Long Live Rock Movies! 😎🎸

Posted by donnamarie on May 8, 2017

“School of Rock” (2003)

Let’s start with our substitute teacher, Mr. Schneebly – what kid hasn’t wished for a sub like him? No grades, being part of a kick butt rock band, defying parents, breaking the rules. Good, right?

Jack Black’s character Dewey Finn is the forever loser and quintessential wanna be rock star, but when he steals his roommate’s identity as a substitute teacher, (Mr, Schneebly) he discovers he has a class of very musically talented 5th-grade students. So, Dewey decides to turn his class into a rock band to potentially win the Battle of the Bands and $20,000. I won’t spoil whether the kids win or don’t win the battle but as a result of the contest they gain self-confidence and continue to play rock in an after school program coached by Dewey. Long live Rock!

This film totally tapped into my inner rocker!

“The Commitments” (1991)

What happens when a group of white working class Dubliners forms a soul band? A rousing film with some great music inspired by legendary artists, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett.

The band nails the soul of the greats by immersing themselves 24/7 in classic soul standards:

“In the Midnight Hour” – Wilson Pickett
“Try a Little Tenderness” – Otis Redding
“I Never Loved a Man” – Aretha Franklin

Whether on buses, hanging up laundry or in music store windows, they were feeling the soul. In the words of Félim Gormley (Dean Fay- Saxophone), “I’m black and I’m proud!”

I’m so glad the movie was authentic with the cast singing on the soundtrack. (The actors were cast for their musical abilities.) Lead singer (Andrew Strong “Deco”) was nuts but the standout talent of the band.

The Commitments was voted best Irish film of all time in a 2005 poll sponsored by Jameson Irish Whiskey and launched a generation of Irish musicians and actors.

“This is Spinal Tap” (1984)

OMG, the funniest, dead on satire of a rock metal band ever!

Classic in every sense of the word, Director/Writer Rob Reiner’s masterpiece was also written and scored by the stars:

Rob Reiner – (Marty D. Bergi) – Mokumentarian

Spinal Tap

Christopher Guest – (Nigel Tufnel)

Michael McKean- (David St. Hubbins)

Harry Shearer – (Derek Smalls)

This mockumentary feels so real that some moviegoers thought they were an actual group!

The “Stonehenge” number during the Smell the Glove tour is priceless. Due to a mix up with size dimensions, the Stonehenge replica for their epic song is 18 inches instead of 18 feet tall. The little people performers in the number were taller. And Derek Smalls getting stuck in the stage prop egg is hilarious!

In 2002, This Is Spinal Tap was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress and was selected for preservation by the United States National Film Registry.

These are 3 of my favorite Rock Movies – Let me know yours in the comments!

Long Live Rock Movies! 😎🎸

Posted by donnamarie on April 13, 2016

“School of Rock” (2003)

This film totally tapped into my inner rocker!

“The Commitments” (1991)

What happens when a group of white working class Dubliners forms a soul band? A rousing film with some great music inspired by legendary artists, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett.

The band nails the soul of the greats by immersing themselves 24/7 in classic soul standards:

“In the Midnight Hour” – Wilson Pickett
“Try a Little Tenderness” – Otis Redding
“I Never Loved a Man” – Aretha Franklin
Whether on buses, hanging up laundry or in music store windows, they were feeling the soul. In the words of Félim Gormley (Dean Fay- Saxophone), “I’m black and I’m proud!”

The Commitments was voted best Irish film of all time in a 2005 poll sponsored by Jameson Irish Whiskey and launched a generation of Irish musicians and actors.

“This is Spinal Tap” (1984)

OMG, the funniest, dead on satire of a rock metal band ever!

Classic in every sense of the word, Director/Writer Rob Reiner’s masterpiece was also written and scored by the stars:

Rob Reiner – (Marty D. Bergi) – Mokumentarian

Spinal Tap

Christopher Guest – (Nigel Tufnel)

Michael McKean- (David St. Hubbins)

Harry Shearer – (Derek Smalls)

This mockumentary feels so real that some moviegoers thought they were an actual group!

These are 3 of my favorite Rock Movies – Let me know yours in the comments!

”Fame” – Movie that changed my life

Posted by donnamarie on June 6, 2015

Seems Facebook has started an – “on this day 1 year ago memory” feature on my timeline. I look at this as either an opportunity to relive warm memories or regret an overshare posting that will follow me for eternity. Fortunately, my 1 year ago memory is one of my warmest; my observations of the movie that most influenced my life. So, in keeping with the spirit of retrospection, here’s “Fame” – Movie That Changed My Life, originally posted June 6, 2014.

♥♥♥ ♥♥♥ ♥♥♥ ♥♥♥ ♥♥♥ ♥♥♥ ♥♥♥

I was reading an article about music that influenced the author’s life. Since my thing is film, I started thinking about movies that affected my life. My very first thought was right on. “Fame” – Released May 16, 1980. Directed by Alan Parker. Screenplay by Christopher Gore. (Lyric:…baby remember my name.”)

The film chronicles the lives of aspiring students attending a New York High School for the Performing Arts. We follow their journey from auditioning to acceptance, through graduation. It won 2 Oscars – Best Music, Original Song -“Fame” and Best Music, Original Score.

Coming out of the theater that night my life had changed with the realization that I must pursue my lifetime love of music and performing. Honor my spirit!

From birth, I was an artist. Growing up in Motown there was music a plenty. Listening to Smoky Robinson, The Temptations, The Supremes, you get the idea, I could visualize the movie behind the song lyrics. I can’t prove it, but I believe I came up with the idea for the music video. Thanks for the credit MTV:)

I also loved to sing and knew the words to any and every song. Old or new, it didn’t matter. Yes, I was the girl with the hairbrush microphone pouring my heart out to Lulu’s “To Sir With Love.” My friends and I even got together forming our own girls group. Look out Diana Ross, there’s a new diva in town.

Throughout my school years, I found my way into choirs and in college I took an acting class or two. However, as an adult I never actually took the leap to being an actress and vocalist. Never declared, “I’m a performer.” Until I heard “I Sing The Body Electric.”

I sing the body electric.

I celebrate the me yet to come.

I toast to my own reunion.

When I become one with the sun.

Having left Motown in 1985 for Chi-town, my moment had arrived. Chicago is an incredible city and the theater scene is amazing! The local park district had a theater group so I dared myself to audition for the musical Pal Joey. I did, got cast, and, as they say, the rest is history. From that moment on I was either in a play, auditioning for a play or in rehearsals for a play.

I’ve performed in pretty much every musical you can think of: Bye, Bye Birdie, West Side Story, Little Shop of Horrors, Cabaret. (You get the idea) I found my theater family and my voice. I realized that performing was the missing piece of my soul, my essence. And it all started on that spring evening in May 1980 with Fame. “I’m gonna live forever. Baby remember my name!”

Dedicated to Anne Meara

(September 20, 1929 – May 23, 2015)

(Played English teacher Elizabeth Sherwood – Fame 1980)

Best Rock Movies

Posted by donnamarie on July 25, 2014

“School of Rock” (2003)

Mr. Schneebly – who hasn’t wished for him to be your substitute teacher? Come on now, confess! No grades, being in a kickbutt rock band, defying parents, breaking the rules. Good, right?

Jack Black’s character Dewey Finn is the forever loser, wanna be rocker, but when he steals his roommate’s identity as a substitute teacher, he discovers he has a class of very musically talented 5th grade students. So, Dewey decides to turn his class into a rock band to potentially win the Battle of the Bands and $20,000. I won’t spoil whether the kids win or don’t win the battle, but as a result of the contest they gain self confidence and continue to play rock in an after school program coached by Dewey. Long live Rock!

This film totally tapped into my inner rocker!

“The Commitments” (1991)

What happens when a group of white working class Dubliners form a soul band? A rousing film with some great music inspired by legendary artists, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett.

They nail the soul of the greats by immersing themselves 24/7 in classic soul standards:

“In the Midnight Hour” – Wilson Pickett
“Try a Little Tenderness” – Otis Redding
“I Never Loved a Man” – Aretha Franklin
Whether on buses, hanging up laundry or in music store windows, they were feeling the soul. In the words of Félim Gormley (Dean Fay- Sax) “I’m black and I’m proud!”

The Commitments was voted best Irish film of all time in a 2005 poll sponsored by Jameson Irish Whiskey and launched a generation of Irish musicians and actors.