Hava Nagila (The Movie); DVD notes
Who would have thought there'd be enough backstory on the Jewish wedding song staple "Hava Nagila" to merit a feature-length documentary? Okay, there's not really enough but the good-natured approach director Roberta Grossman applies to her quirky subject matter helps to forgive the excess running time. And the addition of the vocally talented Rusty Schwimmer as narrator on the soundtrack certainly augments the playful, informative tone of the movie. (In the interest of full disclosure, it should be noted that Schwimmer co-starred in my film Scrooge & Marley so I may be a tad biased). The documentary, titled Hava Nagila (The Movie)—is playing a one week run at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave., beginning Friday, May 3.
Who hasn't attended a Jewish wedding and been caught up in the frenzied excitement when the band kicks into the slow-building repetitive standard that features guests encircling the bride and groom, balanced on chairs perched over the heads of the crowd, dancing around them in united bliss? And let's be honest—who hasn't also dreaded, with equal measure, this moment? Grossman and her writer, Sophie Sartain (who both co-produced along with Marta Kauffman), understand this often mixed reaction to the song. And to underscore both the kitsch and heartfelt appeal of "Hava Nagila," they start the film with a battery of clips, tossing in everything from Thoroughly Modern Millie (with Julie Andrews and Mary Tyler Moore improbably leading the revelers) to vintage home movies. Quickly, Josh Kun—an expert on the subject of Judaic musical history (and much more) and a wry commentator—guides us through a history of the song's ancestry.
The history of "Hava Nagila," it seems, also makes for a pretty good starting point in recalling the struggle of Russian Jews and their immigration to the United States, the creation of Israel, and spread of Judaism (helped by that darn song) to far-flung parts of the world. The assimilation of the song into popular culture seems to have mirrored that of its people. The movie is littered with a great cross-section of folks (including a sprightly 86-year-old woman who demonstrates the dance, oblivious to startled passer bys) and though the documentary is, again, too long, and though you may curse the fact that after Hava Nagila (The Movie) is over you won't be able to get "Hava Nagila" (the song) out of your head for hours, it's hard to think of a movie—any movie—that could make the importance of a religious song quite so fun, thought provoking, and entertaining. Mazel tov! www.musicboxtheatre.com
The summer blockbuster season kicks off this week with the eagerly anticipated Iron Man 3, starring Robert Downey, Jr., returning to the role of playboy/mad inventor Tony Stark—the part that reignited his career in 2007. Gwyneth Paltrow, who was recently named People's Most Beautiful Woman and is concurrently one of the most hated women in Celebrityville (because of the People "award"?), is also back as Stark's true love, Pepper Potts. Ben Kingsley, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall and Don Cheadle join the duo. Advance word on the movie is that the franchise has gotten its groove back (after losing a bit of steam with Iron Man 2) but you'll have to wait until further this week to read my take on this second sequel as the film wasn't screened for critics by deadline. Visit our website on Friday to read my review.
DVD notes:
Last week, as Barbra Streisand was celebrating her 71st birthday, TCM host Robert Osborne and Cher introduced a 45th-anniversary screening of a remastered print of Funny Girl, as part of the annual TCM Film Festival. Funny Girl is Streisand's glorious 1968 film debut for which she won international stardom as well as the Oscar for best actress.
The remastered print has now been issued in Blu-ray form (available exclusively through Amazon.com ) and though the single disc includes the same two vintage featurettes previously available on the DVD version and offers no new content (why no Barbra commentary track?), this is definitely worth the upgrade for the eye-popping color alone. (Barbra looks smashing in Irene Sharaff's costumes.) For the uninitiated (yes, I suppose there are some young 'uns who have yet to experience the Streisand magic) Funny Girl is Barbra at her best.
Streisand is also charming, funny and warm in the surprisingly bittersweet comedy The Guilt Trip, in which she co-stars with Seth Rogen. The movie did okay at the box office when it was released at the end of the holidays, audiences perhaps resistant to what they might have perceived from the trailer as yet another predictable road comedy. And sure enough, there are plenty of those moments. However, the movie, which Anne Fletcher directed, also allows both Streisand and Rogen plenty of moments to stretch beyond the usual stereotypical characters they portray and the chemistry between the two is lovely to behold. The film is out on Blu-ray and DVD but sadly doesn't include a single special feature.
Vito, from out filmmaker Jeffrey Schwarz is the lively, insightful and very inspiring documentary portrait of Vito Russo—author of the seminal The Celluloid Closet, a tireless AIDS activist and so much more. The film is a long-overdue love letter to the man we can thank for many of the advances in gay rights and culture that we now take for granted. The 2011 movie, which had a successful festival run and debuted last Pride month on HBO, is now out on DVD from First Run Features. It includes a bevy of special features and is definitely worth adding to the collection.
Also from First Run is Wagner & Me, a 2010 documentary re-examination by director Patrick McGrady of the works of operatic composer Richard Wagner, whose complicated personal life and reputation have long colored appreciation for this music. The openly gay British actor, writer and raconteur Stephen Fry leads viewers on a journey into Wagner's life and works in an attempt to separate the composer from his tarnished reputation (further tainted when Hitler so fervently embraced the composer's music).
Hava Nagila is also playing at the AMC Northbrook Court 14 beginning on Friday, May 3rd.
www.amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/amc-northbrook-court-14 .
