The Italian Job: Live In Concert

[Omen II 1,235]

On days like these there are so many classic films receiving the 'Live In Concert' treatment that it's difficult to separate the wood from the chaff, but this one looks like it should be a lot of fun:

 

The Italian Job

 

You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!  Get a bloomin' move on and get your tickets, it's at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London on 10th June 2018.

 

 

[Omen II 1,235]

The Italian Job might not be the most obvious choice for a live in concert treatment, but this was enormously enjoyable.  Even the venue was quite appropriate, given that the Theatre Royal has a statue of Noel Coward in the foyer (Coward plays Mr. Bridger in the film, of course).  It made a nice change to see a film with a more jazz-oriented score and orchestral forces to match; there were 27 musicians including a harmonica player, saxophonist and small string section, all conducted ably by Robert Ziegler.

 

I had wondered how they would tackle the two famous songs, i.e. On Days Like These which opens the movie and of course Getta Bloomin' Move On (Self Preservation Society), now one of the unofficial anthems of the England football team.  Vocalist Lance Ellington, who will be familiar to many in the UK as one of the house band singers in Strictly Come Dancing, was on stage to sing the opening number in his best Matt Monro style.  He also contributed to the few tracks requiring a vocal element, for example the version of Rule Britannia which plays as the vehicles board the ferry at Dover.  For the latter song, they had prerecorded a group of well known celebrities and musicians to sing the lyrics, including Sanjeev Bhaskar, Richard Bratby and John Altman.  It actually sounded surprisingly good!

 

There was also a nice introduction by Michael Caine screened before the film started, in which he talked a bit about the film and his friendships with Noel Coward and Quincy Jones.  Predictably the famous line "You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!" drew a round of applause from the audience.