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The First Nudie Musical
Directed byMark Haggard
Bruce Kimmel
Written byBruce Kimmel
Produced byJack Reeves
StarringStephen Nathan
Cindy Williams
Bruce Kimmel
Alan Abelew
Leslie Ackerman
Diana Canova
CinematographyDouglas Knapp
Music byBruce Kimmel
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • March 3, 1976 (1976-03-03)[1]
Running time
97 min.
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$200,000[2]

The First Nudie Musical is a 1976 American musical comedy film directed by Mark Haggard and Bruce Kimmel.[2]

Overview

The movie is a comedy starring Cindy Williams, Stephen Nathan and Bruce Kimmel. Nathan plays Harry Schechter, heir to a Hollywood studio forced to make a musical comedy porno in order to stave off bankruptcy. The movie features a series of farcical lewd musical numbers in the style of classical Hollywood musical comedies including: "Orgasm", "Lesbian Butch Dyke", and "Dancing Dildos."

An early staple of Cinemax, it has become a cult film since its initial release and was released on DVD in 2001. The film is featured in Cult Movies II by Danny Peary, and has a long entry in the book about 1970s film musicals, We Can Be Who We Are by Lee Gambin. It was one of several farcical musical-comedy collaborations between Kimmel (who also co-starred in the movie) and Williams, along with The Creature Wasn't Nice in 1981. Originally distributed by Paramount Pictures in 1976, it was picked up by World-Northal in 1977.

Reception

The film was panned by Janet Maslin of The New York Times, who described the concept of the film as "a losing proposition" and found the music "tuneless."[2] Arthur D. Murphy of Variety wrote, "A few clever bits are drowned in a larger sea of silliness, forced gags and predictable cliche."[3] Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film half of one star out of four, calling it "juvenile" and "flaccid."[4] Alan M. Kriegsman of The Washington Post panned the film for "crude photography, bad editing, sophomoric story and forgettable music."[5]

Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times was more positive, writing, "Silly, sophomoric, at times downright inept, this little low-budget venture picked up by Paramount is more often than not hilarious, offering good, tonic laughter to those not offended by nudity and blunt language."[6] Leonard Maltin's film guide gave it two stars out of four and noted, "Basically a one-joke idea that wears thin despite an air of amiability."[7]

The First Nudie Musical holds an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on seven reviews.[8]

References

  1. ^ "'The First Nudie Musical' Opening During March". BoxOffice. March 1, 1976. p. 6.
  2. ^ a b c Maslin, Janet (July 25, 1977). "The First Nudie Musical (1975) 'First Nudie,' New Film, Sets Sex to Music". The New York Times.
  3. ^ Murphy, Arthur D. (March 10, 1976). "Film Reviews: The First Nudie Musical". Variety. 22.
  4. ^ Siskel, Gene (March 16, 1978). "'Gray Lady' brings new depths to disaster movies". Chicago Tribune. Section 2, p. 8.
  5. ^ Kriegsman, Alan M. (September 5, 1977). "'Nudie': Cinematic Piffle". The Washington Post. B4.
  6. ^ Thomas, Kevin (May 6, 1976). "Laughs Dominate 'Nudie Musical'". Los Angeles Times. Part IV, p. 20.
  7. ^ Maltin, Leonard, ed. (1995). Leonard Maltin's 1996 Movie & Video Guide. Signet. p. 430. ISBN 0-451-18505-6.
  8. ^ "The First Nudie Musical". Rotten Tomatoes.

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