RIO the movie

[Mike Blakesley]

We are playing the new movie RIO at the theatre right now. We're always up for a good new animated movie, especially one that isn't a sequel to something, but given the involvement of Sergio Mendes in this one I was highly anticipating it.

I wasn't disappointed. The movie is beautiful to look at and the music is great. Quite a few 3-D films are not worth the extra dimension because it seems unnecessary, but in this movie 3-D is used very effectively.

The music is perfectly done. My favorite parts are the opening of the film, the love-song in the middle (didn't catch the name of it yet), and the flying scene accompanied by the newest version of "Mas Que Nada."

I spotted our Corner friend Bill Cantos in the end-credits. Haven't had a lot of time to look for other familiar names yet, but I did see Carlinhos Brown, who has sung on a lot of Sergio's recent music. (We've been too busy these first couple of days for me to have a lot of time to watch the credits....but that's a good thing!)

 

[Mr Bill]

Mike, is the Roxy equipped for 3D? And has the process improved since the 1980s 3-D craze which required two synchronized projectors?

 

[JMK]

I've been getting breaking news from my Variety account for the last two days that box office records are being shattered worldwide by RIO. Hopefully a lot of those folks will either discover or rediscover Sergio.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Mr Bill - yes, and yes. We use the Dolby 3-D which has "real glass" lenses in the glasses, so the colors still look correct. In theatres with giant (over 60 feet) screens, it's still best to use two projectors in order to get enough light, but for smaller screens like ours (30 feet) the single projector system works fine.

As for the movie itself -- it's estimated to do $40 million for opening weekend, which is very good for an animated non-Disney movie on a non-holiday, during-the-school-year weekend. Should hold up very well next weekend over Easter, too.

 

[JMK]

$40 mil US, but that's a pittance compared to its worldwide take. Variety's breaking news headline:



Top Story
Worldwide auds flock to 'Rio'
Toon so far has cumed $168 mil globally

 

[Rudy]

We'll probably hit a weekday matinee in a couple of weeks--the story is nothing great (just average) but it will be entertaining and the music will be great. I'll admit I want to see Bebel Gilberto...even if she is just a bird in a small part in the picture.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

$40 mil US, but that's a pittance compared to its worldwide take

A quarter of the total for the entire world is a "pittance?"

Anyway, I was quoting the US number because that's the one that most of the domestic news media reports, at least until the final tally is in.

 

[JMK]

Yes, I consider 1/4 of a total to be a pittance. That said, my one and only reason for posting was to state that RIO was doing very well and I hoped it meant more recognition for Sergio. You obviously take great issue with that, so I'll just leave it be.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I don't know where you get that idea. I am very happy the movie is doing well. Aside from my fandom of the music, it's great to see any movie that's not a sequel or remake do well. Makes me wonder if they have signed Sergio up for sequels -- of which I'm sure there'll be at least one or two.

The soundtrack is available on iTunes but (irritatingly) there are about 1/3 of the tracks available as "album only," meaning you have to buy the whole album to get them. Hey, iTunes, if I was buying the whole album I'd get the CD! But, at least the great new version of "Mas Que Nada" is available on its own. I think it's the best version since the original.

 

[JMK]

Caught up on some of my hard copy reading of Variety this morning, and the April 12 issue, devoted to Film Music, has a nice insert about Rio and Sergio which seems to be the same source for the interview Steve posted in the other thread. The same issue mentions the film broke box office records all over the world, including Brazil. (The article on Sergio spells Brasil '66 with a "z").

 

[Harry]

The soundtrack is available on iTunes but (irritatingly) there are about 1/3 of the tracks available as "album only," meaning you have to buy the whole album to get them. Hey, iTunes, if I was buying the whole album I'd get the CD! But, at least the great new version of "Mas Que Nada" is available on its own. I think it's the best version since the original.

I grabbed the two Sergio tracks from Amazon - they're there too, of course. I had a couple of free downloads, so this worked out perfectly. I agree that "Mas Que Nada" is a terrific version, a throwback to the more classic style of the old Brasil '66 track. Gracinha does a great job with the lead vocal.

The instrumental, "Valsa Carioca", is a nice waltz track piano instrumental, also sounding like something from a '60s movie soundtrack.

"Mas Que Nada" can be ordered here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004SEXG28/amcorne-20
"Valsa Carioca" can be ordered here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004SF31V8/amcorne-20

The full RIO CD is available here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004PR71JC/amcorne-20

Good stuff.

Harry

 

[Rudy]

In typical record label fashion, there are three versions of this album floating around out there. The "itunes" version has a bonus track (Carlinhos Brown & Mikael Mutti - Forro da Fruta), and there is a "Universal" version (a Japan import, perhaps?) that has a third Mendes track as a bonus, "Copacabana Dreams." The "Interscope" version is the main 13 tracks.

 

[JMK]

From Variety 4/23:



Top Story
'Rio' tops Friday B.O.
Fox toon soars with $10.7 mil in second frame

 

[Rudy]

We may need to get out and see that. I like the Sergio tracks and the Bebel Gilberto cut, but beyond that, the rest of the music doesn't do much for me. Not my cuppa.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

The industry "experts" are saying the new Tyler Perry movie is going to win the boxoffice this weekend but I'm pulling for Rio (since we are playing it, after all!) But there are a LOT OF Tyler Perry fans out there... so if you've been on the fence about seeing Rio, this is the weekend to go see it!

 

[JMK]

Top Story
'Rio' soars on Easter weekend
Toon tops holiday frame with $26.8 mil

Weekend Box Office Estimate
Title (Distrib.) / Engagements This Week / Est. Weekend Box Office
1. Rio (20th Century Fox) 3,842 / $26,800,000
2. Madea’s Big Happy Family (Lionsgate) 2,288 / $25,800,000
3. Water for Elephants (20th Century Fox) 2,817 / $17,500,000
4. Hop (Universal) 3,616 / $12,500,000
5. Scream 4 (Weinstein Co.) 3,314 / $7,200,000
6. African Cats (Disney) 1,220 / $6,400,000
7. Soul Surfer (Sony) 2,240 / $5,600,000
8. Insidious (FilmDistrict) 2,130 / $5,400,000
9. Hanna (Focus Features) 2,384 / $5,300,000
10. Source Code (Summit) 2,363 / $5,100,000

 

[Rudy]

Rio is kickin' butt and takin' names.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

JMK: Could you post the text from the story you are linking? Variety only lets a person read 2 articles in a month's time, after which it defaults to a "pay wall."

 

[lj]

Jorge Benjor must be a very rich man from all the copyright royalties he's received since the 1960's as the composer of "Mas Que Nada." If you add it all up its been used as a theme for the soccer World Cup, for this current movie and by countless recording artists. All this success couldn't happen to a more gifted pop composer.

 

[Rudy]

Sergio alone has a handful of versions of "Mas Que Nada" to his credit--I can think of four off the top of my head, and I know there's more!

 

[richard_sloat]

Which World Cup?

 

[Harry]

Let's see.

[1] Sergio did his original version (spelled "Mais Que Nada") on his debut A&M album.
[2] Brasil '66 performed the song live in concert many times, captured on recording on LIVE AT EXPO '70
[3] Brasil '77 also performed it many times, captured on IN CONCERT.
[4] Another Brasil '77 version on the GOLD DISC variations.
[5] Sergio's last A&M studio album (ARARA) contained a new recording with lead vocals by Ana Della Espriella
[6] The above is released as a single and included a 7" Justin Strauss remix, a 12" Justin Strauss remix, and a 12" Just Right Mix-Dub version
[7] The song appears on TIMELESS in a Will.i.am-arranged rap version.
[8] My suspicion is that the TIMELESS version was released as a single with alternate mixes (I don't have any of these)
[9] An international release of BOM TEMPO featured a Black-Eyed Peas "Studio Apartment Edit" mix.
[10] BOM TEMPO BRASIL featured a "Nervo Remix" of "Mas Que Nada".
[11] And finally we're up to date with the new version on the RIO soundtrack.

Did I miss any?

Harry

 

[lj]

Richard Sloat asked "Which World Cup?" Mas Que Nada (not the Mendes arrangement) was featured by a commercial sponsor at the 1998 World Cup soccer championship.

 

[Rudy]

Let's see.

[1] Sergio did his original version (spelled "Mais Que Nada") on his debut A&M album.
[2] Brasil '66 performed the song live in concert many times, captured on recording on LIVE AT EXPO '70
[3] Brasil '77 also performed it many times, captured on IN CONCERT.
[4] Another Brasil '77 version on the GOLD DISC variations.
[5] Sergio's last A&M studio album (ARARA) contained a new recording with lead vocals by Ana Della Espriella
[6] The above is released as a single and included a 7" Justin Strauss remix, a 12" Justin Strauss remix, and a 12" Just Right Mix-Dub version
[7] The song appears on TIMELESS in a Will.i.am-arranged rap version.
[8] My suspicion is that the TIMELESS version was released as a single with alternate mixes (I don't have any of these)
[9] An international release of BOM TEMPO featured a Black-Eyed Peas "Studio Apartment Edit" mix.
[10] BOM TEMPO BRASIL featured a "Nervo Remix" of "Mas Que Nada".
[11] And finally we're up to date with the new version on the RIO soundtrack.

Did I miss any?

Harry

Was #4 a separate recording by B'77?

If we discount all the remixes, that gives us maybe around five or six distinct recordings. (Was the Bon Tempo version just a remix of the Timeless version again, or a new recording?)

 

[Harry]

Was #4 a separate recording by B'77?

Yes. It was a different concert.

If we discount all the remixes, that gives us maybe around five or six distinct recordings. (Was the Bon Tempo version just a remix of the Timeless version again, or a new recording?)

I think it was a remix of the TIMELESS version.

Harry