Here are "Three Short Musical Vignettes", sure to provoke gaping-mouthed WTF reactions.
The opener looks like a 1932 commercial for Coca-Cola and features cheesy dance moves by that Roaring Twenties staple, 30 year old actors unconvincingly portraying perky collegians. That is followed by two production numbers set in a prison (I'm not kidding), "The Sing Sing Serenade" and "Ballin' The Chain", where high-kicking showgirls entertain condemned men in a film that is neither pornographic nor written by Mel Brooks.
While I haven't a clue what magnum opus these pre-code musical clips came from, it's a good bet they were NOT directed by Fritz Lang or G.W. Pabst.
Next up, and somewhat less from the "what were they thinking?" file, is an excerpt from Singapore Sue, a 1931 Paramount short featuring sprightly vaudeville entertainer Anna Chang, as well as, in the anonymous role of "horny sailor on shore leave", an actor whose voice is very familiar. . .
The latter can be found on the Kino Video DVD Hollywood Rhythm Volume 2 - The Best Of Big Bands And Swing. The former - who knows?
1 comment:
The "3 Musical Vignettes" are from a Vitaphone two-reeler titled 20,000 Cheers For The Chain Gang, which is available as a bonus feature on the DVD of I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang.
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