Ray of Light

Ray of Light could be very accurately described as the favorite Madonna of all who hate Madonna, though it should be shocking that people who hate The Queen exist, their existence is an unfortunate reality.

Ray of Light is the least Madonna of all her albums, released just after the birth of her first child and after her conversion of kabbalah, the album brought electronica into the mainstream, and was her first album made entirely without using a single instrument.

The album was also recorded shortly after the completion of Evita, so her voice was at its peak given all the vocal work she did for that film.

The album is also refreshingly uncommercial, it features a song sung entirely in Sanskrit, something very few mainstream pop artists would be able to pull off.

The album begins on a strong if slightly ponderous note, Drowned World/Substitute for Love finds Madonna contemplating fame and everything she has sacrificed. Before launching into Skin and the album's’ title track. The album really finds its rhythm around the middle, with Nothing Really Matters and Frozen being album highlights.

Ray of Light is more of a concept album than a conventional LP, rather than being simply a collection of songs, Ray of Light is truly a record in the truest sense, it feels cohesive and complete, there is a sense of flow and it is a wholly defined piece of art.

The album has a unique sound, and shows Madonna at her most experimental, experimenting with electronica and synthesizers for the first time, the album is soothing and sort of sounds like one is listening to it underwater, everything is softer and slightly more muffled.

Ray of Light is a deeply progressive record and the influences of it are still being heard today, it kickstarted the record industry to embrace electronic music, and it freed mainstream artists from needing to conform to a certain sound, Madonna herself would do well to take her own advice today.

Ray of Light is a hugely thrilling album, and is one that even those most loathing of Madonna will enjoy, it is progressive, original and unique, and it is proof that pop start needn't make generic, conventional records. Ray of Light stands out as not only the best Madonna album, but as one of the greatest pop records of all time.

Ultraviolence - Lana Del Rey

What was instantly apparent from Del Rey's third full length album, and her second under her current moniker was how her sound had evolved from 2011's Born to Die. The album, whilst not a massive revolution or departure is certainly a progression. The sound is similarly dark and cinematic, but the sound is more subtle, and less starkly different from the rest of the current pop landscape.

Also evolved is Del Rey's songwriting, which has matured and developed and is now less cliched, stronger and more assured.

My opinions when I first heard 2011's Born to Die are quite different from my opinions now, at first I found it dull and bland, and it was only after listening to it for a few week that I became hooked. Ultraviolence is an entirely different animal, catchier and more gripping.

The opening tracks on the album include the title track, a harrowing melody which caused controversy upon its release last year for allegedly romanticizing domestic violence (I can't honestly see why anyone would expect anything less from a woman who described dying young as glamorous) and Shades of Cool, one of the album's highlights.

Ultraviolence is the of few albums which improve as they progress, there is often an unfortunate tendency to frontload albums with the best songs and then to fill up behind with filler, Ultraviolence thankfully doesn't go down this route, and Money Power Glory and Old Money are definite highlights from the second half of the album.

Ultraviolence is a highly solid sophomoric effort, and is an interesting maturation of Del Rey's sound, whilst she doesn't do anything particularly new with this album, it is an entirely polished LP, and shows Del Rey's talent both as a singer, and as a songwriter.

The Many Faces of Edna Turnblad

I have some rather exciting personal news, i have been selected to play Edna Turnblad in the university production of Hairspray. While this news is hugely exciting, i do have some especially large shoes to fill, as this is a role that has been played by many legends, including, but not limited to, John Travolta and Harvey Fierstein.

John Travolta as Edna

The role was played by Divine in the original 1988 film directed by John Waters. The character is different from other interpretations of the role, and is, believe it or not, less camp than other iterations. Divine is a legend, and this in addition to being one of his final performances, was one of his best, and hugely influenced the other actors on this list. Divine's performance is what started the tradition of having each subsequent version of Edna played by a man in drag.

The second performer to take over the role was Harvey Fierstein, who was the original Edna on Broadway, and who won a Tony for his efforts. Vocally Fierstein is more gravelly than subsequent versions of the character, however he successfully took elements of Divines performance, especially his appearance, and then added other things, making the character more camp and lighter.
The third high profile performance, and the one most memorable to you readers was that of John Travolta in the 2007 film adaptation of the musical. Travolta's interpretation of the character was wildly different from either that came before it, and yet in a strange way it also pays homage to both the actors who came before him, the character is somehow even lighter than either Devine or Fierstein, and Edna is jolly, loving and full of life, she is somehow light, as if she imagines that she only weighs 40 kilos.

Divine as Edna

I have some pretty big shoes to fill, and each of these actors brought something different to the role of the voluptuous jolly Edna Turnblad.

Queer Prizefight: Rocky Horror Vs Priscilla Queen of the Desert

This is a rather personal edition of Prizefights, as these are two of my favorite movies, a psychologist would probably tell me that this is a disturbing fact, but these were two of the films that i first felt defined me, the films that made me know who i wanted to be, and what i aspired to. I saw Rocky Horror first, and it gave me a sense of self and a sense of belonging. Next i saw Priscilla, and again the pop culture references and liberal sprinklings of ABBA music were just my thing, and i have mow seen it in excess of fifty times, these films are two of the most personal to me and to others.

 Both The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert are hugely important films in the history of gay culture, when Rocky Horror was first released, it became a cultural phenomenon, it was denied a regular theatrical release, and so it became a midnight movie, shown after hours to groups of misfits soon amassing a huge gay following. The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert was released in 1994, and while Rocky Horror introduced fringe themes to the mainstream gay community, Priscilla introduced the gay community to wider straight audiences. While these films are not exactly the same, they are both films that are hugely beloved, and while i see that it may be impossible to choose between them, i will attempt to analyze them based on their following, music and costume design.

Both films have dedicated fanbases, though fortunately neither gives their followings punny names. The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert has a much larger and much more mainstream fanbase, the music of the film is well known, and the soundtrack was commercially successful, the songs in the film are of particular interest to the gay community, but are also well known universally. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is an original musical, featuring songs written by Richard O'Brien. The Rocky Horror Show started out as a musical, played on the west end with much of the same cast before being adapted to film. The adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert was later adapted to a musical which premiered in Australia before moving to the west end and Broadway. Both shows were hugely successful, and both continue to show to this day.

Both also have fantastic costume design, being gay movies though, this is superfluous information. The costume design of Rocky Horror is now iconic as it has been replicated by fans for the last forty years, the character of Frank-N-Furter is a transvestite, and thus wears an outfit consisting of lingerie, heels and a black velvet cape. Riff Raff and Magenta dress as a typical butler and maid, and Columbia wears a delightfully effervescent covered in gold sequins, also imitated is the heavy make up that Frank wears, which has also been reproduced by fans. The costumes of Priscilla are also typically overstated, as only a film about a group of drag queens could be, the costumes are larger than life and over the top, and the film is like a typical drag show on GHB.

Both Rocky Horror and Priscilla are fantastic films, both have great music and an absurd sense of fun. It is emotionally impossible for me to choose between these films, i love them both too much, they are both a part of me and I don't think it is possible to say that one is better than the other. Both are great cult classics, and both deserve a unique place in cinematic history.

Five Favorite Male Performances In Musicals

In the interests of gender equality and to complete the post I wrote previously, I decided to write a companion post featuring the best male performances in musicals. I found this list far more difficult to write than the previous post, and I found in retrospect, that far more musicals are female orientated, and that few movie musicals feature strong male performances.

• ·        Antonio Banderas as Ché in Evita

I adore this film, and it is one of my favorite movie musicals, Antonio Banderas is equally as fantastic as Madonna is this picture, his role is in someways more difficult than hers, Banderas has to play a character with only one name, no past, no future and no backstory, he succeeds in crafting an omnipresent narrator who is magnetically enthralling despite his lack of character development. His character is also never properly explained, as he never actually talks to Evita, ans it is unclear if he is a real person, or a figment of her consciousness. Nonetheless, Antonio Banderas shines in this engaging movie musicals.

• ·        Gerard Butler as The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera

Like Banderas, Gerard Butler is not a trained singer, but his performance as the mysterious benefactor living in the catacombs beneath the opera house is magnetic and mesmerizing, again, Butler plays a man with no name and who only shows half of his face. Looking at Gerard Butler’s filmography, Phantom is a highly odd addition, but he truly is fantastic in the title role, and his incarnation of the Phantom is the best to date, even outshining Michael Crawford’s now iconic performance in the original production. Despite not being a trained singer, Gerard Butler’s voice is crisp and clear, and his rendition of Music of the Night is outstanding.

• ·        Jim Broadbent as Harold Zidler in Moulin Rouge

Jim Broadbent is truly one of my favorite actors, few other thespians have such a consistent or varied filmography. From his star turn in Iris to his performance in Cloud Atlas, Broadbent has consistently show his acting chops to be honed and refined. In Moulin Rouge Broadbent plays Harold Zidler, the owner and manager of scandalous and salacious Parisian nightclub the Moulin Rouge. Broadbent seems able to walk a knife’s edge between gaiety and gravity, from his performance as the morbidly obese jet jolly nightclub owner front of house, to his grappling with the death of his little sparrow and the threat of violence from The Duke, Broadbent’s multi-faceted performance is entertaining without being superficial, and his singing is surprisingly good.

• ·       Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood in Singing in the Rain

The fact that Kelly had a hundred degree fever whilst shooting his iconic dance sequence in this film makes it all the more impressive. Kelley merits a place on this list because of one scene alone, and his dancing in this film is stunning and iconic. Singing in the Rain is a great film, and sparked a new era of color and light for movie musicals, launching the golden age of musicals, Singing in the Rain is a testament to Kelly’s talent as an actor, a singer and a dancer, a true triple treat.

• ·        Tim Curry as Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show

I simply adore this film, it is one of my favorites, and much of this is because of Tim Curry’s now iconic performance as Frank-N-Furter, everything in this performance works, from the insane crazed make-up and the chunky string of perls, to the british accent and slight aristocratic drawl. Successfully being able to walk in heels is impressive enough, and Tim Curry gives a truly gonzo performance in this quirky musical. After originating the role in the West-End, Curry felt no need to tone down his performance for the cameras, and his fourth wall breaking bravura acting is one of the main reasons to watch this film.

Five Favorite Female Performances in Musicals

Again, an oddly precise list, however i simply adore musicals, and many of my favorites seem to be female led, about a year ago i did a list of my seven favorite musicals (here). You will see that most of the films on the list have female leads, and continuing my Five Favorites series, i decided to list my five favorite female performances in movie musicals.

• Nicole Kidman as Satine in Moulin Rouge

Oscar nominated, Kidman's performance in this film is often unfairly overlooked, but Kidman is perfect in this role as the effervescent, sexy and sensual nightclub singer and courtesan, she manages to be fragile and honest, as well as being the powerful and manipulative femme fatale. Kidman also has a fantastic singing voice, and the soundtrack of this movie is one of my favorites. Her performance during the reprise of Come What May is particularly spectacular, and the pain in her voice is all too apparent.

• Julie Andrews as Mary in Mary Poppins

 One of the earliest modern musicals, Mary Poppins set a stunningly high bar for movie musicals in the century that followed, Julie Andrews is so ideally suited to the role of Mary Poppins that it would be utterly inconceivable to imagine anyone else playing her on screen, Andrews imbues the role with grace and class, and her voice is crisp and elegant. Andrews' performance is so iconic that it influenced performances not only in musicals but other cinematic nannies for years to come, and Mary Poppins became instantly the quintessential English nanny for audiences across the globe.

• Jennifer Hudson as Effie White in Dreamgirls

 I love this movie, and Hudson's performance is one of the reasons why i adore this film so, vocally Hudson is an incredibly strong vocalist, and her performance in this film is entirely believable, her arc in this film is incredibly sad and full of pain, and Hudson's acting chops are unbelievable for someone who was discovered on American Idol. She deservedly won the Oscar for her performance in Dreamgirls, and her rendition of And I Am Telling You cements her place as one of the best female vocalists since Aretha Franklin.

• Catherine Zeta Jones as Velma Kelly in Chicago

 Although a supporting performance, Jones performance in Chicago is one of the best things about this film, despite Catherine Zeta Jones not being the best vocalist in Hollywood or even in this film, her performance succeeds due to her managing to craft a believable personality from this vaudevillian sex kitten Velma Kelly, her performance is delightfully catty, and she is unbelievably cool in the role. So despite not being the greatest vocalist, somehow Catherine Zeta Jones is the best thing about Chicago.

• Madonna as Eva Peron in Evita

How could i not? Yes, I am a huge fan of Madonna, and yes that probably makes me biased, but Madonna is simply astounding as Eva Peron, despite being cruelly snubbed an Oscar nomination, her performance in this film remains iconic and transgressive. Watching this film, not as a contemporary, but as a modern viewer, and being such a huge fan of Madonna makes her performance all the more impressive, her performance is chameleonic, and throughout the entire film, i never noticed Madonna once, she became Eva Peron in spirit and in appearance, and as the film contains virtually no speaking whatsoever, her acting is done almost exclusively through expression and song. Madonna's performance is not only one of the greatest in a musical, but one of, if not the best female performances of all time, she is simply astounding, and easily exceeds all expectations.

The MDNA Tour - DVD Review

About a year ago, i reviewed Adele at the Royal Albert Hall, a concert DVD, i think that was probably the latest concert film i had seen, until now. The other night, i settled down for a sketch and a watch of Madonna's latest tour DVD, The MDNA Tour, the tour took place in 2012 and was the highest grossing tour of the year, in addition to becoming the second highest grosing tour ever by a female artist, behind Madonna's Sticky and Sweet Tour from 2008, and higher than The Confessions Tour from 2006. The tour was filmed in Miami in 2012 and was broadcast on Epix.

Despite being majorly filmed at the shows in Miami, the show also uses footage from other shows of the north american leg of the tour, the show was filmed in HD using multiple cameras mounted on the stage, giving the audience the feeling of actually being on stage with Madonna. The editing between the multiple shows is seamless, and there is no break between songs, the show is highly edited using multiple cuts per song, adding to the phrenetic energy of the performance, the DVD is essentially a two hour music video, highly produced and well directed.

Thematically the show is split into four segments, the first, entitled Transgression, deals with themes of violence, religion and sex. The second segment, entitled Prophecy features music that brings people together. The penultimate segment is entitled Masculine/Feminine, features the iconic cone bra and is an exploration of eroticism, masculinity and femininity, nudity and power. The final segment is called Redemption and has an appropriately religious feel, with Madonna taking the role of Pope (of course)

The DVD is highly impressive, particularly for Madonna's performance, at 55 Madge shows no signs of slowing up, her dancing is energetic and entirely on point and her vocals are surprisingly even and strong. What is mostly impressive with this DVD is how brilliantly successful is is as a DVD, many concert tours struggle to find a reason to be filmed, and the MDNA tour needs no reason, the show is energetic, visually stunning and thematically engaging, the tour itself and this DVD is a testament to Madonna's work as a visionary artist and her unique voice in the music industry today. Rating: A+

 Madonna: Fuck Yeah!