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music |
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Gene Wilder and Steve Warren - Closer and Closer and Closer |
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I had instantly fallen in love with Antoine de Saint-Exupery's The Little Prince the very first time I read it in grade school. Through the years I would read the book twice or thrice in a year, and it never fails to make me cry and smile. It is truly timeless, and I am sure that it will have the same effect on me if I read it again today. Everybody can relate to it because although we don't admit it, all of us have grown up and lost our innocence and are now more concerned with matters of consequence. I can not imagine the joy of meeting someone like the little prince who would remind us that all is not lost and that we should only look inside our hearts to see the most important things.
I saw a VCD of the 1974 film version of The Little Prince, and I almost shrieked out of pure delight. I immediately watched it when I got home, and I was a little disappointed because a lot of characters were removed--- the conceited man, the tippler, and the lamplighter among others. The movie is a musical, and for a musical, the songs were rather bland. Considering that this was written by Alan Jay Lerner, who also wrote Camelot and My Fair Lady, this was really disappointing. But my sister watched it the other night, and so I watched it with her. Well, true, the movie is flawed, but it also has its own charm, and it became more evident after the first viewing. I enjoyed it so much the second time, and so I watched again for the third time. I have so fallen in love with Steve Warren, who played the little prince. He's soooo soooo cute. His laugh was highly addicting. I found myself rewinding again and again to that scene where he was laughing!! How did Exupery describe the little prince's laughter again? Like a spring of fresh water in the desert? That was just how he laughed, it's really amazing. I wonder how he looks now, but I am not sure I really want to see him all grown up as it would just destroy the illusion.
As for the songs, some of them were horrible, but 4 were very cute. I love love love Donna McKechnie!!!! She played the rose, and it was so fun watching her. Ang diva diva niya hahaha!!! Kuhang kuha niya ang character ng rose. I love her song, Be Happy.
( The Rose )
I am not fond of Richard Kiley as the pilot. He didn't affect me at all. I was not moved by his performance, but I love his song, I Have Never Met A Rose.
( The Pilot )
Snake in the Grass, which was performed by the snake, was fun to watch (complete with all the Michael Jackson moves) but was so goddamn long and badly needs editing. But of course, pa-star si Bob Fosse, who played the snake. Fosse was of course the choreographer/ writer/ director of the Broadway musicals Chicago, All That Jazz, and Cabaret kaya syempre kailangan ng long screen time. He was good, but a little editing would have made his number great.
( The Snake )
My second favorite would be Why is the Desert, which was performed by the pilot and the little prince. The lyrics are touching, and the melody is lovely.
( Why is the Desert )
The movie may not be as charming as the book, but it is a cute, small, old fashioned musical which is also fun to watch.
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