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Post by RJH on Nov 12, 2018 23:51:26 GMT -5
For shows within a show I'll add that I like Uncle Tom's Uncle more than all the Follies, but put Pay As You Exit at the top.
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Post by Buppster on Nov 13, 2018 5:39:13 GMT -5
Nothing strange about a Wikipedia editor getting something wrong. True, it happens frequently enough on IMDb too. All those imaginary quotes from Beginner's Luck for instance.
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Post by myhomeo on Nov 15, 2018 13:30:56 GMT -5
One of the weaknesses of 'Reunion In Rhythm' is that the Gang are supposedly putting on a school pageant. It always hurts the concept when the kids are supposed to be performing for adult authority figures.
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Post by marktheshark on Nov 19, 2018 19:32:58 GMT -5
One of the weaknesses of 'Reunion In Rhythm' is that the Gang are supposedly putting on a school pageant. It always hurts the concept when the kids are supposed to be performing for adult authority figures. Speaking of "Reunion In Rhythm," I like the appearance of the alumni at the beginning, but it's kind of weird how it's three of the original kids from the silent days, and then Stymie, who was only out of the gang for a couple of years. He seemed like he should have been on stage with them and been part of the show. It's cool how the alumni made guest appearances from time to time. I like Joe Cobb in "Pay As You Exit," too -- it's one of my favorites regardless, but somehow, Joe actually fits in. I think so, anyway. I like Follies of 1936 and 1938 as well as Rhythm. They are all among my favorites.
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Post by marktheshark on Nov 19, 2018 19:39:00 GMT -5
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I'm not a fan of musical episodes myself but the Hal Roach Follies trio pale into insignificance when compared with the atrociously over the top Ziegfeld influenced MGM Our Gang 'shows.' I'm not a big fan of the M-G-Ms in general, but I think "Aladdin's Lantern" is great. If it wasn't for that irritating harmonica theme, I wouldn't even know it was an M-G-M. That one and "Men In Fright" get a pass as honorary "Our Gang shorts that don't suck" as far as I'm concerned. I think they are both every bit bit as good as the prior Roach one-reelers.
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Post by myhomeo on Nov 20, 2018 14:00:45 GMT -5
Hal Roach did his best to look after aged-out Gangers; if I understand correctly, Joe used to tour with the vaudeville 'Gang' show as an emcee.
As for the MGMs, I developed a bit more sympathy when I got the DVD set and was able to see them all, often for the first time in years. Every now and then, 'The Big Premiere' for example, you could see they were honestly TRYING. They weren't good but they weren't flat-out loathsome and you felt like the writers on these ones at least made an effort to research the series and try to recapture what made it great. They failed, but at least it wasn't the wholesale "Kiddie Revue with Spanky, Mickey, Froggy, and Buckwheat jammed in" mess some of the others were.
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Post by marktheshark on Nov 20, 2018 19:57:00 GMT -5
Hal Roach did his best to look after aged-out Gangers; if I understand correctly, Joe used to tour with the vaudeville 'Gang' show as an emcee. As for the MGMs, I developed a bit more sympathy when I got the DVD set and was able to see them all, often for the first time in years. Every now and then, 'The Big Premiere' for example, you could see they were honestly TRYING. They weren't good but they weren't flat-out loathsome and you felt like the writers on these ones at least made an effort to research the series and try to recapture what made it great. They failed, but at least it wasn't the wholesale "Kiddie Revue with Spanky, Mickey, Froggy, and Buckwheat jammed in" mess some of the others were. I just recently watched all of them in order from beginning to end. They start out good, but slowly the wheels fall off the wagon, especially as the kids get older and get replaced. Robert Blake mentioned that along with the move to the prestigious M-G-M "dream factory," it was no longer the Depression and it was like the kids moved out of the ghetto into the suburbs, which changes the whole atmosphere. Then there was the war. I think it was a combination of things. I agree, once in a while there's a good one here and there. But overall, earlier is better.
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Post by malaria on Feb 25, 2019 14:28:54 GMT -5
Sometime around 1935, the Gang was somehow pushed up into the middle classes. Perhaps this had something to do with the departure of McGowan. Whatever the reason, though, I found the effect subtly unsatisfactory. The "Follies" episodes were something very different from Some Poor Kids Just Trying To Have A Good Time. Compare the amazing "Pups Is Pups," for example.
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