Saturday, the 27th of May 2006
‘Julie Andrews Night’
As a part of our 'brand new tradition' (now there is an oxymoron) which started in April with 'The Jazz Channel Presents B.B. King', we will feature Video/Music performances at 3:00 for a 1/2 hour or so before the 1st movie. This month we are showing the spectacular concert 'Diana Krall - Live in Paris'.
According to Jeff Shannon of amazon.com, "Does it get any better than this? Canadian torch singer and pianist Diana Krall is in perfect form in this two-hour Paris concert, recorded in December 2001."
Diana is accompanied by the Orchestra Symphonique European conducted by Claus Ogerman, the Paris Jazz Big Band, and her own recording Jazz Band.
One of the best concert DVDs I can imagine - Dennis Grittner
Film 1 at 3:30: ‘The Americanization of Emily’
An all-time-best anti-war film, February 6, 2001
| Reviewer: | David J. Kucharski (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews |
James Garner portrays "dog-robber" Charlie, an American naval officer stationed in London during WWII and charged with the duty of keeping his admiral (Melvyn Douglas) in as complete a state of comfort as possible. Charlie freely admits that he likes his job because it keeps him far away from combat and the risk of death. This attitude does not initially endear Charlie to Emily (Julie Andrews), a military driver and Britisher who has lost several family members to the fighting. Slowly, however, the two fall in love and plan to build a life together. Then trouble intervenes: the admiral devises a public relations plan to ensure that the first man killed in the D-Day invasion is a sailor. And it looks like Charlie is in danger of becoming that man. . .
THE AMERICANIZATION OF EMILY was made in 1964, the same year as DR. STRANGELOVE, an anti-war film that has now become legendary. EMILY was popular enough but somewhat overlooked at the time of its release, and it is not as well-known today as it deserves to be.
Paddy Chayevsky's screenplay is filled with witty, pungent dialogue (even during Charlie and Emily's love scenes). And the performances are excellent. Garner has said more than once that this is his favorite of his films. And Andrews, in what was only her second movie (she made EMILY between MARY POPPINS and THE SOUND OF MUSIC) is extraordinary, giving us a portrait of a highly complex woman who first disdains her lover's cowardice and then clings to him because of it.
The black-and-white photography (which blends seamlessly with actual WWII newsreel footage) is crisp. And Johnny Mandel's score is wonderful, from his tongue-in-cheek march over the credits to the haunting love theme which was later given a Johnny Mercer lyric, "Emily."
When Julie Andrews sang "The hills are alive with the sound of music" from an Austrian mountaintop in 1965, the most beloved movie musical was born. To be sure, the adaptation of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's Broadway hit has never been as universally acclaimed as, say, Singin' in the Rain. Critics argue that the songs are saccharine (even the songwriters regretted the line "To sing through the night like a lark who is learning to pray") and that the characters and plot lack the complexity that could make them more interesting. It's not hard to know whom to root for when your choice is between cute kids and Nazis.
It doesn't matter. Audiences fell in love with the struggling novice Maria (Andrews), the dashing Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), and, yes, the cute kids, all based on a real-life World War II Austrian family. Such songs as "My Favorite Things," "Do Re Mi," "Climb Every Mountain," and the title tune became part of the 20th century Zeitgeist. In addition, The Sound of Music officially became a cult hit when audiences in London began giving it the Rocky Horror Picture Show treatment, attending showings dressed as their favorite characters and delivering choreographed comments and gestures along with the movie. So why resist, especially when the 40th Anniversary Edition is the best DVD yet.
The DVDs
As if the direct involvement of Julie Andrews weren't enough, the 40th
Anniversary Edition of The Sound of Music
is a must-have for fans because of the fond sense of nostalgia that
will touch all but the worst cynic's heart. Andrews introduces both
discs and contributes a commentary track on the film. It's a joy to
hear her speak about the film (for example, she explains how she solved
her dislike for the lyrics of "I Have Confidence"), and also heard are
remarks by Christopher Plummer (who at one point refers to his being
48, which if true would mean his comments were made in about 1975),
Charmian Carr (Liesl), choreographer Dee Dee Wood, and Johannes Von
Trapp (the real-life Maria Von Trapp's youngest son, who admits that
his father did have a whistle but claims that he was not as stern as
portrayed in the film). Even with all those people involved, there are
still significant gaps of silence, however. Retained from the previous
two-disc editions is the commentary track by director Robert Wise,
which during the musical numbers becomes an isolated score with no
vocals. Also new are sing-along subtitles in English, Spanish, and
French, which allow you to have your own sing-along at home. In
addition, the film's remastering shows off a truer and much warmer
sense of color.
On the second disc, Andrews participates in a new 63-minute documentary "My Favorite Things: Julie Andrews Remembers." But it's really a general making-of documentary with contributions from a number of principals, including director Robert Wise, who died in mid-2005 (not surprisingly, some stories are repeated from the commentary track and from the 87-minute documentary on the previous DVD). Andrews also shares a warm 19-minute sit-down with Christopher Plummer. Carr, who over the years has become the film's biggest advocate, narrates a new 22-minute documentary, "On Location with The Sound of Music," in which she revisits the places in Salzburg where the movie was filmed, and even joins one of the "Sound of Music tours" that have become a booming industry. And acknowledging another big industry, there's a 12-minute featurette on the sing-along phenomenon, focusing specifically on the audience, costumed and otherwise, that attended a sold-out Hollywood Bowl sing-along in 2005. Making special appearances at the event are four von Trapp great-grandchildren and all seven of the actors who played the children. Thankfully, those actors also appear in a 33-minute documentary "From Liesl to Gretl: A 40th Anniversary Reunion," in which they explain what they do now (many are still in show business) and share stories about the film, who was afraid of Christopher Plummer, and what they feel is their responsibility to the film's passionate fans. What's touching is how the group still considers themselves a family so many years later. Other material includes an A&E documentary on the von Trapps, Mia Farrow's screen test for the Liesl role, and a restoration comparison.
P.S. Judith LOVES this Movie! - Dennis