If you're not familiar with the idiom, "a set of pipes," you're probably not going to get that much from this article. RahrahPancakeEater, another blogger, pointed out the musical talent so many in Hollywood are starting to illustrate and I realized, believe it or not, this is a long, long tradition.
Heh. Another innuendo.
So he and I started the discussion about the need for music talent, not only on the big screen, but for students all over. As Big Government does it's best to gut schools and channel their money into their private coffers, music is usually slashed first and thrown into the trash. Which is sad, because research has illustrated, repeatedly, that, when we look at the brain, there is a truly activate portion of the intelligence that warrants recognition. Now, it varies in degees from person to person-just like visual arts and the ability to interact with others. But it's there, and it's vital.
And it's showing itself in many a performer in Hollywood.
This tradition is born, in part, from the fact that the first talkies meant that words had to be written for the big screen. Playwrights from New York hopped onto a train and headed due west. They brought their performers who had really cut their teeth on the stage-the Broadway star. if you look to a more modern pattern, every school has a school musical. Again, that aspiring performer is going to have to learn to belt out a song and dance. That analogy works for those who look to performing arts in college.
Recently, there has been a spate of performers who really have the skills that could open up a show just off of Times Square. Jake Gyllenhall is wonderful and has done numerous shows, but none them deal with a soft shoe. I'm talking about those men and women like James Cagney, who personified masculinity in a series of gangster titles, but then danced away in Yankee Doodle Dandy. He was classically trained to perform, stage or screen.
And I'm not including Babs Streisand. She's a goddess, to be sure, and, well, cheating. I'm trying to get you to find the beauty in so many voices here and to reconsider these performers and their abilities. So I'm striving for those that don't hit you right away.
Really, I elected to not number these guys. No competition here at all.
Nicole Kidman-With a brief review of her wiki entries, I cannot find any mention of her excelling in the areas of music or musical theater, but the evidence is there. Now, let's be realistic. She's classically trained and one of the few performers that can act AND model. However, her performance in Moulin Rouge! Is dynamic, powerful and, well, lyric. She takes a role we've seen hundreds of times (the hooker with the heart of gold! You'd think it'd be legal by now!) and belted it...herself. I was impressed. Do more singing, my friend! It was awesome!
Neil Patrick Harris-closeted, but liking his acting career, good ole Neil did the right thing. Finishing off Doogie Howser, he slipped, quietly, to the New York stages and honed his skills and persona for public consumption. What ended up happening is he came back, swinging, with all the theatrical wit of Oscar Wilde, while dancing and singing with a top hat. Yes, his approach to the Oscars his past season was a bit restrained, and that was understandable. Movies really hit many audiences in the heart and it's hard to please them. Tony Awards crowds are just as difficult to appease, but they also have a general understanding of the business; Emmy Awards crowds are more personal and you can take a bit of a lighter touch and tone.
In other words, I'm saying-don't use his Oscar stint to judge him. He's fantastic. I've watched him do a reading for Christmaskkah, aka The Christmas Processional, at EPCOT and he was a pro. Off book and covering the crowd. And, yes, when he sings at the Tonys, I'm all ears. He's really got a set of pipes.
(opening number from the Tonys)
Hugh Jackman-jumped onto the stage with Wolverine in 2000. But, secretly, I knew him before that with a massive crush. Yeah, Oklahoma in London which was televised.
Oh. My. Garsh.
The dude was fantastic. Has the body of Harrison Ford, the machoichmo of Arnold, and the voice of an angel. James Cagney was reborn, right there, in front of me. He uses that stage presence to work us in the audience, and, really, it's sad. People seem to only like him being Wolvey. But he got a nomination for Les Mis. And he was incredible. Better? He, too, hosted the Oscars and I give him credit. I really felt like I was watching on of those movie stars from the 40s when he was on the stage. He had that vaudevillin approach that you don't see on the boards these days. Come back! Do the show with Neil!
Gwynth Paltrow-supposedly, she had a hit single with Huey Lewis over in Australia, but, hey, whatevs. I think Gwynth, kinda of like acting royalty (she's the daugther of Blythe Danner, who I truly love-and also has a hefty theater pedigree), has been trained in all the good things that make a stage performer great. She may be terrible at handling the press (I think because of her royal lineage, she's never really had a good reality check), but when she's onscreen, she's fantastic. She turned a one note role as Pepper Potts, a secretary, into a Gal Friday in several movies and then, ultimately, the turning point in Iron Man 3.
That has nothing to do with singing. I came across that with her wonderful turn on the television show Glee. Movies are one thing, television is another. But she had a grace and voice poise to sell the the wonderful absurdity of the quirky musical program and I was impressed. Get thee to the neon lights of Broadway!
Cher--Yeah, I went there. Okay, in my book, Cher is not a true singer, I hate to admit. She sang pop, an easy target in the 60s and 70s. And, better, her husband was a firebrand marketer and got her to be famous.
But watch her in movies. She has been handed glorious scripts and she really takes her time with her acting choices. Mermaids? Suspect? Okay, she can be forgiven fo the star vehicle, Burlesque, but otherwise, watch her in Moonstruck. There's a breeze about her that shows she's a true performer, completely relaxed in front of an audience.
And the costumes at the Oscars...completely with sly jokes and winks. But then she remade pop songs all over the airwaves and they are terrific Pride float parade footstompers. Good stuff that made us give her, also an Oscar.
She's got singing ability, but her strength? Acting.
I'm seeing a trend here with the singers and performers...awards. That should say something.
Ewan McGregor--See Nicole Kidman. Moulin Rouge was a mixed bag of production, but it gave a chance for some beautiful singers to really shine. Ewan has consistently risen above any material he's cast in (I'm looking at the Star Wars movies and I Still Love You) and has a unique Scottish broque that makes his voice easily recognized. So, I knew, exactly, when he started belting out the post modern tunes. So? Give him another musical!
Anna Kendrick--One of the fun things I love to do is see as many of the Oscar nominees when they are announced every year. And one year, Up In the Air, and this teenager looking young lady showed up. Short and waif appearing, she came on like a powerhouse and garnered a nomination. I had no idea about her singing ability until freakin' "Cups" hit the airwaves. Couple that with an onstage singing with Neil at the Oscars and an appearance in the Pitch Perfect movies, as well as, Into the Woods, she's really someone who should be onstage instead of onscreen. Anyone who can sing anything by Sondheim is worthy of respect.
Anne Hathaway--sang at the Oscars wtih Hugh; got an Oscar for singing in Les Mis (yes, I cried with her and wanted to just hand her the award right there). Had stage wit comedic timing and is great onstage and onscreen. She's a fucking goddess. I mean, she even did Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises. This is someone who deserves equal pay and should be a marquee name.
Jaime Fox--talk about a powerhouse. The dude can open movies, has musical training since 5 years of age and still wows them in the rows. He even did the arthouse gig with Django Unchained. Impressive. His Oscar was for Ray. That should say enough.
Kelsey Grammar -Sang his own credits, for Frazier, and has openly admitted his preferrence fo stage over screen. He has rarely done movies, as television tends to be more like theater with a stage and rehearsals. He practially sings when he speaks!!!
Peace out
Roo
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