Editorial Review

Talk about cultural curios. That's exactly how

Features

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• HiFi Sound
• Original recording reissued
• NTSC

Reviews (22)

The Most Memorable of His Films-you know-the One with "Jocelyn Lane"
Although the Elvis formula films were pretty much the same when they were released, two factors made some significantly more appealing and memorable than others; the actress playing his love interest and the songs that were incorporated into the production.
Hey, it's Elvis and it's in color! Were you expecting "West Side Story"?
A very funny film. The soundtrack was composed of old songs from earlier Elvis LPs (to keep the film's budget at a minimum). Elvis looks great and Jocelyn Lane looks incredible. In my opinion (along with many others), Jocelyn was the prettiest costar Elvis ever had. Julie Adams is very attractive as the "older" woman. Practically all of the women in the film are hot (and there are loads of groovy gals). In fact--although not intending to be--"Tickle Me" remains one of the best children's pictures ever. I certainly couldn't get enough of it when it played at the local theater when I was in grade school. I went back to see it again five times! What can I say? Puberty calling! [filmfactsman]

Please Put On DVD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please put this wonderful Elvis classic"Tickle Me" on DVD,so that humble people such as myself can afford it.So spread the word.Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Comedies    2. Movie    3. Musicals   

Editorial Review

If a musical sci-fi satire about an alien transvestite named Frank-n-Furter, who is building the perfect man while playing sexual games with his virginal visitors, sounds like an intriguing premise for a movie, then you're in for a treat.Not only is Read more

Features

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• Original recording reissued
• THX
• NTSC

Reviews (344)

Bloody awful
This is just awful. And I mean spine-tingingly bad. The songs are so terrible and so insistent that it makes you feel like kicking the TV in. The idea of the film is certainly interesting....certainly if it weren't played out as a musical. But it is and you can just see some of the actors baffled as to the sheer stupidity of what their doing. Some such as Tim Curry revel in the sheer nonsense this film provides. But seriously, those songs are beyond awful. My hatred for them rivals having to listen to Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights and that's intense. But Kate Bush has made some great songs so that's OK. This however, is the movie equivalent of getting an axe through your spinal cord. How it's achieved cult status is something that will have to go down on the peculiar habits of humans.
aaaaaaaaaaaa I likey:-))))))))))
This is the perfect celebration of B- and horror-movies of the 30s and 40s...
Great movie
A classic! A Must See! Although not really intended for kids my daughter at 4 used to love the music and dance along...now at 14 she still loves the songs but she thinks the movie is kinda corny. Us adults however, love the movie and of course the soundtrack too. Can't help but catch yourself singing along. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Comedies    2. Movie    3. Musical Features    4. Musicals    5. Musicals (Theatrical)   

Editorial Review

Director Herbert Ross (Read more

Features

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• HiFi Sound
• NTSC

Reviews (69)

This is a plain FUN movie! Guys, watch it with girls.
Yes it's homoerotic, the dancers are too good, and there's so much silly about this film, but it's so much darn fun. Guys, this is the perfect movie to watch with girls. I've not seen a girl yet who doesn't love this movie (and even loves making fun of this movie!). Invite a girl to your house, have this movie playing, and she'll have a good time with you.

One of the era defining films of the 80's
Kevin Bacon's signature film ... Footloose ... that spawned the soundtrack that plays at most 80's nights parties. A very young Sarah Jessica Parker is in the cast... and over 20 years later a viewer still undertands why the anthem "Let's Hear it For the Boy" is a perfect fit for the plot.

One of the 80's best movies, and one of the best dance movies ever
From looking at Kevin Bacon's later career, you'd never imagine he could really dance. But he did indeed do most of the dancing in this movie (everything but the gymnastics). Perhaps moreso even than Flashdance, this movie highlighted the mid-80's period when contemporary dance was at its hottest. The cinematography for the choreography was certainly more coherent and easier to follow than Flashdance.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Movie    3. Musical Features    4. Musicals   

Features

• Black & White
• NTSC

Reviews (11)

Fun For All Ages
Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland team up again in this outstanding musical about a group of kids who adore music. Jimmy Connors (Rooney) loves playing the drums, so much so that he scorns girls and goes against his mother's ambitions for him to become a doctor. He ropes a bunch of his friend into forming an orchestra, something more fun than just the school band, and recruits Mary for a singer (Garland). Mary is in love with Jimmy, but he has no time for women, even though a new girl in town (June Preisser) tries to change his mind.
Simply Great, Mickey and Judy Shine Forever
WOW! What can be said?Mickey and Judy?There will never be two more talented young people in the history of films.Forget the Olson Twins, ect.Young stars today do not know what real talent is.Young stars today should take a look at Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland.They were what real stars are made of.Clean, fun, energetic and talented.I love Mickey Rooney. He had energy and fun that was unmatched by anyone in the business. Judy could sing a song and touch hearts better than anyone.They will forever be remembered in the hearts of all who know and love them.I just pray the young people today will somehow be introduced to Mickey and Judy.They are good role models for today's young people.They made our dreams come true.Tears come to my eyes when I think about how the good ol' days are no longer here.The TRUE stars are almost ALL gone.Today's actors and actresses cannot compare to what we used to have in Hollywood.Hollywood is gone, it's nothing more than a sign on a hill.Talent has been replaced for nastiness, trick camera work and a lot of LOUD annoying noice.Mickey and Judy, I love you, SHINE ON FOREVER!!!!I'm only 24 years old and you are my heroes.This film is great by the way.Please check it out!!!

Great mixture of music, romance, and high-school Hyjinks!
Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland are great together in this movie. Rooney plays Jimmy, a high-school-band drum player who dreams of starting a modern dance orchestra. Garland plays Mary, Jimmy's good friend who does the vocals for his band and happens to have a crush on him. When the dance orchestra dream comes true, Jimmy and his orchestra play at the dance...and are an immediate success! Things start to complicate for Mary and Jimmy as well as the rest of the band when the new girl, Barbara Francis, arives in town. She steals Jimmy's heart, leaving Mary jealous and a little lonely. Barbara also steals Jimmy away from one of his number one priorities-the band. Luckily, Mary has Jimmy's back and covers up for him. When Jimmy hears about a high school band competition in Chicago, he tries to think of a way to raise money to get the band there. One of the ways was performing a melodrama skit (which I thought was quite entertaining). The day the band boards for the train, something terrible happens to one of Jimmy and Mary's friends. He needs a crucial surgery that costs the same amount of money as the trip to Chicago. Will they use the money to help their friend? And will Jimmy and Mary end up as a couple? Find out when you watch "Strike Up The Band". ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Movie    2. Musical Features    3. Musicals    4. Musicals (Theatrical)   

Features

• NTSC

Reviews (16)

The Keith Richards of Jazz
In his younger years, Chet Baker was quite a good-looking man.In his final days however, he began to physically resemble Johnny Paycheck in the middle of a week-long bender.But the recordings ... the recordings!Fans will want to see this, and hopefully add it to their collections.And in the end, the music is all that matters.Until a better documentary is made, this intimate portrait - warts and all - remains a standout piece of filmmaking ... and probably won't be surpassed.

If Dr. Alien is on DVD, anything can be on DVD
Silly that this documentary has not been put out on DVD.I have a VHS copy of this that I found at a thrift store.It is an amazing one, both content-wise and compositionally.Hurry up and release this on DVD...Thanks...

Why is this not out on DVD yet?
This is a great film, recapping the life (near it's end at the time the film was made) of trumpet great Chet Baker.If you are reading this you probably know the basics - rapid rise to jazz stardom in the early fifties, natural talent (self taught, did not read music) records landmark versions of "You Don't Know What Love Is," "The Thrill Is Gone" and "My Funny Valentine" (to name a few), develops a truly unique, somewhat androgenous vocal style (haunting does not do it justice) and then descends into a lifelong drug addiction (outliving virtually all of his cohorts who traveled the same road) which, over time, only adds to the legend.He never kicked dope and was fairly unapologetic about it.Moved all over the place in Europe(where he became something akin to a God in jazz fan circles - especially in Italy).In and out of jail - you name it, he did it.Of course, he had all the traits of a junkie - manipulative, selfish, focused on his habit to the exclusion of almost everything else....almost.He continued making great music, to one extent or other, up until the day he fell to his death from a hotel window.This film catches up with him near the end and contains great interviews with Baker himself, many of his former cronies, friends, lovers.It's shot in beautiful black and white and is really a stunning, unusual bio-pic of an amazingly interesting (but more to the point - talented) guy.Look close and you will see young Chris Isaak and Flea, from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.Why this is not on DVD is beyond me.If you are interested enough in this subject to be reading this, go to ebay - occassionally it is available there on video.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Jazz   

Editorial Review

"Something familiar, something peculiar, something for everyone: a comedy tonight!" Those words from the opening song pretty much describe the menu in Read more

Features

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• HiFi Sound
• Original recording reissued
• NTSC

Reviews (75)

I would double the number of stars if I could.
I saw this movie when it first opened and had to go back to see it again because the laughter in the theater was so loud and so pervasive that I missed some of the dialog.
Just like the Romans
I saw this movie when I was a student of Latin literature and thought it captured the spirt of Plautus's plays brilliantly.Later, I saw a stage prodction which I liked as well.But no one can replace Zero Mostel.He is one of the most naturally funny men in the world.This is vulgar and bawdy and even corny at times but it is lots of fun.It is one of my favourite comedy movies of all time.

Miss the Sondheim score; Hate the slapstick
Richard Lester, who was popular at the time for his Beatles film "Hard Days Night," obviously had no affection for the musical theater.The score, which is one of Sondheim's funniest, is eviscerated.Only a few tunes remain, and those sound overproduced and canned.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Feature Film-comedy    2. Movie   

Editorial Review

Read more

Features

• Color
• Original recording reissued
• NTSC

Reviews (50)

Top Drawer
Movie miracle.Folks will still be watching this film in another fifty-someodd years to remember or discover the innocent joy that was "golden-age" Hollywood entertainment.

The Band Wagon
I'm not a big fan of musicals, but I've always made an exception for this one. Fred Astaire plays Tony Hunter, a Hollywood song-and-dance man who comes to New York to star in a Broadway flop. Cyd Charise agrees to be his dancing partner. Neither thinks the other wants him/her in the show, so they don't get along very well - at first. Not only does Astaire get the show on the right track, he makes things right between him and Charise. They also dance fantastically together. Jack Buchanan is brilliant in a minor role. The great music by Comden and Green, with marvelous songs by Dietz and Schwartz, are what make the movie exceptional: BY MYSELF, THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT, DANCING IN THE DARK, I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO CHANGE MY PLANS, TRIPLETS, I LOVE LOUISA, and, best of all, A SHINE ON YOUR SHOES all became standards in the Great American Songbook. The movie is a great earful as well as an eyeful.

The Band Wagon 1953 (2-Disc Special Edition)
In this Vincente Minnelli (1903-1986) directed backstage , Fred Astaire (1899-1987) dazzles in numbers set in a train Station (By Mysel) a penny arcade (A Shine on your shoes) a backlot Central Park (Dancing in the dark) and a smoky caf? (Girl Hunt) the letter two with the incomparable Cyd Charisse (1921- ). And when he , Nanette Fabray (1920- ) and Jack Buchanan (1891-1957) play infants who "Hate Each Other very much" in the merry Triplets,its more reason to llove this movie very,very much . AS the hallmark song which orginated here goes , That?s Entertainment . Here you have a special feature two disc of worlds most famous musical . All digital transfer in super quality . Recommended ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Movie    2. Musicals    3. Musicals & Cast Recordings   

Features

• NTSC

Reviews (4)

ABSOLUTELY HEAVENLY...
This is an absolutely charming fantasy film. I love it! Of course, since I was a child, I have always been partial to Nelson Eddy/Jeanette MacDonald films. Together, they made beautiful music. This film is particularly bittersweet, as it was their final film together, forever ending a wonderful musical chapter in Hollywood history. So awful it's good
I MARRIED AN ANGEL shows up on a lot of lists of the worst movies ever made, and the first thing that has to be acknowledged is that it truly is dreadful.As my daughter and I watched this, she kept screaming over and over, "This is so stupid!"And it is.I couldn't tell her that she was wrong.But . . . if you can get past the fact that the plot is absurd and the premise ridiculous, it can provide a lot of fun.The songs are good, even if the context is sometimes dreadful, the singing spirited, and the acting as good as could be expected under the circumstances.And there is a certain bravery everyone displays in carrying the spirit of the thing all the way to the end. I Married An Angel - MacDonald and Eddy's Last Hurrah
This movie is a cult classic for musical lovers. This was the last movie that Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy made together and you can see that the actors have matured and are comfortable with one another.The actors' facial expressions, body language and overall acting all combine to completely charm the watcher of this movie.Watch closely as Nelson and Jeanette look at each other at the birthday party -- it's enough to give you that little tingle that goes all the way down to your tummy!What a beautiful couple! What gorgeous costuming!What wonderful songs!There are no others that have voices that blend so beautifully as Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy and there has not been a couple like these two since.Every song in this movie leaves a lasting impression and you find you will hum these songs after the movie ends. The story line is enchanting.I have loved this movie since the first time I saw it as a child and I love it still today.I highly recommend this movie. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Movie    2. Musicals   

Features

• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (13)

Are You Off Yet?
If you are delighted by the dazzling, relentless visual creativity of directors like Terry Gilliam, Tim Burton, and David Cronenberg - then sit back and surrender to the magic of Tommy - director Ken Russell's finest hour.Ann-Margret's showcase performance leads the way for an all-star review including Arthur Brown (Fire!), Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, and various incarnations of The Who, easily among the best rock bands of all time.(Elton John also appears, outperformed by his glasses.)
WHO Fans are WAY Too Hard on this Fim!
If You look over the people who gave this Film a bad review, it's most likely from a "WHO" Fan and they're basing their review on what THEY wanted the Film to be or Think it should have been... they're comparing it to the Original Concept album from 1969, which I believe is Totally Unfair.It You were like Me, and saw this Movie without the prejudice of being a WHO Fan, than You would Judge the Film on it's Own Merits.I Think this is one of the Best Films I've ever Seen.I've watched it More times than I care to admit, because I see something different in it every signal time.That's just one of the things that makes this such a Great Film... it keeps You Thinking.If You're a WHO Fan, than go back and Listen to the 69 Version.. You KNOW that it was Purposely Left Open for Interpretation.... So give Ken Russell a Break.

ken russell is the antichrist!
The main problem of this film is that it fell into the hands of Ken Russell, England's bad boy of cinema.He had a chance to make The Who's amazing rock opera into a visual treat--and totally let his penchant for garish imagry and bad taste ruin it!Perhaps if the project fell into the hands of a better director (Alan Parker, Stanley Kubrick, Norman Jewison, anyone!) then this would be a better film.Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Hard Rock    3. Mod    4. Musicals    5. Pop/Rock    6. Rock    7. Rock & Roll   

Editorial Review

Fractured fairy tales of a darker hue provide the remarkable context for Read more

Features

• Color
• Original recording remastered
• NTSC

Reviews (218)

One of the Best Musicals!
When I first watched Into the woods I was about 2-4 yrs old, around that age and could never get the name right. I used to call it "Granny In The Woods" and had a vhs t.v. recording that finally bit the dust not to long ago because of age and the dirt lodged in the tape. The music and the acting captivated me and made me want to watch more even though I didn't get some of the adult humor that was in the show that made it more pleasent for everyone in my family to watch with me. It was one thing I could watch that I won't outgrow. The original broadway cast far outshines the 2002 broadway revival cast and the british cast, to me anyway. Bernadette Peters and Joanna Gleason shine in this excellent musical. Most of the other cast members I've haven't seen in any other things and probably wouldn't have heard of them if not for this play. This is definitely a quality dvd recording. Even though the dvd has no special features it makes up for that with it's crisp sound and picture. It's clarity is magnificent, the cameras are placed just right to where you're not focused on a character that isn't speaking instead of the one that is the main character of the scene. It's done on stage instead of a movie set which just makes the experience more lifelike and makes you feel like you're in the theatre watching the play in the best seat possible. This is one musical that the whole family can enjoy and is also one of the best musicals of the 80s up there with Phantom, Joseph, Cats, Superstar and many more of the 70s and 80s! If youwant a wholesome, enjoyable thing to watch, then this is the dvd for you!

Into the woods, a great musical! I GREAT DVD!
this is absolutely my favorite musical! my school is putting this show on, and i cant wait. but the dvd is just so great! its perfect for anyone that likes broadway, sondheim and the experience of broadway. the only thing is that this show is really long, but even thats fine! the show is a perfect blend of comedy and tragedy all in one! YOU MUST GET IT!

A very nice presentation
After performing in the pit for a production of this in my hometown, I wanted to see the original Broadway cast doing this musical.The set is fantastic!What a joy to watch!For the sharp humor side of this show, I'd strongly suggest this DVD recording, but for a more musical expeirience I would buy the soundtrack of the original BW cast.The DVD has a few lagging tempos, which is very annoying after listerning to the snappy soundtrack.Also there are 2 notes that don't quite make it up there on the DVD.Overall, I would highly recomend this DVD recording; I just love Little Red Riding Hood's humor.The CD is worth a listen too."And home before dark!" ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Comedies    2. Comedy Video    3. Movie    4. Musical Features    5. Musicals   

Editorial Review

Diana Ross stars as legendary blues singer Billie Holiday in this biopic that chronicles her rise and fall. It begins with her late childhood, a stint as a prostitute, those early days as a blues singer, her marriages, and her drug addiction. Overly glossy and lacking depth, this is worth seeing only for the performances. Diana Ross was nominated for an Oscar for her acting debut. A dynamo with sparkling screen presence, she realistically conveys the confusion and unhappiness that caused Holiday so much grief. Her performance is almost matched by romantic interest Billy Dee Williams. Watch for Richard Pryor, who is most powerful in a dramatic supporting role as the piano player in a brothel. Read more

Features

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• HiFi Sound
• NTSC

Reviews (83)

RIVETING SUPREME CLASSIC~BRAVO DIANA!!!
By the early 70's jazz legend Billie Holiday had been gone for over a decade and her harrowing life was truly an incredible story that was bound to hit the big screen...my first choice to play Lady Day was another magnificent Jazz/Soul/Pop legend Nancy Wilson who had just turned in a passionate and impressive "guest star" performance of a singer all strung out on one of the popular television dramatic series...looked like she was a shoo-in for that plum role but it was Diana who had Berry Gordy and at that moment that was the ticket!Being a huge fan of Motown music I was less than thrilled though when I heard that Diana Ross was going to portray the troubled and brilliant jazz legend but out of curiosity ran to see "Lady Sings The Blues" the week of its release and was totally impressed with the drama and pathos created by the great performances contained in this ground-breaking motion picture that also made a romantic leading man out of Billy Dee Williams plus Richard Pryor gives a winning performance as well.Diana Ross is simply tremendous and amazing to watch in this moody atmospheric motion picture classic that still holds up today as an engrossing drama of a singer who had brilliant and uniquely original talent but made all the wrong choices in life...Bravo to everyone involved with this earthy and deeply moving and yes somewhat troubling and disturbing classic!!! Diana Ross and Liza Minnelli both gave magnificent career defining performances the same year and these grand and legendary performers should have gone on to greater heights in motion pictures but a burned-out Hollywood no longer knew how to put together great projects for great female talent and this sadly still holds true today!Since the 70's a legendary screen career such as a Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Judy Garland, etc. would not or could not have happened and this is a sad loss to the audience and those many artists whose career's have floundered with their wonderful talent left untapped...Hollywood in many ways has really lost the way and movies today look and feel completely fake and manufactured..."Lady Sings The Blues" is from another era where talent for the most part reined supreme and this era is sadly gone and would take nothing short of a miracle for it to return.

Lady Sings the Blues
Lady Sings the Blues is a must for people who like the oldies to include movies that tells a story and leaves a lesson for the viewers.A must for old movie collectors.

Great!
Lady is one of my favorite movies - and the one I ordered is flawless - I really enjoyed watching it and will for sometime to come!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Movie    3. Musical Features    4. Musicals   

Features

• Black & White
• Closed-captioned
• Color
• THX
• NTSC

Reviews (1)

Timeless, operates at two levels
This movie is so well-known and so much-reviewed (see the other released versions), that I will say little in the standard way of a review: "The Wizard of Oz" is a colorful, musical, enchanting fairy tale that was done as well as any movie ever was.It overflows with color and whimsy, the bad guys are abhorrent (as they should be), and you want the good guys (and girls) to move into your neighborhood.Everyday pieces of reality are enhanced and patched together into a fantasy land that looks part abstract and part American primitive art.This is one of the few movies that can be watched yearly (or more often) without viewers getting tired of it.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Movie    3. Musicals   

Editorial Review

The French director Jacques Demy scored a worldwide hit in 1964 withRead more

Features

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• Original recording remastered
• NTSC

Reviews (24)

Charming fun, if a tad too long
Every now and then it's fun to pick up a video you know nothing about--to not even read the back of it--and just experience it without any preconceptions or media hype.
An Overstuffed Pastiche of Hollywood Musicals Has Charms But Wears Thin
Three years after his gracefully audacious film, "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg", filmmaker Jacques Demy made a follow-up of even broader scope, a pastel-colored Gallic pastiche of Hollywood musicals. While the format of "Cherbourg" is a series of bold recitatives that build on the emotionalism of the simple love story at the movie's core, "Rochefort" is a more standard musical within an elaborate tableau of activity set in the seaside town of Rochefort. The featherweight plot centers on beautiful twin sisters, both with a passion for music and romance, and what happens to them when a variety troupe sweeps into town one weekend.
Young, Warm & Wonderful
Rarely have I seen a movie that's main purpose is simply to delight us. Jacques Demy's "The Young Girls of Rochefort" is such a movie. It merely wants to put a smile on our face and light up our hearts, and it succeeds in spades.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Movie    2. Musicals    3. Musicals & Cast Recordings   

Editorial Review

In 1996, with his public image at a low ebb after a messy breakup with Mia Farrow, clarinetist and filmmaker Woody Allen set off on a tour of Europe with his New Orleans jazz band. Accompanying him were his sister, his soon-to-be wife Soon-Yi Previn, and Oscar-winning documentary maker Barbara Kopple. Like Allen says as the beginning of the tour, "Theoretically, this should be fun for us."Read more

Features

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• Dolby
• NTSC

Reviews (16)

Dry yet Quirky...
In all honesty, I found this film only MILDLY amusing because of the "voyeuristic" pleasure of getting to see Woody Allen "off camera" - - but let's face it, a documentary crew was following the guy around... so when you see him and Soon Yi chatting away in their robes in the privacy of their hotel room, do you really believe they're alone and unwatched and not trying to ACT as they want to be perceived...? So the question is, who was doing the acting ?Based on the fact that both came across as rather dull and uninteresting and I'm sure like many viewers I spent most of the film sitting (unfairly) on the edge of my seat waiting for Woody Allen to say something funny or be more neurotic my answer would be either neither or both, and perhaps the film was merely made to simple counter the bad image of Woody Allen that were going around at the time.- - "Wild man, my tookus !" the viewer is expected to say.- - If the film were to be compared to CRUMB (which I found delightfully entertaining, if not dark and depressing beneath its hillarity at times), in terms of interest it would be like comparing SPEED to MY DINNER WITH ANDRE.
Music, fun, and an interesting look at being a celebrity
If you like music and Woody Allen, you will love this endearing documentary by Barbara Kopple. Go behind the scenes as Woody, Soon-Yi, and his band go on a European tour.Allen's wit and quirky but charming personality expose him for the humble and intelligent man he is.But, oy...his mother!

Un-Wild Man Blues
Barbara Kopple's "Wild Man Blues" is decidedly un-wild. That's its first fib. It is the un-intense and un-penetrating chronicle of Woody Allen's 1997 European tour with his New Orleans jazz band. Released in 1998, "Wild Man Blues" came hard on the heels of a period of public scandal for the notoriously private filmmaker, prompting critics to dub it a "public relations corrective". There is a whiff of mendacity about this film. Its motive is abstruse and its meaning convoluted. It carries an air of constructivism. It smells like propaganda. Lurking behind an obeisance to jazz music is a salve for moviegoers' indignation over Allen's romance with stepdaughter cum fianc�, Soon-Yi Previn. Read more

Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Movie   

Editorial Review

Read more

Features

• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (23)

"Look, it's okay to admire my wife, but would you mind taking your elbow out of my butter?"
Here's the plot: Before they were partners, Bert Kalmar (Fred Astaire) was one half of the popular dance act Kalmar & Brown, and Harry Ruby (Red Skelton) was a struggling piano player/songplugger. The first time Kalmar and Ruby met, it doesn't turn out well. Kalmar, you see, is obsessed with magic and moonlights as a stage magician. When Ruby is assigned as his assistant, he botches Kalmar's magic act disastrously and earns Kalmar's wrath. However, when Kalmar suffers a back stage knee accident and has to break up his dance team, he bumps into Ruby again. This time, they manage to collaborate on a song before things go south, and that, in essence, was the birth of their successful tin pan alley songwriting partnership.