For interesting fact purposes:)...I'll go with The Jazz Singer (1927).
For interesting fact purposes:)...I'll go with The Jazz Singer (1927).
Starring Al Jolson, May McAvoy and Warner Oland. Remade twice, in 1952 with Danny Thomas and 1980 with Neil Diamond.
In 1927, The Jazz Singer cost an astonishing (for that time) $500,000 and pulled in 3.5 million at the box office, which I found very astonishing!
More interesting facts at
http://www.filmsite.org/jazz.html
http://www.filmsite.org/jazz.html
Starring Al Jolson, May McAvoy and Warner Oland. Remade twice, in 1952 with Danny Thomas and 1980 with Neil Diamond.
In 1927, The Jazz Singer cost an astonishing (for that time) $500,000 and pulled in 3.5 million at the box office, which I found very astonishing!
More interesting facts at
http://www.filmsite.org/jazz.html
http://www.filmsite.org/jazz.html
I was thinking about Al Jolson and his music lately, and wondering about what a challenge it would be to do his story today, on stage , or film. I personally, would love to act , and sing the part, mostly for the sake of the music, but the political and social reality today , and what it was then, when he lived, are very different. I think a white singer in black face would be universally derided now, while in his time, it was commonplace. But it was the reality of his time, and would have to play a large part when capturing his stage performance. I would still love to do it.
ReplyDeleteGreat point John Campbell . I always tend to think of the historical significance but the context of the times is a difficult thing to convey...not just in this instance but when applied to women's roles, etc..
ReplyDeleteThis film itself is fascinating. It was a huge hit and was about a Jewish man whose father wants him to be a cantor. There's plenty of Hebrew in it and lots of Jewish customs. Did most viewers even understand what they were seeing? Would they today?
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