Stop the World: I Want to Get Off

My wife and I put on our old VHS copy the other night (having not seen it for many years) and once more became totally absorbed in the production and Tony Tanner's performance. Some have called it outdated but it's pure theater with a theater-type experience as best as could be reproduced on screen. "World's" brilliance is that it's simple story combined with a magnificent score can hold audience captivated, no small achievement considering it is done in mime and soliloquy and performed within the confines of a small circular one-ring circus-type stage with no elaborate settings.

Just magnificent, not matter what generation.

When the film was made it was shot multi camera as it appears Bill Sargent the producer had a thing about this. He had made a bit of a name shooting onto video tape and transferring to film via Technicolor tape to film process. All the playback was done via equipment which was not locked to the cameras, Great fun was had in trying to sync it all up. I myself enjoyed the overtime this film generated in the projection department. When the film exscaped to the cinemas, which those days it was shown own the ABC circuit, the film did not last the week and by the Wednesday was pulled.

Without its co-creator and original leading man, Anthony Newley, this film is at a disadvantage right from the start. It's a record of a stage musical, largely filmed in the theatre, with black and white inserts taped at a studio. It only really works because it is fresh and unique, and because of three wonderful songs in particular: 'Gonna Build a Mountain', 'Once in a Lifetime', and 'What Kind of Fool Am I'.

The problem really is that Tony Tanner, although good, is no Newley, and mimicking vocal mannerisms isn't really enough to hide the fact he's a poor substitute. Having said that, the film doesn't lack charm and anything with Millicent Martin has to get the thumbs-up. Perhaps a product of its time, and now rather dated, but watched in the right frame in mind it still stands up, perhaps better than a stage revival would these days.

Well staged version of the play usually associated with Anthony Newley. Well performed. A bit dated, but it IS over 30 years old!

The music is phenomenal. Which is the only reason this pitiful excuse of a show reached and lasted so long on the stage. Then someone got the idea to film a stage performance of a difficult show and put it on screen to capture more money from movie goers. Problem is movie goers want more from their entertainment than can be captured on film. The end product: stage performances boxed in on a stage that has no imagination (even tho the whole play deals with people using their imagination). Consequently, it was a critical and commercial failure. Just a poor film --- except for the music.