A Star is Born (1937)
A Hollywood classic! One that paved the way for a whole franchise and stood the test of time!
It’s a 30s movie that starts with the credits rolling, this always reminds me with the style of old classics and certain film d’auteur “e.g. Woody Allen”. A monotonous film score is playing. As a matter of fact, I didn’t appreciate it throughout the film.
The pace of the scenes is quite slow, however the exchange of dialogue between characters is surprisingly engaging and pleasant. I prefer the granny character to the protagonist whose portrayal is ridiculously dull. The grandmother gives a formidable performance , that stands out despite the limited screen time. Also, Norman Maine’s performance is charismatic, playful and vibrant. In my opinion , the rest of performances are one-dimensional, uninspired and cartoonishly theatrical. The tone of the movie is light and comedic, rather than dark and dramatic, despite the tragic ending.
I believe the story to be very progressive for its time “the thirties”, in terms of premise. The audience follows the female protagonist, and her budding dream to become an actress. She leaves her family, and travels all alone to Hollywood to pursue her dream of acting, working as waitress to earn her living, networking in parties and events to land acting job opportunities. All by herself without the support of a husband/boyfriend , finding love and success along the way.
The themes that have established a beloved, classic and feminist franchise are there: Power of vision, perseverance, dark side of stardom, toxicity of celebrity, Hollywood industry, romance and love story, alcoholism, competitive dynamic of celebrity couple, rising career vs. dwindling one etc.
Aaaaand … the mention of the classic line warmed my heart ” Hey … do you mind if I just take one look at you!”.
A Star is Born (1954)
The credits start rolling at the very beginning, just like the original version!
The very first scene: we’re thrown into Hollywood and all the glitz and glamour ” a movie premiere, fashion, roaring fans etc.”. The mood is set and the audience buys into the fantasy!
Yet another Norman Maine! The superstar glamourous persona battling his own demons and addictions. On the other hand, our budding star with little something extra and “the je ne sais quoi”, the female protagonist Esther /Vicki Lester, is a mega-talented promising performer of the stage. An undeniable triple threat singer/actress/dancer as is the iconic marvellous Judy Garland portraying the character.
Judy’s performance is grounded and vibrant at the same time , carries the whole weight of the film. The theatrical performances and songs are phenomenal to say the least, classical and iconic. Her voice and vocal range is extraordinary and her talent is out of this world. My favorite of hers in terms of theatricality, visuals and choreography as well as the lyrics and vocals: “The Man that got away” aaand the epic ” Born in a trunk/Swanee/I’ll get by/You took advantage/black bottom”.
The actor playing “Norman” along side Vicki Lester is forgettable and mediocre at best. In my opinion, he was not able to convey the character’s inner pain and sense of helplessness in the face of his demons and addiction.
I didn’t appreciate the fact that the movie was prolonged and that it ran for three hours, when the original version covered the same story and themes in approximately two hours. I do understand that the meticulously executed numbers and performances of miss Judy was the mais reason behind that, however editing could’ve played a major role in modifying this issue.
One thing that’s interesting and a first cinematic experience for me, has to be the black and white still photos edited to replace few scenes along with the background voice-over dialogue. Apparently, the studio didn’t bother retaining the single print of original cut of the film, so as a result restoration was made by the Academy’s preservation department, in order to juxtapose film stills with surviving audio to recreate 20 minutes of footage that were permanently lost.
A Star is Born (1976)
I was engrossed and glued to my seat from the very first moment. There’s something mystical about the vibe and atmosphere of the film.
This version is all about songwriting and the music scene. It kicks off with the most incredible scene of an enthusiastic crowd applauding and desperately waiting for the artist and rock star to show up and light up the stage. Kris kristofferson shines with a dark authentic musical performance – minutes after having sniffed cocaine – one that oozes coolness and originality. The pace of the first scene is electric and dynamic , reflective of a concert arena full of hard-core fans.
Twelve minutes in … and we’re introduced to Barbra Streisand ! A vibrant and groovy performance followed by an emotional song , where Kris’s character witnesses Esther’s magic and je ne sais quoi !
The chemistry between the two is evident and spices up every single scene. Kris is just dreamy and his performance is charismatic and laid back, it gives the audience the space to analyse and ponder the inner pain that’s brewing inside, while Barbra’s is sassy and tender at the same time.
The characteristic themes of the franchise are introduced yet again: the discovery of a promising artist, the romance and love story, the fight of addictions and insecurities, the greed and exploitation of music industry, suicide and mental health issues etc.
The closing number is beyond epic, Miss Streisand is a legend and an icon!
A Star is Born (2018)
What’s my favorite one you ask? I believe it’s this version out of the four!
There’s an intimate grounded magic about it that makes it stand out. Also, it’s contemporary and speaks to the present time that I’m living and experiencing. I do feel like it’s a tribute film that honors the legacy of the three previous ones, all while being original and having its own singular voice, thanks to Bradley Cooper’s stunning vision. In fact, many iconic lines and moments characteristic of the structure of this franchise are beautifully brought to life yet again ” e.g. the first discovery in the bar, the famous line etc.” .
The way I see it, the 2nd version is merely a remake where the only aspect that stands out is the musical numbers by the incomparable Miss Judy Garland, and it seems to me that the 3rd version is an original, having its its own voice, interpretation and storytelling angle.
In terms of the dark intimate tone, I would say this one is reminiscent of the Streisand film “”3rd version”. Not to mention, the fact that the particularities, ambience and atmosphere are the same within the the Streisand and Gaga films, both focusing on songwriting and the music scene. The making of a performing artist in the industry.
The drug dependency and the addiction of our tortured superstar “Jackson Maine” played by Bradley Cooper is revealed in the very beginning, after having given this raw and sincere performance that kicks off the film.
The struggling amateur artist “Ally” portrayed by Gaga pops into the screen few minutes in. Her rendition of “La Vie en Rose” is theatrical, charming and pitch perfect. In my opinion, this role is career best for Bradley Cooper, not only is he masterfully directing this grand project, but he excels in acting as the lead opposite Gaga, in singing and emoting. What a captivating performance! Very laid back, haunting and emotionally charged. His tone of voice, the accent, the eye contact and body language , all embody the character perfectly and ooze sexiness, sweet charm and heartbreak.
I do believe that his energy and vibe, his impressive technique both in directing and acting, created this chemistry and spark between him and Gaga, an engaging dynamic that you invest in from the very first minute and helped put Gaga at ease as well. As a result, she delivers a spontaneous and authentic performance. There’s something mystical and genuine – je ne sais quoi element – about Bradley’s interpretation and portrayal of Jackson Maine, it reduced me to tears at times and I felt very moved and emotional.
Obviously, “Shallow” moment and performance is just golden, worthy of all the oscars, grammys and billions of youtube views. Another favorite song ” Always remember us this way” aaaand “Maybe it’s Time” performed by Bradley, beautiful lyrics and the vocals are out of this world.
The cinematography is just so intimate and evocative . So many frames are magical and poetic. I truly enjoyed devouring this visual feast. Kudos must go to Bradley Cooper for a spectacular job directing and acting/singing. A bonafide triple threat!
The film itself is incredible in its simplicity yet subtlety conveying romance, mental health issues, stardom, family baggage and drama etc.
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What’s bitter-sweet and poetic about the essence of all those films is that a new star is truly born at the same time that the old one fades and eventually dies and is sacrificed by the end of the film!
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