Little Shop of Horrors

Happy June!  Since it is my birth month, I am being self-indulgent and writing about all of my favourite movies.  For some of the more well-known movies out there, I will be mostly reflecting on the why it is one of my favourites, as opposed to the usual format of a plot rundown and a wee little bit of reflection.  Not all of my favourite movies are classics – some fall into the guilty pleasure category – but whatever.  It’s my birthday month, deal with it.  OK, disclaimer out of the way, let us begin…

Oh, and from this post out, the movies are pretty much at random.  The first three were my three all-time absolute faves.  After that, it’s just movies I really, really love. 

#349: Little Shop of Horrors (1986).  OK, if you follow my other blog, The Next Step?, or know me personally, you know that I have a borderline inappropriate crush on Rick Moranis.  That is not why this is here.  This is here because it is made of awesome.  Besides, my obsession crush is starting to wane a little, anyway… So, here we go!

The Players:

Seymour Krelborn:  Played by Rick Moranis.  He’s clumsy, nerdy, an amateur botanist.  He works in Mushnik’s Flower Shop, and is in love with his co-worker Audrey, but he feels she is completely out of his league.  Sadly, his best friend seems to be this little plant (The Audrey II.  Cute or creepy?  I’m leaning towards cute with a hint of creepy) and does things that he never thought he would, all in the name of… love?

Audrey: Played by Ellen Greene.  She’s beautiful, dresses kinda slutty, is in an abusive relationship, but feels that she doesn’t deserve better. She has a little crush on Seymour, but barely admits it to herself, let alone anyone else.  Really, all she wants is to move to the suburbs and become a Betty Crocker/Donna Reed hybrid.  Which is really all I ever wanted, so I really related to her in that respect growing up.

Mushnik: Played by Vincent Gardenia.  Mr. Mushnick owns the flower shop, and is a father figure to Seymour.  He’s also a bit of a father figure to Audrey, as he knows exactly what is going on with her, and worries about/lectures her regularly.  He also gets real greedy real fast when the shop becomes suddenly successful. 

Orin Scrivello – D.D.S.: Played by Steve Martin.  He’s a sadistic dentist who loves inflicting pain on everyone, from his patients to Audrey.  He’s also not very bright.  What did Audrey see in him?

Michelle Weeks as Ronette, Tisha Campbell-Martin as Chiffon,  Tichina Arnold as Crystal

The Doo-Wop Girls:  Played by Tichina Arnold, Michelle Weeks, and Tisha Campbell-Martin.  These ladies are the “Greek Chorus” of the film.  They sing the opening number, and are present throughout, offering sassy commentary and kickass back-up vocals.  I had the pleasure of playing one of the Doo-Wop Girls in college when we put this show on in 24 hours… more about that later.  The girls are named after popular girl-groups of the 1960s: Crystal, Ronette, and Chiffon. 

Audrey II: Voiced by Levi Stubbs.  Audrey starts off as a cute little fly-trap looking thing, but in order to grow big and strong, it needs human blood.  As the plant grows, sucking the blood out of Seymour’s fingers isn’t enough.  People start mysteriously disappearing…

CAMEOS GALORE!  We’ve got John Candy, Christopher Guest, Jim Belushi, Bill Murray, and a handful more.  Like, seriously.  So many people in this movie…

The Rundown:

So, I realize not everyone has seen this, but really?  OK…

Seymour, Audrey and Mr. Mushnik work at Mushnik’s Flower Shop on Skid Row.  Business sucks.  So, Seymour (with a little prodding from Audrey, aw) suggests that they put this “strange and interesting new plant” in the window to draw customers in.  We learn through song (hey, it is a musical) that the plant mysteriously appeared during a total eclipse of the sun the week before. 

Well, putting the plant (Audrey II) in the window works, and they have an awesome sales day.  Now, I’ve seen this movie a million times, and upon the latest viewing, something occurred to me: they show this mini-montage of people popping in the store door and inquiring about the plant.  They are all dressed up super fancy-like.  This is day one of Audrey II in the store.  Why are all these fancy rich people shopping for flowers on SKID ROW?!  I mean, I understand when the show gets really successful, but this is still early on.  I blame costuming for putting sparkles and fur on the ladies…

Anyway, Mushnik is super pumped that customers do exist!  He offers to buy Audrey and Seymour dinner, but Audrey has a date, and Audrey II suddenly keels over.  Seymour is given the task of nursing the plant back to health.  Cue the erectile dysfunction song!

Audrey II grows, and Seymour appears on the radio with it.  Great scene with John Candy here, nice little SCTV reunion!

Audrey missed the radio broadcast, and gets an earful from the Doo-Wop girls about how bad her boyfriend is for her.  She’s in a sling, by the way.  She shoos them away, denying she deserves anything better than this jerk who beats her and makes her wear handcuffs (well, the handcuffs thing isn’t that bad, Audrey!).  She retreats to her cute little ruffle-filled apartment, and sings about the life she wants, “Somewhere that’s Green”.  It is beautiful and heartbreaking.  Just like Audrey.  Aww…

Cue song/montage of Audrey II getting bigger at the expense of Seymour’s health.  Suddenly, the plant is huge, and the shop is busy, and poor little anemic Seymour forgot an order.  While Audrey helps him put it together, they bond some more, but then she brings up her stupid boyfriend.  Which leads to the best thing Steve Martin has ever done:

So, the Dentist meets Seymour while he’s picking up Audrey for their date, is a dumb asshole, and they ride off.  Then it is revealed that the Audrey II can speak!  And in a sexy, deep African American voice.  After the song “Feed Me”, and a brief scene of Orin beating on Audrey (which is witnessed by Seymour and Audrey II), it is determined that Orin has to die.  And be fed to the plant.  Dude, I’d kill people for Levi Stubbs, too. 

So, Seymour goes to shoot Orin, but he accidentally kills himself by O.D.-ing on laughing gas.  Well, ok, then!  I mean, he’s dead already, might as well just chop him up and feed him to a plant!

The next day, Seymour sees the police outside Audrey’s apartment, and he rushes over to make sure he’s not wanted for murder.  After a really beautifully done scene (Ellen Greene kicks major ass in this role), we have this song.  (And this song completely justifies my love for Rick Moranis, BTW):

Side Note: I have watched this movie a lot, and only on a more recent viewing, did I notice something really subtle and well-done here: throughout the film, Seymour and Audrey have scenes together, but they never make physical contact until the very end of this song, when they are ready to make the jump together.  Well done, Frank Oz.

Seymour returns to his little room in the basement of the flower shop, deliriously happy.  But he’s not alone!  See, Mushnik saw Seymour cut up the dentist, so he tries to make a deal with him.  Resulting in him being eaten, too.  Geeze, everyone’s dying around here!

Now Seymour is super famous and successful.  The plant is freaking ridiculous at this point.  He tries to get away, but the plant tries to eat Audrey, and after a little scene in the alley with a guy played by Jim Belushi offering to sell cuttings of the Audrey II, thus making it “Bigger than hula-hoops” (probably my favourite line in the whole movie, don’t ask me why).  Realizing that this is what the plant wanted all along, Seymour decides to go in and kill his best friend.  Aw, sad…

So, it is then revealed that the Audrey II is “A Mean Green Mother from Outer Space”.  Well, duh!  OK, so here’s the song:

That’s ALL PUPPETRY, MOTHERFUCKERS.  Back to that point in a sec…

So, we have our happy ending with Seymour defeating the monster, and he and Audrey go live in her little suburban dreamhouse.  And a tiny little Audrey II (III?) hidden in their garden…

OK, so this is one of my all-time faves for a few resons:

The story.  It’s just.  Fun!  It’s an homage to the 1950s It Came from Outer Space type B-movies.  Which is funny, because it’s a musical re-imagining of a 1960 Roger Corman movie of the same name.  Which was shot, by the way, in two days.  So cool!  Anyway, it’s a quirky story, and I like it.

The characters.  They are all so distinct, and all of them are flawed in one way or another; Mushnik is greedy, Seymour is easily influenced and success-obsessed, Audrey is in some ways very broken and has low self-esteem, Orin is a sadomasochist, the Audrey II is a fucking alien plant form who eats people.  And yet, they are all enjoyable on some level. 

Ashman and Menken

The music.  Ashman and Menken were the best musical team in the 1980s/’90s, most well-known by many for their work on the Disney flicks of the late ‘80s/early ‘90s.  Sadly, we lost Howard Ashman to AIDS shortly before Aladdin.  He was a masterful lyricist, and I am forever grateful to him for giving me “Somewhere that’s Green”.

Frank Oz

The effects.  OK, I know I went off a little about special effects when I talked about The Wizard of Oz.  Well, here we go again.  This film had about 3 optical effects throughout.  Everything else was practical, on-set effects and puppetry.  Like, holy shit.  That plant is fucking awesome, and you know when they remake this (there are serious talks.  I might have to protest) the powers that be will most likely opt for an at least partial CG Audrey II.  Which is fucking cheating.  Now, of course, the director for this was Frank Oz, of Muppets fame, so he kinda knows his way around puppets, but of this size?  Damn.  There was some miniature work and cheating angles done, but mostly with the medium Audrey II.  The big one we saw in “Mean Green Mother…” is legit.  They shot everything at a slowed-down tempo and sped up the film later.  So, when you see the plant on screen interacting with Seymour?  Rick Moranis was acting in slow-mo so the plant looks real.  That amount of effort is astounding, especially when you see the final effect.  It’s just so damn impressive.

PUPPETS.  THEY KICKS CGIs ASS!

OK, off my soapbox.  This is a terrific movie, and everyone should check it out.  Totally worth watching.  I was lucky to have been in a production of it in college, in which we cast, rehearsed and put the show up in 24 hours.  I was Crystal, one of the Doo-Wop Girls, and it was a blast!  If you ever have a chance to see the stage production, do it!  There are extended versions of songs, songs that were left out, and the ending is quite different. 

I will now leave you with one of my most favourite things ever: a video of a bloopers/gag reel from the set.  It’s also found on the DVD.

Well, that’s a wrap for today!  Yet another musical tomorrow!

What's Up, Doc?

Happy June!  Since it is my birth month, I am being self-indulgent and writing about all of my favourite movies.  For some of the more well-known movies out there, I will be mostly reflecting on the why it is one of my favourites, as opposed to the usual format of a plot rundown and a wee little bit of reflection.  Not all of my favourite movies are classics – some fall into the guilty pleasure category – but whatever.  It’s my birthday month, deal with it.  OK, disclaimer out of the way, let us begin…

#350: What’s Up, Doc? (1972).  This is my favourite comedy.  Hands-down.  It is Peter Bogdonovich’s love letter to the classic screwball comedies from the 1930s and 40s.  For some reason, not many people I know have seen this, and there are way too many plotlines going on to properly recap, so I’m gonna give you the list of primary players, a little on why I love this movie so much, and then a clip of some of the funniest bits.  So, here goes!

 The Players:

Judy Maxwell: Played by Barbra Streisand.  This woman is a free-spirit who causes trouble everywhere she goes.  Modeled after characters played by Katherine Hepburn, Irene Dunn and Myrna Loy.  I am normally not a big fan of Barbra’s, but she is perfect in this role.

Howard Bannister: Played by Ryan O’Neal.  Think Carey Grant in every screwball comedy ever made.  He’s a musicologist who is in San Francisco to compete for a research grant. 

 

Eunice Burns: Played by Madeline Kahn.  She’s Howard’s shrew of a fiancé, and steals every scene she’s in.  Neurotic, controlling, insane, and I love every minute of her on screen.

 

Hugh Simon: Played by Kenneth Mars.  Hugh has some kind of funky European accent, is Howard’s competitor for the Larrabee Grant, and is an all-around asshole.  He is tremendously fun to watch, even if you want to smack his pompous face all the time.

 

Frederick Larrabee: Played by Austin Pendleton.  He is the head of the Larrabee foundation, kind of a little hippie-leftover, and very cool. 

Judge Maxwell: Played by Liam Dunn.  He’s a judge who is at the end of his pitiful rope.  He only has once scene, but it is probably the best scene in the whole movie. 

 

Everyone Else: There are a lot of classic actors and 1960s/70s “Hey it’s that guy!” guys, as well as a young Randy Quaid as one of the musicologists.

OK, so here’s the main plot:

Judy Maxwell causes issues everywhere she goes, and for this particular movie, she is in San Francisco.  She carries her belongings in a plaid suitcase, and follows a pizza delivery guy to the Hotel Bristol.  Also staying at the Bristol are Howard Bannister and his fiancé Eunice Burns.  Howard is after a grant so he can study something having to do with rocks and music.  He keeps his rocks in a bag just like Judy’s. 

Judy and Howard meet in the hotel drugstore, she crashes the Larrabee dinner happening that night, posing as Eunice.  She charms the musicologists, including Mr. Larrabee.  When the real Eunice shows up, she makes a big stink and Howard says he has no clue who she is.  Eunice is dragged from the room. 

Later, Howard tells Judy to stay away.  And she does.  For about 30 seconds.  Later, she appears in his bathtub, and we’re off to the races of misunderstandings, Eunice screaming at Howard, the TV breaking, a hotel fire… it is hilarious.

The next day, Howard is kicked out of his room, and winds up in a ballroom being renovated on the top floor, where Judy slept on top of a random piano.  Insert obligatory “Barbra SINGS!” moment.  Judy and Howard get to know each other, he finds out that he got the Larrabee grant, and he goes to explain everything to a very upset Eunice. 

Poor Eunice gets sent to the wrong place for the reception Frederick is throwing in Howard’s honor, and gets caught up in some jewelry fencing gone horribly, horribly wrong…

Then everyone shows up at Frederick’s house with all the bags (there are about 3 other subplots going on involving the plaid suitcases) and a shootout occurs, leading to one of the best car chases ever committed to film.  (Seriously.  Not just my opinion – it’s been on movie lists and everything!)

Then we have the court scene, in which we meet poor Judge Maxwell who is one bad hearing away from a nervous breakdown, and his bailiff who thinks he’s at an auction house.  After a great exchange between the judge and Hugh Simon, Howard takes a crack at sorting everything out.  Ryan O’Neal does a terrific job of summing up the movie for us.  Then the judge gets a little bit of a shock, and the scene is over… (Really, it’s funnier than it sounds, but I don’t want to spoil the good stuff!)

Airport.  Howard is headed back to Iowa, sans Larrabee Grant, due to the commotion caused at Frederick’s house.  But wait!  Hugh is a fraud, which Judy reveals.  So, Howard gets the grant afterall!  (Judy is a bit of a Renaissance Woman, who has been to just about every college imaginable).  Frederick and Eunice have bonded (ha!) so she’s staying, leaving Howard all by his lonesome. 

Of course, who else is headed to yet another college in Ames, Iowa?!  Why, it’s Judy!  They kiss, make up, the end.

So, yeah, this is a slightly anemic rundown, but there is a lot going on in this movie, and so much of the greatness lies in the visual gags.  It is also the movie with the most fantastic one-liners ever made.  Seriously.  My dad and I have a tendency to just randomly spew the one-liners from this movie at each other, turning them into entire conversations.  Hell, even the cast and crew (according to director Peter Bogdonovich) was quoting them to each other on the set.  In fact, as I was writing the rundown, lines kept on popping in my head. 

Everyone in this movie is spot-on.  No one is ridiculously over the top, even when Madeline Kahn is shrewing it up as Eunice.  The bigger stuff is nicely countered with her being a little more level in other scenes.  This was Kahn’s first movie, and she came out kicking and rocking.  This was a bit of a vehicle for Barbra Streisand, but Kahn is the one everyone remembers. 

Even people with smaller roles are memorable.  This is just a damn good movie, and everyone needs to check it out.  It is the last perfect comedy, in my opinion.  If you are a fan of Cary Grant movies, you will love this, I promise.  And now, I leave you with a few choice scenes…

And the Trailer...

And that's a wrap for today!  Tomorrow, another musical!  Wheee!

Singin' in the Rain

Happy June!  Since it is my birth month, I am being self-indulgent and writing about all of my favourite movies.  For some of the more well-known movies out there, I will be mostly reflecting on the why it is one of my favourites, as opposed to the usual format of a plot rundown and a wee little bit of reflection.  Not all of my favourite movies are classics – some fall into the guilty pleasure category – but whatever.  It’s my birthday month, deal with it.  OK, disclaimer out of the way, let us begin…

#351: Singin’ in the Rain (1952).  I’m hauling out the good ones early this month!  This is my go-to movie if I’m feeling blue or stressed.  So I have watched it a lot over the years.  Again, one of the earliest movies from my childhood, hence why it’s one of my favourites.  But also because it is near-perfection.  They really, truly don’t make them like this anymore, and it’s a damn shame…

The Players:

Don Lockwood: Played by Gene Kelly… Excuse me while I wipe the drool off my face… OK, I’m better now.  Don Lockwood is the big-time movie star of the day.  He’s ridiculously handsome, confident, talented.  What’s not to love?  Well, his entitled smarmy attitude, for one, but that quickly falls by the wayside as his insecurities are revealed and he becomes a better person.  Also: It’s Gene Kelly.  I mean… yeah…

Kathy Seldon: Played by Debbie Reynolds.  Kathy is a little starlet hoping to make it in the movies (but upon her first meeting with Don, she mocks movie stars, and claims to be a “legitimate actress on the stage”).  She is cute, plucky, and tells Don like it is. 

Cosmo Brown: Played by Donald O’Connor.  Cosmo is Don’s best friend, and a composer.  They have been friends since childhood, and he’s also not afraid to tell him like it is.  Donald O’Connor is given several moments to shine in the role, not only with little one-liners, but in dance numbers, as well.

Lina Lamont: Played to perfection by Jean Hagen.  Lina is a silent movie star/diva.  She has a horrendously squeaky speaking voice, and appears to be very stupid, but can be conniving when she needs to be.  She is just awesome.

R.F. Simpson: Played by Millard Mitchell.  R.F. is the head of the studio, but he knows who really holds the power – his stars.  He’s a little afraid of Lina.

Honorable Mentions: Rita Moreno (of West Side Story fame) plays a contract actress named Zelda who is pals with Lina and causes trouble; Cyd Charisse and her legs play a fictional love-interest in the “Broadway Melody” sequence, a number from the movie-within-the-movie.

So, I understand that movie musicals aren’t for everyone, and that not everyone has seen this (which is such a shame!) so, here’s a quick rundown for y’all:

We open with a movie premiere of Lockwood and Lamont’s latest flick.  It is 1927, the height of the silent movies.  We are introduced to Don Lockwood, as he gives a red carpet interview telling the story of his career, the main theme being “Dignity.  Always dignity”.  However, the flashbacks played over the narration shows us that his entire story is bullshit, which I love.  It’s so freaking Hollywood.

The movie’s a hit, and we quickly discover that the beautiful Lina has a voice like a dying cat.  This is pretty realistic, as many of the silent film stars had either squeaky and/or bullfrog-like voices, or thick accents.  Anyway, they all head out to the after party at R.F. Simpson’s house.  Unfortunately, on the way Cosmo’s car gets a flat tire, and Don gets mobbed by his fans.  Using some of his old stunt-man moves, Don escapes by climbing onto a trolley car and jumping into the car of Kathy Seldon.  At first, Kathy doesn’t recognize Don, and thinks he’s going to rape and murder her (I’d probably assume the same) until she pulls over and screams at a cop who instantly recognizes Don.  Embarrassed, she offers him a ride home.  You can tell she’s secretly thrilled, until Don’s ego decides to join the party, and things get ugly fast.  She insults his profession and his talent, admitting that she’s a stage actress.  But oh, he mocks her right back, although his exit from her car gives her the last laugh as his jacket gets caught in the door and rips.

We learn that Kathy is actually a dancer at the famed Coconut Grove as she arrives at R.F.’s party.  Well, this can’t end well…

Don shows up in a fresh tux, looking just… Mmmm… Sorry, went away there.  I’m back!  OK, he asks for validation from Cosmo, gets it, and then R.F. shows a brief little demonstration of this new fad called “talking pictures”.  Of course, this will never amount to a thing…

R.F. brings his two stars over to a cake to be cut and served, but instead a cute little Coconut Grove dancer bursts out.  Of course, it’s Kathy, and an amused (and genuinely delighted) Don looks on and proceeds to give her complete shit for her earlier grand-standing about actors.  Cue the adorable song and dance “All I do is Dream of You”.

Don corners and proceeds to flirt with Kathy, but Lina’s having none of that (she has bought into the studio publicity that says her and Don are a couple), and frustrated, Kathy goes to throw a cake in Don’s face.  Of course, he dodges and it gets Lina.  Don chases after Kathy, but she drives off…

We learn from Don a few weeks later that Kathy is on his brain, and that she doesn’t work at the Coconut Grove anymore, so he can’t go all predatory stalker on her.  He’s also still hung up on some of the stuff she said to him about how all his movies are the same “If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all”, and that he’s not a real actor.  In an attempt to cheer his friend up, Cosmo does a song and dance called “Make ‘em Laugh”, and it is made of awesome.  You go, Donald O’Connor…

While filming a love scene for their latest French Revolution love story movie, Don discovers that Lina is the reason why Kathy lost her job.  Ooooh, that snake!  The dialogue here is great, though, and makes one wonder what actors were really saying to each other in all those silent films…

But stop!  R.F. declares that The Jazz Singer and talkies are more than just a fad, and that they are going to turn this movie into a talking picture. 

Cut to… weird but awesome montage of shit you see in early musicals, complete with the “Beautiful Girls” number, which is hilariously sexist, but for some reason I have always loved it.  We see Kathy in the chorus, and Don is brought to the set to talk to her.  Afraid that the whole pie-throwing incident will cost her another job, Kathy tries to bolt, but R.F. decides she can stay.  Just make sure Lina doesn’t find out…

Don and Kathy stroll down the backlot, where it is revealed that Kathy is indeed a huge fan of his.  Ego back on track, Don decides he is falling in love with Kathy.  He takes her onto an empty soundstage that conveniently has a ladder, a pretty backdrop, and a huge fan so he can sing “You were Meant for Me” and have a lovely little dance number with her.  *Dreamy Sigh*.

So, because all of Hollywood is freaking out about sound, all the major stars are being sent to diction coaches.  Lina is made of fail, but Don’s doing ok.  Cosmo crashes his lesson, mocks the coach, and the two of them do a completely random but fucking awesome song and dance, “Moses Supposes”.  It is probably one of my favourite scenes ever committed to film, so I shall share it with you.  Check out the brilliance:

The following scenes are hilarious, and show all the technical issues to be had with early film, and are brilliantly funny.  Not so funny?  The reception The Dueling Cavalier receives.  It’s is unintentionally hilarious, which does not bode well for Don’s career.

Depressed about his future, Don has Cosmo and Kathy over to his insanely gorgeous house.  Somehow, Kathy gets the idea to turn The Dueling Cavalier into a musical.  Sure, why not!  This leads into the song “Good Morning”, which again: perfection.  Little backstory for ya: Gene Kelly drove poor Debbie Reynolds crazy trying to get her to learn this one number.  She was young, and not the most experienced dancer, so she was having trouble keeping up.  Her feet bled, she got no sleep, and even at one point went and hid out in a rehearsal room until Fred Astaire showed up and helped her out (so the story goes).  None of this is evident as everyone appears to be having a flawlessly fun time in this number.  That is professionalism right there. 

So, Don is in love with Kathy, and after dropping her off at her house, he takes a little stroll.  In the rain.  Yes, ladies and gents, it’s that song.  It’s so simple – just Gene Kelly, an empty street, the rain and his umbrella.  And it is genius.  There’s a reason why it is so iconic. 

Don and Cosmo make the pitch to R.F., who is totally cool with it, and even agrees to let Kathy dub Lina’s voice, but don’t let Lina know!  After a nice little montage of the beautiful song “Would You?” being recorded and filmed, we are back to R.F.’s office, where Don pitches a number for the modern part of the film they’re making.  And then we have the big, self-indulgent ballet-type musical number “Broadway Melody”.  And yes, it is long, it is self-indulgent, and it is hypnotic.  I mean, it’s got Cyd Charisse and her legs being beyond sexy.

So, of course Lina finds out eventually (thanks to Zelda) of their little plot, and goes to R.F. and threatens to sue the studio for everything unless they take Kathy’s credit off the screen.  Oh, and from now on, Kathy’s going to dub Lina in all of her films; uncredited, of course.  Lina is letting her claws show, and it is so perfectly played by Jean Hagen.

Now it’s the premier, and the movie is a huge hit.  Poor Kathy is getting shafted left and right, but there is just so much going on, no one seems to care?  But not before Lina insists on giving a speech, which makes the audience be all “huh?  She sounded way sexier in the movie!”  So they ask her to sing!  Oh no!  They set up a microphone behind the curtain and insist that Kathy sing while Lina lip-synchs.  In fact, Don demands it!  Kathy agrees, because of her contract and all, but wants nothing more to do with Don.  Until, of course, they pull up the curtain to reveal what’s actually going on.  Lina is laughed off the stage, Kathy tries to run away, but it stopped, and Don sings a reprise of the cut “You are my Lucky Star”, and they live happily ever after.

So, that was a very in-depth recap of this movie, but it is just.that.good.  This is one of the earliest examples of Hollywood poking fun at Hollywood.  I mean, a lot of what is shown actually went down, it’s just exaggerated for laughs, and in just the right amount.  It’s not cartoony or over the top. 

Arthur Freed

Some history for ya: there once was a man named Arthur Freed, and he produced some of the greatest musicals ever put on film for MGM.  But before he was a producer, he was a song writer.  Most of his stuff was written in the 1920s-‘30s.  So, for some reason, the powers that be at MGM decided they wanted to make a movie that would use all of his music.  

Betty Comden and Adolph Green

Writing team Comden and Green were given the task of coming up with something, and it had to feature/be called Singin’ in the Rain.  A lot of ideas were tossed around (including a western starring Howard Keel), and eventually they were like “duh!  These songs were all written during Hollywood’s transition to sound!  We can work with that!”  And thus, Singin’ in the Rain was born.  And thank God it was…

There is a lot of awesome going on here.  Hollywood acknowledges the importance of star power, the ridiculousness of itself and the fakery that goes on behind the scenes.  The leading man is not perfect.  He’s cocky, but really insecure of his talent and abilities.   He falls in love with Kathy because not only is she a challenge, she doesn’t fall for his bullshit. 

So, this is a movie I’ve been watching probably as long as The Wizard of Oz, which is to say my whole life.  Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood was my first crush, and I still swoon every time I watch him in this.  It is beautifully shot, funny, and the song and dance numbers are flawless.  This is about as close to a perfect movie as it gets, and still stands the test of time.  There are some inconsistencies in the film (the random reprise of a song that was cut, complete with a final shot that makes little sense without the cut song, but what can you do, other than shoot a new ending?, and the fact that Kathy’s voice seems to change tone from scene to scene, due to the fact that in some scenes Debbie Reynolds is also dubbed), but really, those are kind of easy to overlook in the grand scheme of things.  If you haven’t seen this yet, really, you should.  It’s not full of great meaning or depth, but I guarantee it will leave you with a smile on your face and a song in your heart.

That’s a Wrap for today!  Tune in tomorrow for some wacky hijinks in San Francisco!

The Wizard of Oz

Happy June!  Since it is my birth month, I am being self-indulgent and writing about all of my favourite movies.  For some of the more well-known movies out there, I will be mostly reflecting on the why it is one of my favourites, as opposed to the usual format of a plot rundown and a wee little bit of reflection.  Not all of my favourite movies are classics – some fall into the guilty pleasure category – but whatever.  It’s my birthday month, deal with it.  OK, disclaimer out of the way, let us begin…

#352: The Wizard of Oz (1939).  This is one of my all-time faves because it is one of the first movies I ever watched.  I can remember sitting in the family room, or Dad’s office, watching this movie over and over on video disk (a technology that blipped on the radar just before VHS and Beta).  This movie introduced me to Judy Garland, my lifelong role model, and who I aspired to be for a long time.  So, before I get into it too much, here are the players:

 

Dorothy Gale: Played by Judy Garland.  Dorothy is unhappy with her hum-drum life, and wants something more exciting and fulfilling than her life on her Kansas farm.  She has a pet dog who frequently gets her into trouble, and lives with her Aunt and Uncle.  Is she an orphan?  What’s the story there?  Anyway, her only friends, aside from her dog, are the farmhands. 

Toto: Played by Terry.  Toto is Dorothy’s best companion, and a big reason why she winds up taking her incredible adventure.

Hunk/The Scarecrow: Played by Ray Bolger.  Hunk is one of the farmhands, and in Oz is represented as a scarecrow.  He is the one who forms the strongest bond with Dorothy. 

 

Zeke/The Cowardly Lion: Played by Bert Lahr.  Zeke is another farmhand, and in Oz is represented as a cowardly lion. 

Hickory/The Tinman: Played by Jack Haley.  Hickory is the third farmhand, and in Oz is represented as a sentimental tinman who lacks a heart.

Miss. Gulch/The Wicked Witch of the West: Played by the brilliant Margaret Hamilton.  She is the villain of the piece, both in Kansas and in Oz.  She has an axe to grind, and she wants to grind it on Dorothy’s head…

Professor Marvel/The Wizard of Oz: Played by Frank Morgan.  Morgan also appears as various characters in Oz.  Professor Marvel is who convinces Dorothy to go home after she runs away, and the Wizard grants everyone’s wishes in Oz.  Sort of?

Glinda the Good Witch: Played by Billie Burke.  One of the only people in Oz without a Kansas counterpart.  She helps Dorothy throughout her journey in Oz.

Auntie Em and Uncle Henry: Played by Clara Blandick and Charley Grapewin.  Auntie Em and Uncle Henry are the guardians of Dorothy (again, what happened to her parents?) and are stern but love her very much.

OK, so here’s the thing.  If you’ve never seen this movie… seriously?  How can someone have never, not once, in their life see this movie?  I feel sorry for you and your childhood if you’ve never seen it.  Now, there are people who think that this movie is overrated and not their taste, and I respect that, but come on… So, because of the fact that everyone has seen it at least once, I’m skipping the recap and going to hit up personal highlights instead.

“Over the Rainbow”.  Fun fact: this song was almost cut from the movie.  Not kidding.  the powers that be at MGM thought that it slowed down the pace, and at the time Judy Garland was a rising star – they didn’t want her singing in a barnyard.  It wasn’t dignified.  However, wiser heads prevailed, and the song was kept in.  Thank GOD, because it is the single best moment in the movie.  I’ve been watching this movie over and over for about 30 years, and this one, simple little song still makes me cry.  Every.Time.  It became Judy’s signature anthem, sung at the end of every concert she gave in her later years.  It speaks to everyone who has ever searched for more in their life.  It is a simple, but beautiful and poignant song.  And I'm sorry, but no body can sing it like Judy...

The transition from the Kansas house to Munchkinland.  This is still amazing, even if you’ve seen it a million times.  When Dorothy makes her way through her house, and opens the door to a Technicolor dream world, it smacks you in the face so hard you can’t help but smile.  And all done without computer gobbeldy-gook – they had a sepia painted house, Judy’s stand-in in a sepia-died dress and wig walk through the house, so that when the door opened, you could see the colour.  That’s right – the whole thing was done with no trick-photography, no computers, not hand-coloured (as previously misunderstood by many) just plain, old-fashioned practical movie magic.  Love.

The songs.  They are all earworms, and delightful ones at that.  The fact that a few are referenced all the time in pop-culture (most notably “Ding, Dong! The Witch is Dead!”) is a testament to their longevity.  My personal faves are, of course, “Over the Rainbow”, but also: “If I Only had a Heart”, “The Merry Old Land of Oz” and the removed “Jitterbug”.  If you don’t have the DVD with “The Jitterbug” on it, check it out on YouTube.  It’s a catchy little ditty.  I prefer the “Heart” song to the other two simply because I adore Jack Haley’s rendition. 

The Wicked Witch.  I have always been partial to villains, and she was my first.  She also used to scare the hell out of me when I was a kid, but I still love her to pieces.  This movie went through several incarnations, including one where the witch was beautiful.  When they decided to make the witch ugly, the actress originally cast walked, and in stepped Margaret Hamilton.  And she is beyond brilliant, throwing herself into the role with abandon, and making her a true threat.  Ah, the days when studios has no qualms about instilling fear into children…

The relationships.  I adore Dorothy’s relationship with the three guys, both on the farm and in Oz.  They are the big brothers everyone wishes they had – fun, helpful, and protective.  There is an innocent familial bond between them, and it is so beautifully done, and believable.  Especially between Dorothy and the Scarecrow.  Maybe it’s because she meets him first, maybe it’s because of the undeniable friend-chemistry between Judy and Ray Bolger.  Whatever it is, it is delightful.

The sets.  I want to go to Oz.  It is colourful, imaginative, scary, mysterious, and just plain stunning all at once.  Technicolor was still relatively new when this movie came out, and was used to perfection here.  The use of light/shadow and colour is dead-on perfect, the different areas of Oz are distinct, so you know exactly where you are as the journey continues.  Props to the designers who made Oz come to life so vividly.

Judy Garland.  I have seen pretty much everything this woman has been in, and she will appear a few more times this month, if not this year, but this is the Judy I love.  Mainly because this was my first Garland movie, but she is just so good in this.  You truly feel everything Dorothy is feeling, because she is so convincing.  She is beautiful, innocent, and heartbreaking.  The studio worked her hard, but you would never have guessed it from her performance.  Even at sixteen, she was a consummate professional, and a delight to watch in this movie.

I will admit, even thought I have nothing but absolute love for this movie, there are a few things which I feel they could have done better, and none have anything to do with the technology available to them at the time.  So, a couple of “lows” for me:

Glinda.  She doesn’t really do much to help Dorothy out, although that is how Dorothy learns her lesson, I guess.  Even still, she is pretty much the reason Dorothy is being hunted down by The Witch of the West, and other than causing it to snow on the poppy field, she’s not much help.  I wish they had done a little bit more with her, but then it would have cut down on screentime with the guys, so I’m ok with it.

Emerald City.  I’m always so disappointed by Emerald City.  They did such a wonderful job with the other sets, and Emerald city was just… blah.  Maybe because it appears to be completely indoor, like a mall or something, but I just wish they’d given it a little more pizzaz. 

“King of the Forest”.  OK, so they wanted to cut “Over the Rainbow” for pacing, but left this in?  Did Bert Lahr have dirt on the director or something?  This is the single most boring part of the whole film.  I guess it serves as a time-killer while they wait to hear back from the Wizard’s guard, but there could have been a better song, something sung by all four of them, or even some dialogue.  Anything would have been better than this.

This movie had a profound effect on my life, and still manages to touch me, make me smile, laugh, cover my eyes, etc.  As technology goes racing by, it makes me appreciate the effort put into this movie, a true pioneer in special effects.  The tornado is still brilliant, and sufficiently scary. 

In 1999, the movie was re-released for its 60^th anniversary to theatres.  I excitedly went and saw it and was blown away.  As I walked out of the theatre, wiping the tears out of my eyes, I heard a woman talking to her kid who couldn’t have been more than about 9 or 10.  She was telling him “Well, the special effects weren’t the same back then as they are now.”  My heart dropped.  Apparently, the kid thought it was boring or something, and was disappointed that the tornado didn’t look like Twister.  This is my beef with current movie-going kiddoes.  They can’t appreciate beautiful movies with compelling stories and characters unless some really cool technical stuff is involved.  I guess I was spoiled, being raised on all of the classics.  Those of you who are parents, or plan on it, I strongly encourage you to show some of these classics to your kids when they’re young.  It will help them to appreciate film in general (I believe these old movies are the reason I am film-obsessed), as well as simplicity.  OK, climbing off my soapbox.

The Wizard of Oz is a true classic.  Like I said, if you haven’t seen it, you have led a very sheltered life, and really should rent it ASAP.  If you haven’t seen it in a while, I encourage you to do the same and re-visit it. 

Tomorrow: Another one of my all-time faves.  Bet you can’t guess which one!  And that’s a wrap!