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Could they make Bugsy Malone nowadays?

Started by kalowski, April 30, 2020, 09:10:36 PM

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kittens

must have big fingers to get them caught in a well. or a small well i suppose.

Noodle Lizard

When I was a child, I wanted to convert to Judaism because my favorite character (Knuckles, one of Fat Sam's henchmen) casually mentions he's Jewish at one point.

Bad Guys is a club banger still: https://youtu.be/Rsi2FeRxG0A

non capisco

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that I don't think a film where underage girls are dressed as prostitutes slinking about and singing "No one south of heaven's gonna treat you finer/Tallulah had her training in North Carolina" would get made today. Call me mad and drum me of the forum for my infuriatingly right-on opinions if you must but I'm afraid that is my view. I'd hazard a guess that if it was remade today they'd probably tone that sort of thing down a bit, if not excise it completely.

greenman

History has been kinder to Angel Heart, these days people shake there head at the idea Lisa Bonet was ever on the Cosby Show

bomb_dog

I never understood how a splurge gun killed Knuckles yet the rest of the cast survive the big splurge fight at the end.

Icehaven

Like a few others here I absolutely love this film but otherwise generally can't stand musicals. I've seen it many times over the years since first seeing it on TV in the 80s when I was probably about 9 or 10, the last time being only a few years ago and I still enjoy it just as much now (although like a lot of 80s/childhood films if I'd never seen it as a child I probably wouldn't like it so much.)
I don't think it'd get made the same way now, if there was a (totally redundant imo) remake a few things would be changed or abandoned completely but that's not to say that's justified, we just live in a far more wary world. I was more confused by why being splatted with cream killed you than by Tallulah, although even now I don't get the "...had her training in North Carolina" line, is North Carolina where you go to learn how to please men or something?

My school did a production of it and my best friend's big sister played Tallulah, which in hindsight was an interesting choice by the teachers as she did have what used to be called a reputation. Didn't even occur to us as 13/14 year olds though.

Ambient Sheep

Quote from: Rizla on May 01, 2020, 07:51:47 PMAnyone seen the earlier film Alan Parker wrote, Melody?

Yes.

I first saw it on the Beeb as a kid (under its hideous alternate name of S.W.A.L.K.), and loved it.  Genome tells me that that must have been on Sunday 23rd October 1977 at 20:40, as that was its only showing.  I'd've been 12, going on 13, so the same age as the protagonists, which probably helped.

Talking Pictures TV has showed it a few times over the last couple of years and I caught one of the showings.  It was difficult to assess it honestly as I was overwhelmed by nostalgia at the sights and sounds of a 70s childhood London long gone.

As best as I can judge, it's a sweet film with its heart in the right place, but I suspect elements of it might be seen as problematic nowadays.  The wildly-underage kids who are in love seem to be in love in a very innocent soft-focus way; there's not much, if any, sexualisation there.  But I can imagine that some people wouldn't see it like that.

Anyway, the good news is that you can judge for yourselves.  I just checked and, as luck would have it, Talking Pictures are showing it again on Wed 13th May at 18:50.  Might be interesting to have a thread on it when the time comes.

By the way, I was fascinated to learn on my rewatch that it was directed by Waris Hussein, only his third feature film.  (For those who don't know, he directed the first ever Doctor Who story.  His first feature film was A Touch of Love, also shown on TPTV recently; I recorded it, must get round to watching it.)

Not only that, but it was the first feature film produced by David "Chariots of Fire" Puttnam.  So it's kinda surprising it's not better known.




As for Bugsy Malone, I've never seen it.  Have had the paperback tie-in book[nb]Which interestingly the Wikipedia article doesn't mention.  It had photos in it an' everyfing.[/nb] since the film first came out, and loved it, re-read it several times, but have never seen the film.

I was another one who was confused about whether kids who got splurged were actually dead, or just "out of the game", and if they WERE dead, then how on earth did that happen... so yeah the book doesn't clarify that in any way.

I also had no idea it was a musical until a few years ago when I saw it mentioned as such; I don't think the book gives any clue about that.

I picked up the DVD in a charity shop last year but haven't got round to watching it.  I guess I should... will be interesting to compare it to Melody in terms of alleged sexualisation or otherwise.

Replies From View

Quote from: bomb_dog on May 03, 2020, 09:34:32 AM
I never understood how a splurge gun killed Knuckles yet the rest of the cast survive the big splurge fight at the end.

oh they didn't



radiation poisoning is a slow burner

Replies From View

I always loved the whole splurge gun business with cream killing people and then everyone just going bonkers with cream at the end. 

Highlighted the sense that they are all just playing, and the last scene is a kind of catharsis where they are all just kids making an enormous mess.

A bit like the end of Monty Python's Holy Grail film where the reality is suddenly shown.

SteveDave

Quote from: Ambient Sheep on May 03, 2020, 06:21:17 PM
As for Bugsy Malone, I've never seen it.  Have had the paperback tie-in book[nb]Which interestingly the Wikipedia article doesn't mention.  It had photos in it an' everyfing.[/nb] since the film first came out, and loved it, re-read it several times, but have never seen the film.

Of all the weird things I've read on this site, this is the weirdest.

I used to think they had all died from custard and gone to heaven at the end, except for Bugsy and Blousey.

Dewt

Quote from: Ambient Sheep on May 03, 2020, 06:21:17 PM
As for Bugsy Malone, I've never seen it.  Have had the paperback tie-in book[nb]Which interestingly the Wikipedia article doesn't mention.  It had photos in it an' everyfing.[/nb] since the film first came out, and loved it, re-read it several times, but have never seen the film.


Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Ambient Sheep on May 06, 2020, 12:54:35 AM
Why do I post here any more?

Because 99% of us really enjoy your posts, I know there's a 1% who are dicks but I just ignore them (and Dewt's normally a decent sort, so I think that's just a misguided attempt at humour).

Also: Was this the version you had?



As if so I had it too, and really liked it.

Ambient Sheep

Thanks, that's very kind of you, and sorry.

I guess it was the fact that not just one, but two people ignored everything else I'd written, just to pick me up on that one paragraph and then take the piss out of me for it.

In the old days (and in the light of day) not an issue, but I've had a few bad experiences around here and on a related website recently, and it didn't help that my blood sugar was low at that point last night.


Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on May 06, 2020, 10:38:56 AMAlso: Was this the version you had?



As if so I had it too, and really liked it.

Yes, that's the one.  Got it from Scholastic books (the people who sold books cheap to kids through schools).  So much for:

Quote from: Ambient Sheep on May 03, 2020, 06:21:17 PMI also had no idea it was a musical [...]; I don't think the book gives any clue about that.

!!!  Genuinely chuckling at myself here.  Unless of course mine didn't have the flash in the corner, but I'm pretty much sure it did, come to think of it.


Quote from: SteveDave on May 05, 2020, 11:40:45 AMOf all the weird things I've read on this site, this is the weirdest.

Hah, why so?  A little strange, maybe, but the all-time weirdest?!  Weirder than incest in railway-station lifts, abandoned house wank-dens, and biggytitbo?  Okaaayyy...

When I was a kid I wanted to see it, but I must have missed it in the cinema.  It was released on 12th July 1976, apparently, so not only smack-bang in the middle of the hottest summer for years where nobody wanted to go out much, but also two months before I went to big school, where I would have bought the book.  I'd always wondered why our local cinema hadn't picked it up; now I know that they probably had, but before I was aware of it.

It didn't come round on TV until 27/12/1980, by which time I was 16, not 11, and besides, on that date I'd've been at my aunt's with the rest of the family and had even less influence over the TV than usual.

It's been repeated loads of times since though: Xmas 86, July 89, Nov 90, Jan 92, NYD 96, NYE 97, Dec 99, Aug 03, Aug 06... more than any other film I've ever looked up on Genome, so fuck knows why I've never caught it.

Actually, I did once see it coming on (92, 96 or 97 would be my best guesses), I watched the first ten minutes or so, but as soon as they broke into song I turned it off; I wasn't in the mood to watch.

I think -- and this is probably why I've never bothered to download it or watch the 50p charity shop DVD yet -- that subconsciously I don't want to risk ruining my happy childhood memories of the book by watching the film and perhaps not liking it (I'm not a huge fan of musicals, sorry SMBH) or worse still, find myself going "OMG this is Shit For Paedophiles".

Anyway, seems like I'll finally be watching it soon...

Ambient Sheep

Quote from: Replies From View on May 05, 2020, 11:34:03 AM
I always loved the whole splurge gun business with cream killing people and then everyone just going bonkers with cream at the end. 

Highlighted the sense that they are all just playing, and the last scene is a kind of catharsis where they are all just kids making an enormous mess.

A bit like the end of Monty Python's Holy Grail film where the reality is suddenly shown.

Just wanted to say that this sounds like a great explanation of the whole "is being splurged fatal?" thing.  Thanks.

Catalogue Trousers

QuoteI used to think they had all died from custard and gone to heaven at the end, except for Bugsy and Blousey.

Yeah. That's the theory that hit me a year or two back. Hence those decidedly spooky piano chords from Razzmatazz which start the final number - he's the first to realise that he's dead. After which, so do the rest of the cast - note the past tense 'we could have been anything that we wanted to be'. Leaving Bugsy and Blousey as sort-of angels of death, smiling approvingly at the posthumous reconciliation and knees-up, before leaving quietly, their job done. I seem to recall that the stage play version ends with the pretty clear implication that they're all dead as well, in an even more melancholy way.

Or maybe I'm just over-analysing an enjoyable little family film which just makes up the rules as it goes along.


Abnormal Palm

This thread is all I've ever wanted from this website.

Puce Moment

Quote from: Ambient Sheep on May 06, 2020, 04:35:01 PM
Thanks, that's very kind of you, and sorry.

I guess it was the fact that not just one, but two people ignored everything else I'd written, just to pick me up on that one paragraph and then take the piss out of me for it.

In the old days (and in the light of day) not an issue, but I've had a few bad experiences around here and on a related website recently, and it didn't help that my blood sugar was low at that point last night.

I can't speak for everyone, but I am a semi-lurker on many threads, and often I just don't know what to reply. I know the karma system was a headache for the mods, but it was a useful way for introverts like me to show appreciation. Just assume that if a good post only gets a couple of snarky replies, there are probably 20 more who read it and got something useful from it.


kalowski


Brundle-Fly

Fuck the perverts. Just watched this again tonight. Skill.

Brundle-Fly


Dex Sawash

Want to watch this but need to see if Mad magazine did a version and read that first.

kalowski

We have an occasional thing in our house where the kids choose a song to listen to or watch before bed. Last night my son chose "My name is Tallulah" because it is 'catchy' but I think I'm seeing the first stirrings in his loins for the young Jodie Foster.


28 he is etc...

Lisa Jesusandmarychain

#55
Quote from: Dex Sawash on May 08, 2020, 04:18:55 AM
Want to watch this but need to see if Mad magazine did a version and read that first.

Nah, they didn't. Cracked mazagine probably did though, and retitled it " Bugzy Maloon" , or something. If Mad Magazine had done it, it would have been quite a classy affair, with song parodies by Frank Jacobs, and dependable caricatures from Mort Drucker. Fuck knows what they would have called it, though.

Glitch King

Quote from: Lisa Jesusandmarychain on May 08, 2020, 11:10:10 AM
Nah, they didn't. Cracked mazagine probably did though, and retitled it " Bugzy Maloon" , or something. If Mad Magazine had done it, it would have been quite a classy affair, with song parodies by Frank Jacobs, and dependable caricatures from Mort Drucker. Fuck knows what they would have called it, though.

Yeah it would have been shit
                          Glitch King!

sutin

We were shown this several times at primary school in late '80s/early '90s, and I was convinced I imagined it for 15-20 years.

Ambient Sheep

Just a reminder that if anyone would like to check out another Alan Parker film with kids at the forefront, then, as earlier discussed:

Quote from: Ambient Sheep on May 03, 2020, 06:21:17 PM
Quote from: Rizla on May 01, 2020, 07:51:47 PMAnyone seen the earlier film Alan Parker wrote, Melody?

Yes.
::
::
Talking Pictures are showing it again on Wed 13th May at 18:50.  Might be interesting to have a thread on it when the time comes.

By the way, I was fascinated to learn on my rewatch that it was directed by Waris Hussein, only his third feature film.  (For those who don't know, he directed the first ever Doctor Who story.  His first feature film was A Touch of Love.)

Not only that, but it was the first feature film produced by David "Chariots of Fire" Puttnam.  So it's kinda surprising it's not better known.