Musicals On Streaming - Spellbound (2024)

Netflix, 2024

Voices of Rachel Ziegler, John Lithgow, Nicole Kidman, and Javier Bardem

Directed by Vicky Jenson

Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Glen Slater

This one apparently has been a long time coming. It was announced in July 2017 as a theatrical project from new animation studio Skydance, to be released by Paramount. In 2020, Apple TV replaced Paramount and released their first movie, Luck. Three years later, Skydance ended its deal with Apple and switched to Netflix, where it was finally released last week. Menken knows something about animated fantasies. Does this reach the height of Disney's animated fairy tales, or should it be changed into a beast? Let's begin with Princess Ellian of Lumbria (Ziegler) in the air as she flies with her friends and find out...

The Story: But Ellian doesn't have time for friends, or much of anything besides ruling her kingdom. The year before, a strange dark magic transformed her parents into uncontrollable monsters who wreck havoc on the castle. Ellian and her parents' advisors Bolivar (Lithgow) and Nazara (Jenifer Lewis) have tried to keep the public from finding out, but they're becoming harder to control. Bolivar and Nazara think she should give up hope and be crowned queen, but Ellian is determined to find someone who will change them back.

She finally gets through to two powerful beings known as the Oracles, Sunny (Tituss Burgess) and Luno (Nathan Lane), only for her parents to scare them off. They do leave behind a powerful magic amulet called "the Fob" that can work their magic. The Captain of the Guard Genera Cardona (Olga Merediz) believes the monsters have stolen the princess and goes after them. They flee to the Dark Forest of Eternal Darkness to find the Oracles, with Bolivar switching his body with that of Ellian's pet rodent Fink (Dee Bradly Baker) on the way. 

The Oracles can't restore her parents, but they claim the Lake of Light can. As the quartet travel across quicksand-laden deserts and echoing forests, Ellian helps her parents rediscover their humanity and learns why they lost it to begin with. When they do arrive at the Lake, she finally snaps...and they're reminded that, whether together or separate, their daughter is the most important thing in their lives, and they love her even if they're no longer meant to be a couple.

The Animation: Gorgeous, as per the fantasy milieu. The Dark Forest of Eternal Darkness is not aptly named, as it's colorful and stunning, with its wild backgrounds. The colors glow here, and the details are incredible. Humans look a bit selfish, but everyone moves well, and the diverse cast is well-rendered. Perhaps because John Lasseter runs Skydance, this does feel a bit derivative of Disney, mainly in those elaborate backgrounds.

The Song and Dance: The animation and score are probably the best thing about this one. Menken crafted some decent music here, especially for Ziegler. She does fairly well as the upbeat teenager who just wants her parents back, despite some clunky dialogue. Lithgow also has some funny moments as the stuffy advisor who learns to cut loose and see silver linings when he switches bodies, and Burgess and Lane are hilarious as the Oracles. I like the idea of her parents rediscovering their humanity throughout the film, and despite it being awkwardly handled, I commend them for even attempting to deal with a mature subject like divorce in an animated film at all. 

The Numbers: Ellian explains that "My Parents are Monsters" as she shows the chaos they've created in the castle during the opening number. Bolivar and Nazara claim they'll return the kingdom to normal "Step By Step" and make Ellian queen. The Oracles explain "How to Break the Spell" before the king and queen burst in. Ellian laments that she just wants things to be "The Way They Were Before" when her parents were human and knew she was their daughter. 

She's told to "Look for the Light" by the Oracles when they arrive at the Dark Forest. Her parents start "Remembering" their past life as they follow the lights and she encourages them to recall their past life. Bolivar happily claims "I Could Get Used to This" when he finally befriends the finks who think he's one of them. After they say they won't change back at the Lake of Light, Ellian finally snaps, wonder "What About Me?" and why they never seem to notice her in their fights. They all reprise "What About Us?" and "The Way It Was Before" as Bolivar helps save them and they realize how important their daughter is. Ellian reprises "My Parents are Monsters" in the end, and we get "The Way It Was Before" over the end credits.

What I Don't Like: While I appreciate the discussion of a topic like divorce here, it could have been integrated better. It comes out of nowhere in the second half and doesn't work well with the fantasy elements. There's also subjects like divorce and mixed marriages being extremely controversial. Some parents may not appreciate a movie where it's basically shoved down their throats. The music isn't bad but isn't especially memorable, either. The whole thing just seems like it's been thrown together from spare parts of better Disney and Dreamworks movies and is cliched to high heck other than the divorce talk. 

The Big Finale: Not the greatest thing ever, but not nearly as bad as some critics claim, either. If their parents aren't offended by some of the more mature elements, elementary-school-age girls like my niece might be the best audience for this. They'll enjoy the fairy tale story and be able to ignore the awkward message and clunky dialogue.

Home Media: Netflix exclusive at the moment.

Netflix

Happy Thanksgiving! - Alice's Restaurant

United Artists, 1969

Starring Arlo Guthrie, Pat Quinn, James Broderick, and Michael McClanathan

Directed by Arthur Penn

Music and Lyrics by various

Arlo Guthrie's epic folk song "Alice's Restaurant" debuted on his album of the same title in 1967 and was a hit, making it into the top 20 that year. It isn't Thanksgiving for many people without the twenty-minute folk song playing somewhere in the background before dinner. Penn knew the story more intimately than most, being a resident of Stockbridge, Massachusetts where the incidents occurred and having heard the full story from the real Ray Brock. How does the tale of how Arlo's attempt to help the owner of the title establishment on Thanksgiving turn into disaster look today? Let's begin at a college in Montana and find out...

The Story: Arlo went to college to avoid the draft, but his long hair and Bohemian lifestyle doesn't go over well in rural Montana. After run-ins with the local police and students who make fun of him for his looks, he finally hitchhikes to the East Coast. His first stop is New York, where he visits with his sick father Woody Guthrie (Joseph Boley) and performs in a few folk venues.

He finally heads north to Great Barrington, Massachusetts, where his friends Ray Brock (James Broderick) and Alice (Pat Quinn) live with assorted friends and hangers-on in an abandoned church. Alice has started a restaurant, which is popularized by a jingle Arlo writes for her. Alice is fed up with Ray's treatment of her and first has an affair with his friend Shelly (McClanathan), then follows Arlo and his friend Roger (Geoff Outlaw) to New York. Ray comes to bring her home, and she invites the guys along for Thanksgiving dinner.

The dinner itself goes just fine. Things go sideways when Alice asks Roger and Arlo to take garbage from the church to the town dump. The town dump is closed for Thanksgiving, so they drop it off on a cliff with other garbage. That gets them a visit from Officer Obie (the real officer, William Obanheim), who thinks they dumped a lot more than junk. Alice bails them out, and the blind judge (the real blind judge, James Hannon) can't see the evidence at their trial and gives the boys a fine and an order to find another place for the junk instead. 

Arlo does briefly end up drafted for Vietnam, but he doesn't make it due to the littering conviction. He's free to return to the church with his new girlfriend Mari-Chan (Tina Chen), where things are starting to go haywire. Shelly's high as a kite and has been keeping heroin in the church. Ray's furious and beats him, but he runs off and dies in a motorcycle accident. Woody passes on as well, leaving Arlo regretful that he didn't get to say good-bye. Even Alice and Ray's wedding is full of regrets, as Alice wonders what she's gotten herself into.

The Song and Dance: You can't get much more "you were there" than a story that more-or-less happened as it's shown onscreen. Broderick and Quinn are probably the best of the cast as the sometimes-dynamic, sometimes-violent owner of the church and his strong-willed wife. There's some gorgeous shots of New York, Montana, and the Berkshire Mountains in Western Massachusetts as they looked in the late 60's, too, including that lovely old church. Penn's straightforward approach works well with the wild, frequently meandering plot. 

The Numbers:  Our first numbers are instrumental classical piano pieces, performed by a class at the Montana college. Arlo's teacher is offended by him playing a folk number instead of what the rest of the students are doing. He's much happier playing a jam session on guitar and kazoo with Roger, until the landlady and police turn up to ask questions. He plays "Car-Car Song" and "Pastures of Plenty" with none other than folk legend Pete Seeger in his father's hospital bedroom. Ray really gets into the traditional folk song "Boiling Cabbage Down" with everyone at the church, and they sing "Amazing Grace" after Thanksgiving dinner. "Alice's Restaurant"turns up on the radio as a jingle. Tigger Outlaw sings the Joni Mitchell song "Songs to Aging Children" as the members of the church lay Shelly in the ground.

Trivia:  Though the film is based on a real incident, it plays very fast and loose with facts. The subplot with the Shelly/Ray/Alice triangle was fictional, as was Mari-Chan (Guthrie was actually dating an English girl at the time) and him being forced out of the Montana school (he was still attending it then). 

What I Don't Like: The movie is too meandering for its own good. It bounces from incident to incident with no real rhyme or reason. Quite frankly...the story behind the song isn't nearly as compelling as the song continues to be. Gurthrie's sweet-faced and endearing, but also not much of an actor (especially compared to the magnetic Broderick) and comes across as too goofy or annoying at times. The treatment of Guthrie because of his long hair and lifestyle and the discussions of the Vietnam War and the then-current generation have dated this movie very badly. The slightly bitter worldview doesn't help, either. 

The Big Finale: Recommended mainly if you're a huge fan of Guthrie or the original song, or are interested in movies from the late 60's and early 70's that go into some of the same themes. 

Home Media: Easily found on DVD and Blu-Ray

DVD

Blu-Ray

Musical Documentaries - The Last Waltz

United Artists, 1978

Starring The Band, Joni Mitchell, Muddy Waters, and Van Morrison

Directed by Martin Scorsese

Music and Lyrics by various

Let's celebrate Thanksgiving week with two very different rock movies from the 60's and 70's that were filmed or set during the holiday. The Last Waltz was supposedly going to be the final concert of Canadian-American rock group The Band in 1976, who had been touring for sixteen years. They invited many guest stars who were huge in the world of rock or folk music and even had Scorsese film the event. Scorsese took a different approach to making a concert documentary, starting with doing it on less grainy 35 millimeter stock instead of cheaper 16 millimeter. What else makes this stand out? Let's begin with a card telling us that this film should be played loud and see...

 

The Story: We get to know the members of the Band - drummer Levon Helm, saxophonist and pianist Richard Manuel, bassist Rick Danko, and guitarist Robbie Robertson - and their long career on the road and the artists who influenced them via a series of interviews. There's also segments in the studio where we hear them recording some of their best-known hits. They tell him how they got together, wild memories of their time touring, and why they want to make changes.

The Song and Dance: Wow. How's this for a concert line-up? In addition to the Band, special guests include Mitchell, Neil Young, Waters, Bob Dylan, Paul Butterfield of the Butterfield Blues Band, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Van Morrison, and Dr. John, with Ringo Starr of The Beatles and Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones visible in the finale. Each and every one gets a chance to shine or a really good song or story, including the Band themselves. The movie even looks spectacular. It being shot on good 35 millimeter stock assures that every last drop of sweat and finger flying over guitar strings look as clear as the day it debuted. Scorsese's nervous energy even brings out the most in the interviews, making Robinson sound hilarious and bringing out some great stories.

The Numbers: We open with the Band's song that closed the actual concert, the rockin' "Don't Do It." The studio version of the instrumental title song is heard over the credits while ghostly dancers do an actual waltz. After the first interview segment, the Band returns to give us blistering versions of "Up In Cripple Creek" and "The Shape I'm In." Ronnie Hawkins comes out for the Bo Diddley favorite "Who Do You Love?" The Band follow this with their own "It Makes No Difference." 

After a reading of the introduction to The Canterbury Tales by Micheal McClure, Dr. John comes on for "Such a Night." Neil Young gets the ballad "Helpless." He's not quite helpless, as we see a woman in silhouette providing the background singing. The lady turns out to be folk songstress Joni Mitchell, keeping out of sight to not take away from her own performance later. The Band returns with "Stage Fright" and a studio recording of "The Weight," the latter with lively black singing group The Staples Singers. We return to the stage for their own "The Night They Drove Dixie Down," best known as one of Joan Baez' biggest hits. 

Neil Diamond is on next, but though he has one of his better songs, "Dry Your Eyes," his leisure suit and soft-rock sound seems out-of-place with the folk and hard rock tunes and less formal musicians around him. Mitchell comes across much better with her own "Coyote." Paul Butterfield picks up the pace with his rollicking "Mystery Train." They almost didn't film Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy." It's a fluke that one cameraman happened to catch it...and thank goodness he did! They would have missed one of the best performances in the entire show, with Waters really throwing himself into the blues number. Eric Clapton is nearly as into his performance of the early blues hit "Further On Up the Road."

Beautiful country-rock star Emmylou Harris joins the band for a studio version of the ballad "Evangeline" that's as pretty as she is. The Band takes over with their "Ophelia" and "Chest Fever." Van Morrison's dynamic "Caravan" is definitely a highlight of the second half. After poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti recites a "Loud Prayer," we finally get Bob Dylan, who doesn't disappoint with intense performances of "Forever Young" and "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down" that were worth all the last-minute haggling. The last concert number, Dylan's "I Shall Be Released," brings back all the singers from the actual concert, with Ringo Starr and Ronnie Wood visible in the background. The movie ends with a reprise of the title song, this time done by the band in the studio.

What I Don't Like: First of all, the other band members were right that the film might focus on Robertson just a wee bit too much. He was the one who was friends with Scorsese, but I would have liked to have heard more from the others, too. Second, I'm glad they didn't film the rest of the poets whose recitations apparently took up a good chunk of the original concert. The two they do include really slow things down. And naturally, if you're not a fan of any of the artists seen here or the Band's brand of folk-hard rock, you won't be into this.

The Big Finale: One of the best concerts ever filmed, and one of the best concert movies ever created. Fans of the Band, any of the artists in question, or of folk, country, or hard rock in general owe it to themselves to see this one.

Home Media: Easily found on all formats, often for under $10. Tubi currently has it for free with commercials.

DVD

Blu-Ray

4K

Tubi

Family Fun Saturday - Wicked Part One

Universal Pictures, 2024

Starring Cynthia Ervio, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, and Michelle Yeoh

Directed by Jon M. Chu

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz

I've waited a very long time for this one to come out. It was originally announced in 2012, but kept getting pushed back for one reason or another. Universal said it would be coming out in 2021, but the pandemic ended those plans. It was supposed to come out last year, but then the strike happened. It's been one of the most popular shows on Broadway since its debut in 2003, especially among young women and Wizard of Oz fans. Was the story of how the Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch met in college and became close friends worth the long wait, or should it be put in a cage? Let's begin at the ending, with all of Oz celebrating the Witch's death and the arrival of Glinda (Grande) in her bubble, and find out...

The Story: Glinda relates to the people how she met Elphaba (Ervio), future Witch of the West, when she accompanied her disabled sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode) to Shiz University. Head sorcery teacher Madame Morrible (Yeoh) is impressed when an angry Elphaba shows her considerable talent for magic and insists she studies with her at the school. Glinda, then known as Galinda Upland, is not happy when Elphaba ends up sharing her private suite. Galinda is a perky, rather shallow blonde, and Elphaba is sharp and intelligent despite the green skin that everyone around her fears.

Angry that she wasn't chosen by Madame Morrible to be in her class, Galinda and her friends make fun of Elphaba. Elphaba feels more comfortable in class, especially goat professor Dr. Dillamond's (Peter Dinkalage) history course. It seems animals are being stripped of their speech and their civil rights. Elphaba is certain that the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), whom she admires, will take care of everything. The student body is more interested in the arrival of Fiyero Tigelarr (Bailey), a handsome prince whom Galinda fawns over. He's more interested in Elphaba, even helping her rescue a lion cub who was kept in a cage when Dr. Dillamond was forced out of class. She finally bonds with Galinda after she encourages Boq (Ethan Slater), one of her admirers, to ask Nessarose out. 

Elphaba is elated when Morrible gives her an invitation to see the Wizard. Now she can finally become his apprentice and help the animals of Oz. She even brings Galinda, who has now renamed herself Glinda in honor of Dillamond, They enjoy their day in the Emerald City, but Elphaba doesn't need a little dog to pull back the curtain and reveal the Wizard for the fraud he is. He wants her to read the Grimmerie, a book of magic spells. She's so horrified by what one of those spells does to a monkey guard, she flees. Glinda wants her to stay, but she has no desire to have anything to do with the Wizard now. She wants something more, a way to truly fly and help those she loves.

The Song and Dance: This was absolutely worth the wait. Ervio and Grande are delightful as the two witches, with Ervio appropriately sharp and defensive, Grande adorable and hilarious. Yeoh, Bailey, and Goldblum more than match them as the conniving teacher, the prince who learns there's more to life than being brainless, and the huckster who calls himself wizard. The mix of real sets and CGI allow for the characters to interact with their world more than normal for a big fantasy blockbuster. 

Shiz and the Emerald City are drop-dead gorgeous. Libraries have revolving circular shelves, gardens are a Technicolor wonder of green and pink and lavender, and the Emerald City glows with every shade of green possible. The costumes are even more amazing, with Glinda's pink and blue-striped suits and ruffly flower nightgowns, Elphaba's high-necked black gown and the infamous peaked hats, and all those blue uniforms on the Shiz students and the 20's-inspired low-waisted gowns at the Ozdust Ballroom.

The Numbers: We do indeed open with "No One Mourns the Wicked" as the citizens of Oz celebrates the Wicked Witch's demise and Glinda tells the story of how Elphaba came to be and her troubled childhood. "Dear Old Shiz" introduces Galinda and the students as they prepare for their first semester. Thrilled with the chance to work with her idol. Elphaba tells the frogs in the gardens what she'll do for "The Wizard and I." She and Galinda wonder "What Is This Feeling?" in a montage that shows the duo's antagonism after they end up having to share a room. "Something Bad" is moved to a room outside of the school where Dr. Dillmond and other animal teachers meet to discuss how animals are losing speech and their rights.

Fiyero encourages the students to go "Dancing Through Life," first in a huge, extensive dance number with students leaping all over that huge library, then at the Ozdust Ballroom. It ends with Elphaba and Galinda finally bonding over their own angry dance. Galinda claims she can make Elphaba "Popular," but her green friend is skeptical, to say the least. She even gets the cutest dance as she flits through the halls in her frilly rose-pink nightclothes. Elphaba would be the first to admit her feelings for Fiyero after he helps her rescue the lion cub, but she thinks "I'm Not That Girl" and he's in love with Galinda. 

Elphaba and the newly rechristened Glinda are delighted to spend "One Short Day" in Emerald City. They even get to see a show featuring two sorceresses who should be familiar to fans of the original Broadway cast album. The Wizard claims he's "A Sentimental Man" who thinks of the people of Oz as his children. Elphaba knows better than to accept his phony pathos. She'd rather be "Defying Gravity" and leaping out a window as she flies her famous broom.

Trivia: Wicked opened on Broadway in December 2003 and was an instant sensation, especially among young women who related to the themes of friendship and sacrifice. It continues to run at the Gershwin Theater to this day. The West End version opened in 2006 and also continues at the Victoria Apollo Theater.

Look for original Broadway stars Kristin Chenowith and Idina Menzel as the "Wise Ones" during the "One Short Day" stage production number.  

What I Don't Like: Some of the story lines, notably the Boq-Nessarose side plot and what happens with Dr. Dillamond, do get lost amid the witches' budding relationship and the many musical numbers. This was apparently even more of a problem in the plot-heavy Broadway show. No wonder Chu ended up separating this into two parts. Neither Slater and Bode nor Galinda's two buddies who are always by her side (Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James) have much to do. And forget it for those of you who aren't fans of fantasy, musicals, or The Wizard of Oz. This is very much a fantasy world where people burst into song. 

The Big Finale: Good things come to those who wait. This was an absolute delight from start to finish. I can't recommend it enough, especially if you have pre-teen and young teen girls who would enjoy the music and morals about friendship and sisterhood. 

Home Media: This will be on all major formats in late March; it's on pre-order now, and the soundtrack is available. 

DVD

Blu-Ray

Vinyl Soundtrack

Cult Flops - That Lady In Ermine

20th Century Fox, 1948

Starring Betty Grable, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Caesar Romero, and Walter Abel

Directed by Ernst Lubisch and Otto Preminger

Music by Friedrich Hollaender; Lyrics by Leo Robin

That Lady In Ermine had an even more troubled production than The Emperor Waltz. The original director was frothy comedy specialist Ernst Lubisch, but he had a fatal heart attack eight days into filming. His replacement couldn't have been more different. Otto Preminger was known for his mysteries and dark dramas. He'd done one previous musical, the nostalgic Centennial Summer. That the film was a huge flop in 1946 didn't stop them from recruiting Preminger to handle an even fluffier story. How does the change in director affect the tale of a countess who is encouraged by her notorious ancestor to stop a Hungarian count from harming her husband? Let's begin at the wedding of Countess Angelina (Grable) and Baron Mario (Romero) in Northern Italy in 1861 and find out...

The Story: The two were barely married for a few hours when the castle was attacked by the Hungarian Army, led by dashing Colonel Teglash (Fairbanks Jr). Mario flees, leaving his wife to deal with the invaders. Her ancestors in their paintings call on Francesca (Grable), depicted as wearing nothing but an ermine cloak, to save them as she did 300 years before. Angelica does think he's handsome, but she's also devoted to her new husband. Even the story of how Francesca supposedly killed the Duke (Fairbanks Jr.) who lead another invading army against the castle doesn't scare him away. 

Mario returns to the castle disguised as a gypsy. Teglash is ready to hire him when he hears his excellent violin playing, until he realizes he's Angelica's husband. He asks for her to dine with him if he spares Mario's life, but she doesn't show. It's up to Francesca to send a dream that's romantic enough for Teglash to retreat...and Angelica to understand whom she truly cares about.

The Song and Dance: This has an even worse reputation than Emperor Waltz...but honestly, it's not that bad. Fairbanks Jr. and Romero have a wonderful time chewing every bit of the lavish scenery, with Fairbanks especially good as the officer who falls for both Angelica and her mysterious ancestress. The Technicolor is exquisite, a Dresden candy box showing off a wide range of glowing pastels. Grable flounces around in amazing hoop-skirted gowns and sleek fur coats trimmed with acres of ruffles, sequins, bows, and tulle, while the men show off their gold braided Italian and Hungarian uniforms and colorful gypsy rags. 

The Numbers: We open with "The Jester's Song" as Major Horvath's (Abel) ancestor Benvenuto (Abel) reports the invasion to the other ancestors in the paintings. They all join Francesca as she sings "Ooh, What I'll Do (To That Wild Hungarian)" and reveals her plans for repelling Teglash and his army. One member of a chamber orchestra plays a short, sad instrumental violin song for Teglash after they've taken the castle, but his mind is on the woman in the painting. Francesca reminds her ancestress in a dream that it doesn't matter who a man is or what he looks like if "The Melody Is Right." 

The orchestra reprises "Ooh, What I'll Do" during Tegash's lengthy dream sequence near the end of the movie. Francesca tells him he can do anything he wants, including do a vigorous waltz with her and boom "This Is the Moment" in a very dubbed baritone. Francesca's rendition is a little less bombastic and easier to take. Tegash's second dream is shorter and a lot less pleasant. He and Francesca dance again, only for her to literally stab him in the back. The two of them and the ancestors end the movie with another wild dance to "Ooh, What I'll Do."

Trivia: This began life as a German operetta in 1919, which later inspired an American stage show, Lady In Ermine. It was filmed twice before, as a silent under the original title in 1927 and as the racy musical Bride of the Regiment in 1930. Both films are now mostly lost other than a very short fragment of Bride. 

"This Is the Moment" was nominated for Best Song in 1948, but lost to "Buttons and Bows." 

What I Don't Like: Preminger's heavy-handed bombast is all wrong for a frothy romantic comedy. Everyone is always shouting and stomping when they should be laughing and waltzing. All the screaming makes a hash out of the big "This Is the Moment" dream sequence. It takes the spice out of what should be a racy romp. Grable is especially stiff and noisy, and not really believable as the reluctant countess or her matchmaking ancestress. No wonder she later called this her least-favorite vehicle. Oscar nomination aside, the music isn't really all that memorable, either. Preminger would do far better with two dark operas in the 50's, Carmen Jones and Porgy and Bess. 

The Big Finale: While not nearly as bad as most people claim, it has its fair share of problems. It's probably best for major fans of Grable or the two leading men, or those who love historical costume flicks and might be interested in the gorgeous production.

Home Media: The 20th Century Fox Cinema Archives DVD is hard to find, but it is available on streaming.

DVD

Amazon Prime

Cult Flops - The Emperor Waltz

Paramount, 1948

Starring Bing Crosby, Joan Fontaine, Roland Culver, and Richard Haydn

Directed by Billy Wilder

Music and Lyrics by various

Our first two movies this week have a lot in common. They're historical romances from 1948 featuring major stars and directors that went through troubled productions and received mixed reviews on release. This one started with Wilder's desire to do a light-hearted musical set in his native Austria after having seen concentration camps in Europe. Crosby was Paramount's go-to musical star at the time, but not only did he have problems with Wilder, but with the fluffy script as well. How did all this effect the tale of a traveling salesman in turn-of-the-20th-century Austria who falls for a countess? Let's begin at a grand ball, where gramophone salesman Virgil Smith (Crosby) dances with the chilly Countess Joanna Franziska (Fontaine) and find out...

The Story: Smith and his white fox terrier Buttons are determined to sell their gramophone to none other than the Emperor Franz Joseph (Haydn), hoping to promote it in Austria. Meanwhile, the Countess Joanna and her father Baron Holenia (Ronald Culver) have come to mate Joanna's pure-blood poodle Schenherezade with the Emperor's poodle. Countess and poodle get into several arguments with Smith and his terrier, the last of which leaves Schenherezade sick. The doctor (Sig Ruman) recommends that she face the dog that frightened her. Joanna insists on Virgil staying in Austria so this can happen. 

Not only do the dogs fall in love, but so do their owners. Joanna is ready to run away with Virgil, until the Emperor reminds Virgil that he's a commoner and she's a noblewoman who is not accustomed to simple living. He buys his gramophone if he'll leave Joanna. Virgil lies and says he never loved her...but it becomes obvious a few months later that their dogs did. When Schenherezade has her puppies, Virgil and Buttons come around one last time to rescue them and prove to the entire Austrian court that, if you're truly in love, nothing else matters. 

The Song and Dance: Gorgeous mountain scenery (filmed in Canada), the period-accurate costumes depicting Austria during the Edwardian period, and some absolutely scrumptious Technicolor add life to this bittersweet confection. The film isn't as sugary as the fluffy story looks at first, especially in the second half, when the class distinctions come to the fore. Haydn makes an especially good Emperor, stubborn, but not uncaring. In fact, I'm actually glad the movie didn't end up painting him as the villain. All he wanted was for his dog to give him some pups. Crosby proves himself more than worthy of the drama in the second half, particularly when he lets the court have it for almost hurting innocent puppies in the name of class purity near the end. 

The Numbers: Our first number is the Johann Strauss title song, given English lyrics by Johnny Burke and danced by the royal court at the ball. It's also the song he tries to play on his gramophone before the horrified soldiers at the court mistake it for a bomb. After the dogs attack each other, he returns to the "Friendly Mountains" to yodel along and watch the local peasants dance. His attempt to encourage Joseph to "Get Yourself a Phonograph" in the woods only ends with him in trouble and Joseph missing a stag he very much wanted to hunt. His first attempt to woo Joanna is his older hit "I Kiss Your Hand, Madame." The second, the German song "The Kiss In Your Eyes," works much better, for humans and canines. It even works for the Countess' chauffeur and two female servants in the inn, who happily dance together. 

What I Don't Like: Did I mention that fluffy story? The whole thing with the dogs is silly to the point of being annoying, until it takes a left turn into melodrama near the end with what they try to do to Scheherezade's puppies. No matter how much he wanted to get away from darker stories, musicals aren't really Billy Wilder's turf. He wasn't satisfied with the results, and yeah, I can understand why. The social commentary mixes awkwardly with the overly sweet story. Not only is Fontaine stiff as a board and obviously not happy to be here, she's more realistic clashing with the aloof Crosby in the first half than falling for him in the second. 

The Big Finale: This alternately pretty and bitter class war romance is likely best for huge fans of Crosby, Fontaine, or Wilder. 

Home Media: Not on legitimate streaming at press time, but easily found on DVD and Blu-Ray, the latter from Kino Lorber

DVD - The Bing Crosby Collection: The Emperor Waltz/A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court

Blu-Ray

Animation Celebration Saturday - Dot and the Koala

Yoram Gross Films, 1985

Voices of Robyn Moore and Keith Scott

Directed by Yoram Gross

Music and Lyrics by Gairden Cooke

The Dot series was wildly popular in its native Australia, enough to continue for eight films. This is the third of those 8 films, coming after Dot and the Bunny. It also varies the formula a bit, trading in Dot's interaction with real-life animals for something closer to what you'd find in an animated series from this era, a town of talking animals. How does Dot get involved with the story of how one all-animal town created a dam for more power...and learned a lesson when the animals in the bush whose homes were flooded out fight back? Let's begin in that sleepy all-farm-animal town and find out...

The Story: Mayor Percy Pig is certain that their big new dam will thrust their little town into the 20th Century and bring many jobs to the community. What he doesn't consider is that their dam would flood the Outback and destroy the homes of the animals who live there. Bruce the Koala (Scott) encourages all the residents to fight back, but it just ends with them building the dam anyway. They finally bring in Dot (Moore) to help them stop the opening. She's the one who shows Percy, rat detective Sherlock Bones, and his none-too-bright cat sidekick Watson that small towns have their own charms, and there can be progress without destroying the environment.

The Animation: This one takes a different route with the style of animation. The animals look far smaller and less realistic than they do in previous films, with shorter, less detailed bodies and larger, goofier eyes. There's also far less live-action footage, and the animals barely interact with it at all. Dot looks more-or-less the same, but then she also has a lot less to do. 

The Song and Dance: Unique story almost comes off as a lighter version of Animal Farm, with the two sides warring over what one sees as "progress" and the other only knows will destroy their way of life. Some of the action sequences, especially in the beginning where they're all fighting, are kind of fun. Scott has fun playing most of the voices, including the stuffy pig mayor who thinks that power is the best way to shove his little town in the 20th Century and feisty little Bruce the Koala.

The Numbers: The local children's "Dam the Power!" chant leads everyone in town to chant about how the dam will mean "progress." The animals in the outback aren't as amused. They go to tell the animals in town what they think of their dam and "Stop It From Happening." Dot and Bruce show how a "Small Town" is just as important in the finale, which continues into the credits.

What I Don't Like: I liked it much better when Dot was helping animals in the real Australian outback. First of all, she doesn't turn up until 40 minutes into a movie that runs a little over an hour, and when she does appear, she doesn't have all that much to do. Second, the animation is grotesque, weird, and a little too goofy, lacking the realistic details of the previous three. The story veers between Sherlock Bones and Watson's dumb gags and the darker story of how so-called "progress" isn't always the answer with no rhyme or reason, and the environmental message is forced and cliched.

The Big Finale: With weirdly goofy animation and a story that veers between cliched, dark, and too silly, I'm going to say this is only for the most ardent fans of the Dot series or Australian animation. All others are fine with the previous three films or the ones that came afterwards.

Home Media: Which makes it just as well that at press time this is one of the harder-to-find Dot films. To my knowledge, the only place it can currently be found in North America is YouTube.

YouTube