Where I write about The Band Wagon...

For the November/December issue of Femnista I had the distinct pleasure of writing about one of my favorite films -- the gorgeous, hilarious, whip-smart and intelligent 1953 gem, The Band Wagon, starring two of my all-time favorites, Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. I hope you'll check it out!

Read here//Download here

Les Miserables trailer!!

Oh. My. WORD. The look alone of this film promises to be amazing! (And yes, yes the trailer made me tear up...I predict I will be a blubbering mess while watching this in the theater!)

The Phantom of the Opera - 25th Anniversary

I received my copy of The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall DVD (purchased on the strength of my Ramin Karimloo obsession) this afternoon which promptly went into the DVD player. People, this is an extraordinary document of the phenomenon that is Phantom. Easily the best concert staging of a musical I've ever seen -- the staging, costumes, and performances are stellar. Seriously rent it, stream it, buy it like yesterday, whatever it takes. *wink* Here's the trailer:

Torch Song

Torch Song, my friends, falls squarely in the film category of "it's so bad it's good." I think the best way I can describe this film is that it's oddly mesmerizing. I was inspired to revisit this movie after watching Michael Wilding's performance in Stage Fright, since besides the "oddly mesmerizing" factor he's the main reason I keep coming back to Torch Song.

Jenny Stewart (Joan Crawford) is a hard-as-nails, temperamental Broadway star who basically eats her underlings' souls for breakfast, spits them out, and then the fun starts all over again the next day (okay, so that's an extreme description, but you get my point). After walking out of a rehearsal in a fit of temper, Jenny goes home to run lines with her long-suffering secretary Anne (Maidie Norman), later succumbing to loneliness in a crying jag (see? the meanness is really just a cover). The next day we meet Jenny's boyfriend, Cliff Willard (Gig Young), who is a leech and a lush, but he's convenient to have around as an escort to parties, etc. She explains to Cliff that she's a domineering control freak because she loves her audience SO MUCH, and therefore she has to give them her best come hell or high water - no one is going to hold her back.

When Jenny finally shows up to rehearsal, she's shocked to discover that her long-time accompanist, Charlie (who she'd lovingly driven to drink and psychiatric counseling sessions), has quit and been replaced by Tye Graham (Michael Wilding), a distinguished and adorably gorgeous (okay, I will shut up now) blind pianist. To Jenny's never-ending shock Tye proves to be quite proficient at following her style and arrangements, though she rudely dismisses any of his suggestions (though she's not above trying out the aforementioned suggestions in secret - HA!).

What ensues is a battle of wills and a mutual fascination with each other that superficially, by today's film standards at any rate, seems highly unlikely - but somehow the brassy, rough-edged Crawford and the elegant, soft-spoken Wilding make the something that develops on-screen between their characters work. Unlike most of the people Jenny surrounds herself with, Tye refuses to be cowed by her demanding nature and most intriguing of all, she can't control him. What makes this relationship interesting for me, as a viewer, is that Tye's interest in Jenny seems on the surface wholly inexplicable. It is easy - and quite understandable - to write Jenny off as a controlling shrew based on her introduction. But as the film unfolds, Crawford gradually reveals the cracks in Jenny's armor.

Since her start as a young ingenue, Jenny has learned the hard way the truth of the old axiom that "it's lonely at the top." Having spent years relying on herself and her iron will to be successful, she became inured to the painful reality that people latched onto her not for who she was, but because of who she'd become - a wildly successful star. Lest you think Crawford playing a musical star is completely out of the realm of possibility, watch a very young Crawford opposite Clark Gable in 1933's Dancing Lady (Fred Astaire's film debut!). All of her vocals in Torch Song were dubbed, but Crawford to her credit could move competently around the dance floor when the situation required.

Jenny's own family are perhaps the worst user culprits - there's a tepid warmth to their relationship, but the bottom line is, they love taking advantage of Jenny's success to further their own plans. I absolutely ADORED Marjorie Rambeau as Jenny's mother. Brassy and insistent, she never comes out and asks for money, but she sure is persistent in her "suggestions." However, when push comes to shove, she really does care about her daughter's happiness, a fact I think both of them have been guilty of overlooking, blinded by the trappings of stardom.

There are a couple of other performances worth noting in Torch Song. Harry Morgan of Dragnet and M*A*S*H fame plays Jenny's long-suffering director Joe. And director Charles Walters, known for frothy musical confections like Easter Parade and Summer Stock makes a rare appearance in front of the camera as Jenny's harried dance partner Ralph Ellis.

There is a lot, and I mean A LOT, that one can laugh at when it comes to Torch Song. The very idea of Crawford in a glossy, MGM musical drama (not to mention the fact that Technicolor did Crawford no favors when it comes to her weird, red/brown hair color). Crawford in a big production number in blackface (yes, you read that right - it's shockingly horrid!). And from start to finish, Torch Song is packed with EPIC levels of melodrama and romantic cliches.

Yet for all that, there's a part of this story that the die-hard romantic in me cannot help but respond to - and that is the unflagging love and devotion Tye has carried in his heart for Jenny ever since seeing her breakout performance, long before she struck the big time and he went to war and lost his sight. Tye carries an idealized image of Jenny in his mind's eye - an image that we, as the audience, only barely see hinted at in Crawford's performance until she starts to thaw. But as Jenny starts to fall for Tye, and realizes the reason he keeps pushing back is because he's loved her for years, that perfect image Tye holds of her reminds her of who she used to be and of everything she's sacrificed for fame. It gives her something to aspire to, because she wants to be her best self him - accepting his love gives her something real to hold onto in the hollowness of her showbiz centered life.

Torch Song is a bizarre mix of melodrama and romance, and if you can suspend your disbelief and tolerate Crawford's signature brand of scenery-chewing, you might be surprised to find it oddly watchable. :)

More warbling in the kitchen!!!

I tell you, Alfie Boe and Matt Lucas are MAKING MY WEEK with their singing in the kitchen videos. Here is the latest installment, where we find Alfie and Matt singing "The Impossible Dream."

Singing in the kitchen, episode 3:

Alfie Boe warbles a bit.

Last night I watched Les Miserables: The 25th Anniversary Concert on PBS, which I thoroughly enjoyed (except for the gosh-awful, horribly miscast Nick Jonas as Marius...but I'm not going to talk about that, going to think happy thoughts this morning instead). Jean Valjean was played by Alfie Boe, who I had never heard of prior to this concert. Now, I realize there are a lot of very strong opinions out there about the "definitive" Valjean, so let me be clear I am not trying to compare Boe to Colm Wilkinson. :) However, I thought Alfie Boe did a fantastic job as Valjean, and it's just an added bonus that he seemed so humble and soft-spoken and freaking adorable in the interviews.

After finding these YouTube videos this morning of Alfie singing in Matt Lucas' (Thenardier) kitchen, it is now official - I am completely in love with Alfie Boe. Enjoy. :)

Alfie Boe warbles a bit:



Alfie Boe warbles again:

Tangled

Well, since I've seen Tangled twice now, I think it's about time I review it, hmm? :) Simply put, Tangled is the best Disney movie I've seen in YEARS. The Princess and the Frog (click to read my review) was a step in the right direction for Disney animated features, but even though I loved the look of the film, the end product left me feeling rather ambivalent. Tangled blows past Princess, indeed it blows past everything to come from the Disney animation studios since the mid-1990s. It dares to reach for and magically, wonderfully, manages to recapture the Disney "magic" that captivated me as a kid - and for the record, that childlike sense of awe and wonder was present both times I saw the film. :)

The story of Rapunzel is one I remember being a favorite of mine when I was a child - if memory serves, it was included in "the big green fairy tale book" (my name for that tome) that had been my mom's during her growing-up years. (Note to self: find out where that book is asap!) Though Tangled changes the set-up of the traditional story, I found I didn't mind the alteration at all. Instead of "rampion," a drop of sun falls to earth, growing into a magical flower that possesses healing properties. And instead of Rapunzel's parents being lettuce-craving-fiends who give up their child so they can temporarily satiate pregnancy cravings (seriously?!), her parents are a beloved (and responsible - HA!) king and queen. When Mother Gothel, an evil crone, steals Rapunzel to hoard the youth-giving properties possessed by the child's hair, Gothel is clearly set up as the enemy, with no "excuse" that she was somehow "wronged" by Rapunzel's parents. And what an enemy she is - Gothel brings a whole new level of crazy to the idea of manipulative, controlling stage mamas. (I love that Disney kept the name Gothel for their adaptation, since that is the traditional name of the witch in the fairy tale.)

So this time around, Rapunzel is royalty - a lost princess who grows up to be a spunky but sheltered girl who wants nothing more than to experience the wide world beyond her tower - but lacks the courage to take the first step. Mandy Moore provides the voice of Rapunzel, and from everything I've ever seen Moore in, her personality "fits" the character perfectly. Mother Gothel is voiced by Donna Murphy, and she may just be the biggest scene-stealing wicked diva to steal the show in a Disney film since Ursula in The Little Mermaid. My mom thinks the Gothel character was based on a young Cher, and upon further reflection I think she might be on to something. Gothel is wonderfully over-the-top, and does guilt on a level I don't think I've ever seen in a Disney film. *wink*

While I love this new Rapunzel, the character of Flynn Ryder, voiced by the one and only Zachary Levi, stole the show for me. Flynn's character is the type I fall for every time in movies or books - the bad boy with a heart of gold. Since Tangled performs a royal role reversal between Rapunzel and her romantic counterpart, Flynn comes from peasant stock and dreams of nothing more than dollar signs and how to acquire unlimited wealth. That dream seems to be the pinnacle of success to Flynn - until he meets a girl with a less materialistic dream, and her fire and bravery starts to change his view of the world and his role in it. When it comes to "leading men" in Disney films, I've always gravitated towards the ones with plenty of character - from the "classic" years, Prince Phillip in Sleeping Beauty beat Cinderella's prince every time - for goodness' sake, he takes on a dragon (not to mention the dance in the forest is to die for)! From the animation "renaissance" Disney experienced in the 1990s, Aladdin was a favorite (I adored his bad boy charm) and the Beast - well, he fell for a booklover and that's a major win in my view. :) Flynn has a touch of a young Errol Flynn or Tyrone Power in his demeanor, and I just adore that.

The sidekicks in Tangled have quickly become some of my favorite Disney supporting characters EVER. Pasquale the chameleon and Maximus the palace horse never speak, but their actions and expressions speak louder, more hilariously, and more effectively than any dialogue possibly could. In fact, I think it's rather refreshing that the Tangled filmmakers went the route of not having Pasquale and Maximus speak (like Sebastian the crab, etc.), as it made their characterizations all the better. I loved how the friendship developed between Flynn and Maximus - from hunted and hunter to uneasy (but hilarious) truce to friends, watching Max drive Flynn crazy provided some of the film's funniest scenes. And Pasquale's penchant for a "tough guy" stance in the tiny package of a chameleon was too funny for words.

The first time I saw Tangled, I felt the movie would be pretty much perfect if only it featured traditional hand-drawn animation instead of computer generated. Having seen the movie twice, I've pretty much gotten over that qualm - the look of this movie has grown on me and it is absolutely magical. Rapunzel's world is lush with color and light and life. The sets and costumes reminded me just a bit of the live-action musical version of Cinderella - The Slipper and the Rose. I'm curious, to those who've seen the film - did you feel like it was supposed to take place in the late 18th century maybe? I realize that it is probably an exercise in the ridiculous to try and give a "real world" classification to a Disney animated film, but Tangled's setting felt very unique to me in its role in the Disney canon, and I loved that.

The music is a little bit of a mixed bag. I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong, but it's not quite at the level of classics like The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast. The score was composed by Disney mainstay Alan Menken, whose amazing work contributed to making Mermaid, Beauty, and Aladdin the unforgettable classics that they are known as today. Menken's collaborator on those films was the brilliant Howard Ashman, who sadly passed away in 1991 at the age of forty, bringing an end to a musical partnership that truly was a match made in heaven. Since the Menken/Ashman days, songs in Disney animated features have been rather hit-or-miss, and such is the case with Tangled. Glenn Slater is Tangled's lyricist, and going by his IMDB page I am wholly unfamiliar with his credits to date. Most of the songs fall in the category of cute but forgettable - "Mother Knows Best," "When Will My Life Begin," and "I've Got a Dream" (the big production number). "Mother" is my favorite of the three - in the initial performance Gothel steals the show vamping it up on-screen. Unfortunately in my view, "Mother" gets one reprise while "Life" gets two - I am not a fan of constantly reprising songs, it gets old. End of story.

My favorite song in Tangled is the lovely duet between Flynn and Rapunzel - "I See the Light." It's the perfect marriage of music, lyrics, and animation. It's a gorgeous high point to the film, the moment the breathless romantic in me was waiting for - when Flynn and Rapunzel at last, finally admit their growing feelings for each other against a spectacular backdrop of floating lanterns. I freely admit to also being biased in favor of this song since it prominently features Zachary Levi's singing talents. Any time an actor I like can also sing - well, that elevates said actor to a whole other level of awesomeness in my book. :) Score-wise, and it's probably no surprise, my favorite track "Kingdom Dance" centers on another Flynn/Rapunzel moment. The music is full of so much life and joy it can't help but lift your spirits - and watching Flynn gradually soften towards Rapunzel, and then the look on his face after he gets the village girls to braid her hair - swoon. It's absolutely priceless. I just wish Zachary Levi could have played the role in a live version of the story, but his animated self ain't half bad, so I'll take it. *wink*

Full of romance, high adventure, and genuine humor, Tangled is a classic that I'll look forward to revisiting for years to come. In the spirit of the best, classic Disney animated features Tangled is an entertaining, laugh-out-loud thrill ride from start to finish, with a timeless appeal no matter what your age. I adored every second of this movie, and I sincerely hope that this marks the type of animated feature Disney is committed to producing in the future. Now, please release the DVD so I can watch this over and over and over again? Thanks. :)

The Princess and the Frog

I finally got around to watching The Princess and the Frog a few days ago. Considering how excited I was about the Disney return to hand-drawn animation when the movie was released last fall, I'm pretty shocked at myself that I waited till the DVD release. To this day, I'd rank films like Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmations, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin (just to name a few) as some of my all-time favorite films. There's a warmth and a vibrancy to that manner of storytelling that for my money just can't be beat.

That said, there's a lot I liked abotu The Princess and the Frog, and then there's a lot that left me rather underwhelmed. Let's start with that I liked. First of all, the look of the movie is just spectacular. Everything from the color palette to the detail with which the animation team brings 1920s New Orleans to life is a veritable feast for the eyes. I really appreciated the out-of-the-box thinking that brought the fairy tale of the princess kissing a frog to life in a "real world" setting like New Orleans. The relatively modern setting and the multi-cultural cast really set this movie apart in a great way. Also, seeing as I'm a long-standing fan of "warped" fairy tale retellings, anything to change a traditional story up and bring a new life or perspective to it, I will also say it was nice to see "tweaks" the script team brought to the traditional story, setting being just a part of the puzzle.

The songs are probably my biggest disappointment with the film. There's no denying Randy Newman's musical abilities, but personally they're just not my cup of tea. And I feel like his style of music has really been done to death when it comes to Disney/Pixar films. Everything just screams "sameness" to me. There wasn't a single song that really proved memorable, nothing that ranked up there with the likes of "Part of Your World," "A Whole New World," or the "Circle of Life." Also, the voo-doo villain just didn't work for me. I can't quite put my finger on - maybe it's the marriage of baddie voo-doo spirits operating in the relatively modern setting? Or just the voo-doo in general? Still mulling that over, obviously. The threat facing Tiana and Naveen just didn't flow as well as I would've liked with the way the rest of the story was set up, I guess. Speaking of Prince Naveen, it was a little annoying to have such a reality-based setting and then into that you plunk down a prince from some fictitious land? Oh well, c'est la vie.

The vocal talent is just terrific here. Anika Noni Rose does a fantastic job as Tiana - I think she's got a gorgeous voice. And one point in favor of the songs (*grin*), the melodies really do fit the setting well. Also, when Naveen is introduced I was sure I wouldn't like him - he's just so silly. But his character arc ended up being pretty well done, all things considered.

I think my expectations for The Princess and the Frog were unrealistically high, an equal mix of expectation and nostalgia. Because I don't think it's quite "as good" as "classic" animated Disney efforts, I ended up being rather ambivalent about it all, but upon reflection I'll end by saying this was definitely a step in the right direction for this type of film. No one can make animated magic happen quite like Disney - and I'm really looking forward to seeing their next animated film this fall, Tangled (the movie formerly known as Rapunzel, haha!!). It also helps that Zachary Levi, a.k.a. CHUCK (!!) is lending his voice to the film.

"Til I Hear You Sing"

I am completely and totally in love with this song (and the singer, Ramin Karimloo, ha!). "Til I Hear You Sing" is the first single from Andrew Lloyd Webber's new musical Love Never Dies, the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera.



I know this just opened in London, but oh my I hope it makes its way to the States soon!

Review: White Christmas, the musical

I originally reviewed this cast album in December 2006, prior to seeing the show on stage the following year. If you ever get the chance to see White Christmas on stage, I highly recommend it - it's a wonderful experience.


Irving Berlin’s White Christmas is one of the best musicals ever made – make that one of the best movies ever made. I absolutely adore it. This CD is the soundtrack to the stage version of the film. I so want to see this show. If the music is any indication, the show is an absolute blast. It’s chock-full of the classic Irving Berlin songs from the movie, with the addition of other Berlin classics such as “Happy Holiday,” “Blue Skies,” “How Deep Is the Ocean,” and “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm." The arrangements positively hum with energy – the music has a full, big-band flavor. And the principal vocalists, led by Brian d'Arcy James and Jeffrey Denman, are terrific – they don’t try to imitate their filmic predecessors Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen. If they had, that would’ve equaled disaster. What makes this album work is that you are given top-notch Broadway singers performing timeless Berlin tunes with life and energy. They’re not trying to present a carbon copy of the film onstage – the show is more of a love letter to the film, if you will. The story's been tweaked, some of the movie's songs eliminated ("Choreography" is no great loss IMO) or rearranged, but the nostalgic heart of the film's story is vibrantly present. Check out the show's website at WhiteChristmasTheMusical.com.

NYC Day 2 - Everything Else

This is a very small sampling of the pictures I took after Julia, Lori & I left Central Park on day 2 of our NYC adventures! (As usual, more pics are on Facebook!)

This is probably my favorite shot from visiting FAO Schwartz...the Harry Potter Lego display!! Isn't that cool? :)


St. Patrick's Cathedral - absolutely gorgeous, such an impressive site!

Me @ 30 Rockefeller Plaza!

One of the shots I took of the Wicked stage before show started. People, let me tell you - Wicked was absolutely spectacular. I've been wanting to see this show for something like six years - and to see it on Broadway? That was a dream come true, and so worth the wait. The Gershwin Theater completely blew me away...don't be surprised if a post devoted to my Broadway musicals experience appears in the near future. :)

In front of the Gershwin Theater with Elphaba. :)

Hang in there people - there's still three more days' worth of pictures to sample! ;-)

NYC Day 1, part 2

Okay, here's the rest of my photo selections from day 1 of the trip.

First up is me in front of the Palace Theater & a West Side Story poster. Like the arms coming out of my head? LOL!!


Across the street from the Palace - advertisements for West Side Story, South Pacific (would've loved to have seen that one too!), and Chicago).


Julia in Times Square...


Advertisements for Wicked and Phantom (still can't believe I've never seen that show on stage!).


With Lori in Times Square - she saw the play A Steady Rain starring Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig (as hard as this may be to believe, I'm not *that* jealous, I loved West Side Story so much - LOL!).

NYC Day 1, part 1

Well, I'm BACK! :) Here's some pictures from Day 1 of our adventures in NYC!!

First up is a view of the Palace Theater stage from the balcony, where Leah, Julia, and I had seats to see West Side Story. I still cannot believe I was at the actual PALACE THEATER!! Judy Garland played the Palace, people!! You can read a bit about this theater's fascinating history here.


Here's a display of old Palace programs we found in the theater after the show. So much history, I just loved it!


Leah & I after the show in front of the stage. We've been friends for like six years and this is our first picture together - sad, I know. LOL!


West Side Story poster on the theater's side doors. We apparently hung around too long because we were ushered out the side door, LOL! Loved seeing this poster, though. The show was fantastic! I have never been a huge fan of the West Side Story movie, but seeing the show onstage made me appreciate the show in a whole new light (and it's bilingual, no less!). I thought the leads were all terrific - I especially liked Matt Cavenaugh as Tony. *swooning now* :)



Entrance to the theater. More pics to come soon!