How many of these have you seen, which do you like and why?
I ask because I watched "Volga-Volga" on tape yesterday and really enjoyed this Soviet musical comedy from 1938. it is about two groups of musicians from a small village that try to go to Moscow to perform. The star, Lybova Orlov, had real charm and screen presence, and the humor in the film was quite funny. (Also, the propaganda element was fairly low-key, especially compared to this film's predecessor, "Circus," which is well-made but more blatantly anti-Western.)
I also enjoy "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg." I wouldn't want every movie to be like it, but it is a charming and engaging film. Perhaps because all the sung dialogue is in French, a language I don't have, I don't mind that the dialogue is sung.
Non-English language musicals
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charliechaplinfan
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Demy's YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT is my favorite muscial ever, regardless of what language it's in. There's a beautiful DVD that's been released and I couldn't recommend it more highly. Of course, if it ever turns up on the big screen in your neighborhood, drop everything and go!
Here's a taste: (that's Catherine Deneuve and her real-life sister Francoise Dorleac, here playing twins; the fellas are George Chakiris and Grover Dale)
[youtube][/youtube]
Here's a taste: (that's Catherine Deneuve and her real-life sister Francoise Dorleac, here playing twins; the fellas are George Chakiris and Grover Dale)
[youtube][/youtube]
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charliechaplinfan
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charliechaplinfan
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I love Umbrellas of Cherbourg too. It's a unique film. At first the fact that all the dialogue is sung seems mostly comic, but eventually you get into it, and it works. Some of the melodies are beautiful and stay with you. The story doesn't give you easy answers, which can be a nice change.
In old Swedish comedies from the 30s, and in a lot of films from the 60's, 70's and 80's that feature famous artists, there are song numbers. Some of the older films might be classed as musicals, but in other cases, there are just one or two song numbers there for a kind of comic effect. The film makers Hasse Alfredsson and Tage Danielsson did that a lot, and they were loved here, but virtually unknown abroad. Musicals are apparently a popular genre. I wish they'd make more of them here.
Otherwise there is the Threepenny Opera from Germany. I wish they'd make a proper version of it on film now, one that really put a focus on the music.
In old Swedish comedies from the 30s, and in a lot of films from the 60's, 70's and 80's that feature famous artists, there are song numbers. Some of the older films might be classed as musicals, but in other cases, there are just one or two song numbers there for a kind of comic effect. The film makers Hasse Alfredsson and Tage Danielsson did that a lot, and they were loved here, but virtually unknown abroad. Musicals are apparently a popular genre. I wish they'd make more of them here.
Otherwise there is the Threepenny Opera from Germany. I wish they'd make a proper version of it on film now, one that really put a focus on the music.
Last edited by Synnove on May 16th, 2008, 5:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Mr. Arkadin
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charliechaplinfan
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Dewey I've just watched Young Girls of Rochefort on quite a small screen but
I LOVE IT
It has more musical variance than Umbrellas Of Cherbourg, the sisters are a little too made up at times and the film takes a while to come to it's inevitable conclusion but that's not a problem here.
So it uses steps from West Side Story but I see it as paying homage to some of the great musicals of the past. I think the casting of Gene Kelly another nod in that direction. He was king of the colourful, wonderfully chereographed technicolour musicals of the forties and fifties. Although perhaps a little long in the tooth for some people to believe that Francoise's character Solange might fall for him, I can see past that.
My husband has ceased asking me 'What on earth are you watching?' instead tonight it was 'Doesn't that French guy look like Gene Kelly?' I shake my head in despair, how long have I exposed him to Gene Kelly musicals
I must add that although it's a musical about two sisters who want to find romance and excitement it also has many other characters woven into the mix, my favorite played by Danielle Darrieux who plays the twins mother.
To top it off, the perfect moment for me is when Andy/Gene meets Solange/Francoise in the music shop and they dance the duet from An American in Paris, it's so apt.
It's looks like I'll become a fully fledged fan and after watching it through again I'll be on the search for the soundtrack
I LOVE IT
It has more musical variance than Umbrellas Of Cherbourg, the sisters are a little too made up at times and the film takes a while to come to it's inevitable conclusion but that's not a problem here.
So it uses steps from West Side Story but I see it as paying homage to some of the great musicals of the past. I think the casting of Gene Kelly another nod in that direction. He was king of the colourful, wonderfully chereographed technicolour musicals of the forties and fifties. Although perhaps a little long in the tooth for some people to believe that Francoise's character Solange might fall for him, I can see past that.
My husband has ceased asking me 'What on earth are you watching?' instead tonight it was 'Doesn't that French guy look like Gene Kelly?' I shake my head in despair, how long have I exposed him to Gene Kelly musicals
I must add that although it's a musical about two sisters who want to find romance and excitement it also has many other characters woven into the mix, my favorite played by Danielle Darrieux who plays the twins mother.
To top it off, the perfect moment for me is when Andy/Gene meets Solange/Francoise in the music shop and they dance the duet from An American in Paris, it's so apt.
It's looks like I'll become a fully fledged fan and after watching it through again I'll be on the search for the soundtrack
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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Moraldo Rubini
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Parlez-vous francais?
Mike, where did you see Volga Volga? I'd love to see some foreign musicals. I caught one while visiting Vienna some time back. To this day, I don't know what it was; but it was fun to watch.
I've mentioned before my curiosity to explore Zarah Leander's work. So far, I've only seen chunks of La Habanera, directed by Detlef Sierck(who later changed his name to Douglas Sirk).
Perhaps not a musical per se, but a favorite drama with lots of music is Marcel Camus' Brazilian opus Orfeu Negro, with enchanting performances by Breno Mello, Marpessa Dawn and the stunningly beautiful Lourdes de Oliveira. The real stars were the music though. The samba of carnival and the great songs by Luiz Bonfá and Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Germany's Mazurka with Pola Negri and the films of Gitta Alpar have always intrigued me, along with Martha Eggert's pre-Hollywood films. How about Rene Clair's neglected Sous Les Toits de Paris?
I've mentioned before my curiosity to explore Zarah Leander's work. So far, I've only seen chunks of La Habanera, directed by Detlef Sierck(who later changed his name to Douglas Sirk).
Perhaps not a musical per se, but a favorite drama with lots of music is Marcel Camus' Brazilian opus Orfeu Negro, with enchanting performances by Breno Mello, Marpessa Dawn and the stunningly beautiful Lourdes de Oliveira. The real stars were the music though. The samba of carnival and the great songs by Luiz Bonfá and Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Germany's Mazurka with Pola Negri and the films of Gitta Alpar have always intrigued me, along with Martha Eggert's pre-Hollywood films. How about Rene Clair's neglected Sous Les Toits de Paris?
I saw "Volga-Volga" on a VHS tape from Facets multimedia, which is based in Chicago, but I got it via their rent by mail program. They also had "Circus" several years ago, but I didn't like that one as much because it was more propagandistic than "Volga-Volga."
The two other Soviet musicals in that Grigori Alexandrov-directed set are "Jolly Fellows," (it is sometime rendered into English as "Happy Go Lucky Guys" or simply "Jazz Comedy") which was the first in 1934, and "The Radiant Road" from 1940.
These four films are usually classified by critics as "urban" musicals. I don't know if Facets carries "rural" Soviet musicals, which were mostly directred by Ivan Pyrev.
The two other Soviet musicals in that Grigori Alexandrov-directed set are "Jolly Fellows," (it is sometime rendered into English as "Happy Go Lucky Guys" or simply "Jazz Comedy") which was the first in 1934, and "The Radiant Road" from 1940.
These four films are usually classified by critics as "urban" musicals. I don't know if Facets carries "rural" Soviet musicals, which were mostly directred by Ivan Pyrev.
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charliechaplinfan
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Mr. Arkadin
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It's an amazing black comedy. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Polanski actually made Repulsion (1965) with Deneuve to get the financing for this film, which when released--was a huge flop. Still, Polanski declares it's his greatest work and many critics are finally agreeing with him.
Cul de Sac is a continuation of Knife in the Water (1963) where a person (or in this case 2 crooks) enter the lives of a married couple in a set relationship--only this film combines humor and adult role playing in a deadly mixed cocktail that Donald Pleasance must swallow--and he's not supposed to be drinking! Anticipating Peckinpah's Straw Dogs (1971) by five years, Cul de Sac is loaded with similar themes about tarty women with weak men who must assume leadership and their manhood to control situations in their lives.
Cul de Sac is a continuation of Knife in the Water (1963) where a person (or in this case 2 crooks) enter the lives of a married couple in a set relationship--only this film combines humor and adult role playing in a deadly mixed cocktail that Donald Pleasance must swallow--and he's not supposed to be drinking! Anticipating Peckinpah's Straw Dogs (1971) by five years, Cul de Sac is loaded with similar themes about tarty women with weak men who must assume leadership and their manhood to control situations in their lives.