Bye Bye Birdie (1995)

To me, this movie is perfection.

People are voting emotionally.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The 1963 film was not perfect, with a couple of dated references, two casting choices that seemed off and the story sometimes did suffer in a messy kind of way from the tinkering made. It was however colourful, energetic, witty and when the cast worked they were just wonderful. In short, I don't love it but there is much to like about it and gets a bad rep from those who have the mindset that anything that makes changes from the source material is immediately to be put down upon.People will love that this film from 1995 is closer to the stage version, especially in the dialogue and story. However, those who loved the energy, colour and wit that the 1963 film had might find themselves short-changed. I fall into that camp I'm afraid to say, and I also feel that being more faithful doesn't always mean it's better. It does have good things certainly, the songs are wonderful and I did like two performances.Vanessa Williams was the best asset, she is not just charming but is much more of a spitfire than Janet Leigh was, and her singing is heavenly especially in What Did I Ever See in Him, also the best individual rendition. Tyne Daly is also deliciously overbearing and immensely fun to watch, she and Maureen Stapleton are about equal here. However, I didn't care for the rest of the cast. Jason Alexander does give his all and he can sing, but he also tries too hard and has little of the effortless sham charm that Dick Van Dyke brought to Albert.Whereas the performance of Harry from Paul Lynde was one of the 1963 film's high points, it was one of the things in this version that was less good. George Wendt lumbers his way through it and has very little comic timing, when he does show it it doesn't feel very natural. Marc Kudisch is a slight improvement over Jesse Pearsson, but neither of the Conrads worked in either version. Pearsson's performance suffered from that he did very little with a character that was underdeveloped in the film already, Kudisch has the better looks and voice but also came across as annoying to me from playing Conrad too broadly. Jason Gaffney is just as bland as Bobby Rydell, so like I said with Daly and Stapleton being equally good I'd deem Gaffney and Rydell just as bad(Rydell gets a marginal point for being more believable as a dork).Chynna Phillips was the worst though. She doesn't believe at all as a teenager, at least 10 years too old, and makes little if any attempt to act like one. She also struggles with the high notes, continually sounding strained, and is even worse as an actress. Ann Margaret(much of which the 1963 film revolved around) had charm, likability and command, Phillips just never seems sure what to do with herself.The film doesn't look amateurish or anything, the scenery and costumes are very nicely done and it is competently filmed at least. The lighting is rather drab though and there was always a TV movie feel to it that was never quite shaken off. The dialogue that was delivered with such elegance and wit in the earlier version here despite being closer to that of the stage version didn't have anywhere near the same impact and sounded like the actors were reading rather than living the lines. The satire was also nowhere near as sharp or witty either. The story is more succinct, but I didn't feel as much of the farcical comedy of errors quality that the 1963 film did(even with the tinkerings) or the charm, colour or energy. The choreography was surprisingly dull, there is an effort at pizazz but done in a clichéd way and even in a way that sucks the film of vitality or warmth.Overall, more faithful but also inferior, Williams, Daly and the songs are great but everything else falls flat. 3/10 Bethany Cox

I just recently bought the DVD of the original Bye Bye Birdie with Ann-Margret and Dick Van Dyke. Then I noticed the horrible casting of the 1995 version!! Let's face it. I'm Jewish but this is another movie where white Anglo Saxon Protestants should rule! Dick Van Dyke is a charming man. Even more so in his recent Diagnosis: Murder and Murder 101 series. (No, I am not gay.) The guy from Seinfeld was better in the chicken commercials. He's fine but he cannot replace Dick Van Dyke. And I seriously doubt whether anyone can replace the vivacious lovely Ann-Margret! Many people liked Paul Lynde but a heavy overweight guy like George Wendt does not so service to this series> Bad things about this musical: too much cariacature of "Birdie." He was so one-dimensional and only one weird song! Overplayed also is the stereotypical Jewish mother of Maureen Stapleton. I preferred seeing a stronger more present "Birdie!"And the ending where he's hit by the boyfriend does bother me!!

When I was 17 my high school staged Bye Bye Birdie - which is no great surprise, since it is perfect high school material and reputed to be the most-staged musical in the world.I was a music student and retained strong memories of the production and its songs, as well as a lingering disregard for the Dick Van Dyke movie version which had (deliberately) obscured the Elvis references and camped it up for a swinging 60s audience.So, when the 1995 version starring Jason Alexander hit my cable TV screen, I was delighted with what I saw. Alexander turns in an exceptional performance as Albert, a performance in strong contrast to his better-known persona from a certain TV series. The remainder of the cast are entertaining and convincing in their roles (Chynna Phillips is perhaps the only one who does not look her part, supposedly a naive and innocent schoolgirl).But best of all, the musical numbers familiar from the stage show are all preserved in this movie and performed as stage musical songs should be (allowing for the absence of a stage).So, if you know the musical (and few do not), then check out this telemovie. It does the stage show justice in a way which can probably not be bettered, which is good enough for me. What is better than rendering a writer's work faithfully and with colour and style?

I was actually in this play at my school. So here we go.ALBERT J. PETERSON-Conrad Birdie's manager and the definition of a mama's boy. His reliance on his mama has stopped the relationship between him and Rose Alvarez from growing deeper. Concocts the scheme for Conrad's "One Last Kiss"CONRAD BIRDIE-Rock star of the 50's. With a personality much like that of Elvis Presley, he has countless fans all over the USA. Conflicting reports have him born in Indochina and Virginia. He did not volunteer for the Army, but was drafted, and appealed three times.ROSE ALVAREZ- Albert J. Peterson's on-again-off-again girlfriend and secretary. The real brains behind Albert's business, Almaelou music corporation. More American than Spanish.KIM MACAFFEE-One of Conrad Birdie's countless fangirls. Recently began going steady with Hugo Peabody. She's been chosen to receive Conrad Birdie's final kiss before he goes into the Army.MR. HARRY MACAFEE-Overprotective father or Kim MacAfee. Hates Conrad Birdie and loves Ed Sullivan. Typical 50's father.MRS. DORIS MACAFEE-Wife of Harry and mother of Kim. Although she doesn't really like Conrad Birdie, she's still more open-minded about things than Harry."MAMA" MAE PETERSON-Domineering mother of Albert. Disapproves of Rose Alvarez. Albert will go any length to please his mama, and Mae manipulates his feelings to the fullest.HUGO PEABODY-Boyfriend of Kim, he's understandably intimidated when Conrad comes to town. A bit of a neurotic, he seeks constant reassurance that Kim still loves him.