Topic: July Movie Marathon: Musicals (Yes... You read right!)

[addicted2dvd]

Hercules & Xena: The Battle for Mount Olympus (1998/United States) Trailer |Wikipedia |IMDb | Universal Pictures (United States) Director: Lynne Naylor Writing: John Loy (Screenwriter) Length: 80 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, French: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles: French, Spanish

Stars:
Kevin Sorbo as Hercules
Lucy Lawless as Xena
Michael Hurst as Iolaus
Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle
Kevin Smith as Ares

Plot:
Starring the voices of Kevin Sorbo as the Real Hercules, and Lucy Lawless as the Only Xena: Warrior Princess, this feature-length animated spectacular catapults the mythical exploits of their popular live-action TV series into a legendary new dimension!

When Hera, the constantly scheming Queen of the Gods, decides it is time to rule the universe, she plots a takeover by freeing the dreaded Titans from the underworld where they have been imprisoned for eons. With the monsterously vindictive titans on the loose, and the powerful Chronos Stone in Hera's hands, even the combined forces of Hercules and Xena, joined by their trusty sidekicks lolaus and Gabrielle, may not be enough to win "The Battle For Mount Olympus"! Brought to life with all of the spellbinding action of the hit TV shows, and charged with the supernatural visuals of cutting-edge animation, it's a breathtaking all-family adventure...fit for the Gods!

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Production Notes

My Thoughts:

An entertaining film... especially if you liked the series. But definitely not what I would call great. Basically an average movie... maybe a little above average. I do like they got the cast of the two series to do the voices for this film.

Rating:

[addicted2dvd]

Pete:
Movies- 34
Episodes - 4

Danae Cassandra:
Movies - 28 (27 reviewed)
Episodes - 12

[GSyren]

Is this really a musical?
Aren't you stretching the definition of musical in order to get through the marathon with your sanity intact?   

[Danae Cassandra]

Trocadero
Year of Release: 1944
Directed By: William Nigh
Starring: Rosemary Lane, Johnny Downs, Ralph Morgan, Dick Purcell, Sheldon Leonard
Genre: Comedy, Musical

Overview:
Judy and Johnny are orphaned siblings being raised by Tony, a Hollywood restaurateur who knows no limit in supporting his adopted children.  When Tony dies suddenly, one of them has to return home from college to keep the establishment open.  They sign a variety of entertaining acts and some exciting jazz performers.

My Thoughts:
Here we have a thin but serviceable story of a brother and sister struggling to make a success of their father's nightclub and finding love along the way. The acting isn't the greatest, but they aren't completely terrible either. The cast is made up of reliable actors, if not stars.

Still, the reason to watch this is the big band and swing music acts that populate the nightclub. Ida James doing "Shoo Shoo Baby" is a particular treat. There are some novelty bits that are also amusing, especially Dave Fleischer's little animated character. Still, I can't exactly recommend it for everyone. If you like musicals of this era, and you don't mind B-movies, this isn't a terrible film. It's also nothing special.

Bechdel Test: Fail
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 2.5/5

[addicted2dvd]

Is this really a musical?
Aren't you stretching the definition of musical in order to get through the marathon with your sanity intact?   

What? The Hercules & Xena animated film? Yes it is definitely a musical. In the short film there is 3 or 4 musical numbers.

[Danae Cassandra]

Pete:
Movies- 35 (34 reviewed)
Episodes - 4

Danae Cassandra:
Movies - 30 (28 reviewed)
Episodes - 12

[Danae Cassandra]

Private Buckaroo
Year of Release: 1942
Directed By: Edward F. Cline
Starring: The Andrews Sisters, Dick Foran, Shemp Howard, Harry James & His Music Makers, The Jivin Jacks and Jills
Genre: Comedy, War, Musical

Overview:
The barest of plots has Harry James being drafted. Naturally, his whole orchestra signs up, too, including Lon Prentice (Dick Foran), his singer who has an attitude adjustment problem. We see the high-jinks of training, a romantic encounter that will serve to straighten Prentice out, and a big show just before the boys ship overseas. All this is just a clothesline to pin on at least 13 musical numbers, and The Andrews Sisters and Harry James do most of them.

My Thoughts:
This is a quick little WWII propaganda musical featuring the Andrews Sisters, whose singing I enjoy a lot but I know isn't for everyone, and Harry James playing some great trumpet. Sure, there's some plot in there too about Harry and his band joining the army and one guy having to learn that he's nothing special, but that's not the point of the film. The point is to recruit. Shemp Howard and Mary Wickes are a lot of fun too, especially Wickes. Recommended if you like these sorts of films.

Bechdel Test: Fail
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 2.75/5

[Danae Cassandra]

Dumbo
Year of Release: 1941
Directed By: Ben Sharpsteen
Starring: Herman Bing, Billy Bletcher, Edward Brophy, Jim Carmichael, Cliff Edwards
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Musical

Overview:
For the first time ever, in celebration of this landmark film's 70th anniversary, experience the daring adventures of the world's only flying elephant with a dazzling all-new digital restoration and brilliant Disney Enhanced High Definition Theater Mix Sound. The inspirational tale of Dumbo, the courageous baby elephant who uses his sensational ears to soar to fame with the help of his clever best friend Timothy Q. Mouse, will thrill and delight audiences of all ages. And now, the award-winning music and empowering messages about friendship and belief in yourself reach new heights in this must-have Blu-ray high definition presentation of Walt Disney's animated classic, Dumbo!

My Thoughts:
What a cute, fun little movie. I'm not sure I'd seen it before, though I well remember reading the story from a set of Disney books I had as a kid. I know this gets a bit of flack on the subject of racism, especially about the crows, but I don't exactly agree. Yes, they are meant to be African-American, and the way you determine this is by their accent. But unlike the majority of the characters in the film, they show compassion toward Dumbo and change their attitude toward him before he becomes a star. They're some of the best characters in the film.

Recommended for just about anyone, unless you're super sensitive to political correctness, in which case don't watch any cartoons of this era.

Bechdel Test: Fail
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 3.5/5

[Danae Cassandra]

All-American Co-Ed
Year of Release: 1941
Directed By: LeRoy Prinz
Starring: Frances Langford, Johnny Downs, Marjorie Woodworth, Noah Beery Jr.
Genre: Comedy, Musical

Overview:
All-girl school Mar Brynn tries to get more pupils and publicity by making fun of the Quincton college. For revenge, the boys there sent Bob Sheppard to Mar Brynn, dressed as a girl, to give them a slight scandal. But he falls in love with Virginia, the girl who is putting on a show there. Now Bob has the problem of getting revenge for Quinceton and not loosing his girl, especially when Quinceton hears about his relationship and decides to sent him support...

My Thoughts:
Toss some drag, terrible female impersonation, a bit of romance, and a lot of innuendo in the script and you actually get a funny comedy.  I chuckled several times.  It's no great cinema, but unlike the other films I've watched in the Mill Creek set this is part of, the actors and script aren't the weakest part.

Bechdel Test: Fail
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 2.75/5

[Danae Cassandra]

The Duke is Tops
Year of Release: 1938
Directed By: William L. Nolte
Starring: Ralph Cooper, Lena Horne, Laurence Criner, Monte Hawley
Genre: Romance, Musical

Overview:
Lena Horne stars as Ethel Andrews, a young featured singer who is given the chance to work a Broadway show but things take a turn for the worse without her fiancee's behind-the-scenes support.

My Thoughts:
Notable for a leading performance from a young Lena Horne; otherwise forgettable.

Bechdel Test: Fail
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 2/5

[Danae Cassandra]

Pete:
Movies- 35 (34 reviewed)
Episodes - 4

Danae Cassandra:
Movies - 34 (32 reviewed)
Episodes - 12

[addicted2dvd]

Little Shop of Horrors: The Director's Cut (1986/United States) IMDb |Wikipedia |Trailer | Warner Home Video (United States) Director: Frank Oz Writing: Howard Ashman (Original Material By), Howard Ashman (Screenwriter), Charles Griffith (Original Material By) Length: 103 min. Video: Widescreen 1.85:1 Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, German: Dolby Digital: Mono, Italian: Dolby Digital: Mono, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Mono, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish

Stars:
Director's CutLevi Stubbs as The Voice of "AUDREY II" (Voice)
Rick Moranis as Seymour Krelborn
Ellen Greene as Audrey
Vincent Gardenia as Mushnik

Plot:
A comedy, a love story and a cult classic starring a giant singing plant from outer space — what else could it be but Little Shop of Horrors? The 1986 film has a surprisingly complex history; it began as a short story, then became a low-budget film, before turning into an Off-Broadway play, when finally Frank Oz and his team created this quirky, dark screen version. Many fans do not know that this adaptation originally had a far more sinister ending, which everyone can now see in the Director’s Cut of the film included in this special edition package.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Audio Commentary
• Bonus Trailers
• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
• Outtakes/Bloopers
• Theatrical Edition and Director's Cut

My Thoughts:

While this one is definitely over the top... it is a fun and entertaining film with a lot of big stars of the time. Definitely worth the time put in to watch it.

Rating:

[addicted2dvd]

Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure (2011/United States) IMDb |Wikipedia |Trailer | Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (United States) Director: Michael Lembeck Writing: Robert Horn (Writer), Peter Barsocchini (Original Characters By) Length: 90 min. Video: Widescreen 1.78:1 Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 5.1 Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Ashley Tisdale as Sharpay Evans
Austin Butler as Peyton Leverett
Cameron Goodman as Amber Lee Adams
Alec Mapa as Gill
Jack Plotnick as Neal

Plot:
Just how fabulous do you have to be to make it big in the Big Apple? One aspiring diva is about to find out...the hard way! Ashley Tisdale shines in this totally captivating comedy.
After a talent scout spots her performing with her dog Boi at a charity gala, Sharpay Evans (Tisdale) sets off for the bright lights of NYC, convinced instant fame and fortune are in the bag (designer bag, that is). But theatre's a dog-eat-dog world, as she and Boi discover when they encounter the devious owner of a pampered pooch named "Countess" and a scheming Broadway starlet who will do anything to crush the competition. Fortunately, Sharpay also meets Peyton (Austin Butler), a handsome student filmmaker who finds Sharpay nearly as fascinating as she finds herself.

Sparkling with fun, fashion and fantastic bonus features, Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure will make your whole family stand up and cheer!

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Bonus Trailers
• Featurettes
• Outtakes/Bloopers

My Thoughts:

This is the second time I have watched this film now. And now that I have seen a couple of the High School Musical films I have a little background on the main character and seen just how much growth she has done since the first film. Which helped me enjoy her character a "LITTLE" more. Other then that I will just repeat what I said the first time I watched this film...

 Lets see... what does this film have? Unlikable characters? Check. Predictability? Check. Entertaining? Also check. To be honest with you I don't know why I enjoyed this one at all. But I did like it. Far from a great movie but entertaining and I can see myself watching it again at some point. I mentioned unlikable charcters. Unfortunately I don't mean just the ones you are not supposed to like. But many characters including Ashley Tisdale's... who is the main star of the film. Granted it is supposed to show her growth as a person. But even then while better she wasn't what I would call likable. I mentioned it being predictable. And I mean just that. Way too predictable. I pretty much called the movie in the first 10 minutes. But then this is a Disney family film so I shouldn't be surprised by that. With all that said... why did I find this film entertaining at all? And I just don't know... but after all that I enjoyed it and happy I got around to watching it. Go figure!

Rating:

[addicted2dvd]

Pete:
Movies- 36
Episodes - 4

Danae Cassandra:
Movies - 34 (32 reviewed)
Episodes - 12

[Danae Cassandra]

Ziegfeld Follies
Year of Release: 1945
Directed By: Vincente Minnelli
Starring: Fred Astaire, Lucille Ball, Lucille Bremer, Fanny Brice, Judy Garland, Lena Horne, Gene Kelly
Genre: Comedy, Musical

Overview:
Heaven's harps and wings are nice, but what showman extraordinaire Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. wants most now that he's no longer on Earth is to put on another extravaganza. It would have the brightest stars and creative talents. The most glamour, gams and optimism. In short, it would be like Ziegfeld Follies.

With a Who's Who of credited and uncredited Hollywood talents, this all-star revue is heaven to fans of musicals. Fred Astaire dazzles once, twice...four numbers in all. Red Skelton reprises his funny Guzzler's Gin skit. Esther Williams swims, Lena Horne sings and Judy Garland spoofs snobbery. There's Verdi opera and Fanny Brice vaudeville. Patter and pantomime. And The Babbitt and the Bromide, with Gene Kelly joining Astaire in their first-ever screen pairing. What a show! The man called Flo must be proud.

My Thoughts:
Sure, there's no story here, just musical numbers and skits held together on the premise of Florenz Ziegfeld staging one of his Follies in 1945, but it's still a lot of fun for fans of musicals.  Yes, the best treat is watching Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly dance together, but the rest of the numbers are still pretty good.  Okay, except for maybe the last one.  I wasn't too fond of Kathryn Grayson's singing.  I think it's just the style, though, she's too high and wavery for my taste.  Of the comedy bits, both mom and I laughed most at Red Skelton, though we also enjoyed Fanny Brice's bit as well. 

May I say also, that, while "Limehouse Blues" was a beautiful and creative number, and I love Fred Astaire and he does a great job with Lucille Bremer, it really would have been better with an Asian cast.  Yeah, 1940's and all that, but still, would have been better. 

Recommended if you enjoy old musicals, but know what you're getting into here.

Bechdel Test: Fail
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 3/5