Cult Flops - That Thing You Do!

20th Century Fox, 1996

Starring Tom Everett Scott, Liv Tyler, Johnathon Schaech, and Tom Hanks

Directed by Tom Hanks

Music and Lyrics by various

This week, we're staying in the 90's and early 2000's with two "biographies," one of a fictional band that managed to produce a hit single, the other of a real band that started out as a fictional band on TV. Tom Hanks dove into directing and songwriting with this look at a garage band who suddenly found themselves thrust into the spotlight after one of their songs ends up as a breakout hit. How well does he do with both? Let's begin in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1964, as Guy Patterson (Scott) sells appliances as a seemingly vintage folk ballad plays and find out...

The Story: Guy may be selling appliances for his father (Holmes Osborne) now, but his real interest is in jazz drumming. He gets his chance to be in a band when his friends Jimmy (Schaech) and Lenny (Steve Zahn) ask him to replace their drummer Chad (Giovanni Ribsi) after he breaks his arm. Guy's wild drumming turns the sweet little ballad Jimmy wrote for their school talent show into a dance sensation. 

They attract the attention of local music manager Phil Horace (Chris Evans), who gets them a gig in Pittsburgh. It's a disaster, but Phil still brings in Play-Tone Records representative Amos White (Hanks). White becomes their manager and changes their name from the Oneders to the Wonders. He even gets them booked on a country fair tour with other Play-Tone bands, with Jimmy's girlfriend Faye (Tyler) as their costume designer. 

The boys love the publicity and are even happier that their single "That Thing You Do!" is roaring up the charts. Guy's thrilled to meet his idol, Play-Tone jazz king Del Paxton (Bill Cobbs), but he's less happy to join the others for puff-piece radio interviews. Jimmy's even less thrilled with their number in a silly Beach Party imitation, Weekend at Party Pier. Even as they ready for their biggest gig yet on national television, their bassist T.B (Ethan Embry) joins the Marines and fails to show, and Jimmy becomes furious with Faye when their engagement is announced on the air. All Guy wants to do is play, but as Mr. White reminds him, one-hit "Wonders" are all too common in the music industry...

The Song and Dance: I forgot how much fun this is...and how historically accurate the music and milieu are. Hanks really did his homework. The songs and musical numbers all look and sound like they could have come from real-life movies and TV shows of the time. Terrific casting, too. Scott made a sensational debut as jazz-loving Guy, and he has real chemistry with Tyler. 

The gorgeous costumes and sets beautifully bring the era of the British Invasion and the many garage-rock bands across America trying to "make it" to life. Other stand-outs include Schaech as Wonders' lead guitarist and songwriter who is more interested in selling his music than making it, Hanks as the seemingly amiable manager, and Obba Babatunde as a concierge at the Ambassador Hotel in LA who ends up befriending Guy and bringing him and Faye together.

The Numbers: We open with what sounds like a typical bouncy folk tune of the time, "Lovin' You Lots and Lots," which was written by none other than Tom Hanks himself. The hit title song starts off as a slow ballad, a genre of which Jimmy is overly fond of. It doesn't become the dance jam beloved by 90's radio enthusiasts until Guy gets really into his drumming at the talent show and turns it into an uptempo pop tune. 

We get two other numbers at the talent show, the supremely bad folk song "I Can Hear the Children Laughing," performed by female hippies, and "La Senora De Dos Costas" from a Latin orchestra. We get to hear another Jimmy ballad, the lovely "All My Only Dreams," at an Italian restaurant that's their first paying gig, before they reprise "That Thing You Do!" Jimmie sings another ballad, "Little Wild One," at the Italian place after they start selling their own 45s. 

The first number after they start the tour is "Mr. Downtown," a parody of the jazzy title songs from cop shows in the late 50's and 60's. "Hold My Hand, Hold My Heart" is a take on black female soul group numbers. It's so accurate to the time, it's one of my favorites from this soundtrack. "Voyage to the Moon" is an instrumental surf number that provides the backdrop to the rest of the tour as the guys rehearse and T.B falls for one of the soul group members. "Dance With Me Tonight," a rollicking surf-tinged dance number, gives way to a far more elaborate version of the title song, with girl dancers in bright-colored pedal pushers and the guys in gold jackets. 

"Shrimp Shack" is another surf-rock parody, this time in a recreation of a Beach Party imitation, complete with the guys in sailor outfits playing "Cap'n Geech and His Shrimp Shack Shooters." The title song is heard one last time on The Hollywood Television Showcase; this time, they're obviously referring to the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. It comes complete with captions giving us each guy's name (and that Jimmy's engaged - something he's not happy about). They're joined by Scott "Wolfman" Pell (Larry Antonio) as bassist, since T.B joined the Marines. The last number is Guy finally getting his wish to play with Del Paxton as they turn Guy's drum improvisation into a jazz composition called "Spartacus."

Trivia: The title song and soundtrack were far bigger hits than the movie. The title song made it to 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains a staple on radio and streaming to this day. It would also be nominated for the Best Song Oscar in 1997. 

Of the four Wonders members, only Embry and Zahn had any experience with their actual instrument. They, Scott, and Schaetch took hours of lessons. They got so good at it, extras on the set thought they were actually playing. In reality, they were miming to the real-life rock and jazz artists who actually recorded the songs.

What I Don't Like: To tell the truth, Schaetch and Scott are the only Wonders we get to know well. I kind of wish we saw more of Embry and especially Zahn, who is very funny when we do see him as the least-serious Wonder. As Mr. White points out late in the film, the story isn't anything you haven't seen in countless movies about bands who break up when they can't handle fame.

The Big Finale: If you're as big of a classic rock fan as Tom Hanks and me, are a fan of Hanks or anyone in the cast, or remember when the title song was the choice dance jam on the radio, you'll want to join the Wonders on their roller-coaster ride to fame and obscurity, too. 

Home Media: Originally released in 2001, an extended version with 39 minutes of additional footage came out in 2007. The Blu-Ray release contains both versions. (Incidentally, my review is based on the original theatrical film.) It can also be found easily on streaming, including Paramount Plus with a subscription.

DVD - Extended Edition

Blu-Ray

Paramount Plus

Animation Celebration Saturday - The Fox and the Hound 2

Disney, 2006

Voices of Patrick Swayze, Reba McEntire, Jonah Bobo, and Harrison Fahn

Directed by Jim Kammerud

Music and Lyrics by various

Even Fox and the Hound got a sequel during the late 90's and 2000's, when Disney was obsessed with giving every movie in its back catalog a direct-to-home-media follow-up. Critics complained that they were cheapening the brand, but they were consistent money-makers. This one came out during the tail-end of that era, when the quality had started to improve slightly. Was it enough to help this tale of Tod and Copper's adventures with a country band at the local carnival? Let's begin with Tod and Copper playing together on a summer's day, chasing crickets, and find out...

The Story: Tod and Copper are excited when the fair comes to town, especially with a group of dogs known as the Singing Strays. Copper gets a chance to join the group after diva dog Dixie (McEntire) refuses to go on. He's such a hit, head dog Cash (Swayze) fires her and hires Copper on the spot after Tod lies and says he's a stray. Tod's so disappointed when his friend spends the whole day with Cash and the Strays, including the fireworks, he tells Dixie Copper has an owner. 

Dixie thinks this is a way to get back with the band, but Tod's attempt to bring Copper's owner Amos Slade (Jeff Bennet) to the performance ends up driving off the Grand Ol' Opry talent scout (Stephen Root) who was supposed to come see them sing. After Tod ends up with the scout's hat, he gets Copper to use his tracking skills and bring Dixie and Cash back together...and make them understand that their relationship and love of singing is more important than any fame.

The Animation: Lovely, warm fall colors almost make up for a distinct lack of detail. In fact, in some ways, this looks a bit better than the rough animation from the original. They were just starting to phase out the Xerox process when they made the 1981 movie. This came long after that had been retired, and it doesn't look half-bad for one of these cheap transfers. The characters look decent and move pretty well, though you do miss the lovely woodsy backgrounds of the original.

The Song and Dance: This wound up being a lot more fun than I expected. As I mentioned last week, The Fox and the Hound was never my favorite Disney movie to begin with, and this does correct some of my problems with that film. Dixie, Cash,  and the Singing Strays are far more interesting characters in the side plot than the two birds chasing a caterpillar in the first film. The country music fits the rural milieu better than Pearl Bailey and her languid ballads did, too. Frankly, the music always did seem a bit out of place in the first film. Tod and Copper have slightly more to do, especially Copper, and Bobo and Fahn are adorable. Swayze and McEntire are the stand-outs as the two dogs who get so caught up in chasing fame, they forget that their true loves are performing and each other.

The Numbers: We open with "Friends for Life," performed by country group One Flew South as Tod and Copper romp and play with the cricket in the beginning. Copper breaks into "We're In Harmony" and becomes an instant sensation. Swayze and the chorus sing about him being a "Hound Dude" at the fair. Frustrated Dixie tells Tod how she's been constantly told "Good Doggie, No Bone!" and that life as a musical act is no bed of dog bones. Trisha Yearwood sings the dark "Blue Beyond" as Dixie realizes all the trouble she's caused and Tod realizes he's ready to make up with Copper. "We're In Harmony" is heard twice in the ending, when Dixie and Cash get together and the group shows the talent scout how good they are, and in the finale as Tod and Copper hear them over the radio. The movie ends with Lucas Grabeel singing "You Know I Will" over the credits.

Trivia: This would be the last Disney film to feature the blue and white castle logo they'd used for over twenty years.

What I Don't Like: At times, it's a lot more apparent that this is a direct-to-DVD sequel to a movie that wasn't all that great to begin with. While it is nice to see Tod and Copper having fun before their break-up, you barely see Amos Slade or the Widow Tweed, Slade's older dog Chief has maybe two lines, and Big Mama and her two bird friends are gone all together. It's hard to see how this upbeat little romp fits into the original dour, dark story. It feels more like a stand-alone movie than any kind of sequel. 

The country music may suit the setting, but it still isn't all that great. Dixie and Cash can be unbearably self-centered, especially Dixie, and their quest for fame seems petty and cliched. The remaining three strays aren't nearly as fleshed out, though Vicki Lawrence has her moments as the eldest member Granny Rose. 

The Big Finale: I consider this to be less of a sequel and more of a stand-alone story that happens to feature Tod and Copper. If you have country fans or younger kids who will enjoy the music and Tod and Copper's antics, this is mildly worth checking out once for the cast and decent numbers. 

Home Media: Easily found on disc packaged with the original and on Disney Plus with a subscription.

DVD

Blu-Ray - The Fox and the Hound/The Fox and the Hound 2

Disney Plus

The Last Five Years

Radius-TWC, 2014

Starring Anna Kendrick, Jeremy Jordan, Natalie Knepp, and Marceline Hugot

Directed by Richard LaGravenese

Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown

Other than this being a musical romantic comedy, this is a very different beast than our previous reviews. The Last 5 Years began life as Brown's version of his failed marriage to Teresa O'Neill. While it wasn't a huge hit commercially off-Broadway, it did well enough critically for The Weinstein Company to consider turning it into a film. The show originally had only two characters...and while the film did expand this somewhat, it's still the story of a guy and a girl and the choices they make, good and bad, during their five-year marriage. Let's begin as Cathy (Kendrick) laments that her husband Jamie (Jordan) has left her and find out...

The Story: Jamie and Cathy's life together begins well. Initially, they can't keep their hands off each other, and Jamie is so delighted to have found someone who is so different from his wealthy Jewish upbringing. He's thrilled when his first novel becomes a success, but each book takes him further away. Cathy initially gives up her acting career to be with him, but he eventually encourages her to pursue it. They get married in 2010, but her career is improving, and he's having a hard time avoiding affairs at work. In the end, neither of them have time for each other, and he gets involved in other women. Jamie finally walks out in 2014, but it's Cathy who is devastated.

The Song and Dance: The non-linear timeline makes this unique among musicals and romantic comedies. It's sung-through, with very little dialogue, almost an opera. Jordan and especially Kendrick makes this work far better than it should as the guy whose focus on his career costs him his marriage and the girl who gives herself for a guy, only to regret not putting more into herself. There's some nice cinematography for a relatively low-budget title, making it feel like a movie and not just an off-Broadway show transferred to film. 

The Numbers: We open with "Still Hurting" at their apartment as Cathy admits she misses Jamie and wishes he hadn't left. This introduces the conceit of Cathy's darker memories being seen in grays or darker colors, while Jamie's sun-dappled recollections are bright and sunny. We get this in "Shishka Goddess" as Jamie describes how happy he is with Cathy and how glad he is that she's so unlike any girl he's ever known. In 2013, Cathy claims "See, I'm Smiling," but she's really anything but when Jamie comes to Ohio for her birthday, only to claim he can't stay because he has a party at Random House Publishing to attend.

Jamie's so thrilled in 2010 when Random House buys his manuscript, he ends up dancing on the streets with half of New York. Everything is "Moving So Fast"...but not for Cathy, who can't get an audition. His book is so successful, Cathy decides she wants to be "A Part of That" and focus on his achievement. Cathy is working as a bartender when Jamie tells her his newest Christmas story, "The Schmuel Song," which ends with Jamie encouraging her to follow her own dreams. "A Summer In Ohio" has Cathy unhappily working summer stock and longing to return to Jamie and Broadway. In "The Next Ten Minutes," Jamie proposes at a gazebo in Central Park, where they also get married. 

Jamie wishes "A Miracle Would Happen" and keep him away from women, while Cathy is delighted about getting a part in an off-Broadway show but still wonders what will happen "When You Come Home to Me." She realizes at a reading for one of Jamie's books that she's "Climbing Uphill" and needs to stop putting his needs first. Cathy doesn't at all believe Jamie when she refuses to attend another book party, pointing out that he never pays attention to her. "If I Didn't Believe In You," Jamie says, he wouldn't be there. Earlier, they visit Cathy's hometown, as she insists "I Can Do Better Than That" and avoid being a suburban wife. Jamie does have those affairs, but he tells the women "Nobody Needs to Know." The movie ends with Cathy saying "Goodbye Until Tomorrow" on her first date with Jamie...and Jamie walking out to "I Could Never Rescue You." 

Trivia: The show debuted off-Broadway at the Minetta Theater in March 2002. It only ran for three months, but was well-received by critics and won several Drama Desk and Lucile Lortel awards. It returned to off-Broadway for a limited run in 2013 and did somewhat better in its off-West End production in 2016. It's currently slated to make its Broadway debut in a limited run this April. 

What I Don't Like: I feel sorry for Cathy. She and Jamie both had their problems, but he's the one who had the affairs. I'm not sure he was even worth that aching "Still Hurting" in the opening. Also a reminder that this is a romantic comedy with traditional show tunes in an unconventional format. If you're looking for a more action-packed plot, a lot of huge chorus numbers, a linear story that goes in one direction, or one with less music, this isn't for you. 

The Big Finale: Charming and bittersweet story is best for fans of romcoms that don't move in the ways you'd expect or small-scale musicals that are slightly darker than usual. 

Home Media: Easily found just about anywhere. Can currently be found streaming for free on Tubi.

DVD

Blu-Ray

Tubi

Cult Flops - Everyone Says I Love You

Miramax Films, 1996

Starring Woody Allen, Goldie Hawn, Drew Barrymore, and Natasha Lyonne

Directed by Woody Allen

Music and Lyrics by various

This week, we're looking at two very different romantic comedies revolving around relationships in the last 30 years. Let's start with the more traditional one. Woody Allen saluted the fanciful films of the 1930's featuring wealthy characters pursuing each other in cosmopolitan cities like Paris and New York, along with the Marx Brothers films, in this one. He also brought together a wonderful cast, some of whom were just starting their careers at that point. How well did he do with the story of an affluent extended family and their romantic misadventures? Let's begin with young lovers Skylar Dandridge (Barrymore) and her fiancee Holden Spence (Edward Norton) as Djuna "DJ" Berlin (Lyonne) explains her family's situation and find out...

The Story: DJ tries her hardest to help everyone in her family with their love problems, but it doesn't always work out the way she hoped. She suggests Horton put his wedding ring in Skylar's parfait, but she just eats it. Her liberal lawyer stepfather Bob (Alan Alda) is annoyed with his son Scott (Lukas Haas) whose political views are the opposite of his. Bob's wife Steffi (Hawn) wishes DJ's writer father Joe (Allen) would find another woman, but he's still hung up on Steffi. DJ pairs him with Von (Julia Roberts), an art historian, while on a trip to Venice. 

DJ, meanwhile, has fallen for a handsome gondolier and plans to run off with him...but there's that hunky college student in New York, and the rapper, and the dashing Paris hunk. Skylar breaks up with Horton when she falls for ex-con Charles Ferry (Tim Roth), but rushes back to Horton when it turns out Charles hasn't given up the criminal life after all. There's also Grandpa (Patrick Crenshaw) wandering around New York looking for odd things, and DJ's sisters Lane (Gaby Hoffman) and Laura (Natalie Portman) compete for a handsome local millionaire (John Griffin).

The Song and Dance: And with a story that slim, song and dance are the primary interest here. Considering most of these people aren't known for musicals, voices range from mostly passable (Roberts, Norton) to actually quite good (Hawn has sung on film before, and Alda began his career in stage musicals). The musical numbers are fabulous, with decent dancing, brilliant costumes, and lovely cinematography in the real New York, Paris, and Venice. Even Allen does relatively well as the schlub who thinks he wants his wife back, but really just needs someone new to focus on. He apparently wanted to show what would happen if relatively normal people just burst into old show tunes, and he really has fun with this. The opening numbers that come out of nowhere are my favorite, but he and Hawn get a nice Astaire/Rogers spoof in the end.

The Numbers: We open with Norton and Barrymore (dubbed by Olivia Hayman) singing "Just You, Just Me" as they stroll along in New York, passing lovely fountains and mannequins dancing for them in store windows. It's later performed by violinist Isthzak Pearlman and his pianist wife Navah at a party. Norton insists to Lyonne and a jewelry salesman (Edward Hibbett) that his girl doesn't want anything expensive, "My Baby Just Cares for Me." This turns into a huge chorus number with the salespeople and models at the store. As she prepares for her date, Barrymore admits "I'm a Dreamer, Aren't We All?" when she says she wants a man who is tougher and more decisive than her wishy-washy beau.

The hospital sequence after Barrymore eats the ring becomes another chorus routine as the nurses and doctors comment on how their charges are eager for some "Makin' Whoopee." "I'm Through With Love" is performs several times, first by Allen in his Venice hotel room (in a more attractive whispery voice than you might think), and later by Norton and Hawn at Halloween when they have trouble with their significant others. Roberts'  voice on"All My Life" isn't nearly as good, but it does accompany a charming sequence as we see Joe and Von's relationship progress through Venice. DJ changes her tune about the gondolier she fell for when she encounters a hot guy (Billy Crudup) at the airport who sings "Cuddle Up a Little Closer" on the taxi home with the help of the driver (Sanjev Ramabhadran). 

Alda gets one of Cole Porter's lovelier ballads, "Looking at You," as he plays for Steffi at his daughter's engagement party. Tim Roth is more profuse in claiming what he'd do "If I Had You" to Barrymore later in the party; they end up singing "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me."  Grandpa finally gets his say, wiggling with special-effects ghosts at the funeral home reminding everyone to "Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think)." 

A young Christy Carlson Romano sings about "Chiquita Banana" while showing off her unique costume at Halloween. We finish with a French language "Hooray for Captain Spaulding" performed by a chorus of Grouchos at the Paris Marx Brothers ball. Hawn sings "No Lover, No Friend" as she and Allen dream of dancing in Paris. We end with the entire cast dancing in Marx Brothers costume to the title number. 

What I Don't Like: First of all, I wish Allen hadn't had Haas' character change his political point of view so quickly and ridiculously. I liked his and Alda's sparring, and it's normal for members of families, even wealthy ones, to have differing opinions. Second, yeah, like the movies this is intended to be a homage to, this is genre fluff of the highest order. If you're not a fan of romantic comedy, older songs from the 20's through the 40's, or Allen's other work, you probably won't be into this. It's also not for those who aren't into musicals period. There's a lot of numbers in this movie, and yes, they're all performed by normal people who suddenly burst into song. (And some of those people, notably Norton and Roberts, aren't exactly the world's best singers.)

The Big Finale: If you're a fan of Allen, anyone in the cast, or the romantic musicals of the 30's and 40s this is spoofing, you'll have a fine time with the musical misadventures of DJ and her unique family.

Home Media: Easily found on DVD and streaming, including free on Tubi with commercials.

DVD

Tubi

Animation Celebration Saturday - The Fox and the Hound

Disney, 1981

Voices of Pearl Bailey, Mickey Rooney, Kurt Russell, and Jeanette Nolan

Directed by Ted Berman, Richard Rich, and Art Stevens

Music and Lyrics by various

Disney was in transition when they made this one. This dark and unassuming animal story was a first for them in many respects. It was their first animated movie whose creation Walt had no involvement with. The book it's based on debuted in 1967, the year he died. It was also the last movie made by their Nine Old Men who had helped animate many of their earliest films, and the first for many animators who would help create hits for them and elsewhere in the 90's and beyond. How did all this effect the tale of a fox cub and hound puppy who are friends when they're young, only to become mortal enemies when they grow into adulthood? Let's begin with Big Mama Owl (Bailey) rescuing an abandoned fox cub after the death of its mother and find out...

The Story: Big Mama and her bird friends Dinky (Dick Bakalyan) and Boomer (Paul Winchell) bring the cub to lonely Widow Tweed (Nolan). She names him Tod (Keith Coogan) and raises him as a pet. Around the same time, hunter Amos Slade (Jack Anderson) brings home a hound puppy named Copper (Corey Feldman). When the two meet in the woods, they become fast friends and vow to stay that way forever. Neither Tweed nor Amos are thrilled with their relationship. Amos thinks Tod is after his chickens, and Tweed doesn't like Amos harming animals. 

Amos takes Copper and his older dog Chief (Pat Buttram) on a long winter hunting trip. When they return in the spring, Copper (Russell) and Tod (Rooney) have grown to adulthood. Tod wants to renew their friendship, but Copper doesn't want to go against his owner and friend. After Chief is badly hurt in an accident with a train, Copper is determined to track Tod down. Widow Tweed lets Tod into a nature preserve to protect him. Tod's lonely, until Big Mama introduces him to sweet Vixey (Sandy Duncan). Amos and Copper are still after them...but when a bear attacks the entire group, Copper has to decide if he wants revenge, or to respect the friendship they once had.

The Animation: Disney was only just pulling itself out of its 70's slump when they made this. It isn't the best they ever did, but it's also not without its virtues. It's kind of obvious Don Bluth worked on some scenes before he and 13 other animators walked out. This looks and feels more like one of his movies at times, especially in the beginning when Tod and Copper are younger and play with their tongues hanging out. 

The Song and Dance: Considering how much they softened from the original anti-deforestation novel, this still wound up being one of their darker films. I forgot what a terrific cast it has. All four of the actors playing Tod and Copper are splendid; Rooney and Russell give a lift to the dramatic scenes in the second half, and the younger boys would go on to have substantial careers as teens and young adults. Bailey's three songs are charming and sweet, and Anderson and Nolan play off each other well as the cantankerous hunter and the kindly old widow who wishes he'd leave her pet alone. 

The Numbers: The first song isn't until more than 15 minutes in, but it's the charming and bittersweet "Best of Friends." As Tod and Copper frolic in the woods, Mama wishes they really could stay friends forever. Mama and Dinky try to explain why a "Lack of Education" could lead Tod to an early grave, and why Copper won't be his best friend for much longer. Amos claims he's "A Huntin' Man." Widow Tweed talks the lyrics for the heartbreaking "Goodbye May Seem Forever" as she releases Tod into the wild before the chorus takes over. Big Mama encourages Tod to "Appreciate the Lady" and get to know Vixey better after his bad night in the woods.

Trivia: This was also the last Disney movie to simply feature a "The End" graphic at the end and push all the credits to the beginning and the first to use CGI graphics (mainly when Amos is trapping Tod and Vixey in their burrow). 

Though Kurt Russell did ten other Disney movies, this would be his only appearance in one of their animated films. 

Phil Harris and Charo were originally going to appear in the film as two goofy cranes, but it was decided that they and their comic number slowed the pacing and they were removed early in development. 

What I Don't Like: Did I mention how dark this is? Amos and Chief get hurt, there's shooting and gunplay, not to mention the fact that Tod and Copper's relationship, no matter how adorable it is in the beginning of the film, is doomed from the start. Despite all that, I wish they'd gone even darker. Not as dark as the book, where everyone dies and the woods are demolished, but at least let Chief die and give Copper more of a reason for wanting to attack Tod. Unfortunately, I think that was the Disney old guard getting wishy-washy.

And I'm glad they cut the Harris and Charo cranes. Winchell and Bakalyan do have some funny moments as the two birds relentlessly chasing a caterpillar, but their side story seems out of place and disconnected from the main plot about Tod and Copper's relationship. Other than "Best of Friends," Bailey's songs don't really seem to belong, either, and she doesn't have much to do besides sing and rescue Tod in the opening.

The Big Finale: This has never been my favorite Disney movie, thanks to the uneven tone and dark themes, but if your older kids are fans of other animated animal movies like The Secret of NIMH or you're a fan of anyone in the cast, it's worth checking out for that great voice cast and the animation. 

Home Media: It took them so long to release this on video, it was the last movie to appear in the original Walt Disney Classics line in 1994. Thankfully, it's long out of the Vault and is now easily found in all formats, including on Disney Plus. The current disc versions bundle it with its direct-to-video sequel, which I'll be looking at next week.

DVD - The Fox and the Hound and The Fox and the Hound II

Blu-Ray - The Fox and the Hound and The Fox and the Hound II

Disney Plus

Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter

MGM, 1968

Starring Peter Noone, Stanley Holloway, Sheila White, and Lance Percival

Directed by Saul Swimmer

Music and Lyrics by various

Let's head north with another popular British band from this era, and one that hits even closer to the Beatles. Like the Beatles, Herman's Hermits were based out of an industrial city in North England - in this case, Manchester - and had numerous hits that continue to be run on oldies stations and Spotify playlists to this day. Unlike the Beatles, the Hermits rarely wrote their own music, and their songs tended to lean more towards upbeat pop ditties, gentle ballads, and vintage music hall numbers. 

After having a hit with the wacky Hold On! in 1966, MGM decided to run with those music hall songs, including the title number, and put them in a more traditional musical. How does the story of the Hermits running a race horse - and into lovely ladies - look today? We open with shots of Manchester and the Hermits riding to the racetrack and find out...

The Story: Herman (Noone) and his Hermits each own a stake in Mrs. Brown, a greyhound Herman inherited from his grandfather. They're trying to earn enough money to race her in London, but can barely afford to feed her and themselves. It's even worse when Herman loses his job as a junior executive when the heads of the company don't appreciate him not conforming to their standards. They play gigs to earn the money, including working at the fruit market owned by enthusiastic G.G Brown (Holloway). Peter has a crush on Brown's daughter Judy (Sarah Caldwell) who hopes to  be a model, but local girl Tulip (White) has eyes for him. 

Peter only has eyes for Mrs. Brown. The dog does well in the Manchester preliminaries, but they still need to earn money to get her into the London races. Even after they earn the money, Peter manages to lose the dog...and Judy when he realizes that her modeling will always come first, before any romance. Tulip's there to help, though, and so is Percy the tramp (Percival), who keeps popping up in the oddest places. 

The Song and Dance: This also wound up being a surprise. I was expecting a goofy romp like Help! or the Monkees series. Instead, I got an adorable and very British MGM musical. The supporting cast shines in this one. Holloway has some terrific bits as the grocer who takes the Hermits under his wing, including two major numbers of his own, and there's hilarious Percival as Percy the tramp, Marjorie Rhoades as Herman's supportive and feisty Grandmother Gloria, and White as spotlight-craving Judy. It has a sweetly low-key feel to it that's refreshing in a era of huge musical movies on both sides of the Atlantic, with decent location shooting in the real Manchester and London along with Shepperton Studios.

The Numbers: We open with "It's Nice To Be Out In the Morning" as the guys ride to the race track with Mrs. Brown, and later as they get dressed and have breakfast. The Hermits rehearse the jaunty "Holiday Inn" at an abandoned bus in a junkyard, contrasted with footage of old ladies in bathing suits tossing a beach ball around. "Ooh, She's Done It Again" provides the background for Mrs. Brown's triumphant first race at the track in Manchester and the arrival of G.G Brown. 

The film's big hit was the uptempo ballad "There's a Kind of Hush," which provides the backdrop to the scene where Herman is walking through the park, thinking of Sheila and seeing couples falling in love all around them. Herman and the Hermits join the enthusiastic crowd at a local pub to earn money for their London trip to the tune of the delightful music hall ditty "Daisy Chain," which turns into the film's only major chorus routine. Brown teaches the Hermits how to sell "Lemon and Limes" when they can't find a place to stay in London. 

Herman claims Sheila is "The Most Beautiful Thing In My Life" during a soft-focus stroll through the park. "The World Is for the Young" is a gently touching rumination on how youths like Tulip and Herman think they've seen everything about love, but older adults know better, performed charmingly by White, Holloway, Rhoades, and Washbourne. We don't get the title song until the end credits. The other major dance number is an instrumental song, performed at a groovy nightclub while Herman's desperately searching for Mrs. Brown. We finally get the title number in the end credits, over shots of Sheila being photographed all over London alternating with the Hermits heading home.

What I Don't Like: Peter Noone continues to be a charming and funny presence onstage to this day, but he's no actor and comes off as either stiff or clueless. The other Hermits have even less to do than Dave Clark's band members did in Having a Wild Weekend. The fluffy plot does make more sense than them chasing rocket scientists in Hold On!, and I do appreciate that Herman doesn't end up with the girl you expect him to get. On the other hand, it's still pretty inconsequential. I really wish they'd done more with some of the advertising parodies early on. We sort of lose that midway through, and they were genuinely funny. 

The Big Finale: If you're a fan of Herman's Hermits, British Invasion bands, or love British or MGM musicals from the 50's and 60's, you'll want to give Mrs. Brown a chance at racing fame, too.

Home Media: Easily found on streaming and DVD, the latter from the Warner Archives. 

DVD

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Having a Wild Weekend (Catch Us If You Can)

Warner Bros, 1965

Starring Dave Clark, Barbara Ferris, Yootha Joyce, and David Lodge

Directed by John Boorman

Music by Dave Clark; Lyrics by Lenny Davidson and Denis Peyton

This week, we rock the British Invasion with two movies featuring popular bands from overseas. The success of the first two Beatles films suddenly made rock bands from England all the rage. One of the most popular on both sides of the Atlantic was The Dave Clark 5. In fact, they were the second biggest band in England during the mid-late 60's, with 12 top 40 hits in the UK and 17 in the US. Warners, seeing their success and that of Hard Day's Night, contracted them to make their own rock-based movie. How does their film debut look today? Let's begin with stuntman Steve (Clark) and his buddies as they begin their day to the title song and find out...

The Story: Steve is tired of doing stunts for a series of TV meat commercials with his friends, but he does enjoy working alongside "The Butcher Girl" Dinah (Ferris), the campaign's spokeswoman. She too has had enough of fame and joins Steve when he steals a Jaguar being used as a prop. Dinah wants to see an island she's purchased and convinces Steve to take her across a lovely wintry English landscape to see it. 

They end up among hippies squatting in a bombed-out abandoned town, spend time with a wealthy couple in the upper-class Royal Crescent housing row in Bath, and frolic at a party with Steve's buddies and at a costume ball. The police and Dinah's manager Zissell (David De Keyser) believing that Steve's kidnapped her and chases them across England. Steve already has a crush on lovely Dinah, but it may turn out that, despite her complaints, she loves her time in the spotlight more. 

The Song and Dance: This didn't end up at all like I expected. I figured we'd get a goofy comic romp, like the Beatles movies or the Beach Party films made in the US around the same time. What we got was a charmingly bittersweet romance between two people who are tired of the fame machine and just want peace and quiet. 

As with the Beatles films, having a genuinely good director who was in tune with the material made all the difference. John Boorman would later go on to direct classics like Deliverance and the original Point Break, and he brings his darker sensibilities to this teen romance. Some of the cinematography is breathtaking, and Boorman shoots it in a way that shows its majesty and plays up the darker edges in the script. 

The Numbers: We open with the Dave Clark Five giving us their daily morning work out to the tune of the original title song, "Catch Us If You Can." An instrumental montage shows us the meat ads that feature the Five and made Delilah famous popping up all over London. A second instrumental montage shows Delilah and Steve stealing the car and wrecking havoc around London, including painting glasses and beards on Delilah's ads. "Having a Wild Weekend," the title song for the US release, provides the background for the actual wild party as Dinah borrows clothes from a friend of hers. 

The hippies play a short, moody guitar-and-harmonica piece as Delilah and Steve arrive.  "Catch Us If You Can" returns during the big masquerade ball where Dinah and Steve hide with the help of his friends. We also hear the moody ballad "Sweet Memories" and the wild "I Can't Stand It" after the police arrive. "On the Move" provides the backdrop for the wild chase through the baths that end with half the guests in the swimming pool. "When" is the background music as Dinah and Steve hike and chase each other across the frozen English landscape. The movie ends with "Sweet Memories" as the others drive Steve away, leaving Dinah to her real love - the spotlight.

Trivia: Dinah would be happy to know that the abandoned hotel on her sandbar Burgh Island has since been restored and is now in operation as Bigbury-By-the-Sea.

In real life, British military training and target areas are fenced off with clear signage indicating what they are. There's no way Dinah, Steve, or the hippies would end up there. If nothing else, the military would have checked for trespassers before they opened fire anyway. 

Dave Clark 5 member Lenny Davidson is the only one with no lines in the film.

What I Don't Like: There's a lot of negative reviews for this online, and I suspect most of them were expecting this to be more like the upbeat Beatles films or a feature-length Monkees episode. It works best when it stands out from the crowd as a gentle, moody, meandering romance. The attempts to ape Hard Day's Night, including the party at the guys' apartment, the opening title song sequence, and the goofy masquerade party, don't work nearly as well and come off as trying too hard to be funny. There's also that "meandering" thing. Dinah and Steve's wandering all over England can get kind of dull, especially in the second half and for people expecting a more linear and traditional musical. 

There's also the problem of Clark himself. He's handsome and clearly knows how to play to the camera, but he's also not much of an actor and has the personality of a dead fish. Ferris does somewhat better as flighty Dinah, and the rest of the Dave Clark Five have their moments, but there isn't nearly enough of them. I kind of wish Clark had relinquished a little of the spotlight and allowed them to do more with the guys and Dinah as a group. 

The Big Finale: This may not be the wildest weekend ever, but it is a surprisingly sweet and moody romance that deserves to be far better-known. Highly recommended for fans of European cinema in the 60's or British Invasion rock. 

Home Media: Easily found on streaming and DVD, the latter from the Warner Archives.

DVD

Amazon Prime