Well, good, it sounds as though there’s some interest in continuing the group – now we just need to drum up some interest in finishing this set of films.
Archive Guy is still on deck for writing an OP on Stormy Weather. I see no reason why Sampiro can’t jump the queue and do 1776 whenever he’s ready, though.
Have you missed me good m’sieus?
Did you think that I had left you for good?
Why so silent good m’sieus
I have written you an opera!
Here I bring the finished score…
DON JUAN TRIUMPHANT… II: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO (ON A STICK)
=--------=----------=--------------========----=-=
Apologies for the delayed response, I’ve been away and indigitent for the past few days (that’s “without digital access”), but will have a 1776 thread up this week.
Till then
till then
I am
as I ever was
and ever shall be
Yours
Yours
Yours
Yours
Saltpeter Sampiro
Pins.
“-Bustibility! -bustibility! combustibili-”
“QUIET!!”
You’re obnoxious and disliked. Did you know that?
I hadn’t heard.
My oft-repeated-but-it’s-true-as-Og-is-my-witness story. My wife laughed so hard during her first viewing of 1776 (particularly “Dear Mr. Adams”) that she went into labor five weeks early.
With Sampiro’s incredibly detailed and loving OP(s) on 1776, we’ve come to the last film in the current list. (Having skipped the penultimate film, Stormy Weather. I’d offer to write an OP, but I watched it over a month ago – should we make an effort to double back or what?)
There seems to be willingness, if not rabid enthusiasm, for continuing with another set of films, with everyone who’s expressed an opinion voting for #1 of these:
I. Politics of Transformation (male protagonists forced to take stock in their lives and the changes in themselves they’ve witnessed):
*All That Jazz
Cabaret
Cabin in the Sky
Guys and Dolls
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
It’s Always Fair Weather
The Music Man
The Pirate
Shall We Dance? *(1995 Japanese original, not the Richard Gere-JLo remake)
II. The Vagaries of Love:
*Bride and Prejudice
Bye Bye Birdie
Oklahoma!
Shall We Dance *(Astaire-Rogers)
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
**Note: **This list is obviously shorter than the other two – if you’d like to nominate additional films for it, please do!
III. That’s Dancing!
Busby Berkeley:* Footlight Parade, 42nd Street, Million Dollar Mermaid*
Bob Fosse: All That Jazz, Cabaret
Gene Kelly: Anchors Aweigh, Brigadoon, Singin’ in the Rain
Michael Kidd: The Band Wagon, Guys and Dolls
Kenny Ortega: Dirty Dancing, Newsies, High School Musical
Hermes Pan: *Pal Joey, Silk Stockings, Top Hat *
Jerome Robbins: West Side Story
Twyla Tharp: Hair, White Nights
(Note, more than one film mentioned for everyone but Jerome Robbins – this is to give you an idea of who did what, for those of you for whom “choreographer” isn’t a fundamental category. We’d pick one film each.)
Shall I put together a schedule for List #1? (I’m thinking chronological order might be interesting.) And if so, will we be able to get some volunteers for writing OPs? I think it should be clear that an OP can be anything you want it to be – some people have done a slew of extra research, and some people haven’t – either way is fine, it’s just to set up a topic or two for discussion, so the thread can be something more than “I liked it,” “Yup, me too,” “Nah, I didn’t.” 
I will do another OP (and find the thread on 1776 which I haven’t seen yet). This time I should probably take a movie I already know and love rather than grab something I don’t know at all.
Give me one of these
Cabaret
All That Jazz
Guys and Dolls
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Shall We Dance?
I will even write two if you seem to need OPs.
NAF, that would be great, thanks. Let’s see how many volunteers we get.
Putting the films in chronological order, we end up like this.
2/15: Cabin in the Sky (1943)
3/1: The Pirate (1948)
3/15: It’s Always Fair Weather (1955)
4/1: Guys and Dolls (1955)
4/15: The Music Man (1962)
5/1: Cabaret (1972)
5/15: All That Jazz (1979)
6/1: Shall We Dance? (1995 Japanese original)
6/15: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
(I put the two 1955s in that order so we can compare two Gene Kelly films (Pirate and Fair Weather) directly, and then two movies about con men (Guys and Dolls, Music Man).
Whaddya think?
I like it and I like how you did the 1955 films too.
I just watched Stormy Weather this past weekend, and would be willing to write an OP. It wouldn’t be as long and involved as Sampiro’s but as long as I went to the effort to acquire and watch it, I’d be interested in discussing it a bit.
I suppose I could be persuaded to write an OP for one of the ones on the new list, as well–preference going to those I’ve already seen which means Guys and Dolls, The Music Man, Caberet, All That Jazz or Shall We Dance.
That would be outstanding! Many thanks – when you’ve got a minute, I’d love to hear someone else’s thoughts on it. I was just reluctant to do it myself since, as I said, I watched it a month ago (and my memory isn’t such that that’s a good place to be starting a discussion from).
And great, I’ll give you one of the new films also – I’ll wait and see who else volunteers before I start assigning, since both you and NAF seem flexible as to which ones you want. (I’ve seen all of them except Cabin, personally, so will undoubtedly be filling in for the films no one else wants.)
You know, I would also be happy to take either of the Gene Kelly flix since I live Kelly but haven’t seen either of those. If you want to give me a second OP give me one of those. (Again, assuming you will need more than one OP.)
I’m going to snag Fair Weather for myself because I’m in the middle of a massive Michael Kidd obsession at the moment (including watching Lil Abner yesterday – yikes, there’s a movie that hasn’t stood the test of time). So Ill give you The Pirate, NAF. For the others – since you and Eureka are the first volunteers, I’ll be happy to give you the movies you really want, if you tell me which those are.
2/15: Cabin in the Sky (1943)
3/1: The Pirate (1948) – NAF1138
3/15: It’s Always Fair Weather (1955) – twickster
4/1: Guys and Dolls (1955)
4/15: The Music Man (1962)
5/1: Cabaret (1972)
5/15: All That Jazz (1979)
6/1: Shall We Dance? (1995 Japanese original)
6/15: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
Well, it would be hard to chose between Cabaret, All that Jazz, and Hedwig. I know Cabaret best (I have worked on a couple of stage productions and studied it in school) and I probably like Hedwig the best, and All that Jazz is the one that if I were to sit down today I would watch again first.
I am perfectly happy with any of those.
If anyone else particularly wants one of them I will take what is left, but give me one of those three.
Or we could do an online musical that’s topical: a musical and to my knowledge the first movie, featuring a black president- sorta kinda- and a 6 year old Sammy Davis Jr., Rufus Jones for President. It features some real talent and is at the same time quite possibly the most politically incorrect talkie ever made. It’s filled with “damn… just… damn!” moments that make you wonder how much Ethel Waters and other black cast members needed work.
Eureka, god bless her, has started a discussion on Stormy Weather.
And I’m still looking for OP volunteers for the next group of films – lissener, Sampiro, anyrose, LurkMeister, Bueller, anyone?