… you can watch a movie the first time and like it. Then subsequent viewings make you love it. The opposite is true as well… liking or loving it the first time then it falls victim to the laws of diminishing returns at later viewings.
Last night I watched “Topsy Turvy” again after a long time. This was after juggling some choices including “Taste The Blood Of Dracula” and “Chariots Of Fire“… yeah, bizairre, I know. But I was decidely in the mood for something British and period. I have to say it was a nice revisit.
The film takes place during a certain period in the careers of Gilbert and Sullivan. The plot revolves around a creative impasse during which time they embark on the creation of “The Mikado” one of their more successful and enduring operattas. The thing about this movie is that it’s not afraid to take it’s time… and does to allow scenes to play out. Perhaps it is the theatre nerd in me but I find all the sequences of pre-production of the show fascinating including gorgeous recreations of the original production. Here is a clip.
And yes… that is Kevin McKidd of “Rome” and “Journeyman” fame. Anyway, there are certain songs that I’ve alwaus liked in this show… including the one in the video. Fun little ditties too like “Three Little Maids”. This is also a clip from the movie. Though I’ve always thought 3 guys singing this would be hilarious.
Then, last night as I watched I was reminded of ( what I have always thought is ) a totally gorgeous song. EDIT: I originally had another video up (which wasn’t from the movie but another production of “The Mikado”)… in the interest of consistency I uploaded this sequence from the film which features “The sun whose rays are all ablaze”.
Anyway, It was fun revisiting this film… sort of kicked in a re-appreciation of it (as well as G&S) and kinda got my juices flowing, ya know?