list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around The Sound of Music on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/The_Sound_of_Music/32141/default.aspx Title: The Sound of Music
Year: 1965
Director: Robert Wise
Plot: One of the most popular movie musicals of all time, The Sound of Music is based on the true story of the Trapp Family Singers. Julie Andrews stars as Maria, a young nun in an Austrian convent who regularly misses her morning prayers because she enjoys going to the hills to sing the title song. Deciding that Maria needs to learn something about the real world before she can take her vows, the Mother Superior (Peggy Wood) sends her off to be governess for the children of the widowed Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer). Arriving at the Trapp home, Maria discovers that her new boss is cold and aloof, and his seven children virtual automatons-at least, whenever the Captain is around. Otherwise, the kids are holy terrors, as evidenced by the fact that Maria is the latest in a long line of governesses. But Maria soon ingratiates herself with the children, especially oldest daughter Liesl (Charmian Carr), who is in love with teenaged messenger boy Rolf. As Maria herself begins to fall in love with the Captain, she rushes back to the Abbey so as not to complicate his impending marriage to a glamorous baroness (Eleanor Parker). But the children insist that Maria return, the Baroness steps out of the picture, and Maria and the Captain confirm their love in the song "Something Good." Unhappily, they return home from their honeymoon shortly after the Nazis march into Austria. Already, swastikas have been hung on the Von Trapp ancestral home, and Liesl's boyfriend Rolf has been indoctrinated in the "glories" of the Third Reich. The biggest blow occurs when Von Trapp is called back to active duty in the service of the Fuhrer. The Captain wants nothing to do with Nazism, and he begins making plans to take himself and his family out of Austria. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 70
Number of Lists: 73
Number of blog posts: 8
Number of discussion threads: 5
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:50:14 GMTThe Sound of Music1965Robert WiseOne of the most popular movie musicals of all time, The Sound of Music is based on the true story of the Trapp Family Singers. <a href="/players/P_____1721/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Julie Andrews</a> stars as Maria, a young nun in an Austrian convent who regularly misses her morning prayers because she enjoys going to the hills to sing the title song. Deciding that Maria needs to learn something about the real world before she can take her vows, the Mother Superior (<a href="/players/P____77341/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Peggy Wood</a>) sends her off to be governess for the children of the widowed Captain Von Trapp (<a href="/players/P____57110/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Christopher Plummer</a>). Arriving at the Trapp home, Maria discovers that her new boss is cold and aloof, and his seven children virtual automatons-at least, whenever the Captain is around. Otherwise, the kids are holy terrors, as evidenced by the fact that Maria is the latest in a long line of governesses. But Maria soon ingratiates herself with the children, especially oldest daughter Liesl (Charmian Carr), who is in love with teenaged messenger boy Rolf. As Maria herself begins to fall in love with the Captain, she rushes back to the Abbey so as not to complicate his impending marriage to a glamorous baroness (<a href="/players/P____55087/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Eleanor Parker</a>). But the children insist that Maria return, the Baroness steps out of the picture, and Maria and the Captain confirm their love in the song "Something Good." Unhappily, they return home from their honeymoon shortly after the Nazis march into Austria. Already, swastikas have been hung on the Von Trapp ancestral home, and Liesl's boyfriend Rolf has been indoctrinated in the "glories" of the Third Reich. The biggest blow occurs when Von Trapp is called back to active duty in the service of the Fuhrer. The Captain wants nothing to do with Nazism, and he begins making plans to take himself and his family out of Austria. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide70Tag Target (>10)73853http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t66669rsbis.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/The_Sound_of_Music/32141/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/whatsyourproblem/archive/2009/2/2/40161.aspx Post By: WhatsYourProblem
Post To: WhatsYourProblem Blog
Post Date: 2/2/2009 3:50:14 PM
Body: When I heard about a singing nun who escapes a convent to look after orphaned children and helps them avoid capture by the Nazis, I thought it would be almost too sweet for my tastes. But the movie was so well done that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Ernest Lehman wrote the darling script which was beautifully directed by Robert Wise, who caught the majestic Alpine countryside. Lost of great songs.
]]>Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:50:14 GMTWhatsYourProblemWhatsYourProblem Blog2/2/2009 3:50:14 PMWhen I heard about a singing nun who escapes a convent to look after orphaned children and helps them avoid capture by the Nazis, I thought it would be almost too sweet for my tastes. But the movie was so well done that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Ernest Lehman wrote the darling script which was beautifully directed by Robert Wise, who caught the majestic Alpine countryside. Lost of great songs. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/12/24/38826.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 12/24/2008 3:01:06 PM
Body: Yes, it’s that “most wonderful time of the year” again. And unless the scent of pine turns you on or you’ve got a fetish for glittery objects (like the crazy queen who must have designed this year’s Macy’s window display after watching A Beautiful Mind on acid – there’s even a borderline creepy ode to the “diva Tinsel” stenciled on the glass. Check it out if you’re in NYC, it’s a must!), you’re probably feeling about as sexy as eggnog right now. But don’t despair. If Macy’s can turn a stalwart tradition into an LSD trip I can find the perversion in The Sound of Music. So without further adieu, here are some sexy, family-friendly suggestions for gathering around the DVD player with the clan. Heavenly Creatures Dashing Cary Grant stars in Henry Koster’s 1947 The Bishop’s Wife, about an angel sent down to earth to help a holy man (played by the delightful David Niven) build a church – and recover his shaken faith in the process. Only problem is the bishop’s got a hottie wife in the form of radiant Loretta Young who the charming angel takes under his wing as well. Grant’s studly Dudley, a cuckolding do-gooder, is every bit as ambiguous as Grant himself was in real life. If your relatives are especially warped, have a double feature with Pasolini’s 1968 Teorema, in which an otherworldly knockout played by the breathtakingly beautiful Terence Stamp seduces the entire family kids included. And if you still haven’t gotten your fill of sexy spirits, throw in Warren Beatty’s and Buck Henry’s 1978 Heaven Can Wait, a remake of Alexander Hall’s 1941 Here Comes Mr. Jordan, in which steamy Beatty turns tasty Robert Montgomery’s boxer Joe Pendleton into a quarterback who prematurely gets called to the big leagues upstairs as a result of angel error. Sugar (Plum) Daddies As my friend CineKink founder Lisa Vandever has pointed out, if you have a suit fetish there’s no better film to turn to than Robert Wise’s 1965 The Sound of Music, in which Christopher Plummer as the immaculately attired, debonair daddy Baron Von Trapp tames Julie Andrews’ virginal Maria, turning the spunky nun into a submissive wife and mother. (And yes, as an added bonus, the film contains sexy Nazis to boot!) If it’s a marathon festival of family-friendly perversion you’re after, team this up with Victor Fleming’s 1939 Gone With The Wind, which stars the daddy of sexy rogues Clark Gable as Rhett Butler, the only man who could make Vivien Leigh’s strong-willed Scarlett O’Hara glow the morning after a night of non-consensual sex. (Frankly, my dear, I’d screw him, too.) If your relatives don’t do musicals or sweeping epics there’s always slapstick comedy in the form of Brian Levant’s 1996 Jingle All The Way, starring my favorite slab of political beefcake, the Governator himself, as a dad determined to score a Turbo Man toy for his son’s Christmas gift. (Now if only I can nab a seat on Santa’s lap the next time Arnie dresses up for one of those kids’ fundraisers. Guess my wish, Mr. Claus.) Hot Mama Lest I forget the boys who like girls and the girls who like girls, Peter Godfrey’s 1945 Christmas in Connecticut, starring the smoldering Barbara Stanwyck as a family advice columnist who fakes a family for the sake of publicity, is a great excuse for a double feature. Pair this with Alfred E. Green’s 1933 Baby Face, in which Stanwyck plays an unapologetic slut who sleeps her way to the top, and have yourself a “Working Girls’ Christmas.” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 24 Dec 2008 20:01:06 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com12/24/2008 3:01:06 PMYes, it’s that “most wonderful time of the year” again. And unless the scent of pine turns you on or you’ve got a fetish for glittery objects (like the crazy queen who must have designed this year’s Macy’s window display after watching A Beautiful Mind on acid – there’s even a borderline creepy ode to the “diva Tinsel” stenciled on the glass. Check it out if you’re in NYC, it’s a must!), you’re probably feeling about as sexy as eggnog right now. But don’t despair. If Macy’s can turn a stalwart tradition into an LSD trip I can find the perversion in The Sound of Music. So without further adieu, here are some sexy, family-friendly suggestions for gathering around the DVD player with the clan. Heavenly Creatures Dashing Cary Grant stars in Henry Koster’s 1947 The Bishop’s Wife, about an angel sent down to earth to help a holy man (played by the delightful David Niven) build a church – and recover his shaken faith in the process. Only problem is the bishop’s got a hottie wife in the form of radiant Loretta Young who the charming angel takes under his wing as well. Grant’s studly Dudley, a cuckolding do-gooder, is every bit as ambiguous as Grant himself was in real life. If your relatives are especially warped, have a double feature with Pasolini’s 1968 Teorema, in which an otherworldly knockout played by the breathtakingly beautiful Terence Stamp seduces the entire family kids included. And if you still haven’t gotten your fill of sexy spirits, throw in Warren Beatty’s and Buck Henry’s 1978 Heaven Can Wait, a remake of Alexander Hall’s 1941 Here Comes Mr. Jordan, in which steamy Beatty turns tasty Robert Montgomery’s boxer Joe Pendleton into a quarterback who prematurely gets called to the big leagues upstairs as a result of angel error. Sugar (Plum) Daddies As my friend CineKink founder Lisa Vandever has pointed out, if you have a suit fetish there’s no better film to turn to than Robert Wise’s 1965 The Sound of Music, in which Christopher Plummer as the immaculately attired, debonair daddy Baron Von Trapp tames Julie Andrews’ virginal Maria, turning the spunky nun into a submissive wife and mother. (And yes, as an added bonus, the film contains sexy Nazis to boot!) If it’s a marathon festival of family-friendly perversion you’re after, team this up with Victor Fleming’s 1939 Gone With The Wind, which stars the daddy of sexy rogues Clark Gable as Rhett Butler, the only man who could make Vivien Leigh’s strong-willed Scarlett O’Hara glow the morning after a night of non-consensual sex. (Frankly, my dear, I’d screw him, too.) If your relatives don’t do musicals or sweeping epics there’s always slapstick comedy in the form of Brian Levant’s 1996 Jingle All The Way, starring my favorite slab of political beefcake, the Governator himself, as a dad determined to score a Turbo Man toy for his son’s Christmas gift. (Now if only I can nab a seat on Santa’s lap the next time Arnie dresses up for one of those kids’ fundraisers. Guess my wish, Mr. Claus.) Hot Mama Lest I forget the boys who like girls and the girls who like girls, Peter Godfrey’s 1945 Christmas in Connecticut, starring the smoldering Barbara Stanwyck as a family advice columnist who fakes a family for the sake of publicity, is a great excuse for a double feature. Pair this with Alfred E. Green’s 1933 Baby Face, in which Stanwyck plays an unapologetic slut who sleeps her way to the top, and have yourself a “Working Girls’ Christmas.” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/12/11/38235.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 12/11/2008 11:01:42 AM
Body: The fanboys are so serious about The Dark Knight being the best film of 2008 that if the Academy snubs the comic-book adaptation for a Best Picture nomination, they’re liable to storm the Kodak Theatre on February 22 in protest. But why should anyone be worried that it won’t get the nomination? It wouldn’t be much of a coup for the year’s top-grossing blockbuster to be named one of the five Best Picture candidates. In fact, since the very first Academy Awards, the top award has often been handed out to films that were #1 at the box office in their respective year. And the last time it happened was as recent as 2003, with The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Thanks to popular and talented filmmakers like D.W. Griffith, Walt Disney, David Lean and Steven Spielberg, it’s hardly uncommon for films to make money and earn critical respect. But this isn’t an opportunity to spotlight overrated top-grossing Best Pictures like Titanic, Rain Man and Rocky, which were decidedly not their year’s best films. Rather, this is a chance to ease the minds of fanboys just in case The Dark Knight doesn’t get the nod. Some of these blockbusters were indeed nominated for Best Picture, and a few even won the award, but some of them were both their year’s biggest moneymaker (in the U.S.) and best film (from the U.S.) without gaining proper Academy recognition. 1937: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Domestic Gross: $66,596,803 It’s certainly not the best feature-length animated film from Disney. That would be the box office disappointment Pinocchio, which came out a few years later and revealed the true breadth of Uncle Walt’s magic. But this was the first, and it’s enchanting enough that it towers over even the best live-action films of its year, including The Awful Truth, The Life of Emile Zola and The Good Earth. 1946: The Best Years of Our Lives Domestic Gross: $11,300,000 If a film like this came out today, it would probably be ignored at the box office, just as most movies responding to the Iraq War and its effects have been box office poison. Yet The Best Years of Our Lives was a huge hit with moviegoers, and it was named Best Picture, too. If you haven’t seen it, you might think that its success had to do with the idea that movies were far more patriotic in tone then. But in reality, this film is more critical of post-wartime America and more supportive and revealing of veteran’s struggles than much of what Hollywood attempts now. 1957: The Bridge on the River Kwai Domestic Gross: $17,195,000 If you only knew the successes of Snow White and this film, you might think the best way to both box office and Oscar gold is to feature a song involving whistling. Unlike “Whistle While You Work,” however, the catchy tune in this film was a hit from decades earlier, and certain circumstances allowed it to add subtext, one of many elements that makes David Lean’s POW epic so rich and wonderful. Of course, it’s that widescreen mise-en-scene that really makes this film just barely edge out 12 Angry Men and Sweet Smell of Success to be considered the year’s finest Hollywood release. 1962: Lawrence of Arabia Domestic Gross: $20,310,000 Nothing against Christopher Nolan and his interest in making truly big-screen-appropriate blockbusters, but even if he does want to completely shoot his next movie for the IMAX format, he’ll never be as fit for 70mm as David Lean was. We all remember that famous shot of the rider in the distance who eventually approaches the foreground, but despite what’s written above for the River Kwai’s entry on this list, Lean wasn’t just good for widescreen spectacle. He could actually direct action pretty well, too, for starters. If only he’d lived long enough to have been forced to deliver his own superhero flick. 1965: Doctor Zhivago Domestic Gross: $60,954,000 Enough with the David Lean, right? This isn’t even that great a film, but the mid-60s weren’t a particularly good time in terms of Hollywood output. If you prefer, some sources place The Sound of Music as the year’s box office champ (its listed domestic take includes rerelease income), and there’s plenty who think that Best Picture-winner was the best film of 1965 instead (hi, Mom). 1972: The Godfather Domestic Gross: $86,691,000 It won the box office, it won the Academy Awards and it still has the utmost respect of film critics and fans today. Few people could honestly say there was a better film in 1972. Even the silly voters who allowed Bob Fosse to win Best Director for Cabaret that year probably wish they could go back and change their minds. 1980: The Empire Strikes Back Domestic Gross: $209,398,025 Argue all you want that 1977 deserves to be on this list, too, but both Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Annie Hall are better films. Besides, anytime critics include the first Star Wars as one of the best films of all time, they actually depreciate the quality of its sequel. Putting that film in the same league with The Empire Strikes Back is like putting the 1966 Batman movie on equal standing with The Dark Knight. Okay, that’s overdoing it. Maybe like putting Batman Begins on the same level, then. 1981: Raiders of the Lost Ark Domestic Gross: $209,562,121 It’s terrible to have to include two George Lucas productions on this list, mainly because by 1999 he was putting out films that were their year’s top earners and top turkeys. Plus, thanks to the latest Indiana Jones movie, it’s a little tough to watch Raiders without thinking of how the protagonist will one day fly through the air in a nuked fridge. But it’s still a damn good action-adventure flick, arguably the greatest of all time. 1985: Back to the Future Domestic Gross: $210,609,762 Robert Zemeckis gets more credit for the double success of Forrest Gump because that film won Best Picture in addition to topping the box office in 1994. Yet it’s this top-grossing film that deserves more esteem. It may not have been nominated for Best Picture, but it captured the mid-80s’ hunger for science fiction and nostalgia perfectly, turning it into one of the most memorable films of the decade, and of all time. With all respect to Sydney Pollack and John Huston, does anyone even think of Out of Africa or Prizzi’s Honor much today? 1995: Toy Story Domestic Gross: $191,796,233 Compared to WALL-E, this film seems technically crude. It’s perhaps analogous to, in 1995, comparing Toy Story to Snow White. That’s how far it seems the wizards at Pixar have come in 13 years. But just as Disney’s first animated feature enchants us still to this day, Toy Story, far from being dated, has aged better than most of Hollywood’s films from the same year. If ever there was a year for a Pixar movie to be nominated for Best Picture, 1995 was the year. It was better than Braveheart, let alone Babe, then, and it’s better than those films now. That said, it would be just as interesting to see Braveheart 3-D next year along with the 3-D rerelease of Toy Story. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:01:42 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com12/11/2008 11:01:42 AMThe fanboys are so serious about The Dark Knight being the best film of 2008 that if the Academy snubs the comic-book adaptation for a Best Picture nomination, they’re liable to storm the Kodak Theatre on February 22 in protest. But why should anyone be worried that it won’t get the nomination? It wouldn’t be much of a coup for the year’s top-grossing blockbuster to be named one of the five Best Picture candidates. In fact, since the very first Academy Awards, the top award has often been handed out to films that were #1 at the box office in their respective year. And the last time it happened was as recent as 2003, with The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Thanks to popular and talented filmmakers like D.W. Griffith, Walt Disney, David Lean and Steven Spielberg, it’s hardly uncommon for films to make money and earn critical respect. But this isn’t an opportunity to spotlight overrated top-grossing Best Pictures like Titanic, Rain Man and Rocky, which were decidedly not their year’s best films. Rather, this is a chance to ease the minds of fanboys just in case The Dark Knight doesn’t get the nod. Some of these blockbusters were indeed nominated for Best Picture, and a few even won the award, but some of them were both their year’s biggest moneymaker (in the U.S.) and best film (from the U.S.) without gaining proper Academy recognition. 1937: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Domestic Gross: $66,596,803 It’s certainly not the best feature-length animated film from Disney. That would be the box office disappointment Pinocchio, which came out a few years later and revealed the true breadth of Uncle Walt’s magic. But this was the first, and it’s enchanting enough that it towers over even the best live-action films of its year, including The Awful Truth, The Life of Emile Zola and The Good Earth. 1946: The Best Years of Our Lives Domestic Gross: $11,300,000 If a film like this came out today, it would probably be ignored at the box office, just as most movies responding to the Iraq War and its effects have been box office poison. Yet The Best Years of Our Lives was a huge hit with moviegoers, and it was named Best Picture, too. If you haven’t seen it, you might think that its success had to do with the idea that movies were far more patriotic in tone then. But in reality, this film is more critical of post-wartime America and more supportive and revealing of veteran’s struggles than much of what Hollywood attempts now. 1957: The Bridge on the River Kwai Domestic Gross: $17,195,000 If you only knew the successes of Snow White and this film, you might think the best way to both box office and Oscar gold is to feature a song involving whistling. Unlike “Whistle While You Work,” however, the catchy tune in this film was a hit from decades earlier, and certain circumstances allowed it to add subtext, one of many elements that makes David Lean’s POW epic so rich and wonderful. Of course, it’s that widescreen mise-en-scene that really makes this film just barely edge out 12 Angry Men and Sweet Smell of Success to be considered the year’s finest Hollywood release. 1962: Lawrence of Arabia Domestic Gross: $20,310,000 Nothing against Christopher Nolan and his interest in making truly big-screen-appropriate blockbusters, but even if he does want to completely shoot his next movie for the IMAX format, he’ll never be as fit for 70mm as David Lean was. We all remember that famous shot of the rider in the distance who eventually approaches the foreground, but despite what’s written above for the River Kwai’s entry on this list, Lean wasn’t just good for widescreen spectacle. He could actually direct action pretty well, too, for starters. If only he’d lived long enough to have been forced to deliver his own superhero flick. 1965: Doctor Zhivago Domestic Gross: $60,954,000 Enough with the David Lean, right? This isn’t even that great a film, but the mid-60s weren’t a particularly good time in terms of Hollywood output. If you prefer, some sources place The Sound of Music as the year’s box office champ (its listed domestic take includes rerelease income), and there’s plenty who think that Best Picture-winner was the best film of 1965 instead (hi, Mom). 1972: The Godfather Domestic Gross: $86,691,000 It won the box office, it won the Academy Awards and it still has the utmost respect of film critics and fans today. Few people could honestly say there was a better film in 1972. Even the silly voters who allowed Bob Fosse to win Best Director for Cabaret that year probably wish they could go back and change their minds. 1980: The Empire Strikes Back Domestic Gross: $209,398,025 Argue all you want that 1977 deserves to be on this list, too, but both Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Annie Hall are better films. Besides, anytime critics include the first Star Wars as one of the best films of all time, they actually depreciate the quality of its sequel. Putting that film in the same league with The Empire Strikes Back is like putting the 1966 Batman movie on equal standing with The Dark Knight. Okay, that’s overdoing it. Maybe like putting Batman Begins on the same level, then. 1981: Raiders of the Lost Ark Domestic Gross: $209,562,121 It’s terrible to have to include two George Lucas productions on this list, mainly because by 1999 he was putting out films that were their year’s top earners and top turkeys. Plus, thanks to the latest Indiana Jones movie, it’s a little tough to watch Raiders without thinking of how the protagonist will one day fly through the air in a nuked fridge. But it’s still a damn good action-adventure flick, arguably the greatest of all time. 1985: Back to the Future Domestic Gross: $210,609,762 Robert Zemeckis gets more credit for the double success of Forrest Gump because that film won Best Picture in addition to topping the box office in 1994. Yet it’s this top-grossing film that deserves more esteem. It may not have been nominated for Best Picture, but it captured the mid-80s’ hunger for science fiction and nostalgia perfectly, turning it into one of the most memorable films of the decade, and of all time. With all respect to Sydney Pollack and John Huston, does anyone even think of Out of Africa or Prizzi’s Honor much today? 1995: Toy Story Domestic Gross: $191,796,233 Compared to WALL-E, this film seems technically crude. It’s perhaps analogous to, in 1995, comparing Toy Story to Snow White. That’s how far it seems the wizards at Pixar have come in 13 years. But just as Disney’s first animated feature enchants us still to this day, Toy Story, far from being dated, has aged better than most of Hollywood’s films from the same year. If ever there was a year for a Pixar movie to be nominated for Best Picture, 1995 was the year. It was better than Braveheart, let alone Babe, then, and it’s better than those films now. That said, it would be just as interesting to see Braveheart 3-D next year along with the 3-D rerelease of Toy Story. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/tenenbaums/archive/2008/10/26/36673.aspx Post By: Tenenbaums
Post To: Tenenbaums Blog
Post Date: 10/26/2008 12:50:16 AM
Body: From the outside, I fully expected to hate the High School Musicalseries. The premise sounded awful and the legions of teeny-bopper fans, who I couldn't distinguish from Hannah Montana enthusiasts, didn't help. But, I like musicals, so I hadn't completely ruled out giving them a chance. I'm glad that I caved. True, the musical numbers are filled with more cheese than all of France, but laughing at the ridiculousness of the hyper-reality (evident in all other musicals, though cranked to 11 in HSM) is the gateway into the nutty fun that these films provide. Once you let go after the first song of the first film, you're in and can start looking for the next impromptu sing-a-long. No one was bothered when the Von Trapp children sang about cuckoo clocks or when the Jets and Sharks danced around NYC as if it were one big playground. HSM is simply the evolution of the musical, and if it's a bit kid-centric and corny, then we need to get our heads out of the '60s and accept where the genre is heading. Besides the strange appeal of the cheese, the positive characters and messages are the lasting legacies of the franchise. The films feature high schoolers who are excellent role models, all struggling with authentic teen issues and handling them in exceptional ways. The kids understand the value of friends and family, believing in yourself, and doing the right thing. Combined with fun songs, the overarching positivity make for strong, quality filmmaking. At the start of HSM, I was ready to turn off the TV. By the end of HSM3, I was hoping that more songs from the earlier films would make a final curtain call before it was all over. Give it a shot, let yourself go, and you'll enjoy it, too.
]]>Sun, 26 Oct 2008 04:50:16 GMTTenenbaumsTenenbaums Blog10/26/2008 12:50:16 AMFrom the outside, I fully expected to hate the High School Musicalseries. The premise sounded awful and the legions of teeny-bopper fans, who I couldn't distinguish from Hannah Montana enthusiasts, didn't help. But, I like musicals, so I hadn't completely ruled out giving them a chance. I'm glad that I caved. True, the musical numbers are filled with more cheese than all of France, but laughing at the ridiculousness of the hyper-reality (evident in all other musicals, though cranked to 11 in HSM) is the gateway into the nutty fun that these films provide. Once you let go after the first song of the first film, you're in and can start looking for the next impromptu sing-a-long. No one was bothered when the Von Trapp children sang about cuckoo clocks or when the Jets and Sharks danced around NYC as if it were one big playground. HSM is simply the evolution of the musical, and if it's a bit kid-centric and corny, then we need to get our heads out of the '60s and accept where the genre is heading. Besides the strange appeal of the cheese, the positive characters and messages are the lasting legacies of the franchise. The films feature high schoolers who are excellent role models, all struggling with authentic teen issues and handling them in exceptional ways. The kids understand the value of friends and family, believing in yourself, and doing the right thing. Combined with fun songs, the overarching positivity make for strong, quality filmmaking. At the start of HSM, I was ready to turn off the TV. By the end of HSM3, I was hoping that more songs from the earlier films would make a final curtain call before it was all over. Give it a shot, let yourself go, and you'll enjoy it, too. http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Games/Re_Pick_a_Pair/598/32303/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Dr_Gor
Post To: Movie Games
Post Date: 7/8/2008 7:43:43 PM
Body: [quote user="mercurial"] I had to go one step further and do a triple feature: Nuns, Nuns, NUNS! The Sound of Music Nuns singing! Nuns laughing! Nuns thwarting Nazi's! Yay! Black Narcissus More realistic portrayal of good-hearted nuns mixed with some crazy ones. Dark Habits Tigers, lesbianism and heroin, Oh My! [/quote] If you're going to watch movies about nuns, why not try some of the funner ones... Demonia Sisters Of Satan The Other Hell Flavia The Heretic Psycho III ... there are more...
]]>Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:43:43 GMTDr_GorMovie Games7/8/2008 7:43:43 PM[quote user="mercurial"] I had to go one step further and do a triple feature: Nuns, Nuns, NUNS! The Sound of Music Nuns singing! Nuns laughing! Nuns thwarting Nazi's! Yay! Black Narcissus More realistic portrayal of good-hearted nuns mixed with some crazy ones. Dark Habits Tigers, lesbianism and heroin, Oh My! [/quote] If you're going to watch movies about nuns, why not try some of the funner ones... Demonia Sisters Of Satan The Other Hell Flavia The Heretic Psycho III ... there are more... http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Games/Re_Pick_a_Pair/598/31709/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: unclefestering
Post To: Movie Games
Post Date: 6/25/2008 10:38:07 PM
Body: quote user="mercurial"] I had to go one step further and do a triple feature: Nuns, Nuns, NUNS! The Sound of Music Nuns singing! Nuns laughing! Nuns thwarting Nazi's! Yay! Black Narcissus More realistic portrayal of good-hearted nuns mixed with some crazy ones. Dark Habits Tigers, lesbianism and heroin, Oh My! [/quote] If you are going that far, you might as well add Killer Nun to your list of drug addicted, sex starved sisters of mercy.
]]>Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:38:07 GMTunclefesteringMovie Games6/25/2008 10:38:07 PMquote user="mercurial"] I had to go one step further and do a triple feature: Nuns, Nuns, NUNS! The Sound of Music Nuns singing! Nuns laughing! Nuns thwarting Nazi's! Yay! Black Narcissus More realistic portrayal of good-hearted nuns mixed with some crazy ones. Dark Habits Tigers, lesbianism and heroin, Oh My! [/quote] If you are going that far, you might as well add Killer Nun to your list of drug addicted, sex starved sisters of mercy. http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Games/Re_Pick_a_Pair/598/31637/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Movie Games
Post Date: 6/24/2008 6:17:17 PM
Body: I had to go one step further and do a triple feature: Nuns, Nuns, NUNS! The Sound of Music Nuns singing! Nuns laughing! Nuns thwarting Nazi's! Yay! Black Narcissus More realistic portrayal of good-hearted nuns mixed with some crazy ones. Dark Habits Tigers, lesbianism and heroin, Oh My!
]]>Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:17:17 GMTmercurialMovie Games6/24/2008 6:17:17 PMI had to go one step further and do a triple feature: Nuns, Nuns, NUNS! The Sound of Music Nuns singing! Nuns laughing! Nuns thwarting Nazi's! Yay! Black Narcissus More realistic portrayal of good-hearted nuns mixed with some crazy ones. Dark Habits Tigers, lesbianism and heroin, Oh My! http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Games/Re_Desert_Island/598/31312/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: Movie Games
Post Date: 6/17/2008 9:46:07 AM
Body: This discussion reminds me of Escape from L.A. where the prisoners only have two movies, The Sound of Music and a Dolph Lundgren movie, I think. Anyone know what it is? And which of the two would you watch more often?
]]>Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:46:07 GMTSkyPilotMovie Games6/17/2008 9:46:07 AMThis discussion reminds me of Escape from L.A. where the prisoners only have two movies, The Sound of Music and a Dolph Lundgren movie, I think. Anyone know what it is? And which of the two would you watch more often? http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/5/7/28293.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 5/7/2008 11:01:04 AM
Body: Upset that the Third Reich doesn’t appear in either this summer’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull or Hellboy II: The Golden Army? Of course you are. Nazis have featured in many great Hollywood films, from Casablanca to Schindler’s List. They’ve been the focus of one of the best documentaries of all time (Triumph of the Will). They show up in the best musicals (The Sound of Music), the best action films (Raiders of the Lost Ark), the best science fiction films (Star Wars, sort of), the best comedies (The Great Dictator, sort of), the best dramas (Judgment at Nuremburg), the best foreign films (Rome, Open City) and even the best animated shorts (Der Fueher’s Face). In fact, without the Nazis, cinema might not have had so many great war films, POW films or other kinds of films necessitating a personification of evil. Of course, like many others I would wish for them to have never existed, because millions of lives are more important than any number of classic movies. But the Nazis did happen, and they continue to populate cinema for better or worse. We all know about the latest product of Hollywood’s Nazi fetish, Valkyrie, and we’ve seen a ridiculous trailer for a new Russian Hitler farce titled Hitler Kaput!, which shouldn’t be confused with Germany’s recently announced Hitler comedy Mein Kampf, based on a play by George Tabori (I Confess). And now, because we still need Nazi sci-fi, there’s Iron Sky, for which a teaser trailer (see above) has just been released. The movie, which would be better off titled Nazis in Space (or Space Nazis), is an old-fashioned sci-fi film scripted by popular Finnish author Johanna Sinisalo. Its premise involves a secret history in which the Nazis escaped to the dark side of The Moon in 1945. Now it is 2018 and time for the Nazis to return to Earth, Independence Day stylee. Iron Sky comes to us from the makers of the internet-released Finnish feature Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning (the seventh in a series), yet it will be distributed to theaters, perhaps because cinema loves Nazis. Still in the works and without an expected date of completion, Iron Sky will be looking for financing at Cannes this month (the film’s budget = $5 million). Meanwhile, the filmmakers are also looking to involve thousands of internerd helpers through some kind of social networking-type of web community called Wreck A Movie, where apparently they’re accepting suggestions and ideas for the movie. For more info check out the film’s website. [via Aint It Cool News] Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 07 May 2008 15:01:04 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com5/7/2008 11:01:04 AM Upset that the Third Reich doesn’t appear in either this summer’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull or Hellboy II: The Golden Army? Of course you are. Nazis have featured in many great Hollywood films, from Casablanca to Schindler’s List. They’ve been the focus of one of the best documentaries of all time (Triumph of the Will). They show up in the best musicals (The Sound of Music), the best action films (Raiders of the Lost Ark), the best science fiction films (Star Wars, sort of), the best comedies (The Great Dictator, sort of), the best dramas (Judgment at Nuremburg), the best foreign films (Rome, Open City) and even the best animated shorts (Der Fueher’s Face). In fact, without the Nazis, cinema might not have had so many great war films, POW films or other kinds of films necessitating a personification of evil. Of course, like many others I would wish for them to have never existed, because millions of lives are more important than any number of classic movies. But the Nazis did happen, and they continue to populate cinema for better or worse. We all know about the latest product of Hollywood’s Nazi fetish, Valkyrie, and we’ve seen a ridiculous trailer for a new Russian Hitler farce titled Hitler Kaput!, which shouldn’t be confused with Germany’s recently announced Hitler comedy Mein Kampf, based on a play by George Tabori (I Confess). And now, because we still need Nazi sci-fi, there’s Iron Sky, for which a teaser trailer (see above) has just been released. The movie, which would be better off titled Nazis in Space (or Space Nazis), is an old-fashioned sci-fi film scripted by popular Finnish author Johanna Sinisalo. Its premise involves a secret history in which the Nazis escaped to the dark side of The Moon in 1945. Now it is 2018 and time for the Nazis to return to Earth, Independence Day stylee. Iron Sky comes to us from the makers of the internet-released Finnish feature Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning (the seventh in a series), yet it will be distributed to theaters, perhaps because cinema loves Nazis. Still in the works and without an expected date of completion, Iron Sky will be looking for financing at Cannes this month (the film’s budget = $5 million). Meanwhile, the filmmakers are also looking to involve thousands of internerd helpers through some kind of social networking-type of web community called Wreck A Movie, where apparently they’re accepting suggestions and ideas for the movie. For more info check out the film’s website. [via Aint It Cool News] Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/5/5/28191.aspx Post By: pippin06
Post To: Reel Thoughts
Post Date: 5/5/2008 12:58:46 PM
Body: What's the AFI Project, you ask? For more information, or if you just enjoy my bemused ramblings, read here: http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/3/1/25756.aspx The Sound of Music is on the following AFI lists: The Original Top 100 (#55)100 Years...100 Passions (#27)100 Greatest Film Songs (#10 - "The Sound of Music;" #64 - "My Favorite Things;" #88 - "Do Re Mi")25 Greatest Movie Musicals (#4)100 Most Inspiring Movies (#41)The Revised Top 100 (#40) This is a bit of a psych-out. I didn't actually watch this again because I very very recently revisited this movie in another context. Rather than rewrite a whole other entry as to why this movie may or may not belong on those AFI lists, read the revisit blog entry I wrote here: http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2007/9/3/19315.aspx In fact, in general, if I have recently blogged about a movie, I am not going to rewrite a whole other blog entry about it. I see no use in re-spinning these wheels, but for the record, since The Sound of Music is one of my most favorite movies, I think it's, perhaps in a biased way, a requisite inclusion on the AFI lists, without question. I would personally rate it a 9 for being perfectly entertaining (my one minor flaw with the movie centers on the protracted last half hour of escape from the Nazis, a sequence which is portrayed much more succinctly in the stage version). I also, of course, own it and watch it every so often. It's one of those films/musicals that I find myself singing randomly when the mood strikes, and it's one of my three most favorite movie musicals anyway. Also, it's a movie that holds up well with it's entertainment value; the show sold out almost every night at the Civic when I stage managed it, and the movie is quintessential in its classic quality, making it a qualified AFI entry.
]]>Mon, 05 May 2008 16:58:46 GMTpippin06Reel Thoughts5/5/2008 12:58:46 PMWhat's the AFI Project, you ask? For more information, or if you just enjoy my bemused ramblings, read here: http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2008/3/1/25756.aspx The Sound of Music is on the following AFI lists: The Original Top 100 (#55)100 Years...100 Passions (#27)100 Greatest Film Songs (#10 - "The Sound of Music;" #64 - "My Favorite Things;" #88 - "Do Re Mi")25 Greatest Movie Musicals (#4)100 Most Inspiring Movies (#41)The Revised Top 100 (#40) This is a bit of a psych-out. I didn't actually watch this again because I very very recently revisited this movie in another context. Rather than rewrite a whole other entry as to why this movie may or may not belong on those AFI lists, read the revisit blog entry I wrote here: http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2007/9/3/19315.aspx In fact, in general, if I have recently blogged about a movie, I am not going to rewrite a whole other blog entry about it. I see no use in re-spinning these wheels, but for the record, since The Sound of Music is one of my most favorite movies, I think it's, perhaps in a biased way, a requisite inclusion on the AFI lists, without question. I would personally rate it a 9 for being perfectly entertaining (my one minor flaw with the movie centers on the protracted last half hour of escape from the Nazis, a sequence which is portrayed much more succinctly in the stage version). I also, of course, own it and watch it every so often. It's one of those films/musicals that I find myself singing randomly when the mood strikes, and it's one of my three most favorite movie musicals anyway. Also, it's a movie that holds up well with it's entertainment value; the show sold out almost every night at the Civic when I stage managed it, and the movie is quintessential in its classic quality, making it a qualified AFI entry. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Classic/MemberTagFilms.aspxClassic
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