Here is how much my family loves the brilliant and hilarious singer/songwriter/story-teller Bill Harley. Even though we played and played and played his music until we all knew it inside out, we would still sit in the driveway until the end of a song or story. Many of our family’s most-beloved catch-phrases and in-jokes are inspired by Harley. Favorites included You’re in Trouble with “Dad Threw the TV Out the Window,” “When You Don’t Know What It Is,” the title song, and “I’m Busy,” Dinosaurs Never Say Please, with the title story about a boy who turns into a T-Rex and the very funny “Bojabi” and the classic “Master of All Masters.” We also love “You’re Not the Boss of Me,” “50 Ways to Fool Your Mother,” “Cool in School,” and many, many more.
It was a great treat to see Harley perform live at Sirius/XM’s Kid’s Place with Keith Munslow, accompanied by Harley’s son Dylan on drums. Harley has a gift for putting the biggest and most complicated and universal experiences into the most accessible terms. It is not just the simplicity of language, but the humor that he uses to make scary situations and feelings like jealousy and insecurity more manageable. The title of his new CD comes from a song named by a Kid’s Place contest: “It’s Not Fair to Me,” and the children in the audience shrieked with laughter at the familiarity and silliness of the claims. Munslow’s “My Eraser” is not just a tribute to the very useful pink spongey part of a pencil; it is an astute and reassuring observation about correcting all kinds of mistakes. Possibly the biggest hit at the performance was the very funny “Hideous Sweater,” a tribute to the articles of clothing we love beyond (and without) reason.
I am delighted to have two Harley CDs to give away, It’s Not Fair to Me (with Munslow) and the story collection High Dive & Other Things That Could Have Happened. If you’d like to enter, send me an email at moviemom@moviemom.com with Harley in the subject line and tell me your favorite silly song. Don’t forget your address! (US addresses only) I’ll pick a winner at random on March 10.
Warner Brothers has issued a spectacular collection of musical films, from the ground-breaking “The Jazz Singer” to classics like “Cabaret,” “Signin’ in the Rain,” “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” and “The Music Man.” This is a treasure that should be in every family DVD library, and every school and community library as well. It includes:
The Jazz Singer ( 1927) Al Jolson plays the son of a cantor who wants to sing popular music in this groundbreaking film that was the first live-action film with a synchronized soundtrack. (Remade twice, with Danny Thomas and Neil Diamond)
Broadway Melody of 1929 Winner of the second Best Picture Oscar, this early talkie includes “Give My Regards to Broadway,” “You Were Meant for Me.”
42nd Street (1933) “You’re going out there a chorus girl, but you’re coming back a STAR!” This classic pre-code backstage musical features the title tune and “Shuffle Off to Buffalo.”
The Great Ziegfeld (1936) Another Best Picture winner (and Best Actress for Luise Rainer), this story of impressario Florenz Zeigfeld has rare filmed performances by Fanny Brice (the singer Barbra Streisand played in “Funny Girl”).
The Wizard Of Oz (1939) One of the most beloved films of all time, this enduring classic has Judy Garland singing “Over the Rainbow” and following the yellow brick road to see the wizard.
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) James Cagney plays the bantam-like singer/dancer/performer George M. Cohan in this biopic of the superstar who wrote classics like “For it was Mary” and “Give My Regards to Broadway.”
An American in Paris ( 1951) Gene Kelly. George Gershwin. Vincente Minnelli. Glorious.
Show Boat (1951) This second version of the Jerome Kern musical based on the Edna Ferber story stars Ava Gardner, Marge and Gower Champion, Howard Keel, and Kathryn Grayson, with classic songs like “Old Man River” (sung by Wiliam Warfield in the part played by Paul Robeson in the original), “Life Upon the Wicked Stage,” and “Only Make Believe.”
Singin’ In The Rain (1952) This may just be the perfect movie as comedy, romance, satire, and musical. Gene Kelly is the silent movie star who has to adjust to the talkie era. In addition to the rapturous title number, the movie features Donald O’Connor’s classic “Make ‘Em Laugh.”
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) Seven rambunctious red-headed backwoods brothers named in alphabetical order (Adam, Benjamin, Caleb, Daniel, Ephram, Frank, and Gideon) are tamed by love in this rollicking musical with wildly athletic dance numbers choreographed by Michael Kidd.
A Star Is Born (1954) Judy Garland and James Mason star in the second (of three–so far) versions of the story of the fading star who marries a rising star. Garland sings “The Man That Got Away” and “Born in a Trunk” and introduces herself as “Mrs. Norman Maine!”
The Music Man (1962) Robert Preston re-creates his legendary stage performance as “Professor Harold Hill,” a con man who sells a small Iowa town on the idea of a boys’ band. He plans to skip town before they discover that he has no idea of how to teach kids to play instruments, but then he meets “Marian the Librarian” (an almost impossibly pretty Shirley Jones) and things get complicated. Songs include “Trouble,” “76 Trombones,” “Goodnight My Someone,” and “Til There Was You.” And a barbershop quartet singing “Lida Rose.”
Viva Las Vegas (1964) Elvis and Ann-Margret sing and dance. What else do you need to know?
Camelot (1967) The grand Lerner and Lowe musical about King Arthur, Guinevere, and Sir Lancelot stars Richard Harris, Vanessa Redgrave, and Franco Nero. Songs include “The Lusty Month of May,” “If Ever I Should Leave You,” and the poignant title number.
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971) This is the first and best version of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book about the poor boy who finds a golden ticket to visit the world’s most magnificently magical candy factory. Too bad for the naughty kids who are greedy and spoiled!
Cabaret (1972) The film, director Bob Fosse, and stars Joel Gray and Liza Minnelli won Oscars for this searing musical about pre-WWII Germany, brilliantly presented in an adult musical that deals with issues like the rise of the Nazi party, anti-Semitism, and “divine” decadence.
That’s Entertainment (1974) This delicious compilation includes highlights of dozens of classic and underrated musicals and led to two sequels.
Victor, Victoria (1983) James Garner, Robert Preston, and Julie Andrews star in a wildly funny musical about an impoverished singer whose career takes off when she pretends to be a man pretending to be a woman.
Little Shop Of Horrors (1986) Possibly the most improbable source for a musical was a cheap horror film about a carnivorous plant, shot over a weekend. But the cheeky score made it a theatrical hit and this movie version is a lot of fun.
Hairspray (1988) John Waters’ non-musical film about the controversy over integration on a teen dance show in 1960’s Baltimore inspired this musical remake with John Travolta as the mother of the adorable Tracy (Nikki Blonsky). Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah, and Zac Efron co-star in this tuneful treat that includes “Good Morning Baltimore,” “Run and Tell That,” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat.”
The Criterion Collection includes the very best throughout the history of cinema, impeccably restored. And this long weekend, you can watch Criterion’s collection free on Hulu. Try Chaplin’s “Modern Times,” Bergman’s “The Seventh Seal,” Truffaut’s “Stolen Kisses,” Wenders’ “Wings of Desire” or one of the many, many others.
The Red Hen..And More Cooking Stories: Scholastic Storybook Treasures
Posted on February 13, 2013 at 3:59 pm
MPAA Rating:
Not rated
Profanity:
None
Alcohol/ Drugs:
None
Violence/ Scariness:
None
Diversity Issues:
None
Date Released to Theaters:
2013
Date Released to DVD:
February 13, 2013
Amazon.com ASIN:
B009O07NHK
The latest from my very favorite series for families is Scholastic Storybook Treasures’ The Red Hen and more cooking stories. I have one copy to give away! Send me an email at moviemom@moviemom.com with Hen in the subject line and tell me what you like to cook. Don’t forget your address (US addresses only).
These adorable stories with lessons about food, friendship, and manners include:
HE RED HEN (Written and illustrated by Rebecca Emberley and Ed Emberley, narrated by Walter Mayes) Filled with humor and sparkling illustration, this is the classic story of Red Hen and her adventures in baking (and cooperation).
BREAD COMES TO LIFE (Written and illustrated by George Levenson, narrated by Lily Tomlin) Watch each step of how to bring bread to life, from the sowing of the seeds to the shaping and baking of the bread dough.
HOW DO DINOSAURS EAT THEIR FOOD? (Written and narrated by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mark Teague) These mischievous dinosaurs show that burping, spilling and playing with one s food are not the best ways to enjoy a meal.
ARNIE THE DOUGHNUT (Written and illustrated by Gerald McDermott, narrated by Michael McKean) When Mr. Bing buys Arnie in a doughnut shop, Arnie realizes he must persuade Mr. Bing that a doughnut can be more than just a sweet snack.
In case your children are inspired to make their own food, it also includes an easy-to-Follow Recipe for Simply Splendid Cake.
New From Scholastic: Stone Soup…and Other Stories from the Asian Tradition
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 8:00 am
My very favorite series for kids has a new release, Stone Soup…and Other Stories from the Asian Tradition from Scholastic Storybook Treasures. Scholastic takes the very best in children’s literature and makes them into DVDs that gently animate the original artwork with top voice and music talent. Here actor B.D. Wong (“Law and Order: SVU) reads the title story and “The Five Chinese Brothers” (it takes each one’s special talents to work together to rescue a sibling), “Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from China,” and “Stonecutter” (one of my very favorite stories — about the foolishness of envying the power of others and overlooking your own). The read-along captioning is a splendid way to encourage beginning readers.
I have one copy to give away. Send me an email at moviemom@moviemom.com with “Stone Soup” in the subject line and tell me your favorite kind of soup. Don’t forget your address! (US addresses only.) I will pick a winner at random on February 3.
Here is how much my family loves the brilliant and hilarious singer/songwriter/story-teller Bill Harley. Even though we played and played and played his music until we all knew it inside out, we would still sit in the driveway until the end of a song or story. Many of our family’s most-beloved catch-phrases and in-jokes are inspired by Harley. Favorites included You’re in Trouble
. I have one copy to give away! Send me an email at moviemom@moviemom.com with Hen in the subject line and tell me what you like to cook. Don’t forget your address (US addresses only).