Is the title irreverent? Yes. Do I respect Jane Russell beyond her physical beauty? Of course! I think if anyone has a sense of humor about her bust it's Jane Russell.
I personally find her legs much more attractive.
I heard yesterday of the passing of sex symbol Jane Russell at age 89 of respiratory failure. She is probably best remembered as the voluptuous (to say the least) cowgirl from Howard Hughes' "The Outlaw" (1941). If not for this, then she is usually recognized as the woman who plays second fiddle to Marilyn Monroe in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (1953) where Monroe sings her most famous song, 'Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend'. Yet, in watching any of her films, there is a certain je-ne-sais-quoi about her that steals any scene. Her screen presence is such that she outshines even Monroe throughout most of "Gentlemen".
Notice how, despite the gobs of shirtless hunks, the eye still runs directly to her?
My favorite kind of music is A Capella. So, naturally, today's version is by an A Capella group called Straight no Chaser:
Today, along with your gift, y'all get a fun tid-bit about "The Twelve Days of Christmas". The line "four calling birds" is actually a common mispronunciation of "four colly birds". A colly bird is another name for a blackbird - like the four and twenty baked into that famous pie.
On to the gift. Though today's 12 version isn't by a barbershop quartet, they are my favorite kind of vocal harmony groups. Here are four delightful videos for you to enjoy:
This first is from "The Music Man", one of my favorite musicals. True, this isn't completely A Capella, and, true, Shirley Jones sings as well but I don't think either of those things detract from the song as a whole.
This next one is less interesting for its soundtrack than for its fascinating timeline of men's Barbershop Quartet Fashions from 1939-2008. Look out for 1950 (the original Buffalo Bills) and 1972 (the most terrifying suits I've ever seen):
The third is fun not just because of the spectacular vocals, but also because of the nostalgic television show theme songs!
The fourth is a great personal nostalgia moment for me. I had the Simpsons music CD as a kid, and I must have worn it out for listening to it so much. My favorite track?
This extra one is just plain fun. Crude language warning (but it's worth it)!
Before you watch this, I must warn you: it's the epitome of mediocrity. It's neither bad enough to be hilarious nor good enough to be appreciated by "Grease" fans. In fact, I'm not really sure why I'm showing this to you, except that it's at least a plus that they're playing off of a classic.
Juicy tidbit: the woman who plays Rizzo (and kicks Longoria off the bench) is the wife of a former team mate of Tony's. She and Parker have been allegedly sexting for seven months.
Again, I'm really not sure why I posted this. I'll post a proper Music Monday as well.
As I mentioned in a post from last week, Christopher Plummer, Julie Andrews, and all seven of the Von Trapp children appeared on Oprah last Friday. I didn't get to watch it when it aired, but here is the episode in its entirety from Youtube! Let's hope it doesn't get taken down any time soon...
Part I
Part II
Part III
I know it sounds cliché, but I laughed and I cried. This was a truly touching tribute to the film we all know and love. The special features a one-on-one interview with Julie Andrews, as well as interviews with the rest of the cast, exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, and a special guest appearance by Rosie O'Donnell.
I'd also like to correct my statement from last week. The special performance featured in the show was not by the actors, but by the actual Von Trapp Family Singers - the great-grandchildren of the real Maria (who herself makes a few posthumous appearances on the program).
The actor/children have also revealed they are co-authoring a behind-the-scenes look at the production of the film from their point of view, and will feature exclusive, personal memorabilia from their private collections. The book is expected to be out next year and make no mistake I'll be getting it (...as soon as it comes out in soft-cover).
This show also marks the first-time release of The Sound of Music on Blu-Ray disc. The film has been digitally remastered in honor of the 45th anniversary of its release.
Still clutching his box of tissues, Nostalgically Yours
For those of you who don't consistently watch Oprah (myself included), I do want to announce to you musical theater fans that the cast of The Sound of Music will be the special guests on her show tomorrow! After the trip to Australia, this is likely my favorite part of Oprah's final season.
Andrews fawns over Plummer from afar... Who wouldn't? Rawr!
Of course, you may be thinking, Big woop! What's so special about that? I'll tell you what: for the first time since 1965, the children will perform as they did in the film! I'm not sure if Christopher Plummer and Julie Andrews will sing - after all Andrews hasn't been able to really sing since her voice node surgery fiasco back in '97... Anyway, I just thought you musical theater/film aficionados would be interested to hear that! Don't miss it! I shan't.
If Julie Andrews can't make you smile, you're made of stone.
Interesting story about Julie Andrews and this movie: "The Sound of Music" and "My Fair Lady" both came out in the same award season. Andrews played Eliza Doolittle on Broadway opposite Rex Harrison. She was ousted in favor of Hepburn for God knows what reason. "My Fair Lady" stole most of the Oscars that year, including best picture. Audrey Hepburn received a big fat nothing. On the other hand, Andrews (who in turn replaced Broadway's Mary Martin in the role of Maria) was nominated for Best Actress and won a Golden Globe in the same category. I'm not trying to pick sides here, both ladies are practically perfect in their own right, but nothing good comes from trying to switch out genres between actresses like this. [Thanks to TJ at the The TJ Times for reminding me that it was "Mary Poppins" that came out in the same year as "My Fair Lady" and for which Andrews won the Oscar for Best Actress, not the "Sound of Music", as I stated above.]
