Hollywood: That's NOT Entertainment.

[@wonder5487]

Perhaps a fun part of watching The Muppet Show was discovering how talented some of our favorite performers were, like Lynda Carter could sing, Cheryl Ladd could sing and dance, a little later, when Pierce Brosnan was on, he could breath fire. Real talent was there in those earlier performers were all so talented, singers, dancers, acters, pantaminers, etc

[@ohnosmoarlulcatz]

Tom Cruise in a fat suit as Les Grossman dancing in Trophic Thunder was one of my favorite bits of the movie.

[@emmettturner9452]

…but he’s asking for more of Tom Cruise, actual pilot, flying his own airplane in a movie… which he did. Not quite a “clarinet” but right in line with the concept of exploiting an actor’s additional talents on film.

[@CallMeChato]

That did cross my mind.

[@OsellaSquadraCorse]

@@emmettturner9452Tue, but... he evidently had a skill in dancing; which isn't what we necessarily go to a Tm Cruise movie to see. Sure he can fly planes, helicopters, etc; but dancing wasn't something expected either.

[@BillPeschel]

@@OsellaSquadraCorse The fat suit really made it. For awhile, you could forget that it's TC.

[@emmettturner9452]

@@OsellaSquadraCorse LOL! For sure. One thing we do see a lot of is Tom Cruise running full tilt. ;)

[@johnmando1147]

My grandmother instilled in me a love of musicals. Singing in the rain, the music man. Miss her, miss movies like that.

[@fishjones4618]

It was cool to see Johnathan Frakes play trombone on camera in Star Trek The Next Generation and have it a part of Riker’s character. Also, it may not be flashy, but seeing Nick Offerman do woodwork and have it part of Ron Swanson’s character on Parks & Rec was nice too.

[@hotfightinghistory9224]

Johnathan Frakes also said he never got thru the performance of 'Night Bird' on the trombone, which Riker also had trouble with :)

[@kathleenhensley5951]

I loved it when they had Data play "Henry V" It's one of my favorite history dramas and I love the speeches. I think a robot, though, would fail to do more than recite.

[@tomkerruish2982]

Also, Gates McFadden and Brent Spiner tap dancing.

[@00bikeboy]

I disagree. That trombone thing was a contrived, transparent, feeble attempt to improve the likability of a character who was completely miscast. He was a lumber doofus with no personality so they were forced to create one and did a terrible job. Awful writing in that series. With the exception of Brent Spiner, the whole cast was a disaster.

[@j-ho234]

6:25 😅

[@alexbowman4392]

Even Houdini had to expand his shows and evolve what he did. He started out doing card tricks, then moved on to escaping handcuffs. After that stray jackets and then we saw the Houdini who did the water torture and other stunts. Imagine if Houdini just stuck to card tricks, we probably would never of heard of him.

[@minbari73]

Yeah, but could he play drums for Meshuggah ?

[@kevinkorenke3569]

This is the inevitable result of executives who are accountants, creatives who are only there because parents paid their way through the intern program and actors that have forgotten that acting and entertaining is the core of the job. Now we have executives looking for the next tax write-off, creatives looking to preach their beliefs instead of actually telling a story and actors that treasure their Likes over their craft. Times have changed and I'm just happy I have a large TV and movie collection.

[@martindenham2207]

Well said.

[@mitchellhodgemeyer7306]

Well said man. And the future belongs to physical media loyalists - people should be supporting physical media for movies, TV, and music; and sooner rather than later before the woke police edit out "problematic" scenes without telling anyone like they recently did with the "The French Connection."

[@c1ph3rpunk]

Sadly I have but one like to give.

[@graemevaughey7432]

Agreed. But "creatives" should always be written in inverted commas: these people aren't _creative_ in the slightest, and only ever leach off of existing popular properties (and run them into the ground out of spite and jealousy).

[@spacedinosaur8733]

@@mitchellhodgemeyer7306 Yep, after the initial fiasco of Gone with the Wind, I knew it was time to ditch digital and take physical back on. I'm constantly surprised that no-one's gone after Shirley Temple films in this modern era of 'wokeness'.

[@jimluebke3869]

"Are martial arts movies the closest thing we have to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers these days?" Thank you Chato, for such shocking truths!

[@davidsanders5652]

I disagree. Just look at Disney. They can spin multiple lies AT THE SAME TIME and keep them all going. They have sleight of hand tricks with funding and budgets which will keep the IRS baffled for decades. Okay, they can't make movies anymore but...that's just a talent trade-off.

[@Adamkalb1]

This is not just Disney's problem. _No studio_ can make movies anymore, bad movies or good movies, with the whole Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild of America on strike. If this strike has to keep going for three years, it will not be long before the IRS catches up with these streaming services who caused the 2023 Hollywood strike in the first place.

[@judgedrekk2981]

they emptied the parks and cruises, even David Copperfield couldn't have done that!! and they turned 2 multimillion dollar brands into worthless paperweights....again even Chris Angel couldn't have done that trick....lolz

[@1Gr8Editrix]

The irony -- no one even misses the actors or writers.

[@gimmeboobes]

They are failing on multiple fronts, not just movies. But that's the thing, you lose your authenticity and start faking the funk, sooner or later, the audience figures it out.

[@teekay_1]

@@1Gr8Editrix There's so much content out there that the smart people who downloaded and kept them safe for themselves could outlast a 10 year writer's & actor's strike. Content should be getting cheaper, since there's too much for anyone to absorb. Gone are the days when you could go to every movie, heck, they go out of the theater so quickly that you'd need to be unemployed to see them all, and even then, the tickets are so expensive that you need a job to afford to go.

[@Zomfoo]

I’d pay to see John Wick plate spin and tap dance his way through danger.

[@mrgoober6320]

I guess we already knew that John Travolta could dance, but seeing him do it again in Pulp Fiction was a crowd pleaser.

[@RosiG73]

You are spot on once again. We will never see the likes of Cagney again nor Hollywood make any films like Yankee Doodle Dandy. The only talent an actor, screenwriter or director need today is spewing The Message.

[@ninjaspy658]

Seeing a current actor showing off, skills,talent or abilities would be a great surprise.

[@jamesanthony8438]

I don't know... I think I could do without amber heard sh*tting on a bed as a performance art piece. =/

[@krezsez2459]

My mother had us do housework with Annie get your gun. Paint your wagon and On a clear day playing on LP. Just re-watched Temple of Doom. That opening sequence with Cate Capshaw singing "Anything Goes' in Mandarin is one of the best opening sequences of a movie ever.

[@krezsez2459]

Club Obi-Wan? LOL

[@patsyleeoswald9912]

Kudos for being the first person I have ever heard use the word "Terpsichore." My few remaining brain cells thank you.

[@miguelpablo7278]

i knew someone would mention this (and provide the spelling for this word), thank you

[@AtomicVertigo_Comics]

ive never heard that before. what does it mean?

[@rhymeswithorange6092]

Allow me to recommend to you Monty Python's "Cheese Shop" sketch, very funny, and includes the word "Terpsichore". First time I heard that word, way back in the early '70's.

[@patsyleeoswald9912]

@@AtomicVertigo_Comics Terpsichore was one of the nine Greek Muses that represented the arts. She was the Muse of dance.

[@patsyleeoswald9912]

@@AtomicVertigo_Comics Dancers might ask for her favor before a performance.

[@ninjaswordtothehead]

"John Wick is a choreographed dance movie with more blood." Mind blown. 🤯

[@Mr._Anderpson]

I remember seeing Scott Bakula play "Imagine" in an episode of Quantum Leap. I think both of his parents are either singers or musicians. Just be careful what you ask for, Paul. You might end up with Simon Pegg yodeling.

[@davidgantenbein9362]

If he is good at yodeling, then I‘m all in on it … but it needs to be good yodeling

[@TheTdh1972]

Paul I think there is a similarity between the reduced overall talent of actors and writers...life experience. People have been so coddled for decades that they do not know what true hardship is; in fact this lack of real obstacles has created generations of people so devoid of hardship that in the case of writers (and to a somewhat lesser extent actors) are forced to inject politics into everything. Not that propaganda and politics have been absent in Hollywood just that there was a degree of subtlety and a desire to entertain. Add to this the impact of social media (which has been lets face it largely negative) and we see a Hollywood close to the edge of extinction. As someone born in the seventies it is staggering to see just how far the quality of cinema and by extension writing has fallen. Perhaps if this strike does indeed spell the end we can have a reset and a future where movies can matter again and enrich whatever culture we have left.

[@poiuyt975]

I don't think we should worry too much about the collapse of Hollywood. Remember, the bushes in Australia had experienced numerous fires even before Europeans settled there. But they always grew back up. Once the Hollywood finally burns down, something new and fresh will have to opportunity to grow from its ashes.

[@kyleshockley1573]

For all of the coddling that some may get, society sure seems to have gone out of its way to either tighten the screws or neglect others. But, that's nothing new apparently. _"They tattoo it to their foreheads... Yeah. They love everybody but you."_

[@nosotrosloslobosestamosreg4115]

Just like The Critical Drinker spotted on.

[@bastiangugu4083]

I think you are absolutely right. The Little Platoon said in a recent video that the situation now is akin to the end of the studio system in 50-60s. A breakdown is likely and necessary before new talent gets a chance. After the breakdown of Hollywood last time the likes of Spielberg, Lucas, de Palma, Scorsese got their chance because the studio had nothing to lose and took a risk. So, maybe the future is brighter than we think. (Only if politics recede, of course)

[@martindenham2207]

Well said. I've definitely noticed a problem with immature adults. A lack of grownups telling stories about grownups doing grownup stuff, but more often than not immature adults complaining how unfair life is. How is the filmmakers seeking revenge to make themselves feel better supposed to entertain or inspire anyone in the audience? A spoilt child having a tantrum is not interesting to watch.

[@frankowalker4662]

Loved the plate spinning at the end. 👍

[@grnlntrn3283]

I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS! I would love to have a beer with you and totally nerd out about yesteryear. Thanks for you content. I tell folks about your vids all the time.

[@CallMeChato]

Too kind.

[@Augustus087]

The "That's Entertainment" song started playing in my head, in mockery, of the craptastic steaming pile that Hollywood has become.

[@JamesJones-zt2yx]

My third-grade self always enjoyed that plate-spinning guy on Ed Sullivan... I agree with you wholeheartedly.

[@freakboy186]

In 17 Again, there's a scene where Zac Efron's character does a verbal takedown of a bully while doing various tricks with a basketball. It's a very minor detail, but seeing Zac actually performing those tricks elevates the scene and makes it a very memorable and enjoyable sequence. Great video Chato!

[@neuronichangfire]

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was a favorite. Seeing it again as an adult was eye opening.

[@EliSkylander]

Oddly, one of the most interesting actors of the recent post was Jack Black in "School of Rock." He has a long scene where he's pitching the new song idts to the class, and except for one cut, the whole thing plays out with him describing the song and the class just kinda dumbfounded. But it helped that he actually knew rock music. His passion made the movie, because with all the camera angles and scene choreography, he was still a rock musician.

[@janetracer]

It wasn't just special abilities of the above title stars... If Busby Berkeley suddenly had a storm of genius while staging his big number he was to film with a shout to a PA he could have 25 tap dancing jugglers in costume and makeup on set the next morning just to be in the background of his latest masterpiece.

[@jadenkorr32]

Speaking of Christopher Walken - I still remember how shocked I was when he appeared in Moby’s ‘Weapon of Choice’ music video. That was great!

[@quailstudios]

That plate spinning joke was pretty funny!

[@PhilipAJones]

I was literally about to mention martial arts movies when you said "Maybe that's why we like Martial Arts Movies..."

[@Paul_Colton_]

You're wrong about Xanadu...apart from at least 3 REALLY incredible musical set pieces, and amazing soundtrack...it also featured Gene Kelly dancing for the last time on film. That alone makes it worthwhile. Mom took us to musicals, bet I've seen Sound of Music 30 times, that was her favorite...and dad took us to Marx Bros double features.

[@TNTITAN]

I there a KZbin interview of the director acknowledging that if he knew what he knows now he would of shot Xanadu differently (too many close ups of actors, not enough wide shots showing off the dancing everyone is doing). The Gene Kelly dance sequence was directed by Gene Kelly and it why it’s the best sequence in the film.

[@darksidemachining]

It was delightful to see the rare occasion of Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors) sing in The Andy Griffith Show and Gomer Pyle USMC and watch the shock of the other characters when they witness his hidden talent.

[@OldMan_PJ]

I would argue that the last great dancer/actor was Gregory Hines. His 1989 movie "Tap" was truly the last great movie with dancing. It even had Sammy Davis Jr. doing some tap dancing in it. No CGI, fast cutting, or special effects.

[@EatWave]

5:40 Passenger 57 was such a pleasant surprise precisely because Wesley Snipes, who until that point had just been a dramatic and romantic actor proved that he could do high impact martial arts scenes without a stunt double. The movie may not have been very good on its own but it did lead to him landing other action roles later on down the line, most notable the Blade movies.

[@DanyTV79]

Oh, man! "Singing in the rain" is a movie my dad and I loved! Golden Age Mexican Cinema has also this type of talents on display.

[@fuferito]

My enjoyment of Baz Luhrmann's work has gotten more brief as time goes on; I loved his _Romeo + Juliet,_ I sat through _Moulin Rouge,_ and lasted mere minutes and seconds with _The Great Gatsby_ and _Elvis,_ respectively. He's got a definite style, it just isn't for me.

[@allluckyseven]

Amazing plate spinning skills, I must say that!

[@Maehedrose]

That was something I noticed when watching the tv series 'House' - Hugh Laurie showed off a wide range of talents in that show and it always made us, the viewers, more impressed with both character and actor because of it.

[@FatNorthernBigot]

Esther Williams unique ability to "hold her breath" is, presumably, how she got the gig in the first place. Perhaps that's what Chato was hinting at, or maybe I'm just filthy-minded. Speaking of which, "Grease" is a filthy-minded masterpiece.

[@alexandermckay8594]

Esther Williams was a competitive swimmer. Unfortunately the modern Olympics weren't a thing during that time.

[@FatNorthernBigot]

@@alexandermckay8594 I'm sure she was very talented, but if there's low-hanging fruit, it's easy to pick. 👍

[@josephfisher426]

@@FatNorthernBigot Her Wikipedia page is fun. I was not aware that Lorenzo "also not a real actor" Lamas was her stepson. If she was a victim of the casting couch, it is not obvious---during her prime she was married to a loser and then had an affair with Victor Mature. She was probably too old for the Harvey Weinsteins of the time...

[@FatNorthernBigot]

@@josephfisher426 I was making a poor joke about being able to hold one's breath. However, she did seem to lead a bit of a life. Thanks for the info. As for the casting couch, some women were victims, some women used it as a perverted stepping stone.

[@Eric-ds1hs]

Who knew Johnny Depp could play guitar…Hollwood Vampires.

[@GartheKnightReturns]

Christopher Walken being able to dance shouldn’t come as surprise to anyone who’s watch Fatboy Slim’s video Weapon of Choice directed by Spike Jonze from 2001. Also another fun factoid: Though he never says a word in Sleepy Hollow, that film was his first on screen kiss at the end with the witch if I recall correctly. He was actually a cute kid when he was younger. I remember stumbling across some clip of him as a boy in an old black and white movie. I think he’s actually British(probably mistaken) but moved around a lot resulting in that very unique cadence to his speech.

[@the_unrepentant_anarchist.]

Yeah, it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that Christopher Walken can dance, seeing as 'Pennies from heaven' was released *twenty fucking years* before he was in Fatboy Slim's video. Oh, and your "fun factoid" (🤮) is neither "fun" nor a "factoid". Christopher Walken kissed Meryl Streep in the movie 'The Deer Hunter' *twenty one fucking years before* Sleepy Hollow. You *do* know that history didn't begin with your birth, don't you. And you *do* know that things have been happening for *a VERY long time* before you were born, right. Those two points there, while they may not technically be "fun"- to you- they more than certainly *are* "facts". 🙄 🍄

[@andrewparnell5566]

I still play Weapon of Choice once in a while. Music is good, but that dancing!

[@apollolux]

I love the Weapon of Choice video, thanks for reminding me to watch it again! :)

[@arcburn6340]

Sam Rockwell always dances. He's brilliant

[@misterprickly]

Kazoo theater and "man dancing with a building" still crack me up 😂

[@digbystrawbridge6161]

Brilliant trick with the plates, bravo!

[@CallMeChato]

Thanks for support. I spent a lot of time practicing.

[@BillPeschel]

Looking at the compilations of classic dances on YT, I realized that nearly EVERYONE at some point in their career put on their dancing pumps. Even at 54, Cary Grant faked his way through a highland fling in "Indiscreet."

[@ericc461]

Waking up to this one... what a glorious feeling, I'm happy again. Still a very habit forming channel.

[@CallMeChato]

I'm going to be listed by the FDA soon. :-)

[@mitchbedel8372]

My wife and I often comment to each other about the mind-boggling dichotomy one sees in modern silver screen musicals such as "La La Land". In that movie, for example, you have the "stars" of the movie -- Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling -- hunched over like first grade dance students desperately trying to find the next rudimentary dance step or find the next major key note. Meanwhile, in that same movie, the background dancers and singers are absolutely stealing the show. We often comment how the strongest number in the entire movie is the opening number, and that the two lead singers / dancers of that number should have been the stars of the entire production. All this to say -- I feel like the singers, the dancers, the plate-spinners, are out there. If the studios had wanted "La La Land" to be something legendary, they could have just dropped the A-list names and found a new era of talent to usher in a new era of musical. But that Hollywood actively avoids that. And, who knows, maybe the modern-day audience wouldn't want it anyway.

[@MarklovesAngels]

That's the real trick - studios hesitate now to invest and spend money on unknowns and the question of the audience's appetite for the genre remains a question mark. BUT, until they put a movie or TV show that's different out there, no one will ever know. So they keep beating the superhero horse to death.

[@mitchbedel8372]

@@MarklovesAngels It really is a chicken/egg problem, on the one hand; on the other hand, you get the feeling that the folks down in Marketing are the ones now in charge of movie-making. "Our marketing indicates that movie X would over-perform while movie-Y wouldn't sell beans." Do you think that movie makers were braver in the 90s, more willing to do something like "Forrest Gump" or "A Few Good Men", or was there just a very clear appetite for that kind of thing...?

[@MarklovesAngels]

@@mitchbedel8372 Good points. It's def the marketing and data, even moreso now. In the 90s, a good story in whatever genre was king. Now it's more about pushing genres and the stories within are secondary.

[@rieskorin2027]

Never forgot hearing Patrick Moore play the xylophone for the first time 😮 Now that was some left field shizz right there 😃

[@kerrybullock4554]

Chris Pratt surprised me with his magic card trick on the Graham Norton show.

[@TurtleTrackin]

I'm reminded of Steve Martin on the banjo, not only in "The Jerk," but on Letterman.

[@moonsofmadness8850]

"A musical number with just kazoos..." Now _that's_ entertainment! 😀 "And... it's didn't have any of that CG bullsh..." 🤣 Truth!

[@tadroid3858]

OMG! I've never seen that Flight of the Bumblebee on the lips as accompaniment to a Fake Plate Spinning bit before.

[@madaxe606]

Keanu Reeves actually knows how to handle a firearm, and that was a big part of John Wick’s appeal.

[@RhinoTheHamster400]

Fred Astaire singing and dancing to the song cheek to cheek in the movie Top Hat with Ginger Rogers, oh well those were the days.

[@MonsterKidCory]

Oh my gosh yes... This is one of the things I love about Golden Age cinema: the total entertainment package. Even the most straightforward of films have a diversity of things going on. What is the original Snow White? A romance? A comedy? A horror movie? A musical? It has all of the above. Bride of Frankenstein is mostly a dark camp comedy, but takes its horror seriously. Casablanca is a romance and a WWII thriller with great piano playing. One thing I've been enjoying lately are William Castle's feverish, gimmicky horror movies. The gimmick for the original 13 Ghosts actually changes what the movie is about, from a horror movie about a family haunted by ghosts to a psychological thriller about a family's descent into madness. Then there's the atmospheric horror movies of Val Lewton that look every bit as good as a big budget Universal horror movie with a fraction of the budget. Or Douglas Fairbanks and Johnny Weissmuller doing their own stunts? Then there are the deliberate musicals and things, from the splashy, lavish films of Fred Astaire and Busby Berkeley (who still gives off airs of "how did they do that?!") to the Nicholas Brothers dancing while the Glenn Miller Orchestra plays Chattanooga Choo-Choo in Sun Valley Serenade to a million b-movie Western potboilers with Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers strumming away. And for us Canadians to laugh gently at, how about Nelson Eddy crooning to Jeanette MacDonald? The Golden Age was when Hollywood was Hollywood. Which is also why I'm pretty blasé about the strike... Hollywood has ALREADY made more and far better movies from the 20's through the 60's than I actually have time to watch. Why would I even care about some new thing Disney is vomiting up when I can go back and watch Mary Poppins, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Davy Crockett, Snow White, or frickin' FANTASIA?

[@etpadgett3266]

The silent era & Golden Age of Hollywood were truly about the craftsmanship and talent both behind and in front of the camera. It’s a shame that the major studios don’t have the same kind of departments that focus on apprenticeship whether it’s production design or dance choreography. Also all the great producers (Irving Thalberg, Arthur Freed, etc) could use their talents in creating films that show off the talent of the stars that accentuates their strengths

[@stevesherman1743]

Yes, that’s what I’ve been missing : Plate Spinning

[@Thimulus]

I was pleasantly surprised by Mike Mikkelsen dancing moves in black comedy-drama Another Round.

[@1974Carnage]

Paint Your Wagon...you'll never top Lee Marvin & Clint Eastwood singing. Maybe a Tom Hardy doing Singing in the Rain 🤔🤣

[@BillPeschel]

Malcolm McDowell did a nice rendition too, with kick steps.

[@jamesbarringer2737]

Let’s not forget Steve Martin! I remember as a kid seeing him lay down Foggy Mountain Breakdown and it amazed me.

[@thelisanalgaib9702]

I remember being completely floored when I realized it was Gerard Butler (King Leonidas) singing in the 2004 Phantom of the Opera.

[@prezaurian4914]

Thank you for the clip at the very end. It was delightful.

[@attichatchsound-bobkowal5328]

In 2008, CBS put out a competition show called "Secret Talents of the Stars". Debbie Reynolds was one of the judges. George Takai sang a country song. Rick Flair danced the Salsa. Ben Stein juggled. And oh so much more! - - - - Cancelled after one episode.

[@Demolitiondude]

My music appreciation class in high school ruined musicals for me. Half a year nonstop.

[@williamcasino8120]

Speaking of spinning plates, I recently rewatched Tom Hanks' "The Terminal" and was treated (again) to the amazing talents of Kumar Pallana! What a joy that dinner scene is!

[@TheWillHadcroft]

It was great to see you performing in front of *actual* denizens back in the day, right at the end!

[@danieljackowitz2343]

Fred Astaire was also highly sought after for his singing. He, himself claimed his vocal abilities were sub-par and the executives agreed. It was pointed out to him that his voice wasn't strong, but his phrasing abilities and his effectiveness at communicating the meaning of the song was second to none. The great ones always have hidden talents to entertain us more and more!

[@superfuss1984]

You forgot Al Pacino promoting "Duncacinos" in a Classic!! What a Dance Routine....

[@willpower8061]

Plate spinning? I've not seen that since Ed Sullivan.

[@TheNuclearGeek]

Honestly, we don't seem to go to Hollywood for those things anymore. You are much more likely to find talents on KZbin which is why this writer/actor strike seems to matter so little. We have a lot more options than they seemed to have realized. Well, that and it's kind of hard to care about people that have blamed their customers for their failings while calling us every slur in the book if we don't spend money on their propaganda that ignores the better writers in the source material. Hollywood just seems too stuck in their LA world to "denigrate" themselves to look elsewhere to find anything NEW OR OLD to try in movies anymore. Honestly, just seeing a new IP is rare enough in Hollywood these days let alone a good one and the budgets are way out of hand. It would certainly be nice to more talent and less CG. Films seem to spend a few weeks shooting, then months in CG, then maybe some reshoots and more CG, but when you do get a movie like John Wick or Anything Anywhere All At Once that certainly have CG but actually show some choreography and talent of the actors like Keanu Reeves and Ke Huy Quan it really ups the final product in a way CG just can't. Unfortunately, it does seem to be nothing but fight scenes OR big spectacle shots from Tom Cruise. But, again, I think that the stubbornness of Hollywood and perhaps even their "holier than thou" attitude is what has them making and remaking the same thing over and over again. Marvel's initial success also spurred a lot of this, for years now it has all been able finding the next "universe" to create from a source material they choose not to follow. Everyone, including Disney, has just been chasing that same easy money big success bingo win they had.

[@CallMeChato]

I like your KZbin angle.

[@kathleenhensley5951]

I certainly don't go to Hollywood for amusement and entertainment. In the past, yes. definitely... now? Everything seems so obviously propaganda I don't bother. There was always propaganda in the form of Hollywood movies, but now I see the wheels spinning in the writers' heads and it ruins it for me. Heavy handed is hardly a suitable term.

[@TheNuclearGeek]

@@CallMeChato Well it's honestly true. I'm old enough to remember living through the last writer & actor strikes. You actually felt and saw it's impact. But now? Virtually nothing has changed. Can hackinstoshes exist in 2023? That's only something I can see on KZbin (hint, cough, nudge), or learn that Hennessey & Chocolate Milk tastes like a Hershey's bar, I just saw a short on that. Now compare those kinds of interests and talents you only find here to what we get from Hollywood... What was the latest from Hollywood? The Nick Fury spy drama starring the muthafuckin Samuel L. Jackson we all could have loved!? No, we got a show that is about tearing down and destroying another "useless old man" that has done nothing but wrong his whole life. UGH! I already watched this being done to Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones. Well I could watch Barbie and hear about the patriarchy and how "kens" are meaningless 500 times. I enjoyed Oppenheimer, but even then I have to hear the complaints that it wasn't "updated for modern times" and didn't show enough women in the science 🤦‍♂Sound of Freedom was thought provoking and emotional, but I think I'm on a watch list for seeing it now. Yeah, I'm losing virtually nothing from the loss of Hollywood and the strike.

[@TheNuclearGeek]

@@kathleenhensley5951 Propaganda sadly seems more accurate with every release. Entertainment takes a backseat to "the message" be it feminism, equity & inclusion, diversity, whatever. It's the Tom Cruise & Keanu Reeves films that shine a big spotlight on just how bad the rest of it has gotten. Those used to be the NORM not the exception.

[@ReierGotter]

You’re right. Entertainment like this is alive and well on KZbin and social media

[@raminagrobis6112]

I was amazed to discover that Hugh Grant is a quite decent piano player while watching 'Impromptu", a comedy inspired from the idyll between Frederic Chopin and George Sand. And then I remembered Grant's performance in the less than memorable 'Music and Lyrics'. Yep, this actor knew piano before he became ....an actor.

[@stephenrice2063]

You mention Fred Astair's terpsichory. He also danced a bit. Don't forget that. 😇

[@johntabler349]

Neither my Mom or Dad liked musicals (though Dad likesd White Christmas especially the opening scene)so naturally I married a woman who loved them, so as I watched more of them I was impressed but didn't really become a fan until seeing Sound of Music live at a dinner theater for one of our anniversaries and realized that it was a very effective form of storytelling and now I can't get enough

[@บัวสีโรเจอร์-ศ9ฝ]

Gene Kelly's solo performance in Summer Stock, sometimes known as the 'newspaper dance' is what Hollywood used to be all about. Great lighting, sound and choreography. Escapism at it's finest. It ain't coming back, at least in what remains of my lifetime. Epic stuff Chato!

[@Tusitala1967]

You know, Chato, when the Rock played ukelele and sang "It's a Wonderful World" in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, I was delighted. Also, speaking of mothers and movies, my mom worked in the theater when Star Wars premiered. I saw it 39 times on the big screen. It's really all she ever gave me that was worthwhile.

[@TheBrewjo]

Oh yeah, well I can mime spinning plates too- I'm so good at it I even broke a real TV once!

[@waverly2468]

According to the DVD extras in "La la Land", Ryan Gosling practiced piano intensely for 2 hrs a day for 2 months with a coach so that he could do his own piano playing in the movie. (Actually I heard another story where his piano playing was dubbed but I'm still impressed that he was ready to do his own playing). That really inspired me to try and improve my piano skills.

[@1974Carnage]

RDJ doing blackface in Tropic Thunder. Not only was it hilarious, but in this day and age he still has a career...now that's magic I didn't know anyone could do 😂

[@emmettturner9452]

It may not be the clarinet but Tom Cruise did fly his own personal plane at the end of Top Gun Maverick. That’s definitely a case of an actor’s extra talents being exploited for the movie.

[@WaterShowsProd]

I've been decrying this for years. There is a Thai movie called The Overture based on the true story of a musician who revolutionised the playing style of the Ranad Ek, a type of wooden xylophone. The actors spent months of intense training on the instruments for the scenes in the film, and even gave performances as part of the film's promotion. Some years later a stage musical adaptation was done of the film and the actors again spent months training on the instruments which they actually played onstage in dazzling displays of traditional music battles. While the play naturally took a lighter approach to the story-the person the story is about is actually the ancestor of a friend, so some of my friends were let down by the inclusion of light-hearted comedy-the onstage musical talent was breathtaking. I've also been surprised when performing with some popular singers here to see them doing tap and other dancework alongside their acting, and when I've asked them about it they said they had to learn everything. Hollywood needs to start looking at entertainment capitals in other countries. Look at music videos made in Mumbai and see what choreography, dancing, and camera work can be, and used to be once upon a time in Tinseltown. I do think that fight scenes can be compared to dance routines, and I will indicate any sword fight with Basil Rathbone as a prime example. There are some action stars doing complicated fight choreography today. I've even talked to a fight choreographer I'm friends with in London about long takes, which he agrees are not only more impressive but actually more compelling and offer better storytelling within the arc of the fight. Hollywood became less about turning entertainers into celebrities and instead tries to turn celebrities into entertainers.

[@als3022]

I think in the Pianist, that the actor learned to play the piano and he is the one playing it in the film. While that is part of method acting, he showed his new skill in it. Even if that was quite a while ago.

[@alexandermckay8594]

Bollywood has been at the forefront for years now. It used to be a joke over the more "sophisticated" production out of Hollywood but as as its faded to a ghost of itself, Bollywood just keeps getting stronger. RRR being a case in point.

[@suburbanbanshee]

I remember how actors on Bellisario shows used to have dream sequence or Christmas Carol or horror or historic times.episodes, and often they included singing or dancing. People would play characters that were the opposite to their normal characters, and you would get to see them stretch and have fun.

[@KrokPanther]

Benny and Joon featured Johnny Depp's physical comedy in the style of Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, and Harold Lloyd. He had very little dialogue, but he stole every scene he was in.

[@fh5786]

Klezmer with Plate Spinning!!!! Now that would be something to see!

[@grandmamma]

Hugh Laurie playing piano and singing zany 1920s songs as Bertie Wooster: sheer delight.

[@davied5496]

I love that you added your spinning plates routine at the end. Thanks for all you do.

[@mj6robinson]

I think the rise of streaming services has diluted the talent pool, making it difficult to get enough of the best people to coalesce on a single project.

[@Ghost_Text]

Just like youtube and spotify its all become media streams with only a few memorable moments and a lot of stuff you dont, because its treated too cheaply.

[@wavegun]

Yes Chato, if only Saitama would interrupt his bashing to play his Kokyu, or Kagurabue.

[@walterhoward5512]

Hobbies are different nowadays. It's possible that people just aren't taking up film friendly hobbies anymore. Alternatively, the physical and looks requirements for movie stars nowadays might also be shrinking the talent pool to those whose hobbies are limited to fitness and beauty.

[@silverjohn6037]

There was a similar discussion in one of the video's from Famous People (a channel for classic western movies). Fast draw was a popular skill with a lot of 50-60's era actors and they'd take it up as a hobby and even get trained to do it properly. Apparently two of the fastest in the real world were the comedians Jerry Lewis and Sammy Davis Junior. But yes, it is easy to miss a lot of the old school song and dance routines from classic Hollywood. Fred Astaire always made it look so easy you'd think you could dance just like him (until you actually tried;) while Gene Kelly was the one that you'd goggle at while thinking, "How the heck did he do that?"

[@josephfisher426]

When Sammy D. was dry, I guess! I find him a lot more appealing than Jerry Lewis.

[@hatuletoh]

Saw High Jackman in "The Music Man" on Broadway earlier this year. It was great.

[@dinosaurwoman]

I think we have a few films nowadays that are being made by people who truly love the craft of filmmaking. The Whale, Oppenheimer, The Northman, and quite a few others. It's just it isn't mainstream anymore to have that craft in films anymore--it's all about consumer product now.

[@nolongeramused8135]

The thing about martial arts is that pretty much anyone can learn them if they just want to put in the time to practice. So, more actors should learn how to convincingly fight.

[@GundamWarrior1]

“Two things I hate: musicals and Hollywood sucking it’s own d***.” - Red Letter Media I get what Paul is saying though.

[@balazstoth7977]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIDS.

[@koroba01]

We saw brief glimpses of Richard Jaeckel’s gymnastic skills in the movie The Devil”s Brigade.

[@obelisktoucher4562]

Agree on the qualitative difference between "cheat cuts" vs Astaire's tracking shots - the former reminds me of Groucho's "spin" move midway thru the "Duck Soup" mirror gag...

[@freedone.]

One Punch Man on the Tee, Chato? As I recall, you wore that very same outfit when we fought in the Clone Wars under General Kenobi.

[@CallMeChato]

And you tried to take it. Never.

[@freedone.]

@@CallMeChato 🤣

[@paulkerriage4470]

My goodness! Who was that dashing young fellow at the end? Someone should sign him up.

[@tomsiebert1941]

Not sure if you saw it, but the most exhilarating moment in Wes Anderson's ASTEROID CITY is when the squeaky-clean homespun schoolmarm played by Maya Hawke spontaneously starts dancing with Rupert Friend's aw-shucks cowboy when a catchy 1950s tune pops up on the radio. It was so surprising and joyful and glorious. (doesn't hurt that I dig her a ton, either).

[@brianbutton6346]

Good point! This is not *quite* the same, but I always admired folks who could perform realistic skills required of their characters. I am speaking specifically of horse-riding. One might suspect that the reason there are so few westerns are that no actors younger than Clint who can ride a horse. As someone who can ride, it's easy to spot.

[@_XR40_]

It's the dearth of Vaudevillians in the industry that's the problem. Also, the old "Studio System" would train actors in basic skills between films. Was there any actor in the 1940s that couldn't hold a note, ride a horse or swing a sword?

[@DarkStar-os9pv]

Yankee Doodle Dandy is a personal favorite. And it is always a pleasure to watch Donald O'Connor steal the limelight in Singing in the Rain! The musical seems to have died since (drum roll) Rocky Horror... 😆

[@cessnaace]

I saw "Pennies from Heaven" when it came out. Steve Martin also surprised with his talent as a dancer. Years later I went to see "Everyone Says I Love You," Written & Directed by Woody Allen. I was curious to see if he could handle making a Musical/Comedy. There were several scenes that surprised me, such as the musical number "Hooray for Captain Spaulding," an old Marx Brothers song - sung in French!

[@carried9130]

I love that you mentioned Roller Boogie!! As cheeseball as the dialogue is, I still love that movie and have it on dvd.