So there I was in the "Hall of the Presidents" yesterday and what was this displayed under glass? Mr. Adams' pocket watch, donated by the society up in Quincy! I just kept staring...and thinking...staring...thinking...soon temptation entered as the thought became fertile...don't do it H...why not, that watch is meant to be displayed right here with the true blue Adams people...do it H!...oh man...yeh heh heh...
This morning I was doing a little calculating and realized today is the presumptive 240th anniversary of the Written Declaration. A confluence of events--the holiday, a complete viewing of 18th century Barry Lyndon last night on TCM, the recent death of Michael Cimino that had me reminiscing of powerful late-19th century Heaven's Gate images, the reading of a biography of Mark Twain nearing completion, the Presidential term of an American man of color nearing completion with the possibility of a Presidential term of an American woman at hand...and still the holiday, the traditional reprint of the Written Declaration on the back page of section one of the NY Times having been read--has brought me back to this thread. And with all this in mind, I cannot stop imagining just what the country looked like 240 years ago in the area of northern New Jersey that G. Washington marched through and that I grew up in.
I got through watching it a few hours ago, my Blu-ray, a 4K restoration that looks and sounds fantastic. I'm not a big fan of the musical genre, can probably count the ones I really like on one hand, but this one has certainly become more respected by me over the last 15 years or so. Plan to watch it again next July 4th -- of course!
My annual viewing this year comes under sadly different circumstances than in the past, as it's the first time I've seen the film since the death of my mother, who learned to enjoy the musical from my childhood love of it and also shared many viewings of it in the past as well as trips to the different stage productions we saw as a family over the years. But even so, the tradition was maintained and I felt glad for it.
As this Independence Day ends, I found something every "1776" fan needs to see. Someone has uploaded to YT, the movie that used to play at the Franklin Court Museum in Philadelphia from the late 1970s to the early 90s I think and which had Howard da Silva playing Franklin once again for a more personal look at the man and his family.
As this Independence Day ends, I found something every "1776" fan needs to see. Someone has uploaded to YT, the movie that used to play at the Franklin Court Museum in Philadelphia from the late 1970s to the early 90s I think and which had Howard da Silva playing Franklin once again for a more personal look at the man and his family.
And can you believe Howard da Silva was once blacklisted? What a country the U.S. has been, and this year... I really have to say, I fear what it might become.
I worked props on a production of 1776 in the early 90s. I don't remember much about that show apart from having to render and age some 30 copies of the Declaration, and that the cast kept breaking their canes.
I do remember being told by one of the actors that despite knowing how it turns out, it's still pretty compelling. He was right. This is the only musical that goes for some 40 minutes without a song. But that first debate between Dickinson and Adams is riveting- sharp writing and pitch-perfect performances in this film.
I watched it last night for the second or third time- but my first in HD (on TCM). Gorgeous restoration, and I noticed the remarkable camera work- many long takes moving from character to character, and even a couple of 360s as actors moved around the set. Hunt added a little exterior stuff, but he takes absolute full advantage of the main interior set where we spend most of our time. But again, each and every one of those performances- full-bodied musical theater performances that pull out many nuances and character or emotion.
This year's viewing was bitter sweet. I knew Ken Howard and was supposed to join he and his wife and William Daniels at a screening of the film last July in Los Angeles. However due a variety of circumstances I needed to fly with my daughter to the Mayo Clinic and was unable to attend at the last minute. That would have been my last time seeing him before he passed.
Somewhere on this thread and for all I know over ten years ago I posted about how my h.s. concert band (I was in the clarinet section) did a suite c. 1972-73. This is the suite. Whatever band is performing here does a fine job. Have never forgotten the trumpets lead for He Plays the Violin. We performed it outdoors in a band shell and I was in Heaven.
Most of the section on 1776 deals with the stage version. It was fascinating to find out producer Stuart Ostrow was asked to stage a command performance at the White House but declined per request to excise Cool...Men. However, Nixon staff relented ultimately and cast went to Washington a full year later.
Interesting in light of what we know about Mr. Warner's subsequent concession.
The appendix is the best part. Here Lin-Manuel Miranda tells Mr. Daniels of the play's/film's influence on the creation of his Hamilton. You gotta love when the former also tells the latter that when the couple times John Adams is mentioned in his play, "everybody" thinks of William Daniels.
...and still the holiday, the traditional reprint of the Written Declaration on the back page of section one of the NY Times having been read--has brought me back to this thread.
Found m'self on a quiet picnic bench this morning in the shade in a deserted park for the annual reading. Kept hearing Mr. Thompson's voice. 'Twas marvelous, as always. The annual viewing should commence...rather late this year!
I started this thread over 15 years ago. It's my annual viewing of this film that I just completed. It just gets better and better. It's sort of a prequel to Hamilton. Of course, the younger generation would find 1776 old fashioned and a bit stodgy in comparison. They asked Lin-Mauel Miranda about a possible film of Hamilton. He replied that there probably would be someday. He said that other older hits like Book of Mormon would probably come first. Meanwhile 1776 will have to do for a dose of American history as told through musical film.
