Thursday, November 15, 2007

Today's Video Link

I haven't posted one of these for a while so here goes. This is another one of those great Superman cartoons that were produced by the Max Fleischer cartoon studio. Did I ever mention that when Paramount went to the Fleischer Brothers and asked them to whip up some animated cartoons of the then-new comic book character, the brothers weren't interested? That they quoted a high price tag so as to discourage Paramount? And then Paramount agreed to pay it? The money sure wound up showing on the screen.

This is Superman and the Magnetic Telescope, which was released on April 24, 1942. It still seems to be Bud Collyer doing the voice of Superman and Clark, with Joan Alexander as Lois...and I don't recognize any of the other players. Here you go...

• Posted at 11:07 PM · LINK

It's Really Alive!

Carolyn and I had a very good time at Young Frankenstein. As much as at the previous Mel Brooks musical, The Producers? No, but if I spend my life expecting that, I'm going to be disappointed a lot. Just as you'll be disappointed by the stage version of Young Frankenstein if you go in expecting the movie. The film's best joke was for me, the slavish imitation of the look 'n' feel of an old Universal horror film. That, of course, isn't even attempted here. In fact, quite the opposite. The musical version is lavish and colorful and I don't know what they spent on the sets and special effects but they wouldn't have spent it if they hadn't thought this thing was going to run for many years on Broadway.

They're probably right. There are moments that are disappointing and a few musical numbers that fall surprisingly flat. But there are also enough moments when the show is as good as you want it to be — the number that closes the first act, for instance. (I'll bet that's the one they do on the Tonys next year.) Or the "Puttin' on the Ritz" number where the Monster goes the full Fred Astaire route. Shuler Hensley's portrayal of the Monster is surprisingly affecting, given how he's burdened with the clunky makeup and costume, and has to grunt most of his role.

I really liked Roger Bart in what we might call the Gene Wilder role...and by the way, could Mr. Wilder's name be any smaller on the posters? The buzz in the theatrical community was that Bart was electric during the show's Seattle tryouts but owing to back problems, not quite as fabulous in New York. If that's so, he seems to have gotten over it. The "stealing the show" award though is probably evenly split between Christopher Fitzgerald in the role originated by Marty Feldman, and Andrea Martin playing Frau Blucher [insert horse whinny sound effect], the role played by Cloris Leachman in the film. Fred Applegate plays two roles — the local constabulary (the Ken Mars part) and the hermit (Gene Hackman in the film). In the latter, he has a short but effective number that stops the show.

Of course, there's no stopping this show. The musical numbers aren't up to the standards of Broadway's best — or even Mel Brooks's previous. But the story is fun and the energy is there and the sets and staging are incredible, and the whole thing managed to surprise me (in a good way) often enough that I'll probably go see it again some time when it isn't like docking the Space Shuttle to get tickets. On the other hand, I don't think I'll be playing the cast album a lot. This is one where you kinda have to be there.

• Posted at 11:00 PM · LINK

Thursday New York Blogging

Missed a whole day of weblogging whilst travelling. American Airlines did an acceptable job of getting us to JFK Airport, which is to say the flight took off 45 minutes late but only arrived 15 minutes after the scheduled hour. We have, however, the worst hotel room I've ever had in New York...and if you remember the one I had in '85, you can imagine how horrible this one is.

Well, some of you may not remember the one I had in 1985 but I'll never forget it. I spent my whole stay searching for the prize because I believed that every Crackerjacks box came with a prize in it. This year's room is smaller...and stickier. It's in the same hotel I stayed in when I attended my first comic book convention, which was back in 1970. The place has not been cleaned since.

Among the room's other deficiencies, the High Speed Internet Connection is a Dixie Cup and a string...which explains why I'm way behind on e-mail, my friends.

Dinner was at a Ruby Tuesday in Times Square where I had an overdone hamburger and, after I informed the manager, an underdone apology. You know, I believe saying "I'm sorry" is among the most important things a person must say in this world from time to time but you have to mean it and not just lip-sync the words to get rid of someone who's been wronged. I wasn't expecting a refund or even one of those coupons they give you for a free dessert next time you come in and buy something. I was just expecting some interest in my burger and maybe some inkling that she was going to have a word with the chef about not cooking the meat until it could pass for a rice cake.

That all happened yesterday. Today's anecdotes will have to wait until later. We're off to see Young Frankenstein tonight. I'll report on that, too.

• Posted at 2:40 PM · LINK