True Love

High Society (1956) gives a look inside the glitz and glamour of the idle rich of Newport, Rhode Island. What strikes you from the very beginning is a long, good old-fashioned overture. It makes for a very theatrical opening and gives you a taste of the music to come.

The film, directed by Charles Waters, opens with Louis Armstrong and his band who update us on recent events through the song "High Society Calipso". Armstrong acts as a sort of narrator remaining outside of the story most of the time, but allows himself to comment and meddle just a little once in a while. He allows the story to begin by proclaiming: "End of song. Beginning of story." and finishes it by saying: "End of story." The film showcases his and his band's talent in a number of occasions and adds a little jazzy flavor to stuffy old Newport.

Tracy Lord, played by the elegant Grace Kelly, is a socialite, the daughter of a wealthy family. She is described by other characters as a cold goddess on a pedestal, a woman who has unrealistic expectations and demands perfection of the people around her. She doesn't have an understanding heart. As the film progresses, she lets loose and discovers herself. However, it's when she recognizes her own frailty and imperfections that she truly changes and finds her humanity. The role was originally offered to Elizabeth Taylor, but she was unavailable, so Grace Kelly took on the role. She gives a beautiful performance and even does her own singing in the film even though she is not particularly know for singing. Since she was leaving to be married, the film was rushed into production and had to go around her royal itinerary. This was Grace Kelly's last film before she became Princess consort of Monaco.

Bing Crosby plays C.K. Dexter-Haven the happy-go-lucky millionaire and composer. Still in love with his ex-wife Tracy, he shows up the day before her wedding to try to somehow change her mind about her new husband to be. However, his character is a little withdrawn during most of the film and interferes at lot less than would be expected. He does his meddling in a much more subtle way, such as giving her a wedding present that awakens fond memories of him and their honeymoon. Tracy is very frustrated with him since she sees the potential he has versus what he has done with his talent, disgustedly calling him a jukebox hero. This film marks the first time Crosby and Sinatra appear in a picture together. Both of them are much older than their shared love interest in the film, 26 year old Grace Kelly; at the time, Crosby was in his fifties and Sinatra in his forties. Even so, Crosby gives a youthful and charming performance.

Cue our humble reporters, Mike Connor and Elizabeth Imbrie, played by Frank Sinatra and Celeste Holm. Issued to write an article about the wedding, they follow the upper class characters around hoping to get a scoop. They are amongst the only lower class characters in the film and it is easily spottable in their attitudes, concerns and language. They have a fanatastic song "Who wants to be a millionnaire?" which mocks the upper class life style which to them seems overrated and ridiculous. It establishes these two characters very efficiently. They are very close even though Liz hesitates to really act on her feelings. It's very kind of her to want Mike to live life to the fullest before he gets married, but as the film shows, hesitating too much can cause you to miss your chance. Holm doesn't have a very traditional voice, but it's unique and interesting. As for Sinatra, well it is no secret that he has a great voice.

George Kittredge, the husband to be, is a man who worked for his fortune and status. He has his own form of snobbery by denigrating the rich for being lazy and taking for granted what they have. He is a rather bland gentleman and is just a little silly in his seriousness. Tracy's mother acts as a female contrast to her daughter. Tracy herself projects her mother as a strong woman who didn't stand for her husband's bad behavior, yet her mother is very attached to the traditional female roles and regrets not having a husband to, perhaps, give her life meaning and direction. Her father acts as a strange father figure. He has committed adultery and has been absent, but seems to feel it in his right to lecture his daughter on her character. He is surprisingly stern in such a comedic film. On the other hand, Uncle Willie is certainly there simply as comic relief to lighten more serious moments.

The dialogue is very witty and full of one liners. George Kittredge is particularly fantastic for saying brilliant things and provoking hilarious comments from others. The film is full of pleasant misunderstandings and ulterior motives, as well as loose ends. The mix up between the identity of Tracy's father and uncle is set up at the beginning of the film, but is never really fully explored. It's later explained with very little consequence and never really pays off. Tracy's little sister, Caroline, makes an appearance early on, but has very little to give to the story. She could have easily not been in the film without grave consequence. Towards the end of the film, some of the characters mention that Caroline made several phone calls the night before trying to convince her loved ones that Tracy should marry another. None of the characters take this seriously, so it is payed no attention.

The film is based on the idea of making a musical remake of the film The Philadelphia Story (1940) based on the play of the same name by Philip Barry. The two films are very similar in script and characters, but there are some modifications. In The Philadelphia Story, Dexter is much more bitter, devious and far less innocent in the situation. He is the one who allows the reporters from Spy magazine to attend the wedding. The Philadelphia Story explores a little more the relationship between Dexter and Tracy and why it went sour. You also get a more in depth look at Mike. Generally, some of the details have been dropped when it was adapted for High Society, but the essence of the story remains. At the same time, MGM Studios had been developping a project called "Jazz in Newport" about jazz musicians and the Newport Jazz Festival. They decided to combine the two projects and set the original story in Newport, Rhode Island and add some jazz playing characters to create High Society. From a musical stand point, High Society is Cole porter's take on The Philadelphia Story.

High Society is chock-full of brilliant songs written by the one and only Cole Porter. The film covers many different styles of music. We get a taste of jazz with the song "Now we has jazz" and a real feel for the balade with "Sensational". "Little One" is a slightly odd moment in the film, but the song is later reprised in partial French as Tracy's sister sings and plays the piano for the reporters. Generally, the French in that scene is surprisingly good. Although an other song was originally chosen, the existing song "Well, did you ever?" was utimately chosen for the first on screen duo of the two giants Crosby and Sinatra. This song gives a clin d'oeil to the two singers with a little banter. High Society marked the first on screen combination of the two and was treated as an grand event; it was a huge selling point for the film. This song, as many others do, lets shine the wit and cleverness of Porter's pen. Of all the songs, True Love was the real hit of the film. The enthousiasm for this song was partly due to the two great people who sang in it, Crosby and Kelly. It's possible as well that this song gained a boost from the media attention surrounding Kelly's royal wedding.

There is some rather diverse and skilled drunk acting in High Society. Kelly gives us a happy drunk, pleasantly swinging around, loving everyone and everything and generally having a brilliant time. Sinatra presents a slightly klumsy Mike slurring his text and some of the lyrics in "Well, did you ever?". All of this late night drinking inevitably leads to the next morning. I love the idea of following the idle rich, all dressed and primped for a wedding with a terrible hang over yelling at birds to shut up. The missing bits of the night before, the painful sunlight as well as the morning after remedies are all nice touches. 

The DVD has some extra features. It includes a behind the scenes documentary hosted by Celeste Holm, as well as a written text with information about the film that honestly resembles Celeste Holm's narration in the documentary. There is also a clip from the broadcast of the grand gala premiere of the film, radio ads, the trailer for High Society as well as for The Philadelphia Story, and for some reason, a Droopy cartoon. High Society was a box office hit at the time and still stands as a great film full of elegance, wit and memorable songs.

You've Got Some Red On You

Let's face it, a lot of people have a Plan Z. Whether it's going to a secluded area or a major department store, most people have an idea in the back of their minds of an escape route in case of a zombie apocalypse. In a world of action stars and heroic films, Shaun of the Dead (2004), the original rom-com-zom, gives us a glimpse of what the average person would do.

Shaun, played by Simon Pegg, spends the first part of the film being rather pathetic and having no real direction in life. Things are changing all around him, and he doesn't seem to be able to keep up. His lack of motivation, ambition and responsibility is deterioration his relationship with girlfriend Liz and his increasingly harder to defend best friend Ed is becoming a burden on his shoulders. Essentially, Shaun is a loser, and an unlikely hero. Post-breakup, Shaun tries to find focus and direction so as not to end up at the pub every night, drinking himself to death, wondering what the hell happened. In the midst of getting his life together is a full scale zombie outbreak and an opportunity to prove himself. This scenario makes of him an antihero. Pegg gives a fantastic and very real performance that is both hilarious and touching.

Ed, Shaun's best friend, is played by the wonderful Nick Frost. Ed is particularly apathetic and lazy. He's not really going anywhere in life and doesn't particulalry care. Frost's acting has a sort of naive quality to it that makes him a very real and natural actor. It's very easy to be charmed by him. The real life friendship between Pegg and Frost gives them a wonderful chemistry on screen and perfect comic timing.
 

Liz, played by Kate Ashfield, is the voice of reason in the film. She is the sensible, straight character that grounds the people around her. She wants more from life and is generally more motivated than most. With the exception of Shaun, the women often take much more initiative that the men. The relationship between Shaun and Liz is pretty much dead, but interestingly, it's the undead situation that resurrects their couple in the end. Peter Serafinowicz plays Pete, a role that was written with him in mind. Serafinowicz is wonderfully brilliant at playing the perfect asshole. Dylan Moran and Lucy Davis play well off each other as the couple David and Dianne. Both their performances have a lot of subtleness to them that reveal more than is said. Dianne has such heartbroken and hurt expressions when David exhibits little behaviors that indicates his love for Liz. David is insufferable, but is right most of the time. He never really gets to redeem himself since he gets eaten before he can appologize. Shaun's stepdad, played by Bill Nighy, is built up as a monster, but he really ends up being a sweet man. Sadly, right after Shaun realizes this, he becomes an actual monster. Shaun's mum is really sweet and a little naive. Penelope Wilton's performance tugs at the heart strings. She adds a lot of subtle behavior even when the focus is not on her, notably in the care of the bite on her wrist. When she finally does become a zombie, Wilton has a very troubling and haunted quality to her expression. It's very unsettling.

An element I find particularly fantastic, is that the film doesn't follow the heroes that will save the world from this breakout. It follows the average people who attempt to survive, but don't really have the skills set to properly defend themselves. They are ill-equiped to fight and have a hard time using weapons such as guns, even though they play lots of video games. The interesting bit is that we see a group of people that are much better and more heroic. Yvonne and her group are shown in a miror image that reflect our heroes with their much better dooplegangers. Yvonne reappears to save them at the end accompanied by a military force that always reminded me of UNIT. All in all, even though we follow the "losers", they are wonderful characters to which we become very attached.

The film starts in a very normal way without horror references. It gives the audience the chance to be acquainted with the characters, that are presented, I must say, very efficiently. I like that the film is set in a very suburban backdrop instead of the touristy parts of London. The people that appear working and living in the opening credits can be seen as zombies throughout the film. This segment presents life as being, for most people, mundane, mindless and repetitive and most of us are staggering through life like, well, zombies. What struck me the most was the scene in the bus. Not having a car, I was sitting in a bus recently and realized how much bus rides really look like that...it's uncanny.

The first inkling of zombies occurs in a wonderfully mirrored scene of the first morning. As the breakout progresses, our protagonist carries about his routine without noticing the trashed cars or the pool of blood he slipped in. It slowly comes to his attention, but something always distracts him just before he realizes. The place of the media in this film is rather interesting. In the beginning Shaun sees various clips of television shows, notably the news channel, which is a good portal to explain the events. Many of the same shows reappear at the end of the film and we see how they are affected by the zombie crisis. Like many of the characters in the film, even though they are living through a traumatic and life threatening experience, they are still wrapped up in their little problems. The woman on Trisha is still dealing with her relationship with her husband and the main characters are still having tiffs in this potentially fatal situation. This is particularly apparent during the stand off in the pub. It's rather ridiculous to be fighting over who's in love with whom and who's jealous of whom when very real dangers are all around them.

What I love about the films these actors/writers/directors give us is that no matter how outrageous and silly the situation, there is always heart to it. Their works are very versatile; amidst the hilarious moments, they never shy away from dramatic and touching scenes. Fundamentally, the characters feel real and no matter how silly or ridiculous the situation, there is always a sense of truth.

From the beginning, the sense of humour is clealry that of Pegg and Wright with a little twist of Frost. The extremely witty dialogue and fast pace editing make for a brilliant film. Many scenes are mirrored throughout the film and many moments are self referencing. A lot of the dialogue is premonitory. There are many examples of premonitions during the film, such as Ed saying "Next time I see him (Pete), he's dead." which of course he is and when Pete says "You wanna live like an animal, then why don't you go live in the shed?!" in the end, Ed does just that as a zombie. However, the most complete moment is Ed's plan of what to do with Shaun post breakup. He basically lays out the entire film in that instant. He says that "we'll have a bloody mary first thing" (the next morning they find a girl in the garden called Mary), "bite the king's head" (reference to Phillip), a couple (David and Dianne), little princess (Liz), stagger back here (impersonate zombies to get to the Winchester), bar for shots (reference to the riffle). Now, how's that for a slice of fried gold?

Shaun of the Dead is the first film in the Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy, sometimes called the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy. Basically, the only thing that links these three films together is the inclusion of a scene in which one of the characters eats a different flavour of Cornetto ice cream. In Shaun of the Dead, Ed borrows Edgar Wright's hangover remedy by enjoying a red strawberry Cornetto. In Hot Fuzz, there is a scene involving a classic blue Cornetto and allegedly, the yet to be made next installment will feature a green mint chocolat chip Cornetto.  

Shaun of the Dead is chock-full of details. Everything that is significant is red. This color appears here and there in the film: the red car, the red headband, the red button for the lift at the end. These are all objects that are of importance to the characters or the story. There is a lot of stuff going on in the background; you could easily watch this film without even looking at the main characters. Many great zombie moments happen in the background while other things are going on. Another zombie detail is that all of them are wearing very muted colors, like beiges, greys and browns.

For Spaced fans, there are a few references here and there. Some appear in the form of a joke reprised from the series and others are more subtile. If you look closely at some of the scenes near the pub, like the one in the picture to the left, Tyres appears as one of the zombies. Another nod to Spaced is the short conversation between Shaun and Yvonne, played by Jessica (Hynes) Stevenson. Their conversation really feels as if Tim and Daisy moved on and are catching up.

Tarantino most visibly marked the beginning of a new generation of filmmakers that have consumed large amounts of films, video games and comics. The influence of this immense baggage of knowledge seeps in through their work. In this and other works, both Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, who co-wrote Shaun of the Dead, include references to many zombie and horror films. Now, I'm a total scaredy cat. I still have nightmares of Doctor Who episodes I've seen 3 years ago, so I’m not a great connoisseur of horror and zombie films. However, according to what I could gather from extra features and such, the film draws a lot of inspiration from Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) as well as a few more. The title automatically tips off that the film pokes fun at the genre. However, this film must not be confused with a spoof. Being a comedy, it's easy to think it's a mockery of these films. Shaun of the Dead is not making fun of this genre, but rather paying hommage to it. It's a comedy in which there are zombies. The characters themselves are comical and sometimes silly, but the zombies themselves are never really ridiculous. They are very real source of danger and some bits are even frightening.

The DVD has a lot of really fun extras. It features the trailer, photo galleries, bloopers, deleted scenes and extended bits of the tv shows, which are hilarious. There are also two entertaining commentary tracks, plus a storyboard and Zomb-o-meter track. What I particularly like are the plot holes explained via comic strips by Oscar Wright. Some extras expose the special effects while others are just fun tidbits. It's definetly a DVD worth getting and exploring. If the impending doom of World War Z happened tomorrow, how would you survive?

Self Preservation Society

No one in Europe has seen a heist like The Italian Job (1969). Indeed this film inspires a form of rivalry or competition between Britain and the rest of Europe. From the beginning, the story pits "our lads" against "their lads" and so, allows itself to showcase the brilliance of the British and poke fun at the Italians. This is why it is often referred to as a eurosceptic film.

Fresh off the success of Alfie (1966), Michael Caine joins the cast of The Italian Job as the determined Charlier Croker, a recently released crook with big plans. This character is often categorized as a post-war antihero. He is not a typical hero in the sens that he is a criminal, but he and the rest of the crew are shown in a positive and likable light. Charlie's style and charisma swiftly takes the audience in and allows you to relate with this band of thieves. This is of course an iconic role for Caine and his performance is positively charming.

On the other hand, we have the prestigious Mr. Bridger, played by Noel Coward. His importance in the world of organized crime is sensed immediately. He is treated like royalty and expects everything from his jobs on the go to his accommodations in prison to be just right. Many of his scenes are accompanied by a wonderful piece of classical music which adds a very pompous and often hilarious effect. Coward was at the end of a long career and unfortunately, was having trouble remembering his lines. Thus, some of the script was cut down, but I don't think it shows very much in the finished product. His long time partner, Graham Payn, took a small role so he could be next to him if there was a problem. There is a deep personal relationship between Coward and the film's director Peter Collinson. Collinson is a kind Hollywood orphan, born of parents that were in the business and didn't really want him. When Coward met this sad little boy, he took him on as his godson. Coward later started Collinson off in the film making business and they remained very close. So, for Collinson, to include Coward in this film was like showing him that he had made it. Unfortunately, Coward died soon after making the film and so it is touching that this film would be his last.

What I find unique in this film is the presence of many great comedic actors taking on various small roles. The great talent of these actors makes even the smallest of parts buzz with personality. Most of the crew involved in the heist have very little to say, but their personalities are very distinctive. In the one or two moments they are highlighted, you get a clear idea of what they are like. The technical side of the operation is run by Prof. Peach played by Benny Hill. His love of big women, though not to the comical taste of everyone, makes him out to be a silly comic relief character. His sister, Miss Peach, is played brilliantly by Irene Handl. Though the character is short lived, Handl's impeccable comic timing makes her memorable. Maggie Blye plays the american Lorna, which honestly doesn't really accomplish much in the film. Her character is mainly there to be pretty and appear as some form of love interest for Charlie. Rossano Brazzi, an Italian film star, has a cameo appearance as Beckerman. His interventions are very interesting since most of his scenes are film projections.

The wonderful Italian actor Raf Vallone appears as the film's villain, even though technically speaking, the main characters are villains as well. You get a feel for the Italian mobsters right from the beginning. Even though they are killing people and destroying cars, there is an elegance and class to it. Their actions are not done at random; there is a method to it and a respect. I find this particularly shows at the beginning when they throw a wreath down the mountain after killing Beckerman.

Interestingly, Peter Collinson would mention his wife, Hazel, in some way or another, in each of his films for luck. Sometimes he would hang a picture of her in a scene or have someone mention her name. In the Italian Job, when Charlie takes out a crow bar from under his bed, he says to it: "Hazel, my lovely". 

The film opens in the picturesque swerving mountains of Turin. The wonderful ballad that accompanies the scene evokes a calm romantic car ride, which makes it especially surprising when the car crashes. The scene is really pertinent since it does foreshadow the events that happen towards the end of the film. The song even appears again as Charlie and the others are driving down the same road and get stopped by the mob. There are many great moments in the film, but there is a delightful scene between Caine and John Clive when Charlie returns to a garage to get his car. This has a slightly different feel than the rest of the film, mainly because it is mostly improvised. There is a real energy and dynamism to the scene that gives off a sketch vibe and is very funny. Because it is improvised, the scene is not particularly well-lit since the crew didn't know where the actors were going to be. A scene that remains a coup de coeur for me is the "funeral". It's incredibly creative to hold a "funeral" to get out of prison and speak with his crew. Mr. Bridger gives a wonderful speech about great aunt Nelly. 

Also very intriguing, the prison scenes were shot in an unused Irish prison that has since been transformed into a museum. Apparently, it was a slightly eerie place that still had some markings on the walls from past prisoners. It was a very economical shoot. Practically every scene that was shot was used in the final cut. I enjoy that the film rarely translates what is said in Italian. The characters' body language and the context is information enough to grasp what they are saying.The explosion of the van in the test run sequence really ended up being much bigger than anticipated. A quick escape had to be made afterwards so as not to get into trouble. I guess the famous line "You were only suppose to blow the bloddy doors off!" is really appropriate.

Besides the actors, the many classic cars featured in the film are characters themselves. Honestly, this is the best advertisement Mini Coopers could have ever gotten. The blue, red and white Mini Coopers have reached iconic status. It's a shame the company didn't want to be involved in the production. You can hear many hearts breaking as many classic cars are crushed and destroyed during the course of the film. Luckily, theses cars were junkyard finds that were motorless and dented on the sides that weren't shot. However, these scenes are nothing without the fantastic stunt team lead by Rémy Julienne. This film required a lot of stunt driving through hallways, cafés, down flights of stairs and on rooftops, so I tip my hat to those drivers that made it look effortless. Interestingly, there is very little music throughout the chase scene except at the very end when "Get a Bloomin' Move On (The Self Preservation Society)" chimes it with a sound very different from the rest of the music in the film. It's a wonderful song full of cockney slang that I don't even come close to understanding and adds a lot of fun at the end of the film.

In terms of the heist itself, the plan on paper sounds more intricate than it looks when executed. The traffic jam in Turin is impressive, mainly because some parts of it is real. Certain parts of the streets were blocked off and so the normal flow of traffic streamed into the square and caused the jam that we see on screen. Around 50 to 100 cars were used for the scenes. At the time, Turin had one of the most complexe traffic technology in Europe. As for the actual technical side of the traffic jam, I'm not 100% sure of how it works. I'm sure you if you understand europeen technology from the sixties, it probably makes sens. What's surprising is that the rest of the plan is essentially a smash and grab job. A) Ambush truck, B) Beat up cops, C) Steal gold. You may be thinking: but why doesn't anyone have guns? Well, at the time it was very rare in Britain for criminals to have guns. Something that struck me is how little security surrounds the transportation of 4 Million worth in gold: A few gards and a fragile looking lock that broke with very little difficulty. It seems a little careless doesn't it? Nonetheless, the heist is very entertaining and cleverly done.

The film litteraly has a clifthanger ending. Originally, the ending was designed to be a set up for a sequel that was never made. However, some of the elements that were meant for this sequel, found their way into the 2003 version of The Italian Job. The film would possibly be more satisfying if it had ended a few minutes earlier on the high of the succesful heist, but this ending is not entirely bad. It is simply another challenge that the clever Charlie will have to face. We head off, while they stay in this very uncomfortable perdicament and hope that the Charlie thinks of something.

The Special Collector's Edition DVD includes some nice extras. It features deleted scenes (well, one) as well as a commentary track for them (well, it), the original and the re-release trailer, and a commentary track with producer Michael Deeley and author Matthew Field. Unfortunately, the producer seems to have some trouble recollecting some information and often needs egging on from Field to talk. Thus, most of the precise insight comes from Field. By no means is The Italian Job an accurate picture of the world of crime, but it is a brilliant British classic full of wit and fun.

Tale as Old as Time

Once again, the Disney vault opens it's heavily guarded door and lets a classic sneak out and stretch its legs. Being mildly nostalgic, I couldn't stop myself from getting Disney's 30th full length animated feature, Beauty and the Beast (1991). Vault: 1, Me: 0. But beyond it's nostalgic appeal, the Academy Award winning Beauty and the Beast is a wonderful classic tale that wins the hearts of children and adults alike.

History and mythology are often embdied in beautiful art pieces, so what better way to captured the sad tale of the cold-hearted prince, but through stained glass? It's a lovely alternative to the more traditional storybook opening and so adds a certain uniqueness to the film. When you look closely, you notice the astounding detail in each glass image. The pictoral storytelling combined with the prologue narration and melancholy musical arrangements make it feel magical and mythological. Essentially, it is the Beast's story and this opening gives insight into his plight culminating in the desperate question "For who could ever learn to love a beast?" which is, of course, immediatly answered.

Belle's story opens in a small village in France. I appreciate that most of the signs are written in French and actually make sens. I did notice some were in English, like the Bookseller, but I'm assuming that was mainly for comprehension. The only sign I find odd is "Asylum de Loons". I think if the only word that is in French is "de", write it in English. I find the choice of words funny as well; you know you're going to a good place when the institution calls it's clients loons. The bookish beauty wanders the streets of her village wishing for something more, which is a rather common trait in most princess oriented Disney films. What is different with Belle is she wants something less tangible than the others. She craves adventure and someone to talk to and share her interests. Belle has a quirky eccentric feel to her, even in her voice brought to life by Paige O'Hara, and her passion for books singles her out amongst the rest. Most of the early princesses have events occur to them. Belle is part of a newer generation of leading ladies that are more proactive than reactive. She adapts quickly to her new settings and interacts with the Beast and the enchanted objects with an open mind. Her character is greatly shown in that she expects better behavior from the Beast, but adapts her behavior to meet him half way.

Since the Beast's castle was transformed along with the prince, it's wonderfully dark. In all this grim and gloomy backdrop, the rose stands out as a blip of beauty and color in a somber place. It also acts as the time keeper, reminding the Beast and the audience that time is slowly running out. It's a nice touch that all the statues that were once angels and cherubs became gargoyles and humanoid monsters. The Beast himself is made up of bits and pieces of various animals to create the tempermental and frightening being. However, as the film progresses, the Beast, who was animalistic and violent in the beginning, becomes softer and more human-like. He gradually begins to walk upright and wear more clothing. The more Belle becomes fond of him, the more he is seen in a positive light. The animation for the Beast carries a lot of range for it has to cater to the multiple facettes of his character, as he has to appear scary in some scenes and lovable in others. To attain these different tones, Robby Benson lends his voice which has both the big growly sound that you would expect for the Beast, but also a human quality that allows you to feel the prince underneath.

The transformation scene is both impressive for it's complexe animation and touching for it's emotional significance. The animation itself is inspired by various works of art by, amongst others, Michelangelo. The transformation is not only skin deep, it represents the extend of his emotional transformation inside. A lot of heart went into creating this sequence and aided by both computer generated and traditionnal animation, they gave a beast a soul. 

If the beast is the ugliness with beauty beneath, Gaston is the beauty with the ugliness inside. The excruciatingly burly and manly Gaston is the handsomest man in the village and is positively primeval. He is rude, egocentric and the perfect villian to attain the proper contrast with the Beast. It's interesting how Belle is the only person who seems to dislike Gaston. He is otherwise envied and loved by all the villagers. I really enjoy the fact that his trophy wall in the pub includes the head of an eagle. At Gaston's side, there is always Lefou. Lefou, who's name translates litterally as "The Jester", certainly honors his name and is truly the punching-bag of the film. His appearances are meant as comic relief to a suprisingly tragic, sad and sometimes frightening tale.

There is a very strong contrast between the fight scene involving Gaston and the Beast and the one between the villagers and the household objects. The first one offers a much darker drained of color fight drenched in the rain. The second one is very comical and colorful. It's adorned with slapstick moments and is a touch more cartoon-like than the rest of the film. This scene gives plenty of little highlight moments to many of the objects. Both scenes offer drastically different tones, but help the viewer to trasition efficiently within the two.

The animators faced yet another challenge: how to breath life into inanimate objects. It feels like the people were transformed into objects that not only reflected their position in the household, but also their personality. Lumière, who is voiced by Jerry Orbach, is a fiery seducer that always reminds me of Maurice Chevalier. Cogsworth, voiced by David Ogden Stiers, is the tightly wound head of household. The relationship between Lumière and Cogsworth is brotherly in the sens that they bicker constantly, but somehow they remain great friends. Angela Lansbury is perfect for the voice of the warm and comforting Mrs. Potts. Her voice has such a motherly touche to it. Many other objects find their way into our hearts, but some humans do as well. Maurice, Belle's Kooky father is a delightful character. Even though his background is never really explained in the film, being an inventor is consistent with the original story about a man who lost his fortune and is trying to make money for his family.

The original look and story for the film was much more anchored in the Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont version of the tale and Cocteau's film version La Belle et la Bête (1946). The DVD includes an alternate beginning that detailed Belle's story in an 18th century France setting. It shows a wealthy merchant, Maurice, rendered poor and forced to live in a farmhouse and work to survive. It also features Belle's other family members. Though the finished product has several differences with the original tale, it keeps the essential heart of the story, one that resonates in many different versions from all around the world.

The songs in Beauty and the Beast have one remarkable characteristic: the stage musical feel and structure of them. Alan Menken and Howard Ashman created wonderful songs that allow to further the plot and accentuate some character personality traits without slowing down the pace of the film. The stage musical attributes are perhaps why this film is so easily adaptable for the stage. Some of the songs have become classics, like "Beauty and the Beast" sung beautifully by Angela Lansbury. "Be Our Guest" is also a memorable song that showcases well the enchanted objects and brings to mind the big Broadway musical number. The song "Belle" is impressive in the sens that it integrates an enormous amount of story telling as well as entertainement to offer this tongue and cheek operetta style song. What I never noticed before is how this song is reprised several times in the film with different lyrics. "Gaston" is another hilarious song that is riddled with wit. "Human Again" was utltimately taken out from the final product, but it explores the objects' side of the story and how they deal with the magic spell. It's almost a shame that it didn't make the cut. Menken and Ashman managed to create beautiful music and songs that sometimes bring a tear to your eye and others keep you at the edge of your seat.

Since this film was made in a very short amount of time, there are some interesting mistakes and such that appear here and there. In an effort to cut corners as the deadline was approching, the end sequence with the prince and Belle dancing is "stolen" from the sequence in Sleeping Beauty and repainted to look like the characters. Another funny one appears at the end of the "Gaston" song after Maurice enters the pub. If you look closely at the bear rug behind Gaston's chair, it seems to have a life of it's own. Even with such a tight schedule, they managed to create a masterpiece that is loved as it is, all it's little hiccups included.
   

They definitely did not skimp on the special features on this DVD. It includes 3 verisons of the film including the original theatrical release, an extended edition and a work in process version that mixes the film with sketches, paintings and unpainted animation. A commentary track, deleted scenes, games, and documentaries delving in the making of the film and the creation of the memorable songs and music also adorn the DVD. Beauty and the Beast remains a tale that explores themes that transcend age and it's worth it to take a look at it again before it's sealed back in the vault with Disney magic and, you know, really good locks.

Just Between Us Girls

Some Like It Hot (1959) is set in the mobster run streets of Chicago during the prohibition. When some down on their luck musicians, Joe and Jerry, played by Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, witness a mob shooting, they escape to the sunny shores of Florida by joining a jazz band...an all girl jazz band. The two new additions to the band, "Josephine" and "Daphne" try their best to blend in amongst the girls and avoid certain death. Lemmon and Curtis' convincing performances are what make this film not only a classic, but survive the test of time. Each actor plays a woman with a very distinctive personality. While Lemmon plays a woman that is much more cheeky and chock full of attitude, Curtis offers a much softer, poised and, as he describes, Grace Kelly-like woman. Interestingly, Curtis couldn't speak high enough for long periods of time, so to cater the voice for "Josephine", another actor, Paul Frees, stepped in to dub some parts and both voices were mixed together. Jerry, who has the hardest time remebering he's a girl in the beginning, ends up being the one that grows more deeply in tune with his "Daphne" charade to the point of even accepting a marriage proposal and being excited about it. He's even started planning the wedding! On an competely unrelated note, it struck me that there were a lot of food related metaphors in the beginning of the film. Pastries and honey...someone was hungry somewhere. 

"Josephine" and "Daphne" meet a fellow band member, Sugar Kane Kowalczyk, a ukulele player and singer, portrayed by Marilyn Monroe. Although the character is similar to many roles Monroe has played, that is the not so swift blonde bombshell, she offers a sort of sweet vulnerability to the role that makes Sugar seem more real and lovable. Monroe is very glamorous throuhout the film often dressed in sparkly, sheer and satin clothing. She is noticeably dressed sexier than the other girls in the band, especially in terms of sleep wear. This is interesting considering that she was pregnant at the time of the shooting. This shows very little during the film, except perhaps the fleeting thought that she is not paper thin. Plagued by personal problems during the filming, Monroe was difficult. She often arrived late and needed several takes to get her lines right. In many scenes she read her lines on a blackboard off screen. This is particularly evident in the telephone scene with Curtis at the end of the film. It's possible to see her eyes moving from side-to-side as she reads. On the other hand, these issues demanded that every other actor gave a top notch performance every take in case it was the good one and so offering their 100% constantly.    

On top of the "Josephine" disguise, Joe becomes a second character: Junior, the heir to the Shell Oil Company. I enjoy that the millionnaire is rather cold and distant with Sugar. It's Joe's little way of playing hard to get and toying with her. The greatest part of this character is of course his voice. Curtis created it using his imitation of Cary Grant with a twist. It's a brilliant voice and what makes the character stand out for many.

Since the story occurs during the prohibition, alcohol is of course illegal. It's interesting to see how many characters drink in a partially hidden way, but even when caught get not much more than a slap on the wrist. Even when alcohol is prohibited, people find a way to get and enjoy it whether it's in a secret bar or in a hidden flask.

Some Like It Hot is an adaptation of the German film Fanfaren der Liebe (1951). One of the main changes that was made for this film was the addition of mobsters. These characters are strikingly realistic and seriously acted. Their scenes are more violent than you would think for a lighthearted comedy. Throughout the film we meet several characters that have smaller parts, but offer a lot of personality. Osgood Fielding III, "Daphne's" rich suitor, is very dynamic and hilarious. His most memorable contribution is of course the last line of the film, that has gained lengendary status. The combinaison of Sweet Sue and Beinstock offers some very entertaining moments and the other band members give the muscial setting for the songs. Throuhout the film, the music is very jazzy and it takes advantage of the many instruments played in the band. Monroe sings three songs, all of them in a classic stage performance ambiance. The most recognizable remains "I wanna be loved by you" which she sings beautifully. She did record a title song, but it was never used.

It comes to the attention that the film is shot in black and white. Now since the film dates from 1959, it would have been possible at that time to shoot properly in color. However, Billy Wilder, the film's director, chose black and white because he felt that Curtis and Lemmon's makeup looked garish and greenish in color.

I have the "Decade Collection" version of the DVD, which includes some special features, but very few actually about the film. It comes with a CD on which appears classic hits from the 1950's as well as a booklet that serves as a time capsule for the era. In terms of film related extras, there is only the trailer and several trailers for other Billy Wilder films. Even if it received a condemned rating, Some Like It Hot has been showered with awards and acclaimed as one of the greatest comedy films. Even today, the film remains fresh and the performances, to the smallest role, are precise and unique.

Ripe Pineapple

In the 1961 classic Blue Hawaii, Elvis Presley portrays Chad Gates, a returning soldier and the reluctant future Mr. Southern Hawaiian Fruit Company.

There is a prevailing theme of love throughout the film as trust, doubt and misunderstandings fuel a large part of the story. Chad makes his first appearance in a tight embrace with another woman in front of his girlfriend, Maile Duval, played by Joan Blackman. His impressive charm let's him get away with this, but sets the tone for the mistrust in their relationship. 

Before long, we meet the parents and the core conflict in the film: Chad's future. Angela Lansbury plays Sarah Lee, Chad's mother. She is very status driven and a judgmental socialite. This southern belle often blurts out fabulously memorable comments on people and things. Yes, the character is very over acted, especially with the very thick southern accent, but I think that's part of the charm and comic value of the character. The father, played by Roland Winters, is portrayed as much more grounded compared to his wife and seems constantly annoyed by her. The two parents together are comic gold. They set each other up for hilarious one liners and are endlessly quotable. The difference of opinion on the subject of Chad's future between the parents and Chad himself gives direction to the story and motivates the pursuit of personal endeavors.    

The film also presents many other characters. A group of tourists, one teacher and four teenage girls, come to spend a few days on the Island. Amongst these teenagers, there is a humbug of a girl that is continually unpleasant and determined on not having fun. Her character is very suggestive and sometimes very blatantly sexual. This is played off in a very lighthearted manner. The beach boy friends of Chad's mostly are used as plot driven musiciens for the various songs, but are entertaining and offer lovable individual personnalities. The film also includes Mr. Chapman, Chad's absentminded and confused boss. He is absurdly foolish and so utterly lost. It is hilarious.
 

Blue Hawaii offers a variety of types of songs ranging from ballads, rock-inspired, humorous and Hawaiian songs. The title song, Blue Hawaii, is a beautiful remake of the Bing Crosby song that appeared in Waikiki Wedding. This song and "Can't Help Falling In Love With You" are the ones that stand out and are the most widely recognizable. It is a shame that this last song feels just thrown together with the scene of the grandma's birthday. The song could have been used in better circomstances. In terms of ballads, I have always liked "Fools Rush In". The more humourous song "Kissing Cousins With a Ripe Pineapple" has always had a little place in my heart. "Rock-a-hula Baby" is also a favorite for many people and offers that newer rock style. The film also includes some Hawaiian songs and Hawaiian flavored songs which adds a touch of tropical to the soundtrack.

The film was shot on location and explores various areas in Hawaii. It allows for many beautiful shots of the tropical landcape. It also features some elements of the Hawaiian culture in the range of celebrations, dances, instruments and traditional costumes. 

Though the film is still very light and mostly fluff, it is truely funny. The script is witty and the story holds up, which is not a given for many of the Elvis films yet to come, certainly in the case of the future Hawaii based films. Elvis's performance is very enjoyable and he displays great comic timing. The romance between Chad and Maile is interesting since it is a realtionship that existed before the story we saw. This allows for a deeper, more profound relationship that the usual meet and fall in love scenarios typically seen. They have a pleasant chemistry and playful banter. The feelgood aspect of the film is acheived and later efforts to recapture the energy and lightheartedness were never as successful. Unfortunetly, later films attempted to follow the same formula and become a money making vehicle for Elvis. It is unfortunate that Elvis never really got the chance to pursue more serious roles.

Interestingly, if you turn up the sound when Elvis first exits the plane, you can hear the fans that were on site screaming. This DVD doesn't offer much in the ways of special features, aside from the trailer. When an interactive menu is listed amongst the special features, you can't expect much. It's possible, and I hope, that there are more complete DVDs out there. Blue Hawaii allows us to be swept away by the tropical scenery and the muscial talent of such an iconic figure. 

Song and Dance Men

Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire star in Holiday Inn (1942). Unlike the hotel chain that adopted the same name later on, this Holiday Inn is only open on holidays, all 15 or so of them. The inn creates a backdrop where people meet, fall in love, generate great misunderstandings and devise elaborate sabotage plans. All of this is woven into holiday celebrations. Since the central plot is based around holidays, the film skips from one holiday to the next to check in on the characters and see how relationships and shenanigans progress.


Director Mark Sandrich's style is apparent in the first minutes of the film by swiftly and efficiently presenting the characters and scenario. Very little is said, but all is understood. The first musical number presents the love triangle dynamic that sets the tone for the rest of the film. This sets the stage for the playful jealousy and vengefulness between Jim and Ted, the Crosby and Astaire characters respectively. It also hints toward the flighty nature of Lila's love. This creates a perfect opportunity for the two legends to face off using their own style. In sum, singing vs. dancing. They both are masters of their respective fields and no matter who comes out on top, the real winners are the spectators. Yes, I realize how cheesy that was.

The dance numbers are characterized by the ballroom and tap style that prevailed at the time. Ballroom is a style that continues to appear in later musicals, but loses steam against the more modern styles of dance. These dances matched with some fabulously festive Irving Berlin songs make for a delightful experience. The songs, to say the least, are creative, especially for holidays that aren't typically associated to traditional songs. Many songs would be noteworthy, but I particularly enjoyed the Thanksgiving song that weaves a sort of answering game with the bummed out Crosby character. The contradiction between the song that's playing and Crosby's answers are both funny and revealing of his charcater. This section also uses a cartoon turkey to reference the controversy that occured in 1941 about the date of Thanksgiving. In April, we hear "Easter Parade", a song that has already appeared in another film and will again appear in a later film of the same name. Another interesting bit of acting is Astaire's drunken dance. This scene is even more charming when one learns that Astaire drank 2 shots before starting and one additional shot every time they started a new take. To give an idea, the shot used in the film was the seventh take. Astaire retains his style and precision even after knocking back that many drinks. The dance during the "Be Careful, It's My Heart" number is interesting, in particular because of the symbolism of Astaire and Reynolds' characters jumping through the heart decoration and literally breaking Jim's heart.

The highly patriotic number on the 4th of July seems at first glance excessive. When looked at more closely, once realizes that while this film was being made, the Japanese bombed the United States. This created a need to include a pro-United States number in the film. Today, this segment is fine mainly because of the grounded every man image of Bing Crosby. Otherwise, this number could have felt really boastful or condescending. However, the montage of images of the military, the freedoms, etc, feels a little extravagant. This number is followed by the impressive and intricate firecraker dance which uses real firecrakers. This dance remains one of the most impressive in Astaire's career and certainly the most explosive.

Amongst all the songs, the most recognizable remains "White Christmas". This is indeed the first appearance of a song that is now a Christmas staple. Crosby sings it beautifully and with feeling. "White Christmas" was a hit beyond anyone's predictions and remains one of the top selling songs ever. Its popularity can be partly attributed to the war since the lyrics catered perfectly to the members of the army who found themselves so far away from home during Christmas.  


The Lincon's Birthday celebrations include the very controversial blackface number. This number includes some very stereotypical mannerisms, dialects and physical appearances. It reflects many tendancies that appeared in the ministrel shows still present in the culture at the time. This is of course extremely politically incorrect and many versions of the film, especially the televised ones, exclude this segment. It remains uncomfortable and shocking for some. However, as one watches it with the eyes of today, one must keep in mind the social and temperal context in which the film was made. Also, the scene is not simply tossed in; it is relevant to the plot which is motivated by Jim wanting to hide Linda from Ted. Cutting out this segment of the film is doing a diservice to history by pretending that it never happened instead of acknowledging that times have changed.

Though we have a tendancy to focus on the famous men in the film, it's important to highlight the women as well. Marjorie Reynolds and Virginia Dale showcase great skills throughout the picture. Reynolds holds her own, especially in the dancing category, while rubbing elbows with such a talented cast.

DVD features include a look back at the career of Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. The interview is interesting, but feels somewhat awkward and scripted. The DVD offers another documentary, the trailer and a commentary track. Though it's often associated to Christmas, Holiday Inn is a year round great film to watch and witness the lengendary performing skills of Astaire and Crosby.