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I was only checking this out to get through the five movies of Charles Rondeau, fitting my rule of exploring every new director I end up seeing a movie by (though I still have trouble finding his 1960 thriller, The Threat). Before finding this rare movie on YouTube of all places, I had absolutely no awareness of the musical group Bloodstone, let alone what this movie was about. All I knew was that it was a mid-70's movie, and Letterboxd didn't tag it as porn. So I checked it out.
Train Ride to Hollywood is essentially one big dream sequence activated when their proud heavyweight member Harry Williams, Jr. is knocked out cold on the way from the dressing room to the stage, envisioning his popular band as a bunch of nobodies hoping to make it all the way to Hollywood and get in the movies. When they sneak aboard a train dressed as employees, they journey to Hollywood with Humphrey Bogart, Marilyn Monroe, Nelson Eddy, Scarlett O'Hara, the Shiek, the Godfather and Dracula. But a bunch of weird stuff happens on the way, such as a murder mystery and... a werewolf-style transformation into a hip and young gangster...
Honestly, just don't ask for a story in this. There's really no consistency as every gag in this movie is only there to make fun of one movie or another, such as how Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald are always seen singing together, and how its always snowing when they're onscreen. And yes, practically every Dracula joke has to do with blood. Although it was kinda funny when he tried to hold a cross against the were-gangster and said, "What am I doing!?" But otherwise, the humor is just kinda cartoony, hence the boxing match with the obviously fake gorilla. And of course, none of these antics have any real say in any form of story.
But this doesn't mean the movie is unwatchable. Just so everyone knows, despite my two favorite music genres being hard rock and power metal, I was also in part raised on some classic African American genres like soul and funk. I'm fully aware of how we wouldn't have rock without African Americans inventing blues, and I really enjoy the genres of music they popularized. So it comes as no surprised that I had a blast with the musical numbers. Bloodstone might not write the greatest songs ever, but the original music is really catchy and their dancing, harmony and charisma are irresistible. Maybe it's just me because I like musicals and I really love black R&B groups, but still.
So in short, this TV movie is really just that. Bloodstone makes for a bunch of decent actors as long as they're being themselves, and there's no denying that these guys put on a show. Thing is, they put on a better show than the director (both the real director and the fake director character). So take it for what you will. It's not good filmmaking, but it's not a bad musical.
= 46/100
Train Ride to Hollywood
(1975) - Directed by Charles R. Rondeau
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Musical / Comedy
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"There is simply something marvelous about a train riiiiiide!"
(1975) - Directed by Charles R. Rondeau
--------------------------------------------
Musical / Comedy
-------------------------------------------------
"There is simply something marvelous about a train riiiiiide!"
I was only checking this out to get through the five movies of Charles Rondeau, fitting my rule of exploring every new director I end up seeing a movie by (though I still have trouble finding his 1960 thriller, The Threat). Before finding this rare movie on YouTube of all places, I had absolutely no awareness of the musical group Bloodstone, let alone what this movie was about. All I knew was that it was a mid-70's movie, and Letterboxd didn't tag it as porn. So I checked it out.
Train Ride to Hollywood is essentially one big dream sequence activated when their proud heavyweight member Harry Williams, Jr. is knocked out cold on the way from the dressing room to the stage, envisioning his popular band as a bunch of nobodies hoping to make it all the way to Hollywood and get in the movies. When they sneak aboard a train dressed as employees, they journey to Hollywood with Humphrey Bogart, Marilyn Monroe, Nelson Eddy, Scarlett O'Hara, the Shiek, the Godfather and Dracula. But a bunch of weird stuff happens on the way, such as a murder mystery and... a werewolf-style transformation into a hip and young gangster...
Honestly, just don't ask for a story in this. There's really no consistency as every gag in this movie is only there to make fun of one movie or another, such as how Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald are always seen singing together, and how its always snowing when they're onscreen. And yes, practically every Dracula joke has to do with blood. Although it was kinda funny when he tried to hold a cross against the were-gangster and said, "What am I doing!?" But otherwise, the humor is just kinda cartoony, hence the boxing match with the obviously fake gorilla. And of course, none of these antics have any real say in any form of story.
But this doesn't mean the movie is unwatchable. Just so everyone knows, despite my two favorite music genres being hard rock and power metal, I was also in part raised on some classic African American genres like soul and funk. I'm fully aware of how we wouldn't have rock without African Americans inventing blues, and I really enjoy the genres of music they popularized. So it comes as no surprised that I had a blast with the musical numbers. Bloodstone might not write the greatest songs ever, but the original music is really catchy and their dancing, harmony and charisma are irresistible. Maybe it's just me because I like musicals and I really love black R&B groups, but still.
So in short, this TV movie is really just that. Bloodstone makes for a bunch of decent actors as long as they're being themselves, and there's no denying that these guys put on a show. Thing is, they put on a better show than the director (both the real director and the fake director character). So take it for what you will. It's not good filmmaking, but it's not a bad musical.
= 46/100