Cinco DeNio

Soulful remake (yeah, right)

I like it! I remember seeing it in the theaters when it came out. Took a date to it.

If it will help speed things up...

Watched National Velvet tonight for the first time. I had read the book when I was a kid but don’t remember ever seeing the movie. I loved the dynamic between the husband and wife. Yes, the husband was a blowhard throughout but he wasn’t nearly as strict or out of touch as the dad in Meet Me in St. Louis.

It was either that or Inside the Goldmine but that only has a 2.2 rating on IMDB.

As a side project, we have to watch a movie that shares a word or words with the title of the selected movie. Therefore, this weekend, everyone has to watch National Velvet with Elizabeth Taylor in it.

Metflix is the New York-specific (Queens mainly) version of Netflix.

I know, right? They should have asked Jane's Addiction.

I had trouble finding any international posters. Only one Japanese (I assume) and a German poster were any different. @CamBert, some help please?

One thing that really bothered me was Shannon getting so upset when Curt and Brian left the party to go have sex. I don't remember Shannon being emotionally tied to either of them before that point. (Shannon was being serviced when that happened. I don't remember but was Curt the one servicing her then he stopped to leave with Brian?) Obviously Mandy wasn't happy about it but she didn't get drop-dead emotional about it. I loved her line "Everyone looks beautiful when they walk out the door."

Something in Wikipedia said it was supposed to show how glam rock allowed Christian to be comfortable to come out, that it helped many boys and men in Britain in the 70s. Not sure I agree with it but there it is. To me, the movie felt like it should have been made in 1984. It had a filmic quality that I would have associated with the beginnings of video instead of nearing the end of the Nineties. (Two years later Christian became Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. Also set in the mid-80s but with a higher "look" to it.) I am not steeped in glam so many of the references flew over my head. Reading Wikipedia they mention a New York Dolls song was also used. I am only familiar with them because of David Johannsen singing in the 80s as Buster Poindexter. Seems like the Dolls would have been a good group to mention/emulate as they were literally from New York. I don't know how long they carried the glam look so I might be way off base.

Here's the big finale.

Here's a music video of the title song. Notice how "Fame" is always in the background.

I hope it's OK to post my notes on the remake as I'm doing it anyway. Misery loves company. Spoilers abound but I try to keep them general in scope. 1) The music is entirely forgettable. I really enjoyed the lunchroom song in the original. I couldn't tell you one line from the remake except to say it appeared everyone was well-rehearsed for it. It didn't appear to grow organically like the 1980 film. 1a) The title song is reduced to one singer who doesn't punch "Fame!" when singing. The movie opens with a minor-key version (my term for a lesser-sounding rendition) of just "Remember, remember, remember". The title song appears in the credits. 2) I do have to give credit to the remake for fleshing characters out somewhat. According to Vudu I had rented the Extended Dance edition but the movie I watched was the theatrical length and had none of the extended scenes. (This link is to a comparison of both versions.) Apparently the extended edition adds more back story and character development and the movie is better for it. An e-mail to Vudu is in the works to complain. 3) I did the original a disservice by saying the ending song "I Sing the Body Electric" left out the drama department. Having seen the remake I realize the original also left out the dance department. The remake uses a different song but throws in components of dance, music and vocal singing. The drama department still gets short shrift. <grin> 4) The original's shortcomings of a) letting students slide on academics until shortly before graduation, and b) letting an acting student slide on letting themselves go until shortly before graduation are in the remake. The suicide is also here but is a real potential suicide. The student is rescued at the last minute and breaks down crying in their rescuers' arms. 5) I wish the teachers had more pop. Debbie Allen was the principal. Kelsey Grammer was the music teacher. He tried exhortation to encourage students (in his teacher character's way) but fell flat. Bebe Neuwirth (Lilith on Cheers/Frasier, Kelsey Grammer's wife for a while and, famously, Velma in Chicago) was the dance instructor. Megan Mullaly (I haven't seen her in anything but I know her name) was the vocal teacher. One fun part was Megan taking the students to a karaoke bar as part of their class. She sang a song but in a childlike voice. Maybe that's the way she sings but it seemed out of place to me, especially given the song she sang. Otherwise the teachers were just teachers. Aside from a nod to Chicago being PA's spring performance (I got to meet Bebe Neuwirth once on Broadway after a performance), the teachers did nothing different than the original. You could have had Bebe do an amazing dance, showing what was possible. They did explore Megan's character's background at or after the karaoke bar but that was about it. 6) More characters left school by "succeeeding" than failing. Anyone who left before graduating was shown working in a paying acting job. No one left thinking they would succeed and then failed like the original's hotshot actor who wound up a waiter. 7) Relationships broke up and got together for the flimsiest of reasons. One dancer got successful and dumped their significant other simply on the reason of "I'm busy now so I'll have no time for you. Bye!" I think that's enough. I will try to find some videos to show what I mean.

At least he's not drinking Merlot.

I just read a synopsis on IMDB. We already watched Eddie and the Cruisers.

I approve this choice. It's on sale for $4.99.

Sorry. Grudlian was a trooper but it didn't work. Kast has issues. I will read up on their tech docs and see if I can get it started another time.

The room is open. https://s.kast.gg/g/4cpw6w3gnm1

I've shut it down. Will try tonight at 8 p.m. if anyone wants to join.

I have a room open right now. I want to try a watch party tonight of the Fame remake. Please log in and see if you can see anything. https://s.kast.gg/g/4cpw6w3gnm1

I would pick Paul Greengrass for his documentary style (Bloody Sunday). Make the movie more like the auditions.

You said The Room twice.