Rankin-Bass, 1979
Voices of Robert Morse, Buddy Hackett, Debra Clinger, and Paul Frees
Directed by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr.
Music by Maury Laws; Lyrics by Jules Bass
Rankin-Bass continued to churn out holiday specials in the late 70's, but as those of you who read my reviews for last month may have noticed, some of them could get more than a little odd. What better character to headline a holiday special than the mythical lad himself who is said to control winter weather? They also had the habit of tying other holidays into their specials, referencing Groundhog's Day here along with Christmas and winter in general. How does this hodgepodge look nowadays? Let's head to the unfortunate town of January Junction, just as winter is about to begin, and find out...
The Story: Weather-forecasting groundhog Pardon-Me-Pete (Hackett) narrates the tale of how he and Jack Frost (Morse) came to make a deal to let him sleep for six weeks longer. Jack is an invisible sprite who creates snow and ice. He's happy with his lot, until he encounters the lovely Elisa (Clinger), the daughter of poor farmers in January Junction. After he rescues her from going over the falls, she calls him a hero. He falls hard for her and begs Father Winter (Frees) to make him human. Father Winter agrees to it for one season, sending fellow sprites Snip (Don Messick) and Holly (Dina Lynn) with him.
Elisa, however, ends up falling in love with the handsome knight Sir Ravenal (Sonny Melendrez). She has another suitor in Kubla Kraus (Frees), the Cossack King who claims all the money and building materials in the area for himself. He takes her hostage on Christmas Day, threatening to send his army of mechanical knights to destroy the town. Jack, his friends, and Sir Ravenal go after him. Sir Ravenal is hurt; Jack and the others are captured. He finally gives up his humanity to create a snowstorm that will keep Kraus from sending his knights, but can't keep sending it if a certainly little groundhog declares that spring is here...
The Animation: The designs here are similar to Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas In July that same year, but even more fantasy-oriented, as appropriate for the setting. They actually rendered the snow quite well, especially the glistening ice. The scenes in Kraus' castle are also pretty nifty, as are those thousand K-Knights, and the ones up in the Kingdom of Winter.
The Song and Dance: There's a lot of charm to be found in this unique hybrid of The Little Mermaid and Santa Claus Is Coming to Town. This is my favorite of Morse' several Rankin-Bass roles. He's sweet and adorable as Jack, especially when he first encounters Elisa after becoming human. Frees is hilarious both as the fussy Slip and bellowing Kubla Kraus, one of the better Rankin-Bass villains. Kraus somehow manages to be buffoonish and menacing at the same time, even with him toting a mechanical dummy around. And it's rare to see them try for even a bittersweet ending - this may be their only special where the character doesn't get the girl in the end.
Favorite Number: The opening credits title song is a catchy little tune that shows us Jack at work and how the people on Earth revel in it. "There's the Rub" is a great villain song for Kubla Krous as he describes how he could have been a great ruler in other times and places. The Christmas sequence is set to the chorus routine "It's Just What I Always Wanted" as the residents of January Junction exclaim over the "dream presents" they pretend they have. Hackett performs a nice "Me and My Shadow" in the very beginning as we see just what he does and how important his shadow - and Jack's - will be to the story.
What I Don't Like: While this definitely comes off better than Christmas In July, which came out a few weeks before it, it's still not up to Rankin-Bass' earlier programs. Elisa is cute but is otherwise is a bit dull (though, to give her credit, I think she does figure out who Jack is in the end). Once again, Rankin-Bass tries to needlessly tie a holiday in. The good song aside, the whole Christmas/"dream present" segment seems kind of shoehorned in. In fact, though AMC has run it around Christmas for the past few years, I actually consider this to be more of a Groundhog's Day/general winter special.
The Big Finale: A hidden gem from Rankin-Bass with a catchy score, one of their more interesting villains, and a surprisingly bittersweet tone for them. Whether you watch it on Christmas or Groundhog's Day, it's worth checking out.
Home Media: Quite easy to find on DVD and on streaming.
DVD
Amazon Prime
Reviews of musical films, from 1930s black and white to widescreen 21st century extravaganzas.
Saturday, February 1, 2020
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Cult Flops - The Pirate
MGM, 1948
Starring Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Walter Sleazak, and Gladys Cooper
Directed by Vincent Minnelli
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
This may be one of, if not the most unusual MGM musical of their Golden Era, and is one of the rare ones to not be a hit on release. Arthur Freed was experimenting with darker stories and fantasy - witness another MGM failure from the late 40's, Yolanda and the Thief. Audiences weren't quite ready for the tale of an actor who passes himself off as a pirate and the woman who falls for him at the time. How does it look now? Let's head to a small town in the Caribbean, where Manuela (Garland) gives us a quick overview of the history of the notorious Maccoco, and find out..
The Story: Manuela is the daughter of an impoverished noble family. Her Aunt Inez (Cooper) has arranged for a marriage between her and the town's mayor, Don Pedro (Sleazak). Don Pedro is respectable and steady, but he's also dull and older than Manuela, with no interest in traveling. To satisfy her desire for adventure and travel, Manuela convinces her aunt to take her to the port town of St. Sebastian so she can see the blue waters for herself. While admiring the view from the cliffs, she encounters Serafin (Kelly), the head of a traveling troupe of actors. He's crazy about her from the start, but she's annoyed with his advances and runs off. That night, she hears their show and wanders out to see it. He hypnotizes her, expecting her to say she's in love with him...but she admits in a wild musical number that she's in love with Mack the Black, aka Maccoco, a notorious pirate.
Serafin and his players turn up on Manuela's wedding day, hoping to convince her to join their troupe. An angry Don Pedro orders him away, but he stays, claiming he's Mack the Black. Manuela now eagerly goes with him to save the village...until she learns what he's really up to, and who the real Mack the Black is.
The Song and Dance: I'm a big fan of swashbucklers and goofy farce, so this one is right up my alley. Garland and Kelly have a great time with the farce and death-defying musical numbers. Kelly gets some of his best dances here, including the incredible "Be a Clown" with the Nicholas Brothers. The colorful costumes and sets beautifully reflects the Caribbean of the 1840's, with the elaborate hats and lacy Spanish gowns and ruffled coats and jackets.
Favorite Number: Though there's not a number until almost 20 minutes into the film, it's one of Kelly's two great solo routines, the flirtatious "Nina" with the women in the town market. Garland tears into "Mack the Black" under hypnosis, wowing the crowds and the troupe with her ferocious performance. Kelly's "Pirate Ballet" is a riot of color, smoke, and men leaping onto rigging, showing off Kelly's athletic choreography and Minnelli's wonderful use of color.
The two big numbers here are versions of "Be a Clown." Kelly joins the Nicholas Brothers for an athletic tumbling routine that literally saves their lives at the hangman's noose. Garland and Kelly finish off the movie with their own, equally fun duet version dressed as clowns and singing and dancing with gusto.
Trivia: This is an adaptation of a non-musical 1942 play called The Pirate that featured Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne on Broadway.
"Mack the Black" originally opened the movie, and Garland and Kelly sang a number called "Voodoo" at the troupe's performance. MGM executives, especially studio head Louis B. Mayer, thought the number too overtly sexual, cut it, and put "Mack the Black" in its place. Alas, no footage of the number survives.
What I Don't Like: Apparently, critics understood what Minnelli was up to at the time, but audiences were baffled by the combination of action, music, artifice, and goofy slapstick. Some modern audiences who aren't into farce or the occasionally over-the-top acting may find it a little too much and too weird as well.
The Big Finale: Great numbers and an unusual story makes this a must-see if you're a fan of Kelly, Garland, pirate tales, or the Technicolor MGM musicals of the 1940's and 50's.
Home Media: Despite it's "love it or hate it" reputation, it's easily found on DVD and streaming
DVD
Amazon Prime
Starring Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Walter Sleazak, and Gladys Cooper
Directed by Vincent Minnelli
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
This may be one of, if not the most unusual MGM musical of their Golden Era, and is one of the rare ones to not be a hit on release. Arthur Freed was experimenting with darker stories and fantasy - witness another MGM failure from the late 40's, Yolanda and the Thief. Audiences weren't quite ready for the tale of an actor who passes himself off as a pirate and the woman who falls for him at the time. How does it look now? Let's head to a small town in the Caribbean, where Manuela (Garland) gives us a quick overview of the history of the notorious Maccoco, and find out..
The Story: Manuela is the daughter of an impoverished noble family. Her Aunt Inez (Cooper) has arranged for a marriage between her and the town's mayor, Don Pedro (Sleazak). Don Pedro is respectable and steady, but he's also dull and older than Manuela, with no interest in traveling. To satisfy her desire for adventure and travel, Manuela convinces her aunt to take her to the port town of St. Sebastian so she can see the blue waters for herself. While admiring the view from the cliffs, she encounters Serafin (Kelly), the head of a traveling troupe of actors. He's crazy about her from the start, but she's annoyed with his advances and runs off. That night, she hears their show and wanders out to see it. He hypnotizes her, expecting her to say she's in love with him...but she admits in a wild musical number that she's in love with Mack the Black, aka Maccoco, a notorious pirate.
Serafin and his players turn up on Manuela's wedding day, hoping to convince her to join their troupe. An angry Don Pedro orders him away, but he stays, claiming he's Mack the Black. Manuela now eagerly goes with him to save the village...until she learns what he's really up to, and who the real Mack the Black is.
The Song and Dance: I'm a big fan of swashbucklers and goofy farce, so this one is right up my alley. Garland and Kelly have a great time with the farce and death-defying musical numbers. Kelly gets some of his best dances here, including the incredible "Be a Clown" with the Nicholas Brothers. The colorful costumes and sets beautifully reflects the Caribbean of the 1840's, with the elaborate hats and lacy Spanish gowns and ruffled coats and jackets.
Favorite Number: Though there's not a number until almost 20 minutes into the film, it's one of Kelly's two great solo routines, the flirtatious "Nina" with the women in the town market. Garland tears into "Mack the Black" under hypnosis, wowing the crowds and the troupe with her ferocious performance. Kelly's "Pirate Ballet" is a riot of color, smoke, and men leaping onto rigging, showing off Kelly's athletic choreography and Minnelli's wonderful use of color.
The two big numbers here are versions of "Be a Clown." Kelly joins the Nicholas Brothers for an athletic tumbling routine that literally saves their lives at the hangman's noose. Garland and Kelly finish off the movie with their own, equally fun duet version dressed as clowns and singing and dancing with gusto.
Trivia: This is an adaptation of a non-musical 1942 play called The Pirate that featured Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne on Broadway.
"Mack the Black" originally opened the movie, and Garland and Kelly sang a number called "Voodoo" at the troupe's performance. MGM executives, especially studio head Louis B. Mayer, thought the number too overtly sexual, cut it, and put "Mack the Black" in its place. Alas, no footage of the number survives.
What I Don't Like: Apparently, critics understood what Minnelli was up to at the time, but audiences were baffled by the combination of action, music, artifice, and goofy slapstick. Some modern audiences who aren't into farce or the occasionally over-the-top acting may find it a little too much and too weird as well.
The Big Finale: Great numbers and an unusual story makes this a must-see if you're a fan of Kelly, Garland, pirate tales, or the Technicolor MGM musicals of the 1940's and 50's.
Home Media: Despite it's "love it or hate it" reputation, it's easily found on DVD and streaming
DVD
Amazon Prime
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
For Me and My Gal
MGM, 1942
Starring Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, George Murphy, and Ben Blue
Directed by Busby Berkeley
Music and Lyrics by various
After making a splash on Broadway in Pal Joey, MGM signed Gene Kelly as their latest dancing star. Judy Garland was more than happy to encourage Arthur Freed to take a chance on him. It would become the first of three times the two starred together. How does this tribute to vaudeville, the variety showcase of the early 20th century, look now? Let's head to a small-town train station where several actors are about to disembark and find out...
The Story: Harry Palmer (Kelly) is an ambitious hoofer in 1917 who desperately wants to make the big-time. He hooks up with talented singer and dancer Jo Hayden (Garland), despite her already being part of girls-and-singer act with Jimmy Metcalf (Murphy). She breaks with Metcalf when she realizes how much chemistry they have and how well they dance together. Despite their talent and dedication, the act doesn't seem to make it very far. At one point, Harry even gets an offer from a beautiful French singer (Martha Eggerth) and Jimmy asks Jo to come back, but they both decide to stick it out when they realize they're in love with each other.
Jo tells Harry she'll marry him after they get a booking at the top theater in vaudeville, the Palace in New York. They do finally make the Palace, just as the US enters World War I. Harry is drafted, but he wants so badly to play the Palace and get Jo to that wedding, he breaks his hand in his trunk. He couldn't have picked a worse time to do it. Jo's beloved brother Danny (Richard Quine) died in battle, and now she thinks he's a coward. Harry enlists in the ambulance corps to prove to one and all that he can be courageous about something besides dancing.
The Song and Dance: I can fully understand why Garland wanted Kelly for the role. Their chemistry was off the charts from the get-go. Kelly may be abrasive and egotistical, but he's also a charmer who realizes right away how well he and Jo fit together. The two of them really elevate the nostalgic melodrama. I also like the sets, costumes, and authentic-looking routines that really take you back to the vaudeville of baggy-pants clowns and beautiful singers that the opening paragraphs mention.
Favorite Number: The movie's at it's best when it showcases Garland and Kelly's dancing talents. Their version of the title song is a delight, graceful and energetic. "Ballin' the Jack" later gets as sexy as an MGM musical was allowed to at this time, with their swaying hips and briefer costumes. "When You Wore a Tulip and I Wore a Red Rose" is a brief satire of early 20th century courtship that's too adorable for words. The closest thing to a big number is the opening "Oh You Beautiful Doll" routine, with Garland posing as a life-sized doll who badly wants Murphy to buy her. In other hands, it would probably be a little creepy, but Garland's intense charm makes it seem almost oddly sweet.
Trivia: This was Garland's first adult role.
There really was a Harry Palmer who had a double act with a Jo Hayden in early 20th century vaudeville. He did, indeed, break his hand to stay out of World War I, play the Palace, and marry her, and she dropped him briefly after a friend died in the war. He did serve with distinction in the ambulance corps, and they were married after he came back. Jo's friend was separated into her brother and Jimmy Metcalf.
Evidently, the film's ending was reshot after test audiences found Kelly to be too unsympathetic and thought Jo should end up with Jimmy Metcalf. Murphy was originally supposed to play Harry Palmer before MGM bought Kelly's contract from David O. Selznick. Busby Berkeley didn't want him, but Garland liked him and asked for him.
What I Don't Like: This is mostly Garland and Kelly's show. Anyone else barely registers, including Murphy and Keenan Wynn as a theatrical agent. It's also not for anyone expecting the kaleidoscopic routines associated with Berkeley. The numbers are subdued for him with no playing with the camera. I'm also a bit surprised this is in black and white. The vaudeville era practically screams for Technicolor.
The Big Finale: The numbers alone make this a must-see if you're a fan of Garland, Kelly, Berkeley's later career, or the MGM musicals of the 1940's and 50's.
Home Media: The solo DVD is out of print, but it can be found on streaming and bundled with three other Garland movies in the Silver Screen Icons set.
DVD - Silver Screen Icons: Judy Garland
Amazon Prime
Starring Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, George Murphy, and Ben Blue
Directed by Busby Berkeley
Music and Lyrics by various
After making a splash on Broadway in Pal Joey, MGM signed Gene Kelly as their latest dancing star. Judy Garland was more than happy to encourage Arthur Freed to take a chance on him. It would become the first of three times the two starred together. How does this tribute to vaudeville, the variety showcase of the early 20th century, look now? Let's head to a small-town train station where several actors are about to disembark and find out...
The Story: Harry Palmer (Kelly) is an ambitious hoofer in 1917 who desperately wants to make the big-time. He hooks up with talented singer and dancer Jo Hayden (Garland), despite her already being part of girls-and-singer act with Jimmy Metcalf (Murphy). She breaks with Metcalf when she realizes how much chemistry they have and how well they dance together. Despite their talent and dedication, the act doesn't seem to make it very far. At one point, Harry even gets an offer from a beautiful French singer (Martha Eggerth) and Jimmy asks Jo to come back, but they both decide to stick it out when they realize they're in love with each other.
Jo tells Harry she'll marry him after they get a booking at the top theater in vaudeville, the Palace in New York. They do finally make the Palace, just as the US enters World War I. Harry is drafted, but he wants so badly to play the Palace and get Jo to that wedding, he breaks his hand in his trunk. He couldn't have picked a worse time to do it. Jo's beloved brother Danny (Richard Quine) died in battle, and now she thinks he's a coward. Harry enlists in the ambulance corps to prove to one and all that he can be courageous about something besides dancing.
The Song and Dance: I can fully understand why Garland wanted Kelly for the role. Their chemistry was off the charts from the get-go. Kelly may be abrasive and egotistical, but he's also a charmer who realizes right away how well he and Jo fit together. The two of them really elevate the nostalgic melodrama. I also like the sets, costumes, and authentic-looking routines that really take you back to the vaudeville of baggy-pants clowns and beautiful singers that the opening paragraphs mention.
Favorite Number: The movie's at it's best when it showcases Garland and Kelly's dancing talents. Their version of the title song is a delight, graceful and energetic. "Ballin' the Jack" later gets as sexy as an MGM musical was allowed to at this time, with their swaying hips and briefer costumes. "When You Wore a Tulip and I Wore a Red Rose" is a brief satire of early 20th century courtship that's too adorable for words. The closest thing to a big number is the opening "Oh You Beautiful Doll" routine, with Garland posing as a life-sized doll who badly wants Murphy to buy her. In other hands, it would probably be a little creepy, but Garland's intense charm makes it seem almost oddly sweet.
Trivia: This was Garland's first adult role.
There really was a Harry Palmer who had a double act with a Jo Hayden in early 20th century vaudeville. He did, indeed, break his hand to stay out of World War I, play the Palace, and marry her, and she dropped him briefly after a friend died in the war. He did serve with distinction in the ambulance corps, and they were married after he came back. Jo's friend was separated into her brother and Jimmy Metcalf.
Evidently, the film's ending was reshot after test audiences found Kelly to be too unsympathetic and thought Jo should end up with Jimmy Metcalf. Murphy was originally supposed to play Harry Palmer before MGM bought Kelly's contract from David O. Selznick. Busby Berkeley didn't want him, but Garland liked him and asked for him.
What I Don't Like: This is mostly Garland and Kelly's show. Anyone else barely registers, including Murphy and Keenan Wynn as a theatrical agent. It's also not for anyone expecting the kaleidoscopic routines associated with Berkeley. The numbers are subdued for him with no playing with the camera. I'm also a bit surprised this is in black and white. The vaudeville era practically screams for Technicolor.
The Big Finale: The numbers alone make this a must-see if you're a fan of Garland, Kelly, Berkeley's later career, or the MGM musicals of the 1940's and 50's.
Home Media: The solo DVD is out of print, but it can be found on streaming and bundled with three other Garland movies in the Silver Screen Icons set.
DVD - Silver Screen Icons: Judy Garland
Amazon Prime
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Honoring Chinese New Year - Mulan (1998)
Disney, 1998
Voices of Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong, and Miguel Ferrer
Directed by Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft
Music by Matthew Wilder; Lyrics by David Zippel
We honor the Year of the Rat with one of Disney's more unique animated films of its Renaissance era. It was also their first venture into Asian culture and folk tales, and a rare musical action movie. How does the story of a Chinese girl who joins the army as a man in place of her father look now? To answer this, we join the Huns as they prepare for battle...and a young woman preparing for the day that will change her life, in more than one way...
The Story: Fa Mulan (Wen) is a clumsy tomboy living on a farm with her grandmother and parents in ancient China. She's sent to a matchmaker to prepare her to find a husband, but can't remember what she's supposed to do and makes a mess out of the ritual. Her parents can't figure out what to do with her. They're even less happy when she jumps in front of her father (Soon-Tek Oh) after he's conscripted into the army. Her father is a veteran of previous wars, and he has a bad limp. To prevent him from going, she poses as a man and joins herself. She's accompanied by Mushu (Murphy), a small dragon guardian who's trying to get into the other ancestors' good graces, and Cri-kee (Frank Welker), a cricket her grandmother (June Foray) claims is lucky.
Her fellow army mates don't know what to make of her, either. Captain Li (BD Wong) is about ready to drop her, until he sees what she can do when she's really determined. Trouble is, she can only do it as a man. Even after she's found out, she'll still ride on to the Forbidden City to do whatever she can to save the Emperor (Pat Moriata) and China from Hun leader Shan You (Miguel Ferrer).
The Animation: Disney's animators studied the culture and architecture of China long and hard, resulting in more vibrant and delicate work than usual for them. As per Asian architecture, there's a lot of long, graceful lines and fluid curves. Some of it occasionally looks too cartoony, as in Mulan's rather potato-like horse Khan and her goofy army buddies, but it mostly moves very well. There's some first-rate battle sequences, especially the avalanche on the pass and the big finale with the fireworks.
The Song and Dance: Disney wanted to try something different with this one - their first truly action-oriented heroine. In some ways, Mulan is way ahead of her time, coming out in an era when women were only just starting to be prominent in action as more than the love interest. She may be clumsy and goofy, but she's also determined and quick-thinking. She shows the army that brains are just as important as brawn on the battlefield. Wen does well with her, showing the determination that would lead her play another Asian action heroine later, Melinda May in Agents of Shield. She's abetted by a nice cast, including Wong as her love-interest captain who wants to show his merit. Harvey Firnstein, Gedde Wantanabe, and Jerry Tondo are hilarious as her best buddies in the army, and Murphy has some nice lines as the mouthy mini-dragon who wants to be taken seriously again.
For all the funny moments, the movie works best when it explores Mulan's attempts to change gender roles in China and show just how terrible war is. The sequence when the troop goes from singing a comic number to suddenly discovering a destroyed village in less than five minutes is among the most devastating in any Disney animated film.
Favorite Number: By far the most famous song from this one is "I'll Make a Man Out of You," the army's big training routine. We see in a montage just how hard Captain Li pushes his troops, male and female, and how they finally learn discipline...and Mulan figures out how she can use brains and brawn to solve a problem. I also like "A Girl Worth Fighting For," where we learn what kind of women the more typical army troops are interested in right before they find the village, and the opening number for Mulan and her family as she's getting ready for her matchmaking rituals, "Honor To Us All."
What I Don't Like: I feel like we have two movies here. The lighter first half is more like a Warner Brothers cartoon, what with the army's macho gags and Mulan making a hash out of her ritual and all of Murphy's modern references...and it clashes badly with the darker war sequences. In fact, Mushu and Crik-kee can be funny, but they're both mostly out of place. More than half the cast isn't Asian, including Murphy. Mushu's stream of modern references can be cute, but more often than not, they tend to yank one of out of the ancient Chinese setting. Not to mention, the attempts at discussing gender roles are well-meaning, but can come off as awkward at times.
As odd as it seems to admit in a major Disney animated musical, the biggest problem here is the music. Other than the supremely silly "Make a Man Out of You," it's just not that memorable. Mulan's big ballad "Reflection" is especially dull and drippy, and probably just exists to slip a slow song in. The credits song "True to Your Heart" is catchy but a bit bland.
The Big Finale: For all its flaws, this is still one of Disney's more interesting animated films, with a uniquely diverse cast and strong heroine. If you've got a daughter who is more into action than princesses or loves stories from other lands, try this one on her.
Home Media: The most recent disc version pairs Mulan with it's direct-to-DVD sequel. It can also be found quite easily on streaming, including on Disney Plus and Amazon Prime.
DVD - Mulan/Mulan 2 Double Pack
Blu-Ray - 2 Movie Collection
Amazon Prime (Buy Only)
Voices of Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong, and Miguel Ferrer
Directed by Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft
Music by Matthew Wilder; Lyrics by David Zippel
We honor the Year of the Rat with one of Disney's more unique animated films of its Renaissance era. It was also their first venture into Asian culture and folk tales, and a rare musical action movie. How does the story of a Chinese girl who joins the army as a man in place of her father look now? To answer this, we join the Huns as they prepare for battle...and a young woman preparing for the day that will change her life, in more than one way...
The Story: Fa Mulan (Wen) is a clumsy tomboy living on a farm with her grandmother and parents in ancient China. She's sent to a matchmaker to prepare her to find a husband, but can't remember what she's supposed to do and makes a mess out of the ritual. Her parents can't figure out what to do with her. They're even less happy when she jumps in front of her father (Soon-Tek Oh) after he's conscripted into the army. Her father is a veteran of previous wars, and he has a bad limp. To prevent him from going, she poses as a man and joins herself. She's accompanied by Mushu (Murphy), a small dragon guardian who's trying to get into the other ancestors' good graces, and Cri-kee (Frank Welker), a cricket her grandmother (June Foray) claims is lucky.
Her fellow army mates don't know what to make of her, either. Captain Li (BD Wong) is about ready to drop her, until he sees what she can do when she's really determined. Trouble is, she can only do it as a man. Even after she's found out, she'll still ride on to the Forbidden City to do whatever she can to save the Emperor (Pat Moriata) and China from Hun leader Shan You (Miguel Ferrer).
The Animation: Disney's animators studied the culture and architecture of China long and hard, resulting in more vibrant and delicate work than usual for them. As per Asian architecture, there's a lot of long, graceful lines and fluid curves. Some of it occasionally looks too cartoony, as in Mulan's rather potato-like horse Khan and her goofy army buddies, but it mostly moves very well. There's some first-rate battle sequences, especially the avalanche on the pass and the big finale with the fireworks.
The Song and Dance: Disney wanted to try something different with this one - their first truly action-oriented heroine. In some ways, Mulan is way ahead of her time, coming out in an era when women were only just starting to be prominent in action as more than the love interest. She may be clumsy and goofy, but she's also determined and quick-thinking. She shows the army that brains are just as important as brawn on the battlefield. Wen does well with her, showing the determination that would lead her play another Asian action heroine later, Melinda May in Agents of Shield. She's abetted by a nice cast, including Wong as her love-interest captain who wants to show his merit. Harvey Firnstein, Gedde Wantanabe, and Jerry Tondo are hilarious as her best buddies in the army, and Murphy has some nice lines as the mouthy mini-dragon who wants to be taken seriously again.
For all the funny moments, the movie works best when it explores Mulan's attempts to change gender roles in China and show just how terrible war is. The sequence when the troop goes from singing a comic number to suddenly discovering a destroyed village in less than five minutes is among the most devastating in any Disney animated film.
Favorite Number: By far the most famous song from this one is "I'll Make a Man Out of You," the army's big training routine. We see in a montage just how hard Captain Li pushes his troops, male and female, and how they finally learn discipline...and Mulan figures out how she can use brains and brawn to solve a problem. I also like "A Girl Worth Fighting For," where we learn what kind of women the more typical army troops are interested in right before they find the village, and the opening number for Mulan and her family as she's getting ready for her matchmaking rituals, "Honor To Us All."
What I Don't Like: I feel like we have two movies here. The lighter first half is more like a Warner Brothers cartoon, what with the army's macho gags and Mulan making a hash out of her ritual and all of Murphy's modern references...and it clashes badly with the darker war sequences. In fact, Mushu and Crik-kee can be funny, but they're both mostly out of place. More than half the cast isn't Asian, including Murphy. Mushu's stream of modern references can be cute, but more often than not, they tend to yank one of out of the ancient Chinese setting. Not to mention, the attempts at discussing gender roles are well-meaning, but can come off as awkward at times.
As odd as it seems to admit in a major Disney animated musical, the biggest problem here is the music. Other than the supremely silly "Make a Man Out of You," it's just not that memorable. Mulan's big ballad "Reflection" is especially dull and drippy, and probably just exists to slip a slow song in. The credits song "True to Your Heart" is catchy but a bit bland.
The Big Finale: For all its flaws, this is still one of Disney's more interesting animated films, with a uniquely diverse cast and strong heroine. If you've got a daughter who is more into action than princesses or loves stories from other lands, try this one on her.
Home Media: The most recent disc version pairs Mulan with it's direct-to-DVD sequel. It can also be found quite easily on streaming, including on Disney Plus and Amazon Prime.
DVD - Mulan/Mulan 2 Double Pack
Blu-Ray - 2 Movie Collection
Amazon Prime (Buy Only)
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Cult Flops - New York, New York
United Artists, 1977
Starring Liza Minnelli, Robert De Niro, Lionel Stander, and Barry Primus
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Music by John Kander and others; Lyrics by Fred Ebb and others
This notorious flop has a lot in common with our previous review, Funny Lady. Both were vehicles for divas of the time set in the mid-20th century, had new music by Kander and Ebb mixed in with older songs, paired the diva with a largely non-singing tough guy, had unhappy endings, and were huge productions with major problems at a time when musicals were going out of style. The difference is, this one came out during the summer when Star Wars was on everyone's lips and couldn't find an audience. How does the tale of a singer and a jazz musician whose act works better than their relationship look now? Let's head to a nightclub in New York just as World War II ended and find out...
The Story: Francine Evans (Minnelli) meets Jimmy Doyle (De Niro) in a nightclub on V-J Day. She's not really interested, but he still gives her his phone number. They end up in the same taxi the next day, and Jimmy drags her along to an audition. Jimmy fights with the club manager, but Francine saves the session by joining in. The owner assumes they're an act and offers them a job. One job leads to many jobs at increasingly better clubs and to Jimmy backing his own orchestra. He and Francine eventually fall in love and marry.
Jimmy, however, is an aggressive and abrasive man who tends to fight with everyone around him, including Francine. Francine's thrilled when she gets pregnant, but Jimmy's not sure...and her going into labor early and the birth of their son leads to the end of their marriage. They eventually go separate paths and have separate successes, but they never forget what they had when they were making music together.
The Song and Dance: If you're a fan of Kander & Ebb, Minnelli, or big band music, this will be a real treat for you. The first half does a wonderful job of recreating the world of the traveling small-time orchestra during the tail end of the big band era - grimy hotels, bumpy roads traveled in rickety buses, sour-faced managers, cigarette smoke wreathing around a dingy nightclub. Minnelli is magnetic as Francine, the tough singer who falls for Jimmy almost in spite of himself, then realizes she's moved beyond him. The period-accurate costumes and terrific music add more layers to the realism.
Favorite Number: The title song is by far the most famous number from this one, and the only aspect of this movie to make it big at the time. Minnelli gets to belt the heck out of it several times, notably in the sequence towards the end. She also gets "The Man I Love" on a piano and another Kander and Ebb hit, "But the World Goes 'Round" near the end. De Niro is a better singer than you might think when he joins Mary Kay Place for an unusually upbeat "Blue Moon" with the orchestra. Some of the instrumental orchestra numbers are a blast too, especially "Opus Number One" early on and "Bobby's Dream."
The big number here is "Happy Endings," a spoof of elaborate dance routines in the film musicals of the 40's and 50's and of show business-based melodramas like A Star Is Born. In this spoof-within-a-musical, Francine is an usher who falls for a producer and becomes a star. It hits all the beats, from them meeting cute when he needs her help in the theater to his suddenly departure when she becomes a hit and the sudden return. It's big, bright, and bold...and really kind of funny if you've seen the types of numbers and films Scorsese's making fun of.
Trivia: Like Funny Lady, the movie ran into major production problems, going over budget and deepening Scorsese's decent into drugs and alcohol. He originally released it at 155, but United Artists reedited it to a little over two hours, including dropping the "Happy Endings" number. "Happy Endings" and several other scenes were restored for a 1981 re-release.
What I Don't Like: I know Scorsese was going for a darker version of a musical drama of the 1940's and 50's, but the stylized, obviously fake sets and overwrought romance clash badly with the more realistic on the road sequences and De Niro's explosive performance. Jimmy is such an obnoxious and disagreeable jerk, I frankly wonder why Francine even bothered with him. She was smart to finally ditch him. As cute as "Happy Endings" is, maybe they should have left the movie at two hours. It's way too long, with a thin story drawn out so long, you pretty much stop caring whether or not these two loud, abrasive people are going to stay together in the end or not.
The Big Finale: For all the problems, this is necessary for fans of Minnelli and Scorsese; worth a look for lovers of big band and swing as well.
Home Media: Not on streaming, but the two-disc DVD and Blu-Ray aren't hard to find.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Starring Liza Minnelli, Robert De Niro, Lionel Stander, and Barry Primus
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Music by John Kander and others; Lyrics by Fred Ebb and others
This notorious flop has a lot in common with our previous review, Funny Lady. Both were vehicles for divas of the time set in the mid-20th century, had new music by Kander and Ebb mixed in with older songs, paired the diva with a largely non-singing tough guy, had unhappy endings, and were huge productions with major problems at a time when musicals were going out of style. The difference is, this one came out during the summer when Star Wars was on everyone's lips and couldn't find an audience. How does the tale of a singer and a jazz musician whose act works better than their relationship look now? Let's head to a nightclub in New York just as World War II ended and find out...
The Story: Francine Evans (Minnelli) meets Jimmy Doyle (De Niro) in a nightclub on V-J Day. She's not really interested, but he still gives her his phone number. They end up in the same taxi the next day, and Jimmy drags her along to an audition. Jimmy fights with the club manager, but Francine saves the session by joining in. The owner assumes they're an act and offers them a job. One job leads to many jobs at increasingly better clubs and to Jimmy backing his own orchestra. He and Francine eventually fall in love and marry.
Jimmy, however, is an aggressive and abrasive man who tends to fight with everyone around him, including Francine. Francine's thrilled when she gets pregnant, but Jimmy's not sure...and her going into labor early and the birth of their son leads to the end of their marriage. They eventually go separate paths and have separate successes, but they never forget what they had when they were making music together.
The Song and Dance: If you're a fan of Kander & Ebb, Minnelli, or big band music, this will be a real treat for you. The first half does a wonderful job of recreating the world of the traveling small-time orchestra during the tail end of the big band era - grimy hotels, bumpy roads traveled in rickety buses, sour-faced managers, cigarette smoke wreathing around a dingy nightclub. Minnelli is magnetic as Francine, the tough singer who falls for Jimmy almost in spite of himself, then realizes she's moved beyond him. The period-accurate costumes and terrific music add more layers to the realism.
Favorite Number: The title song is by far the most famous number from this one, and the only aspect of this movie to make it big at the time. Minnelli gets to belt the heck out of it several times, notably in the sequence towards the end. She also gets "The Man I Love" on a piano and another Kander and Ebb hit, "But the World Goes 'Round" near the end. De Niro is a better singer than you might think when he joins Mary Kay Place for an unusually upbeat "Blue Moon" with the orchestra. Some of the instrumental orchestra numbers are a blast too, especially "Opus Number One" early on and "Bobby's Dream."
The big number here is "Happy Endings," a spoof of elaborate dance routines in the film musicals of the 40's and 50's and of show business-based melodramas like A Star Is Born. In this spoof-within-a-musical, Francine is an usher who falls for a producer and becomes a star. It hits all the beats, from them meeting cute when he needs her help in the theater to his suddenly departure when she becomes a hit and the sudden return. It's big, bright, and bold...and really kind of funny if you've seen the types of numbers and films Scorsese's making fun of.
Trivia: Like Funny Lady, the movie ran into major production problems, going over budget and deepening Scorsese's decent into drugs and alcohol. He originally released it at 155, but United Artists reedited it to a little over two hours, including dropping the "Happy Endings" number. "Happy Endings" and several other scenes were restored for a 1981 re-release.
What I Don't Like: I know Scorsese was going for a darker version of a musical drama of the 1940's and 50's, but the stylized, obviously fake sets and overwrought romance clash badly with the more realistic on the road sequences and De Niro's explosive performance. Jimmy is such an obnoxious and disagreeable jerk, I frankly wonder why Francine even bothered with him. She was smart to finally ditch him. As cute as "Happy Endings" is, maybe they should have left the movie at two hours. It's way too long, with a thin story drawn out so long, you pretty much stop caring whether or not these two loud, abrasive people are going to stay together in the end or not.
The Big Finale: For all the problems, this is necessary for fans of Minnelli and Scorsese; worth a look for lovers of big band and swing as well.
Home Media: Not on streaming, but the two-disc DVD and Blu-Ray aren't hard to find.
DVD
Blu-Ray
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Funny Lady
Columbia, 1975
Starring Barbra Streisand, Ben Vereen, James Caan, and Omar Sharif
Directed by Herbert Ross
Music by John Kander and others; Lyrics by Fred Ebb and others
Funny Girl proved to be so popular, it prompted one of the very few musical sequels. Streisand had one more film left to make for Girl producer Ray Stark, and it took some convincing, but she finally liked the more mature screenplay. How does the further story of Fanny Brice and her relationship with songwriter, impresario, and con man Billy Rose (Caan) look now? Let's head to New York as the Follies of 1930 is winding down and find out...
The Story: Fanny Brice (Streisand) is facing financial ruin. Ziegfeld is broke and can't get a backer for his next show. Hopeful songwriter and producer Billy Rose (Caan) manages to get a backer by promising his current mistress a role in the show, then convinces Fanny to join after she asks to record his song "More Than You'll Know." Rose, however, has no experience as a producer, keeps firing people, and spends money like water on expensive sets and costumes. The show opens as a major disaster. Fanny finally takes him aside and helps him cut the acts down to their essentials, creating a better showcase for her and fellow star Bert Robbins (Vereen).
Fanny and Billy eventually realize they have a lot in common...including both of them being phonies who can talk their way into and out of anything. Fanny, however, still has feelings for her ex-husband Nicky Arnstein (Sharif), though he's now remarried. She eventually marries Billy, but they do nothing but fight, and he eventually turns to his new star of the spectacular Aquacade Eleanor Holm (Heidi O'Rourke). Fed up with all of the men in her life, she finally comes to the conclusion that she's doing pretty well being a "funny lady" on her own, thanks to her hit Baby Snooks radio show, and divorces him.
The Song and Dance: For all the trouble they had making this film, there's some first-rate songs and performances. Streisand is fine as the tougher, more experienced Brice, especially towards the end, when she realizes that she may like Billy, but she still loves Nicky. Cinematographer James Wong Howe was brought out of retirement to take over filming. He came up with some spectacular work, especially in the "How Lucky Can You Get?" number and "Let's Hear It for Me" finale. It won Oscars for cinematography and the bright, spangled, period-accurate costumes. By far the best part is the first half, where Fanny and Billy are still feeling around each other and we see just how badly Billy's overproduced show goes off the rails.
Favorite Number: Streisand gets to belt the heck out of two great Kander & Ebb numbers, the driving "How Lucky Can You Get?" when she's lost Nicky again, and the big finale on the plane, "Let's Hear It for Me." Ben Vereen gets to show his own stuff in the colorful "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charley" as a whole orchestra of hands push to keep up with his splits and high kicks. Caan sounds surprisingly good on "Me and My Shadow" towards the end.
My favorite number takes a leaf from Fanny and cuts down to the essentials, just showcasing Fanny, Billy, and their increasing feelings about and understanding of each other in another Kander & Ebb song, "I Like Her/I Like Him," sung in counterpoint to the chorus performing Rose's most famous standard, "It's Only a Paper Moon," during the rehearsals.
Trivia: In real life, Fanny didn't have fond memories of either of her husbands after she broke up with them and fully admitted that she had the habit of falling for shifty men. Billy did have the habit of financing overstuffed shows, but they more often than not weren't hits. Crazy Quilt was fictional, but two of his most popular songs, "Great Day" and "More Than You Know," did come from a huge stage flop.
Funny Lady had its own problems. Producer Stark had to threaten to sue Streisand to get her back, and then he ended up doing some major editing to whittle the movie down to a little over two hours. Among the sequences left on the cutting room floor were more numbers with Vereen, Streisand appearing on the radio as Baby Snooks, and and dramatic scenes showing Fanny with her daughter.
What I Don't Like: Funny Lady is as ridiculously overproduced as the first version of Crazy Quilt. The story lurches from sequence to sequence with no rhyme or reason. Vereen is wasted beyond his two numbers; Caan is charming, but otherwise out of place. Like many musicals of this era, it's also way too long...and that hasty editing job shows in the disjointed plot. They probably could have done more trimming with no one the wiser.
The Big Finale: Worth seeing for the numbers alone if you're a fan of Streisand, Brice, or Vereen or really loved Funny Girl.
Home Media: Streaming is your best bet - it's expensive on disc. (I once again watched it for free on the streaming service Crackle.)
DVD
Blu-Ray
Crackle
Starring Barbra Streisand, Ben Vereen, James Caan, and Omar Sharif
Directed by Herbert Ross
Music by John Kander and others; Lyrics by Fred Ebb and others
Funny Girl proved to be so popular, it prompted one of the very few musical sequels. Streisand had one more film left to make for Girl producer Ray Stark, and it took some convincing, but she finally liked the more mature screenplay. How does the further story of Fanny Brice and her relationship with songwriter, impresario, and con man Billy Rose (Caan) look now? Let's head to New York as the Follies of 1930 is winding down and find out...
The Story: Fanny Brice (Streisand) is facing financial ruin. Ziegfeld is broke and can't get a backer for his next show. Hopeful songwriter and producer Billy Rose (Caan) manages to get a backer by promising his current mistress a role in the show, then convinces Fanny to join after she asks to record his song "More Than You'll Know." Rose, however, has no experience as a producer, keeps firing people, and spends money like water on expensive sets and costumes. The show opens as a major disaster. Fanny finally takes him aside and helps him cut the acts down to their essentials, creating a better showcase for her and fellow star Bert Robbins (Vereen).
Fanny and Billy eventually realize they have a lot in common...including both of them being phonies who can talk their way into and out of anything. Fanny, however, still has feelings for her ex-husband Nicky Arnstein (Sharif), though he's now remarried. She eventually marries Billy, but they do nothing but fight, and he eventually turns to his new star of the spectacular Aquacade Eleanor Holm (Heidi O'Rourke). Fed up with all of the men in her life, she finally comes to the conclusion that she's doing pretty well being a "funny lady" on her own, thanks to her hit Baby Snooks radio show, and divorces him.
The Song and Dance: For all the trouble they had making this film, there's some first-rate songs and performances. Streisand is fine as the tougher, more experienced Brice, especially towards the end, when she realizes that she may like Billy, but she still loves Nicky. Cinematographer James Wong Howe was brought out of retirement to take over filming. He came up with some spectacular work, especially in the "How Lucky Can You Get?" number and "Let's Hear It for Me" finale. It won Oscars for cinematography and the bright, spangled, period-accurate costumes. By far the best part is the first half, where Fanny and Billy are still feeling around each other and we see just how badly Billy's overproduced show goes off the rails.
Favorite Number: Streisand gets to belt the heck out of two great Kander & Ebb numbers, the driving "How Lucky Can You Get?" when she's lost Nicky again, and the big finale on the plane, "Let's Hear It for Me." Ben Vereen gets to show his own stuff in the colorful "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charley" as a whole orchestra of hands push to keep up with his splits and high kicks. Caan sounds surprisingly good on "Me and My Shadow" towards the end.
My favorite number takes a leaf from Fanny and cuts down to the essentials, just showcasing Fanny, Billy, and their increasing feelings about and understanding of each other in another Kander & Ebb song, "I Like Her/I Like Him," sung in counterpoint to the chorus performing Rose's most famous standard, "It's Only a Paper Moon," during the rehearsals.
Trivia: In real life, Fanny didn't have fond memories of either of her husbands after she broke up with them and fully admitted that she had the habit of falling for shifty men. Billy did have the habit of financing overstuffed shows, but they more often than not weren't hits. Crazy Quilt was fictional, but two of his most popular songs, "Great Day" and "More Than You Know," did come from a huge stage flop.
Funny Lady had its own problems. Producer Stark had to threaten to sue Streisand to get her back, and then he ended up doing some major editing to whittle the movie down to a little over two hours. Among the sequences left on the cutting room floor were more numbers with Vereen, Streisand appearing on the radio as Baby Snooks, and and dramatic scenes showing Fanny with her daughter.
What I Don't Like: Funny Lady is as ridiculously overproduced as the first version of Crazy Quilt. The story lurches from sequence to sequence with no rhyme or reason. Vereen is wasted beyond his two numbers; Caan is charming, but otherwise out of place. Like many musicals of this era, it's also way too long...and that hasty editing job shows in the disjointed plot. They probably could have done more trimming with no one the wiser.
The Big Finale: Worth seeing for the numbers alone if you're a fan of Streisand, Brice, or Vereen or really loved Funny Girl.
Home Media: Streaming is your best bet - it's expensive on disc. (I once again watched it for free on the streaming service Crackle.)
DVD
Blu-Ray
Crackle
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Family Fun Saturday - Lady and the Tramp (2019)
Disney, 2019
Starring Tessa Thompson, Justin Theroux, Thomas Mann, and Kiersey Clemmons
Directed by Charlie Bean
Music and Lyrics by Sonny Burke, Peggy Lee, Jannelle Monae, and others
With the success of their big-screen remakes, Disney's now bringing the idea to the small and portable screens. How does their first made-for-streaming film stack up against the original and similar offerings on Netflix and elsewhere? Let's return to small-town America in the early 1910's and find out...
The Story: Lady (Thompson) is a Christmas present from "Jim Dear" (Mann) to his wife "Darling" (Clemmons). She's eventually adored by them and by the dogs on either side of her, former police hound Trusty (Sam Elliott) and Scottish terrier and artist's model Jock (Ashley Jensen). The cocker spaniel is baffled when Darling becomes pregnant, and she and Jim Dear seem to pay more attention to their new baby than her. Scruffy street dog Tramp (Theroux) insists this is how things will always be for her now. His words seem to be confirmed when grouchy Aunt Sarah (Yvette Nicole Brown) comes with her naughty cats to take care of her. She automatically believes that she caused the trouble that the cats did and has her muzzled. Tramp frees her and takes her to his favorite Italian restaurant, only to lose her to the determined dog catcher Elliot (Adrian Martinez).
She's delighted when Darling and Jim Dear not only rescue her from the pound, but send Aunt Sarah on her way. Lady is now a real part of the family, but she can't forget Tramp. He may be the only one who can save the baby when a rat gets in and Jim Dear thinks Lady's just barking at strays...and Lady may be the only one who can save Tramp from the dog catcher.
The Animation: The CGI here looks slightly better than it did in the other Disney movie from last year featuring photorealistic animals characters, The Lion King. They're still not terribly expressive, but they're a little less uncanny and a little more interesting. Maybe the live-action backgrounds help take your eyes off how lacking in expression they are, especially compared to the original.
The Song and Dance: I have to admit, I like some of the changes they made to the plot. One of the few things that annoyed me about the original was Aunt Sarah never got punished or scolded for the way she treated Lady; that's dealt with here. They also finished Peg and Bull's story; in the original, they disappear after the "He's a Tramp" number, and we never find out what happened to them or if they ever got out of the pound. Aunt Sarah's naughty kitties are now Devon Rexes, a cat breed that are as slender as Siamese, but lack the racist connotations. F. Murray Abraham as Tony still has an Italian accent, but it's now less cartoony and more like the way a real Italian man would have spoken in 1910.
Favorite Number: "He's a Tramp" is built into the closest thing this has to a big chorus number, complete with new lyrics by its performer, Jannelle Monae. Clemmons sings a really lovely "La La Lu" with Mann as they spend time with their new baby...and shut Lady out. "Belle Notte" is almost as gorgeous as the original, and I had no idea F. Murray Abraham was such a good singer.
What I Don't Like: For all that they changed, there's just as much that doesn't work. Elliott's vendetta against one dog comes off as ridiculous. Tramp may be a stray, but he's still just a dog. The cats' number "What a Shame" may be less offensive for most modern viewers than "The Siamese Cat Song," but it's also not as memorable as the original numbers. Nor are the new lyrics for "He's a Tramp" any better than the originals. The story's been rearranged, and some of the historical details fudged, especially the electric lights on the tree and house in the beginning and end.
But once again...and everyone keeps saying this...the story still lacks the heart of the original. Disney can try as much as they want, but they just can't seem to recreate the simple spark that made these animated films so popular to begin with.
The Big Finale: Taken on its own, this is an enjoyable little romantic comedy with some surprisingly decent animation and a fairly good cast for an online offering.
Home Media: It was created as one of the inaugural offerings for the new Disney Plus streaming service and at press time can only be found there.
Disney Plus
Starring Tessa Thompson, Justin Theroux, Thomas Mann, and Kiersey Clemmons
Directed by Charlie Bean
Music and Lyrics by Sonny Burke, Peggy Lee, Jannelle Monae, and others
With the success of their big-screen remakes, Disney's now bringing the idea to the small and portable screens. How does their first made-for-streaming film stack up against the original and similar offerings on Netflix and elsewhere? Let's return to small-town America in the early 1910's and find out...
The Story: Lady (Thompson) is a Christmas present from "Jim Dear" (Mann) to his wife "Darling" (Clemmons). She's eventually adored by them and by the dogs on either side of her, former police hound Trusty (Sam Elliott) and Scottish terrier and artist's model Jock (Ashley Jensen). The cocker spaniel is baffled when Darling becomes pregnant, and she and Jim Dear seem to pay more attention to their new baby than her. Scruffy street dog Tramp (Theroux) insists this is how things will always be for her now. His words seem to be confirmed when grouchy Aunt Sarah (Yvette Nicole Brown) comes with her naughty cats to take care of her. She automatically believes that she caused the trouble that the cats did and has her muzzled. Tramp frees her and takes her to his favorite Italian restaurant, only to lose her to the determined dog catcher Elliot (Adrian Martinez).
She's delighted when Darling and Jim Dear not only rescue her from the pound, but send Aunt Sarah on her way. Lady is now a real part of the family, but she can't forget Tramp. He may be the only one who can save the baby when a rat gets in and Jim Dear thinks Lady's just barking at strays...and Lady may be the only one who can save Tramp from the dog catcher.
The Animation: The CGI here looks slightly better than it did in the other Disney movie from last year featuring photorealistic animals characters, The Lion King. They're still not terribly expressive, but they're a little less uncanny and a little more interesting. Maybe the live-action backgrounds help take your eyes off how lacking in expression they are, especially compared to the original.
The Song and Dance: I have to admit, I like some of the changes they made to the plot. One of the few things that annoyed me about the original was Aunt Sarah never got punished or scolded for the way she treated Lady; that's dealt with here. They also finished Peg and Bull's story; in the original, they disappear after the "He's a Tramp" number, and we never find out what happened to them or if they ever got out of the pound. Aunt Sarah's naughty kitties are now Devon Rexes, a cat breed that are as slender as Siamese, but lack the racist connotations. F. Murray Abraham as Tony still has an Italian accent, but it's now less cartoony and more like the way a real Italian man would have spoken in 1910.
Favorite Number: "He's a Tramp" is built into the closest thing this has to a big chorus number, complete with new lyrics by its performer, Jannelle Monae. Clemmons sings a really lovely "La La Lu" with Mann as they spend time with their new baby...and shut Lady out. "Belle Notte" is almost as gorgeous as the original, and I had no idea F. Murray Abraham was such a good singer.
What I Don't Like: For all that they changed, there's just as much that doesn't work. Elliott's vendetta against one dog comes off as ridiculous. Tramp may be a stray, but he's still just a dog. The cats' number "What a Shame" may be less offensive for most modern viewers than "The Siamese Cat Song," but it's also not as memorable as the original numbers. Nor are the new lyrics for "He's a Tramp" any better than the originals. The story's been rearranged, and some of the historical details fudged, especially the electric lights on the tree and house in the beginning and end.
But once again...and everyone keeps saying this...the story still lacks the heart of the original. Disney can try as much as they want, but they just can't seem to recreate the simple spark that made these animated films so popular to begin with.
The Big Finale: Taken on its own, this is an enjoyable little romantic comedy with some surprisingly decent animation and a fairly good cast for an online offering.
Home Media: It was created as one of the inaugural offerings for the new Disney Plus streaming service and at press time can only be found there.
Disney Plus
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)