DVS
A ghost from your dreams
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2002
- Posts
- 11,416
I know people here aren't really into the same music I am, but I just felt like sharing. This is an old movie...1996, I think. The name is "Grace Of My Heart". It's not your normal movie, unless you are into good music and also some musical history.
I first saw this on TV about 5 years ago. I don't know where I was when it came out in '96. I'm sorry I missed it, but for some reason, it didn't do that well at the box office. But, I loved it so much, I bought it on DVD.
The plot is loosely based on the career of Carole King. It's not exactly what she lived, but she did begin her career as one of the famous Brill Building writers. If you're not familiar with the Brill Building, it was basically a song factory. A musician could find a publisher and printer, cut a demo, promote the record and cut a deal with radio promoters, all within this one building. The creative culture of the independent music companies in the Brill Building came to define the influential "Brill Building Sound" and the style of popular songwriting and recording created by its writers and producers.
Some bands that got their start there before World War II were The Benny Goodman Orchestra, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, and Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey. But, later on, in the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s, it was more the small pop singing groups and soloists that made the place popular. Some of the song writers who spent their early years there, to name a few, were Carole King, Paul Simon, Burt Bacharach, Neil Sedaka, Neil Diamond and Johnny Mercer.
These people started out writing music for others to sing before they finally got their own breaks. Of course, if you know anything about music, you know the songs these people have made famous, but they also made other singers and groups famous, with some of the songs they wrote for them.
Some of the singers and groups based in this building were Bobby Darin, The Drifters, Connie Francis, Lesley Gore, Liza Minnelli, Tony Orlando, The Ronettes, The Shangri-Las, The Shirelles, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons and Dionne Warwick.
One of the producers that were in the Brill Building was Phil Spector. He's turned into a bit of a looney lately, but back then, he was the go to guy for that wall of sound he made so famous. As it later turned out, The Beatles kind of resented his production on some of their songs with that wall of sound.
Personally, I like what he did with them, but years later, Paul McCartney has said he didn't like that much orchestra or strings on some of the songs. A writer always has a certain sound in mind, when they write a song and it becomes their baby. So, when a producer doesn't hear that same sound, it can be difficult for a writer to take. Today, most of the famous writers produce their own songs, just for that very reason.
This particular movie was written and directed by Allison Anders. Personally, I'd never heard of her before this, but I think she did a very good job with this movie. I've already said it's loosely based on the early career of Carole King. And while it doesn't mention these people by name, you can see certain characters in the actors. The lead, wonderfully played by Illeana Douglas is suppose to be based on King. The producer she meets in the Brill Building, played by John Turturro is very loosely based on Spector. You can pretty much tell by the hair piece he wears. Evidently Spector was into wigs back then, too.
Another actor in this movie is Matt Dillon. His character is also very loosely based on Beach Boy Brian Wilson. When I say loosely, I mean the basics of the character might be similar to how Anders pictured Wilson, but not really based on anything specific from his life. The same with King and Spector, but you can see parts of these personalities, in the characters.
There are a lot of songs in this movie, because it is about the music business, after all. And there are some big name writers on the list. Burt Bacharach teams up with Elvis Costello, Joni Mitchell and Lesley Gore. Gore wrote at least one song which the character Kelly Porter (Bridget Fonda) sings. I think some of Porter is loosely based on Gore as well as others. Again, when I saw loosely, I mean it.
Illeana Douglas isn't singing in the movie, although she does a very good job of acting like she is. I also think she is a great actress. She's still in the business, but I hear she is mostly producing things, now. The woman singing the songs for her is Kristen Vigard. I don't know if she was chosen because both women's voices seem so similar but to me, it seems like Douglas is really singing. That's partly because of her acting ability, but also because of the way the two voices match.
If you're one of those people who doesn't like spoilers, don't watch these clips I've added. But, you might get inspired to watch the movie by watching the clips, too, so shit, watch the clips.
Here she is in the Brill Building, writing songs for other groups. These are all original songs, written for the movie, but because the writers were all once Brill writers, these songs will sound very similar to something you may have heard on the radio.
Here's one scene from the movie where you can see the great acting of Douglas and the great singing of Vigard. This is where the Matt Dillon character is hearing her sing for the first time. This is about midway through the movie where she is finally getting heard for songs she's written for herself.
Here is the trailer from when the movie came out. God, I get goose bumps when I see some of these scenes. I guess I'm a bit partial, being a musician, but I do get chills watching this movie.
Here is one of my favorite scenes in the movie, but I won't spoil it for you, if you plan on watching the movie.
I'm sure you can probably rent it for a buck of so, and if you don't like it, you're only out a buck and a couple of hours time. So what have you got to lose? You could end up liking the movie. I do think you'd have to either grow up in this era, meaning you'd be an older baby boomer, or just enjoy the late 50s and 60s pop music with the naive lyrics of the day, the catchy tunes and the close harmonies.
OK, I guess you can tell I love this movie. I love it so much, I bought copies for my sisters. I was a bit disappointed that they didn't like it as much as I did, mostly because one of them is also a musician and a retired music teacher. So, maybe I'm just strange, but I don't mind being strange.
I first saw this on TV about 5 years ago. I don't know where I was when it came out in '96. I'm sorry I missed it, but for some reason, it didn't do that well at the box office. But, I loved it so much, I bought it on DVD.
The plot is loosely based on the career of Carole King. It's not exactly what she lived, but she did begin her career as one of the famous Brill Building writers. If you're not familiar with the Brill Building, it was basically a song factory. A musician could find a publisher and printer, cut a demo, promote the record and cut a deal with radio promoters, all within this one building. The creative culture of the independent music companies in the Brill Building came to define the influential "Brill Building Sound" and the style of popular songwriting and recording created by its writers and producers.
Some bands that got their start there before World War II were The Benny Goodman Orchestra, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, and Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey. But, later on, in the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s, it was more the small pop singing groups and soloists that made the place popular. Some of the song writers who spent their early years there, to name a few, were Carole King, Paul Simon, Burt Bacharach, Neil Sedaka, Neil Diamond and Johnny Mercer.
These people started out writing music for others to sing before they finally got their own breaks. Of course, if you know anything about music, you know the songs these people have made famous, but they also made other singers and groups famous, with some of the songs they wrote for them.
Some of the singers and groups based in this building were Bobby Darin, The Drifters, Connie Francis, Lesley Gore, Liza Minnelli, Tony Orlando, The Ronettes, The Shangri-Las, The Shirelles, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons and Dionne Warwick.
One of the producers that were in the Brill Building was Phil Spector. He's turned into a bit of a looney lately, but back then, he was the go to guy for that wall of sound he made so famous. As it later turned out, The Beatles kind of resented his production on some of their songs with that wall of sound.
Personally, I like what he did with them, but years later, Paul McCartney has said he didn't like that much orchestra or strings on some of the songs. A writer always has a certain sound in mind, when they write a song and it becomes their baby. So, when a producer doesn't hear that same sound, it can be difficult for a writer to take. Today, most of the famous writers produce their own songs, just for that very reason.
This particular movie was written and directed by Allison Anders. Personally, I'd never heard of her before this, but I think she did a very good job with this movie. I've already said it's loosely based on the early career of Carole King. And while it doesn't mention these people by name, you can see certain characters in the actors. The lead, wonderfully played by Illeana Douglas is suppose to be based on King. The producer she meets in the Brill Building, played by John Turturro is very loosely based on Spector. You can pretty much tell by the hair piece he wears. Evidently Spector was into wigs back then, too.
Another actor in this movie is Matt Dillon. His character is also very loosely based on Beach Boy Brian Wilson. When I say loosely, I mean the basics of the character might be similar to how Anders pictured Wilson, but not really based on anything specific from his life. The same with King and Spector, but you can see parts of these personalities, in the characters.
There are a lot of songs in this movie, because it is about the music business, after all. And there are some big name writers on the list. Burt Bacharach teams up with Elvis Costello, Joni Mitchell and Lesley Gore. Gore wrote at least one song which the character Kelly Porter (Bridget Fonda) sings. I think some of Porter is loosely based on Gore as well as others. Again, when I saw loosely, I mean it.
Illeana Douglas isn't singing in the movie, although she does a very good job of acting like she is. I also think she is a great actress. She's still in the business, but I hear she is mostly producing things, now. The woman singing the songs for her is Kristen Vigard. I don't know if she was chosen because both women's voices seem so similar but to me, it seems like Douglas is really singing. That's partly because of her acting ability, but also because of the way the two voices match.
If you're one of those people who doesn't like spoilers, don't watch these clips I've added. But, you might get inspired to watch the movie by watching the clips, too, so shit, watch the clips.
Here she is in the Brill Building, writing songs for other groups. These are all original songs, written for the movie, but because the writers were all once Brill writers, these songs will sound very similar to something you may have heard on the radio.
Here's one scene from the movie where you can see the great acting of Douglas and the great singing of Vigard. This is where the Matt Dillon character is hearing her sing for the first time. This is about midway through the movie where she is finally getting heard for songs she's written for herself.
Here is the trailer from when the movie came out. God, I get goose bumps when I see some of these scenes. I guess I'm a bit partial, being a musician, but I do get chills watching this movie.
Here is one of my favorite scenes in the movie, but I won't spoil it for you, if you plan on watching the movie.
I'm sure you can probably rent it for a buck of so, and if you don't like it, you're only out a buck and a couple of hours time. So what have you got to lose? You could end up liking the movie. I do think you'd have to either grow up in this era, meaning you'd be an older baby boomer, or just enjoy the late 50s and 60s pop music with the naive lyrics of the day, the catchy tunes and the close harmonies.
OK, I guess you can tell I love this movie. I love it so much, I bought copies for my sisters. I was a bit disappointed that they didn't like it as much as I did, mostly because one of them is also a musician and a retired music teacher. So, maybe I'm just strange, but I don't mind being strange.
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It's not like it's porn or something others won't like. There are quite a few people who love this movie. I can't imagine your library wouldn't have it.
