Tomorrow, Tomorrow! (Annie [1999] (DVD))

Member Name: Tricksty

Product:	Annie [1999] (DVD)
Date:	17/08/09 (54 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Kids like it

Disadvantages: Music is terrible

Annie - Fit for Viewing by Persons Generally

Excruciating, is one word which comes to mind, when thinking of how to sum up Annie the Musical. Raucous, grating and harsh, could describe the songs. Contrived, implausible and sudsy, the plot. However, I've watched this DVD probably getting on for 100 times as it is a firm favourite with my daughter, who is 3, which just goes to prove that genetics don't always work.

I saw Annie the musical as a stage production when a sprog myself, and I took from that experience a love of the fandabulous song "Tomorrow", as well as the desire to be a 4 ft 3 curly-ginger-headed American girl with a stinky mutt for a bed-fellow. Luckily for my parents, the obsession only lasted till the next musical we went to see, (when I then yearned to be a 4 ft 3 mousy-haired Cockney boy with fleas and unhealthy appetite for gruel). I managed to eradicate the entire plot of the show from my mind pretty quickly, but still vaguely remembered that song for years to come.

Fast-forward about 30 years to the present. The gift. My mother, evidently re-living the 1970s with ever greater clarity as she advances into OAPdom, decides that a DVD of Annie the Musical will be an ideal present for my daughter - since I was such a fan myself! My instinct is to inwardly groan - although I can't really remember the story at all, there is something about small red-haired American brats that does not call out to me "quality movie". I remove the cellophane packaging with a heavy heart. There are two possible outcomes - either my daughter will love it, and we will watch it endlessly for several weeks in a row (hell), or she will say "that's rubbish!" and turn it off after 3 seconds, offending my mother and sparking a family row that will inevitably end up with us all at each other's throats till bedtime (hell).

She loves it. It was an instant hit, and she watched it through twice on the first day. After that, we had it on every single day for several weeks, until my daughter had managed to learn all the songs off by heart. Nowadays we don't watch it that often, but by god we belt out those songs together so frequently I think all the neighbours probably know the songs by heart too, which is saying something since we live in Bulgaria. (I suspect some of you are frowning at the amount of DVD watching going on in my household. All I can say is that my daughter is the boss. She knows how to put DVDs in herself and the carnage that results if we disallow one is really not worth the bother.)

For those of you blessed readers who have never happened across this charming story, "Annie" follows the adventures of a Annie the orphan, who by chance gets plucked out of the orphanage and gets to stay in the lap of luxury at "daddy" Warbuck's mansion, because he wants to look like he's doing his bit for charity. Annie has tried to escape from the orphanage several times, and is a feisty little madam with lots of sneaky tricks up her sleeve, so she wheedles her way into being the chosen one. Although he never intended to keep the orphan full-time, Warbucks predictably decides she's better off with him, and he's better off with her. But, shock horror, Annie doesn't want to stay! She likes the high-life, to be sure, but would prefer to find her real parents, whom she believes are still alive. Warbucks puts out a radio advert to try to find Annie's parents, and, predictably, gets lots of bounty-hunters turn up at his gate as a result of the tidy little reward he's also offering. I won't spoil the plot for you. Needless to say, it's got a happy-ending. Or should I say saccharin-sweet?

Annie is a musical, and there is plenty of music, and plenty of "dancing" too. The orphanage is populated by seemingly hundred of small bendy girls, who cartwheel across the dormitories and do hand-stands over their pales of water like there's no tomorrow. (Yes, that was a pun). When Annie arrives at Warbucks mansion, the entire household-staff dance with their various cleaning products, which is delightful. The music is dreadful. In my opinion, there is not one single number in this film which is pleasant on the ear-drums. It's harsh - the singing itself is brash and loud, and the style of the music is hard and jagged. At some points I have to hit the mute button, because the music is so painful. The most famous song, "Tomorrow", is definitely the best one. Unfortunately, it's a right bugger to sing nicely and I am forced to render it as a lullaby most nights, an almost impossible task.
The film is set in 1930's New York, and the set does look reasonably authentic. The costumes are plausible, the street scenes and interiors are not exactly realistic, but don't jar. The best character by far is the gin-swilling, sex-starved orphanage owner, Miss Hannigan. She tries to jump any male who comes anywhere near her (unsuccessfully) and gets pissed in the bath. I'm not sure that she is a particularly good role model for my daughter, but the DVD packaging insists that it is suitable for all.

The DVD I'm reviewing is the original film from 1982 (there was a remake in the 90s), which was based on the stage show from the 70s, which was based on a US comic strip from the 1920s, which was inspired by an 1885 poem "Little Orphan Annie". (I guess if you dig back far enough it's probably biblical.) Aileen Quinn plays the leading role, and if you're wondering why you've never heard of her, it's because she didn't really do anything else. According to Wikipedia, she sometimes works as a theatre usher in stage performances of Annie in the US. If that's true, it's very very sad. Aileen also managed to win a Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress. Poor lamb.
The DVD runs at two lengthy hours and two minutes. If you are a sadist, you probably want to know about the extras on the DVD - there is a filmography, gallery of vintage advertising etc, songs menu, and the cinema trailers. All exceedingly exciting, I'm sure you'll agree. The box doesn't come with any booklets or other blurby things, but the disc itself seems pretty indestructible, and believe me, I've tried.

For those of you that need this kind of info:
Cast:
* Albert Finney as Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks
* Carol Burnett as Agatha Hannigan
* Ann Reinking as Grace Farrell
* Tim Curry as Rooster Hannigan
* Bernadette Peters as Lily St. Regis
* Aileen Quinn as Annie Bennett
* Geoffrey Holder as Punjab
* Roger Minami as Asp
* Edward Herrmann as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
* Lois de Banzie as Eleanor Roosevelt
* Peter Marshall as Bert Healy
* Toni Ann Gisondi as Molly
* Rosanne Sorrentino as Pepper
* Lara Berk as Tessie
* April Lerman as Kate
* Robin Ignico as Duffy
* Amanda Peterson and Tina Caspary had minor appearance as dancers.
* Lucie Stewart as July

Songs:
1. "Tomorrow" - Annie
2. "Maybe" - Annie
3. "It's the Hard-Knock Life" - Annie and Orphans
4. "Dumb Dog" - Annie
5. "Sandy" - Annie and Orphans
6. "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here" - Annie, Grace, and Servants
7. "Little Girls" - Agatha Hannigan
8. "Maybe" - Pepper, July, Duffy, Tessie and Kate
9. "Let's go to the Movies" - Annie, Oliver Warbucks, Grace, and chorus
10. "We Got Annie" - Grace, Mrs. Pugh, Punjab, Asp, and Servants
11. "Sign" - Agatha Hannigan and Oliver Warbucks
12. "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" - Bert, Boylan Sisters, Orphans join in later
13. "Easy Street" - Rooster, Lily, and Agatha Hannigan
14. "Tomorrow (White House Version)" - Annie, Oliver Warbucks, Mrs. Roosevelt, and FDR
15. "Maybe (Reprise)" - Oliver Warbucks
16. "Finale (I Don't Need Anything But You / We Got Annie / Tomorrow)" - Annie, Oliver Warbucks, Chorus, and Orphans


Cost: My mum picked up this one from the bargain bin somewhere like Woolworths (RIP) for a couple of quid. I'd look out for it at your nearest jumble sale.

Conclusion: If you have a female toddler in your household, buy it. You will get a free baby-sitting service with only minor drawbacks as mentioned in the review. If, however, your children are male or over the age of 6, I'd perhaps see what Disney has on offer this week.

Summary: Raucous film with annoying catchy song