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Showing posts with label Sondheim. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sondheim. Show all posts
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
This is a movie blog most times, sometimes a TV blog but I can't let today pass without celebrating one of the greatest composers and lyricist - Stephen Sondheim. He won his only Oscar for his work on Dick Tracy, so you can't say he has nothing to do with le cinema
And good lord, Madonna is just phenomenal in that live performance. Talk about iconic. And, though I'll admit as much as any that Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is far from flawless I can't fault Johnny and Helena for their acting at the best of times.
And, now for three of Sondheim's greatest songs...
Happy Birthday, genius.
Thursday, 25 November 2010
I’ll be churning out my review of the latest instalment in the never ending (I wish) Harry Potter series. I have no shame in admitting that I’m absolutely smitten with the Potter World even if the films are only fractionally as an entertaining as their literary counterparts. I can’t remember the last time the blogosphere was flooded with so many reviews of a single film in a while: just in my neck of the woods I’ve gotten word fromI haven’t actually read most of these posts, I’m saving it for when my review’s done then I’ll sit down and read them all back to back (to back). I did that with An Education when I rewatched it, and it was fun. Here are thoughts from Yojimbo, Ruth, Marshall, Univarn, The Mad Hatter and Lady Hatter, Joana, Cris, Heather, Rachel and Simon (if I missed yours, it was probably an oversight)
Not that Harry Potter is the only film out at the opening. Any one plan on seeing Burlesque? I’ll probably catch that in the next month but Joe has 22 interesting thoughts on it. Look out for # 20; it’s a winner.
Walter reviews two “chick flicks” You, Again and Morning Glory. I’m not sure I’ll see any, but who knows?
Stephen Sondheim turned 80 this year. If you don’t who that is slap yourself. I’m sort of crazy for guy and he chats about the latest A Little Night Music revival, Glee, and upcoming projects. I love the little tidbit he has about Elaine Stritch. Hilarious.
Which five actors were snubbed their Oscars? I could go on for days, Anna mentions five.
I should have linked this over a week ago, I love this article by Tom on my favourite Woody Allen flick.
Monday, 1 November 2010
Catherine Zeta-Jones recently won her Tony for playing Desiree Amfeldt in Sondheim’s “A Night Music” – I’m not her biggest fan, or anywhere near, but good for her. I found it slightly amusing, though, that when she left the show and theatre icon Bernadette Peters took over the role everyone was saying that CZJ should give back her Tony and let Bernadette claim it. I mean, did anyone think that Bernadette would NOT be better than Catherine? The woman’s all kinds of awesome (I wonder why she wasn't their original choice for the revival). Anyhow, here’s the iconic number from “A Little Night Music” through the ages – from the Original Broadway Cast Production, through some notable film actor all the way up to the recent revival.
The Original Desiree, you may remember her from Mary Poppins
It's as if there's no Sondheim standard she hasn't covered...
This version is so touching, it's a shame she never actually played the role...
Wow. Seriously? Isn't she brilliant?
She performs it well, no doubt: and so lovely to look at...
It's not a performance, and the feedback is dreadful...but she's always amazing.
Good morning everyone.
Saturday, 14 August 2010
I’m having a terrible day, so it’s as good a time as any to take note of the meme that has not been floating around the blogosphere. It’s all about happiness, my general nature is being generally acerbic…but I’m not above happiness. I’m doing something slightly different with the titles…you’ll realise what at the end. Click on the links…if you care to.
Life
I’m prone to the occasional bout of what we could refer to as an existentialist crisis…nonetheless; I’m generally pleased to be alive. Sure, horrible things abound but in the larger picture the good outweighs the bad and there’s really no point in worrying, is there?
The Blogosphere
I still struggle at times to make the distinction between the real world, and the blogging one. Recently the real one’s been looking rather dismal, to be honest. I still don’t approach blogging as a job, regardless of what the rules say, and in its own way it’s been a big part of keeping me occupied and cheerful during my current vacation from jail school.
Actresses
I’ll always be more interested in the fairer sex with it comes to motion pictures and such. I’m more likely to go see a movie for Cate Blanchett alone than for Jude Law alone (two of my favourites in their generation). Case in point: I’ve seen Robin Hood but I’ve not seen Repo Men. I don’t know…there’s just something great about seeing an actress doing her stuff on the screen, big or small, and yes – I think they’re more talented performers too.
Wasting Time
Though I get neurotic when it’s time for me to do something, I prefer when I have nothing to do. Of course, doing “nothing” for me means wasting time on the internet, listening to music, watching movies or reading anything I can get my hands on. For me that’s the ultimate day off. Few things could make me happier.
Books
They deserve their own spot on the list because I’ll always be particularly indebted to them. They were my first passion (no pun intended). I still prefer them (slightly) to movies, even though watching a movie is relatively simpler. Even though I would hate having to choose between the two I wish books weren’t considered to be so pedantic all the time.
But not in that order
Actually, by children I mean my nephew. I’m an young Scrooge, truth be told, children exasperate me…but I have a softspot for my nephew – for obvious reasons. The art bit is more important – painting, writing, film, whatever. Creation is good and worthy of adulation.
Breaking All the Rules
I like digressing from the norm. I’m not a convict – or a convict in training. I’m rather good at keeping my deviant urges hidden, for the most part. But I hate following the rules. I have a definitive aversion to authority figures.
In the real world and cyberspace
Do I really need to explain this?
Music
Lovely music. If you’re astute when it comes to theatre, you’ll notice each of the titles was from a Stephen Sondheim song. I’m a big fan of the man and of music in general. It was a bit inevitable, my father is a musician so we children grew up with it. I have little talent for music (I can’t remember to play the piano or the flute) but I do like listening to it. I’m open to all genres…music is just lovely.
And there you have it: ten things (and songs) that make me happy. Am I less dour than when the day started…yes, but that doesn’t say much. I’m not tagging anyone, I don’t know who. I really would like to see what makes some of you happy though…do if it you care to, that would make me happy too (no pics, I'm tired).
Thursday, 12 August 2010
I vaguely remember answering this question for another meme before, and I feel no need to change it. I’ve become a bit obsessed with Broadway Cast Recordings in the last few years. It’s my own way of experiencing actual Broadway vicariously before I finally see a real show. I’ve never really been crazy about movie soundtracks, so it makes sense that the soundtrack I consider special is based on a Broadway play. That’s not really what’s important, what’s important is that the lyrics of the soundtrack were written by Stephen Sondheim. I have a large amount of brain-envy for the man, probably my favourite musician at the moment. West Side Story was early in his career, before he started doing music and lyrics – it’s not my favourite of his works, but it’s good enough. Leonard Bernstein who provided the music is no slouch in the music department either.
I’m not going to review West Side Story (go HERE) and if you haven’t seen it, I’ll admit I’ll find that extremely disturbing. Yes, Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer aren’t the ones singing here…but that doesn’t matter. Here are three of my favourite numbers from the score, actually that's erroneous these aren't my favourite numbers. But there's one from the lovers, one from the Jets and one from the Sharks (really my favourite songs: "One Hand, One Heart", "Tonight", "Officer Krupke", "Something's Coming" - "Cool" is the best scene though.)
Monday, 5 July 2010
Cut songs and all (where was the rest of "God That's Good") I do love Tim Burton's adaptation of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. A bit too short, but entertaining and well made. True to my weird nature my favourite moment in the film is one that is often forgotten. True, I've never actually seen a live incarnation of the piece but even though Depp and Bonham Carter were not the belters associated with the roles their soft voices paid off - especially in this scene. "My Friends" along with "Johanna" is the only love song in the musical, and it's writren so wonderfully - but it's not Sondheim's lyrics that carry it through. Depp is, of course, entranced by his tools but it is Helena with that look of longing, even obsession, on her face that commands the screen (er, where exactly was her Oscar nomination)...and I do love it when actors sing in counterpoint.
Thursday, 24 June 2010
…only versatility.
After the last streak of memes I figured that we’d all been “memed” out. Obviously, not.
I’ve been lucky enough (all things being relative) to be singled out by two bloggers for my versatility. In all my 18 months of blogging I’ve never used the word. I’m not quite sure what they mean when they tell I’m versatile, but I’ll surmise it has something to do with my mind hopping to and fro without order. Apparently they do give out an award for general craziness and hysteria. Joy.
Anna is a young up-and-coming blogger with a thirst for knowledge. She also happens to be one of the most prolific tweeters (twitterer?) I know and Darren of the M0vie Blog doesn’t grade his reviews, which means you’re forced to read his reviews. Luckily, they’re quite lucid and well written so it’s a win-win situation. Both of them are worth having on your blog roll.
I’m obliged to nominate fifteen blogs, I can’t say if they all will reciprocate with the meme rules, but here goes. I can't count pass ten…hopefully they haven’t been struck with the disease er, tagged yet. They all are versatile.
Luke of Journalistic Skepticism: because he covers everything from the big screen to the small screen to list making, and more list making and Meryl loving and…well, you get it.
Jude of And All that Film: he’s young but he’s enthused about the whole blogging thing (bless him) notes on theatre, notes on film and notes on TV
Ryan T. of Sorta that Guy: he loves Federer to a fault and all things Josh Whedon (especially a certain wicca named Willow)
Crazy Cris of Here and There and Everywhere: a bit obsessed with the tube, and football and European things especially Spanish (particularly Nadal)
Rachel of Rachel’s Reel Reviews: recently began a podcast with Jess and is always skipping back and forth between film and TV with a very cool rating system.
Jess of Insight into Entertainment: A West Wing aficionado and a Friends lover that I'm now getting to know
Yojimbo of Let’s Not Talk About Movies: smart but personable, well written but simple to understand. If that’s not versatility…
Walter of The Silver Screening Room: a big fan of Drew Barymore, ALW and Glenn Close (but I don’t know in what order). Goes to film school and will blog about anything…or else…
Tom S. of Reinvention, the Journal of a Dog Lover...: Thoughtful essays on film and on platitudes of life (that end up seeming inventive).
And now on to some random intimation that makes me lose a little bit of my privacy, in keeping with the theme it shall all be very versatile.
1: I consider William Wordsworth to be the greatest poet of all time. I suppose today his “traditional” romanticism does not seem as innovative as some of the more contemporary rule-breakers, but I have special place in my heart for him. He can be light (and lithe) and carefree and then move to moving and poignant in one line.
2: On the note of artists, I’d probably say Stephen Sondheim is the greatest musician (at least of the last century). I’m never sure if I prefer his words or his music but they’re all so excellent together or alone. He’s worked with so many of the greats and has become a great himself – deservedly so.
3: One of my nicknames in high school was “The Human Dictionary”. I probably don’t need to deign to explain, Univarn recently told me I’m notorious for my big words which are never deliberate. I know they say people who use big words have some complex, but I just like the variety of the English Language.
4: I generally alternate between moments of excessive obsessive compulsion and moments of not caring at all. One thing I’m particularly neurotic about is school, which I hate but I still obsess over it. I’m an anomaly of a student, I don’t study regularly, I skip classes but I still end up doing quite well. I’m sensing my bad deeds will catch up with me sometime.
5: I’m infamous for hating (my) birthdays. I can’t remember when it started, but I was ill-fated enough to watch The Hours on one of them and ever since then Laura Brown just haunts my days (…and what’s to celebrate about the aging process, anyway?).
6: I may have said this before, but post-Shakespeare I’d say Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams are possibly my favourite playwrights of all time. I know Eugene O’Neill is often identified with them, but I generally loathe the man. I just find him to be a chore (“Strange Interlude? Ick.)
7: I said this on Heather’s blog recently; I’ve never seen a movie with my father. It’s weird, and embarrassing. We don’t live together, but we’re not estranged. I shall be rectifying that in due time. Incidentally, I’m always forcing my mother and sisters (and my nephew) to watch movies. My mother loved Places in the Heart, one of my sisters still thinks Streisand’s “So Long Dearie” in Hello, Dolly! is one of the greatest bits of comedic timing and the other one believes that Dangerous Liaisons has some of the greatest lines of the cinema.
There, take that for your inquisitiveness.
ADDENDUM: Silly me, I didn't realise that the lovely Heather of Movie Mobsters tagged me too. I've been commenting on Heather's site very crazily this month, it started off as a shameless attempt to win the $10 I-tunes giftcard and then I realised that hers was actually an excellent blog (I'm glad I got around to following her and her Mobster Family).
ADDENDUM: Silly me, I didn't realise that the lovely Heather of Movie Mobsters tagged me too. I've been commenting on Heather's site very crazily this month, it started off as a shameless attempt to win the $10 I-tunes giftcard and then I realised that hers was actually an excellent blog (I'm glad I got around to following her and her Mobster Family).
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
A musical meme has originated from HERE, and I've been tagged...so on with the meme....
1. Open up your iTunes, music player, spin the CD, whatever, hit shuffle and tell us what is the first song to play…?
"Walk Like An Egyptian", remember that oldie? I do. If you wanna find all the cops they're hanging out in the donut shop.
2. Name your top 5 favourite bands/musicians of all time.
Okay this is one difficult question, and since even I’m unaware who’d fall in that list I’ll just list five from different genres. THE COMPOSER: Stephen Sondheim – I’m not head-over-heels for all things theatre, but this man can do wrong as far as I’m concerned. THE ICON: Michael Jackson, for being so prolific and for being so entertaining. THE QUEEN: Madonna – because she’s hot, and if you’re honest you’ll admit it, and because her music is so much fun. THE GROUP: Matchbox 20 – they’re just excellent. Often I’ll hear a Matchbox 20 song on the radio and get those nostalgic pangs remember their heyday. THE DIVA: Barbra Streisand – I know it’s weird for a straight male to pledge allegiance to Babs, but oh well. There. I said it. I can’t account for the loathing she undergoes. The woman can sing and she often ends up covering songs and making them sound way better than the originals.
3. What was your first CD to own? (8 track, Record, CD, MP3 for the newbies)
I believe it was Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn one of the most oddly riveting pieces from the genre, easily the premiere work of any female MC and possibly one of the greatest debuts. Each track is something special; it’s a pity that was the beginning and the end. listen
4. Of all the bands/artists in your cd/record collection, which one do you own the most albums by?
I really don’t hoard that many single cds or records, and then with I-tunes and Limewire and all that jazz often it’s just single songs…but I suppose Whitney Houston. My mother is a huge fan of hers and she’s given me interim control of her music…and that’s somewhere about a dozen albums.
5. What was the last song you listened to?
"Drops of Jupiter" by Train; they’re not particularly consistent but when they’re on they’re just brilliant. This remains as one of my favourite tracks of the last decade. listen
6. What song would you say sums you up?
I can’t choose one, so I’ll give three.
“Superman” from Five For the Fighting in that poignant way
“Great Big Stuff” from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels the musical sung by Norbert Leo Butz for the egocentric in us all
“I Have Confidence” for the bad days when we all need a pick-me-upper. Doesn’t Julie Andrews make everyone feel bright and bubbly inside (even this version is by the lovely Audra McDonald, isn't he great?), even though in all honesty I’m more dark and twisty so this song really doesn’t sum me up… but I couldn’t do a musical post and not include The Sound of Music
7. What’s your favourite local band or band that originated from your hometown?
Well you wouldn’t know any of them…since they haven't made it "big" I don’t even know what my home town is. I’ve lived in seven different places in the last fifteen years so…je ne sais pas.. but here's a Guyanese song...a medley of sorts...
8. What's the greatest concert you've ever been to?
Eh, never been to one. That does make me sound weird…but I’m not a fan of the local music scene, so nothing.
9. What musician would you like to hang out with for a day?
Ummmm, Kristin Chenoweth even though she’s not really a “musician”, but a day with her would be fuuuuuuuuuuuun.
10. What was the greatest decade for music?
I’m very tempted to say the nineties, for nostalgic reasons even though I’m well aware that this question just may be unanswerable.
11. What is your favourite movie soundtrack?
West Side Story, Sondheim and Bernstein create a score that’s dangerously close to perfection.
12. What’s the most awful CD/record/etc. you’ve ever bought?
Ashanti’s debut album. I loathe the woman; luckily I didn’t buy it for myself.
13. What's your favourite band t-shirt or poster?
Once again, no answer here.
14. Rolling Stones or The Beatles?
The Beatles win this easily, even though I don’t love them. I do love their writing but often prefer covers of the songs than their actual singing.
15. What is the one song you would most like played at your funeral? Your birthday? While on a romantic date?
"And I'm Telling You" (Whitney Houston) at my funeral. That would be EPIC!
"Being Alive" (Stephen Sondheim) on my birthday
"Bonnie & Clyde" (Jay-Z and Beyonce) on a date
Music first couple? Perhaps. Jay-Z is easily my favourite rapper, even though he’s not as prolific anymore (what with being a Tony nominee and all) and Beyonce is just consistently excellent.
…and just because I want to…a list of fifteen random current artistes I like i.e. people you hear on the radio…
All American Rejects, Beyonce, Coldplay, Duffy, The Fray, Green Day, Justin Timberlake, Lifehouse, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Michael Buble, Missy Misdemeanour Elliot, Nickelback, Train, Usher
Who to tag? Who to tag?
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
Hmmm. Sondheim at his best. I've never told you, but this guy is a genius. You probably already knew that though. Sunday in the Park With George is my favourite score...but I love everything that he does... and Bernadette Peters....yuummmy!
Do you care for Mr. Sondheim? Do you care for musicals? Are you a [insert horrified gasp] Webber fan?
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