And then for no reason we started discussing musicals...

Let it Be is killer in that movie.

Watching it right now. Fucking killer.

Pax

Across the Universe was an amazing film. The roof scene is amazing. Let It Be was amazing, love the gospel vocals. Not to mention the heart-braking kid by the car . So many wonderful renditions of songs in that film.

Who else thinks Sadie is supposed to be Janis Joplin?!?!?! I mean COME ON. And JoJo is supposed to be a Hendrix-esque character. I ask - WHERE IS BOB DYLAN?

Joe Cocker: Come Together. Fucking Killer, Part II.

I was going to mention that! I was so surprised to hear Joe's version there, too. Fucking immense.

Across The Universe

Man, watch the film. You missed a great one.

Julie Taymor grabbing 33 Beatles' songs and paying homage to a band she loved is one for the ages. Her art direction is amazing. Rarely does sound and image marry a frame like it does here; a master of her craft. And each frame looks like it could be a still life — but with motion. Cheers, Julie.

Not only were the songs incredibly original (yes); the movie, from an art direction standpoint is one of the finest I have ever viewed.

They say how Citizen Kane was a masterpiece, and how each frame was meticulously crafted; well I say this blew it the fuck away. By far.

Julie Taymor handled every frame, every scene with artistic talent the likes I have never seen before. From lighting to casting to sound, etc.

An emporium of brilliance.

This had nothing to do with other people playing great Beatles' music. It was a fabric of time, woven into an original story, with more creativity than just about any movie I have ever seen. (Not A Clockwork Orange; et al, different...)

Cheers to Julie....again.

A job brilliantly done, with not only a potential time-sensitive topic, but the worlds' greatest band (arguably) ever in tow. (More on that later.)

Holy fucking shit, is how I see it.

And not only that, it's built for all ages.

My kids love it as much as I do. And they're Beatles' fans. So it has to be good, or they would have me hit the next CD button.

The rendition of "I wanna hold your hand" gives me chills; and we have hit the playback button on the DVD more than once.

And the CD of it plays in our stereo; along with Hendrix, The Beatles, The Doors, and some Zep. Mozart, Prokofiev, Beethoven, Wagner, and much more.

Across The Universe is a story of love, and represents a time and place. But at the end of the day, it is about love. The way JL, I would assume, have wanted such a story told. Love is all you need, in a fucked up world.

Pax

If you go by that theory, all musicals are trash. Which in my mind is certainly not true. I doubt Fosse could sing much, people had to sing for him. And as much as Liza Minelli annoys me now, Cabaret was a masterpiece.

Another example that's more relevant to people singing other people's previously written and performed songs... Shine A Light (Martin Scorcese - Stones live in concert, released in theaters). Jack White of the White Stripes and of the Raconteurs performs with Mick Jagger on Lovin' Cup. It questionable as to whether or not the man who wrote,

Ya look pretty in yer fancy dress
But I detect unhappiness
Ya never speak so I have to guess
Yer not free-ee-eeeee.

Would have the ability to write,

I'm the man on the mountain, says come on up.
I'm the plowman in the valley, with a face full'ah mud.
Yeah, I'm fumblin', and ah'know my car don't start.
Yeah, I'm stumblin' and ah'know I play a bad guitar.

Given. I like both songs, both bands. (The White Stripes not so much, but the Raconteurs are cool in my book). But when they performed together, I thought it was great. Great performance, great sound and grit from Jack that I didn't know he possessed.

Musicals can be nerve-wrecking, I endured Tap Dogs and was part of the show crew, Tribute to Blues Brothers wasn't any better and Phantom of the Opera ( worse than a musical-an opera! ) killed me. 18 hours of hard physical work. Even the singers were pissed off by what they were doing to earn money.
But Richard O'Brian's Rocky Horror Show was awesome, the crew was great, oversexed aliens and rock'n'roll live sound =

My favorite musicals:

Guys and Dolls
Cabaret
All That Jazz
Chicago (play and film - though, saw the play in Albany in the earlyish 2000s, was kind of dissapointed)
Rent (there is not a social issue untouched in Rent... it is just a tad melodramatic, but all in all the hook caught me)
Across the Universe
Fame (if you consider it a musical, I also consider it a great coming-of-age film)

There are more, I'm sure... musicals are tricky to master. They can either be incredibly corny and stupid or incredibly well done and touching in some cases.

Some things Rocky Horror :

1. I love the movie

2. The original Magenta actress was
performing a song before the show
started. A capella.
She didn't hit one note.
After the interview she said to
the tv guys:" I'm only doing this
for the money." It's true, I supported
Rocky Horror several times and
witnessed her being back for cash.
That was around 2001.

3. One time, the Brad actor got a
little turned on and performed
with a half boner in his underwear.

4. Getting all the lights, sound and
decoration stuff off stage and
back into the truck is not that
easy when the floor is covered
with rice, a lot of rice.

5. The audience was on all
substances illegal. Of course
the crew was straight edge.

Sweeny Todd, I love it.

What about "West Side Story"? Just out of curiosity, is it considered to be a musical?

It is a musical - a transformation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

personally, this is about as good as it gets for musicals...

http://bukowski.net/forum/showthread.php?t=228&highlight=bukowskical

Les Miserables gets my vote.

Experienced it many times on Broadway. Was an acquaintance/friend of one of the Jean Val Jeans (sp?). Even invested in one of his movies a few years back (pre-market-rapes-savings, etc). Just really dig the story line, the songs — and great on CD.

Also dig The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and used to watch in on the silver screen WAY back in the day. Also bought the 25th (?) anniversary of it on DVD. WTF cool. Still haven't shown it to my kids, as the older one will probably think I am fucking warped (and I don't need any help in that category with a 12-year old).

Wow, how did this thread get started?

Pax

Ugh musicals... yeah I can't stand 'em. Across the Universe was mostly awful.

I just hate it when everyone's having a shitty day\week\life and then starts singing about how bad it all is... I'd rather watch 'em... I dunno, beat their kids or something.

The only musical I've seen and enjoyed is Chicago. Outside of that... my eye starts twitching.

Are you available to babysit?

My kids like it when I read Kafka to them.

When yer a jet yer a jet all the way from yer first cigarette til yer last dyin' day!

West Side was good.

Sweeney Todd was also good. But just a bit overrated if you ask me. I hate now how it's the new "in thing", to be obsessed and adorn Sweeney Todd t-shirts and such. Does such unjustice to such a creative and unconformed film.

Homeless mind - I prefer the non-musical film of Les Mis... I read the novel first before I saw any adaptation of it either on stage or film, and the last thing I was thinking when I was reading the novel was "wow this would sound great to a tune" haha.

Oh yes, Sweeney Todd. That much blood could make me tolerate ANY amount of singing! Plus... Sacha Baron Cohen.

My son currently only goes for Mr Brown Can Moo. Someday, maybe, he'll enjoy Kafka.

Does The Producers count? The original film that is. Class film. I also have to admit to being a fan of Singing in the Rain.

There isn't much of a Sweeney Todd hype around here, I've seen nobody wearing a Sweeney Todd shirt or basecap... but The Nightmare Before Christmas
designs are hot and spooky for female minors that consider HIM as gothic... I'm very intolerant towards neo-goth-pop-mainstream, but that's my problem... Nightmare Before Christmas is a fantastic movie, that counts. But I can't see the shirts, the jackets, the beanies, the skirts, the boots, the wallets, the rucksacks, the socks no more.

Singing In The Rain reminds me of my childhood, I've seen it on tv during summer break.

My favourite one back then was The Wizard Of Oz.

The Sound of Music.

Rogers & Hammerstein need to be included as among the most talented in any musical conversation concerning musicals.

And perhaps not Bruce Springsteen, but Julie Andrews would give mjp a run for the money. Steel cage. No rules. No singing, er, crying out in pain.

Loser sings, "Edelweiss". A duet. With Ray Davies.

Dems da rules.

It's so funny you should say that... I'm a married female (and no, do not consider HIM gothic at all, I don't even like new music much at all) and I can be seen right now wearing a Jack and Sally shirt. I think Nightmare was brilliant, haha. Entertaining, to say the least. When Corpse Bride came out, I was supposed to be having lunch with my mom that day, we both ended up going to see it together. I'm debating on whether or not to see Coraline with her or not.

And yes, I think The Producers counts. Zero Mastel is wonderful.

They come here, they all come here, WHERE DO THEY FIND ME?

Here's a dumbass personal contradiction that I can't justify but feel compelled to share with the class anyway : I ENJOY MUSICALS BUT HATE OPERA.

I know I am supposed to respect or at least try to understand all the "fine" arts, but opera just pisses me off.

I agree. The ostentatious vocals annoy me. Fucking showoffs.

Lolita, you wouldn't believe the size of the Nightmare hype in a city like
Dortmund. It's a mere fashion trend like all the emo boys wear the same haircut
and pink vans with skull prints ( and none of them knows Rites Of Spring ) and I believe it's more to be as cool as the coolest girl and in the clique than a statement for taste.
Of course it's o.k. to wear shirts from your dearest movie ( used to have a Pinhead shirt and I'm obsessed with band shirts ) but I can't stand such a consumerism overkill and suddenly everyone's The Nightmare Emily The Strange Had Before She Became A Betty. They intend to be non conform but they look uniformed.

^Oh god, that's disgusting. No, I was agreeing with you, but just saying that it was funny you brought it up and that I saw it today when I was wearing a Nightmare shirt haha. Trends annoy me, in general. Though I guess if nobody ever conformed to anything then everybody would walk down the street naked... But I remember when everyone was wearing Kurt Cobain shirts, and it just defeats the purpose doesn't it now?