Mary Poppins Returns (spoiler alert)
So it was 1964, and I was 4 years old, and my daddy took us to see Mary Poppins. It was the first movie I ever saw in a movie theater. I had the soundtrack album and played it over and over, until I knew every word to every song. Back then there was no such thing as a VCR or a DVD player, or even cable TV, so you had to wait forever until a network decided to broadcast the movie if you wanted to see it again.
Last week two people went to see Mary Poppins Returns -- my current grown-up self, and my inner child who still remembers being 4 years old.
My adult self admired the craftsmanship of the movie: Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman took great pains to have their songs sound like songs the Sherman Brothers wrote for the original; the animation sequences were done by hand, again in the style of the original; the exquisite costuming, both in Depression-era London and in the fantasy scenes.
Adult criticisms: to put it bluntly, Emily Blunt is overall good in the part, but at times she can be just a bit too blunt, too curt; Lin-Manuel Miranda is a nice enough guy, but lacks the charisma of Dick van Dyke; at times it felt like the director was following a "formula" -- here's our version of "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious", of "Step In Time", of "Let's Go Fly A Kite", all pale imitations of the originals.
Now, the inner 4 year old...absolutely loved the film. From the moment Admiral Boom shot off his cannon, causing the Banks family to hold their china, glassware and other possessions, I felt like I'd come home. Jack the lamplighter casually mentioning he'd been apprenticed to a chimney sweep named Bert. Jane Banks as a labor activist reminded me of her mother Winifred. Michael Banks as a banker...but of course.
When Michael found the old kite in the attic, I just knew that the kite would be a key piece int he plot (and I guessed the significance of the drawing as well).
The children's adventures in the bathtub, in the Royal Dalton bowl, and visiting Cousin Topsy (Meryl Streep was hysterically funny!) made me long for such adventures.
Whenever there were key plot points, leading up to the climatic scenes (in the bank, of course!), you could hear instrumental versions of the Sherman Brothers songs under the dialogue. I had a very emotional response to those songs, I knew where the plot was going...
When Dick van Dyke (as Mr. Dawes Jr.) showed up, the audience applauded. I cried when he rescued the Banks family. And yes, he can still dance.
The audience also applauded Angela Lansbury's cameo.
And since the message of the movie was all about remembering the wonder of childhood, I think I will forget the adult criticisms of the movie, and instead I shall hold onto the the joy my inner child felt as I watched this movie.
Last week two people went to see Mary Poppins Returns -- my current grown-up self, and my inner child who still remembers being 4 years old.
My adult self admired the craftsmanship of the movie: Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman took great pains to have their songs sound like songs the Sherman Brothers wrote for the original; the animation sequences were done by hand, again in the style of the original; the exquisite costuming, both in Depression-era London and in the fantasy scenes.
Adult criticisms: to put it bluntly, Emily Blunt is overall good in the part, but at times she can be just a bit too blunt, too curt; Lin-Manuel Miranda is a nice enough guy, but lacks the charisma of Dick van Dyke; at times it felt like the director was following a "formula" -- here's our version of "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious", of "Step In Time", of "Let's Go Fly A Kite", all pale imitations of the originals.
Now, the inner 4 year old...absolutely loved the film. From the moment Admiral Boom shot off his cannon, causing the Banks family to hold their china, glassware and other possessions, I felt like I'd come home. Jack the lamplighter casually mentioning he'd been apprenticed to a chimney sweep named Bert. Jane Banks as a labor activist reminded me of her mother Winifred. Michael Banks as a banker...but of course.
When Michael found the old kite in the attic, I just knew that the kite would be a key piece int he plot (and I guessed the significance of the drawing as well).
The children's adventures in the bathtub, in the Royal Dalton bowl, and visiting Cousin Topsy (Meryl Streep was hysterically funny!) made me long for such adventures.
Whenever there were key plot points, leading up to the climatic scenes (in the bank, of course!), you could hear instrumental versions of the Sherman Brothers songs under the dialogue. I had a very emotional response to those songs, I knew where the plot was going...
When Dick van Dyke (as Mr. Dawes Jr.) showed up, the audience applauded. I cried when he rescued the Banks family. And yes, he can still dance.
The audience also applauded Angela Lansbury's cameo.
And since the message of the movie was all about remembering the wonder of childhood, I think I will forget the adult criticisms of the movie, and instead I shall hold onto the the joy my inner child felt as I watched this movie.
I wonder how many people recall the first movie they saw in a theater....Mine was Snow White and seven dwarfs
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on
Dora, my kids remember that their first movie in a theater was “The Lion King”. I remember them playing the videotape over and over and over ....
ReplyDeleteI read another review similar to yours. It was about how the movie looked right, but it felt just a bit off. Just a bit too familiar. I'll still plan on seeing it, though.
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