Animation Celebration Saturday - The Thief and the Cobbler (Arabian Knight)

Miramax, 1995
Voices of Matthew Broderick, Jennifer Beals, Vincent Price, and Johnathan Winters
Directed by Richard Williams and others
Music by Robert Folk; Lyrics by Norman Gimbel

Richard Williams had one overwhelming desire - to create an independent animated film that had all the elegance and artistry of the big studios. He threw his heart into this movie for 30 years, taking other jobs like Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure and the animated portions of Who Framed Roger Rabbit to support its production, until it was finally taken out of his hands in 1992 and handed to others. How does the version of this much-maligned film that Miramax released to theaters in 1995 hold up today? Let's begin in old Baghdad as Tack the Cobbler (Broderick) tells us his story and find out...

The Story: Tack is a poor but kind cobbler who lives in the city, along with a nameless thief (Winters) who will take anything that's not nailed down (and probably a few things that are). One day, after getting tangled with the Thief, he accidentally drops a tack just as the Grand Vizier ZigZag (Price) is walking to the palace. ZigZag angrily arrests Tack and brings him to the castle to be imprisoned. Lovely and spirited Princess Yum Yum (Beals) takes a liking to Tack and lets him fix her shoe to keep him out of jail. ZigZag tosses him there anyway once the shoe is repaired.

Meanwhile, the Thief has his eyes on the golden balls on top of the palace's minarets. He has no idea that the balls are there to keep the terrible One-Eye monsters from invading Baghdad. After he steals them, they fall into the hands of ZigZag and his minions, who turn them over to the One-Eyes. King Nod (Clive Revill), Yum Yum's sleepy father, is horrified that his dream of the destruction of the city may now come true. Yum Yum, Tack, and her aging nurse (Toni Collette) head to the home of a witch (Collette) who may be able to help them. She tells them of the prophecy that tells of the smallest item being able to do the most damage...something as small as a tack...

The Animation: As you can guess from the lengthy and varied production, it's all over the map. The black and white 3-D sequences of characters running across halls or sliding down staircases are truly dazzling and dizzying...even more so for being made by hand, without the use of a computer. The color sequences directed by Fred Calvert and his team may be brighter, but they also show far less fluidity and imagination.

The Song and Dance: It's too bad Williams was never able to finish this one the way he intended. What exists now is a charming fairy tale with a few minutes of truly amazing artwork. I like Princess Yum Yum's spunk - she's the one who takes charge of the expedition to the witch and who recruits a group of layabout guards on the borders as her bodyguards. Vincent Price has a blast as nasty ZigZag, too, and Winters occasionally gets a few funny lines and some nifty gags as the thief who is determined to steal anything and everything, including golden balls on the top of a tower.

Favorite Number: Yum Yum wonders why she can't do more for her people in her "I want" song in the palace, "She Is More." "Bom Bom Beem Bom (That's What Happens When You Don't Go to School)" is a catchy chorus ditty that explains who the guards are and why they're working all the way out in the middle of nowhere.

Trivia: The story of this film's production and how Williams lost his magnum opus is far more complicated than I can relate here. I recommend the Wikipedia page on Thief and the Cobbler or the documentary Persistence of Vision if you want to learn more about the movie's complicated and troubled creation.

What I Don't Like: First of all, as funny as Winters can be at times, neither his dialogue nor Broderick's narration are necessary. The Thief was originally intended to be a silent character, and I suspect it would have worked better to let his gags speak for themselves. The songs aren't terribly memorable, especially the two love duets for Yum Yum and Tack. (The big romantic ballad "Am I Feeling Love" is so dull, the pop version is cut off by a reprise of "Bom Bom Beem Bom" before the credits end.)

Second, I really wish they'd let Williams finish, even if he did go over budget. Not only would the animation have been better, but the story might have made less sense. Miramax chopped a ton out of this to make it more family-friendly, including the death of One-Eye, the sequences with his slave girls, and a lot of the visit to the witch and the climatic battle. There was also supposed to be more of the thief, including a subplot involving him stealing an emerald.

It's entirely too easy to tell how long this was in production. The animation reminds me of the scratchy lines and geometric shapes and bright colors of cartoons in the 60's, but the music, sound effects, and voice acting are strictly 90's.

The Big Finale: Slightly better than I thought it would be, given it's reputation. From the comments on YouTube, this version seems to have a lot of fans who grew up watching the video in the late 90's. It's still only recommended for major fans of those viewings, the stars, or Williams and his work.

Home Media: The Miramax version is out of print and astronomically expensive on DVD. YouTube is currently your best bet for this and for "The Recobbled Cut" that fans made to get closer to Williams' original vision.

DVD
YouTube
YouTube - The Recobbled Cut

Cult Flops - Carefree

RKO, 1938
Starring Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Ralph Bellamy, and Luella Gear
Directed by Mark Sandrich
Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin

By the late 30's, Rogers had become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, as adept with drama as she was with comedy. This began to seep into her vehicles with Astaire in this screwball comedy about a psychiatrist who tries to convince a woman she isn't in love with him, then changes her mind back when he realizes that he loves her. How does this screwball comedy work out? Let's begin just outside of the office of psychoanalyst Dr. Tony Flagg (Astaire) as he's talking to one of his patients and find out...

The Story: Stephan Arden (Bellamy) has been drinking because his singer girlfriend Amanda Cooper (Rogers) keeps breaking their engagement. He enlists his psychiatrist Tony to try to get her to agree to marry him. Tony finally gets her to eat a huge meal and dream...but her dream is about dancing with Tony. Horrified when she realizes she's fallen in love with him, she makes up a wild dream instead that makes Tony and his colleague Dr. Powers (Walter Kingston) believe she got enough psychiatric problems to fill a mental institution. Tony gives her drugs to make her act on her impulses...which leads to her breaking windows, kicking cops, and insulting her sponsor on the air.

At a party the next evening, Amanda gets Tony to dance with her, but she can't get him to see her as more than a patient. When he does realize she's fallen for him, he hypnotizes her to believe she loves Stephan and hates him. Trouble is, now he's in love with her. Tony and his nurse Tom (Jack Carson) have to figure out how to stop Amanda and Stephan's wedding, before she marries the wrong man.

The Song and Dance: Rogers has a great deal of fun as the seeming sensible young woman who is really looking for someone a lot more elegant than her overbearing fiancee. She's especially fun after she's been drugged and has let go of her inhibitions. The look on her face when she kicks the cop is priceless. Luella Gear and Clarence Kolb have their own fun as Amanda's sassy aunt who helps pair Tony with her niece and the judge flummoxed by all the lunacy.

Favorite Number: Fred and Ginger get their first on-screen kiss in Amanda's dream world, dancing through their fantasies in "I Used to Be Color Blind." Tony does some fancy golf moves to show off in front of Amanda in "Since They Turned Loch Lomond to Swing." "The Yam" is the big Fred-Ginger dance number with the chorus as Amanda tries to get together with Fred at the party. Tony brings Amanda out to hypnotize her again and get her to "Change Partners" in a duet the night before the wedding.

Trivia: Fred filmed the "Loch Lomond" number three weeks before the rest of the movie began shooting.

"Change Partners" was nominated for an Oscar.

The film was a minor flop at the box office in 1938 and became the first Astaire-Rogers film to lose money.

What I Don't Like: "Change Partners" aside, the score isn't one of Irving Berlin's better ones. Even Fred Astaire thought "The Yam" was silly, which is why Ginger Rogers sings it. I wish RKO filmed "Color Blind" in color, like they'd originally planned. It would have added to the number being "just a dream" and went along with the lyrics.

Psychoanalysis has long been controversial, leaving Tony's theories and claims about Amanda's behavior sounding like so much gobblety-gook today. Neither Tony nor Stephan particularly treat Amanda that well. Tony claiming he's in love with her seems a little sudden, considering he's spent the movie ignoring her other than as a test subject.

The Big Finale: Despite some good numbers, this is mainly for big Astaire/Rogers fans and fans of 30's comedy or musicals.

Home Media: Easily found on DVD from the Warner Archives and as part of several Astaire and Rogers sets.

DVD
DVD - Silver Screen Icons: Astaire & Rogers Vol. 1

In Person

RKO, 1935
Starring Ginger Rogers, George Brent, Alan Mowbray, and Grant Mitchell
Directed by William A. Seiter and James Anderson
Music by Oscar Levant; Lyrics by Dorothy Fields

By 1935, Ginger Rogers was popular enough to appear in musicals without Fred Astaire or the Busby Berkeley-Warners crew. This romantic comedy with music tested the waters with non-singing George Brent playing alongside Rogers as a neurotic movie star to see if she could, indeed, carry a film. How well doe she do? Let's head to a hotel in San Francisco, where bird enthusiast Emery Muir (Brent) is getting on a crowded elevator with a mysterious veiled woman, and find out...

The Story: The mystery woman is Carol Corliss (Rogers), a movie star who is hiding from her fans after a mob nearly trampled her. Emery saves her from another crowd after she faints and accompanies her to her hotel. He convinces her psychiatrist Dr. Sylvester (Samuel S. Hinds) and Sylvester's friend Judge Parks (Mitchell) to let him take her out to a remote cabin in the mountains to work her fears out there. He makes her clean and cook for him as he goes out and fishes. She resents him at first, until she begins to realize that she likes the simple life. Trouble is, her fussy costar Jay Holmes (Mowbray) wants her back on the set, and the local hillbillies are convinced that there's salacious things going on between those unmarried folks in that cabin!

The Song and Dance: Sweet and simple romance gives Rogers a chance to really shine. She gets to play (mild) drama when she's overwhelmed by the crowds in the beginning and getting between her two beaus towards the end. She shows herself to be an adept comedienne during the scene when she's trying to make the ancient stove at the cabin work, and even does two great tap routines. Brent ably abets her as the tough guy who isn't going to put up with either her glamour-girl image or her hiding forever.

Favorite Number: We don't get our first actual number until more than half-way in, but it's the peppy "Got a New Lease On Life." Carol sings and dances along with her recording on the radio to convince Emery she's the real star. The sole large-scale production number is "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" near end. Carol's filming her next big movie in a bizarre number where she taps while literally holding strings around the male chorus.

What I Don't Like: The whole movie is pretty cliched. If you've seen other romantic comedies (then and now), you probably have some idea of how it'll all work out. This is also a pretty low-key movie, and barely a musical. It's not the place for people looking for big Astaire-Rogers dance routines or elaborate Berkeley spectacles.

The Big Finale: If you love Rogers or small-scale romantic comedies, you may want to check this one out "in person" as well.

Home Media: The Warner Archives finally released it on DVD in late July.

DVD

Animation Celebration Saturday - Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure

20th Century Fox, 1977
Voices of Didi Conn, Mark Baker, George S. Irving, and Fred Stuthman
Directed by Richard Williams
Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo

Richard Williams was an animator with a major ambition - to complete his own magnum opus away from studio interference, The Thief and the Cobbler. In order to fund his constant and complicated work on this project, he did other cartoons and movies on the side like this one. The beloved doll and book character Raggedy Ann appeared in a few Paramount cartoons in the 1940's, but this would be the first time she and her brother Andy headlined a feature film. How does this early musical toy story look today? Let's start as the dolls' owner Marcella (Claire Williams) gets off the school bus with her favorite rag doll and find out...

The Story: Ann (Conn) is happy to live in the nursery with the other dolls and her pugnacious brother Andy (Baker), and she adores Marcella. On her seventh birthday, Marcella opens a beautiful new French doll named Babette (Niki Flacks). Spoiled Babette not only doesn't believe she's a toy, but she desperately wants to return to Paris. Snow globe resident Captain Contagious (Irving) is smitten and kidnaps her after he convinces Ann and the others to let him and his boat out of the ball. Ann and Andy venture into the Deep Dark Woods to find them and run into the Camel With the Wrinkled Knees (Stuthman), who is looking for a home. Even with his help, they have to make their way past some pretty bizarre characters to track the pirate and the French doll down.

The Animation: Pretty darn good for the time. The second half, when the characters are trying to out-run the Greedy, the Loonies, and the pirates, look downright amazing at times. The sequence in Loonieland with Ann, Andy, and the Camel sliding down an endless staircase is well-done enough to make people who are prone to motion sickness feel queasy.

The Song and Dance: "Song" is the operative word. Raposo's tunes and the quality animation carry the day, even when the story and characters go off the rails. There's always something neat to look at, from the unique designs of Ann's friends in the nursery to the Greedy's flowing, sticky home, to the wild geometric aesthetic in Loonieland. Some of the music is quite lovely, too. "Blue" turned up on The Muppet Show in 1978, and Didi Conn reprised "Home" in Shining Time Station in the 90's.

Favorite Number: Ann tells the other dolls about her adventures outside with Marcella in the sunshiny "I Look, and What Do I See?" Andy, tired of being squashed and tossed around, defiantly insists that he's "No Girl's Toy" in his acrobatic routine. The catchy "Rag Dolly" has Ann and the other nursery residents explaining their home and who they are to an unimpressed Babette.  Ann and Andy declare their affectionate feelings for each other (maybe a tad too affectionate for a brother and sister) in the sweet ballad "Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers." The Camel With the Wrinkled Knees laments about his homeless status in the country-flavored "Blue." The Greedy eats himself and everything around him, even as he tells the doll trio that "I Can Never Get Enough."

Trivia: This appeared twice on the stage in the early 80's. The first version has never made Broadway, but can occasionally be seen on community stages. The second was much darker (it apparently involved the dolls trying to help a dying Marcella) and barely lasted five performances on Broadway in 1986. Neither used much of the original story or songs.

What I Don't Like: I remember seeing this on The Disney Channel in the late 80's and thinking it was pretty darn weird, especially for something involving rag dolls and wrinkled stuffed camels. I still think it's one of the strangest animated musicals out there. The characters are either dull (the Raggedys), obnoxious (Babette, the Loonies), or too bizarre for words (the Greedy, those creepy twin dolls with the squeaky voices in the nursery). The first half of the film has some charm, but as soon as the Raggedys head into the woods, it feels like they're barely in their own vehicle. They're more reacting to the weirdness than actively doing anything. They don't even save everyone in the end - that honor goes to the Captain's parrot. The ending is less an ending and more "we're running out of time, let's just throw the dolls back into live action and wrap this up quickly."

The Big Finale: It's too strange to be for everyone, but those who love Raggedy Ann or Williams or Raposo's work may want to check it out.

Home Media: For some reason, it was never released on DVD. The only place you can currently see it is VHS and on YouTube.

YouTube

Cult Flops - Small Town Girl

MGM, 1953
Starring Jane Powell, Farley Granger, Ann Miller, and Bobby Van
Directed by Laszlo Kardos
Music by Nicholas Brodszky; Lyrics by Leo Robin

Summer Stock wasn't the only small-town, country-fied musical MGM made in the 1950's. This one takes us off the farm and onto Main Street, where wealthy New Yorker cynicism clashes with old-fashioned country values. How does this fish-out-of-water story look today? Let's start with Cindy Kimbell (Powell) and her family as they head off to church and find out...

The Story: Church services are disrupted by a car speeding through the tiny town of Duck Creek. Playboy Rick Livingston (Granger) was trying to get back to New York in time for his Broadway star girlfriend Lisa's (Miller) birthday. The town judge (Robert Keith) sentences him to 28 days in jail and community service. He's disdainful of the tiny hamlet and its straightforward residents, until he meets the judge's pretty and talented daughter Cindy. He persuades her to let him go for a night to celebrate his "dear mother's" (Billie Burke) birthday." In the course of the evening, they end up falling for each other. Not only does that scandalize the small town, but it sends local department store owner Mr. Schlemmer (S.K Sakall) into a panic. He wants to push his son Ludwig (Van) into marrying Cindy, but Ludwig has an eye on a career on the stage, not marriage.

The Song and Dance: It's all about the classic numbers here. Van and Miller are having the most fun as the talented kid with stars in his eyes and the me-first star who sees Rick as her ticket to easy street. Powell makes a funny and charming small-town sweetheart, almost making us believe she can be both smart and naive enough to let a jailed man out on a whim, and SK Sakall has a great time as Ludvig's pushy father.

Favorite Number: Powell sings the opening number in church "The Lullaby of the Lord" that's disrupted by Rick's speeding. "My Flaming Heart," the lovely ballad performed by Nat King Cole at a club in New York, was nominated for an Oscar. Ludwig, Cindy, and the girls' chorus spoof old-fashioned small-town courtship in "Fine, Fine, Fine" at the box social. Van dances in a tuxedo for passers-by at his father's store, hoping that Rick will "Take Me to Broadway."

The movie is best-known today for two genuinely nifty numbers. Busby Berkeley created the very original "I've Got to Hear That Beat" for Ann Miller, who taps her way around hands in the floor playing instruments. Listen to the song; every time Miller dances around an instrument, it takes the lead. Van's "Jumping Song" has him so happy he doesn't have to marry Cindy, he hops all over everything and everyone in town.

Trivia: Country star Hank Williams was originally going to play the sheriff, but died before filming began.

What I Don't Like: The country mouse-city mouse story is as old as the hills. The small-town setting feels less real and more like a Hollywood idea of a small country town, with the box socials and local department stores that were just starting to go out of fashion in the suburban 50's. Powell's solo "Small Towns are Smile Towns," sung to show Rick why she loves her home, is corny to the point of being ridiculous. Granger's less charming than smarmy; you almost wish Cindy had just let him rot in jail, no matter who's birthday it is.

The Big Finale: Cliched plot aside, it still deserved a lot better than it got at the box office in 1953. If' you're a fan of Powell, Van, Miller, or the MGM musicals of the 1940's and 50's, you're going to want to slow down for this one.

Home Media: On streaming and DVD, the latter from the Warner Archives.

DVD
Amazon Prime

Summer Stock

MGM, 1950
Starring Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Eddie Bracken, and Gloria DeHaven
Directed by Charles Walters
Music by various

In the late 30's and early 40's, Judy Garland made four movies with her friend Mickey Rooney that had them as teenagers putting on shows in their backyards, barns, or old local theater. Hoping to recreate some of that magic, MGM wanted to put Judy and Mickey back together in a film that had them as a farmer who has to deal with a director who wants his theater troupe to perform in her barn. By 1950, Rooney was no longer a major star, and he was replaced with the far more popular Kelly. How do they work in their last film together? Let's head to Farraday Farm, as proprietor Jane Farraday (Garland) starts her work day, and find out...

The Story: Jane is in dire straits. The farm hasn't produced a good crop in three years, and it's facing foreclosure. She implores banker Jasper Wingnail (Ray Collins) and his son Orville (Bracken) to give her a tractor so she can get her work done faster. Even as she brings it home, she finds that her flighty sister Abigail (DeHaven) has returned with her acting troupe and their musical. In exchange for letting them use the barn to put on their show, Jane has them do chores around the farm. They aren't very good, and everyone in the community, including the Wingnails, is leery of them.

Jane, however, eventually realizes she enjoys singing and dancing and is fascinated by watching them work. Joe not only falls for her, but he's tired of spoiled Abigail who insists on prima donna treatment. Jane's tired of put-upon Orville, but marrying him may be the only way she can save her farm...

The Song and Dance: For all the trouble they had getting it together, they came up with a charming tale that has some terrific numbers. Kelly and Garland show all the off-the-charts chemistry that made For Me and My Gal and The Pirate so special. Bracken also has a few good gags as Jane's meek suitor who is totally dominated by his blustery father, as does Marjorie Main as Garland's devoted housekeeper. I like that the farm setting is fairly novel as well. Most of those "barnyard" musicals weren't set on actual farms.

 Favorite Number: Garland opens the film by showing us her daily morning routine, from showering to putting on her shoes (and shows Jane's independent nature), in "If You Feel Like Singing, Sing." She greets passer-by with the first version of "Howdy Neighbor" as she drives along in that coveted tractor. Kelly and Phil Silvers as the second-in-command of the troupe convince the actors to "Dig Dig Dig for Your Dinner" in the kitchen and help Jane out. "Portland Fancy" is the real New England folk dance performed by the locals at a town dance; Kelly, Garland, and the performing troupe barge in to jazz up the proceedings. Kelly gets a classic solo dancing on a squeaky floor and part of an old newspaper that really shows off his amazing dexterity.

By far the most famous number from this one is "Get Happy." Garland performs it in the top half of a tuxedo, with the male chorus in tuxes and a pale pink sunset backdrop. It's pretty obvious this one was filmed long after shooting ended. She's not only noticeably thinner than in the rest of the film, but has three times more vitality and energy, too.

Trivia: This would be Garland's last movie with Kelly and for MGM. She and MGM parted by mutual consent after she was fired from Royal Wedding.

What I Don't Like: For all her chemistry with Kelly, Garland is obviously tired elsewhere, especially the non-musical scenes. DeHaven is a bit bland as the sister who supposedly has enough ambition and spunk to run off and join a theatrical troupe. And yeah, the story is pretty cliche when you get past the unusual farm setting, and not always kind to country residents.

The Big Finale: A lovely end to Garland and Kelly's partnership. If you're a fan of them or the big Technicolor MGM musicals of the 40's and 50's, you'll really enjoy this one.

Home Media: Easy to find in all formats. The DVD and Blu-Ray were released by the Warner Archives.

DVD
Blu-Ray
Amazon Prime

Musicals On TV - Teen Beach 2

Disney, 2015
Starring Maia Mitchell, Ross Lynch, Grace Phipps, and Garrett Clayton
Directed by Jeffrey Hornaday
Music by various

The phenomenal success of Teen Beach Movie  practically guaranteed it a sequel. This one did even better with audiences, winding up as the biggest hit Disney Channel Original Film since the first one. Were critics right that this one loses at lot of that peppy Beach Party charm, or is it still all fun and waves for this franchise? Let's head to the beach on the last day of summer with Mack (Mitchell) and Brady (Lynch) and find out...

The Story: Mack and Brady are excited to be starting school, but they have a difficult time continuing their relationship when Mack throws herself into extracurricular activities and Brady can't bring himself to tell Mack about his hobby building surfboards. To their shock, Lela (Phipps) and Tanner (Clayton) from Wet Side Story appear on the beach after having followed them back. The duo absolutely adore the real world, especially Lela, who feels like she's finally discovering her true potential. Things aren't going as well in Wet Side Story. The characters have no reason to exist without Lela and Tanner bringing them together and are disappearing. Mack and Brady have to convince Lela and Tanner to return to their own world, before the movie and both of their romances vanish all together.

The Song and Dance: The plot here is a bit more convoluted, but Mitchell and Lynch do just as well as the two kids whose summer romance may end up evaporating with the change in the calendar. Phipps gets top honors as the biker chick who comes into her own and discovers that her feelings and abilities matter just as much as the guys'.

Favorite Number: The big opening number is "Best Summer Ever," as the kids at school and in Wet Side Story perform some high stepping moves to announce the end of summer and beginning of the school year. Lela and Tanner think that 2015 is "Right Where I Want to Be" as they reveal how much they love the modern world, despite it being clear that they don't fit in. They even encourage the grumpy kids in the cafeteria to "Twist Your Frown Upside Down." Brady, Mack, and their friends use wacky props and backdrops to convince Lela and Tanner that they belong on the "Silver Screen." It ends with "That's How We Do It," as Mack and Brady and Lela and Tanner reunite and everyone celebrates the newly-revamped beach party movie.

What I Don't Like: Despite some decent numbers, watching Lela try to bring out her feminist side and Mack and Brady's relationship woes isn't quite as fun or as charming as them ending up in the world of Wet Side Story. Frankly, the story gets a little too complicated for its own good, especially towards the end, when they try to send the movie kids back a second time. It also loses a lot of the spoofing of musical cliches that made the first movie so darn funny.

There's a few continuity bobbles, too. In the credits for Teen Beach Movie, we clearly see the entire Wet Side Story cast walk out of the surf and squeal over a local kid's cell phone. Here, though, Tanner and Lela come first, and we don't see the others in the modern world until almost half-way through.

The Big Finale: These may be my favorite Disney Channel original musicals to date. It's not as much fun as the first film, but it's still recommended for fans of beach party movies, musicals, or families with kids in the appropriate 8 to 14 target range.

Home Media: As with the first film, easy to find on DVD and streaming.

DVD
Amazon Prime