Tuesday, March 13, 2012

A Babbitt and a Bromide

Played with Photoshop at work last night…
This one is the only gif I’m almost completely happy with.
I still have much to learn. :)
Gene Kelly signing in on ‘What’s My Line?’


“A babbit met a bromide on the avenue one day, and held a conversation in their own peculiar way,” sings Fred Astaire along with Gene Kelly in the only instance where they actually dance together. Both would later appear in documentaries as well as an airline commercial together near the end of their lifetimes. The song “The Babbitt and the Bromide” is a symbol of the differences of what many argue the two greatest dancers of all time. It is hardly possible to surf the internet about these two without finding some opinionated people arguing exactly who is best and some who simply appreciate both sides so they are stuck in the middle. There is hardly room for an argument that they were not good at what they did though. The two may have had differing philosophies about what dance is and how it should be preformed; however certain aspects of their careers such as the movies they starred in are very much the same.


Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly have different background stories on how they became involved in cinema. Fred Astaire started off performing with his sister Adele Astaire and gained high popularity while working with her. When his sister left the act to be married he expanded himself and found success in Broadway at age eighteen, which then led him into films. Gene Kelly, on the other hand, grew up dancing with his brother in cheap clubs, created a dance studio, then entered Broadway at age thirty where he did a few shows before being recognized as an incredible talent in Pal Joey by Judy Garland, which then led her to ask him to star as her romantic lead in For Me and My Gal. Fred Astaire played more sophisticated roles while Gene performed with more charisma as the all American male. Gene seemed to push the envelope while Fred appeared to relax a bit more. Fred’s motions implied that no one could come close to emulating him while Gene Kelly’s movement suggested that he was more human and attainable.

Despite their differences, the two often would have the same dancing partners. Both actors thrived with the same dancers. The successfully paired stars that were easy to dance with for the two dancers are as follows: Rita Hayworth, Judy Garland, Cyd Charisse, and Leslie Caron. Fred Astaire propelled a few careers as well as Gene Kelly who gave Judy Garland a boost when her popularity was waning. Gene Kelly also served to jump start a number of unknown performers careers, an example is Leslie Caron whom Gene introduced to American audiences, and she would later perform with other great artists like Fred. Judy Garland worked with Gene Kelly three times and it would have been four if Kelly had not broken his ankle before the filming of Easter Parade, and Kelly called Fred Astaire to take the part. The way they felt about their singing was the same as well, they were at times apologetic for the way they talk sang. These two dancing giants were perfectionists when it came to rehearsal and were critical of their own acting. It would be easy to state that both grew up loving to dance but even though both were involved with dance from a young age, both thought dancing was a girlish activity to take up.

Gene Kelly fought to demonstrate that dancing was a manly sport because it used some of the same moves used in sports. In order to try to prove his point he had popular sports players such as Sugar Ray and Mickey Mantle come in for a television special Dancing is a Man’s Sport where they danced and demonstrated moves they did while playing their sport that could be used to create a dance. MGM tried to prevent Kelly from doing his trademark stunts without a stunt man but Kelly always managed to do his own stunts which sometimes were quite daring as he had no equipment while jumping and swinging from architecture. He chose movies that would help the image of dance by including sports like in his role in Take Me Out to the Ballgame, that included a swimming scene with the famous swimmer Esther Williams. A healthy lifestyle with athleticism and muscle was what Kelly promoted. This is a stark contrast to Fred Astaire which had to keep his underweight figure in order to be able to perform so light on his feet. Astaire made his name synonymous with class and the only stunts he performed were usually created by playing with modern technology, for example when Fred Astaire dances on the ceiling in Royal Wedding, that was created with modern technology. When Fred debuted on Broadway and the big screen there were no complex expectations, the only thing expected was a simple show. However when Gene Kelly came onto the Broadway stage it became more intensely about incorporating comedy and scantily dressed showgirls into the numbers so Gene Kelly incorporated comedy, acting, dancing, singing, and choreography all through his extensive career. Gene wanted to spread different forms of dance into popular culture, especially ballet while Fred pretty much stuck to his jazz and tap. Their personas were vastly contrasting and the way they executed their style was different as well as Cyd Charisse indicated because she said her husband could whether she had worked with Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly that day because with Gene she would come home with bruises and scratches but with Fred she would arrive home in perfect condition.

There is no doubt that these are two of the greatest dancers in show business. When coming up with a list of incredible dancers these two should be the top two. Some may debate who comes first but it is all a matter of personal style choice. Astaire is the epitomy of style, grace, class, and sophistication while Kelly is the all American, athletic, energetic, happy go lucky daredevil. There is no lack of charm and merit in either of them. One was soft spoken and the other was outspoken, and there was no end to the way they charmed the audience. Although Astaire is usually the one attributed to good classy dancing, Gene Kelly was an innovator for dance, especially modern dance. Fred helped create a stereotype on what good dancing is but Gene Kelly sets that stereotype free. Gene Kelly has inspired people for generations to hop off their furniture and experiment as he did. Kelly could make an umbrella, a normal gesture, a mop, or a newspaper a dynamic tool in a spectacular number. Either way Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly are legends that continue to encourage and inspire future generations in the field of dance.

Credit for the gifs is It's always fair weather and thomasdestry's fred astaire things or something like that.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

It's Love in Bloom

Alot of things are going to come up in the future. I will be having an interview with the SwingSwinger! Don't know who he is? Then you'll have to tune in. I'll be encouraging all my friends to so that this guy's name is spread just a little farther than it was before. What am I talking about? It's a huge spread! Since he is in the U.K and all my adoring friends are right here in the U.S of A. More delightful interviews later. More movies to gush about? More things to promote?
Nah. Just maybe tell my sister to watch more Looney Tunes. I just realized how much the new generations are depraved children, my sister did not know who Marvin the Martian was. She did not know about Pepe le Pew, Pussyfoot, or Foghorn Leghorn. Thank goodness she knew Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Tweety or I would have had to hurt her.
Oh wait. I do have a thing to promote. You may have guessed that I am a bit of a classic film buff/lover of good media in general (although I'm not much into the action or horror story ones even if they are classic). So I gave the National Film Registry a looking over, and I think that you should to. Whoever you is if you still are reading this. They let the people vote for movies they think are notable in American culture or influential points of film. I promoted Mary Poppins and Anchors Aweigh I believe. Oh, as well as Grease. Just a few notable films that are personal favorites that I was surprised were not already included.

So for my MAIN point. I just got done with my yearly read of Eight Cousins, I am now moving on to Rose in Bloom. To anyone out there who likes Louisa May Alcott. Read this book. If you are in film, do this book. I would if I had the money to pay actors or even get people with enough time to kill to put this together. For me  it would be fun, for others-not so much.
A fake trailer would even be nice. But do my a favor huh? If you rip off this idea, please I would like to see your creative genius. This truly would be a pleasure to work on if I was in the film making business. It's enough to get my creative juices flowing. Who would I send this to though? I would do it for sheer pleasure but not many share this passion. However this book, is a work of art if it were to be applied to film. You would have to know what to do with it. You would have to keep it almost truly aligned with the book. Adjusting by taking out minor events depending on what your focus is on but as of what I have seen in theaters failing, or at least aesthetically, I would recommend the focus not be on childish incidents like the scene of getting her ears pierced. I recommend a focus on male and female contact, hints, and relationships between people. The childish incidents like that may prove some lesson but I believe if made into a movie should be removed because it serves very little in the plot. It is a representation but need not be shown, but when transferred to film, needs to be implied that said event happened but trivial time not wasted on this method. As you can see, I have given it a great deal of thought and boy....I will get part of a trailer out so you can see what I mean but oh this is going to be a dandy! I'm working on not showing faces or costumes so that  my trailer will be easier to make because not many boys will be willing to help with this task. AH! Now I want a film degree! I change my mind every week. God show me a path please before I carry myself away like Charlie, a jack of all trades but useful at none.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Daddy Long Legs

You gotta love Fred Astaire.
This is a STAR studded cast. Not in the leading man sort of way or leading lady but the sidekicks are AWESOME.
In this cast there are (I found at least) 2 Harry Morton's from the George Burns and Gracie Allen Show.
There is Buster Keaton and Fred Clark.
Then there is Thelma Ritter...she is in awesome movies like Move Over, Darling and Pillow Talk.
Sassy spunky and oldish...the original Betty White.
Fred Astaire requested Leslie Caron for the role.
It's a story of true hope.
Johnny Mercer sings the opening number.
Fred astaire is a dancing wealthy benefactor saving economic crisis but is quite a hispter jiver.
Fred Astaire's wife died during the middle of this movie which is why you can sometimes tell he is red eyed from crying in his trailer. That is one instance when I think the trailer is necessary for stars. Give all grieving stars-a trailer so they can cry, I mean even men cry...when someone you love  has died-it's expected.
Leslie Caron- didn't want to be in pictures but gave into her mothers wishes and joined Gene Kelly in An American and Paris and---of course with Fred here.