The First Nudie Musical
Encyclopedia
The First Nudie Musical is a 1976
American
motion picture directed by Mark Haggard
and Bruce Kimmel
.
and Stephen Nathan. 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." The movie has low-budget feel, with a "musical-within-a-movie" theme in the tradition of Singin' in the Rain
but with satirical sexual humor. An early staple of Cinemax
, it has become a cult classic since its initial release and was released on DVD in 2001. 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 and re-released to great acclaim, first in New York, where it opened the same week as New York, New York and got much better reviews, played for three months exclusively at the 68th Street Playhouse, and then went into wider distribution - the week it went wide it was the fourth highest grossing picture in the United States.
The film is featured in Danny Peary's Cult Movies II book and also in Peary's Guide For The Film Fanatic. The film has recently been digitally restored for blu-ray and will be coming out at the end of 2011. There is also a stage adaptation in the works.
1976 in film
The year 1976 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*March 22 - Filming begins on George Lucas' Star Wars science fiction film...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
motion picture directed by Mark Haggard
Mark Haggard
Mark Haggard was an English clergyman and rower who won events at Henley Royal Regatta.Haggard was the son of John Haggard, a lawyer, and his wife Caroline Hodgson. His father was Chancellor of Lincoln, Winchester and Manchester. Haggard was educated at Christ Church, Oxford where he rowed for...
and Bruce Kimmel
Bruce Kimmel
Bruce Kimmel , also known as Guy Haines, is an actor, writer, director, composer, and Grammy-nominated CD producer. Kimmel lives in Los Angeles, California...
.
Overview
The movie is a comedy starring Cindy WilliamsCindy Williams
Cynthia Jane "Cindy" Williams is an American actress best known for starring in the television situation-comedy series Laverne & Shirley, in the role of "Shirley Feeney", and for her role as Laurie Henderson in the classic film American Graffiti.-Early life:Williams was born in Van Nuys,...
and Stephen Nathan. Nathan plays Harry Schechter, heir to a Hollywood studio forced to make a musical comedy porno
Pornographic movie
Pornographic films are motion pictures with the purpose of promoting sexual arousal in the viewer, often featuring depictions of sexual activity. They are sold and rented out on DVD, shown through Internet and special channels and pay-per-view on cable and satellite, and in adult...
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." The movie has low-budget feel, with a "musical-within-a-movie" theme in the tradition of Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 American comedy musical film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds and directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, with Kelly also providing the choreography...
but with satirical sexual humor. An early staple of Cinemax
Cinemax
Cinemax, sometimes abbreviated as simply "Max", is a collection of premium television networks that broadcasts primarily feature films, along with softcore erotica, original action series, documentaries and special behind-the-scenes features. Cinemax is operated by Home Box Office, Inc., a...
, it has become a cult classic since its initial release and was released on DVD in 2001. 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
The Creature Wasn't Nice
The Creature Wasn't Nice is a 1983 U.S. motion picture written and directed by Bruce Kimmel. The movie is a comedy farce satirizing extraterrestrial horror movies such as Alien. It stars Leslie Nielsen in a role similar to those in the farical comedies Airplane and Naked Gun...
in 1981. Originally distributed by Paramount Pictures in 1976, it was picked up by World-Northal in 1977 and re-released to great acclaim, first in New York, where it opened the same week as New York, New York and got much better reviews, played for three months exclusively at the 68th Street Playhouse, and then went into wider distribution - the week it went wide it was the fourth highest grossing picture in the United States.
The film is featured in Danny Peary's Cult Movies II book and also in Peary's Guide For The Film Fanatic. The film has recently been digitally restored for blu-ray and will be coming out at the end of 2011. There is also a stage adaptation in the works.
Production Notes
- Diana Canova, who would later star on the sitcom SoapSoap (TV series)Soap is an American sitcom that originally ran on ABC from 1977 to 1981.The show was created as a parody of daytime soap operas, presented as a weekly half-hour prime time comedy. Similar to a soap opera, the show's story was presented in a serial format and included melodramatic plot elements such...
, sang for the film's soundtrack and appeared in the film as "Juanita" ("Eets yust so beeg!").
- Cindy Williams had started appearing in her hit series Laverne & ShirleyLaverne & ShirleyLaverne & Shirley is an American television situation comedy that ran on ABC from January 26, 1976, to May 10, 1983...
when she was called back to film an added slapstick scene involving a camera crane. She wore a hat to cover her longer hair which would not have matched her previously filmed scenes. The video cover promoted a guest appearance by Ron HowardRon HowardRonald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years...
, although his contribution was a very short appearance near the start of the film.
- Although the movie does include a good deal of nudity, Cindy Williams does not appear nude in the film, nor do any of the leading players, save for Alexandra Morgan and Alan Abelew.
- The run-down studio used for exterior scenes was Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. The studio, then called Producer's Studio, underwent a renovation shortly after filming.