1 00:00:00,00 --> 00:00:07,800 This episode of Musical Hell is brought to you by Midnight Musicals. Welcome to the podcast musical underground. Thank you. 2 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:11,780 Hi, I'm Diva from Musical Hell, and I know the score. 3 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:35,000 ["O Fortuna" by Cast in Bronze] 4 00:00:35,100 --> 00:00:40,790 Having finally gotten around to watching Rocketman, the 2019 Elton John bio-musical, 5 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:42,600 I have come to two conclusions: 6 00:00:42,700 --> 00:00:46,330 The first is that this is a rather good movie and I enjoyed it. 7 00:00:46,340 --> 00:00:52,060 The second is that's very odd because on the surface, this doesn't look like a movie I'd enjoy. 8 00:00:52,100 --> 00:00:55,800 It's a jukebox musical where the connection between the songs and the storyline 9 00:00:55,950 --> 00:00:59,690 ranges from dramatically appropriate to tenuous at best. 10 00:00:59,700 --> 00:01:04,000 The plot follows the same beats you've likely seen in dozens of other biopics, 11 00:01:04,100 --> 00:01:08,220 or even the parody Walk Hard, down to the questionable age makeup. 12 00:01:08,700 --> 00:01:12,400 And yet, it works! It really does! 13 00:01:12,500 --> 00:01:17,300 So, let's take a moment to look at Rocketman to see how it takes the basics of the formula 14 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,470 and transforms them into something out of the ordinary. 15 00:01:20,500 --> 00:01:25,100 Rocketman has something which we might call the Moulin Rouge effect. 16 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:29,400 Just as Moulin Rouge managed to make a cliché melodromatic story work 17 00:01:29,500 --> 00:01:32,660 through the courage of its convictions and a definite sense of style, 18 00:01:32,700 --> 00:01:36,840 so Rocketman leans into the formula it's presenting and embraces it. 19 00:01:36,900 --> 00:01:41,200 Rather than attempting to subvert the traditional biopic tropes, it plays them up. 20 00:01:41,300 --> 00:01:47,570 The moment where young Elton is first given the lyrics of Bernie Taupin is treated with portentious reverence. 21 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:57,400 [MUSIC] 22 00:01:57,500 --> 00:02:02,880 At the same time, Dexter Fletcher also knows when to dial it back and play things straight. 23 00:02:02,900 --> 00:02:07,800 The scene depicting the creation of "Your Song" is simply yet effectively staged, 24 00:02:07,950 --> 00:02:12,210 with the tune emerging gradually to the increasing wonder of the listeners. 25 00:02:12,300 --> 00:02:19,800 ELTON JOHN [singing]: So excuse me forgetting, but these things I do 26 00:02:19,900 --> 00:02:26,730 You see, I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue. 27 00:02:26,740 --> 00:02:30,560 DIVA: In general, whether they're clear reflections of the character's mental state, 28 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:32,500 or glorified background music, 29 00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:35,780 the songs are filmed and choreographed very well. 30 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:39,900 Elton John's adolescence is covered to the tune of "Saturday Night's Alright" 31 00:02:40,070 --> 00:02:42,350 and filmed in impressive long takes. 32 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:52,300 ELTON JOHN [singing]: Saturday night's alright, alright, alright, ooo 33 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:55,500 DIVA: And the title song is a captivating sequence 34 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:59,200 transitioning from a suicide-attempt-induced underwater hallucination 35 00:02:59,340 --> 00:03:01,890 to a triumphant concert at Dodgers Stadium, 36 00:03:01,900 --> 00:03:05,200 highlighting the disparity between John's unstable personal life 37 00:03:05,350 --> 00:03:07,400 and his grandiose stage persona. 38 00:03:07,500 --> 00:03:11,500 ELTON JOHN [singing]: And I think it's gonna be a long, long time 39 00:03:11,660 --> 00:03:14,780 'Til touchdown brings me 'round again to find 40 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:19,500 DIVA: Indeed, many of the songs are montages and highlight what John's producer 41 00:03:19,660 --> 00:03:24,880 and toxic lover, John Reed, describes as the defining moments in a musician's life. 42 00:03:24,890 --> 00:03:28,880 They also give the traditional story beats a bit of extra flair. 43 00:03:28,900 --> 00:03:33,000 A montage highlighting the decadence that comes with stardom is pretty rote, 44 00:03:33,100 --> 00:03:36,100 but when you turn it into a shopping spree slash production number 45 00:03:36,220 --> 00:03:39,140 set to "Honky Cat," then you've got something. 46 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:42,000 ELTON JOHN [singing]: They said, get back, honky cat 47 00:03:42,100 --> 00:03:45,050 Better get back to the woods 48 00:03:45,100 --> 00:03:48,600 DIVA: Also, turns out Robb Stark can sing. Who knew? 49 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:51,700 In fact, the cast is solid across the board. 50 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:54,840 Taron Egerton is fantastic as Elton John, 51 00:03:54,900 --> 00:03:58,500 both increasingly unbalanced and increasingly vulnerable. 52 00:03:58,630 --> 00:04:02,840 Jamie Bell plays Bernie Taupin, and the two have great chemistry together. 53 00:04:02,900 --> 00:04:06,980 In a movie that's in part about Elton's search for love and acceptance, 54 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:11,000 the John/Taupin bromance is the most compelling relationship in the movie. 55 00:04:11,100 --> 00:04:15,100 No wonder so many of their interactions are filmed like love scenes. 56 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:19,540 ELTON JOHN [singing]: Back to the howling old owl in the woods 57 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:24,730 Hunting the horny black toad 58 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:26,200 DIVA: So, you have a good cast, 59 00:04:26,370 --> 00:04:29,730 a sense of style borne out in interesting musical sequences, 60 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:33,000 and most importantly, a willingness to commit to its vision. 61 00:04:33,140 --> 00:04:37,840 Put it all together and you have something that is more than the sum of its parts. 62 00:04:37,900 --> 00:04:42,080 I'm Diva, I know the score, and now, so do you. 63 00:04:42,090 --> 00:04:50,670 ELTON JOHN [singing]: Rocketman, Rocketman, Burning out his fuse up here alone 64 00:04:50,700 --> 00:05:14,000 ["O Fortuna" by Cast in Bronze]