Took my youngest to see Rocketman last night, we both enjoyed it, immensely.
It's a no holds barred account of Elton's life: the movie cuts no slack towards Elton, his family or many of the people surrounding him throughout his career. The film uses his songs to tell his story, warts and all. It's true that many of the songs were not in their chronologically correct place but the songs did serve their purpose to propel the narrative.
Taron Egerton was magnificent in the title role whilst Jamie Bell, excellent as Bernie Taupin, played the (almost) always there rock to Elton's rolls.
Rocketman will inevitably be compared with "Bohemian Rhapsody" which barely got under the skin of Freddy Mercury's persona. The Queen movie was a lot more accurate from a historic aspect but the producer's decision to keep it PG13 kept it from telling the full story of Freddy. Rocketman goes much deeper into what makes Elton the man he is.
My only disappointment was the lack of acknowledgement of Elton's band: Nigel, Davey, Dee (RIP) and Ray played a big part in Elton's success in the early '70s.

Joe Biden's Hair Stories could be a movie, what with all the plugs and sniffing and whatnot, don’t think he’s gay though.

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drewmaster
Anyone who appreciates Elton's music, or has an interest in how Reg Dwight became a mega-star, should definitely check out "Rocketman". Truly one of the best films I've seen in years; a treat for the senses, visually and sonically. Everything else about it works, too, including the brilliant acting.



Drew

I saw Rocketman today. This movie is okay, but it's not so great like 'Bohemian Rhapsody'.

I thought it was terrific. Normally, I hate musicals but this was done in such an unusual manner, I loved it. It also doesn't hurt that I love Elton's music.

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dmay
Find most movie biopics about anyone in any field formulaic. Lost interest in EJ a long while ago. Regarding mentioning hair transplants, hair product and Drumpf, mentioning hair products and hair okay, but, regardless of what's claimed, any mention of Drumpf automatically becomes political even if its said in jest. Can we leave the mofu out of the conversation, s'il vous plait.

yeh i'll delete the reference; thanks also for catching that it was a joke and not political ; tho it could be naturally interpreted that way; as disrespectful and i just don't want to go near American politics; i'm living them but not talking about national issues even on my private social media pages....i just don't want to...it was a stupid riff anyway; hackneyed unfunny and deleted. ty. i object to casual cruelty thrown so frequently at women especially on all sides of the two party system as we call it here...and i'm glad you caught it and glad it's gone. it was dumb and not necessary.

Gore Vidal, who I mentioned in an earlier post on this thread;
well if you read some of his essays or non-fiction, that's one sort
of 'inside' political observer that has felt accurate in my experience,
but I also seek his debates with intelligent antagonists.
I always want to be able to be at least minimally informed enough generally,
from checking a variety of news sources and 'infotainment' and journalism sources etc...at least quick scans and exposure to what's being presented in a news cycle....to be able to credibly argue both sides of an issue;
and still keeping my personal impressions and arguments solid; but
with respect, sans manipulated emotion sort of necessarily inherent in the way iconography is churned out by ANY 'group' or 'party'----or mobs of some sort; I've seen it happen on social media and in real reality that is not virtual in my many decades of crawling through the underbelly of the North American continent somewhat....interesting these humans. They need to present conflict ; a protagonist or antagonistic for their play; regardless the pitch or emphasis of the 'movement' or candidate or opinion they hope to be advertising variously....it's a dirty game i guess we know that since Biblical times.
that's part of why being so young and getting exposed to the visceral shock wave of Street Fighting Man, and also the way it gets some of it's power with that BUT WHAT CAN A POOR BOY DO? EXCEPT SING...etc....
sort of like Dylan in that these guys had no interest in fermenting more violence in the protesting that was prevalent all over the Western World,
and not just The United States....where it's like at least 50 different countries in many ways.
The truth is, tho I've seemed to retain growing hair in old age,
if I had the money or insurance I'd go ahead and get this or that done mildly; Keith went a little overboard on the vast neon hot white light fence that are his, I guess, implanted teeth, for example. I mean, I don't care if someone rich gets hair or gets rid of a bump or a bag....I don't need to take cheap shots at any other human. In the political realm taking cheap shots at each other is the way to power. I think that's probably true overseas where hops has never had the opportunity to visit. or emigrate. Talking about getting away from politics. But I'm sure they are everywhere.....
...except on a mostly sorta rural true Town Hall environment, which will still get as dirty as anywhere else to a degree, but there's where i think one person's vote makes meaningful differences in what might happen and be funded and develop in their local area. In more populated areas, especially big urban ones like NYC and LA, especially L.A. local control is mostly a power play joke.
i guess to some extent the big money players are always gonna fight it out with each other; and in most cases, they'll come from the same general 'class' or aspire to climb into that level and stay there no matter what.
which is why lawyers and politicians get all those jokes i suppose;
motivated mostly by greed and power. and a certain point, that hurts the people we most are paying to help.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2019-06-07 19:09 by hopkins.

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Natlanta
Joe Biden's Hair Stories could be a movie, what with all the plugs and sniffing and whatnot, don’t think he’s gay though.

Aww, what a sensitive little boy you are...one innocuous little crack about your guy, and you need to desperately try to level the playing field.

Rocketman is what you get if you add ET + Rockman


HECK!!!! .…. that's kinda scary ….
…… but I ain't too shabby on a BMX …….



ROCKMAN

ROCKMAN

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mjaggergirl

I agree - I enjoyed it but do not need to see it again, but I would watch rhapsody again. Loved the costumes! It would make a great broadway show- or was it and I missed it?

It may as well have been. Most of it seemed to me like a film adaptation of a Broadway musical. Maybe he really does think of his life and his music in those terms, but as an approach to the telling of his story, it does a disservice to both the life and the music. It wasn't entirely excruciating. Bernie and Elton's straight-guy-with-a-gay-friend bromance provided some emotional resonance, as did the film's apparent insistence that Elton's detached and aloof parents were the cause of his homosexuality, which is something very much at odds with the "I was born this way" narrative commonly heard among today's gay community. So .... I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it enough to sit through the entire thing, either. Somewhere around the time Elton makes the ill-advised decision to get married, to a woman, I bailed out.

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ElGeordie

My only disappointment was the lack of acknowledgement of Elton's band: Nigel, Davey, Dee (RIP) and Ray played a big part in Elton's success in the early '70s.

Yeah, I noticed that, too. You'd think being in the guy's band for 49 years would get you a line or two of dialogue in the movie, but I guess not.

Well done - deeper and more artistic than Bohemian R. Good message about the life changing power of sobriety without being preachy.. and you can't help love the early Elton hits.

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keefriff99

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Natlanta
Joe Biden's Hair Stories could be a movie, what with all the plugs and sniffing and whatnot, don’t think he’s gay though.

Aww, what a sensitive little boy you are...one innocuous little crack about your guy, and you need to desperately try to level the playing field.

they could they could make it musical and call it Unplugged.

Who's next? Bowie? Dylan? LedZep?

Every year there's a new film about famous musicians, regularly receiving Oscar nominations and distinctions. The only exception is "Stoned", which was hardly noticed by the general public. Watched it once on DVD and then knew why it wasn't honoured very much.

I wonder if the musicians still alive receive profit sharing ...

In 1983 Milan bought Luther Blissett from Watford. Elton John owned Watford at the time.

Eventually Blissett was renamed "Miss-it" and turned out to be one of the worst strikers of Milan's history.

I must have developed a pavlonian association between ELton and Blissett: whenever I hear Elton's music on the radio I immediately change station!

C

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liddas
In 1983 Milan bought Luther Blissett from Watford. Elton John owned Watford at the time.

Eventually Blissett was renamed "Miss-it" and turned out to be one of the worst strikers of Milan's history.

I must have developed a pavlonian association between ELton and Blissett: whenever I hear Elton's music on the radio I immediately change station!

C

Story was that Berlusconi couldn't tell Luthor Blissett from John Barnes (who was also at Watford at the time and scored a "wonder" goal for England against Brazil) and he thought he was buying Barnes (joke)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2019-06-04 12:23 by exhpart.

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exhpart

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liddas
In 1983 Milan bought Luther Blissett from Watford. Elton John owned Watford at the time.

Eventually Blissett was renamed "Miss-it" and turned out to be one of the worst strikers of Milan's history.

I must have developed a pavlonian association between ELton and Blissett: whenever I hear Elton's music on the radio I immediately change station!

C

Story was that Berlusconi couldn't tell Luthor Blissett from John Barnes (who was also at Watford at the time and scored a "wonder" goal for England against Brazil) and he thought he was buying Barnes (joke)

Berlusconi wasn't there yet: the owner was mr. Farina, so the blame is on Farina's managers Rivera (yes, Gianni Rivera!, the golden boy of Italian football) and Ramaccioni!

C

I stand corrected, Liddas

Here's a bit on EJ and the writing of Tiny Dancer.

[www.openculture.com]

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tatters

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mjaggergirl

I agree - I enjoyed it but do not need to see it again, but I would watch rhapsody again. Loved the costumes! It would make a great broadway show- or was it and I missed it?

It may as well have been. Most of it seemed to me like a film adaptation of a Broadway musical. Maybe he really does think of his life and his music in those terms, but as an approach to the telling of his story, it does a disservice to both the life and the music. It wasn't entirely excruciating. Bernie and Elton's straight-guy-with-a-gay-friend bromance provided some emotional resonance, as did the film's apparent insistence that Elton's detached and aloof parents were the cause of his homosexuality, which is something very much at odds with the "I was born this way" narrative commonly heard among today's gay community. So .... I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it enough to sit through the entire thing, either. Somewhere around the time Elton makes the ill-advised decision to get married, to a woman, I bailed out.

There was certainly an inference that his relationship with his parents was at the root of his addiction issues but I didn't think it implied that was the cause of his homosexuality. The way I saw it his homosexuality was another barrier between him and his parents and therefore another factor in the unhappiness that caused him to try and mask the pain with booze and drugs. No coincidence that his sobriety happened at the same time that he accepted his homosexuality.

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rebelrebel

There was certainly an inference that his relationship with his parents was at the root of his addiction issues but I didn't think it implied that was the cause of his homosexuality. The way I saw it his homosexuality was another barrier between him and his parents and therefore another factor in the unhappiness that caused him to try and mask the pain with booze and drugs. No coincidence that his sobriety happened at the same time that he accepted his homosexuality.

+1

Drew

I haven't seen the film as yet but am a bit confused about the apparant negative portrayal of Elton's parents.
From what I recall, his parents both had an interest in music and supported their sons interest and talent.
They divorced when he was about 14 and Mum remarried to a chap, who so we were led to believe, was both supportive to his Mum and got on well with his step son. Eltons relationship with his Mother seemed to be good but latterly deteriorated not sure why? Sobriety? Furnish? (She died a few years ago).
His Dad however did not seem to be part of his life, post fame.

I know a few friends who are real fans and are surprised that given John's executive involvement in the film some of the content may not be factual, if held under scrutiny.
But then The Stones have sometimes played a bit fast and loose with their own films. Maybe we are over critical?
A film made purely by an 'outsider' without the Star's approval maybe more honest?

No doubt the next Star to get the biopic treatment will be George Michael.
Now, plenty of drama there.

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jlowe
I haven't seen the film as yet but am a bit confused about the apparant negative portrayal of Elton's parents.
From what I recall, his parents both had an interest in music and supported their sons interest and talent.
They divorced when he was about 14 and Mum remarried to a chap, who so we were led to believe, was both supportive to his Mum and got on well with his step son. Eltons relationship with his Mother seemed to be good but latterly deteriorated not sure why? Sobriety? Furnish? (She died a few years ago).
His Dad however did not seem to be part of his life, post fame.

This may help shed some light ...

[www.smoothradio.com]

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jlowe
I know a few friends who are real fans and are surprised that given John's executive involvement in the film some of the content may not be factual, if held under scrutiny.
But then The Stones have sometimes played a bit fast and loose with their own films. Maybe we are over critical?
A film made purely by an 'outsider' without the Star's approval maybe more honest?

This film wasn't meant to be an exacting recapitulation of Elton's life. (For just one example: it shows him as a young boy, suddenly breaking into "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" at a pub). It is a musical which captures the spirit of Elton and his life. And if you're like many who've seen it, you'll love it.

Drew

Songs about dead blondes?

Keith quote - I actually Love Elton's work (especially pre-Blue Moves)

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Elmo Lewis
Keith quote - I actually Love Elton's work (especially pre-Blue Moves)

Where/when did he say that??

Drew

Keith made the dead blondes quote - the other was my observation

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schillid
Rocketman is what you get if you add ET + Rockman

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Rockman
Rocketman is what you get if you add ET + Rockman


HECK!!!! .…. that's kinda scary ….
…… but I ain't too shabby on a BMX …….

Heck!
No quote, Rockeee?

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schillid

Quote
schillid
Rocketman is what you get if you add ET + Rockman

Quote
Rockman
Rocketman is what you get if you add ET + Rockman


HECK!!!! .…. that's kinda scary ….
…… but I ain't too shabby on a BMX …….

Heck!
No quote, Rockeee?

They have ROADS in the Outback!? or is that a trail bike?
You guys figure out trains yet?
I hate them; the damn blockade thing comes down and you sit in your car;
behind a long line of other cars, waiting for a long expensive train that goes all the way from almost the ocean to waaaaaay downtown that nobody uses.
You see the empty cars go by and look at your watch and reach for your phone to cancel the appointment you won't make. yay trains.

anyway, if when y'all get there, just to let you know hops is a steel driving man. i'll die with that hammer in my hand, boy. Just give me a ring.
I've still got the hammer.

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Natlanta
Joe Biden's Hair Stories could be a movie, what with all the plugs and sniffing and whatnot, don’t think he’s gay though.

Do you need your bah bah little boy? Very insecure.

Last night I watched the Ian Dury movie: Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (I don't know how I missed it - it came out in 2010).
The Dury movie reminded me so much of Rocketman: flashbacks to childhood - Ian contracted polio as a kid and was left crippled as a result. Showing how his upbringing (or lack thereof) had played a part in his personality and art.
Similar to the Elton movie Dury's songs were interjected throughout the narrative to reinforce a point.
Sex & Drugs & Rock& Roll also has a Stones connection - the part of Blockheads guitarist, John Turnbull is played by a certain Mr. Jimmy Jagger.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2019-06-10 17:35 by ElGeordie.