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I finally had the chance to view Mamma Mia, The Movie. All I can say is... I had a BALL!!! What a fun, touching, musical! Loving Abba's music helps a lot, but everyone did a great job of either singing or lip synching and the whole thing was a wonderful movie experience. I particularly liked the sing a long feature on the DVD. *giggle*
Voulez-Vous!!
Catherine Linda Michel
wo0
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Saw Mama Mia a couple of months ago on DVD
Hey Cathy,
I thought it was VERY well done, especially writing a plausible story around all those #1 ABBA hits. The singing was all VERY good with one notable exception, Pierce Brosnan CANNOT sing! I like the guy as an actor, but as a singer he should stick to zigzag stitches.
Just my opinion.
with love,
Hope
with love,
Hope
Once in a while I bare my soul, more often my soles bear me.
Pierce Brosnan is a good sport
I'm sure he knows just how poorly he sings. The other parts I've seen him in (007 forinstance) certainly haven't required singing. But he gets an A for Effort and in some way, by reminding me that not all actors know how to sing it made me appreciate the fact that all others in the movie actually sang *quite well*.
I saw the movie myself last summer (loved it) and I also saw the play in San Francisco a few years ago. The play was good too.
I'm a major ABBA fan (I was born in Sweden) and I was there on opening night of "Chess" in New York and I've seen that play twice. If you haven't seen it or heard the soundtrack then I recommend you look for it. It's not ABBA - it's more like ABBA maturing in the way John Lennon matured away from the "silly love songs". You may love it even if you don't like ABBA.
- Moni
actors singing
I had to look at Wikipedia to get this right and the following is quoted from there
"Marvin's deep-voiced rendition of "(I Was Born Under a) Wand'rin' Star", ... was described by Jean Seberg as "like rain gurgling down a rusty pipe". Interviewed on NPR, Marvin said that the song was a hit in Australia, and someone there described it as, "The first 33 1/3 recorded at 45.""
Now, I like "Paint Your Wagon" and watch ever couple of years and I can tell you that Pierce does a much better job of singing in Mama Mia
Marvin's voice ...
... was entirely appropriate to the song. He hit the notes (well, close enough except for that last "star" before the bridge) and not every song needs to be sung by a voice that rings with purity. If it did, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Petty would be out of jobs. And John Mellencamp would have to sing baritone and stay away from those tenor melodies.
Sometimes a song needs a voice that sounds like rain gurgling down a rusty pipe. Marvin singing Wand'rin' Star sent chills down my back the first time I heard it, it was so damn right for the song and the character.
I haven't seen Mamma Mia but Pierce Brosnan may have been used for the role for his acting chops, not his singing ability -- like Richard Harris in Camelot who had to sprechgesang his part since he had no singing background and only a limited range. Fred Schneider of the B-52s does this almost all the time because the tenor parts he performs are outside his natural baritone range and the effect is cool. He CAN sing but he stylistically chooses not to, except to ring an occasional low note on a chorus.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
I thought you meant Hitchhiker's Guide
Here I am, brain the size of a small planet, parking cars.
Angharad
Angharad
I hate that movie!!
and I have seen it more times than any movie ever made. Never once all the way through though. My first job was as an usher at theater showing it one summer. I saw parts of it about twenty times a week for about eight weeks. Ughhh.
Then it was replaced by "Darling Lily". An even worse movie (imho), but much, much better singing. I used to stand at the back and think, "C'mon, Julie, make this people stop talking already!!" (the actors, not the patrons, I wasn't that into the job, and all the customers were older than me.)
haven't seen either
Sigh I lead such a sheltered life. Sorry Jan I suspect I'd enjoy it.
I know what you mean about voice Erin. That Marvin gravel was perfect. I remember back in 88, a near kiddie the Bicentennial of Oz settlement. Out on the harbour on a tall ship playing photographer and getting sunburnt. A day of rah rah yay Australia and fun in the sun, well for most. That night as the telly closed off the days jingo this old bushie came on, rough as guts, beard, dirty shirt and a beat up guitar and did THE best gravelly raw version of Waltzing Matlida I have ever heard. You need some familiarity with Oz to know what that song means here.
I found out later the guy was a Viet vet and was/is doing it tough, but damn he did that just perfect. I hope he's okay. Oh his name was Noel Watson. I still remember it.
Kristina
actors singing
You know the funny thing about Marvin singing in "Paint You Wagon" is that I thought he sounded *good*. But then again, no one has ever said that I had a good singing voice nor any special talent for singing. But then I'll also be the first to admit that if I tried to sing the song Marvin did, *I* would make him sound like Pavarotti singing opera. I'm HORRIBLE. LOL. At least I know I am but you know, I have fun singing as long as I have my earplugs in and the music turned up loud enough to drown out my caterwalling, AND, no one else being around. Otherwise, my lips are zipped.
Goldie
We saw it...
with "Audience Participation" at a theatre in San Francisco... Everyone entering the theatre got goodie bags containing the necessary "props"... inflatable microphone, play money, plastic sunglasses, a ring, a party popper, etc... And they were all to be used at appropriate points in the movie... Of course we were all supposed to sing along, and in one case, they even correagraphed the audience "dance" with the movie. (The song where the three "young" ladies come on stage with their mics and perform - before admitting the heels hurt.)
It was a blast! LOL
Annette