Guilty Pleasures part deux – “Streets of Fire” 1984

Posted by donnamarie on May 10, 2014

Streets of Fire starring Michael Pare and Diane Lane is my favorite “Rock n Roll Fable!”

In a town existing somewhere between the 50’s and the 80’s, this rock n roll love story revolves around the kidnapping of hometown girl turned star, Ellen Aim. Kidnapped by gang leader Raven Shaddock during her concert performance, her ex-soldier boyfriend Tom Cody arrives in town on a mission to rescue Ellen from The Bombers (Raven’s gang). Let the adventure begin!

I fantasized being Ellen Aim. Cool rock chick jammin on stage and driving the crowd wild! Oh yeah!

And how cool was that opening number? “Nowhere Fast”. “You and me we’re going nowhere slowly. And we gotta get away from the past. There’s nothing wrong with going nowhere baby. But we should be going nowhere fast”.

And I love, love, loved The Sorels! An early 60’s style group in need of a break and discovered by Ellen’s manager, Billy Fish. Absolutely fantastic! They had the moves, the energy, so effervescent!!

The Sorels:

Stoney Jackson as Bird, lead singer
Grand L. Bush as Reggie
Robert Townsend as Lester
Mykelti Williamson as B.J.

The Sorels Trivia:

Stoney Jackson dancer in Michael Jackson’s”Beat It” video

Robert Townsend director of Hollywood Shuffle 1987

(if you haven’t seen it you should really check it out!)

Mykelti Williamson played Bubba in Forest Gump

“If I Can Dream About You” – Recorded by Dan Hartman

And the final number, “Tonight is What It Means to be Young” still gives me goosebumps. Her heartbreak, his tortured soul at having to go. If that isn’t a theatrical climax, then I don’t know what is.

Directed by	Walter Hill
Produced by	Lawrence Gordon Joel Silver
Written by	Walter Hill Larry Gross
Starring	Michael Paré Diane Lane Rick Moranis Amy Madigan Willem Dafoe Elizabeth Daily
Music by	Ry Cooder
Cinematography	Andrew Laszlo
Editing by	James Coblentz Freeman A. Davies Michael Ripps
Studio	RKO Pictures Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release dates	June 1, 1984
Running time	93 minutes

“Dance and Sing Get Up and Do Your Thing” – AFI’s Top 5 Musicals

Posted by donnamarie on April 21, 2014

It seems every time someone asks the question “What’s your favorite? (fill in the blank) that’s what happens to me…BLANK. So, I decided to prep for the next occasion. Here’s the American Film Institute’s list of the Top 5 Musicals of All time! West Side Story and Cabaret have already made the list on my Songbird Oscar Winners post. I think I got this!

Can you name yours? Let’s share.

#	FILM	YEAR	STUDIO
1	SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN	1952	MGM
2	WEST SIDE STORY	1961	United Artists
3	WIZARD OF OZ, THE	1939	MGM
4	SOUND OF MUSIC, THE	1965	Twentieth Century-Fox
5	CABARET	1972	Allied Artists

Some of my favorite quotes from the films!

Lina: [with a voice to peel paint] And I cayn’t stand’im. Holy crap! This line makes the movie for me!!

[singing]

Bernardo: ” I’d like to go back to San Juan.”

Anita: “I know a boat you can get on!”

Ha! You do you, cause I’m gonna do me!

Cowardly Lion: ” Alright I’ll go in there for Dorothy. Wicked Witch or no Wicked Witch, guards or no guards, I’ll tear them apart. I may not come out alive, but I’m going in there. There’s only one thing I want you fellows to do.”

Tin Woodsman, Scarecrow: “What’s that?”

Cowardly Lion: “Talk me out of it!”

Oh Lion – you just gotta love him!

Maria: “When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window.”

Without a doubt! Amen!

Sally: ” I’m going to be a great film star! That is, if booze and sex don’t get me first.”

Quote is dead on. What’s up Ms Liza?

Nicholas Brothers – Flash! (So You Think You Can Dance?)

Posted by donnamarie on April 17, 2014

The Nicholas Brothers were a famous African American team of dancing brothers, Fayard (1914–2006) and Harold (1921–2000). Their highly acrobatic technique (“flash dancing“), demonstrated such a high level of artistry and daring innovations that they were considered by many to be the greatest tap dancers of their day.

Growing up with musician parents (mother played piano and father drums) who had their own band, the brothers were surrounded by some of the best Vaudeville acts of the time and became stars of the jazz circuit during the heyday of the Harlem Renaissance . Fayard and Harold went on to have successful careers performing on stage, film, and television well into the 1990s.

Their signature move was to leapfrog down a long, broad flight of stairs, while completing each step with a split. This move was performed to perfection in the finale of the movie, Stormy Weather . In my humble opinion, the “Jumpin’ Jive” dance number in Stormy Weather was the greatest movie musical sequence of all time!

Nicholas Brothers – Jump!

Another signature move was to arise from a split without using the hands. Gregory Hines (with brother Maurice – tap dancing brother team Hines, Hines and Dad) declared that if their biography were ever filmed, their dance numbers would have to be computer generated because no one now could emulate them. Ballet legend Mikhail Baryshnikov once called them the most amazing dancers he had ever seen in his life.

The Nicholas Brothers influenced every dancer that came after. Including Michael Jackson. Here they are together on the Jackson’s TV Show.

Cabin in the Sky (1943)

Posted by donnamarie on April 2, 2014

Produced in 1943 at MGM by Arthur Freed and directed by Vincent Minnelli, “Cabin in the Sky” is the 1st all Black film produced by a major studio in Hollywood. “Happiness is a Thing called Joe” was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song and sung by film’s star, Ethel Waters.

This musical take on Faust pits Little Joe (Eddie “Rochester” Anderson) against Luther Jr. (Lucifer’s baby boy). Enter temptress Georgia Brown (Lena Horne). Does Little Joe’s wife, Petunia (Ethel Waters) even stand a chance or will Joe be condemned to Hell? Of course I won’t give it away. Want you to enjoy the full ride.

Directed by	Vincente Minnelli Busby Berkeley (“Shine” sequence, uncredited)
Produced by	Arthur Freed Albert Lewis
Written by	Marc Connelly(uncredited) Lynn Root (play) Joseph Schrank
Based on	Cabin in the Sky (play)
Starring	Ethel Waters Eddie “Rochester” Anderson Lena Horne Louis Armstrong
Music by	Harold Arlen Vernon Duke George Bassman Roger Edens
Cinematography	Sidney Wagner
Editing by	Harold F. Kress
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates	April 9, 1943
Running time	98 minutes