1976 - A Star Is Born

0:06 What's closely now? You're observing curious exchange of entity? Are you a magmat of imagine? Eighty all? I your what now? Hello everybody, and welcome back to nineteen seventy six. It's a limited series from a film by podcast where we are looking at some of the iconic movies from the year nineteen seventy six. We'll discuss what went on behind the scenes, share some interesting facts, talk underrated moments and words that matter. I am Jeff Johnson and joining me today. No stranger to this show. You have heard them both multiple times on a film by podcast, but I believe this is the first time we were able to snag both of them in the same episode. Talking of course, about our good friends from Docking based seventy seven, Dayton Johnson no relation and Amber Lewis the Voice of Reason. How you guys doing fabulous?

1:29 How are you I'm doing. Happy holidays to you guys. I hope you guys had a good one. I've been looking forward to this because, truth be told, I have never seen it. I've seen another version of it, other versions of it. I should say. Today we are going to be talking about a star is born. Two lovers who had everything, can you? But sometimes everything isn't enough. I've never been die Barbara streisand Chris Christopher. So sat A Star Is Born Now at a theater near you?

2:23 Righted? R? Okay? So this movie, Amber White, what is it? Four? Four times? This has been made? Technically five? The first one I can't remember the title, but it has a different title. Okay, but it was in like the thirties, and then it was remade as A Star is Born with I believe Janet Gaynor. And then my personal favorite, the Judy Garland James Mason sobfest rip your herd out? Yeah, that's a good that was it nineteen fifty four? Yes, I think, okay, and then this one, and then of course the Bradley Cooper Lady Gaga one. Right, dayton, let's just get it out of the way right now, all right? What is the definitive version of A Star Is Born? Well, you're gonna have to ask Amber again because I've only seen two of these. Now. I have not seen the early ones.

3:23 I've seen the recent one we Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, which I truly enjoyed. I thought it was fabulous. Yes, it was really good. They did everything right in that version. So I have not seen the older ones, but this is for actually first time watching the seventy six version. Okay, so right now, if you if you had to, you know, choose only one, you're going with twenty eighteen, Yes, Cooper and Goga. Okay, yeah, Amber, you've seen them all your choice. You might have tipped your hand there, talk about Judy Garland a little bit. Yeah, so that is that your pick? Yeah, that one, to be fair, that one was the first version that I saw, So that'll the first time you see something always you know has a different feel for you. But I mean I just watched it again the other day to prepare for this podcast, and just Judy Garland and James Mason, they both rip your heart out. I mean it's just so emotional and so well done and just heartbreaking and really romantic. But I did like the Bradley Cooper version very much. I was surprised. I didn't think I was gonna like it, but I did. Yeah, all right here in the middle. I have seen I'm gonna say two and a quarter of them, because obviously I've seen the Cooper Gaga version. That was my first. That was my Introduction to a Starsborn thought the film was brilliant, Absolutely loved it. I think

4:57 they were amazing in it. One of the best, are one of the best films of twenty eighteen. Then I've seen the seventy six version, obviously, and I've seen a lot of clips from the fifty four version, so interestingly enough, I thought this was kind of cool. This makes me want to go back and see all of them, though, because I understand an Amber, you can you can clarify this force is it? Is? It? Is it accurate to say that the first two versions it's all about a Hollywood starlet who goes on to win the Academy Award, And then with seventy six they change it up and now it's all about music and it's about the winning the Grammy. So that, however, but how close do they stick to the story with these Well, you know, the fifty four version, so the Garland version, will say, and the Cooper version are very very similar. Okay, he really does a great job as that, you know, broken down an artist, you know, really is the only person you could compare to James Mason in this role. You know, he did so so well, and the story is much closer with those two movies. This streisand version is kind of an outlier. Okay, it's a little bit its own thing. I gotta tell you, guys, I don't know. Maybe

6:29 I need to see it, Maybe I need to give it a couple more watches. I don't know if I I watched the three times. So yeah, well, okay, once was enough for me. Just put that out there right now, you know, I feel better knowing like watching it, I was like, man, I don't think this needs to be two hours and twenty minutes. And clearly a lot of other critics at the time felt the same way. It's not that it's a bad film, it's it's I would say, I don't even care if you are or are not a Barbara Streisen fan, just to see her in this movie. You know, if you're a fan of great performances, right there, that's the best reason to watch this movie, especially you know her the end of this thing. But I don't know, I just very lukewarm on this, on this telling of it, and I'm getting the feeling of maybe I'm I'm a good company here tonight. Yeah, is this where you want me to tell you everything?

7:24 I don't like about this movie. You're always so positive man, And okay, you know I just showed up to like, let me tell you what's wrong with this one? Well no, let me just tell you. I mean streisand her voice is spectacular. You know, I will say, you know, I'm not much of a fan of hers in general, but you know, I'm not going to say that she didn't sound wonderful. She did. Yeah, but did we really need to hear the complete version of every song she sings in the movie? Yes? Well, yeah, well you do when the movie's two hours and twenty minutes long, though, you know, you don't cut Streyson, Uh, just doing a little bit of digging into the behind the scenes stuff. The recording of Evergreen, it's it's all, And that's an awesome shot because it's all one take. You know, she's got she's got a little bit of the giggles. He's kissing on her while they're recording, and she insisted on doing that live so that because she she refuses to lip sync apparently in her films it's just not good at it.

8:26 Yeah, you know, and you know I can appreciate that, and that scene is like, for me, that's the whole movie. I can stop watching them like I ball every time. Yeah, and then I can just turn it off and be happy. Okay, Well, okay, so let's let's talk about some of these characters. I mean, there's only a handful that I really want to talk about. Obviously, we got to talk about Esther, who is played brilliantly by Barbara Streison. This was originally uh conceived for Carly Simon to do Dayton. You're I'm gonna put you in the studio executive seat. I'm bringing you Streyssan and Simon? Who you? Who? You? Who you making the offer to? Okay, So if we're going for a pop rock star in the seventies, I'm picking Carly Simon.

9:11 Okay, I think. But if you don't an actress, and that's fair, and that's fair if you want an actress, you know, Barbaris Streison's a pretty much Carly Simon could be fabulous. I've never seen him do anything right. Well, that's true, and the only the reason I can tell you from my mother in law's attitude, the only reason she watched the movie was because of Chris Christofferson. You know, you know that was because she had a massive crush on the guy me. He didn't really do much in this movie. You know, I didn't do much for me at all. And well I'm just saying I didn't in this movie, right. There was no chemistry between these two in my mind except for the except for the studio. During every being back, he was hamerd. He was chasing a bottle of tequila with a six pack of beer. I mean, well, you know, there, I think there's something that said. I think there's something to be said for the lack of chemistry between them though, because evidently but they did. That's what's so funny. It's it's weird. But you know when you look at that when you did, when you look when you look into it, though, it's like the director couldn't stand working with Barbara streisand Chris Kristofferson couldn't stand working with the director. It's like this weird triangle of like, I hate working with this person. Yeah, but he also didn't like working with her either, because he even said that almost curred him of working in movies. Yeah, Like it's it's crazy, like you know, it's like he's there, he's there to not get along with anybody. You know, and you gotta wonder, like you know, she and it's been

10:45 it's been said that she was very egocentric, very controlling on this. She even directed several scenes that the director refused to shoot and she thought the film needed it. So I could see Babs being maybe a little little bit to handle. But uh, and she probably you know, wasn't too shy about talking about who she really wanted. She wanted Elvis Presley to be her co star. So I don't even know what that movie would look like. It's not better, I can tell you that much. Because Elvis can't act. He just can't. Sorry, what about Lucky? What about Lucky Jackson? Viva? He cannot act. There's a reason why he sings most of his lines because he can't act. Just say, but I'm going to come to Barbara's defensive because there's always the woman that is in charge and knows what she wants and is called difficult and a handful and problematic to work with. And if she were a guy, I don't think they'd be saying that. So Okay, you know, I know she's a perfectionist. I know that she's you know, really meticulous about her singing and the staging and all that sort of thing. But you know, I mean, I think she's a genius, so let her do what she wants. And I think if there had been one clarified vision for the movie, it would have been better. The

12:16 problem was you had a director trying to direct, and she's going behind him and saying, no, that's not what I want. Yeah. See, I totally picked up on there's no cohesive story, like is it her story? Is it his story? We never like him. I mean from the get go, I don't like him. She's not all the scenes. Well, so any scenes in the beginning that we're meant to like endear you to him or make you understand him, we're gone. See well, and you know, it's like the beginning of the movie, she's like this. You know, she's been divorced, she's learned her lesson, she's supposed to be smart and in control of her life. And then it seems like all of a sudden, she's I love you, want to marry you. I'm like, but he's he's not a good guy. He's obviously what's the appeal to her that makes her completely abandon everything she believed in at the beginning of the movie that bothers me, and then the end of the movie, she's sobbing, and I'm like, I'm like, which story am I trying to get here? Am I trying to get the you know this woman that learned from her mistakes and is gonna have a better life? Or am I trying to feel sorry for him? And I'm like, oh, poor rock Star, I got everything you wanted and oh boo, who you know? I don't.

13:30 I don't get any kind of connection to him at all. So I'm watching this movie for two hours and twenty minutes going I don't like either of them. I just don't. I'm just I'm just waiting for the next song. I guess I don't know. I love her in the beginning. I think you're right, yes, in the beginning, in the middle to make it a love story, but in the beginning where she's like, no, I'm not going to your motel? Are you kidding? Yeah, she's got strength. In the beginning, I feel And then I felt like, you know, right when she's like, come on, let's you know, marry me, get let's get married. I stopped for a second. I was like, wait, I I I'm wide awake. Did I miss something? Is there a scene missing? Like you know what I mean to be?

14:13 He did spray paint her name backwards on his wall, and that's pretty impressive. That was impressive. I was like, I'm like, he's just ruining his wall. And I was like, wait, wait a minute, I see what he's up to. Yeah, I gotta, I gotta twice before I realized, oh god, he wrote it backwards. Even like, that's impressive. Yeah for a guy that's that's that's high and drunk, you know, pretty much the whole time. I like it. Dayton. I'm gonna throw another name at you. When we're talking about the role of Ester. Another talented actress, slash singer was was up for this and uh was forbidden, allegedly forbidden from doing it. Talking about Diana Ross, Now, what kind of movie do we get if Diana Ross is in this? Wow?

15:01 Because now you've got a great actress and you've got a great singer. Yeah, you know, I would that would be very interesting that there's definitely an alternate universe where I watched that movie and Billy D Williams, oh whoa, okay, well done, Amber. I would totally watch that. We are definitely heading to the Alternate Universe video store to watch that one, and that's the only place you can get it because uh again, allegedly Barry Gordon, you know Motown Heavyweight, refused to let her do the do the movie. You gotta wonder what the what the story is there, because that could have been a great one, man, it really could have. You know, I don't know though, uh So Dayton, you're not really digging, uh Christofferson in this said, there just feels like there's no he doesn't give me anything to like about him. And that's you know, like I said, I think that's part of if you cut the scenes or whatever, it's it's you know, poor character development. But there his delivery on everything is either he's angry or he's bored, and and there's no emotion unless he's angry, you know what I mean. And so he's not giving me anything. He's very he's boring. Speaking of angry, I gotta I gotta quickly. I gotta say I loved the cameo that we see at the beginning of this movie,

16:33 because yes, I appreciate that, you know, he is you know, he he goes off on his own after After the concert, he finds this little club where Streisand's performing. He just wants to enjoy the show and watch her, and he's, you know, he's got this wonderful smile. He's he's really in fat. You can tell he's infatuated with her right there. And then Freddy Krueger sits down. I was like, what, I know, right what Robert Robert England playing an unknown Robert England sits down, tries to, you know, act starstruck, and then starts it gets tough with him because he's not getting attention he wants, and uh, Christofferson punches him out. I know, it's great, it is. I was like, I can't believe this. Uh. It turns out he actually broke England's nose in that in that shot, and uh yeah. So Robert England tells a story that apparently Christofferson thought he was a stuntman and that's why he got the got the gig. So he's like, well, I'm gonna really, you know, belt this guy because they can take it. He breaks his nose and then when he finds out that he broke the guy's nose and he's an actor, he invites him to his trailer to drink a bottle of wine and no no hard feelings. So you know, how's that for a happy ending? If you're Robert England. I gotta mention in the movie Esther's singing group, the name of singing group the Oreo boy, yeah, and the

18:06 and the two backup singers don't even get names. I know, they're just the Oreos, Like, yeah, I can't, we can't give them a name. Come on, come on, mAbs. Yeah, that was funny. It was really funny. Though I saw that, I'd start laughing. It was great. That's all add the whole movie. Oh boy. Yeah. So Christopherson's like the third, fourth, maybe fifth choice, uh for the role. Obviously she wants she wants Elvis Presley, he wants to do it. Yeah, and then uh, Colonel Tom Parker, his manager, takes offense because she didn't reach out to him first. And then he wants uh, he asks for like a stupid amount of money. He wants uh, he wants top billing for Elvis, and Elvis hadn't done a movie since what sixty eight sixty nine after the Say or he's like the sixty eight Comeback Special. He does one movie after that, and then he's been off the screen, so you know, they're like, sorry, Elvis, you know we're passing. Uh. Next up, we got her school, her school chum she went to high school with. Apparently she went to high school with Neil Diamond, and they reach out to him and he wants to do it.

19:11 He's like, yeah, I could, this would be great, but he's touring, he's got commitments, so he has to pass. I don't know about acting wise, but I would have loved to have hear heard him sing those songs. Oh gosh, yeah, Neil and Barbara Streisen doing these, like the Evergreen Song and some of these other ones that would have been great. Uh. And then you got you got Kenny Loggins, who also is interested, but you know he's on tour with Loggins and Messina, so he has to pass. And I can't imagine what what Kenny Loggins the actor would have been like, but I kind of get the vibe that Chris Christofferson is what Kenny Loggins could have been. They've got that look, you know, I don't know, yeah, are you? Are you? It's all like Christofferson left a high bar to clear when it came to the acting level in this movie. And and that could have been because he just was not enjoying time on the set and he just wasn't putting it in there, you know what I mean. Okay, I get it. I know, I know. When this came out, a lot of people were asking him if he had modeled his role on Jim Morrison, to which he was like, look, we we we both have beards and we both had our shirts off, Like what else? What else is there? Okay, you know, thanks for the compliment, but no, another another surprise for me. Immediately, I sit right up. I'm like, okay, this could be good.

20:33 Gary Bucy, my god, shoving cocaine Christmas? Oh god, the opening of this movie. You know, I'm like, is that is that Beaucy? And then he turns around like, oh my god, it's Bucy wearing a Willie Nelson T shirt. He's frantic, he's trying, you know, you quickly see, Okay, he's obviously the tour manager. He's not happy. But then as soon as Chris shows up, you know, here, take a take a swig of a bourbon. Here you a bump, let's get you ready. I was so excited to see Gary Busey. I love Gary Busey, so that that made it for me right there. Yeah, it was fun. He was a he was a pretty lousy tour manager though he really was. Yeah, he could not control that guy no matter what. No, you know, you get what you get what you pay for. With Gary Busey, I think Amber your thoughts on Bobby Richie or Richie Bobby. I know it's either it's Bobby Richie, Richie Bobby not getting anytime Gary Busey shows up, it's a party. But I did feel like this was something that this movie lacked that the Garland and Lady Gaga versions had, which was he had somebody in those movies in his corner that was you know, it was like either a agent or his brother, you know, that was trying to keep him sober and trying to help him out and had

22:10 been doing this for years. So then when Esther shows up, she has an ally, She has someone to talk to and has someone that she can, you know, say this is a mess and I need help and I don't know what to do, and he's going, yeah, tell me about I've been doing this for twenty years, you know. But I feel like streisand was doing it all by herself, and so you can't really like emote in a vacuum. You need somebody, you know, to kind of be in it with you, and she didn't really have anybody kind of there with her, you know, I'll tell you. So here's one thing, like Dayton, I think you kind of said, like, you know, it's hard to like anybody in this movie. Really, I was really behind Barbara streisand from the beginning until they get married, and then I feel like just her character, like the strength of her character was gone. And I actually I got upset with her when she comes home all excited to talk to him and she finds him in bed with the the journalists quote quote unquote journalists, and I'm like, okay, she she's pissed, you know, she's letting him have it. And then five minutes later, in the same moment, she's they're kissing and they're they're going but they're going to bed, and I thought, what the hell? You know, how is he is he just that charming amber? No? No, no, it's not. He even

23:44 showered or nothing like that was disgusting. She turned sloppy seconds. Is that what it is? Yeah? I was I was disappointed your teeth or something. Yeah, I was disappointed in the esther character in that moment. And you know I got I gotta think you guys are in agreement with me on that one. Well, what's funny is she doesn't even need him at that point, she was already starting to get famous, so she really doesn't even need him. So why I just I don't know why? I mean, just leave. We'll keep talking right after a quick word from our sponsors. The late late cough the worst time for a cough at night. This one woke me up that late late cough needs books. Formula forty four not only helps calm the cough in your throat, works in your cough control center, right where your coffee and puls is triggered. How's that late late cough?

24:37 Now? Formula forty four can handle my cough anytime, And when your cough comes with a stuffed up nose, take Formula forty four. D I sell avon and I can do great things for your look. You you never look so good. You you never look sue. Give me some advice, okay, remember you told me to play up the color of my eyes. Sure do, And here's your answer. That's my candid colors are so great on you, like a Katie. This is where you get like a great scene in the Garland version where she comes home and he's like kind of turned into this house husband who like no one will hire him, he has nothing to do, and he's left taking her messages and signing for packages at the door and stuff. And she comes home from the set and he's like, well, how was your day? And she goes through. Now she has just worked for like twelve hours, yeah, filming like a musical number in this movie that she's making. She comes home and does the whole thing again for him, just to like buck him up and make him happy and make him smile, and you really get the sense of like how much she loves him and how much she just wants to make him happy and you know, help

26:11 him have a happy life and be satisfied with who he is. And you don't ever really get that with these with these two, so is the tragedy that she she loves this guy, and it's like the you know I can change him, I can save him, you know cliche that you know you know she can't, and you know she's just gonna she's gonna be along for the ride for his downfall. Yeah, because he can't even save himself. I mean he wants to, but but does he does he I've never got the impression he really watch the James Mason version, and that's fair, and so I'm assuming that he was likable in that version. Oh yeah, he's so charming and well you want the newer one with his bad off. As Bradley Cooper's care was, we still liked him, you know, I still wanted I wanted him to have a turnaround. I wanted him to get himself together. So when he you know, at the end of that one, it's it's terrible. Then to this one, I'm like, oh, that car got destroyed. That's what my reaction was, and that was that he died. It was more about the car, so not the car. I mean, I'm not gonna lie. He should have died like halfway through the movie, and we should have got more of her career. That would have been more and more satisfying than the two hours and twenty minutes it took for him to die. That's harsh. Well, like this, I'm just saying in the chud Garland and the Bradley Cooper version. Both of those esther at the end, like she comes out on stage and she uses his name,

27:45 Yes, because the whole point in her going on and the whole point in her surviving is to honor him and what he was for her and how if it weren't for him, she would not have this career. And you know, because she had been trying and had been unsuccessful. So he gave her that boost, and so she honors him at the end of the movie. And in this one, it's like, you know, a woman's lib moment of like I'm gonna go and do it by myself, but you know, I'm sad that you that you're not here. Let's dating. You mentioned you mentioned the car, the car crash, So yeah, I have a question about this. Okay, well what's your question. Okay, I'm not a car person, like even a little bit. I didn't know that it was afar, Like this is a red car, I don't know. Yeah, hundred and sixty miles an hour? Yeah, like really one hundred and sixty one six zero. I don't know that seems as Sessa, you mean that, you mean that he would have the car go that fat? Like could you take out in the desert and like Flora and yeah, really you absolutely could. And that brings me me, that brings me to the point.

29:03 So as Amber knows Dayton, you know, there is a tragic end for the male character in all these films, and suicide sadly is the tragic end, except for this version because John Peters, who was Barbara Straansan's hairdresser, slash producer, slash, you know, partner, boyfriend extraordinaire, he didn't want that, so they shoot it. He wanted like a you know, he wanted that. He wanted one of those endings where it's like did he did he do it on purpose? Or was it just a tragic car wreck?

29:45 And they do to They do two different endings. One shows that he, you know, intentionally ran the car off the road to kill himself, and then the other version it is what we get in this movie. And they played a few of them to test them, you know, barbar streis It says, hey, let's put both innings out there and see which test better in the studio steps and says, no, we're doing this one. You know, So I don't know, Daton, what do you what do you think? Because like, does it work with the you know, the the tragic car crash. You know, it's where he's maybe a little less tragic and the situation's more tragic. I think it still works. I think it's kind of a cop out the studio wise, but the fact is he was killing himself through all the drinking and drugs and everything. Anyway, So getting into your car when you're tanked up and going that fast, you're gonna crash. The only upside was he didn't take anybody with him, you know what I mean that. But so you know that, I don't think it.

30:53 I don't think it hurts it. You know, it's still tragic that he had to go that that way. I mean as tragic as to be for a character I didn't care for, you know, But I don't think it doesn't impact it either way, as far as I'm concerned. It's twenty seven degrees outside and inside here right now it is so much colder. You are cold hearted, my friend. Yes, I am. Well everybody, when you don't make me like a character at the end of the movie, I'm like, Okay, he ruined the car. He really, he's really that unlikable to it for you, because I kind of I'm kind of digging him for some of it, half of it. You know, when he gets on the motorcycle and drives off the stage, or when he stops a song like before the first chorus and starts to whine, and I like, dude, you just you were late? You know? He just Okay, this is why I don't like him. He reminds me too much of Axel Rose. That's exactly why I don't like him, showing up late, being an ass the whole time, treating his fans like they don't matter. It's you know what, I don't bide that. If you're that upset, quit Why did you know I was more pissed about Bradley Cooper shoving the cake and Lady got his face. I was like, yeah, I would have locked right out and never looked back. Dayton, you have just ruined his character because now I see the Axle Rose behavior in it, and now now I'm having a hard time liking him. Thanks a lot, buddy. You're welcome, You're welcome. Oh boy, Okay, can we talk about car crash?

32:22 Would have made more sense if he had because he was on his way to flaming out. Yeah, but then he pulled it back together, and he kind of sobered up there for a little while. And I think if he had just kind of continued to ramp it up and continue that trajectory, the car crash would have made more sense. Okay, interesting, I want to talk about what I think. I'm not saying this is the best scene in the movie, because it's not, but it's one of the most impressive scenes in the movie I think. And I'm talking about the concert shot at sun Devil Stadium. Every time you see a movie where it's about a singer or a band, you know, Hollywood does all these tricks to make you think it's like a big sold out venue. And in this case, there are literally forty seven thousand people packed in there in that stadium to watch to watch this show. And that blows my mind, you know that, the fact that they got forty seven thousand people to show up, you know extras.

33:23 You know. Now, I granted, it's a lot easier to get that many people to show up. When you say, hey, free concert featuring Barbara Streisan, Chris Christofferson, Peter Frampton, Santana and others. Dayton, could you imagine being at that show? Well, according now I don't know if this is accurate. He's but according to this the ticket was three fifty oh exactly, but even still at forty seven thousand people at sun Devil Stadium, that's you know, I mean Peter Frampton by that point, I mean, he was a pretty big rock star. Yes, Santana's So this was this before or after Frampton comes Alive. I want to say this is probably just before, just before, I think, so he's probably on the brink of breaking out everywhere Santana. That was huge already. Yeah. Yeah, that's a great shot. You're right, it's a great shot. Yeah.

34:14 Well, and think about this. Maybe maybe there's some genius to John Peters producing this movie, because if you're charging forty seven thousand people three dollars and fifty cents to get in, think about your production. You know, I think this movie only costs six million dollars to make, and he probably pocketed a whole bunch of that, you know, just with this concert, right, Frampton comes Alive came about the same year this did. Okay, so he's a name at this point. Then we know, yeah, wow, let's take a quick break and when we get back we'll talk about underrated moments and words that matter. Sunday Go jacks outon nail an untrustworthy cop.

34:54 The first time I've been afraid to run up the stairs with a patna behind me. I lost one of my best cups. Then don't Becky tries to stop a friend from revenge murder who was as supposed to, but I put him on it to prevent it. It ass Then two tough cups. Tomorrow night on ZBS, we are back. I'm talking with Dayton Johnson and Amber Lewis of the Docking Bab seventy seven podcasts. Before we talk about an underrated moment, let's talk about Docu Based seventy seven. Give us a for those listeners that are listening to a film by podcast for the very first time. What is docu Base seventy seven all about? Ultimately, what it comes down to is it's a group of friends that get together and talk about fun stuff.

35:44 We talk about movies, music, books, comics, even did episode of video games and I'm blessed and Amber is definitely part of that. To have people that are well versed in many things, they make the podcast better because they know that I don't and they bring something to, you know, information that I didn't have, and we love to have a go at one another, which makes it fun. And it's all in good fun of course, but yeah, we you know, it's I don't want to call it like an entertainment or a pop culture podcast because I think there's a little bit more to that. But and honestly it all I got the podcast bug because of you have Me on the eighty six series, and then I got to host the Manhunter episode, so I was like, Okay, I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna go ahead and and jump off and do this. So but yeah, we we have a good time doing it. And you know, we have a couple of hashtags starting. We have hashtag team Amber, you know, because apparently she's the she's the voice of reason. See that.

36:45 I see that. I see people commenting on your social media, like weighing in on their thoughts on certain episodes, and there's always, I gotta be honest, a lot of times there's a lot of support behind Amber's thoughts or opinions, and I always see that hashtag team member. Uh So, I don't know, there's there might be something to that. Yeah, maybe Amber, Amber, you were you were there at the very at the at the beginning right of Docking Bay, Like, weren't you on the very first episode, the West Side Story episode? Am I thinking? I remember that right? Okay? Me and my buddy Robert, Yeah, and the remake steven Sake. Yeah, yeah, and that's you know, the the rivalry.

37:29 I think UH was born in that episode if I remember right, So, yeah, it was the rivalry was just broadcast on that episode. That's been going, okay, okay, absolutely love what you guys do over there. Always looking forward to UH to new episodes. They always drop on Wednesdays, correct dayton yep, that's correct. All right, awesome, Well, let's talk about an underrated moment, guys. Amber. It's not about the favorite scene. It's not the scene that's in the trailer, but without it, the film is just a little bit less. Is there a scene in A Star is Born that comes to mind for you? I think for me the scene that shows their chemistry and you only get too because the rest of the time they're kind of mismatched. But the scene at the piano when they write the song is so just He's very honest, like his voice isn't perfect, and she like forgets where she was in the song and has to start over and on the piano. But it shows, you know, that spark of creativity that you know, truly talented people have where you think, you know, has one just sit down and the stuff comes out, but somehow it does. Yeah, is it fair to say that she falls in love with him in that moment? In that scene? Just the fact that he's just creating lyrics out of thin air to the music that she's playing. The

39:04 look on Streisan's face is just like it's almost like real, like she's in awe of what she's seeing. I love that moment. That's a great one dayton an underrated moment. Mine focuses on Christofferson's character, and this is when you return to the studio and he has some new music that he's really proud of. You know. This is when he's kind of got cleaned up and he's trying to, you know, find that spark again. And he shows up and he finds out that his band has changed their name and they're working on some other projects. And instead of being a grown up and being happy for his band and you know, cool, let's embrace this and let's work together. He lies this to her manager Bobby and said, oh, well, yeah, I got some people I'm going to work with and you know and everything else. And then of course it he gets upset and it kind of sends him back into his bad habits. So you know, it's kind of like it's that scene that it could have been really impactful in the way that you know, he comes in cool that here's the band lists work together, or it could have gone the other way, which it is the way it went. So in my mind, it was kind of a turning point scene. And it's not very long, and it's not you know, you're definitely not gonna see a clip of it in the trailer, but uh, it's it's an important scene. It's very important. Actually, Dayton, I will agree with you. That's that's the scene that comes to mind for me.

40:22 Now I have a slightly different take on it, you know, and there's no you know, not that there's you know, no wrong take. But for me, when I watch that moment, my heart breaks for his character in that moment because he has struggled with her, you know, her sudden you know the explosion of her fame and popularity, and he is kind of fading out. People are forgetting him, and he does it. He tries to tries to clean himself up. He's working on new material, you know, and he's like, all right, I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go talk to the manager. I'm gonna go. We're gonna get this happening. And then lo and behold, Speedway is now freeway. They've got new material. They are ready to hit the road. And the you know, his former managers like, hey, we thought you we retired. You're living the good life out in Mexico or New Mexico with on a ranch like we life goes on. So how you been And he's like he's wounded, you know, and yeah, you know you're not gonna have your hat in your hand at that point. Like, I, you know, I not that I would do everything that Christofferson does in this movie, but I feel like in that situation, I probably, I probably I would lie like he did and be like whoa, you know, I've got a new material and I got some guys, and I you know, I'm excited and we're going to take it in a different direction. He was trying to say face and knowing that he's trying to say, face is heartbreaking because you can tell that his his form manager is not buying it, and he's okay, well good good luck, you know. And yeah, it's a it's a hard scene to watch, I think, just because of just how wounded he is in that

41:54 moment. So yeah, I can I can see that point of view. All Right, this movie has a lot to say musically, but I don't know about words. It matter, like there's this is not a quotable movie by any means. But uh, Amber, we're gonna, we're gonna, We're gonna ask you first, any any any quote, any memorable line from this movie that you think of when you think of a stars born wine beer or herbal tea. That's very good. That killed me. She was so stinking funny. But then also, you know, just almost any song lyric, like there are some that just hit so hard. I'm telling you, if any man ever wrote to me and said, I'll have the constellations paint your portrait too, like, well, okay, you're falling for Christopherson, Amber, that's what's happening there with Oh Dayton, what do you what do you? What do you think of? What quote comes to mind? What line? All right, So there's only one that I can remember after watching this movie, and uh Ambers can have to help you remember gets when it happens. But it's a when Esther said, you can trash your life, but you're not gonna trash mine. Oh that's it's a great line. It's the best line of the movie. You know, it's the one holds because

43:28 she's right. You know, she goes on and has a career and you know he's not. Well. To Amber's point, there's there's lines. There's there's lines and songs that come to mind for me. And I'll tell you when he takes the mic the show's starting and we get that line. Am I a figment of your imagination? Or are you one of mine? Dude? I want to be in that crowd when that goes off, because that that is Dayton. You gotta you gotta admit. That is a great way to kick off the you know, the first song of a concert and it looks like Speedway puts on the hell of a show, you know, yeah, you know, for as long as he can until he quits halfway through that song. Yeah, it's great. Love that moment. Now, this was a tough question and It's tough because we're going to talk about one of our favorite holdovers from our nineteen eighty six series, talking about prequel sequel remake Amber. They've made this movie four times, so I don't even know where to start. But let's let's see what you have to say. I got it. Oh you're okay, all right. See, I have to cheat a little bit, okay, because I want Share at the height of her powers. I'm talking like nineteen eighty eight Share Okay, this is turned by

44:58 time, share right, share drug Share Okay, okay, with her acting ability and her performing ability. You put Share as the washed up has been and bring in some young guy whoa a little role reversal. Oh I like that. I like this has not been done. Share could do it. Man, You got me wondering, like Dayton, Uh you know, I'll put you on the spot. I don't even know if you can think of this as fast but young you know, young singer, young male singer in the late eighties that could that could work with work with Share welling. So I was thinking Jordan Fisher. Fisher now from Okay, So he's like like a Selena Gomez Taylor Swift kind of era. Okay, okay, Well he's on He's on Broadway in Hadestown right now, so he's more like pop.

46:00 He was on Dancing with the Stars. So I'm gonna tell you something. Our good buddy Jason Colvin from the Shirley Can't Be Serious podcast, he has pulled this cheat several times where he does a remake or yeah, it's always a remake, but it's a remake in a specific year from the past. So I feel like I almost have to. I feel like I almost have to create like a time travel question for this. But you know, but I'm gonna have to. I'm gonna have to bust you because I'll let your time, I'll let your time, I'll let your time travel back to eighty eight because I'm loving what you're going, where you're going with this with Share and and and a young, young male lead. But you can't, you can't multiverse this thing where we've got someone from now, someone from eighty eight, So we gotta we gotta have a someone from share the height of her power and who yeah datan? What about what about let's let's talk rock stars late eighties rock stars that maybe we could have seen opposite Share Uh, I was gonna go with John bon Jovie. I'd rather see whoa Okay, you know what we know we know bon Jovie can act Dayton. Okay, so yeah, all right, So what would have been uh what would have been the the third A Star is Born film taking place in nineteen eighty eight, starring Chare and John bon Jovie. That that's hard to beat. I don't

47:31 I can't touch that. What do you got Dayton? Prequel? Prequel, sequel, remake? All right, well, I actually had two, but I landed on a prequel. I want to see a younger version of John Norman Howard and his rise to fame and then what destroyed him and turned him into such a bitter old has been. And I actually have somebody that I can think it could pull that off into modern telling. Uh. He already played Elvis. But I'm going with Austin Butler because he can sing and you get him like right around you know, twenty years old or whatever, and him rise to fame and you know, over the maybe do it over the course of a decade. We are sharing a brain because my thought was gotta go prequel. I'm gonna call it Speedway, and it's all it's what Dayton word for what you just said. The only difference is you're picking Austin Butler, who was brilliant as Elvis, and I know he would crush it as a young Christofferson. I was gonna go with the Timothy Shallomey, who I know they're looking at playing He's he's looking at doing a Bob Bob Dylan biopic here in the next couple of years. So that's you know, whether it's Austin Butler or Challomey, I'm I'm in regardless, you know. So, man, I want to see these movies now, right. The only other thing I thought was a sequel to see Esther's career kind of see if she if she manages to what like how how the system chane her? You know what I mean? Because like I said, we don't really get to see

49:04 that enough, you know, and I think that would be interesting to see if she learns from his mistakes and see if she can walk that, you know, that fine line between you know, artist and you know, star or whatever. That's interesting because in the Judy Garland version and in the Bradley Cooper version, Esther is much more fragile and like nobody's telling Barber what to do. Those two esthers, like in the Lady Gaga version, she was like they kind of were changing her and making her a pop star. At one point, Bradley Cooper's like kind of like you're selling out, you know, So that would be interesting to see how she could sort of navigate like being true to who she wants to be and being successful and keeping the label happy and right. Well and to that point, you know, we know Speedway is like a like a having these rock band They're like they're like, uh, still water, you know, but she is kind of like a disco like her. Her her flavors more disco. I felt like, like like listening to the music is like, yeah, I'm not I'm not liking that. And they even talk about that in the movie, like you know, hey, you can't tour with her because your sounds are not the same.

50:17 And I think that speaks to like that that time in America when disco was on the rise. Unfortunately, you know, rock was starting to die out, disco was was was making a big, big splash. So yeah, I don't know, I I don't know if I want to watch the The Ester movie so much, but Uh, I'll tell you one thing I do love. I love watching the end of this movie. You know that that tight shot of her, Yeah, you know, the slow tears streaming out of her, out of her, out of her eyes as she's singing. And who else can stand there for like eight minutes, yeah, and take you from like a ballad to like a pop tune. Yeah, and like just melt your face like it was amazing. Yeah. You the the last eight nine minutes of this movie are worth the price of emission. If you are unhappy the whole movie, you know, for two hours, and you know that's why you don't turn it off after everybring because you got to wait for this for if you if you're like if you're gutting out for two hours and twelve minutes and you're like, I'm turning it off. Nope, last eight minutes of this is just it's electric. She is She's brilliant, She's fantastic in it. So with that said, let's let's talk ratings here, Dayton. Out of four possible stars, what are you giving this star?

51:43 Uh? Two two stars? Okay, okay, I mean for that, I mean for her her voice alone is a star, because it's fantastic, and I like the seventies. I like the seventies music, I like the idea. There's there wasn't enough payoff for me. You know, there's some great shots in there. So I give it two stars. I'm feeling this. This is one of the freakiest episodes we've ever done. Because we're we're you and I are so aligned. I'm also going to go two stars. And again it's mainly for Barbara Streisan and and her incredible talent, the scene that she does in this, and hey, I like Christofferson, but I will agree with Dayton. I can't believe I'm saying this. He's not that likable and doesn't do a whole lot, but you know, I think he did enough for me just to to like him in the film. Amber Dayton goes two stars. I go two stars out of four possible stars.

52:44 What are you doing? I don't think I've ever done this, but I'm gonna say one. And just by the soundtrack, Wow, WHOA save yourself the trouble And just by the soundtrack, by that rationale, You've you've got to think this is the week of the four versions of the film. Oh by far Wow, Okay, by far. Like, my parents went to see it at the drive in and they literally only went because of Barbarstarizen, because my dad loved her and Chris. My mom said that Chris Christopherson just ruined the movie for them, And so I grew up listening to the soundtrack and stuff, but I never watched the movie. And then I watched it and I was like, eh, I say, wow, okay, you can't top the Judy Garland version like it is. She is amazing, James Mason is amazing. It's just it just blows you away. All right, Well, listen, we know a Star is born. The seventy six version is streaming on Prime Amber. Can you tell us is is the Judy Garland version? Is that streaming anywhere? Right now? You have to rent it on Prime? Okay, sex version is free. But the other two, you know, Bradley Cooper version and the Judy Garland version like three point fifty right now? Okay, Oh, I thought I thought the I thought the Cooper Goga version, I thought that was on Max. But they might have

54:15 taken off of this. It might be, but it was like right there, so I clicked it. Yeah, they got my money, Yes they did all right, well, guys, I want to thank you. I know how busy you guys are over on document seventy seven, So for you guys to take time out of your busy schedule to come over here and entertain our listeners, absolutely appreciate it. Very thankful for you guys to do that for me, because I truth truthfully, I cannot think of any two people that I wanted to talk about this movie in particular with on our seventy six series. I think told you guys like a year ago, like hey there's gonna be a new series. This is the one that I want you to want you to be a part of, you know, around the holidays. So so thank you very much, Dayton. Can you tell us some what what's what's next for Docubay? What what are you dropping? December? And we have three new episodes. We are wrapping up our there Trans Siberian Orchestra Christmas album with the Christmas Addic. This will be our third Christmas episode we've done on them, and then we kind of start into six episodes of science fiction movies. We are covering my what I consider to be the best of all the Star Wars movies, and that is Star Wars the Star Wars story Rogue one, and then we're also we have actually special guest at that time, John Reid, that you know from the thirty See Movie podcasts. He will be joining us for that episode. And then we're also covering Galaxy Quest,

55:45 one of the best Star Trek movies that's not a completely a Star Trek movie ever made, and for that one we have special guests. Russ from the Infectious Groove music podcast will be joining us for that one as well. And then in January, we're doing four more science fiction movies and have to stop by and see what those are. Pretty uh pretty packed a couple of months there. Uh, amber not to put you on the spot, because I know you're I know the I know the producer of of your show is is looking at you right now. But uh, you're gonna come over to Film Buying and do some more episodes for us, Right, You're gonna You're gonna join us more more often. Absolutely, all right, I'm gonna gonna. I'm gonna, I'm gonna discuss your contract with this guy off Mike.

56:28 Hey, she's getting ready to host her own episodes too, So yeah, well either either I'm gonna get her either. I'm gonna get her. She's gonna get a raise from that docum bait. We'll we'll find out what happens with Amber. But uh, listeners, uh, thank you as always for for joining us. Uh check us out. Next week it'll be Christmas time and uh we're starting off with a bang. We're gonna do Renny Harlan's The Long Kiss. Good night. Until then, let us know what you think about A star is born? Uh? What which? What's your go to version? Who did it best? Who did it? Who did it worst? Let us know on social media. You can also let us know at www dot a film by podcast. Until next time, thanks for lending your ears. We'll catch you on the flip side. I forgot it an argument.

57:27 I was gonna start between which is the better song, Shallow or Evergreen? Oh that we can have that fight. It's it's shallow. It is nuts. It is shallow? Are you kidding me? I don't care that much to fight about it. So you don't have an opinion on this? Do you want me to have one? Very few of these songs are worth arguing about. So music guy, you're a music guy. Ever I am, You're right, And I couldn't enjoy any of the songs that Christofferson saying, because he didn't finish any of them. But he didn't sing ever. Well, I know that that's a Barbara song. He came like one word. Well, you know who enjoyed them, the Academy, because like both songs won an Academy Award for Best Songs. Yeah, and they're fine, And to me, I don't honestly, I couldn't even tell you which one was swallow or shallow. Sorry Jesus. And on that note, that's a whole other movie. That's a whole other movie.