Entertainment To Me!

I just got done listening to my St. Valentine’s Day gift from hubby–the deluxe motion picture soundtrack for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street! I love soundtracks, and really did love the movie.

For several reasons, of course–Johnny Depp was spectacular, Helena Bonham Carter did the role of Mrs. Lovett great justice, and even Alan Rickman was totally evil and great. When you’ve got a barber who’s slitting throats and helping his friend make the bodies into meat pies–it’s hard to find someone worse than him. But Rickman’s Judge Turpin is most definitely worse.

The soundtrack is clear and I really enjoyed how the music didn’t get in the way of the story, which can be semi-told through the words, just by listening to the soundtrack, though you have no idea really of the awesomeness of the movie unless you watch it!

I alwaze love hearing actors/actresses who can suddenly sing, and I love when movie musicals don’t dub them over. Johnny Depp, Carter, and Rickman (as well as the other supporting cast) all sing well, and fill their parts well vocally.

Though Sweeney Todd: T.D.B.of F.S. is a horror/musical movie, the soundtrack isn’t scary, but lets one hear the hearts of the characters, and story.

My favorite part keeps being at the end of the song “My Friends” (sung by Todd and Lovett), where Depp calls out :

“At last, my arm is complete again!”

The soundtrack came in a nice box set with a photo book filled with lyrics and a note by Tim Burton, as well as a short biography of Stephen Sondheim.

Our local Library here in Amarillo, TX (where I currently reside), has a great DVD/VHS collection. But better than that is the inter-Library Loan System , where you can order anything, and they will check tons of other Libraries to see if any of them have what you’re looking for; if so, it’ll get sent to your Library for you to pick up!

I usually use the ILLS quite often, usually ordering tons of DVDs/Books, at one shot. The only problem with this method is I never know how long it’ll take for my things to arrive. And often, I get a huge load of things at one time. Which wouldn’t be so bad, except the policy here in the great public Library system of Amarillo, TX, is that you can only keep your movies for 2 days!!

So Thursday, when I went to the Library to drop off some movies, a book, and pick up whatever was waiting for me, I wasn’t surprised to find 7 DVDs waiting…Thank God for internet renewals!

My collection of weekend movies is as follows:

PECKER, the 1998 John Waters odd-one-out movie. I have seen it before, but it’s been years, and since I’m on a Christina Ricci kick lately, I figured I’d re-watch it and see how it really was. Hopefully it doesn’t end up as one of my “movie misses!” Anyway, it stars that kid who was in T2:Judgement Day , so that’s interesting. Everything in it seems dysfunctional, as he runs around taking odd pictures that make him a near-overnight sensation, on his little camera.

Also on a Johnny Depp kick lately, and THE LIBERTINE one of his I’ve never seen, that’s also in my new “collection” of movies. Depp plays the 2nd Earl of Rochester, who writes a play, scandalizes the king, and dies from syphilis at around 33. Sounds like a dark drama–kind of like Johnny’s character in FROM HELL.

The newer film 21 from Robert Luketic, and starring Kevin Spacey, Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, and Laurence Fishburne is a welcome one. I didn’t think it’d be in the Library systems so soon, but am glad it was, since I missed it in theatres. The movie, about a group of MIT students who engage in a spectacular card-counting scheme to break Vegas (based on a true story), seemed (of course, you can never tell with previews) to be right up my adventure-loving alley!

Another Christina Ricci great, also starring Samuel L Jackson, is BLACK SNAKE MOAN, which I saw almost all of not too long ago. I was intrigued by this dark drama about an abused girl, a seemingly crazy Southerner, and their seeking of salvation that seems just out of both of their reach. Plus, I believe Christina Ricci is amazing the way she can flow in and out of so many different types of dark characters. She has such an outstanding ability. Definitely one of my most favorite actresses…

UNLEASHED is a movie starring Jet Li, and Morgan Freeman (another favorite of mine), in a story that seems totally strange, but I am hoping is a worthwhile watch. The premis is that Jet Li is an awesome, pretty un-natural martial artist, trained and raised like a dog, to attack when, well, “unleashed.” Morgan Freeman is the blind man who finds Li’s character when he finally tries to break from his hellish “owner” (Bob Hoskins), and tries to help him on his path to freedom. Which of course is perilous, and his past haunts him.

The last movie on my list is MUPPET TREASURE ISLAND, 

  which I have seen countless times. I don’t know why I don’t own it yet…It is undoubtedly one of my all time faves. I love the Muppets, I love the R.L.Stevenson novel, I love Tim Curry–how can I go wrong?! This musical romp in search for treasure has an of-course-Muppet-twist    , headed by Gonzo and Rizzo following Jim Hawkins around the tale. They crack me up! The only downside is the mullet-wielding Kevin Bishop , who plays Jim Hawkins (and who is, I guess, not as unknown as I thought)…But overall, this movie is great, and Tim Curry singing adds to it being as such!

And finally, I received from my local Library the second part of the 3rd Season of one of the greater lost causes of TV Series–The 4400 . I discovered this show on the Sci-Fi shelf, and got instantly hooked. It has a GREAT theme song  

, and some really cool characters. Plus, there’s a guy in it with the name “Mahershalalhashbaz Ali“–how do you go wrong with that??! How do you even pronounce that?!! The show is about a group of (you guessed it) 4400 people who disappeared at various times over about a 60 year span, then are suddenly returned one day all at the same time with no memory of anything, and not having aged a day. Over time, of course there are sneaky government officials and schemes, but there are basically messages from the future that say The 4400 were sent back to save humanity. They’re infused with abilities, ranging from plagues to future visions to messing with electricity (no, they’re NOT X-men!). The show started out weak, in ‘04, but as it went on (at least I thought), it got better..then the USA Network dropped it after the 4th Season. Which would’ve been alright, except it leaves everything unanswered and the show in mid-story. Which sucks. I am NOT looking forward to being left hanging!

The other evening, while I was in the kitchen washing dishes, I suddenly heard a wonderful sound–the overture to one Rodgers & Hammerstein’s all time greatest achievements-The Sound of Music !
When I came rushing into the bedroom, my husband laughed at my humming along with the entire thing–but how could I not? I have the entire movie, songs & all, memorized.

Growing up in a musical family, we were taught early on to love the greats–My Fair Lady , Hello Dolly , Strike Up The Band , Singing in The Rain , White Christmas , Meet Me In St. Louis , Fiddler on the Roof , & The Sound of Music were just some amongst our long list of musical VHS’s that filled my family’s shelves!
I will eternally be grateful to them, for, as time went on, & I learned the greats such as Andrew Lloyd Webber, Bob Fosse, etc.–I learned you can never beat the classics.

Of course, musical movies aren’t always the same as their theatre counterparts (or in this case, the true story they stem from), but one thing can be said about most musicals–if they’re great ones–they’re fun, exciting to watch, & not only have you singing along, but watching again & again!

So here they are, in no particular order:

1. THE CINEMATOGRAPHY
This movie has some of the most stunning cinematography of all time–from the sweeping opening scene of the mountains & fields, to Maria’s lovely walk down the aisle of the huge Catholic Church towards the end (aren’t you sure that that aisle is at least a mile long?!). The colors & depth of The Sound of Music are surely due to William Reynolds’ film editing(hence why he won an Oscar for it), Ted D. McCord’s direction of photography (of course), & much of the movie being shot in Austria itself!

2. “16, GOING ON 17″

Come on, admit it. You all love this song, & sing along, no matter how sappy the entire scene with Liesl & Rolfe is, made especially so by the soft lighting, & the silly dancing (which in real life wouldn’t have made much sense without music, but in musicals, since there is always music when you need it–fits perfectly!)–jumping from bench to bench?! But it reminds us all of what it feels like to be in love, & is a beautiful scene, no matter what.

3. WIT
I love the wit & passed between the characters in this movie, especially Maria & the Captain, such as during the scene where Maria happily tells the Captain that yes, his children have been traipsing about the countryside dressed in nothing but drapes, & having a marvelous time! Classic.

4. THE BARONESS
Even though, as we’re watching the movie, we want her gone from Captain Von Trapp’s & the children’s life, a person can’t help but appreciate Eleanor Parker’s Baroness. She is sophisticated, & beautiful, & a perfect contrast to Maria in the movie. Eleanor pulls off the character with precision, adding just enough malice & jealousy to make her unlikable, but enough class to make her stunning.

5. “Climb Ev’ry Mountain”

This song just gets to me–in a good way! I am sure some may find the entire scene with the Mother Abbess singing to Maria boring, but the song is a great one. Hammerstein’s words are gripping, as is Rodgers’ musical “climb” towards a strong ending. The song in the movie, though sung by Peggy Wood, who played the Mother Abbess, was dubbed over by Margery McKay–I actually never knew this fact till recently! The voice & persona go so well with the Mother Abbess Peggy Wood portrays. And I love how the song flows; you can actually imagine the Mother Abbess breaking into it in real life. And that end note…wow!

6. SUNNY DISPOSITION
Ok, so this doesn’t actually count as a real reason, but as with most of the musical movies from the 50’s & 60’s (The Sound of Music was released in 1965), you cannot watch The Sound of Music & come away glum. It’s just not possible. Unless you have no heart. The movie just reeks of bright & color & happy! Even the unhappy parts don’t last long enough, or have a bad enough ending, to be memorable or make us gloomy. This movie must release good endorphins or something…

7. JULIE ANDREWS
My absolute most favorite thing about The Sound of Music is Julie Andrews! The movie would not have been without her. She has an amazing voice, & an amazing personality that shines through in everything she does–to this day (have you ever seen her in interview?!)–& she is to be commended. Her clear, angelic voice was at its great peak during this time it seemed (Mary Poppins was also a 60’s movie–’64), & always makes me want to sing along whenever I hear it. I think she is most definitely one of the greatest vocalists of our time.