Oct 8

Oct 8 Rocky Horror Picture Show – How it “Touch-a-Touch-a-Touch-a-Touched Me”

Music That Makes Me Dance, Stage To Screen, Cinematters

When I was about 16, I was at Blockbuster Video (Remember that place?) and I decided to rent a movie. Halloween was coming and I wanted a horror film. Without looking too closely, I saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show on the “Staff Picks” shelf and said, “Oh, I’ve never seen this horror film”. So, I grabbed it and rented it without reading the back of the box (A mistake I often make when I am in a hurry that can also be my Achilles heel when reading directions). I went home, popped some popcorn and settled down to be properly frightened.

You all know my surprise.

Sep 15

Sep 15 Recycled Magic: Has Disney Run Out of Ideas?

Mark Robinson

Stage To Screen, Cinematters, Second Star to the Right

It was recently announced that Disney Studios will make a new Mary Poppins film musical, one that tells the further adventures of the Banks family with the titular nanny, some twenty-years after the original stories. Hairspray and Bombshell composing team of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman are on board to provide music and Rob Marshall, director of Disney’s film adaptation of Into the Woods is set to direct. In recent years it has been de riguer for the House of Mouse to make live action versions or adaptations of films they have already made: Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, and Maleficent come to mind, as do the forthcoming Beauty and the Beast and The Jungle Book. This is not to say that I am opposed to “new” Mary Poppins film musical, but isn’t it starting to feel that a lack on ingenuity and creativity is resulting in audience being served up a lot of reheated properties?

Sep 2

Sep 2 Streisand, Gypsy and Does This Need to Happen?

Mark Robinson

Music That Makes Me Dance, Stage To Screen, Cinematters

The word is out there that a Barbra Streisand film version of Gypsy is very close to getting the green light. It has been several years since this idea was first introduced to musical enthusiasts, and many have waited with bated breath to see if it will really happen. On again and off again, rinse and repeat, I think we have all resigned ourselves to believe that it MIGHT happen. How is that for definitive?

Aug 19

Aug 19 Top-Ten Underappreciated Movie Musicals

Mark Robinson

Stage To Screen, Music That Makes Me Dance, Cinematters

Most of us who love musical theatre cultivated our appreciation for musical storytelling by watching old Hollywood musicals. Let's face it: seeing a Broadway show is expensive and we had to get our song and dance fix somewhere. So, though we prefer live theatre, we found solace in the worlds of MGM, Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, and Gene Kelly. Some movie musicals were spectacular: The Wizard of Oz, The Bandwagon, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Singin' in the Rain and My Fair Lady come to mind. The same titles are always given as "the classics" of the Hollywood Musical, but there are other titles that are solidly entertaining and worth your time. Here is my list for the Top-Ten Underappreciated Movie Musicals that you should make a point to see.

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