Musicals & Music Films > 1957 Musicals & Music Films

Face bothered? NO!!

Advantages: Audrey's dancing, family entertainment, pretty costumes
Disadvantages: Dull, poor plot, cheesy, poor songs

...to watch last night was Funny Face, a 1956 film starring Audrey with Fred Astaire. I love films from this era and I love musicals, so I had high hopes for this one. It began reasonably well with setting the scene and a pleasant musical diversion featuring women in pretty pink dresses. By this point though, my husband had his head in his hands and contemplated turning off the computer and going to bed, before he died from a saccharine overdose! After ...
...him anything except embarrassing in Funny Face. The songs couldn't save it either. Despite them being by Ira and George Gershwin, they were often bland and almost always forgettable. The lyrics and rhymes were often cringe-worthy too and hubby and I spent quite a lot of time laughing at them. The highlight of the film for me was watching Audrey Hepburn dance. Apart from a few scenes in my Fair Lady, I hadn't seen her dance before, but I remember ...

KarenUK 12.12.2006 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Funny Face (DVD)

Loving Elvis

Advantages: Elvis singing, great music and honest story
Disadvantages: Elvis's acting is slightly wooden

...For those who remember Elvis Presley before he got hooked on burgers and drugs and became the bloated Las Vegas showman, this is a sheer pleasure. We get to watch a young Elvis strut his stuff and woo us with his wonderful songs. The actual story loosely relates to Elvis's own rise as undoubtedly the most famous singer in history. It is also a joy to watch a good old-fashioned film, which doesn't rely on action, violence, special effects, swearing ...
...is Deke Rivers played by Elvis Presley (Love Me Tender), a delivery driver boy who is manipulated into becoming a famous Rock n Roll Star. This was only Elvis's second movie and his lack of acting experience shows, but he makes up for it with his singing, where his talent really shines. Although this was basically a vehicle for Presley, the real star of the film was Lizbeth Scott as Glenda Markle the bands agent. She portrays the manipulative agent ...

christianfilmcritic 11.02.2006 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Elvis - Loving You (DVD)

"She's so swishy in her satin and tat"

Advantages: Fascinating insight into Bowie's work
Disadvantages: Probably not for newcomers to Bowie

...has consistently impressed me is David Bowie. Called a 'chameleon' for many because of the various characters that he has portrayed, his range of music is impressive. My favourite Bowie era is the early seventies, and thankfully, this is exactly the period that this double DVD and book set cover. Called a 'critical review', a number of people connected to Bowie and the music world are interviewed during the course of the DVDs. Two of those interviewed ...
...any kind of interview with David Bowie himself, except for the odd flash of an early seventies interview that he gave. I was initially quite disappointed to not have his input; however, in hindsight, this is supposed to be a 'critical review', so it makes sense not to have an interview with Bowie himself. And some of the interviews are really quite critical - Pin-Ups, a cover version album that Bowie released, is more or less panned by all of those ...

sunmeilan 27.12.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of David Bowie - Inside David Bowie 1969 To 1974 (Limited Edition) (+Book) (DVD)

Fantastic film anyone would have to enjoy it!!

Advantages: Everything, sheer masterpiece!
Disadvantages: Non apart from the fact it made me cry!

In my opinion this film is fantastic. It is a classic tearjerker with lots of fun and exciting elements to it. I feel this film can appeal to absolutley anyone as the story is fantastic and the actors are vibrant and gorgeous (for both the men and the women!). All in all from my point of view this film is worth purchasing it will definatley take your breath away! The songs featured in the film in my opinion are absolutley fabulous, ranging from ...

Racercaz 25.12.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Moulin Rouge (Special Edition) (DVD)

Friendship or Fame?

Advantages: great storyline, excellent songs and vocals
Disadvantages: none really

...matured Curtis renames them the Dreamgirls and they are an instant success. The group is in for a change though when they have to try and branch out into the pop charts and make a name for themselves in a mainly white market. Curtis upsets Effie by suggesting that Deena takes the lead which has some drastic consequences for the Dreamgirls. Will the Dreamgirls get their dream of a number one song and what will become of the group with all the changes ...
...to seeing this film as it is one which I have wanted to see for some time as the trailers on the TV made it look interesting and full of good songs. I can honestly say that t was so much better than had expected it to be. The storyline was great and I did hear that it was based loosely on the lived of the Supremes and also a Broadway show. I think that the storyline and the race issues were handled extremely well and showed just how prejudice people ...

sewbizzie 23.12.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Dreamgirls (DVD)