Fiddler on the Roof.
This week a look at a few classic musicals on dvd. We start off with the film
Fiddler on the Roof. This all time classic musical, based on the stories of Sholem Aleichem, is set in pre-revolutionary Russia and centres on the life of Tevye (Topol), a milkman who is trying to keep his family's traditions in place while marrying off his three older daughters. Yet, Russia is in a time of change and the daughters want to make their own matches, breaking free of many of the ties forced on them by Judaism. Tevye--who expresses his desire for sameness in the opening number, "Tradition"--is trying to keep everyone, and everything, together.
Tevye represents the common man--but it does it incredibaly, and the resulting film is a stunning work of art. The music is excellent (it won Oscars for the scoring and the sound), with plenty of familiar songs such as "Sunrise, Sunset" and "If I Were a Rich Man," (manic minor!) which you'll be humming long after the movie is over. Music is by Isaac Stern's violin is very beautiful (I think he did all the music for fiddler on the roof). And despite the serious subject matter, the film is quite comedic in parts; it also well deserves the Oscar it won for cinematography. For more info on this film check the IMBD.
Singin' in the Rain.
Many years before the Hollywood film industry became famous for megabudget disaster and science fiction spectaculars, the studios of Southern California were famous for their musicals. Singin in the Rain was one of the all time greatest classic musicals. Indeed, this 1952 MGM picture is the American musical that consistently ranks among the 10 best movies ever made. Ot not only has stars like Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and a sprightly Debbie Reynolds; it's also an affectionately funny insider spoof about the film industry's uneasy change from silent pictures to "talkies". Kelly plays star Don Lockwood, whose leading lady Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) has a screechy voice hilariously ill-suited to the new 'sound' technology (and her glamorous screen image). Among the musical highlights: O'Connor's knockout "Make 'Em Laugh"; the big "Broadway Melody" production number; and, best of all, that charming little title ditty in which Kelly makes movie magic on a drenched set with nothing but a few puddles, a lamppost, and an umbrella. For more info on this movie check the
IMDB here.
Next week we will be looking at the classics High Society starring Bing Crosby and the classic film Top Hat starring Fred Astaire.
