tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post3400025507889518117..comments2024-03-25T19:18:14.047-04:00Comments on What's Alan Watching?: I'm not an actor, I'm a movie star!Alan Sepinwallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-27431419315903535982008-09-12T13:46:00.000-04:002008-09-12T13:46:00.000-04:00I can't bring myself to watch Chuck because I like...I can't bring myself to watch Chuck because I liked Jake 2.0 too much to sully its memory. But I love My Favorite Year. Definitely worth the rental. And while you're at it, make a double feature with Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor, which is not quite as good or as funny as MFY, but gives the broader scope of the real life behind the Sid Caesar show, the show that is parodied in MFY, Laughter, and the Dick Van Dyke show. Mark Linn-Baker, who played Benjy Stone in MFY, also appeared in Laughter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-69774111947210162982008-09-11T22:56:00.000-04:002008-09-11T22:56:00.000-04:00Thanks for the reminder of this great flick, Alan....Thanks for the reminder of this great flick, Alan. I must have seen this and your other favorite movie -- Midnight Run -- about a hundred times on cable when I was in high school (I think I watched too much TV when I was in high school). Both of these movies always seemed to be in heavy rotation on HBO in the mid- to late-80s.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-31495183041342085932008-09-09T18:33:00.000-04:002008-09-09T18:33:00.000-04:00The other big problem the musical of The Producers...The other big problem the musical of The Producers faces is that it shoots its wad too early. You can't top "Springtime For Hitler" as a production number, but the show goes on for a good while longer.<BR/><BR/>(Also, the movie of the musical is remarkable in that with the exception of Uma Thurman, it's almost perfectly cast, yet manages to be a botch, because Stroman can't direct for film to save her life and they don't adapt at all. The best joke in "Betrayed" ("Intermission!") is lost, as are most of the meta-theatrical asides.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00295270766215749309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-70328709355140725662008-09-09T17:10:00.000-04:002008-09-09T17:10:00.000-04:00Although the stage version of Producers has a huge...<I>Although the stage version of Producers has a huge flaw that's sort of unavoidable...</I><BR/><BR/>Very true. That's the only thing that's bothered me all these years. It's done so well, it transcends the spoof, and we can see why it's a hit.David J. Loehrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03730376433424754068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-89986552901894836522008-09-09T16:38:00.000-04:002008-09-09T16:38:00.000-04:00It's available on netflix instant - so I saw it la...It's available on netflix instant - so I saw it last night.<BR/><BR/>Good film. Thanks for the recommendation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-29153600383063775832008-09-09T16:30:00.000-04:002008-09-09T16:30:00.000-04:00With all the movie-to-stage shows these days, it's...<I>With all the movie-to-stage shows these days, it's rare when the stage version equals or surpasses the original script, like (in my opinion) The Producers. </I><BR/><BR/>Although the stage version of Producers has a huge flaw that's sort of unavoidable: it leaves out the horrified reactions of the "Springtime for Hitler" audience. Even though we've been told how offensive this is, when you're actually watching it, the production number is done with such exuberance that the joke doesn't come across nearly as well.Alan Sepinwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1728854296617856502008-09-09T16:13:00.000-04:002008-09-09T16:13:00.000-04:00I didn't like the way they rewrote the ending. I s...<I>I didn't like the way they rewrote the ending. I suppose they had to do it the way they did it because of the constraints of live theater, but it didn't work nearly as well.</I><BR/><BR/>I agree. With all the movie-to-stage shows these days, it's rare when the stage version equals or surpasses the original script, like (in my opinion) <I>The Producers</I>. (Although the less said about the movie version of the musical, the better.)<BR/><BR/>MFY the musical was a show where the cast was better than the show, which was a shame. A lot of good people involved in that, but it just didn't come together somehow. (I was still in NJ at the time, so I got to see that, too.)David J. Loehrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03730376433424754068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-53786667600071821442008-09-09T15:06:00.000-04:002008-09-09T15:06:00.000-04:00I must see MFY again. Haven't seen it in ages. Jus...I must see MFY again. Haven't seen it in ages. <BR/><BR/>Just wanted to say, I also really, really enjoyed the first Chuck eps of the season.Mo Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01685367085407381479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-86209111382295889142008-09-09T14:36:00.000-04:002008-09-09T14:36:00.000-04:00I loved Peter O'Toole so much in this (and previou...<I>I loved Peter O'Toole so much in this (and previously, The Stunt Man) that I even watched Creator.<BR/></I><BR/><BR/>Heh, I did the same thing (and sought out "The Ruling Class"). "My Favorite Year" is one of my favorite movies ever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-71063609617673490612008-09-09T13:43:00.000-04:002008-09-09T13:43:00.000-04:00Alan, I don't watch 'Chuck' but I LOVE MFY.Then yo...<I>Alan, I don't watch 'Chuck' but I LOVE MFY.</I><BR/><BR/>Then you might get a kick out of the "Chuck" episode, Gina. It's no "My Favorite Year" -- in large part because John Larroquette, while wonderful, isn't in O'Toole's league (who is, really?) -- but there are enough references to the film, both implied and overt, that you might enjoy it. <BR/><BR/>Plus, "Chuck" in general is a lot of fun.Alan Sepinwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-89260329261519705692008-09-09T13:35:00.000-04:002008-09-09T13:35:00.000-04:00Alan, I don't watch 'Chuck' but I LOVE MFY.It's be...Alan, I don't watch 'Chuck' but I LOVE MFY.<BR/><BR/>It's been too long since I've seen it. Off to my Netflix queue I go...ginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11942160835095245787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-49654117583379550182008-09-09T13:19:00.000-04:002008-09-09T13:19:00.000-04:00Are you familiar with the musical version of the m...<I>Are you familiar with the musical version of the movie? </I><BR/><BR/>I saw the original production of it (at Lincoln Center, I think). My parents were fans of the movie too and knew how much I loved it, so we went. Don't remember much about it, save that Andrea Martin, as you say, stole the show out from under Tim Curry, that Ethan Phillips (whom I then knew as the guy from Benson, and not Neelix) played the writer who never spoke, and that I didn't like the way they rewrote the ending. I suppose they had to do it the way they did it because of the constraints of live theater, but it didn't work nearly as well. <BR/><BR/>I think, anyway.Alan Sepinwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-22442870979159791952008-09-09T13:11:00.000-04:002008-09-09T13:11:00.000-04:00Oh, I haven't thought about MFY in ages, and it's ...Oh, I haven't thought about MFY in ages, and it's in my top ten, too. Just youtubed the final scenes and am already getting varklempt.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-57767846176690714032008-09-09T12:20:00.000-04:002008-09-09T12:20:00.000-04:00"This is for ladies only!""So is this, ma'am, but ..."This is for ladies only!"<BR/><BR/>"So is <I>this</I>, ma'am, but every now and then I have to run a little water through it."<BR/><BR/>I loved Peter O'Toole so much in this (and previously, <B>The Stunt Man</B>) that I even watched <B>Creator.</B><BR/><BR/>It's one of those movies that never gets old.barefootjimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02619403344304134318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-64504850123176989882008-09-08T19:02:00.000-04:002008-09-08T19:02:00.000-04:00I have yet to see it, but I will. If anyone else i...I have yet to see it, but I will. If anyone else is looking for it, I just saw that it is available to watch online through Netflix.<BR/><BR/>If that helps.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-52646461664563937542008-09-08T16:15:00.000-04:002008-09-08T16:15:00.000-04:00That's wild...I was just in the musical version of...That's wild...I was just in the musical version of MFY this summer...what an incredible story, and you're right, Alan: O'Toole is incredible in the film.Jeff Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03705605717088684059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-79406909397450891412008-09-08T14:59:00.000-04:002008-09-08T14:59:00.000-04:00I've loved "My Favorite Year" from day one. I was...I've loved "My Favorite Year" from day one. I was lucky enough to see it when it came out, because my mother knew I'd enjoy it. (I think I was eleven at the time. I'd already seen "Ten from Your Show of Shows," so I had the basics down.)<BR/><BR/>I was already looking forward to the return of "Chuck," but now...?<BR/><BR/>And a quick theatre tangent. Are you familiar with the musical version of the movie? It's got music by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty--they did "Once on This Island" and "Ragtime" together, and she did many of the "Schoolhouse Rock" songs, too. (Which is why I feel bad saying that this one didn't do much for me either as a play or a musical.) On the other hand, Andrea Martin was in the original Broadway production and not surprisingly stole the show.David J. Loehrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03730376433424754068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-20240479100971579232008-09-08T13:48:00.000-04:002008-09-08T13:48:00.000-04:00Alan, you are absolutely right. It's a brilliant ...Alan, you are absolutely right. It's a brilliant comedy, and Peter O'Toole shines. Loved Rookie Carroca too!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-26970865469933330242008-09-08T13:42:00.000-04:002008-09-08T13:42:00.000-04:00"and he's got the jitterzzzzzz."Every time I say "..."and he's got the jitterzzzzzz."<BR/><BR/>Every time I say "jitters" I have to put that extra tag on the end. <BR/><BR/>This was the first time I 'd ever seen Peter O'Toole, and I've been in the bag for him ever since. The shots at the end, where he's soaking in the applause from the audience, are too briliant for me to do justice.Gangsta Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08144889975946301571noreply@blogger.com