TV Reviews for "Carmelina" (1979)
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- Опубліковано 6 жов 2024
- Here is a series of TV reviews for the Broadway Musical "Carmelina." To say they were...not positive...is an understatement (when the first line of the first review likens it to Three Mile Island...). The show had a great pedigree... book by Joseph Stein and Alan Jay Lerner, lyrics by Lerner, and music by Burton Lane. If the plot seems familiar when they talk about it, all I can say is "Mamma, Mia! There is goes again!"
How wonderful to see this! Carmelina is certainly an interesting show, both artistically and also in regards to those involved in its creation. Elaine Stritch's take on "Why Him" was fabulous, it's a shame we don't see more of Ms Brown's here.
I tried contacting you, but couldn't find your email. If you would, could you contact me at 1971folliesfan? Thank you!
Thrilling! Never thought I'd see even a drop of "Carmelina" again, so grateful thanks. The '78-'79 season had so many short-lived musicals, and alas, no "boots" until '80.
I know of a few pre-80s boots - I have both Timbuktu and Best Little Whorehouse. What a shame this show couldn't get that rare treatment as well..!!!
The "Whorehouse" videos were shot in 1980 and 1982. The "Timbuktu" video was shot in L.A. during the post-B'way national tour; that's why Eartha is the only one of the original Broadway cast leads present. Haven't looked at any of those videos for quite some time, but if I remember correctly the "Timbuktu" isn't a boot; don't know if it was done with or without permission, but it's a semi-pro shoot of mediocre quality, perhaps shot on a tripod or from a booth.. And I believe one of the two "Whorehouses" was also semi-pro. In other words, they weren't shot by the pioneering videographers of the early '80s, but instead emerged during that time.
But you are correct about there being boots of late '70s musicals. "Dancin'," "Sweeney," "Evita," "They're Playing Our Song," and "Peter Pan" opened in the '70s and were shot when the '80s arrived.
Soooo, the plot of Carmelita is Mama Mia!?!!!
Sorry, Pia. There were more than two terrific songs in this show. IMHO, "Someone in April" is one of the show's best -- great lyrics and storytelling from Lerner with a lovely bluesy melody from Lane. (Pia's clip includes a portion of this wonderful song.) IIRC, this melody was originally written for ON A CLEAR DAY.
With Alan Lerner and Burton Lane involved it couldn't be all bad could it? And considering that the same story was the basis for one of the most embarrassingly successful musicals in history, Mamma Mia - it's a surprise. There are some witty lyrics here though and some pretty melodies. The big problem to me was the that film worked because of Rock Hudson And Gina Lollobrigida. Two seriously charming talents who adored each other off the screen. None in the musical version. Georgia Brown had a big loud voice and no charm whatsoever. And the book was bad.
Rock Hudson wasn't in the film. Georgia Brown was fine. The film's focus was on the three GIs. The musical tried to focus more on the romance between Brown and Siepi, which was not all that interesting or believable. The book, though, was often funny.