Tip jar

If you like CaB and wish to support it, you can use PayPal or KoFi. Thank you, and I hope you continue to enjoy the site - Neil.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

Support CaB

Recent

Welcome to Cook'd and Bomb'd. Please login or sign up.

March 28, 2024, 02:09:39 PM

Login with username, password and session length

ROCKETMAN (2019) - Elton John Biopic

Started by DukeDeMondo, May 26, 2019, 10:24:12 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

DukeDeMondo

ROCKETMAN

Aw man. Jesus Christ and Hung Judas. 

I saw this yesterday evening and I'm grinning like ten men possessed even yet. Whole face is numb and away down my neck. Absolutely fucking loved it to bits and pieces.

A marvel of a thing. A gift. I fell stinking in love with Taron Egerton as Elton John. I want Stephen Graham's Dick James to get his own spin-off picture. Runs away with the film, nearly, Stephen Graham. Wholly inaccurate, they say, his portrayal of Dick James, way up high up over the top – sometimes puts you in mind of nothing so much as Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder – but it's a phenomenal performance and I laughed my fucking tits up.

Whole thing plays fast and loose with the truth, is the chat. Vindictive sort of enterprise, some would tell you. A lot of old scores being settled or sort of settled. One hundred and twenty odd minutes of pustulating resentment.

"And now, we move on to liars."

That may be the case, but the tinkering with the is and was doesn't grate like it did in Bohemian Rhapsody, with which this will forever be compared, because the contrivances are so ludicrously entertaining (small recompense for the misrepresented and their relatives, I know) and because we're aware from the very first scenes that the verisimilitude of Elton's narration is debatable at best. Make no mistake. Textbook "Unreliable Narrator." The talk that went around a couple years back, about how Tom Hardy would maybe sport the glasses and tiaras in the end, it kind of makes sense now. There's more than a wee bit of Bronson in ROCKETMAN's veins. Bronson, now. The ne plus ultra far as this sort of stuff goes. Definitely you can sense it sometimes. Writhing away beneath the skin of the goings on. And a fair bit of Dexter Fletcher's earlier Sunshine On Leith, too.

I spent the whole film thinking Elton's mum was being played by Sophie Ellis Bexter, just by the by, but of course it isn't Sophie Ellis Bexter, it's Bryce Dallas Howard. Spitting image, but. When they make Murder On The Dancefloor it'll be Bryce Dallas Howard in the lead.

She's brilliant, regardless. Everybody's brilliant. Jamie Bell, don't forget about him. Brilliant. Hugely affecting.

ROCKETMAN. I don't know how much work he did on Bohemian Rhapsody in the end, Dexter Fletcher, but if the answer is "a lot of work," it's not hard to see why that picture ended up so moribund. Clearly he was saving himself for Elton, and maybe even deliberately sabotaging a rival, who knows? Every scene in Bohemian Rhapsody thumps in and out with "Will This Do?" stamped upon its stupid incompetent forehead and scratched onto its palms. By way of contrast, every scene here just fucking explodes across the screen. Explodes with a whole belly full of wit and life and invention and wonder and motion. 

Yes it hits the beats you'd expect it to hit. The montage sequence with the headlines, the audience swelling exponentially and the outfits now wilder and weirder and stranger. The improvising at the piano and then, all a sudden, oh, oh, it's such-and-such! The bloody old drugs, next. Of course there's all of that. Pints of vodka and orange for breakfast.

But there's just such... what? Life, again. Such life in those sequences. In every sequence. Electricity. It feels like Fletcher having as much fun with the conventions and clichés of the genre as he is with Elton's back catalogue. 

And it is funny as fuck, like. Funny as fuck until it isn't, and then it is again. And yes, the musical sequences, of which there are many, are truly wonderful.

The thing is extraordinary.

You'll forgive the scatter-headed character of the forgoing. Can't think straight for love nor...

ROCKETMAN. I loved it down to its gristle.

Has anyone else seen it yet? Were you as surprised and overwhelmed by it as I was? For I was surprised and overwhelmed, alright. I wasn't expecting anything like this from "Elton John Biopic." 

I can't wait to see it again. It's fucking brilliant.


beanheadmcginty

I know less about music than actual deaf people, so was amazed to discover in this film that Bernie Taupin wrote the words first then old Reg put the music to them. My brain is incapable of conceiving how that could possibly work.

mothman

Sometimes it shows. "Sac-er-if-ice," for example. I doubt Huawei will be getting Reg in to promote them anytime soon.

St_Eddie

Quote from: beanheadmcginty on May 27, 2019, 12:25:39 PM
I know less about music than actual deaf people, so was amazed to discover in this film that Bernie Taupin wrote the words first then old Reg put the music to them. My brain is incapable of conceiving how that could possibly work.

Well, I just took your words and composed music to them and I've ended up with a masterpiece.  I can't share the music with you via text, so you'll just have to take my word for it.

DukeDeMondo

Quote from: beanheadmcginty on May 27, 2019, 12:25:39 PM
I know less about music than actual deaf people, so was amazed to discover in this film that Bernie Taupin wrote the words first then old Reg put the music to them. My brain is incapable of conceiving how that could possibly work.

What did you make of the film, beanheadmcginty? Did it delight you as it did me?

popcorn

Quote from: beanheadmcginty on May 27, 2019, 12:25:39 PM
I know less about music than actual deaf people, so was amazed to discover in this film that Bernie Taupin wrote the words first then old Reg put the music to them. My brain is incapable of conceiving how that could possibly work.

I write songs for laughs and getting lyrics to scan properly is one of the hardest things, for me. I'll have pages and pages of bits of lyrics I love but none of them seem to fit. For comparison, here's successful songwriter Elton John singing an oven manual.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Quote from: mothman on May 27, 2019, 01:17:27 PM
Sometimes it shows. "Sac-er-if-ice," for example. I doubt Huawei will be getting Reg in to promote them anytime soon.

True, but Bernie's lyrics and Elton's tunes blend quite smoothly for the most part. As the previous poster says, if you were unaware of their writing process you'd naturally assume they wrote the songs together while in the same room.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to this film. That's a cracking review, Duke, my appetite is thoroughly whetted.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Quote from: popcorn on May 27, 2019, 08:52:26 PM
I write songs for laughs and getting lyrics to scan properly is one of the hardest things, for me. I'll have pages and pages of bits of lyrics I love but none of them seem to fit. For comparison, here's successful songwriter Elton John singing an oven manual.

That's great. It was probably set up beforehand, but it's still quite funny. I like how he decided to perform it in the style of Eric Idle taking the piss out of Noel Coward.

DukeDeMondo

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on May 27, 2019, 10:59:39 PM
Anyway, I'm really looking forward to this film. That's a cracking review, Duke, my appetite is thoroughly whetted.

Thank you, BBB, I'd love to know what you make of it, when you see it.

I didn't say enough about how incredible Taron Egerton is in this. Yes, Fletcher is on fire throughout, but his job is made considerably easier thanks to the presence of his lead. Scenes that on paper might come across as little more than some Musician Biopic Box-Ticking are absolutely spitting and sparkling and crackling with electricity just because Taron Egerton's there. "Compelling" doesn't begin to cover it.

Timothy

Gonna see this on Thursday. Can't wait and your review made me even more curious Duke!

I report back later with a review.

another Mr. Lizard

I thought this might get a traditional CaB kicking but am delighted, on my return from seeing it, to find someone even more enthusiastic about it than I was. Loved it throughout. Even the bits where Dexter films recreations of dull real events are like something out of a mad Ken Russell movie, never mind the frequent flights of fantasy. That Bollywood dance troupe who turn up for twenty seconds! The 'Renata' stuff is over and done with so quickly that it reminded me of that BBC ad where the couple on a date go from first encounter to break-up within half a minute. And yes, Graham steals it as Dick James. (his "don't kill yourself with drugs" line is shot from a different angle in the trailer, which also includes a couple of bits not in the finished movie - fairly standard practice these days). Unexpectedly marvellous, and a fine addition to the roster of great British glam rock cinema.

Stephen Graham as Dick James:

BlodwynPig

Looking forward to the Meatloaf biopic

BlodwynPig

Quote from: another Mr. Lizard on May 28, 2019, 07:17:59 PM
I thought this might get a traditional CaB kicking but am delighted, on my return from seeing it, to find someone even more enthusiastic about it than I was. Loved it throughout. Even the bits where Dexter films recreations of dull real events are like something out of a mad Ken Russell movie, never mind the frequent flights of fantasy. That Bollywood dance troupe who turn up for twenty seconds! The 'Renata' stuff is over and done with so quickly that it reminded me of that BBC ad where the couple on a date go from first encounter to break-up within half a minute. And yes, Graham steals it as Dick James. (his "don't kill yourself with drugs" line is shot from a different angle in the trailer, which also includes a couple of bits not in the finished movie - fairly standard practice these days). Unexpectedly marvellous, and a fine addition to the roster of great British glam rock cinema.

Stephen Graham as Dick James:


Does it feature a scene where Elton is offered a contract by an industry bigwig, a la every other stinking shit musician biopic?


popcorn

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on May 27, 2019, 11:03:40 PM
That's great. It was probably set up beforehand, but it's still quite funny. I like how he decided to perform it in the style of Eric Idle taking the piss out of Noel Coward.

There's another, more recent clip where someone gives him a bit of a novel to sing and he does the same thing, but I can't find it now. It seemed real though.

popcorn

#14
Quote from: mothman on May 27, 2019, 01:17:27 PM
Sometimes it shows. "Sac-er-if-ice," for example.

I think that's actually a great example of getting lyrics to fit a tune. By adding syllables it becomes a memorable hook. A bit like umberella.

Howj Begg

Did anyone do a takeoff called "Saccharine?" "This song is Sacharrine.. " etc. It writes itself. Get Philip Pope on the rotary dial phone

Record label suit behind desk:

"I'm sorry Mr Yates, but the pop-buying public are never going to want your song, that's literally called "Your Song". I mean, put some effort in at least. And have you considered contact lenses?"

Yeah, I really liked it, with the caveat the childhood stuff is a bit of a slog but thankfully over with pretty quickly. The worst musical number comes in the childhood scenes as well. But once Egerton takes over the lead it's insanely fun.

BlodwynPig


MiddleRabbit


Head Gardener

there was a bit of lyric that was changed in one of the songs, in the original song Rocketman he sings "I miss the earth so much, I miss my wife"
but in the film it's changed to "I miss the earth so much, I miss my life" - yes mate you're gay, but was that really necessary?







maett

Could someone that hates every song that Elton John has recorded and who has little interest in his extravagant lifestyle/celebrity friendships still enjoy this?

I'm writing with a serious face.

Head Gardener

possibly, but only if you like Mamma Mia type musicals

DukeDeMondo

Mamma Mia! Christ. It's not remotely like Mamma Mia! They're both films with a lot of songs from the same pop act in. That's the height of it.

I mean I enjoy Mamma Mia! as much as the next person, but come on, now.  ROCKETMAN is like Mamma Mia! the way The Haunting (1963) is "like" The Haunting (1999).

St_Eddie


maett

Quote from: Head Gardener on May 28, 2019, 11:28:39 PM
possibly, but only if you like Mamma Mia type musicals

There's only 3 musicals I like, Oliver! Bugsy Malone and Tommy. So I'll give this a miss.  Cheers though.

Quote from: maett on May 29, 2019, 12:15:31 AM
There's only 3 musicals I like, Oliver! Bugsy Malone and Tommy. So I'll give this a miss.  Cheers though.

In place of Live Aid, the last 35 minutes of Rocketman is an intricate shot-for-shot remake of the filming of Elton John's scene in Tommy.

Dr Rock

I'm not happy about the changing of the lyrics to Rocket Man. Which is called Rocket Man, not Rocketman.

'Let's get out of here Bernie, looks like it's going to kick off. Always happens at the weekends -as if having a scrap the day after friday is somehow permissable'

'Reg/Elton, that gives me a great idea for a song... Ballroom Blitz!


Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Quote from: maett on May 29, 2019, 12:15:31 AM
There's only 3 musicals I like, Oliver! Bugsy Malone and Tommy. So I'll give this a miss.  Cheers though.

Well, as Duke and others have described in some detail, this film appears to have a lot more in common with Ken Russell's Tommy than populist jukebox musicals such as Mamma Mia! (a film I like, incidentally, but it sounds like there's only a superficial similarity between it and Rocketman).

However, if you absolutely hate the music of Elton John then I guess it won't be for you. Personally, I could watch a music biopic about any old fucker just as long as it was entertaining (whether intentionally or not).

By the way, I've just found out that Elton hasn't actually seen the film yet. He read the script and liked it, but the finished article is a mystery to him. I think that's understandable, imagine watching a film based on your life. A horrifying thought.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

I'm talking bollocks, he apparently watched it for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Here be his thoughts.

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2019/may/26/elton-john-in-my-own-words-exclusive-my-life-and-making-rocketman