South Sea Island Bolero ~ 1934 ~ The Most Bizarre Musical Number Ever Filmed

[EMERALD451]

They are all dead now, if the republicans had passed a health care plan half of them would still be alive.

[StevieCoyleMusic]

"Listen to the leaves, Russell." But I didn't see any character named Russell in the credits ...

[carrotjuse]

Talk about a production number that needed Busby Berkley! Sterling Holloway is very cute but has nothing to do. A little long, but a classic film 30s musical number. Thanks for posting.

[barcalonga]

I don't see what's so bizarre about it. It's pretty good golden age silver screen big production musical, and Stirling Holloway is fab. Thanks for posting - I enjoyed it!

[CARambolagen]

Pure kitsch - that's all.

[psiprophet]

10:00 minutes of your life that will have you fantasizing what you're watching---and unfortunately listening to---was all taking place in a remote theme park on Isla Nuba. You'll almost start to foam at the mouth with anticipation, imagining hundreds of Velociraptors rushing in to break up this ludicrous luau. Alas, it never happens.

[DCFunBud]

Is that Al Franken at 6:10? This movie makes "Gilligan's Island" look credible.

[3investigators]

Beautiful song - rather horrid production number.

[jaimote12345]

just goes to show you what people will do in the middle of a Depression (1934) to make a living. Thanks.

[guggle86]

Busby Berkley meets "Song of the Islands" - the only thing missing was the obligatory volcano - but the cruise liner blowing up will do! A real treat.

[riofelix]

Uno de los mejores números musicales de la historia del cine, comparable a la "pequeña tonkinesa" de Marujita Diaz, en la película "pelusa", lástima que los anglosajones no la conozcan.

[slotte88]

My Grandma Mary Boland told me stories of the 1930s and 1940s movies...I probably should have listened. Wow, what a grandma and my Aunt Ester,,,I would have loved more than anything to have been there during their time...

[TheNomadicview]

I believe this was the pilot episode to LOST, wasn't it?

[ActionAm7]

haha but enjoyable. Reminds me also of the 1930 jack Oakie jeanette macdonald south sea thing--what was that, it was also somewhat surreal. All this number lacked is the marx brothers. Prefer these to new movies with pale teen vampires. Though I thought that palm branch was going to crash through the screen-- it's 3D-- it's Avatar 1934--!!!

[panskeptic]

It's beautiful and sensuous. It manages to combine the large drum head from "Flying Down to Rio" and Merian Cooper's jungle from "King Kong." Lou Brock should have gotten a promotion for economy. His filmography continues on for years, so was it really that big a career-wrecker?

This number is no weirder than "Turn Up the Heat" from "Sunnyside Up" or "The Girl in the Tutti Frutti Hat" from "The Gang's All Here." Weird yes, but by no means the weirdest.

[8891randy]

This is like a combination of F.W. Murnau and Ed Wood.

[sepio41]

it's not so bizarre! i love it! but it's creative and also an example of artistic manifest destiny, i think.

[HarborGuy]

AS insane as our current Congress.....a big bomb!

[songplugger]

"Your Arms Around Me while waters pound me.."

Yeah, this is right up there with "Turn On The Heat" from SUNNY SIDE UP!

[JCJasion]

This may have been the last straw for the Catholic Legion of Decency/Knights of Columbus for in the same year, teeth got put into the Hays code. Movies got heavily censored, but not before this ( my theory here ) cinematic advertisement for modern bathing suit fashions for BOTH sexes! It obviously was effective because by the mid 1930's men started going topless at the beach and women started showing a lot more leg, arm, back skin and bare midriffs. American beaches have never been the same.

[dyinglikeflies]

Truly a landmark in "south sea" shlock! Great stuff. And I saw more talent and coordination at plays at my bungalow colony.

[perfectjazz78]

From "Down To Their Last Yacht"

[perfectjazz78]

"The musical picture that ended Lou Brock's career as an RKO Radio producer"