The Unanswered Question (1908) Charles Ives raised this question about the great American Experiment and left it to subsequent generations to answer. For this 4th of July, 2021, take the time to listen. I have always felt that the question itself is more in tune with the universe than any of the raucous answers that … More The Unanswered Question (1908)
Calamity Jane (1953) Doris Day once claimed that this movie was the closest to who she really was, and certainly her performance expresses wild exuberance and delight. Sammy Fain (music) and Paul Francis Webster (lyrics) scored Billboard and Academy Award success with “Secret Love,” which, coupled with “The Dead Wood Stage (Whip-Crack-Away),” adds a lesbian … More Calamity Jane (1953)
Le Ballet Royal de la Nuit (1653/2017) A “ballet de cour” with libretto by Isaac de Benserade , featuring multiple composers, began at 6 pm and ended at 6 am with the arrival of fifteen-year-old King Louis XIV as Apollo. Recently reconstructed by Sébastien Daucé, and performed at the Théâtre de Caen with poetry of … More Le Ballet Royal de la Nuit (1653)
Ballet Mécanique (1924 ) This short experimental film was conceived by Fernand Léger in collaboration with the filmmaker Dudley Murphy (with cinematographic input from Man Ray) and music by George Antheil. Its juxtapositions of the human and the mechanical suggest a world succumbing to the mechanistic, a dehumanizing production line. The French model Alice Prin, … More Ballet Mécanique
Strictly Dynamite (1934) A pre-code theatrical farce, directed by Elliott Nugent to promote the “Mexican Spitfire,” Lupe Vélez, only to be upstaged by Jimmy Durante. Nick (Norman Foster), a poet of mediocre talent, agrees to write sophisticated jokes for malapropistic radio ham Moxie (Jimmy Durante). Money goes to the Nick’s head, and he winds up … More Strictly Dynamite (1934)
The Yellow Submarine (1968) The Beatles used their wealth and fame to create a children’s film that championed innovative and experimental animators, much like Walt Disney did with Fantasia. Full of songs and good cheer, the vibrant colors celebrate pop art’s mischievousness. George Dunning is credited with keeping the crew of crafty talent all on … More The Yellow Submarine (1968)
The King of Jazz (1929–30) Anything with syncopation was regarded at this time as jazz, and in racially segregated America, Paul Whiteman set out to make lively dance music acceptable to white audiences. He commissioned George Gershwin to write a crossover piece that integrated jazz into the classical tradition, and Rhapsody in Blue became the … More The King of Jazz (1929–30)
A Blade In the Dark (1983) Heavily indebted to Psycho, this Gallo abandons logic to flow through dreamscapes of horror, imagery that evokes the full trauma of gender, culminating in an unexpected knifeblade every time a woman appears. Originally intended for Italian television, its gore proved so disturbing that it was released as a … More A Blade In the Dark (1983)
Follow the Fleet (1936) Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance in this homage to the U. S. Navy, singing music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. Lucille Ball and Betty Grable appear in supporting roles, in an Art Deco set designed by Carrol Clark. “Id Rather Lead a Band” showcases Astaire’s theatrical ability to tap off … More Follow the Fleet (1936)
The Harder They Come (1972) Penny Henzell directs Jimmy Cliff in this reggae crime drama, which became a breakthrough sensation in Jamaica for shooting on location using the local Creole dialogue. Roger Ebert wrote, “the movie’s ending is an exercise in plot; its beginning and its music deserve better than that.” The film made a … More The Harder They Come (1972)
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