Post by Alice on Jun 8, 2010 16:47:33 GMT -8
All it takes is tuppence from you.
"My Own Home."
"Trust in Me."
"I Wan'na Be Like You."
"Colonel Hathi's March."
"Jolly Holiday."
"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious."
The Academy Award-winning "Chim Chim Cher-Ee."
"Feed the Birds (Tuppence a Bag)." (Walt Disney's favorite.)
"It Changes." (A personal favorite of mine.)
"Little Nemo."
"Deep in the Dark."
"A Fair is a Veritable Schmorgasboard-orgasboard-orgasboard."
"The Age of Not Believing."
"The Beautiful Briny."
Et cetera. It is possible that you may not recognize the names Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman, but it is impossible for you to have never heard any of their songs. It is arguable that their masterpiece is Mary Poppins, but they have created so much more. It is outright impossible to go a full year without being subjected to anything Sherman Brothers. To quote John Lasseter, "You cannot forget a Sherman Brothers song for your entire life." Mr. Lasseter isn't kidding; that is the power of the Brothers Sherman. They combine whimsical, vivid lyrics with riveting, sweeping melodies. To put it bluntly, Bob and Dick are The Super Sherman Bros.
Along with other recent Disney documentaries Waking Sleeping Beauty and Walt and El Grupo, I very much wanted to watch The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story (2009). The bad news is this movie isn't available to own to my knowledge, but the good news is that it's available to rent via iTunes, and that is how I managed to watch The Boys. I watched it alongside my brother, and the both of us agree: this is a documentary you must watch, if you consider yourself a Sherman Brothers fan worth his salt.
You shouldn't watch it just because of how awesome the Sherman Brothers songs are, and how their legacy will continue to thrive for generations in the future, if not centuries. It must be watched because the movie heavily discusses a subject I actually never knew about: the rocky relationship between Richard and Robert. Ever since I was a child, I always imagined that the two brothers loved each other deeply, and always accompanied each other.
They obviously do love each other, but I was still way off. The Sherman Brothers, despite their genius and invaluable collaborative efforts, haven't always been there for each other. The documentary was directed by the brothers' sons, Gregory V. Sherman and Jeff Sherman. The Sherman Brothers absolutely deserve a documentary about their lives, but there's another goal, explained by Gregory and Jeff: to reconnect Richard and Robert.
In case you're wondering, yes, this documentary is sad. It does have some very light moments of genuine humor, but there's still a lingering sense of sadness and melancholy, even as the credits roll with "I Love to Laugh" playing in the background. The Sherman Brothers are geniuses, yet at a certain point they went their separate ways, and raised their separate families away from each other. Richard's offspring and Robert's nearly never interacted at all, a fact which astounds me.
The cinematography is great, and the Sherman Brothers are truly the stars of the show. Dick is the lively, playful sort, while Robert is brooding and melancholic. But can you blame him? His wife of decades died not too long ago. The contributors are all welcome and effective: John Lasseter, John Landis, Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, John Williams, and even the late Roy E. Disney all chipped in to discuss the Sherman Brothers and their legendary works of music. Ben Stiller's inclusion might raise a few eyebrows, but he also served as a producer for the film. It is also clear that he is a lifelong fan of the Sherman Brothers songs, as well! Who knew? It is also worth noting that "it's a small world" gets a certain (humorous) amount of attention for its infamously catchy melody.
The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story isn't the most upbeat documentary (I got teary eyed at a certain segment), but I highly recommend that you watch it somehow. If you love the Sherman Brothers' music, this documentary covers a lot of ground, so there's definitely something in it for you.
After I finished watching this documentary with my brother, I turned to him and told him that I love him.
**** out of ****
Joseph's Choice[/color]
