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Cinematical Late Night: Judge Dredd, The Runaways, Minnie Driver, Jamie Bell
Filed under: Drama, Music & Musicals, Casting, Trailers and Clips
- More Star Wars, more minimalism. We can't ever get enough of either. For a look at these Andy Helms-designed posters larger and to see the Return of the Jedi one, head over to Laughing Squid.
- Olivia Thirlby is the next to be cast in the latest adaptation of Judge Dredd, which already stars Karl Urban as the futuristic action hero. Thirlby will play Cassandra Anderson, a "telepathic rookie who shadows Dredd," according to Variety.
- I love that Marvel's film of The Runaways comics is now apparently titled Small Faces. So instead of being confused with a band biopic that's already been made, it will be confused with a band biopic I wish would be made. Or it will be confused with an underrated Scottish film from the mid-90s. In any event, it's an odd change.
- Like Glee? Did you enjoy Minnie Driver's singing in The Phantom of the Opera (among other soundtracks)? Then the '70s, UK-set musical Hunky Dory is possibly for you. And it might even give Julie Taymor some competition since it involves a high school production of Shakespeare's The Tempest featuring covers of ELO, David Bowie, Nick Drake and the Beach Boys. Both a producer and musical director from Billy Elliot are involved, so we can expect this to turn out well.
The Best Songs That Are Inspired By Movies
Filed under: Music & Musicals, Fandom, Lists
Usually when I talk about music around these parts, it's with an eye on the movies. But even though most of my inspirations come from movies -- with the music as a vital, but supporting player -- today I thought I would try to do things a little differently. Which is why today is all about music that was inspired by the movies.
Pop music is littered with movie references, and sometimes the references are a little more obscure, as is the case with the genesis of Bob Seger's classic Night Moves. Legend has it that the idea for the song was born as Seger walked out of the theater for George Lucas' American Graffiti and he realized that he had his own stories of a misspent youth to share. But other inspirations can be a little more obvious, like with Jay Z's tribute to Frank Lucas and American Gangster with his album of the same name.
We all know inspiration can come from the unlikeliest of places (yes, even from within darkened movie theaters), and so here are five songs that could never have existed without a little inspiration from the silver screen.
9/11 Finally Gets a Musical (Watch the Trailer)
Filed under: Music & Musicals, New Releases, Cinematical Indie
Too soon? It's true that tragedies such as the Titanic and AIDS have had musicals. And I'd go so far as to say Trouble the Water is like a Katrina musical, even if it is a documentary. But September 11? Someone made an indie rock musical about September 11. Yes. Whether or not it seems so wrong, it exists, it's titled Clear Blue Tuesday and it's opening in NYC this Friday, as you can see by its New York Times write-up. The attack on the Twin Towers happen off screen at the film's opening and then the plot follows 11 characters throughout the 2000s, focusing on anniversaries of 9/11. And most of these characters have their own song to sing. Director Elizabeth Lucas says the 9/11 movies that have been made until now have been too serious and "overly ponderous." She says we need to "look at ourselves and laugh at our tragedies." Watch the trailer and you will indeed think this is a joke -- a bad one at that. Still, it had to happen sometime. And we've already kind of seen 9/11 inspire works of most genres, including weepy romance and sci-fi monster movie. And everything from comic book movies to horror flicks have dealt with the direct aftermath. The difference is that most of those didn't so directly involve the tragedy itself.
Well, I'll let you judge some of it for yourself before you call it a mistake or offensive. Check out the trailer and a special character trailer with musical number after the jump (see more on the director's Vimeo page or at the Times).
Another Michael Jackson Concert Film May Be on the Way
Filed under: Documentary, Independent, Music & Musicals, RumorMonger, Fandom
Just when you thought you were safe from moon-walking at your local multiplex, rumblings are descending about another Michael Jackson concert film. This time the source material stretches back to 1981, and the From a historical perspective, the tour material could be fascinating. The Triumph Tour was a huge deal at the time; Michael was between Off the Wall and Thriller, and the tour reunited the Jackson brothers for a series of sold-out concerts. A live album from the tour, The Jacksons Live!, was released in 1981. Last year's rehearsal footage documentary, Michael Jackson's This Is It, made more than $260 million worldwide, but that was in the wake of Jackson's death. It came out in time to satisfy hunger by his fans for the concert tour that never was. Would archival footage from 30 years ago be able to tap into that same interest?
Justin Bieber Wants to Play Danny Zuko in 'Grease' Remake
Filed under: Comedy, Music & Musicals, Casting, RumorMonger, Celebrities and Controversy, Newsstand, Remakes and Sequels
It's interesting when a story goes from a star joking or idly mentioning an off-the-cuff idea to a full-blown story that is circulating the Internet. Justin Bieber told The Sun that he'd love to star in a remake of Grease as bad boy Danny Zuko, with Miley Cyrus as the innocent Sandy Olsson. Of course, it seems as though Cyrus is eager to shed her Sandy-like goody two-shoes rep as rumors fly about her upcoming booze-chugging, weed-puffing, cooter-flashing teen in LOL. (Read more about her character's shenanigans here.) And wouldn't it be super, the dreamy pop star mused, if Susan Boyle could star as Principal McGee? That sounds swell! But as irresistible an opportunity as it is to Photoshop the Bieb's head onto John Travolta's body, his dreams of crooning "Summer Nights" probably ain't happening any time soon.*Have a Peep at Our Exclusive 'Burlesque' Poster
Filed under: Music & Musicals, Movie Marketing, Images
One diva makes her overdue return to movies. The other makes her film acting debut. So who's excited about Burlesque, the hot new musical that brings together Cher and Christina for a sparkly, glamorous and wild Fosse-esque song and dance spectacular? I left off the latter's last name (Aguilera) because so does the film's poster, which we're happy to debut down below. It's full of hot pink and what I think is a lightbulb-adorned -- though it could also be rhinestone-studded -- title vertically separating the legend on the left from the newer star on the right. The film's tagline acknowledges the distinction between divas, too: Cher's side says "It takes a legend," which continues on Christina's side, "... to make a star." Kind of meta.
In Burlesque, Aguilera is a small-town girl trying to make it big on the stage of Cher's L.A. club, The Burlesque Lounge, but first she has to put in her due as a cocktail waitress. The musical also features Stanley Tucci, Alan Cumming, Kristen Bell, Eric Dane, Cam Gigandet and Dancing with the Stars winner Julianne Hough. It was written and directed by Steve Antin, who you may best know as the jock, Troy, in The Goonies or as the screenwriter of Sidney Lumet's Gloria remake (he also co-produced the Pussycat Dolls reality show). As the poster says, it opens this Thanksgiving.
Watch This: Would You Attend a Klingon Opera?
Filed under: Music & Musicals, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fandom
I often wonder what anthropologists in the future will think of our civilization when they look back on it (provided the Earth doesn't esplode in 2012 ... ). What will scientific men make of our fascination with reality TV and popular culture? I'd love to be a fly on the wall as they puzzle out why, exactly, someone felt the need to create a "Klingon opera."The villains of many a Star Trek film and episode have already spawned their own language -- and now they're getting a musical drama.
Entitled – u -, which translates roughly to "universe" or "universal", the opera will be the first ever Earth-based Klingon production. The orchestra is set to feature "indigenous Klingon instruments", some making their debut on this planet. Exciting!
The opera's website gives potential attendees a breakdown of what the production will sound like: "Klingon opera uses the principle of musical combat. Beauty in Klingon music comes from the impact of two opposing forces. To quote a well known Klingon proverb qa' wIje 'meH masuv or 'we fight to enrich the spirit.'"
Sofia Coppola Creates Another Memorable Soundtrack for 'Somewhere'
Filed under: Drama, Music & Musicals
Music is inextricably linked to Sofia Coppola's career. Her first film, the short Bed, Bath and Beyond was written by Ione Skye, the actress who was once married to Beastie Boys' Adam Horovitz and is now married to rocker Ben Lee. Her second short, Like the Star, kicked off with The Amps' Tipp City. Once she jumped into feature work, her films were littered with memorable soundtracks intermingling the old, the popular, the rare, and the new. The Virgin Suicides mixed Sloan and Todd Rundgren with Heart and Styx. Lost In Translation opted for a mix of hard-hitting crassness like Peaches' "F**k the Pain Away" with the gentle whisper of Air's "Alone in Kyoto." Even when Marie Antoinette detailed a whole different world, the sountrack boasted Aphex Twin, Bow Wow Wow, and The Cure.
Now she's back with Somewhere, and the soundtrack is sure to please once again.
Scenes (Songs) We Love: "She's Lonely" from 'Looking for Mr. Goodbar'
Filed under: Drama, Music & Musicals, Fandom, Trailers and Clips, Scenes We Love
I very clearly remember growing up with the novel Looking For Mr. Goodbar in plain view on the bookcase in my house, and I have to admit, I was fascinated by it. There was just something about that book that screamed 'grown-up', and there was no way I was ever going to be allowed to read that ... not until I had a few more maturity miles under my belt, anyway. But, that didn't stop me from sneaking in a viewing of the 1977 film which featured the song that is today's recipient of a Scenes (Songs) We Love: She's Lonely by the one and only Bill Withers.
Most people know Withers from his classic Lean on Me (a song that I would be happy to never hear again -- it's just that overplayed) but his particular brand of soul has so much more to offer, and She's Lonely is a perfect example of that melancholy approach to getting down. The song first appeared on the album Making Music, Making Friends, but I recommend picking up a copy of the film's original soundtrack if you can because it's chock full of groovy 70's classics from Donna Summer, The Commodores, The O'Jays and fellow Songs We Love nominee, Boz Scaggs.
Looking for Mr. Goodbar was based on the novel by Judith Rossner (which was inspired by the real-life murder of a young NY schoolteacher) and starred Diane Keaton as a lonely woman looking for 'Mr. Right' in a New York bar who then begins to spiral into a destructive lifestyle of drugs and one-night-stands. The movie was considered a cautionary tale for the Swingers set, and there is no doubt that it's a pretty brutal flick (one about as far from the wacky and lovable Annie Hall as Keaton could get). But like so many films made in the '70s, it's a fascinating glimpse back to a time when New York was still dangerous and the sexual revolution had opened up a carnivorous 'swinging singles' culture among jaded urbanites.
After the jump: "Yeah, pretty little girl is lonely"...
Defending Bad Movies: Grease 2
Filed under: Music & Musicals
It's sad to say, but the summer is coming to a close. It's even sadder to say – for some – that another school year is about to begin. About this time every year, I get a song stuck in my head. Well, two. First is Billy Madison's back to school song. You know, "Back to school. Back to school, to prove to Dad that I'm not a fool. I got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight, I hope I don't get in a fight." The second comes from a movie with somewhat more acceptable classroom behavior, but also one that's underappreciated, Grease 2. "I gotta go back, back, back to school again."
When you're following in the footsteps of a film as beloved as Grease, you're practically in a lose-lose situation. There was really no way director Patricia Birch could top Randal Kleiser's work and Max Caulfield and Michelle Pfeiffer were just no match for the ultimate duo, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. You know what you do when there's just no way of being the best? You settle for mediocre and just have a blast with it. And that's exactly what Grease 2 is; a so-so film that gets major bonus point for being such a damn good time.
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