tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post3092070301275996710..comments2024-03-17T10:11:46.952-04:00Comments on Film Experience Blog: MMWAM: Singin' in the RainNATHANIEL Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11597109147678235399noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-28738952530724324322008-03-28T09:38:00.000-04:002008-03-28T09:38:00.000-04:00"good morning" is one of my favourite musical mome..."good morning" is one of my favourite musical moments in the movies!<BR/><BR/>although I get a kick at their "staying up all night" being just after midnight... that's when I usually head out for a night on the town! ;o)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-28879777985441553012008-03-26T17:19:00.000-04:002008-03-26T17:19:00.000-04:00anonymous--Thanks for letting me know that you wer...anonymous--Thanks for letting me know that you were talking about Wesleyan. I don't know if you'll see this either. I work at Wes right now.gabrieloakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00460263240309976652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-22224276391755301412008-03-26T10:00:00.000-04:002008-03-26T10:00:00.000-04:00To Gabrie, I'm not sure if you'll see this, but ye...To Gabrie, I'm not sure if you'll see this, but yes! Jeanine Basinger was brilliant to pick Singin' in the Rain for the opening film. I'm an alumna, and I miss that theater dearly. That's where I saw Lawrence of Arabia in 70 mm too!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-34137649069221518192008-03-26T01:14:00.000-04:002008-03-26T01:14:00.000-04:00I've always had a crush on Gene Kelly. He's smokin...I've always had a crush on Gene Kelly. He's smokin'<BR/><BR/>And, yeah, I kinda thought the cuteness would win you over! Just like that big giant odd musical extravaganza sequence. I was completely thrown at first, but then loved it. Although I dislike "Moses Supposes" because, as I recall, it has absolutely nothing to do with anything.Glenn Dunkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05424659636310160482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-84371452718318749312008-03-25T18:48:00.000-04:002008-03-25T18:48:00.000-04:00anonymous: Are you referring to a a screening at W...anonymous: Are you referring to a a screening at Wesleyan? Only asking because I'm an alumnus and attended a screeening there of Singin' to open the brand-new theater there.gabrieloakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00460263240309976652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-29255844228195497932008-03-25T18:46:00.000-04:002008-03-25T18:46:00.000-04:00So glad you liked Singin' in the Rain. If you didn...So glad you liked Singin' in the Rain. If you didn't I would have thought you needed your head examined. (Only kidding.)<BR/><BR/>I think the reason why Singin' is so wonderful is that it doesn't have those deadly aspirations to be high art that some other musicals have. Those kind of moments can kill portions of even the best musicals (like An American in Paris). Yet you could argue that Singin' is one of the most artful musicals ever made.<BR/><BR/>I heard Gene Kelly could be a bit of a prima donna off the screen but he's really amazing on screen. (It's worth taking a look at his work in Cover Girl, which is equally memorable.) I have mixed feelings about Debbie Reynolds in other films, but no mixed feelings about her in Singin'. She is just perfectly cast. And than there's Donald O'Connor, who was one of the most likeable hams in show business. And Jean Hagen never had a better role.gabrieloakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00460263240309976652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-17813811530006407352008-03-25T18:32:00.000-04:002008-03-25T18:32:00.000-04:00the great thing about gene kelly is he looks equal...the great thing about gene kelly is he looks equally very yummy from both sides!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-74870075704434934382008-03-25T18:17:00.000-04:002008-03-25T18:17:00.000-04:00Yes, I think part of the reason for making the mov...Yes, I think part of the reason for making the movie was because the producer (Arthur Freed) wanted a movie that would put together a bunch of the old songs he had written with Nacio Herb Brown. In fact, that was in part what inspired them to set the story in the days of the first 'talkies,' - because the songs had been written back then.<BR/><BR/>There are two new songs in the movie - 'Moses,' written by Comden & Green, and 'Make Em Laugh.' But 'Make em Laugh' wasn't really new because it was actually a rip-off of Cole Porter's 'Be a Clown.'Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-86829148005785657292008-03-25T16:24:00.000-04:002008-03-25T16:24:00.000-04:00JA: If you like your Gene Kelly creepy you should ...JA: If you like your Gene Kelly creepy you should check out <I>An American in Paris</I> -- In the scenes where he's making his first moves on Leslie Caron he is definitely a little creepy and predatory....<BR/><BR/>It also has great Gershwin songs.SusanPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09247068663993460537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-65577581865786188142008-03-25T16:20:00.000-04:002008-03-25T16:20:00.000-04:00One of the most fun moviegoing experiences I had w...One of the most fun moviegoing experiences I had was at the opening of a brand-new theatre on my college campus. They showed "Singin' in the Rain," and an entire audience full of college kids who had never seen it before just watched, enraptured. That's when you know the real power of a good movie, when 400 other people are just as thrilled as you are.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-23197798112949141972008-03-25T15:49:00.000-04:002008-03-25T15:49:00.000-04:00jen - Thanks for that info on Theda Bara! I just r...<B>jen</B> - Thanks for that info on Theda Bara! I just read up on her; she sounds great. Silent Film is another area I know far too little about.<BR/><BR/><B>catherine</B> - I think Gene's occasional creepiness only added to my sudden burst of lustful feelings towards him. What can I say, I have a soft spot for creeps.<BR/><BR/><B>nathaniel</B> - Fly safe! <BR/><BR/><B>jandy</B> - this morning I did some reading up on SITR as I typed this out (well okay, I just read it's Wikipedia page) and I saw that about how all but one of the songs had been used in older movies and I was shocked - shocked I say! They all fit so wonderfully together.<BR/><BR/><B>adam</B> - I took screencaps by playing the DVD on my computer using VLC and grabbing them from the screen using the Preview tool (I'm on a Mac).Jason Adamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18254334131909339157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-50335223920716916902008-03-25T14:40:00.000-04:002008-03-25T14:40:00.000-04:00Good review.How did you get such good screen shots...Good review.<BR/><BR/>How did you get such good screen shots?Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07180351806853963718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-68412635118107742672008-03-25T14:16:00.000-04:002008-03-25T14:16:00.000-04:00I'm glad you liked Singin' in the Rain! And put u...I'm glad you liked Singin' in the Rain! And put up with West Side Story. I agree with Jen, I think the Spider Woman is supposed to be a Theda Bara-type.<BR/><BR/>And the big fashion production number, yes, they did a TON of that sort of number in the late '20s and early '30s. The Great Ziegfeld has a good MGM example of it (but I don't recommend you watch that; it's biggest claim to fame is that it's one of the worst Best Picture winners of all time), and the number is probably riffing off Busby Berkeley's early Warner Bros. style, too.<BR/><BR/>All the songs in Singin' in the Rain were actually written back in that era--I think "Make 'Em Laugh" was the only new song--and appeared in the first talkie musicals (most of which are godawful), so they're definitely parodying themselves.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-1736346557971752992008-03-25T13:49:00.000-04:002008-03-25T13:49:00.000-04:00Great review, JA. You had me laughing out loud - t...Great review, JA. You had me laughing out loud - though I was a bit worried reading that first paragraph. ;)<BR/><BR/>I loved the stills you used and all of your commentary. Every time that girl says "I'll just kill myself" I'm rolling on the floor laughing. This has got to be the best film musical ever.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for this wonderful review - it made me smile. And now I'm going to have to watch the film again right now.<BR/><BR/>And, yes, Jean Hagen totally rocked.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-82098967284905622202008-03-25T13:32:00.000-04:002008-03-25T13:32:00.000-04:00this was a great joy to read from afar mere hours ...this was a great joy to read from afar mere hours before hopping on a return flight. It'll have me singin... yes singin' on the plane.NATHANIEL Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11597109147678235399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-14912327909203283592008-03-25T13:28:00.000-04:002008-03-25T13:28:00.000-04:00Oh, I AM glad you liked it! *clasps hands, flutter...Oh, I AM glad you liked it! *clasps hands, flutters eyelids* No, seriously. The first paragraph had me quaking in fear/anger, but as I read on I got progressively more delighted. It's a testament to the sheer joy of the film that even glancing at stills from it make me smile.<BR/> <BR/>Although I do think Gene Kelly is a brilliant dancer, I still prefer Donald. The constant mugging, the ridiculous accents, the skinniness - I just find him really endearing and cute. Gene sometimes scares me a little, watch "Moses Supposes" again and check out his expression at the very end, when they're singing "AAAAAAA!". Terrifying.<BR/><BR/>One of the funniest line readings in the film is when Gene is hitching a lift from Debbie and is getting all prevy and flustered. She completely ignores him and sings out "Here we are! Sunset and Camden!" in an hilariously cheerful manner. It gets me every time.<BR/><BR/>Another thought: at the party scene near the beginning, after you see the "Spider Woman" strutting her stuff, you see a rather large guy dancing delicately with some girl. He always reminds me of the gay art-dealer uncle in Far From Heaven, the one Cathy and Elle meet at the art show.Catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09258493877737555910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-36139592075919548562008-03-25T13:20:00.000-04:002008-03-25T13:20:00.000-04:00I too enjoyed your review!I wanted to add that I a...I too enjoyed your review!<BR/>I wanted to add that I am sorry that West Side Story got voted in and not Sweet Charity...which I believe would been a better choice for you.<BR/><BR/>If you're ever looking to watch another musical, go with Sweet Charity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-88770427973156986412008-03-25T13:14:00.000-04:002008-03-25T13:14:00.000-04:00Great post of one of my very favorite flicks! "Rou...Great post of one of my very favorite flicks! "Round tones!"<BR/><BR/>Go <A HREF="http://tomandlorenzopagetwo.blogspot.com/2007/08/musical-monday-singin-in-rain.html" REL="nofollow">here</A> for another wacky take on it!Thombeauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14610129742797260253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-81149880774247959262008-03-25T13:12:00.000-04:002008-03-25T13:12:00.000-04:00yeah, that first part of the post terrified me. bu...yeah, that first part of the post terrified me. but glad to see you loved it. excellent review.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-42870394969981740712008-03-25T12:25:00.000-04:002008-03-25T12:25:00.000-04:00Wonderful review! I applaud your courage for divi...Wonderful review! I applaud your courage for diving into a genre you don't usually like.<BR/><BR/>I'm very happy you loved Singin' in the Rain! My absolute favorite thing is also Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont. For years and years I resisted seeing The Bad and the Beautiful because I just didn't see how Gloria Grahame's performance in that could possibly have earned her the Oscar over Jean Hagen. Well, I finally saw the movie and I was SO RIGHT!! Gloria's performance was okay, but, c'mon...Jean Hagen gives a gloriously wonderful comic performance. It's a pitch perfect performance. In my fantasy Heaven, Jean has rightfully gotten the Oscar from Gloria (with the "Big Guy"'s approval, of course).<BR/><BR/>Always enjoy your work on MNPP, too! I check it out almost daily!<BR/><BR/>From...DennisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-61022081176078599582008-03-25T11:55:00.000-04:002008-03-25T11:55:00.000-04:00Great post, JA. I nearly started to choke when you...Great post, JA. I nearly started to choke when you started off being negative (the horror! the shock!) but then I relaxed and enjoyed your review. <BR/><BR/>I love the chance to "see" a great film again through the eyes of someone who has never seen it before.<BR/><BR/>And that little doll photo gag? THAT did make me choke (with laughter).SusanPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09247068663993460537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-18450447606668627622008-03-25T11:27:00.000-04:002008-03-25T11:27:00.000-04:00I'm pretty sure that "Spider Woman" is supposed to...I'm pretty sure that "Spider Woman" is supposed to be a nod to the Theda Bara "Vamp" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theda_Bara At least, that's what I always assumed - I have absolutely no evidence to back it up.<BR/><BR/>As for the costume sequence - well, I got nothing. It always confused me, too.Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11470484420916325762noreply@blogger.com