Soundies: A Musical History Hosted by Michael Feinstein

Téléfilm
2007
1h 16min

NOTE IMDb

7,4/10

136

MA NOTE

Soundies: A Musical History Hosted by Michael Feinstein (2007)

Documentary

Ajouter une intrigue dans votre langueBefore MTV and the age of television, there were Soundies. First appearing in 1941, these three minute black-and-white films featured artists of the Big Band, Jazz and Swing era, like Duke E... Tout lireBefore MTV and the age of television, there were Soundies. First appearing in 1941, these three minute black-and-white films featured artists of the Big Band, Jazz and Swing era, like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Louis Jordan, Louis Armstrong, Gene Krupa, The Mills Brothers, Les ... Tout lireBefore MTV and the age of television, there were Soundies. First appearing in 1941, these three minute black-and-white films featured artists of the Big Band, Jazz and Swing era, like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Louis Jordan, Louis Armstrong, Gene Krupa, The Mills Brothers, Les Paul, Cab Calloway, and Fats Waller. The Soundies helped launch the careers of Doris Day, ... Tout lire

Réalisation
- Chris Lamson
Scénario
- Chris Lamson
- Jennifer Sneider
Casting principal

Voir les informations de production sur IMDbPro

NOTE IMDb

7,4/10

136

MA NOTE

Réalisation
- Chris Lamson
Scénario
- Chris Lamson
- Jennifer Sneider
Casting principal

Voir les informations de production sur IMDbPro

Anecdotes
The visual jukebox that played these "soundies" was called a Panoram. It was produced by the Mills Novelty Company of Chicago from 1939 to 1947, when television made it practically obsolete. Each unit contained eight black and white 16mm films on a continuous loop, each segment lasting about 2½ to 3 minutes long. One play cost a dime (ten cents), and there was no selector, so the customer had to view whatever the next film was on the loop. The company used RCA projectors and audio equipment. The initial production order by Mills was the largest by a single customer at the time for RCA projectors, amplifiers and speakers and it filled 17 rail cars. Each unit cost a distributor $695, and the customer was charged $1,000. As for content, over 1,800 "soundies" were made from various producers.

The format was revived in the 1960s and '70s with improvements such as color, the ability to select what film one wanted to see, and there were many more films to choose from in each unit. The machines had names like Scopitone, Cinebox, and Color-Sonic. But they had proprietary technologies and sold only a few hundred units each and were not economically successful.

Gaffes
For soundie "Der Fuhrers Face" the closed captioning is off in two places and the humor is lost. 1) Lead singer "is this Nazi land so good, would we leave it if we could?". Rest of singers repeat including "we would leave it if we could". CC have "wouldn't leave it". 2) Lead singer sins in mock German "when we (Nazis) bring to the word dis order" (IOW disorder). CC has "this order".

Citations
Wynton Marsalis: The Soundies is just a film history of musicians and songs and what we felt was important.

Connexions
Features My Lost Horizon (1941)

Avis des utilisateurs4

Commentaire à la une

10/10

Soundies: A Musical History is highly recommend for film and music fans

Singer Michael Feinstein hosts this special about Soundies, three-minute film shorts of the popular songs during the '40s that were played in video jukeboxes called the Panorams. We start with what is called the best of the best: Duke Ellington's "Hot Chocolate" which has various gymnastic-style dances of the Jitterbug. Formed by the Mills Publishing Company in 1940, these music videos of the day takes us through the various big band sounds of Jimmy Dorsey, Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, Gene Krupa, and The King Cole Trio featuring Nat King Cole. Since World War II began soon after, many of the films also showcase the patriotic nature of many of the tunes like "You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith". We also see the earliest film debuts of Doris Day, Yvonne De Carlo, Walter Liberace (best known by only his last name), Mel Blanc (hilarious as a drunk in a Spike Jones Soundie), Dorothy Dandridge (sexy in a jungle outfit), and Cyd Charisse. Wonderful recollections by Kay Starr and Les Paul along with commentary by Wynton Marsalis, Leonard Maltin, Hugh Hefner, and Joe Franklin add to the nostalgic flavor of the whole enterprise. Negative stereotyping involving African-American musicians of the day are also addressed here. Worth seeking out on DVD or PBS for anyone with an interest in musical film history.