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A humorously distorted version of the life of Shirley Temple, and described by its director as a terrorist musical. Shirley Temple sets off for the Emerald City to tell the Wizard that she is upset that Judy Garland has been selected for the role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. On this trip she is accompanied by a group of characters who make reference to a fragmented, bipolar society. The film was begun as Franco was ill and completed after his death, and makes reference to the oppression of Spain during this period.Read More »
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This, the first Enoken film, was made in 1934. Production was proposed to Pierre Brillante (PB), Enoken’s theatrical troupe based at the Shochikuza Theater in Asakusa, by Iwao Mori, a producer at P.C.L. (Photo Science Laboratory), a new film company that had just been established in 1932. P.C.L. was known for its modern style, as exemplified by its first film, “Hoyoyohi Jinsei” (1933). For Enoken, who was strongly influenced by Hollywood musicals and Broadway reviews, the prospect of making a P.C.L. film that would be released in a Western-style theater was a no-brainer. Therefore, he chose Kajiro Yamamoto, who had been active at Nikkatsu Kyoto, to direct the film. The reason for this was “because he understands musical scores.Read More »
Billy Bigelow has been dead for fifteen years, and now outside the pearly gates, he long waived his right to go back to Earth for a day. But he has heard that there is a problem with his family, namely his wife Julie Bigelow née Jordan and the child he never met, that problem with which he would now like to head back to Earth to assist in rectifying. Before he is allowed back to Earth, he has to get the OK from the gatekeeper, to who he tells his story… Immediately attracted to each other, he and Julie met when he worked as a carousel barker. Both stated to the other that they did not believe in love or marriage, but they did get married. Because the shrewish carousel owner, Mrs. Mullin, was attracted to Billy herself, and since she believed he was only of use as a barker if he was single to attract the young women to the carousel, she fired him. With no other job skills and unwilling to take just any job, Billy did not provide for Julie but rather lived off Julie’s Aunt Nettie. But Billy figured he could be the breadwinner through his association with a criminal lowlife named Jigger Craigin, which led to his death. In going back to Earth, Billy not only hopes to help his child, but “tell” Julie of his true feeling for her.Read More »
Synopsis
Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Company” opened on Broadway in the Spring of 1970, and tradition dictates that the cast recording is done on the first Sunday after opening night. D.A. Pennebaker, the now-legendary documentarian, filmed the production of the original cast recording, the back and forth between Sondheim and the performers, and the dynamic of trying to record live performance. The film climaxes with Elaine Stritch’s performance of “The Ladies Who Lunch”. The show won 6 Tony Awards including “Best Musical” and ran for two years on Broadway.Read More »
Spain 1930s. A troupe of performers travel from city to city entertaining audiences and earning a living. The cast includes a magician, a ventriloquist, muscle men, dancers, singers and a full orchestra. The star of the show is Carmen Soler (Trini Alonso) a celebrated singer, now way past her prime, who refuses to retire gracefully and defends her stardom ruthlessly. On her shadow lives and works Ana Marques (Sara Montiel) a younger singer who dreams of the big time and patiently waits for her break.Read More »
Quote: A snobby socialite and his mistress try to transform a sleazy hooker into a singing sex goddess.
Quote: Back in the 1970’s, during the Golden Age of Porn, Misty Beethoven was considered a classic. 30 plus years later, veteran performer and director Veronica Hart has re-envisioned the classic tale in a manner not even the original director/writer, Henry Paris, would have imagined…as a musical.Read More »
Composer George Gershwin is driven by his need to succeed. Unfortunately his drive destroys his romantic relationships with singer Julie Adams, who is desperately in love with him, and aloof socialite Christine Gilbert. Written by Daniel BubbeoRead More »
