From its opening, marrying classical screen musical tropes and modern times, Chazelle’s film proves that not only is the big screen musical still alive, it is in fact a vibrant event. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling star as two Hollywood dreamers, Mia and Sebastian. She’s an aspiring actress, he’s a jazz pianist who dreams of…
Tag: musical
Uncovered – Queen & Bowie
Last night I had the good fortune of attending the closing night performance of Acting Up Stage’s annual Uncovered show. This year, an impressive assembly of Canadian talent performed selections from the musical libraries of David Bowie and Queen, and included a pair of actors who basically channelled the ghosts of Bowie and Freddie Mercury…
Toronto After Dark 2016: The Lure -Agnieszka Smoczynska
The last night of the Toronto After Dark film festival got underway at Scotiabank Theatre with the Polish musical/drama/horror The Lure. Taking its cues from the original Hans Christian Anderson tale, The Little Mermaid, as well as playing with mermaid mythology this one toys with expectations, sexuality and strange lyrics in a kind of fevered…
An American in Paris (1951) – Vincente Minnelli
Gene Kelly singing and dancing to the music of George and Ira Gershwin, sounds perfect and entertaining. And this Best Picture winner is definitely entertaining, and my next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for my screening of Singin’ in the Rain. I feel bad, because I know this…
Anchors Aweigh (1945) – George Sidney
Frank Sinatra joins Gene Kelly in this recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of Singin’ in the Rain. The two crooners star as naval officers Clarence Doolittle (Sinatra) and Joseph Brady (Kelly). They arrive in Los Angeles, having been decorated for their service on a four…
Quantum Leap (1989) – Catch a Falling Star and A Portrait for Troian
Sam (Scott Bakula) leaps into the body of Ray Hutton, the understudy in a musical production of Man of La Mancha in Catch a Falling Star. This episode was written by Paul Brown, aired on 6 December, 1989 and was directed by Bellisario, himself. This one introduced me to the musical of La Mancha, as…
*batteries not included (1987) – Matthew Robbins
The Sci-Fi Chronicles book brings me to the next stop on my continued exploration of the genre, and this time around I’m checking in with Steven Spielberg. I’ve covered some of his other films prior to this, and it also gives a few he served as executive producer on, including this film from ’87…
Monty Python’s The Life of Brian (1979) – Terry Jones
I was looking forward to this recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for my screening of The Ten Commandments; the gang from Monty Python taking on religion. Brian (Graham Chapman) was born on the same day as Jesus, just in the stable next door, and consequently, spends his life…
Ziegfeld Follies (1945) – Lemuel Ayers, Roy Del Ruth, Robert Lewis, Vincente Minnelli, George Sidney, Merrill Pye and Charles Walters
An all-star cast including William Powell as the legendary Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. bring this showcase musical to life. Being a recommended title from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for my screening of Top Hat, I was ready to dive into it, but had no idea the epic size of the…
Magnum, p.i. (1984) – The Return of Luther Gillis and Let the Punishment Fit the Crime
Luther Gillis (Eugene Roche) is back in Hawaii in The Return of Luther Gillis, written by Reuben Leder, with an original air date of 16 February, 1984. In the town of St. Louis, Luther Gillis earns his living as a hard-boiled detective, but when he gets an invite to go back to Hawaii to…
The Mind Reels 