LAZY EYE THEATRE

Friday, September 11, 2009

I've never seen Bye Bye Birdie. And thanks to this clip which I saw on Mad Men a week ago, I don't think I ever will. Wait, let me clarify. I know I will never see it.

This really bums me out because I thought Anne Margaret could do no wrong. And yet, here we are.

11 comments:

Ed Howard said...: Man, she's an awful singer and that's an awful song, but as long as she keeps bending over to sing it, I'll keep watching. (Muted, of course.); September 11, 2009 at 7:09:00 AM PDT
Inquiring Camera Girl said...: I went to a high school production of Bye Bye Birdie a few years ago and they played this damn song over, and over, and over again, and I think the singer was even worse than Ann Margaret...; September 11, 2009 at 11:04:00 AM PDT
PIPER said...: Ed,

I'm with you.

Camera Girl,

I sang this damn song over and over after I saw it. And of course, I couldn't attempt to do it justice. I had to screech it out like Ann.

So I feel for you.; September 11, 2009 at 11:05:00 AM PDT
Greg said...: It is an awful song and an annoying musical, which I have seen. However, her breasts performed very well.; September 11, 2009 at 7:58:00 PM PDT
PIPER said...: Greg,

How'd you like that bait and switch? I told you I posted something on DePalma and then this is what you get. A screetching Ann Margaret.

This is why I get paid the big bucks in advertising, my friend.

Actually, I'm posting my piece today because Tony just posted it this morning.; September 12, 2009 at 7:48:00 AM PDT
Greg said...: I know this is going to sound weird but the more you watch this thing the better it gets. It's almost addicting.; September 13, 2009 at 6:27:00 PM PDT
PIPER said...: I could watch it all day. I just can't listen to it.

Seriously, was Margaret such a sex pot that they didn't care how she sang?; September 13, 2009 at 7:29:00 PM PDT
Greg said...: She actually sings a lot better than that as witnessed in Tommy but her character in this has that type of voice.; September 14, 2009 at 7:00:00 AM PDT
Kimberly Lindbergs said...: Actually popped over here to check out the If... conversation, but figured I'd chime in here instead.

Bye Bye Birdie is a very funny comedy and biting satire that takes a jab at the frenzied teenage idol worship surrounding Elvis at the time. Highly recommend it myself, but I happen to like early '60s comedies and musicals.

Ann-Margret's character is a parody of 17-18 year-old teenage angst and she's supposed to be over-the-top and not taken all that seriously. You're supposed to laugh at her and with her.

I'm sort of surprised that the obvious comedy of the film seems to fly right over the heads of modern audiences. But if you haven't seen the actual film and are judging it based on this brief clip I guess that's to be expected.

On a side note, the recent Mad Men episode got the actresses age wrong. Ann-Margret and her breasts were only 20-21 when she made Bye-Bye Birdie, not 25 as was suggested on the show.; September 15, 2009 at 8:59:00 PM PDT
PIPER said...: Thanks Kimberly,

As is always the case, if I've openly criticized a movie without seeing it, I'll end up seeing it just so... you know... I'm not a complete moron.

It will be interesting to see this within the context of the film.; September 16, 2009 at 6:05:00 AM PDT
Anonymous said...: In spite of this song her performance in Bye Bye Birdie was great. Just sit back and enjoy all her "Anness"; November 15, 2009 at 5:30:00 PM PST