ABCs at the Movies: The Doubles Round!

[Fran]

aka The Golden Calf
      Золотой телёнок



[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7JDoSvcZAU&feature=related[/youtube]
Time:  4:00
     
From IMDb:

The film is a screen adaptation of the cult novel "The Golden Calf" by Ilya Ilf and Yevgeni Petrov. The book is the sequel to "Twelve Chairs" and both are among the most deservingly famous and adored, wittiest satirical books written during the Soviet period. I believe that the film "Zolotoy Telyonok" is the most successful adaptation of Ilf and Petrov's works due to the skillful directing by Mikhail Schweitzer, spectacular B/W cinematography and unmatched performances by some of the most talented Soviet actors.

[MaineWriter]

It's a beautiful spring day here and I am in a great mood, so let's celebrate with a musicals round. All singing, all dancing, all the time!

Unplayed movies from 1888-2013. The archive is up-to-date except for the last round.

Wildcard X is in effect.

Have fun!

Leslie
GameMistress

[southendmd]

This one's for Meryl:

by PDQ Bach aka Peter Schickele

IMDb:  PDQ Bach's only full length opera. Based in unequal parts on just about every famous Mozart opera you can think of from Don Giovanni to Cosi fan tutti to The Abduction from the Seraglio and the Marriage of Figaro Professor Peter Schickele once again proves that only PDQ Bach could write an opera with references to everything from Star Wars to the Maltese Falcon, Wagner's Valkyrie, Swan Lake, Peter Pan and Dragnet. If you have never seen an opera then this is proof that not all operas are stodgy overlong and boring. I won't give away any of the plot but suffice it to say that if you see this opera then you will become familiar with the plot devices of most of Mozart's Operas. Someone even tells me that there is a reference to the Flight of the Bumbleebee in the music somewhere.


Here is the cast:

 Professor Peter Schickele, conductor of Chorus, Corpse de Ballet, Orchestra of the   Minnesota Opera, the Whole Schmeer
 Leroy Lehr, bass (Al Donfonso, Pasha Shaboom, Papa Geno)
 Dana Kruger, mezzo soprano (Susanna Susannadanna, Mama Geno)
 Bruce Edwin Ford, tenor (Pecadillo)
 Marilyn Brustadt, soprano (Donna Donna)
 Lisbeth Lloyd, soprano (Blondie)
 Michael Burt, bass baritone (Donald Giovanni)
 Jack Walsh, almost-a-baritone (Schlepporello)
 Will Roy, basso (Caption Kadd)
 John Ferrante, bargain counter tenor (Opec)

[MaineWriter]

Singing, dancing, and surfing, too!

[oilgun]

From IMDb: I wish I could see this film at least another 3 or 4 times, before making this comment, but I can't wait telling the world (ah ah) how much I loved it! This film is a huge and wonderful homage to a great deal of things. 'Great things' such as love, life, death... and more 'minor things' (?) such as youth, friendship, music, Paris, actors and actresses, directors such as Stanley Donen, Jacques Demy, etc. And still, this film manages to stay incredibly fresh, new, full of veiled references (I couldn't help smiling with delight, when seeing Chiara Mastroianni under her transparent umbrella, a reference to her mother, Catherine Deneuve, in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg). And the film goes on like that, like on a tight rope, with actors perched on their frail voices, never ridiculous, always moving and/or witty. It keeps moving (never a dull moment) and it keeps moving you. Never vulgar, never cheap, never shocking. A marvel of lightness. Could it be the unbearable lightness of what we call life?


The trailer:
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s54vpKAFmS0[/youtube]
==COMMENT==
If I don't see this soon, I'll just go completely insane!

[southendmd]

IMDb:  One of the best Betty Grable musicals. As always the plot is unbelievably vacuous but who cares really? When you have the tippy-tappy Grable (doing what she does best), Carmen Miranda (in her American debut), Don Ameche (speaking in a nice Spanish accent), and the Nicholas Brothers (with their usual dance specialties) all in one movie, the implausible plot and meet-cutes are beside the point. The slick lively tunes and dances are more than enough to like this fluffy musical fiesta set in Argentina.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBE9oa3ODK0[/youtube]
Carmen Miranda sings "Mamae eu quero" 1:52

[MaineWriter]

Directed by Billy Wilder and starring Bing Crosby and Joan Fontaine.

[Meryl]

Often accused of copying the Beatles films, this one actually preceded "A Hard Day's Night" by a few months.

From IMDb:  Shot on location in Liverpool. Entertaining enough in its own limited way. Looks like it contains some genuine concert footage and there are a number of guest appearances by some of the big name "Merseybeat" stars of the era. Lots of toe tappers throughout and, of course, there's that wonderful theme song.

This one's for Meryl:

Here is the cast:

 Professor Peter Schickele, conductor of Chorus, Corpse de Ballet, Orchestra of the   Minnesota Opera, the Whole Schmeer
 Leroy Lehr, bass (Al Donfonso, Pasha Shaboom, Papa Geno)
 Dana Kruger, mezzo soprano (Susanna Susannadanna, Mama Geno)
 Bruce Edwin Ford, tenor (Pecadillo)
 Marilyn Brustadt, soprano (Donna Donna)
 Lisbeth Lloyd, soprano (Blondie)
 Michael Burt, bass baritone (Donald Giovanni)
 Jack Walsh, almost-a-baritone (Schlepporello)
 Will Roy, basso (Caption Kadd)
 John Ferrante, bargain counter tenor (Opec)

Thanks for posting this, Paul!  I listened to it years ago and thought it was hilarious.  Reading the cast now, I realize I've worked with five of the artists and know of the others.  Leroy Lehr has even come to dinner at my house! 

Gil, John Gallagher has told me he's head -over-heels in love with this movie. 

[oilgun]

==COMMENT==
Victor Garber?!

Gil, John Gallagher has told me he's head -over-heels in love with this movie. 

I know!  He's driving me crazy with all the info he's been posting in the thread he started!  It's not even playing here yet and I've already pre-ordered the DVD from Amazon!

[MaineWriter]

from IMDb:

I saw "Hallelujah" on cable television one night, and I had to buy the video because it really touched me. I learned that it was the first all-black sound movie, and I must say it was a classic. This was such an achievement for 1929, and I must say I immediately became a fan of the beautiful Nina Mae McKinney who played the young temptress Chick in the movie. This movie was enlightening because the characters, action and everything that took place reminded me so much of today's time, especially the character Chick as a temptress, the African-American church with its unique praise and the importance of dance and song. I loved the moral of the story, it was one of redemption and forgiveness. This is a powerful film and it will always remain a historical classic. "Hallelujah" gave the young Nina Mae McKinney her start, and she later inspired other African-American beauties like Dorothy Dandridge and Lena Horn to let their stars shines. Truly she was before her time, but she helped blaze the trail for others to follow, and gave so much light from her star in this film. This movie is unforgettable and truly a classic!