Musical Mondays Week 9 Pete's Dragon (1977)

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

 

My college did a performance of "Our American Cousin" where they added in a gun shot at the moment where he would have been assassinated and made the audience observe a moment of silence before finishing the play. It was...an interesting choice.

I bet the energy of the show fucking EXPLODED after that. The actors must have loved it.

 

I was in 'Death of a Salesman' in September 2002, and on the 1-year anniversary of 9/11, they enforced a minute's silence right before the curtain went up, completely destroying all the positive energy that had built in the audience prior to the show. It was not a good performance that night.

[tomspanks 9039]

I wondered too if Pete was their first & only orphan. or if they had others before..that maybe they murdered and ate? Some of those lyrics in the first song were cannibalistic and made me wonder if they ate children.

I could see it being an orphan kid's braid

 

Right? There were definitely some cannibalism undertones in that song. I wondered if they overworked these poor orphans to death and how best to get rid of the body? They ate them.

 

Like, why else are the human-owning Gogan's Southerners?

 

Interesting. I thought they were Appalachian hillbillies, but not necessarily Southern. Maybe because The Gogans were just one generation away from becoming the family from The X-Files Home episode - and that took place somewhere North-ish.

 

Does anyone else feel like Pete's Dragon is a weird Civil War metaphor?

 

Before I read the rest of the post, I was thinking Pete is Bucky, Gogans are Hydra, Nora is Capt America, Lampy is Stark...

[kateacola 2440]

Tom's note about Shelley Winters reminded me we hadn't dwelled on the fact that she'd gone from this:

 

 

To this...

 

 

To this.

 

 

This isn't an aesthetic judgement: more to do with the precipitous descent from two-time Oscar winner to Mrs. Gogan.

 

The moral? Be nice to your agent, I guess. Or don't pick film roles when you're high on PCP.

Yeah from Oscar winner to falling in the mud AND falling in oil.

 

But both of those are better than swimming in baked beans...

(poor Ann Margret)

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

But both of those are better than swimming in baked beans...

(poor Ann Margret)

 

So it's settled. We're all in full agreement. Tomspanks is STILL responsible for the very worst pick of all. No question or dispute. Good.

[kateacola 2440]

 

So it's settled. We're all in full agreement. Tomspanks is STILL responsible for the very worst pick of all. No question or dispute. Good.

 

jk, I'm on your side

 

[Cam Bert 8145]

Before I read the rest of the post, I was thinking Pete is Bucky, Gogans are Hydra, Nora is Capt America, Lampy is Stark...

Shouldn't Pete be Cap and Elliot be Bucky?

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

Shouldn't Pete be Cap and Elliot be Bucky?

Um, dudes. Elliott's big and green and inarticulate and smashes things. You know who he is.

[Cameron H. 23786]

 

Shouldn't Pete be Cap and Elliot be Bucky?

 

No, dawg! Elliot is Hawkeye (i.e. They want us to think that he's cooler than he actually is)

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

 

jk, I'm on your side

 

I'm flingin' haters away like football choreographed by insane theatre lunatics.

[Cameron H. 23786]

 

I'm flingin' haters away like football choreographed by insane theatre lunatics.

 

I see so many fucking gifs of AtU that I feel like I must see it from start to finish (in 3 second clips) at least once a week.

 

It really bums me out.

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

Every time I type the letter A into my Google Chrome searchbar it autocorrects to 'Across the Universe gif'. Seriously, I've typed that phrase that often that even Chrome's given up on me.

 

[FisterRoboto 7499]

Every time I type the letter A into my Google Chrome searchbar it autocorrects to 'Across the Universe gif'. Seriously, I've typed that phrase that often that even Chrome's given up on me.

 

I think you mean "even Chrome knows that I'm a shell of a person inside"

[IMAHUGEHDTGMFAN 1837]

So with inflation $50.50 in 1910 would be the equivalent of $1319.72 today. Sounds like they got a deal.

 

IMHO I think the events of the movie happen in the year 1861 when the $20 bill was first introduced (https://en.wikipedia...nty-dollar_bill) but before the first circulating $50 bill was issued in 1862 (https://en.wikipedia...fty-dollar_bill)

Because...

Money, money, money! Crowns Sous We'll have banks full of francs Quids Bucks In truckloads Cash Stocks Bonds Bigger shares Millionaires Marks Yens In tens and twenties Cash

Implying those were the highest value bills available at the time

 

And the closer we get to 1910 cars become more common, popular and widespread http://www.history.com/topics/model-t

 

So were Dr. Terminus & Hoagy trying to go legit? With wanting dragon parts to make money (money money by the pound)?

Maybe their intentions weren't too bad, but they just went about it the wrong way with luring Elliot, trying to snatch him without Pete's permission/ giving up Pete to the Gogans'?

 

Don't forget they also tried to buy Elliot from Pete at a low price...(We know Pete would never sell him no matter what) Maybe they planned to go legit after getting ahold of Elliot, but they where trying to lowball Pete for sure. So for them it's always going to be a matter of time before they go back to their old ways IMHO.

 

All those different versions are, indeed, bonkers. I never understand why studios feel it's a good idea to re-cut films, whether it be something by Ridley Scott or this movie. I know why they WANT to (shorter movie lengths lead to more showings and thus higher profits in theaters, the marketability of a movie between 90 and 120ish minutes, etc.) but once a film is shot, edited, and scored, it's probably a good idea to call it a day. If you wanted concrete specifications in running time, length of songs, order of scenes, etc., you should have made that a proviso in the director's contract so that movie could be SHOT to those specifications from the beginning and you're not second guessing yourself after the fact. It's like trying to fix a cake after it's been baked. Adding or subtracting frosting, cutting into a different shape, or putting it back in the oven is just going to result in an overcooked mess.

 

I agree 100%, and not only that, they also win with people when they sell the DVD/BluRay/Digital Copy that comes with anniversary/restored/UHD/extended/unrated/directors cut deleted scenes and extras so everyone and their mother feels more and more inclined to double dip and buy old and new movies for a few more seconds/mins of runtime or more violence/sex or a different ending... Its a jungle out there, but luckly theres this site that gives you a comparison of diferent versions of the same movie and could save you time and money

http://www.movie-censorship.com/

 

I want to thank everyone for watching or rewatching PD! It was nice to revisit this, but obviously it's more fun discussing with you guys.

 

And know I'm new to the boards (maybe not so new anymore?) but it's been cool to get to know everyone and you guys have been so nice So thanks for making me feel welcome!

 

 

I lurked the boards for awhile, but MM is what pushed me to finally comment in here.

Looking forward to watching & discussing more musicals with y'all (& of course more hdtgm movies)

 

 

P.S.: I Love your Hot Fuzz avatar Pic Beats me why I didn't mention it before...

[Cam Bert 8145]

So naturally after one watches a movie you jump over to IMDB and read the trivia. I came across this one,

This is Ken Anderson's final film for Disney. Having spent much of his early life in East Asia, he based Elliott on the Chinese dragon trope; the ancient Chinese consider dragons good while Western cultures consider them evil.

Okay but does this go beyond being good nature? Well let's look at Elliott and a Chinese dragon:

 

So as we can see there are a few visual similarities too. Why it is true that Chinese dragons tend to be long, slender, and somewhat serpentine, Elliott's designer Ken Anderson wanted him to be paunchy and clumsy. However if we look at Elliot's tail it's following a similar look as well as having a head of hair/mane. While this all kinda interesting if we look at Ken Anderson's resume the last film he directed was The Sword in the Stone. In which there is a witch which turns into a dragon.

 

Now, the picture of Madam Mim is from when she is poisoned because normally she is purple and spotless but look at the similarities here! Very similar body types with big belly and tiny wings. Even the hair is somewhat similarly coloured and fashioned. Could it be that the influence for Elliot's design was a merger of this dragon he had done 15 years or so prior with minor Asian influences? But it does stop there folks. Don Bluth who was the animation director on Pete's Dragon left Disney after this film. At this point he started his own animation company and made such classics as All Dogs Go to Heave, An American Tail, The Land Before Time and Rock-A-Doodle. One of the first things he did after leaving Disney was all the design work and directing on a video game called Dragon's Lair. You can't have a game called Dragon's Lair and not have a dragon. So what is the design that Don Bluth went with?

 

Again another design oddly similar to that of Elliott! While clearly more sinister and evil the overall shape, design and colouring is uncannily similar. Oh, did I forget to mention that one of the first movies Don Bluth worked on as an animator at Disney was The Sword in the Stone? Coincidence? Maybe, I just think all the similarities and crossovers are odd.

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

With all these late posts (particularly Max and CamB), I'm becoming increasingly disappointed that these C+Os won't be read out on a podcast, ever. That's a shame, because this is AMAZING work. Well done, everyone!

[Cameron H. 23786]

With all these late posts (particularly Max and CamB), I'm becoming increasingly disappointed that these C+Os won't be read out on a podcast, ever. That's a shame, because this is AMAZING work. Well done, everyone!

 

Start a podcast.

[Cam Bert 8145]

With all these late posts (particularly Max and CamB), I'm becoming increasingly disappointed that these C+Os won't be read out on a podcast, ever. That's a shame, because this is AMAZING work. Well done, everyone!

I just enjoy Don Bluth. Dragon's Lair is the only thing of his that I've revisited from my youth because I don't want the movies to be ruined for me. I was trying to remember how the dragon looked in that and feel down a rabbit hole.

 

Also rewatching The Lake House right now. 50 minutes in and I have 5 pages of angry scrawl on a legal pad. Why am I doing this..

[Cameron H. 23786]

 

Also rewatching The Lake House right now. 50 minutes in and I have 5 pages of angry scrawl on a legal pad. Why am I doing this..

 

Maybe the problem is that you love The Lake House so much and you are having trouble coming to terms with that...

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

Start a podcast.

YOU start one.

[Cam Bert 8145]

Maybe the problem is that you love The Lake House so much and you are having trouble coming to terms with that...

I'm at that level of vitriol in my notes where I can't tell if I hate the movie or just love to hate it. I'm so confused!!!

 

This has me all:

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

Maybe the problem is that you love The Lake House so much and you are having trouble coming to terms with that...

Guys Cam Bert is hate-fucking The Lake House! Careful, it'll turn into the plot of a Ryan Reynolds movie.

[Cameron H. 23786]

YOU start one.

 

If I ever started a podcast it would be so awesome everyone who listened to it would straight up shit themselves.

[Cakebug Tranch 6873]

 

If I ever started a podcast it would be so awesome everyone who listened to it would straight up shit themselves.

There's your title.

 

Shit Yourself with Cameron H.

 

 

Only available on Howl and Stitcher Premium next to Cameron's best friend BH

 

[Cam Bert 8145]

There's your title.

 

Shit Yourself with Cameron H.

 

 

Only available on Howl and Stitcher Premium next to Cameron's best friend BH

 

The title leads me to believe that Cameron H will be shitting himself as well. I hope that is the case.

[Cameron H. 23786]

 

The title leads me to believe that Cameron H will be shitting himself as well. I hope that is the case.

 

Shitting myself would not be my intention, but if it happens...