"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/06/2019 at 15:40 • Filed to: None
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"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/06/2019 at 15:40 • Filed to: None | 4
| 13 |
If we’re posting songs, here’s something different: “Make ‘Em Laugh,” Donald O’Connor’s solo number from Singin’ in the Rain . You won’t see a performance the likes of this in the modern day. According to one YouTuber, it took four days to film this. He did it in two, but then the film got destroyed and he had to do it again. It’s absolutely amazing to watch. ( !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is a direct link if the video gets borked)
The Austin Symphony is doing this movie on Saturday night. It will be a huge challenge to stay synched with the film, since we won’t have a click track.
Bonus clip: “Moses Supposes His Toeses are Roses.” This is a duo number with the incomparable Gene Kelly. Has there been a better dance since Kelly? I doubt it.
lone_liberal
> ttyymmnn
02/06/2019 at 15:47 |
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Sure, it’s a ripoff of Be A Clown, but it’s a glorious ripoff and that dance routine is legendary.
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ttyymmnn
> lone_liberal
02/06/2019 at 15:53 |
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Well, they’re certainly similar, and Porter didn’t object to it. I would say, though, that there is a certain similarity in all of the music of that genre. But yeah, it’s a rip off.
HammerheadFistpunch
> ttyymmnn
02/06/2019 at 15:55 |
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Im not a singing in the rain fan (family of theater types has kinda burned me out on it) but this number is flat out amazing.
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lone_liberal
> ttyymmnn
02/06/2019 at 15:56 |
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The director of Singin’ admitted that it was “100% plagiarism” and f rom what that link says Cole Porter felt a debt of gratitude to Arthur Freed so he didn’t sue.
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ttyymmnn
> HammerheadFistpunch
02/06/2019 at 16:00 |
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I admit to only watching for the first time last weekend. I knew all the big songs, but never watched the film. I thought it was terrific, and it’s now considered one of the top 10 Hollywood films ever. Debbie Fisher was only 19 when she co-starred, and she supposedly danced her feet bloody trying to learn the steps and keep up with Kelly and O’Connor. She holds her own, but you can tell who the true dancing stars are. Lovely voice, though. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
> ttyymmnn
02/06/2019 at 16:00 |
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I quote “Moses supposes” here on Oppo every time I get even a hint of a chance.
I for one hope Donald O’Connor’s catalogue experiences a resurgence, because for my money he’s one of the greats and unfairly neglected.
Have you seen the Coens’
Hail Caesar?
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HammerheadFistpunch
> ttyymmnn
02/06/2019 at 16:01 |
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I agree its a top 10. Im just done with musical theater for a while.
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ttyymmnn
> lone_liberal
02/06/2019 at 16:01 |
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Interesting. Thanks.
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ttyymmnn
> RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
02/06/2019 at 16:03 |
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Have you seen the Coens’ Hail Caesar?
I have not. But I now want to go find more of O’Connor’s work. The guy is amazing.
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ttyymmnn
> HammerheadFistpunch
02/06/2019 at 16:03 |
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I don’t do much of it, but I love doing it whenever I can. For me, it’s more fun than playing a Beethoven symphony. It’s more fun when you get to interact with a performer.
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RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
> ttyymmnn
02/06/2019 at 16:20 |
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There’s not a lot of song and dance in the Francis the Talking Mule movies, but his role as Chill Wills’ Mule’s catspaw is a turn done to perfection.
Hail Caesar is a Coen Brothers take on (among other things) the musical golden age. It has a lot of parody of the musicals of the era’s random song breaking out situations by having scenes carry onto and through musical scenes being shot. And then there are more and more picturesque musical kinds of scenes talking place off set as the film goes on.
Kind of like how Fargo is an examination of the bleakness of the midwest and occasionally its people (and uncomfortable politeness), and like how The Big Lebowski is sort of existential
California slice of life about people who take themselves too seriously
and so on, Hail Caesar is ‘50s Hollywood in all its changes and neuroses. The main
perspective character is a devout Catholic studio fixer who is trying to square being moral with riding herd on a bunch of idiots, debauches,
and maniacs.
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ttyymmnn
> RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
02/06/2019 at 16:26 |
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Sounds great! Thanks!
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RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
> ttyymmnn
02/06/2019 at 16:50 |
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There’s also an amusing communist writers/blacklist subplot. A group of communists kidnap George Clooney’s character in order to indoctrinate him into their way of thinking... largely because a number of them are annoyed that as writers they haven’t been getting their fair share of the studio cut. So when Clooney’s character is back in the studio, he says (in essence): “You as the studio are profiting unduly from my efforts as a worker, because I’m not getting a big enough share and the movie makes money because I Am So Awesome”.
The fixer character dresses him down for shorting the efforts of all the “little people” and
literally slaps the stupid out of him.