Universal, 1983
Starring Kevin Kline, Angela Landsbury, Rex Smith, and Linda Rondstat
Directed by Wilford Leach
Music by Arthur Sullivan; Lyrics by W.S Gilbert
This more faithful adaptation of the hit 1981 revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan nautical favorite came out about six months after The Pirate Movie...and despite using most of the original cast and music, it didn't do any better at the box office than its predecessor. Is this one an improvement over the very goofy Pirate Movie? Let's head to the sleepy English seaside town of Penzance, just before it receives a few rude and noisy guests, and find out...
The Story: Fredric (Smith) is about to leave the apprenticeship of a group of less-than-bloodthirsty pirates, including its lively Pirate King (Kline). Turns out that his nurse Ruth (Landsbury) was hard of hearing and accidentally apprenticed him to the pirates, rather than to a pilot. That sends both Fredric and Ruth to shore. Ruth's hoping to flirt with him, but after Fredric sees a group of lovely lasses on the shore, he realizes that Ruth is past her prime and not quite so beautiful as them. He arrives at shore to greet the ladies. They're all afraid of him, except for sweet youngest Mabel (Rondstat). The pirates follow him and try to kidnap the ladies, but their Major General father (George Rose) claims to be an orphan. The pirates won't hurt orphans and take off.
Fredric is ready to lead the local police force against the pirates, at least until the Pirate King and Ruth turn up again and reveal that the terms of his apprenticeship insist that he stays until he's 21 - and his birthday is on Leap Year Day. Fredric tells them that, not only are the cops after them, but the Major General lied. The ensuing battle eventually takes over the entirety of Penzance, including a performance of the other big seaside-themed Gilbert and Sullivan show, H.M.S Pinafore.
The Song and Dance: The cast is the thing here. Kevin Kline is in his element as the randy ruler of the buccaneers, chewing every bit of scenery and having a blast swinging around the sets. Landsbury is almost as fun as Ruth, especially in the second half when she's joined the pirates. Smith and Rondstat sing beautifully together, and the chorus is having a ball. There isn't even a a passing attempt at the outdoor shooting in Pirate Movie. It's all detailed, very theatrical sets and costumes.
Favorite Number: Kline tears into his opening solo "I am the Pirate King" with relish, while Landsbury does well by her "When Fredric Was a Little Lad" and her duet with Smith on the beach, "You Deceived Me." Rondstat does a lovely "Poor Wandering One" and joins Smith for a gorgeous series of duets ending with "Oh Here Is Love and Here Is Truth." Smith's best moment is his spoof of Elvis Prestley and other rockers of the 50's and 60's in "Oh Is There Not One Maiden Breast."
I'm especially fond of the chorus numbers. "Climbing Over Rocky Mountain" is just as much fun here sans parasols, and the entire finale, from "When a Felon's Not Engaged In His Employment" to the last dance, is an absolute delight. (Especially how they burst into that performance of Pinafore. It reminds me a bit of a similar sequence in Blazing Saddles when the townspeople's fight disrupts a musical being filmed.)
What I Don't Like: This may stick a little too closely to the original production. It's very artificial and theatrical, lacking the gorgeous real-life scenery of The Pirate Movie. If you don't love stage musicals, you probably won't get what this is going for. It's not for people who don't love operetta, either. It's almost entirely through-sung, with only a little dialogue. While the "modern" gags aren't nearly as numerous as in Pirate Movie, there's still a few that may take people out of the late 19th-century setting (including Smith's Elvis spoof in "Maiden Breast").
The Big Finale: This is the one for Gilbert and Sullivan purists. If you love their shows, the cast, swashbucklers, or the theater, you'll want to "take heart" and wander over to Penzance to check this one out.
Home Media: Unlike Pirate Movie, this one is easily found in all formats, including many streaming companies.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime
Reviews of musical films, from 1930s black and white to widescreen 21st century extravaganzas.
Showing posts with label pirates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pirates. Show all posts
Thursday, June 6, 2019
Tuesday, June 4, 2019
Cult Flops - The Pirate Movie
20th Century Fox, 1982
Starring Kristy MacNichol, Christopher Atkins, Ted Hamilton, and Bill Kerr
Directed by Ken Annikin
Music by Arthur Sullivan and others; Lyrics by W.S Gilbert and others
In a response to the success of the revival of Pirates of Penzance in New York in 1981, there were two versions of the classic Gilbert and Sullivan operettas on the big screen in 1982 and 1983. Neither was a success, but both would pick up a bit more of an audience on cable in the 80's and early 90's. This rock-and-roll Australian spoof came out first, in the summer of 1982. Is it still worthy of a modern major general, or should it be made to walk the plank? Let's join a young woman and her friends at a pirate festival on the docks at Sydney, Australia and find out...
The Story: Mabel (MacNichol) is a rather nerdy Australian girl who is on an outing with her gorgeous friends at a pirate festival. The swordfighting instructor (Atkins) she meets on a pier invites her and her friends on a trip with him, but they kick her off. She rents a pontoon and follows them, only to fall off and wash up on an island.
It's there that she dreams that she's the daughter of a very modern Major General (Kerr) in the late 1800's. The instructor becomes Fredrick, a young man raised by less-than-bloodthirsty pirates, including the sex-crazed Pirate King (Hamilton). It's his birthday, and he wants to leave his apprenticeship with the buccaneers and work towards their destruction. He heads to shore; while the ship's nurse Ruth (Maggie Kirkpatrick) tries to flirt with him, but he's more interested in the young women frolicking behind parasols on shore. They're the daughters of Major General Stanley, and they're all afraid of a pirate...except the bold and sarcastic Mabel. Mabel finds herself having to first defend her sisters against the randy Pirate King and his men, then leading Fredrick to find the pirates' lost treasure.
The Pirate King finds Fredrick first. He and Ruth reveal that Fredrick's birthday isn't exactly what he thinks it is. When he switches sides, Mabel takes his place. She has to try to lead a group of very frightened cops to victory against pirates twice their size...and remember that in dreams, everyone can make their own happy ending.
The Song and Dance: I have such fond memories of watching this on cable as a kid in the early-mid 80's. For the most part, it's still as much fun as I remember it, kind of a musical cross between Pirates of the Caribbean and the Mel Brooks movies of the 70's and 80's. MacNichol is having a blast as the shy girl who dreams herself into the role of a strong and smart heroine. This movie was originally Hamilton's idea, and he's very funny as the leader of the buccaneers who is determined to chase anything in a skirt, with Kirkpatrick almost as good as Ruth, who is more-or-less his female counterpart in flirting. He and Atkins have the best non-musical moment in the hilarious duel all over Werribee Mansion.
One of my favorite things about this is the gorgeous cinematography. The movie was shot on location in and around the historic Werribee Park Mansion in Victoria, Australia, and even when the plot is at it's silliest, it never looks less than beautiful.
Favorite Number: My own sisters and I used to love "The Sisters' Song (Riding Over Rocky Mountain)," mainly because of their cute frilly pink and yellow parasols that they twirl throughout the number. The choreography here is pretty nifty, too. Mom got a kick out of the revised lyrics for "Modern Major General" that makes references to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. In fact, most of the ensemble numbers here are a lot of fun to watch, including the finale "Happy Ending" (despite a few questionable hand-and-arm movements in that one). Mabel also gets the animated-live action segment "Pumpin' and Blowin'," as she does just that while Fredrick searches for the treasure.
Trivia: Ken Annikin was a mentor of George Lucas, hence the Star Wars reference (and Annkin's name being used for the character of Anakin Skywalker).
What I Don't Like: A lot of the gags here are either very sexually-oriented, misogynist, or dated. (The Pink Panther sequence is funny only if you've seen the later movies in that franchise.) The sex jokes went over our heads when we were kids, but they may be a little too randy for some adults today. Mabel and Fredrick's big duet and their solo love songs are fairly bland 80's pop ballads and are at odds with the more uptempo rock songs and the Gilbert and Sullivan. Speaking of Gilbert and Sullivan, this is obviously not for purists or those looking for for a more traditional version of Pirates of Penzance.
The Big Finale: With its jokey tone, perky pop songs, and strong heroine, this might actually have been ahead of its time. If you love comic swashbucklers, goofy musicals, or action movies with a good female lead, you'll want to dig up this treasure.
Home Media: Unfortunately, the lone Anchor Bay Entertainment DVD release that I have is currently out of print. Your best bet may be to look for this at used venues like eBay or Goodwill.
DVD
Starring Kristy MacNichol, Christopher Atkins, Ted Hamilton, and Bill Kerr
Directed by Ken Annikin
Music by Arthur Sullivan and others; Lyrics by W.S Gilbert and others
In a response to the success of the revival of Pirates of Penzance in New York in 1981, there were two versions of the classic Gilbert and Sullivan operettas on the big screen in 1982 and 1983. Neither was a success, but both would pick up a bit more of an audience on cable in the 80's and early 90's. This rock-and-roll Australian spoof came out first, in the summer of 1982. Is it still worthy of a modern major general, or should it be made to walk the plank? Let's join a young woman and her friends at a pirate festival on the docks at Sydney, Australia and find out...
The Story: Mabel (MacNichol) is a rather nerdy Australian girl who is on an outing with her gorgeous friends at a pirate festival. The swordfighting instructor (Atkins) she meets on a pier invites her and her friends on a trip with him, but they kick her off. She rents a pontoon and follows them, only to fall off and wash up on an island.
It's there that she dreams that she's the daughter of a very modern Major General (Kerr) in the late 1800's. The instructor becomes Fredrick, a young man raised by less-than-bloodthirsty pirates, including the sex-crazed Pirate King (Hamilton). It's his birthday, and he wants to leave his apprenticeship with the buccaneers and work towards their destruction. He heads to shore; while the ship's nurse Ruth (Maggie Kirkpatrick) tries to flirt with him, but he's more interested in the young women frolicking behind parasols on shore. They're the daughters of Major General Stanley, and they're all afraid of a pirate...except the bold and sarcastic Mabel. Mabel finds herself having to first defend her sisters against the randy Pirate King and his men, then leading Fredrick to find the pirates' lost treasure.
The Pirate King finds Fredrick first. He and Ruth reveal that Fredrick's birthday isn't exactly what he thinks it is. When he switches sides, Mabel takes his place. She has to try to lead a group of very frightened cops to victory against pirates twice their size...and remember that in dreams, everyone can make their own happy ending.
The Song and Dance: I have such fond memories of watching this on cable as a kid in the early-mid 80's. For the most part, it's still as much fun as I remember it, kind of a musical cross between Pirates of the Caribbean and the Mel Brooks movies of the 70's and 80's. MacNichol is having a blast as the shy girl who dreams herself into the role of a strong and smart heroine. This movie was originally Hamilton's idea, and he's very funny as the leader of the buccaneers who is determined to chase anything in a skirt, with Kirkpatrick almost as good as Ruth, who is more-or-less his female counterpart in flirting. He and Atkins have the best non-musical moment in the hilarious duel all over Werribee Mansion.
One of my favorite things about this is the gorgeous cinematography. The movie was shot on location in and around the historic Werribee Park Mansion in Victoria, Australia, and even when the plot is at it's silliest, it never looks less than beautiful.
Favorite Number: My own sisters and I used to love "The Sisters' Song (Riding Over Rocky Mountain)," mainly because of their cute frilly pink and yellow parasols that they twirl throughout the number. The choreography here is pretty nifty, too. Mom got a kick out of the revised lyrics for "Modern Major General" that makes references to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. In fact, most of the ensemble numbers here are a lot of fun to watch, including the finale "Happy Ending" (despite a few questionable hand-and-arm movements in that one). Mabel also gets the animated-live action segment "Pumpin' and Blowin'," as she does just that while Fredrick searches for the treasure.
Trivia: Ken Annikin was a mentor of George Lucas, hence the Star Wars reference (and Annkin's name being used for the character of Anakin Skywalker).
What I Don't Like: A lot of the gags here are either very sexually-oriented, misogynist, or dated. (The Pink Panther sequence is funny only if you've seen the later movies in that franchise.) The sex jokes went over our heads when we were kids, but they may be a little too randy for some adults today. Mabel and Fredrick's big duet and their solo love songs are fairly bland 80's pop ballads and are at odds with the more uptempo rock songs and the Gilbert and Sullivan. Speaking of Gilbert and Sullivan, this is obviously not for purists or those looking for for a more traditional version of Pirates of Penzance.
The Big Finale: With its jokey tone, perky pop songs, and strong heroine, this might actually have been ahead of its time. If you love comic swashbucklers, goofy musicals, or action movies with a good female lead, you'll want to dig up this treasure.
Home Media: Unfortunately, the lone Anchor Bay Entertainment DVD release that I have is currently out of print. Your best bet may be to look for this at used venues like eBay or Goodwill.
DVD
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