A number of you threw brickbats at me for sullying the high-art of ballet. To all of you, I virtually moon you.
Speaking of absurdities that pass for art, I also watched some time earlier a movie - nay, a musical - by the name of Les Miserables, whose pronunciation remains a mystery to me to this day.
No doubt this was a masterpiece by Victor Hugo, and I am certain it makes for gripping prose. But the minute it transcended into the musical genre, it went Twilight Zone.
Sure the acting was great, and the gaunt Hugh Jackman laid the male audience's insecurities to rest - at least initially, when he was gaunt. Russell Crowe played himself, i.e. a douchebag asshole. Anne Hathaway did some convincing numbers.
But why must they carry to absurd lengths the setting of everything to a tune? Yes, there are some nice songs - reasonable lyrics set to good music. But why, oh why, must even the quotidian banalities be sung? Can't Cosette simply call Jean "papa" instead of singing even those two syllables? I'm sure even Beethoven took breaks from composing.
But wait, anticipating the next round of brickbats, I do grant that I am being too harsh here. On second thought, I do realize the potential for immense daily pleasure this approach to life can offer.
Scene one: a ho-hum dinner in a middle-class 4-room HDB apartment. Imagine the following exchange, both lines sung to "So long, farewell" from the Sound of Music:
Ah Boy: Mama! Mama! I want to go and play-ay!
Mother: Sit down, shut up and eat your bah kut teh-eh!!
Father: ***** (fits nicely into "Cuckoo")
Scene two: flight from Singapore to India (any city)
Drunk passenger: AIR-hostess! AIR-hostess! (sung to the opening bars of Bicycle Race by the Queen)
(entire flight thumps on its collective tray)
Drunk passenger again: I want to have vis-KEE-so-da, I want to have it when I like! (sung to the mellow second line of the same song)
And when you see me next, please call me "Caustic Yoda" (sung to the tune of "Call me maybe"). Don't be shy, numbers welcome.
3 comments:
Dear CY,
After all these months, what a pleasant surprise. I recommend you try Mary Poppins next. I'd love to see what you come up with. Especially the "supercallifragalisticexpi....". Or better yet, that Celine Dion song you so love from the Titanic.
And stop correcting my grammar!
Best,
Ltps
Dear CY,
RESPECT! You survived Les Miserables.
I tried watching Les Miserables on a flight and wanted to poke my ears out when Russel Crowe decided to sing. It was horrifying.
But to be fair, its more fun watching it on Broadway (or in my case- the Indoor Stadium when it came to Singapore in the 90s).
The book wasn't any great shakes either. I had to read it to 'prove' a point to the family intelligensia, but I found it overwrought and trite.
Maybe a lot was lost in the translation.
~div
Are you guys kidding? I loved the plot, I loved the score, I loved the sense of drama! Maybe it was all the singing?! Broken dreams, unrequited love, sacrifice, passion and all interlinked?
Damn, now I want to watch it again. Watch it with me once the exams are done CY?
Ltps.
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