What happened when vocalists comfortable with the Great American Songbook covered more "contemporary" pop/rock songs of the 50s/60s/70s and/or performed compositions joking about their discomfort with the New Music:
1. Perry Como--Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So)
2. Frank Sinatra--Everybody's Twistin'
3. Nat King Cole--Send For Me
4. Dean Martin--Just Kiss Me
5. Nat King Cole--Mr. Cole Won't Rock And Roll
6. Mel Torme--My Little Red Book
7. Frank Sinatra--Mrs. Robinson
8. Tony Bennett--Something
9. Bing Crosby--Hey Jude
10. Peggy Lee--Everyday People
11. Julie London--Yummy Yummy Yummy
12. Mel Torme--Sunshine Superman
13. Jack Jones--Dixie Chicken
14. Perry Como--Beautiful Noise
15. Frank Sinatra--From The Bottom To The Top
Showing posts with label Dean Martin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dean Martin. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Sunday, December 18, 2011
METHOD TO THE MADNESS: Jerry Lewis reshapes his career arc and talks shop about comedy.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/method-to-the-madness-of-jerry-lewis-with-all-the-unhappy-stuff-left-out/2011/12/13/gIQAT69BzO_story.html
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-1217-jerry-lewis-review-20111217,0,6647783.story
I remember a date I had with a fellow drama student in 1974, when we were both in our mid-teens. We both realized we didn't have a lot in common--and one of those unsympatico things was Jerry Lewis. She (bringing up the example of 1968's now-mostly-forgotten DON'T RAISE THE BRIDGE...LOWER THE RIVER, directed by Jerry Paris) found him unfunny; I begged to differ.
And, to be honest, Jerry Lewis directing Jerry Lewis could often fit the description of the Woody Allen-written WHAT'S NEW, PUSSYCAT? found in one of Leonard Maltin's MOVIES ON TV books: "....one sits through a lot of misfired gags to get to a few undeniable gems."
At least the new Encore channel documentary METHOD TO THE MADNESS manages to highlight some of Jerry's better moments of auteurism (THE NUTTY PROFESSOR, THE BELLBOY, THE ERRAND BOY), as well as some priceless clips from the Martin and Lewis era.
Unfortunately, the commissioned-by-Jerry director Gregg Barson didn't seem to be able to get Lewis to acknowledge the directors who either helped shape the "zany idiot" persona or showed it to its best advantage on film. To watch METHOD TO THE MADNESS, you might be led to think it was all Jerry--and people like George Marshall, Norman Taurog and (especially) Frank Tashlin never existed.
Time for me to be blasphemous and say that a lot of the best Jerry Lewis on film was when he allowed Frank Tashlin (someone who started in cartoons and knew a lot about physical comedy) to direct--ARTISTS AND MODELS, HOLLYWOOD OR BUST, IT'S ONLY MONEY, THE DISORDERLY ORDERLY, etc.
But there's a lot of commissioned documentaries going around these days. Rock bands, deceased former Beatles, comedians (i.e. the recent Woody Allen tribute on PBS) all wanting to be portrayed in sunshine more than shadows.
And given today's allergy to actually reading detailed knowledge (both positive and negative) on someone's life and times, it's a given that future generations will only be able to know/evaluate certain celebrities solely by reverent hagiographies on film/video.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-1217-jerry-lewis-review-20111217,0,6647783.story
I remember a date I had with a fellow drama student in 1974, when we were both in our mid-teens. We both realized we didn't have a lot in common--and one of those unsympatico things was Jerry Lewis. She (bringing up the example of 1968's now-mostly-forgotten DON'T RAISE THE BRIDGE...LOWER THE RIVER, directed by Jerry Paris) found him unfunny; I begged to differ.
And, to be honest, Jerry Lewis directing Jerry Lewis could often fit the description of the Woody Allen-written WHAT'S NEW, PUSSYCAT? found in one of Leonard Maltin's MOVIES ON TV books: "....one sits through a lot of misfired gags to get to a few undeniable gems."
At least the new Encore channel documentary METHOD TO THE MADNESS manages to highlight some of Jerry's better moments of auteurism (THE NUTTY PROFESSOR, THE BELLBOY, THE ERRAND BOY), as well as some priceless clips from the Martin and Lewis era.
Unfortunately, the commissioned-by-Jerry director Gregg Barson didn't seem to be able to get Lewis to acknowledge the directors who either helped shape the "zany idiot" persona or showed it to its best advantage on film. To watch METHOD TO THE MADNESS, you might be led to think it was all Jerry--and people like George Marshall, Norman Taurog and (especially) Frank Tashlin never existed.
Time for me to be blasphemous and say that a lot of the best Jerry Lewis on film was when he allowed Frank Tashlin (someone who started in cartoons and knew a lot about physical comedy) to direct--ARTISTS AND MODELS, HOLLYWOOD OR BUST, IT'S ONLY MONEY, THE DISORDERLY ORDERLY, etc.
But there's a lot of commissioned documentaries going around these days. Rock bands, deceased former Beatles, comedians (i.e. the recent Woody Allen tribute on PBS) all wanting to be portrayed in sunshine more than shadows.
And given today's allergy to actually reading detailed knowledge (both positive and negative) on someone's life and times, it's a given that future generations will only be able to know/evaluate certain celebrities solely by reverent hagiographies on film/video.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Processing random moments of Grammy ceremony 2009.
1. Mrs. Coldplay (aka Gwyneth Paltrow) introducing Radiohead.
2. (tie) I'd thought I'd never live to see Queen Latifah having to prompt the crowd to applaud Dean Martin getting a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Grammy--much less Stevie Wonder getting visually drowned out by end credits/promos on the telecast.
3. Katy Perry's performance of "I Kissed A Girl"--proving that most other current female stars (ranging from Lily Allen to Estelle to Jennifer Hudson and even to Taylor "I want to be Shania in the worst way" Swift) make up in talent what they may lack in terms of Ms. Perry's gorgeous hollowness and status as the co-savior (along with Coldplay) of EMI.
4. Radiohead's surprisingly effective version of "15 Steps" with accompaniment by some USC Marching Band members.
5. Paul McCartney and Neil Diamond seemingly getting less time--combined--than Kid Rock did.
6. The New Orleans tribute. Definitely a highpoint.
7. The Bo Diddley tribute--which makes me wish John Mayer would do nothing but release instrumental blues-guitar records.
8. The female pop/soul torch being passed from a blurry-eyed Whitney Houston to Jennifer Hudson.
9. The end of any hopes for a Led Zeppelin reunion tour--with deserved Grammys to Robert Plant and Alison Krauss for RAISING SAND.
10. As he ages, music legend T Bone Burnett (who produced RAISING SAND) looks more and more like William Randolph Hearst.
2. (tie) I'd thought I'd never live to see Queen Latifah having to prompt the crowd to applaud Dean Martin getting a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Grammy--much less Stevie Wonder getting visually drowned out by end credits/promos on the telecast.
3. Katy Perry's performance of "I Kissed A Girl"--proving that most other current female stars (ranging from Lily Allen to Estelle to Jennifer Hudson and even to Taylor "I want to be Shania in the worst way" Swift) make up in talent what they may lack in terms of Ms. Perry's gorgeous hollowness and status as the co-savior (along with Coldplay) of EMI.
4. Radiohead's surprisingly effective version of "15 Steps" with accompaniment by some USC Marching Band members.
5. Paul McCartney and Neil Diamond seemingly getting less time--combined--than Kid Rock did.
6. The New Orleans tribute. Definitely a highpoint.
7. The Bo Diddley tribute--which makes me wish John Mayer would do nothing but release instrumental blues-guitar records.
8. The female pop/soul torch being passed from a blurry-eyed Whitney Houston to Jennifer Hudson.
9. The end of any hopes for a Led Zeppelin reunion tour--with deserved Grammys to Robert Plant and Alison Krauss for RAISING SAND.
10. As he ages, music legend T Bone Burnett (who produced RAISING SAND) looks more and more like William Randolph Hearst.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)