#just thinking about Them doing the credits montage....... running home together and doing a silly little dance........

[asterdeer]

i'm fixating on spy x family which means using it for au fodder for my own stories and i'm soooo unwell thinking about a wdnftp au where loreleaf is anya. like, i want the parental figures to be doli + tomi but i can't imagine them meeting that late in life, tomi has to be there already somewhere. doli & stormy might be good too but again, i think it works better if stormy is still his found sister. so...... really the best fit for yor is jademoon?? who canonically hates doli lin's guts. but in this au they can just be vaguely antagonistic parental rivals who still bond over parenting their weird little kid who is still psychic but also sometimes just sets things on fire with his mind. in this au i think jademoon has to be like an underworld doctor not an assassin which is slightly less cool but i think she can pull it off and she can still teach loreleaf how to punch

[review-that-film]

Singin’ in the Rain Review - Spoilers

Singin’ in the Rain is without a doubt my favourite musical. From the first time my parents put it on I was hooked – the warm characters, great songs and outstanding choreography are what makes this film one of the greats of all time. It’s had me singing and dancing every time I watch it, which to be fair is quite an easy thing for a film to do, but none do it quite in the style that is Singin’ in the Rain.

Singin’ in the Rain is set during the Golden Age of cinema. We see the transition from silent film to the talkies and how a film company copes with the new technology. It is nicely incorporated into the dialogue when the cast are first introduced to the concept of a talking picture, how very few thought it would catch on. This was true for those times, Warner Bros being the first company to take the opportunity to use this new technology and release The Jazz Singer. With that we haven’t looked back since. This 1950’s film lives up to the glitz and glamor of that time brilliantly, with lovely, accurate costumes that make you think twice about which era this film was made in. I particularly like how they showed the era in a comedic way. This is a musical, comedy and romance film.

Our film’s leading trio are a great combination of characters. We have Don, a successful silent movie star who thinks, at the beginning, a little too much of himself. Gene Kelly was a fantastic choice for the role and I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing our hero. Not only did Gene act in the film, but he co-directed and co-choreographed it brilliantly. Next we have Don’s childhood best friend, Cosmo. Cosmo is a very talented musician and we can see from the outset that they have the sort of friendship everyone wishes they had. They have been through everything together and even with Don’s rise to fame their friendship has endured. Donald O’Connor’s comedic timing is superb and I always find myself waiting for his next great comment, which after countless times of watching this film, I still find very funny. Last, but not least, we have the lovely Debbie Reynolds who plays Kathy, our heroine. She is an aspiring actress who can sing and dance. We aren’t introduced to her until a little bit into the film but when we do we can tell she is a strong person who isn’t going to be swept up into the craze about Don. Our trio were truly very talented and play their roles brilliantly, with Donald and Debbie holding their own against the fantastic Gene Kelly. Interactions between these three characters are always great and their rendition of “Good Mornin’” is fantastic. I only wish I was that cheerful at one in the morning!

At the beginning of the film we get a glimpse at the start of the fanatics and stardom culture. It is interesting to see how little we have changed since the 1920s in that respect. We still read tabloids documenting what our favourite celebrities are doing, wearing and saying. There are still huge crowds of screaming fans when big movie stars walk down the red carpet. What is also interesting, what with how easy it is to find information these days, is how oblivious we all still are about the people who work behind the scenes and make the films we love possible. This is shown when Cosmo arrives, the composer for the films, and he is greeted by confused stares.

When Don and Lina, the leading lady of all the silent movies, arrive, they are greeted by cheering fans. The montage of Don reminiscing about how he got to the position he is in is very funny. We get to see what Don and Cosmo did to arrive in LA and get involved in the film industry. The voice over with Don explaining a completely different scenario is great, especially when he keeps re-enforcing his motto of dignity whist he participates in shows that don’t show much dignity for the wanna-be movie star.

We are introduced to Lina but after a while start to wonder why we haven’t heard her talk. As Don keeps interrupting her just as she’s about to speak, it only increases our confusion, and then we hear her and realise why Don has done what he has. Lina (Jean Hagen) is initially portrayed as a ditzy movie star who doesn’t understand what’s going on, she is just enjoying the fame and the love of her fans. We later realise that she is a lot more cunning and prepared to play dirty when she gets Kathy fired and plots to ruin her career as a film star.

It’s about time that I get to the most important parts of this film – the singing and dancing. The songs are up lifting and always bring a smile to my face. Those that are more emotional convey that feeling well but the real triumph are the songs that get you wanting to dance. The only thing that could be annoying about this film is how amazing the dancing is – we can never compete when re-enacting the complex routines at home! Some of the dancing Gene and Donald do is phenomenal, they seem to be floating, not touching the floor, with that grace that dancers have. The dancing works well with all the songs, the majority of which have an instrumental allowing us to fully appreciate this brilliant dancing.

It is very hard for me to pick my favourite song in this film. I always look forward to Donald O’Connor’s “Make ‘Em Laugh”, with great choreography and silly slap stick moments that always bring a smile to my face. I can definitely say that this song has the intended effect of making me laugh. “Good Mornin’” is a fun song and the only one that our trio sing together. The use of the furniture as their dance floor is entertaining and the timing between them is amazing. However, if I had to pick one sequence to watch it would have to be the title song. “Singin’ in the Rain” is amazing. It showcases Gene Kelly’s brilliant dancing and wonderful singing voice, and to think that Gene filmed this while ill with a high temperature just shows what a talent he had. The song is fantastic and makes you want to get up to sing and dance. It’s a very heart warming and uplifting song that stands the test of time.

What is so nice about this film is that they didn’t go down the path that so many films nowadays do. When our hero falls in love it doesn’t cause a rift between the two best friends, their relationship continues on as it always has. This feels more realistic and is one of the things that gives this film such a heart-warming atmosphere. 

The only part of the film I’m not particularly a fan of is the sequence when Don is explaining the beginning of their re-make to create “The Dancing Cavalier”. I don’t think it should have had such a long segment in the film as it doesn’t really make that much sense besides a way to showcase more of Gene’s dancing. However, the dancing is great and the costumes fantastic. Cyd Charisse’s dancing is amazing, partnering Gene Kelly excellently. Since her career rested upon her dancing abilities, she insured her legs for $1 million. Gene Kelly brought her in to partner him in this dance number since it was very complex and Debbie Reynolds hadn’t had any dancing training. My appreciation for what an impressive job Debbie Reynolds did with the dancing in this film was greatly increased on hearing this. 

Singin’ in the Rain has one of the best downfalls for our film’s villain Lina. After taking all the credit for the singing in their new film, which was done by Kathy, and ensuring that Kathy will have to always be her voice in the talkies, she insists on talking to the audience as her victory lap. The audience are confused by the difference in her voice when she actually speaks and they request her to sing for them. Don, Cosmo and Mr Simpson (their agent) come up with a clever plan, they get Kathy to sing behind the curtain on stage whilst Lina mimes in front of the audience. As the viewer we take Kathy’s side, as we are just as outraged as her that they would give-in to Lina. We then get Kathy’s rendition of Singin’ in the Rain. Whilst the performance is happening, the three men are smiling and looking very proud of themselves, which is a bit confusing up until they start pulling the rope that opens the curtain revealing Kathy to the audience. It is a relief to learn that Don and Cosmo haven’t turned their backs on Kathy but have devised a plan for Lina’s downfall. A confused Kathy continues to sing whilst the audience are in fits of laughter and Lina is oblivious. We’re all just waiting for Lina to realise and it comes in a great way. Cosmo runs on stage, pushes Kathy away from the microphone and starts to sing. The shock on Lina’s face is hilarious and the perfect end.

Singin’ in the Rain is a timeless classic that the whole family will enjoy. The music is great, there is amazing dancing and a heart warming story line. For me it is one of those films that I can watch over and over again and still enjoy it as though it is my first time watching it. I would recommend everyone to watch it, even if you’re not a fan of musicals, it may just change your mind.