Gypsy 83----Reviews (Spoilers)

RavenOfRhiannon · #1 12-05-2004, 12:52 PM

I watched Gypsy 83 yesterday with a friend, it was actually a pretty good.

Whatever you may think of what Sara Rue said and didn't say about Stevie Nicks, she was compelling to watch. She had a good grasp of what a 'devoted fan' is like. (This would be the first time the absence of Stevie's songs hurt the film. She could never quote lyrics or use them in a conversation).She wore the shawls and boots like they were second skin. Kudos to Kitty Boots for the incredible costumes.
Clive, her gay friend who pushes her into the road trip for NOTS, was pretty good too. You could tell he was a casual Stevie fan but a big Cure fan. (Another point where the lack of Nicks tunes hurts, Clive has a Cure soundtrack following him, it lets the audience know without any dialogue how much he likes them).
Running into Karen Black as a drunk has-been (or never was) was one of the highlights of the film. As Bambi, the host of Kareoke night at Small Town USA, Black was dead on. Knowing she had talent, but unable to use it to really make it big, she turns to drinking and becoming a local celebrity (It's much easier to be a big fish in a small pond). This scene was also the only one where Rue was able to really let loose of her inner Stevie, as she performed a very good 'Talk To Me' before falling off the stage in mid twirl. (If I had been Clive, I would have just announced to the audience that Stevie was a little too coked up and he was taking her to Betty Ford). Again, this hurt the film, as you never got another chance to recapture that magic.
I am a steadfast believer that if the sex scenes in the bathroom had been shot differently or been rewritten, Stevie's music whould have been in the film. I see why the scene is needed, and it represents a turning point for the characters, Clive especially. So, I can't say how to fix that.
The NOTS scene is great, an assemblage of various Stevie's in a 'Talk to Me' montage. Gypsy is permitted to perform, and sings a song her mother wrote, which would have been poingniant if we hadn't been hearing everything under the sun but Stevie tunes.
I would love to be able to talk to Todd Stephens and ask what songs he would have used to score the movie if he had the chance and find a way to score it myself.
As you can tell, the lack of Stevie's music was a sore spot for me, BUT in the overall picture it did not detract too much from a very good film. Probably the only people who will feel this way are those of us with an inner Gypsy Vale...

Randy

gldstwmn · #2 12-05-2004, 01:15 PM

I watched this for the first time last night.
Gypsy's clothes are incredible, the shawls, boots and the head piece she wears that is a replica of Stevie's. It's from one of the Bella Donna era photos and might even have been on one of the singles, though I can't quite remember now, I'd have to go looking for it.
I loved hearing The Cure but I have to agree, it would have been much better to augment had Stevie's songs/lyrics had been used. Still, it was prety brave for TS to go ahead without them and the message of his film is still conveyed.
The kareoke bar and Bambi scenes are a hoot. I especially like it when Clive asks Gypsy why they're leaving, saying "But I really like her."

The bathroom scenes are necessary to the film. I guess they could have done it some other way but it gave those scenes a real life feel to them instead of some flowery, unrealistic romantic movie love scene. I was soo scared for Clive because I kept thinking those fraternity boys are going to bust in there and beat the crap out of him. So that whole scene had me on edge.
The NOTS scenes were fab. I especially love where Gypsy goes back to see Chi Chi and there is one performer who is done up a la Edge Of Seventeen from the HBO special and is totally doing the dance moves from the song. He or she had it nailed in that scene. It cracked me up. I also loooved Chi Chi.
I wonder if Stevie has seen this yet? I think she'd like it.

DeadliestPoison · #3 12-05-2004, 01:37 PM

You guys haven't lived until you watch the NOTS Featurette. Believe me. You have to play the music along with it. Classic.

I think the soundtrack was the best part of the film. I really dug it. The costumes were great, too, as were the little shoutouts and all the sass.

diamondsnake · #4 12-05-2004, 04:00 PM

I rented this movie last week and really didn't care for it. I really didn't like the characters very much and cringed during certain points of the movie (Gypsy falling off the stage, Gypsy taking her top off, which was completely unnecassary- I don't think Rue is attractive at all and she certainly doesn't have what it takes to pull off a nude scene). I couldn't realte to Clive or Gypsy and they are both Stevie fans so I thought I could have related to one of them. I felt almost embarrassed for these characters and really hope that people don't assume most Stevie fans are so strange. That is just how I feel (sorry!)

dissention · #5 12-05-2004, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeadliestPoison

You guys haven't lived until you watch the NOTS Featurette. Believe me. You have to play the music along with it. Classic.

I almost had a heart attack when I watched it. I felt like twirling around in my chenille throw and shouting "Blessed be!"

I have to play music with it now.

dissention · #6 12-05-2004, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diamondsnake

I rented this movie last week and really didn't care for it. I really didn't like the characters very much and cringed during certain points of the movie (Gypsy falling off the stage, Gypsy taking her top off, which was completely unnecassary- I don't think Rue is attractive at all and she certainly doesn't have what it takes to pull off a nude scene). I couldn't realte to Clive or Gypsy and they are both Stevie fans so I thought I could have related to one of them. I felt almost embarrassed for these characters and really hope that people don't assume most Stevie fans are so strange. That is just how I feel (sorry!)

I liked it, it came across as a very heartfelt movie. And I'm such a whore for anything with Karen Black.

amber · #7 12-05-2004, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissention

I liked it, it came across as a very heartfelt movie. And I'm such a whore for anything with Karen Black.

I was thinking that same thing.

dissention · #8 12-05-2004, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amber

I was thinking that same thing.

Christ, I even braved "It's Alive III: Island of the Alive" because she was in it.

gldstwmn · #9 12-05-2004, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeadliestPoison

You guys haven't lived until you watch the NOTS Featurette. Believe me. You have to play the music along with it. Classic.

I think the soundtrack was the best part of the film. I really dug it. The costumes were great, too, as were the little shoutouts and all the sass.

I just did that. Thank you for reminding me. That was so fun!

amber · #10 12-05-2004, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissention

Christ, I even braved "It's Alive III: Island of the Alive" because she was in it.

that's some pretty serious dedication. I'm just happy when she turns up!

gldstwmn · #11 12-05-2004, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diamondsnake

I don't think Rue is attractive at all and she certainly doesn't have what it takes to pull off a nude scene).

Only women that look like Playboy centerfolds should be doing nude scenes? Is that it?
I give Sara Rue big props for doing that scene and whether you realize it or not (not being a woman) it was the crux of the scene, her willing to trust him.
BTW, weren't you the one that got all pissed off when people made comments about Stevie's weight and the dress parodies? If that wasn't you, please forgive me.

dissention · #12 12-05-2004, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amber

that's some pretty serious dedication. I'm just happy when she turns up!

Did you ever see "House of 1000 Corpses"? I couldn't believe she was in that. That flick was nasty.

amber · #13 12-05-2004, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissention

Did you ever see "House of 1000 Corpses"? I couldn't believe she was in that. That flick was nasty.

Hell no, i didn't see that! There's tons of good movies i haven't seen!

Karen's weird, but i'm glad she still has some sort of career. Cancer power!

dissention · #14 12-05-2004, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Only women that look like Playboy centerfolds should be doing nude scenes? Is that it?
I give Sara Rue big props for doing that scene and whether you realize it or not (not being a woman) it was the crux of the scene, her willing to trust him.

I think she's a beautiful woman. When her show first went on the air, I did a double take. I think it's pretty ****ty how they make fat jokes at her expense on it sometimes, though. She's anything but fat.

dissention · #15 12-05-2004, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amber

Hell no, i didn't see that! There's tons of good movies i haven't seen!

Karen's weird, but i'm glad she still has some sort of career. Cancer power!

My friend tricked me into seeing it with her (she switched the tape at the store) and it was nauseating. Now they're making a sequel.

Karen was a hoot, though. She definitely camped it up. She must have realized that the material was so bad that it was the only way to bring herself to do it.

She made some flick with Oliver Reed and Bette Davis back in the late-seventies that I love called Burnt Offerings. That ending is horrifying.