The Projectors

Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)

It’s musicals month for November’s theme and hitting up Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber again because it’s time to go to church though we can’t tell what denomination this is. It’s pretty sweaty but there are some baddies hanging around. A little gay, to be expected, but the band is pretty sick. They’re all the band. This is what Nazarenes wish their services were like. It’s two thousand years ago by way of the 1970s in this rock opera retelling of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. We’re jamming to Norman Jewison’s 1973 film adaptation of “JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR” and it stars Ted Neeley (who crushes it) Carl Anderson (who steals the show) and Yvonne Elliman (who can get it). Then you got your Pauls, your Pharisees, your Herods and your Pilates and the timeless tale has never been told like this. We didn’t know this at the time but Yvonne Elliman had some disco hits as well. She also hooked up with Eric Clapton but nobody’s perfect. But anyway…Jesus. He’s just a man, right? Why does he scare them so? Check the link here if you want to see it: https://archive.org/details/jeesus-kristus-superstaar-1973-compressed
 
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Bye Bye Birdie (1963)

Kids. What is wrong with kids these days? They’re not perfect like we were. It’s musicals month and we’ve arrived at a 60s musical and the only musical Bob already saw prior to this month. This musical, inspired by Elvis getting drafted into the army, is a pop culture spoof and a launchpad for a young Ann-Margret who mesmerizes in this 1963 George Sidney adaptation of “BYE BYE BIRDIE”. A popular singer gets to kiss a small tawn girl in small town Ohio and if this works out then 5 or 6 people could be set for life! It’s an extensive cast that also stars Dick Van Dyke as a speed dealer, Janet Leigh as a withered old marm, Bobby Rydell who is being cucked by a teen idol despite being one in real life, Paul Lynde as the perfect father and Maureen Stapleton as the perfect mother. It also stars Ed Sullivan as himself. A crafty musical comedy that rightly deserves its place as one of the great teen movies and the best movie ever featuring a turtle high on speed. JFK would be dead later this same year. Just thought I’d mention that. Here’s a link: https://archive.org/details/ByBBd1963
 
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Mamma Mia! (2008)

For our month of musicals we certainly had some choices for the sub-sub genre of song movies known as “Jukebox Musicals”. These are musicals in which the music is based on pre-existing material. Maybe it’s cheat mode when you’re mining from something that was already popular but remember how not cool it was in that “A Knight’s Tale” movie with Heath Ledger in it? Remember that shit? I guess that last Joker movie is technically a jukebox musical too, eh? Well we picked a bonafide moneymaker when it comes to jukebox musicals and you definitely gotta credit the songs because this plot is totally batshit. Maybe the most musically familiar to both hosts because they consider ABBA do be one of the most enjoyable pop groups of all time. You probably went to see this movie with your eccentric Aunt with the dangliest earrings, twice divorced, lived in Barcelona for three years and then Sarasota ever since, has a boyfriend from Morocco who is half her age. No shit we’re talking about “MAMMA MIA!” From 2008 directed by Phyllida Lloyd and starring Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth & Stellan Skarsgård. Hit that zinfandel and then hit that play button. We’re getting cheesy like a bachelorette party in downtown Nashville.
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Cabaret (1972)

Let me tell you something about life, old chum. It’s only a cabaret. Kill Nazis. November is for the musicals and we’re RAISING THE CURTAIN & BELTING THE CHORUS all month long and it’s time to hit up a Bob Fosse joint in this iconic adaptation starring stage legend and Queen of the Theatre Nerds, Liza Minelli. Bob is learning this shit for the first time but you theater nerds already know about the most prolific film in  Minelli’s life and career and it’s none other than Fosse’s 1961 hit “CABARET” also starring Michael York, Joel Grey and more. There is no richer era to strike negative social parallels than early to mid-century Germany. The Kit Kat Club seems like a grand ‘ol time but it’s only a matter of time before the audience turns on their entertainment. In the thick of it is Sally Bowls, lore accurate OG Manic Pixie Dream Girl, and her timid soon-to-be lover, Brian. It’s a freewheeling, song slinging, sugar baby life. Love has its ups and downs and sometimes you end hooking up with your girlfriend’s sugar daddy. It’s a rather unique story to tell to a broad audience in 1972 (and before). Let’s talk Sally Bowls, old chum. It’s only a cabaret and here’s a link we found: https://archive.org/details/cabaret-1972_202208
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West Side Story (1961)

It’s musicals month and Bob is at least tripling the amount of musicals he’s watched in his lifetime on this month alone and today we go to that timeless tale of salt and garlic who truly have the ability to do wonders together if it wasn’t for sausage and it’s systemic authoritarianism making things too divided. I’m sure it’s obvious that we’re talking about the Jerome Robbins/Robert Wise/Stephen Sondheim/Leonard Bernstein joint from 1961 “WEST SIDE STORY” starring Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblin & Rita Moreno. The American take on “Romeo & Juliet” won Best Picture for that year and is the ground floor for many people’s introduction to musicals. Jets, Sharks, fake Latinas, star-crossed lovers, tragedy and the most graceful gang warfare you ever saw. Everyone knows this story. Check it here: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7u28ym
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Evita (1996)

All November we gotta RAISE THE CURTAIN & BELT THE CHORUS! It’s musical films all month long and today’s discussion got a lot of news and attention during its production back in 1996. MTV, still in the music video game back then, helped push this beloved Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber project because its star is none other the the iconic pop diva, Madonna. Stage purists of “EVITA” always have Patti Lupone’s vibrant renditions in their heart but for the film adaptation by Alan Parker in 1996, Madonna really wanted the role and felt a connection to the beloved First Lady of Argentina. Webber even wrote a new song for the film that helped define a point in Madonna’s career. The press helped make EVITA a hit, but how does it hold up amongst the great musical adaptations when we look back? I’ll just say that Antonio Banderas looked like Orson Welles opposite Madonna who had her moments but lacked a lot of expression. Also, are the Argentines annoyed that Jonathan Pryce (a Brit) played Juan Peron since that whole Falklands thing went down? This really made us want to get some South American history books at least. This is Bob’s first exposure to the Andrew Lloyd Webber style. It’s a lot to take in for a man who has only seen six musicals up to this point. We will see how “EVITA” fares all these years later.
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Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

All November we RAISE THE CURTAIN & BELT THE CHORUS for a musicals themed month and we’re heading to a fictional Russian town called Anatevka for a folksy tale of a pious and poor Jewish family. This beloved stage show ran very long so perhaps it’s no wonder that Norman Jewison’s adaptation of “FIDDLER ON THE ROOF” was a box office smash for 1971. In it we meet Tevye’ and his family. He’s got 3 daughters at marrying age and the good book dictates that their marriages be arranged to benefit their family and status. Such is tradition! But times are changing in Eastern Europe in the early 20th Century and these kids got their own crazy ideas. With the weight of tradition and the dangers of society upon them can Tevye bend without breaking his faith? Starring Chaim Topol, Norma Crane, Leonard Frey and more. Music by Jerry Bock and adapted by John Williams. Angela has booked this month and much of it is Bob’s introduction to many musical styles. The only one he’s seen for this coming month is “Bye Bye Birdie” of all things. He’s only seen three more beyond that. Hear us set fresh eyes and opinions on a beloved classic. If we were a rich man, we would still do a movie podcast. We love movies that much.
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Singin' in the Rain (1952)

November has arrived and we’ve booked for a genre of film that is very different than the cavalcade of horror we just got out of. For some, maybe it is horror, but all month long we’re going to discuss decades worth of Musical Films and we’ve calling it RAISE THE CURTAIN & BELT THE CHORUS. Many of these films started on the stage and others started as movies inspired by the stage and we kick it all off with a well regarded classic. Go watch this one with a grandparent, I’m sure they would appreciate the time spent with Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds in Stanley Donen & Kelly’s beloved 1952 musical “SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN”. The silent era is fading and Hollywood talkies are looking for the full package, of which Lina Lamont is not it. Shallow and shrill she is, but she’s still got some Hollywood pull. Don and Cosmo have the talent that Lina doesn’t and they meet Kathy Selden, who could cover for Lina’s shrill voice in a new musical feature just so long as Lina doesn’t know. Of course Don and Kathy are in love and then there’s all the singing and dancing that you might have heard over the years even if you never formally sat down with this one. Donald O’Connor truly steals the show here. The talent level is something to be admired so check this out (last we checked it’s on MAX) and hear us talk of this beloved musical.
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Dogville (2003)

We’ve crawled out of Halloween Humpfest but the creeping dread continues for just a little bit longer because it’s time for another discussion in our overarching director topic for 2024. Yes, it is still a “dreary Year of von Trier” and what shit-hole year it’s been. Heading down the final stretch, it’s safe to say that the overall feeling of dread may bleed into the following year but we will be done with Lars von Trier, at least, until he gets around to making the third of his USA-Land of Opportunity trilogy. Today, we discuss the first of that trilogy and our introduction to Grace Mulligan in von Trier’s twisted take on American Folklore with his 2003 film “DOGVILLE” and it has a hell of cast that includes Nicole Kidman, Paul Bettany, Lauren Bacall, Stellan Skarsgård, Cloe Sevigny, Philip Baker Hall, James Caan and that’s only half of them. John Hurt narrates a tale of Grace who is on the run from mobsters and cops. She stumbles upon a strange tiny town. The town is skeptical but they give her a chance to be part of the village if she proves herself helpful by doing labor for each member of the town. When the heat turns up and questions continue they may need a little bit more from Grace to justify her presence. Then a little more. Just a little more. If this all becomes too much can Grace escape? We see the clues along the way (dude is reading “Tom Sawyer”) but when it’s all said and done, can glowing optimism make space for a sense of justice? All this within a minimal set design in which walls only exist within the minds of the characters. You know who made this movie so you should have specific expectations. That’s right. Call the in-laws. It’s movie night.
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Halloween II: Movie Review 6 Pack (+1)

We’ve crawled through the shock and gore of HALLOWEEN HUMPFEST and we’ve come, once again, to that special day. Halloween. Last year on the holiday we dropped a 6 Pack discussion on the first 6 movies in the Halloween franchise created by John Carpenter and Debra Hill. Here’s you a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTFVWja0MMg Peaks and valleys to the extreme. Today we might as well finish off all that’s available of the franchise. Actually there’s 7 movies left so it’s a 6 Pack Plus 1 episode and we’re retconning three different times. We’re taking in the return of Laurie Strode after 20 years in Steve Miner’s “HALLOWEEN H20: TWENTY YEARS LATER” from 1998 and it’s follow up, “HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION” from 2002 directed by Rick Rosenthal. Following that we got Rob Zombie’s demystifying contributions to Michael Myers lore with 2007’s “HALLOWEEN” and “HALLOWEEN II” from 2009. Then it’s onto the most recent trilogy co-written by Danny McBride and directed by David Gordon Green. We’re talking “HALLOWEEN” from 2018, “HALLOWEEN KILLS” from 2021 and “HALLOWEEN ENDS” from 2022. In that jumble is a whole mess of stars including Jamie Lee Curtis, LL Cool J, Josh Hartnett, Michelle Williams, Busta Rhymes, Tyra Banks, Katie Sackhoff, Malcolm McDowell, Brad Dourif, Tyler Mane, Judy Greer, Will Patton, Anthony Michael Hall and many more. No better way to close out the spooky humpfest than with the oft imitated Michael Myers. There’s some shit movies in this franchise but we still love it all deep down in our hearts. Thank you for humping with us this month. Happy Halloween.
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