Search - The First Nudie Musical (Special Edition) on DVD

Grin and Bare it With The First Nudie Musical

Michael Shayne | Boca Raton, FL United States | 06/28/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The negative for the First Nudie Musical has been lost and the transfer was taken from an existing prints. The visible evidence that it was taken from print rather than a negative is during the reel changes. The excellent telecine transfer must be mentioned, as the colors are rich and vibrant. They are far superior to the older video releases. The sound is mono, but in the earlier seventies so were the majority of the films made at the time.The film was the brainchild of Bruce Kimmel who wrote, composed the score and directed the majority of the film with Mark Haggard. Kimmel also stars in the film as the inept director John Smithee. He has an infectious laugh and plays his role with the similar expert timing he displayed on his many guest-starring roles on 70's sitcoms. Stephan Nathan, Diana Canova (Soap) and Cindy Williams just months shy of the role that would make her famous in Laverne and Shirley also star in the film. Canova plays Juanita an aspiring actress and singer who has the thickest Cuban accent this side of Ricky Ricardo. Nathan is a very able song and dance man as he displayed in the original New York productions of Godspell and in the film version of 1776 singing the controversial "Mama, Look Sharp". Cindy Williams a very able comedic actress with great comic timing who appeared in such diverse roles in Francis Ford Coppola's The Conversation, American Graffiti, Travels With My Aunt and Mr. Rico. John Kirby's scene stealing work as the very bad nudie film actor in the deleted Plumber Scene is another highlight. The rest of the cast is filled with young raw talent and they memorable sidesplitting turn by Susan Stewart as Joy Full. Everyone has his or her moment to shine. Leslie Ackerman plays the fresh off the bus Wanna-be-star who has no idea what a nudie film or what a lesbian is; Alan Alebew as the leading man trying to pick up all the women in the film, Alexandra Morgan as Mary LaRue the Faye Dunaway of nudie Films. Look out for a young Susan Buckner as a singing and dancing prostitute (Later to appear as Patty in the film version of Grease) and Joel Blum who went on to be a Tony Nominated actor on Broadway.Two interesting side notes: Annette O'Toole (Martha Kent of WB's Smallville) and Debbie Shapiro (later Debbie Shapiro Gravitte and then Debbie Gravitte) were two of the more notable ghost singers a la Marni Nixon.The hilarious songs and dialogue by Kimmel obviously inspired the South Park creators' Trey Parker and Matt Stone in their offbeat songs and humor in their films South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut and Orgazmo. This includes the "infamous" words uttered by Cindy Williams so lovingly, "stunt co**" that found their way into their films. Kimmel was the first and therefore has the freshest take on the material. The film is briskly edited to 97 minutes.The DVD has commentary by Kimmel, Williams and Nathan on one track of the film, Kimmel and Nick Redman, and Michael Rosendale on the other. There is also commentary on the deleted scene and musical scene. And what might be a first an audio commentary on the making of documentary features.All will have an enjoyable time and is highly recommended."