Son of Dracula (1974)

Son of Dracula is a 1974 British musical film starring Harry Nilsson and Ringo Starr. It was produced by Starr. It is also the title of a soundtrack released in conjunction with the film. I had never heard of it and came across it by random happenstance. What fun!

via YouTube:

Kind of Blue

Kind of Blue:

a 1959 studio album by the American jazz trumpeter and composer Miles Davis, who died on this date in 1991 at the age of 65.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (DVD) is a 1979 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The character of Sweeney Todd first appeared in a Victorian penny dreadful. Sweeney Todd opened on Broadway in 1979 and won the Tony Award for Best Musical and Olivier Award for Best New Musical. It has been revived in many productions as well as inspired a film adaptation. The video I saw starred Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Lovett and George Hearn as Sweeney Todd. Angela Lansbury is one of those actors I watch for.

One of Lansbury's songs:

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Jesus Mentioned

Jesus Mentioned:

by Warren Zevon, who died of mesothelioma on September 7, 2003, at the age of 56.

Lyric excerpt:

I'm going down to Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
I'm going down to Graceland
Thinking about the King
Remembering him sing
'Bout those heavenly mansions
Jesus mentioned

Crazy Blues

Crazy Blues:

recorded by Mamie Smith, who died penniless on this date in 1946 at the age of 55. She was interred at Frederick Douglass Memorial Park on Staten Island, on ground which remained unmarked until 2013 when a monument was finally erected.

The Muppet Movie

The Muppet Movie (Disney+) is a 1979 musical road comedy film, the first theatrical film with the Muppets. It features cameo appearances by Bob Hope, Dom DeLuise, James Coburn, Cloris Leachman, Richard Pryor, Telly Savalas, Edgar Bergen (in his final film appearance before his death), Orson Welles, Carol Kane, Steve Martin, and Mel Brooks, among others. Delightful, a feel-good movie. I rewatch this every once in a while.

trailer:

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My Fair Lady

My Fair Lady is a 1964 musical comedy-drama film adapted from the 1956 Lerner and Loewe stage musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 stage play Pygmalion. It stars Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison, Stanley Holloway, and Jeremy Brett. I remember seeing it in the theater. I like this one.

from Wikipedia:

With a screenplay by Alan Jay Lerner and directed by George Cukor, the film depicts a poor Cockney flower-seller named Eliza Doolittle who overhears a phonetics professor, Henry Higgins, as he casually wagers that he could teach her to speak English so well she could pass for a duchess in Edwardian London or better yet, from Eliza's viewpoint, secure employment in a flower shop.

from Daily Motion:

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Tommy (1975)

Tommy is a 1975 British musical fantasy drama film written and directed by Ken Russell and based on The Who's 1969 rock opera album Tommy. It's about a "psychosomatically deaf, mute, and blind" boy who becomes a pinball champion and religious leader. I'd never seen it before and saw it listed as "leaving soon" on one of the streaming services I subscribe to. It's no longer available free anywhere. It's such a dated work that I'm not sure it's watchable unless you were a young adult in the late '60s-early '70s. Unless you watch it for the cast, that is. The cast is priceless. The film featured a star-studded ensemble cast, including the band members themselves (most notably, lead singer Roger Daltrey, who plays the title role), Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, Elton John, Robert Powell and Jack Nicholson.

trailer:

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Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins (Disney+) is an award-winning 1964 musical fantasy comedy film based on P. L. Travers's book series Mary Poppins. The film, which combines live-action and animation, stars Julie Andrews in her feature film debut as Mary Poppins. Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson, and Glynis Johns have supporting roles. Dick Van Dyke's accent is much ridiculed, but it's a kids' movie from the 1960s; give him a break. I remember when this movie came out and saw it first run in the theater. It's a real treasure, and I've always enjoyed it. The books are great fun, too.

trailer:

My absolute favorite song from this film is Sister Suffragette, with Glynnis Johns:

especially in these days when women are having rights revoked and Republicans are openly advocating against women's suffrage.

I've also always liked Feed the Birds:

Hamilton (2020)

Hamilton (Disney+) is a 2020 biographical musical drama film, a live stage recording of the 2015 Broadway musical of the same name. It stars Lin-Manuel Miranda as Hamilton and Leslie Odom Jr. as Aaron Burr. I expected it to be a bit along the lines of 1776, and it is nothing like that. This is much more a look at Hamilton the person than a view of the historical times. I'm glad I've seen it if only to see what all the fuss was about but won't rewatch it. Everybody else gives it rave reviews.

trailer:

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Oklahoma! (1955)

Oklahoma! (Amazon Prime, Tubi, or embedded below via YouTube) is an award-winning 1955 musical film based on the 1943 musical of the same name by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. It stars Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones (in her film debut), Rod Steiger, Charlotte Greenwood, Gloria Grahame, Gene Nelson, James Whitmore, and Eddie Albert. The casting is perfect. Set in Oklahoma Territory, it tells the story of farm girl Laurey Williams (Jones) and her courtship by two rival suitors, cowboy Curly McLain (MacRae) and the sinister and frightening farmhand Jud Fry (Steiger). A secondary romance concerns Laurey's friend, Ado Annie (Grahame), and cowboy Will Parker (Nelson), who has an unwilling rival in Ali Hakeem (Albert). A background theme is the territory's aspiration for statehood, and the local conflict between cattlemen and farmers.

via YouTube:

It's not the choice of most, but my favorite number in this film is this hilarious scene:

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South Pacific

South Pacific (Amazon Prime, Tubi) is a 1958 romantic musical film based on the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific, which in turn is loosely based on James A. Michener's 1947 short-story collection Tales of the South Pacific. The film, directed by Joshua Logan, stars Rossano Brazzi, Mitzi Gaynor, John Kerr and Ray Walston. This movie made a big impression on me when I was young, and I've always loved it. I re-watch it occasionally.

It looks like you can watch it here via YouTube:

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Sister Act

Sister Act (Disney+) is a 1992 musical crime comedy film starring Whoopi Goldberg as a lounge singer forced to join a convent after being placed in a witness protection program. It also features Maggie Smith and Harvey Keitel. I re-watch this one every once in a while and get a kick out of it every time.

trailer:

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Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

Little Shop of Horrors is a 1986 American horror comedy musical film directed by Frank Oz. It is an adaptation of the 1982 off-Broadway musical of the same name, which is itself an adaptation of the 1960 film The Little Shop of Horrors by director Roger Corman. I don't see this free anywhere. That's a real shame. It gets positive reviews, and I got a kick out of it. It's hilarious!

trailer:

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Talk Memphis

Talk Memphis:

by Jesse Winchester, whose family moved to Memphis from north Mississippi when he was 12. In 1967 he moved to Canada to avoid the Vietnam draft and didn't return to the U.S. until President Carter's amnesty program covered him. He resettled in Memphis in 2002. He died of cancer on this date in 2014 at the age of 69 at his home in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Lyrics excerpt:

Listen to you move your mouth
I bet you come from way down South
Please don't tell me let me guess
You're from the town that I love best
Talk Memphis, I wish you would
Talk Memphis, you sound so good
Talk Memphis, high on the bluff
I swear I can't get enough
Listening to you talk that stuff
Talk Memphis, oh yeah, talk Memphis
Now let's discuss some barbecue
We'll talk about the Tigers too
Every little sweet thing that you say
Just turns me on like 'DIA
Talk Memphis, I wish you would
Talk Memphis, you sound so good
Talk Memphis, high on the bluff
I swear I can't get enough
Listening to you talk that stuff
Talk Memphis, oh yeah, talk Memphis
I bet you bought some blue suede shoes

Happy Birthday, Buffy Sainte-Marie

Buffy Sainte-Marie turns 83 years old today. On August 3, 2023, Saint-Marie issued a statement announcing her retirement from live performances, due to health concerns.

Universal Soldier:

Some things never change. And on that depressing note, please join me at the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering, where we'll share a drink and visit.

Good King Wenceslas

Good King Wenceslas tells the story of a Bohemian king who goes on a journey, braving harsh winter weather, to give aid to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen. The Feast of Stephen is today, December 26.

lyric excerpt for T Tuesday:

Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I shall see him dine
When we bear them thither.

Please join us for the T Stands for Tuesday blogger gathering.

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A few more little trees. The doll's name is Betty.

 

Christmas Auld Lang Syne

Christmas Auld Lang Syne:

by Bobby Darin, who was only 37 when he died on this date in 1973. His life-long heart issues finally caught up with him.

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The first image is of a Christmas card in a frame where one of our wedding invitations was displayed early in our married life.

Mother used to hang this next piece on her wall. When she moved to a retirement community she used this as a door decoration.

Christmas Music

This is the Advent/Christmas playlist I keep at Spotify. I've never had any luck using Spotify on my phone, but signing in on my laptop gives me a fine experience. There are commercials, of course, but I think of it as radio.



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Walking the Dog

Walking the Dog:

by Rufus Thomas, who died on this date in 2001 in Memphis