I love Ellen Burstyn, but this movie fell flat with me.
The most jarring thing, besides that little brat of hers, was that she could not carry a tune.
In her autobio she talks about vocal lessons and really thinks she has talent in her voice.
How has this not been brought up here? I just thought it was strange.
I know that now live in a time of over-singing or "pitchy" singers. I'm just saying that she wasn't even "talk singing", and it sound decent.
I don't think she's terrible, but she wasn't someone I'd have hired as a singer.
shareI kind of figure that you're just not someone who can be easily pleased. Might have something to do with your age.
shareShe wasn't terrible but she wasn't someone who would ever get paid to sing in reality. I kind of think that was the point. I mean, look at the place she was employed singing. The very first scene w/ her as a child singing shows that she doesn't have much talent and this movie is about her voyage of discovery as an independent woman, not the untapped Whitney Houston level talent she never utilized. If she was a fantastic singer, this movie would have gone in a completely different direction.
shareI don't know. Like I said, the o.p. is probably kind of tough to please. Or, perhaps he doesn't have the ability to appreciate a film of this quality. I never get tired of it. I've probably seen it close to 20 times. The only Scorsese film I like better is Mean Streets. As far as Ellen's singing goes, I don't think that I've ever given it much thought. Of course, that might have something to do with my having a crush on her for about 45 years, so I might have a difficult time finding any fault with anything she does.
shareI think that some of you are missing the point. Alice is not supposed to be a good singer. Just like her "rose colored glasses" view of Monteray, she is living in a fantasy world where her vocal talents are concerned.
Burstyn may actually have a good voice....it's people with good voices (and acting talent) that are good at portraying mediocre, or even bad singers. Look at Meryl Streep....she has a great singing voice, but she has a movie coming out where she plays a tone-deaf woman who tries to launch a singing career.
You should probably tell that to the o.p. and the others who can't figure that out. I got that when I first saw the film decades ago. I've had a crush on E.B. for several decades. One of the things about her that is very appealing to me is her lovely speaking voice. I also find Streep's speaking voice very easy on the ears. A little anecdote: Streep used to babysit for some people I knew at one time. I believe it was back in the early sixties ( I'd let her babysit me now, but she probably wouldn't be able to fit it into her schedule ).
shareI don't think Alice is a bad singer. She's just got a little wiggle in her voice! 😀
"Yes, tubing, my precious one! Haven't you ever tubed?!" - Ida
I don't think she had much of a voice. As much as I may have enjoyed this film several years ago, I now find Alice really annoying and her kid a brat. I'm sure that was intentional, and Burstyn did a good job.
Jodie Foster and Kris were great, Diane Lane too.
Ellen has said that she knows she has a terrible voice, but she didn't want Marni Nixon to dub her, she took 6 months of singing lessons.
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