The Bandwagon (1953)

I know this film back to front.  I have no idea how many times I've seen it.  It's not one of Fred Astaire's better known films, in fact it's toward the end of his career as a dancer.  For some reason though, of all the films that my father showed me from the Astaire catalogue, I watched this one more times than any other.  I love the behind-the-scenes nature of it, and the in-jokes (such as the digs about Charisse's height or Astaire's career).

Astaire was in his early 50s when this film was made, and as a result his dance numbers are more on the restrained side.  That's not to say that they're lacking in style or class, not by a long shot.  It's odd I guess that my favourite Astaire movie isn't one that really showcases what he's known for.

Whenever I watched this film with my father, he'd be in raptures over the "Dancing In The Dark" number.  And "Shiny Shoes" is a joy, and the closest in style to a young Astaire.  The shoe shiner in that number was apparently a real life shoe shiner, known for his rhythmical technique, and my father always wished to see more of him.  And I just can't take my eyes off Nanette Fabray.  To me, vaudeville trained performers were incredibly engaging, in a very particular way that you don't see much in modern films.  Their style wouldn't really suit modern film, to be fair, but there's something so refreshing about it that I wish it was more common today.


Final Thought:  At the time of writing this, The Bandwagon is available on DVD in Australia, but, despite my searching, I can't find ANY of the Astaire/Rogers catalogue.  They were released on VHS when I was a kid, but I don't understand why I can't get them anywhere today on DVD.  It's beyond frustrating.

Up Next:  Basil, The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

Bambi (1942)

 Within in the first five minutes of this film, I was struck by how gentle it is.  I can't think of a better word for it.  This film is gentle.  This feeling stays throughout, even in the dramatic moments, because the protagonist is a shy creature and it wouldn't suit his story to present it in another way.

This was yet another Disney movie that I didn't see while young.  So many people say that they were shocked and devastated when Bambi's mother meets her fate, but I already knew of her demise before I saw the film for the first time.  As a result, I almost feel like I'm missing an essential part of what it is to watch Bambi, because her death wasn't a shock to me.  For such a thing to happen in what is mostly such a peaceful film was quite traumatic for many viewers, I believe.

Although I didn't watch the film as a child, I once again must have somehow got my hands on it's related picture book, because I sure did know that I liked Thumper.  I was actually thrilled on watching the movie for the first time to discover that Thumper's character is even more charming than I'd imagined.

The presence of man as an ever present but never seen threat is disturbing, and apparently didn't sit well with audiences in the original theatrical release.  We're shown the idyll of Bambi's world, and then pretty bluntly told that humans constantly threaten to destroy it.  In the current age this is more acceptable, with more people environmentally aware, but back then it would have been pretty confronting.  In fact it's now common for hunters to be portrayed as villains, whereas back then it was quite a commercial risk to make such a connection. 

Final Thought: I really love when animators take care to accurately portray the movement of animals.

Up Next:  The Bandwagon (1953)