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In the CreativiTator Spotlight:
Gene Kelly
From
Wikipedia.org:
Eugene Curran Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2,
1996), better known as Gene Kelly, was an American
dancer, actor, singer, director, producer, and
choreographer. Kelly was known for his energetic and
athletic dancing style, his good looks and the likable
characters that he played on screen.
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Links:
The Gene
Scene
Tribute to Gene Kelly on ClassicMovies.org
Extensive
Profile of Gene
Kelly on Wikipedia.org
Books and DVDs:
BOOK: Gene Kelly: A Celebration
Amazon.com Description: Featuring more than 100
photographs, this lavish tribute looks back with affection
at the remarkable and influential career--on both sides of
the camera--of one of the cinema's most popular stars. Now
in paperback. Gene Kelly was the man who dragged Hollywood
musicals into the second half of the 20th century--splashing
through puddles in ``Singing in the Rain,'' dancing to the
top of the Empire State Building in ``Our Town,'' teaching
French kids to sing Gershwin in ``An American in Paris.'' He
took dancing out of the ballroom and set it alive on the
streets. He was also, of course, an actor, choreographer,
and director, but it is as the first modern screen dancer
that Gene Kelly will always be remembered. This
picture-filled volume is a tribute to his rare talent and
indelible body of work. Sheridan Morley is a drama critic
and biographer, whose subjects include Audrey Hepburn and
Elizabeth Taylor. Ruth Leon is the author of Applause: New
York's Guide to the Performing Arts. 168 pp 9 1/2 x 9 1/2 8
color & 100 b/w photos
DVD: Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer
Amazon.com description:
This biography of Gene Kelly comes from the American
Masters series, and even by the high standard of that
pedigree, it's an unusually fine portrait. The clips from
Kelly's films are superbly chosen (and in sparkling
condition), illustrating his low-to-the-ground dancing style
and his sky-high choreographic ambitions. "Singin' in the
Rain" is here, of course, but so is his lonely, lovely solo
with a newspaper in Summer Stock and his
double-exposure "Alter Ego" number from Cover Girl.
The documentary is not fawning; testimony from collaborators
such as Debbie Reynolds and André Previn leaves no doubt
about his vanity and his perfectionism. The best of the
interviewees is the actress Betsy Blair, Kelly's first wife,
whose intelligence and frankness reflect well on him. A
running theme is Kelly's masculine, blue-collar image, which
allowed audiences to accept sailors and baseball players
dancing with balletic precision. It's the precision of
genius. --Robert Horton
Product Description
The life and career of this film star and innovator whose
work includes Singin' in the Rain, On the Town,
and An American in Paris are vibrantly recalled in
this profile of the driven genius--often narcissistic,
always a perfectionist--who reenergized the movie musical
and redefined dance on screen. Packed with marvelous clips
(including rare footage of Kelly's breakthrough Pal Joey
Broadway role) and interviews with family members and
Hollywood colleagues, Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer
is the definitive look at a magical talent whose story has
never been fully told until now. It's a life to be watched,
celebrated, enjoyed. 87 minutes.
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