I don't know how many of you are musical fans, or who might have heard of this edition.
A presentation of this sort for this film -- consistently named on lists of the 10 greatest American films of all time -- is way overdue.
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Then Kathleen Freeman's smoke-scourged voice is going to be speaking from beyond the grave.
* You also neglect to mention that the DVD will feature an all-new restoration and digital transfer of the original Technicolor picture and audio elements.
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I'm going to take it up with Madame Cleo.
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"Singin' In The Rain" may be the most overrated motion picture ever made. I like it, and was particularly happy with the quality of the last laserdisc version (Technicolor restoration - 5.1 Dolby Digital), so I won't be buying it again. It is certainly a fine film; but it has its problems (most notably Kelly's ego feeding 'ballet', which stops the film, cold!) Since Miss Freeman hasn't been dead, all the long, her involvement seems reasonable to me.
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The music in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is good, of course, but most of the numbers were lifted from the Arthur Freed-Nacio Herb Brown section of the MGM song catalogue, written decades earlier.
Strip the film of its musical numbers and you'd still have one of the best, funniest comedies ever made -- and that's why the film endures.
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We DO agree on something, Ron - "Citizen Kane", which, while I can appreciate its innovations, is a complete snoozer, for me, in the narrative department. I find it a complete bore; and other than once, can't imagine ever watching it again.
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Posted: |
Aug 28, 2002 - 4:28 PM
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By: |
Ron Pulliam
(Member)
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We DO agree on something, Ron - "Citizen Kane", which, while I can appreciate its innovations, is a complete snoozer, for me, in the narrative department. I find it a complete bore; and other than once, can't imagine ever watching it again.
Well, yes...there's that. I seem to recall we agree on other things, as well. But it has been so long...and I'm not getting any younger...and...what the HELL am I talking about?
Oh, yeah...
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Maybe John just sees a little too much of himself in Charles Foster Kane to view the film comfortably...
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Original, your comment made me laugh out loud! Thanks.
My favorite number in 'Rain', is "Moses Supposes" - brilliant! The film does have a genuine joyousness that many musicals lack, and how can you resist the wonderful Jean Hagen?
I despise "Brigadoon", for basically taking a wonderful "singers" show and turning into a dancers movie. Being confined to the studio doesn't help it one bit, either.
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Yes. It is my favorite recording of it. Although the studio recording done with the mediocre Rebecca Luker is more complete. I haven't heard it in years. Did they ever release it on CD? I used to want to cry, when I would listen to her beautiful vocals, and right-on Scottish brouge, and realize that if Audrey Hepburn had not accepted Jack Warner's offer of Eliza in "My Fair Lady" (she originally did turn him down), he was ready to use Jones. Naturally, it should have been Julie Andrews, but since he wasn't going to use her, no matter what, I sure would have preferred Jones. Everything that I find wrong about Hepburn (too frail and thin, can't sing, never sounds British, before or after the transformation, just playing Audrey Hepburn and never, ever becoming Eliza, and on and on and on), I find right about Jones (healthy and strong, like Andrews, good actress and a beautiful singing voice). Speaking of that wretched film, why the hell aren't they remaking that, instead of the, already perfect, "The Music Man"?
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BRIGADOON should be remade. It's really a terrible movie, just so irritatingly stagey! And this is a story that cries out for opening up into a film! It's a cryin' shame that the whole thing was made on those phony-looking sound stages. The only time in the whole picture that it comes to life is during the bar scene back in New York, and then that startling bar of light as Charisse's door flings open to reveal her, glowing and powerful as the feelings that have wakened her. But the whole rest of it is an overweight mess.
But there's a whole raft of musicals that could finally be made into decent movies. I understand Bette Midler, of all people, is doing a new version of MAME. I, for one, loved the made-for-TV ANNIE; it was infinitely better than that sodden movie. All they need to do to 1776, on the other hand is just release the laser version. They had it right, finally, and then they just threw it away. ONE TOUCH OF VENUS would be a wonderful movie, and yet there's never even been a complete recording of the score. And what about MAN OF LA MANCHA? That certainly deserved better!
Among stage shows that have made good movies, though, I would count LI'L ABNER, FINIAN'S RAINBOW, and a few others I can't immediately recall.
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BRIGADOON should be remade. It's really a terrible movie, just so irritatingly stagey! And this is a story that cries out for opening up into a film! It's a cryin' shame that the whole thing was made on those phony-looking sound stages. The only time in the whole picture that it comes to life is during the bar scene back in New York, and then that startling bar of light as Charisse's door flings open to reveal her, glowing and powerful as the feelings that have wakened her. But the whole rest of it is an overweight mess.
But there's a whole raft of musicals that could finally be made into decent movies. I understand Bette Midler, of all people, is doing a new version of MAME. I, for one, loved the made-for-TV ANNIE; it was infinitely better than that sodden movie. All they need to do to 1776, on the other hand is just release the laser version. They had it right, finally, and then they just threw it away. ONE TOUCH OF VENUS would be a wonderful movie, and yet there's never even been a complete recording of the score. And what about MAN OF LA MANCHA? That certainly deserved better!
Among stage shows that have made good movies, though, I would count LI'L ABNER, FINIAN'S RAINBOW, and a few others I can't immediately recall.
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I agree with the comments about BRIGADOON. Always loved the story and the music (Lerner and Lowe always seemed to come up with captivating story material).
Now that we're on the subject of L&L, the musical that needs to be remade above all others is CAMELOT, throwing away and forgetting every wretched, inane, incompetent, self-indulgent thing (but one) that Joshua Logan et al inflicted on that wonderful, magical property.
The one exception is, of course, Alfred Newman's magnificent incidental music and adaptation of Lowe's score.
The trouble is that no one will ever remake this, and it's a terrible, terrible shame...
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