Uncle Stevie wrote:I just saw one of the worst movies I have ever seen. "At Long Last Love" (1975) starring Burt Reynolds, Cybil Sgepherd, Madeline Kahn. I guess it was designed as a spoof on musicals and came off as a terrible Operetta. There were many many song and dance numbers and none of the above can sing or dance. They are commedians without other talent. I was totaly bored by this flick.
Did anyone else see this film and what did you yhink?
I saw
At Long Last Love (1975) at the movies when it came out. For the first time in my life I saw people start talking back to the screen, saying very rude things to Burt and Cybill's flailing and lumbering around (I think it was supposed to be dancing). The pair had guts to do this but their self-satisfaction, stumbling in public and lack of talent in this area really was appalling, and made me pity them for this not so noble attempt to sing and dance. (Btw, despite everything, I believe Shepherd still sings publicly in a cabaret style). In the supporting cast, I think Madeline Kahn, Eileen Brennan and John Hillerman were the only cast members who could really convey that '30s style, and sing with some verve and trained skill. The Cole Porter words and music are so lovely and witty, it was almost a sacrilege to see the amateurish leads torturing it. It was a turning point in Peter Bogdanovich's career arc, sending him in a different direction than expected. He has made better movies since then, (Daisy Miller, Nickelodeon, Saint Jack, among others) and his subsequent books on filmmakers get better all the time, but this musical was the height of hubris. What was frustrating was that Bogdanovich managed to rework the screwball comedy in a contemporary setting in
What's Up Doc (1972) pretty successfully, but when he tried to recreate the atmosphere of a '30s musical in this movie, he created a lame pastiche, instead of transferring the setting and mood to a time that might have appealed to '70s audiences. It sure made a viewer appreciate the ebullient air and professionalism of Fred and Ginger's RKO movies all over again.
Looking back, I may be wrong, but I remember having a sense that this inept musical may be one of several '70s films that might be categorized as "filmed through druggie haze." I haven't seen huge attention given to this, except in
A Decade Under the Influence and
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, (based on Peter Biskind's book), but those docs, even though they acknowledged the sometimes chaotic creative atmosphere behind the scenes, ultimately pointed out that this period saw "the film generation" flourishing and liberating film, particularly infusing genre films with a new vitality--even as the last of the studio era disintegrated and execs with financial--not creative--experience waited in the wings as the new filmmakers rose (and sometimes fell to earth, without much chance of a second opportunity).
(Another movie that comes to mind from the period lacking much cohesion--perhaps due to something going around the set--would be
The Fury (1978), which seemed awful from beginning to end when I saw it, despite the talented people involved. If you've seen this one, you know what I mean, though that's just my limited perception as a moviegoer who began to see the differences between classic and contemporary films in that exhausting decade as I grew up.)
Btw, thinking about people trying to revive musicals in a novel way, have you seen
Everyone Says I Love You (1996)? The Woody Allen film featured actors who were non-singers such as Tim Roth, Alan Alda, and Julia Roberts singing and dancing tunes from the Great American Songbook in an off-hand, charming way and in imaginative as well as simple stagings. I realize that many people don't like Allen's movies for several reasons, but this one was a pleasant surprise.
on my face this morning. This one amazing You Tube Clip that you posted this morning :!: