Cloud Atlas Review

Have you ever watched a film and thought to yourself What the hell was that all about? If that feeling annoyed you then don't watch Cloud Atlas because, I assure you, there's a very large possibility that you will be saying that a LOT.   This is a film I've wanted to see ever since seeing the trailer. However, many years (and thousands of viewings) have taught me that trailers are not to be trusted. They lie. They even make bouquets of roses out of piles of poop.   Nonetheless, I vowed that if I could see Cloud Atlas I would take the opportunity. Well, at the moment Amazon have one of their 3 for £17 deals going and this was in it. So £5.66 a disc. Ok, for that I'm willing to give it a try.   Given I've got some chest pain at the moment (feeling much better by the way) I haven't been able to cross stitch, so yesterday was spent watching film. I started with The Great Escape (my all-time favourite war film), which I followed with The Diary of Anne Frank (the black & white Millie Perkins version).After that much war I decided that something ultra-modern was required so I popped Cloud Atlas into my blu-ray player.   In the first five minutes I was thinking I'd made a mistake. However, never one to give up on a film easily I put aside my first judgemental feelings.   I am so glad I did. This is not the first time that my patience (born from experience and a love of film) has paid off. There have been many, many times when a film has turned out to be better than it's first few minutes and this is a great example.
6 interwoven stories. Most actors playing 6 different roles. An amazing ensemble cast that are at the top of their game, giving some brilliant performances and one of the most challenging storylines I've yet to witness. Not only does the film jump around in time from the distant past to the very distant future, but it also shifts tonally and in theme.   One minute you can be watching a comedy, then a Sci-Fi, then a touching romance. At all times, though, the film is utterly mesmerising.   I found myself desperately wanting to know what happened to Sixsmith and Frobisher; what the hell was up the mountain that Halle Berry's Meronym desperately wanted to see. But, most touching of all: the fate of Somni 451.   Performances are sublime and the film is impeccably directed; with stunning visuals and acting. However, it's not perfect. There are moments when you feel they move away from one story too quickly or linger too long on another. Also, the devolved language of the distant future, while very good at creating atmosphere, is almost impossible to understand. I had to turn the subtitles on to know what they were talking about - but, I did find that for the final hour I actually understood what they were saying (my internal translator must have kicked in! :-) )   If you want to watch something a bit different. Something challenging but ultimate worth the effort, then I highly recommend giving this brave, unique film a chance! Just don't try to stitch through it! You'll never know what's going on!   The blu-ray sound and picture are reference quality. If you ever want to show a friend what blu-ray can look like then this is the film to show them (this and something old like Gone With the Wind or Ben-Hur) I didn't watch all the extras as it was a bit late, but the two short featurettes I watched were both interesting and informative. I did like the fact that you could watch them on a Play All function or individually.

Dogfight - The Musical and The Film

 

Normally, with a film to musical adaptation, it's the film I discover first and then I buy the musical because I loved the film and thought it would make a great musical (Kinky Boots, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Les Miserables, The Addams Family to name a few).

But Dogfight is something of a rarity. I discovered the musical first.

I was browsing through Amazon's forthcoming releases and came across this. I liked the cover so I had a look.

This is the story...

Corporal Eddie Birdlace is about to ship out to Vietnam. But, before they go, he and his buddies want one last night of fun.

They decide to throw a 'Dogfight'.

A Dogfight is a bet. Each guy bets $50 dollars that they can find the ugliest date and bring her to a nightclub. The rest of the guys will vote and whoever's date is voted the ugliest wins the pot.

So, the guys go to hunt for their girls.

Eddie finds Rose.

Rose is a shy waitress with aspirations to write songs. She innocent and idealistic and never thought someone like Eddie would ever be interested in her.

If you want to find out what happens you'll have to watch the film or buy the musical!

 All I can say is that I thought it was a beautiful and touching story. The musical is stunning and the two leads are breathtaking. Everything about it is perfect. There are some incredibly powerful ballads but also a lot of very catchy chorus numbers.

It stayed in my CD player for about 4 weeks solid and I still listen to it at least once a week (as I type actually).

It was while reading the booklet that I discovered it was based on a 1991 films starring River Phoenix and Lily Taylor.

WHAT!!!??? A River Phoenix film I haven't seen? That can't be right!

I loved River Phoenix. I thought he was one of the best actors of his generation and it was such a tragedy when he died.

But, for some reason, the film of Dogfight had just passed me buy.

So...I went on a DVD hunt.

What did I discover? That it had never been released in the UK and that US (Region 1) copies were quite hard to find.

Lucky for me, about a week later, a UK charity was selling a copy on Amazon. I managed to get it for £12! It also turned out to be Region Free! Yay!

Phoenix and Taylor both turn in brilliant performances. But, I never expected anything less.

It was also really great to have some visuals to go with the story from the musical.

My only criticism of the film is that I felt the ending had slightly less of an emotional punch. It's a quite a gentle film. The pace is steady and a little slow at times. But, if you like character driven stories then this is definitely worth a watch. If you can track a copy down!

But, I still loved it and would definitely replace it to blu-ray if it ever became available (that means I think it's excellent! LOL!)

TILTON CRAFTS and LASTING ALLURE: Something Old and Something New - More Great Designers

Most days I try to keep my blog entries to a minimum. I have a tendency to talk and the last thing I want is for my readers to get bored!

But, today, I absolutely HAVE to post another entry.

Because, today, I had the great pleasure to discover two new cross stitch designers and wanted to share this with all of you.

I'm sure most of you will know about Tilton Crafts (found here), but they're new to me.

The amazing Shelley Lee posted in facebook today with one of the most amazing deals ever: Buy 2 Charts and Get 2 Free.

With a hefty amount of scepticism I clicked on the link to her site. Expecting, if I'm honest, to find maybe one or two designs I like (to date only PaineFreeCrafts have had LOADS that I want).

Imagine my surprise when I found some absolutely stunning charts.

The four at the top of this page are the ones I bought and can all be found on their site.

As a film and literature fan these four charts completely fired my imagination and had me drooling!

But, to be honest, I could have bought three times as many.

Beautifully intricate. Colourful. Imaginative and varied. There's sure to be something for everyone on this brilliant site!

Just don't blame me when you're bank account dwindles!

HAD TO EDIT THIS DOCUMENT
WHY?

Because I couldn't resist the urge to buy another batch of Tilton charts! That deal is just too good to miss out on!

So, just got these:

NOW...for something new

ANOTHER new designer I'd never heard of before.

 This is from Lasting Allure (whose Etsy page can be found here)

 Designer Shannon has created some beautiful designs with a luxurious feel.

Featured in World of Cross Stitching this is a designer I think everyone should keep their eyes on.

Her Etsy page features Seasonal Designs, iPhone cases, Shoes, Dresses and Cocktails. What more could any stitcher want.

Of special note are the Masks, French Princess Shoes (seen above) and Gingerbread House - all of which are now on my wishlist.

Seen my 'Stash' post today? Well, it's just gonna get bigger!

Thank you to Shannon and Shelley for agreeing to this post!

Sunset Boulevard - The Musical

Andrew Lloyd Webber. Musical genius or talented has-been? 

How you feel about Lloyd Webber and his musicals probably depends on how long you’ve been a fan.

He came to my notice with Cats. I was lucky enough to have a music teacher who loved musicals and he managed to arrange school trips to London to see them. So, I got to see the original cat of Cats (and later Starlight Express).

Until this point my love of musicals principally came from my Mum’s collection of vinyl. The King and I, The Sound of Music, Camelot, Gigi, Carousel, Oklahoma, South Pacific, My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Can-Can to name a few.

But Cats was something new. Something modern. Something a bit on the weird side. I loved it. It was from that moment that my obsession with musical theatre truly began.

So, I have a lot to thank Mr. Lloyd Webber for. As such, I’ve been a true and dedicated fan ever since. But, I am not blinkered.  I don’t automatically think everything he does is a masterpiece (as seems to be the way with some fans).

When ALW gets something right it is perfection: The Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard, Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Tell Me On a Sunday, Starlight Express. All have great stories and are brimming with memorable, well written, songs.

But, when he balls it up he really does so in style, in my opinion. Shows such as Aspects of Love, The Woman in White, Stephen Ward the Musical, Jeeves, The Beautiful Game. These shows have maybe one or two good songs, but they’re otherwise quite boring.

Then there are a few that sit somewhere in between: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, 

Love Never Dies, The Likes of Us, Whistle Down the Wind. These are the shows with more good than bad, but still don’t quite hit the mark.

So, I now come to the reason for this post: Sunset Boulevard – The Canadian Cast Recording.

The Canadian cast included Diahann Carroll (Dominique Devereaux in Dynasty) starring in the lead role of Norma Desmond.

I’ve always been a huge fan of the musical. Thinking that, in many ways, it’s one of Lloyd Webber’s best written shows. It probably helps that I absolutely LOVE the film with Gloria Swanson.

I bought the World Premiere Recording (aka The Original London Cast) with the indomitable Patti LuPone and thought it was one of the best things I’d ever heard. Patti LuPone’s portrayal of Norma proving to be the template for others to aspire to.

Then came Glenn Close in the Broadway Cast. A totally different interpretation (as I would expect from Ms. Close) but it took some getting used to. The rawness of the delivery, her way of almost speak-singing and the new arrangements on some of the songs meant that I didn’t instantly love the new version.

Then, a few years later, I heard the Canadian cast and just didn’t like it at all. However, it was THAT version which rapidly became more of a collector’s item. By the time I heard it again (with older and much more cultured ears!) I really enjoyed it – but it was a whopping £60 to buy the CD. So, since then it’s been languishing on my wishlist. Until now.

Thanks to the advent of digital music (when will stupid people realise that the convenience of digital doesn’t make up for the inferior quality!?!) CD prices have fallen! Great for someone like me who want a physical item – not a ethereal one.

So, it is with great pleasure I can say I managed to pick up this recording for the grand sum of £6.99! Yay!

It’s probably been 10 or so years since I last heard it; and it’s also been a while since I’ve listened to the other versions too; so coming to this recording with unbiased ears meant I was able to enjoy every note for what it is: brilliance.

Diahann Carroll’s Norma is a joy. Breathy, melodramatic (as she should be), emotional, damaged and full of passion. Her vocals are stunning (despite the fact the songs had to be lowered to fit her vocal range) and her performance comes across beautiful. Also, Rex Smith as Joe is brilliant. His rendition of Joe’s seminal song Sunset Boulevard possibly one of the best interpretations I’ve heard.

The orchestrations and arrangements are pretty much the same as the Broadway version (and subsequent UK versions). The ONLY negative is that this Canadian recording is more of a highlights rather than the full show. All the main songs are here, but the linking music/dialogue sequences are absent. It’s a shame; but not a deal breaker.

If you’re a fan of the show you could do a lot worse than tracking down this recording.

Below, I’ve linked to the 3 English speaking versions, but also to the Dutch and German recordings. Hope you find one you like!

Eagle Song - Complete Symphonic Concept Cast Recording

Most people have never heard of Eagle Song - something I'm taking a step to rectifying with this review.

Writers Roger Butterley and Justin Murphy have created a beautiful tapestry of sound. Touching on pop, country, soul, gospel and a contemporary Broadway sound, this musical is outstanding.

It recalls elements of Les Miserables - especially in the scope of the production. Also of Civil War by Frank Wildhorn.

It is almost entirely sung and tells the evocotive story of two families torn apart by the American Civil War - kind of like North & South to music!!
Two friends end up on opposite sides of the American Civil War and this is their story. But, it's also the story of their friends and families back home. Also, of their fellow soldiers.

The scope of the show is massive with multiple characters and storylines - but it's never confusing. The cd comes with a full lyric booklet (or at least did when I bought it) and the sound is brilliant.
Both Roger Butterley and Justin Murphy sing on this cd; and it is easy to be impressed by these incredibly talented guys! Their writing skills easily match those of much more successful composers.

One of the things I love about this show is the sheer number of songs I can sing along with. The rousing chorus numbers as well as the many soaring power ballads. Listen out for Monique Midgette singing the part of Charlotte. Her beautiful rendition of Another's Arms is perfection.In addition, other songs to particularly note are Bonded By Blood, Angel, Cavalry Life, Pretty Little Things and Never Forget.

This musical encompasses everything that is wonderful about musical theatre!! Here's hoping it gets staged on day.

The CD is getting increasingly hard to find, so, if you're a musical fan I'd advise you to buy this before it costs the earth! Not so long ago it was over £100!

Mr. Mumbles by Barry Hutchison - Book Review

I chose the name of my blog deliberately because I have a very varied taste in everything I find interesting. Books are no exception.

I don't care if a book is aimed at children, young adults, women or martians, if I like the sound of it I'll give it a go.

Barry Hutchison's Invisible Fiends Book 1: Mr Mumbles, hit the market with very little fuss and rapidly entered the bargain bins - despite winning some prestigious awards. I kept seeing it in a local discount book store for £2.
As with most books it was the cover that attracted me (the adage Never judge a book by it's cover doesn't really apply in my case). But, I kept picking it up and putting it down again for some reason.

Eventually, I gave in - but only when it was reduced even further to 50p. At that price I'd have nothing to complain if it was the worst book ever written!

Of course, it wasn't the worst book ever written. It actually turned out to be one of the best children's books I'd read in a long time (maybe not up there with Charlotte's Web or The Chronicles of Narnia but still excellent).

The story is simple. Kyle is a young boy who starts hearing strange noises. Then he gets attacked. The strange thing is, he's attacked by a grotesquely deformed version of his childhood imaginary friend, Mr. Mumbles.
But, no one else can see his attacker, so it he real?
It's this question that is at the heart of this book - and indeed the entire series.
Kyle's journey, his childhood abandonment issues, his loving relationships with his mother and friends are what gives this book it's heart.
But, what makes this book outstanding - in my humble opinion - is the fact that it's as scary as hell!
For a book aimed solely at children Hutchison doesn't pull many punches. He goes for the jugular on many scenes and as a result makes for a much richer reading experience.
His 'world' is meticulously created and his imagination knows no bounds. The creation of the Darkest Corners - a place where imaginary friends go when they're forgotten - is simply genius.

I read the book in 2 days and promptly bought the next one (yes it had been that long since the first book was released).
Book 2: Raggy Maggie
Book 3: The Crowmaster
Book 4: Doc Mortis
Book 5: The Beast
Book 6: The Darkest Corners

Each book is as good as the others. Each is a cracking read: fast paced, fascinating, scary and inventive. I read each one on the day of purchase.

Easily one of the best children's series ever written, in my opinion, and one that deserves to be as popular as Harry Potter. Also, it would make a great series of films!

Lion King - Deluxe 20th Anniversary Expanded Soundtrack

20th Anniversary Expanded Edition   The first release in Disney's new line of Deluxe CDs, entitled The Legacy Collection.   In my opinion The Lion King is the perfect choice for this Deluxe treatment. One of the things I've always loved about Disney soundtracks is that they cover my two favourite styles: Score and Musical. But, the original Lion King soundtrack was missing so much of Hans Zimmer's beautiful score it was insulting. Watching the film you hear all that beautiful African themed music and it makes the spirit soar. It captures the heart and takes the story of Simba to new heights. In short the score is the soul of The Lion King.   So, for that score to be so poorly represented on the first release of the soundtrack was a big disappointment. This was rectified slightly with the release of the brilliant Rhythm of the Pridelands which brought the incredible Lebo M to centre stage. Finally, when combined, much of the music from The Lion King was represented. Most, but not all - still missing was much of Zimmer's score.   While I don't think this release has given us a complete score, it's gone a long way to bridging the gap. Here we have three times as much score. Plus original Demo versions of the score. Plus two bonus songs - one of which never made it into any version of the film. This is the version of The Lion King film soundtrack I always wanted to hear.   It's also nicely presented in a hardback book style case, with full lyrics, some notes about the making of the film and some original concept art work.   Finally, the listening experience is as close to watching the film as you can get. The mood is there. The atmosphere is present. Now, you can follow the story through the music as each cue has been placed on the discs in order they appear in the film.   If you only ever buy one Disney soundtrack, surely it has to be this one? Utter brilliance from beginning to end.    TRACKLIST: Disc 1: 1. Circle of Life / Nants' Ingonyama (Song) 2. Didn't Your Mother Tell You Not to Play with Your Food (Score)  3. We Are All Connected (Score) 4. Hyenas in the Pride Land (Score) 5. I Just Can't Wait to Be King (Song) 6. Elephant Graveyard (Score) 7. I Was Just Trying to Be Brave (Score) 8. Be Prepared (Song) 9. Simba, It's To Die For (Score) 10. Stampede (Score) 11. Mufasa Dies (Score) 12. If You Ever Come Back We'll Kill You (Score) 13. Bowling For Buzzards (Score) 14. Hakuna Matata (Song) 15. We Gotta Bone to Pick With You (Score) 16. Kings of the Past (Score) 17. Nala, Is it Really You? (Score) 18. Can You Feel the Love Tonight (Song) 19. Remember Who You Are (Score) 20. This is My Home (Score) 21. The Rightful King (Score)   Disc 2: 1. The Morning Report (Song) 2. Warthog Rhapsody (Song) 3. We Are All Connected (Score Demo) 4. I Was Just Trying to Be Brave (Score Demo 5. Stampede (Score Demo 6. Mufasa Dies (Score Demo) 7. This is My Home (Score Demo) 8. The Rightful King (Score Demo) 9. Circle of Life (Performed by Elton John) 10. I Just Can't Wait to Be King (Performed by Elton John) 11. Can You Feel the Love Tonight (End Title) (Performed by Elton John)  

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - London Cast CD

Marc Shaiman's (Hairspray the Musical and numerous brilliant film scores) new musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a bit of a mixed bag. There are moments of brilliance mixed in freely with mediocrity. Personally, I found it to be a very enjoyable listening experience as a whole and I will be listening to it frequently - but I can understand why the critics have been quite harsh.

On first listen none of the new songs are very memorable. During that first listen I was thinking this is good; but after the CD finished I forget every one - with ONE exception: Pure Imagination, which wasn't even written for this show - knowing it from the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory meant it wasn't a surprise I remembered it.

Apparently (if the internet is to be believed) audiences/critics were saying the second half of the show needed something 'more'. Then some bright spark came up with the idea of putting the most popular song from the film version of the story into this production. Does that work? Almost. Pure Imagination is a brilliant song and it fits nicely into this show; but it also highlights how unmemorable the rest of the songs are on first listen.

Now, having said that, there is a lot to love in this production.

Firstly: the kids are all excellent. There are moments where diction is a problem; but all is forgiven in the face of such incredible talent. Each child is given a moment to shine and they really give their all. Stand-outs are Charlie and Veruca.

There's also a nice blend of music styles in this show (similar to last years brilliant Bring it On - The Musical which I will probably review in the future) - used very effectively to accentuate each child's character. So, you get R&B for Violet, Electronica for Mike etc. It's very effective and makes for a more interesting listening experience.

Now, onto Mr. Wonka himself: Douglas Hodge. Mr. Hodge won an Tony for his performance in last years revival of La Cage Aux Folles on Broadway. I hated him on that recording. He sings through his nose and overacts. But, that is just a personal opinion. So, when I heard he was cast as Wonka for this production I was really disappointed. However, he is actually pretty good here. He still sings through his nose; but it's toned down quite substantially. It helps that he has some very nice ballads to sing (including the wonderful Pure Imagination).

Compared to other recent - and in some ways similarly upbeat - shows that have appeared in the West End and on Broadway (Matilda, Kinky Boots) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory does stand out as being one of the better ones.

If you like your music diverse and upbeat and want something you can sing along to (once you've listened to it a few times so the songs stand out!) then Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the show for you!

Recommended. 8/10.

Non-Stop Blu-ray

Liam Neeson stars as Bill Marks, a troubled Air Marshall, on a routine flight from New York to London. Except, he's soon going to realise there's nothing routine about this journey; because someone is threatening to kill a passenger every 20 minutes unless their demands are met.
Trapped in a plane and faced with an impossible situation is probably everyone's worst nightmare. The events of 9/11 are probably in the minds of everyone who steps onto a plane nowadays and we all pray we'll get where we need to be safely.
Non-Stop really does live up to it's name. Yes, there are moments of quiet drama and character building; but there are also some nail-biting action sequences. But, at it's heart, I feel Non-Stop is actually more of a murder mystery. Agatha Christie would have been proud. Why? Because there are lots of twists to the story, shady characters, a good motive and - even more importantly - a very good chance you won't guess who did it. We're pretty good at getting these things right (long time Christie fans here), but we didn't guess correctly.
The blu-ray is pretty standard. A few interviews and featurettes. The sound is excellent - as I would expect from an action/thriller. The picture is excellent but not incredible - but, then again, it's not really the sort of film that requires a pristine image. There's a certain graininess to it that really fits the style and look of the film.
If you like intelligent, well thought out, well acted films then this is worth a go. Also of note: Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary from Downton Abbey) also stars alongside Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore.
My Rating: 9/10

Carrie: The Musical

What can I say? I've been waiting since the 80's to be able to hear a recording of Carrie: The Musical and it's finally here.
And boy, was it worth waiting for; because this is a superb recording of an incredible musical.

CarrieThe Musical is notorious for being the biggest flop in musical theatre history. Clips have appeared on YouTube and bootleg recordings have been widely available on the internet. Personally, I had only ever heard three of the tracks from the show: Carrie, on one of Lynzi Hateley's albums (she was the original Carrie in the broadway/UK flop), When There's No One on a Betty Buckley album and finally (and the best of the three) Unsuspecting Hearts sung by the incredible Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner on their album of the same name. As teasers for the music in this score they were tantalising; but the YouTube clips were worrying to say the least (especially on Out For Blood with it's awful choreography and legwarmers!). Finally a friend let me listen to a very poor quality recording of the Broadway cast and, if I'm honest, I could see why it was poorly received: the score felt messy and confused; unsure if it wanted to be a 'teen' show or a 'horror' show.

Stephen King's book and the brilliant Brian DePalma film are not a simple as they first appear and translating the story into a musical was never going to be easy.

Carrie is a complex character. As is her mother, Margaret. Their relationship is utterly crazy, but incredibly compelling. Throw into this mix an almost clichéd group of teens (modernised greatly for this production) and you have an eclectic mix of genres in one narrative piece.

In the original production the songs sung by Chris, Sue and the other kids really stood out as being dreadfully dated (even in the 80's) and out of place. Thankfully the writers have managed to ditch all of the utterly dreadful songs and replace them with ones that fit the feel of the show.
Personally, I feel this story needs the lightness of the teen scenes as they bring a much-needed humour to an otherwise desperately miserable story; but these scenes also provide a stark contrast to Carrie's life at home with her mother. This is a girl you can sympathise with and root for. You want her to get the guy, go to the prom, have her first kiss...and please...please no...not go batshit-crazy at the prom! Chris Hargenson's final humiliation of Carrie White and the subsequent devastation it causes is the ultimate cautionary tale - and that message of 'be more tolerant' and 'try to understand those who are different' comes across much more clearly in this recording.

Any fan of musical theatre is going to love finally being able to hear this wonderful score and, like me, will probably feel a little sad that the original production was never recorded for posterity. However, if this is the only Carrie we ever have it's a damned good one.

Marin Mazzie (Margaret White) and Molly Ransom (Carrie) are simply amazing, but everyone in the cast holds their own.

In a matter of days this moved into my Top 10 Musicals of All Time list. Every song is great, but as with every musical there are some standout songs: Carrie, Unsuspecting Hearts, And Eve Was Weak, Why Not Me?, Once You See, When There's No One and Evening Prayers.

If you're a fan of musicals, this really is one that you should have in your collection.

Aladdin - Original Broadway Cast

Buy from Amazon.com

Finally the last of my musical pre-orders has arrived; but has it been worth the wait?

Yes and No.

There is a charm and innocence to Disney musicals (both film and stage) that appeals to my inner child. They produce wholesome popcorn entertainment that doesn't challenge the mind or the ears too much.

I've always been a huge fan of Disney and a new stage version is a no-brainer purchase for me.

BUT....

Not all of their stage adaptations have worked as well as others. Tarzan instantly springs to mind. Some of their films simply don't translate to the stage as well as they should. Even The Little Mermaid (one of their most popular films of all time) failed on stage (although I loved the recording).

Still, when I heard that a stage version of Aladdin was being developed I was very excited (even more so when I read that they're also developing The Hunchback of Notre Dame - my favourite Disney film).

Anyway, the CD arrived yesterday and I've now listened to it three times.

It's good. But, it's not great. At least not to someone who has hundreds of musicals and has recently had the pleasure of hearing some brilliant contemporary shows.

So, what exactly is good or bad about this production?

The Good

The expanded opening song - Arabian Nights - does an excellent job of creating an atmosphere, introducing the characters and setting up the story. Loved it.

The cast. Everyone does a very good job. Adam Jacobs makes for a very charming and cheeky Aladdin especially. Also, Robin Williams is an incredibly hard act to follow but the Broadway Genie does a very good job of giving it his own interpretation.

The new songs - some of the new songs were actually written for the film (most notably Proud of Your Boy) and it's great to have them back. Others were written specifically for this production.

The Bad

The tendency to be too self aware. Having the Genie singing excerpts from Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid while amusing does pull the listener out of the show. As does making a joke about the fact that all the characters sing - a way of letting the audience know they're at a musical. It's all unnecessary and distracting.

Also, the rendition of A Whole New World leaves a LOT to be desired. This is the iconic song from this musical. It's a beautiful ballad and high-point of the film, but, for some reason the producers of this production decided that down-playing this song would be a good idea. Yes, it results in some of the new songs standing out to a greater extent, but it's an injustice to the song in my opinion.

There's nothing really original here. While I really enjoyed the new songs, I'm conscious of the fact that some of the melodies were very, very similar to previous Alan Menken (composer) songs. For example, new song Diamond in the Rough is very similar in its construction and format to Mushnik & Son from an earlier Menken show Little Shop of Horrors. This is not always a bad thing - but harsher critics than me will probably rip the show apart for something like that.

None of the above will bother younger listeners or casual theatre goers - who will probably lap up the atmosphere, catchy tunes, exciting story and incredible visuals. I guess I just wanted more from a Disney show.

If you like Disney I would recommend the Australian Cast Recording (aka The Live version) of Mary Poppins, the Broadway Casts of Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and The Lion King.

The Flowers of War (Blu-ray)

We bought this film in an HMV sale in February 2012 and it's sat in our 'to be watched' pile ever since. That happens sometimes, a film just doesn't grab us enough to make the time - despite looking good enough to buy at the time.

Well, anyway, we finally decided to watch it yesterday. Well, I did. My partner still wasn't that fussed - despite it being his blu-ray.

By the end of the 2.16hr run we were both emotional wrecks! We'd both spent chunks of the film in tears and felt drained. Exactly the kind of movie-watching experience we both enjoy.
I love it when we watch something and then think Why didn't we watch that earlier!?

The back of the box is actually a little misleading - making the film sound like a war film. Yes it's set during a war (the battle for Nanking in 1937) but there is so much more to this film.

Christian Bale (one of my favourite actors) plays a self-centred drunk who is just trying to get enough money together to escape the city. He works as a mortician and agrees to take one final job before fleeing. The job is in a convent school, but when he gets there he finds a bunch of young girls, their guardian (a young boy) and no money!

They are shortly joined by a gaggle of prostitutes trying to find somewhere to hide.

The performances by all the women in the film are perfect. Given that these actresses are all speaking a foreign language they do an amazing job with such emotionally charged material.

That's about all I can say about the story without ruining some of the most wonderfully executed story twists I've had the pleasure to watch.

This is a highly emotional film, with some sequences incredibly difficult to watch - but any film that displays the level of courage, selflessness and strength of character deserves to be watched.

Easily the best film I've seen so far this year.

It should be noted that there are strong scenes of violence, sexual violence and war.

Also, a lot of the film is subtitled, so if you hate subtitles then this is not the film for you.

I strongly urge anyone who reads this review to give the film a chance.

Heathers: The Musical

Anyone who's been reading my blog since I started knows that in addition to cross stitch I have other interests. My first love has always been music - especially musicals (thanks Mum for all those hours listening to vinyl recordings of Oklahoma, The King and I and The Sound of Music).

My latest acquisition is Heathers: The Musical

For those who don't know, Heathers started out as a satirical comedy from the 80's starring a very young Winona Ryder and Christian Slater (also an even younger Shannon Doherty).

The story centres around a girl named Veronica who's biggest wish is to get 'in' with the cool girls, the 'Heathers' (so named because they're all named Heather).

There's only one problem - the Heathers are all total bitches.

Veronica gets her wish, but in the course of becoming popular she gets to see just how horrible her new 'friends' are and disillusion starts. Then she meets school bad-boy J.D. - Burnt-out-psycho in the making.

Teen suicide, murder, deception and teen angst abound. Cleverly written, underplayed and surprisingly on the ball. The film is pure genius in my opinion.

So....a musical based on the film. In principal I thought 'Yep, that could work', but then I read the rather mediocre reviews and started to worry.

As always, despite liking to read reviews, I rarely put much stock in them. I always prefer to make up my own mind (something I urge anyone reading this to do!!!).

There was something that made me feel it was worth the risk: composer Laurence O'Keefe.

O'Keefe has written one of my all-time favourite musicals (Bat Boy, the Musical). But I also really enjoy a some of his other shows, most notably Legally Blonde: The Musical, La Cava and Sarah, Plain and Tall. So, I felt I was on pretty safe ground. The reviews basically said the show wasn't as good as Legally Blonde, but, given that I thought that was his weakest show I wasn't too bothered.

I received my copy on Saturday and I'm on my third listen (probably be up to about 6 by the end of the day).

Before the end of the first song (Beautiful) I knew I was in for a treat.

Instantly capturing the feel of the film, and the 80's, the opening song introduces us to the characters, life in high school and the style of the show.

"Why do they hate me?

Why don't I fight back?

Why do I act like such a creep?

Why won't he date me?

Why did I hit him?

Why do I cry myself to sleep?

Somebody hug me!

Somebody fix me!

Somebody save me!"

With track two we hit 'The Heathers' signature song Candy Store which is possibly one of the most catchy contemporary musical songs I've heard in a long time.

The songs fit each character perfectly. Beautiful melodies abound, but so does the tension and drama. Clever, funny, witty and a little dark the show really deserves to be heard.

"We're not different

We don't choose who lives or dies,

Let's be normal, see bad movies,

Sneak a beer and watch TV.

We'll bake brownies, 

or go bowling - 

Don't you want a life with me?

Can't we be seventeen?"

Veronica

As with all good teen stories each character has to overcome their own issues to get where they want to do. In the case of Heathers those issues have a fuse lit underneath them. Then everyone just sits back and watches the whole thing blow the hell up! It's genius.

The musical is a joy from start to finish and easily the best show O'Keefe has written since Bat Boy. Every song is great, but some deserve a special mention:

Beautiful

Candy Store

Fight for Me

Blue

Seventeen

Dead Girl Walking

Listen, and enjoy, you won't be disappointed!

Aaargh.....Dynasty and nothing much else

"Hey man, f**k you if you think I can't act!"

I mentioned the other day that we'd been watching Season 6 of Dynasty.

Of course the season ended on a cliffhanger (of sorts). Blake was strangling Alexis on the stairs. Oh no! Is he going to kill her???!!!

Luckily for us, I had Season 7 waiting to be watched so the next disc got popped into the player.

Nope, the bitch is still alive and Blake is as bigoted and arrogant as ever! Although his daughter, Amanda, had miraculously transformed from an English brat to an American cheerleader (no one noticed, of course). Oh, and Claudia was dead. No one cared. No one grieved. Poor Claudia - and poor Pamela Bellwood for making such a poor impact!

You're probably wondering why I watch this show if I have such a low opinion of it. Well, I don't really. It's mindless, crass, naff stuff, but I still get a kick out of it. It's escapism in it's purest form: no concern for reality.

I grew up watching it. I remember watching Dynasty as a weekly 'event' in our house. Me and my mum wanted to see what the Carrington's had been up to since we'd last seen them. We cared about these characters. That was the joy of the 80's and only watching something once a week.

Nowadays, with home entertainment the way it is, we can sit and watch a whole season of a show in a couple of days. Which can be great. But, it can also highlight the flaws in a show.

You see the plot holes, poor performances, continuity errors or just plain awful plotting in glaring detail. You can't get away from the fact that the people you're watching are unpleasant or boring or just dull. Of course, in today's society a show would just be cancelled (especially by our ever-impatient, attention-span-challenged US friends...sorry guys, but it's the truth) before it's second season. Back in the 80's that happened a lot less, or it seems that way looking back. 

That's where the problem lies with Dynasty. It should have been cancelled long before it got to 7 (or 9!!) seasons. Most of the people in it are just plain horrible! About the only person I like is Jeannette. The maid!!!

Still, it's a snapshot of the era. It's a time I look back upon very fondly and, as such, a show I will continue with until the bitter end.

I miss the 80's, sometimes, and this show helps.

It helps me come to my senses! I don't miss the bigotry, bad hair, shoulder pads, leg warmers, The Smiths (miserable pop group to those who don't know) or living in the closet.

I miss being a teenager sometimes, but not the acne, hormones, poor choices, inability to focus and complete lack of respect for authority. Or the feeling that I'm immortal and 40 is reeeeaaaallllly OLD.

Time's change and that's a good thing!

Violet - Broadway Cast

Buy from Amazon.com

Original Broadway Cast. Composer: Jeanine Tesori.

Back in 1998 I bought the Off-Broadway cast recording of an unknown, but critically acclaimed, musical called Violet.

Buy from Amazon.com

I'd never heard of the show, or the composer. If I'm honest, I just bough it to bring an order I was placing up to a certain amount. Poor Violet.

Upon receiving the CD I listened to it a few times over the first few days of owning it. I really enjoyed it; but nothing really stood out. Nothing had me humming, or singing along. It was a nice recording and, as such, one I was happy to keep.

Then, while trawling through the Forthcoming Releases on Amazon.com, I saw that there was to be a new Deluxe 2CD Broadway cast recording, starring the incredible Sutton Foster.

But, given my underwhelming response to the 1998 recording (once again: poor Violet) you're possibly wondering why I would be interested.

That's easy!

First: In the interim composer Jeanine Tesori had risen to much success with excellent shows like Caroline, or Change and the amazing Shrek: The Musical.

Second: Sutton Foster. Sutton's performances in Shrek: The Musical, Little Women, Thoroughly Modern Millie have literally blown me away. She's a marvel.

Third: The reviews for the show were great and apparently the score had received a major revision with new songs and orchestrations.

It was all too tempting. So, I pre-ordered it.

I'm so glad I did.

Violet is the story of a young woman travel across America to visit a faith healer, in the hopes that he will be able to make her beautiful. As a child, Violet, fell into an axe, which split her face open. She's lived with the scar, and the stares of everyone around her, ever since.

On the bus she meets an array of people from all walks of life, including two soldiers. One black, one white - both of whom take a shine to Violet, despite her scar and her attitude.

Eventually, she does get to see the preacher - but, of course, it doesn't work. But, it doesn't really matter as she's fallen in love along the way, and that's all that matters.

It's a simple, beautifully executed story. The songs cover a range of styles from jazz to blues, via bluegrass, swing and broadway. Yet, somehow, the show gels perfectly.

Personally, I think this is in no small part, down to the fact that Sutton Foster is a revelation. This is a career defining performance (not that she needs one). Her rough ways, prickly personality, soft underneath approach to the character of Violet is genius and her voice aches with pain, passion, wit and warmth.

A truly beautiful musical that will probably never see the light of day in the UK. Why? Well, in my opinion, it's because the subject matter is not something us Brits can really associate with. We don't really buy into the whole faith healing preacher deal, so I don't think we'd really be able to suspend disbelief.

I might be unfairly judging my fellow countrymen, it's just my opinion.

For me, Violet, just entered my Top 100 musicals with the swing of an axe and the heart of a true star.