"O'Donoghue's Opera' is a unique and hilarious film starring Ronnie Drew and his band of bohemian merrymakers who include 'The Dubliners' and other favourite Irish musicians of the time like the McKennas and Johnny Moynihan. Made in 1965, Ireland's first musical was never completed due to financial difficulties and remained unseen until veteran filmmaker Tom Hayes brought the out-takes to Sé Merry Doyle who painstakingly restored the gem and launched it at the 1998 Dublin Film Festival. Based on the ballad 'The Night That Larry Was Stretched', sung by a young Johnny Moynihan, Ronnie Drew finds himself caught in a hangman's noose as a reward for his dubious career as "the best burglar in all Ireland". The film which is tongue-in-cheek (all the way) has the flavour of an Irish Spaghetti Western and captures the spirit of Dublin camaraderie like no other work before or since. The Guinness, the music, the wit and the grit, its all there in abundance. It says it all, when we see Ronnie fully decked-out in his stripy burglar outfit, trying to evade the law by disguising himself with a pioneer pin."
I dunno, it's interesting in a historical kind of way but I can see why it might never have been released. I grew up in Dublin, would have been five when that was made and it seems to me twee, cringe inducing and stage Irishy. Even given that it's meant as a spoof, there's the grain of truth in it and it's the sort of image I had of Irish music growing up as a teenager in that city. The music in it, is about the only redeeming feature, in my honest opinion.
Made just about 5 years later than the above, a bit staged in it's own way but a lot truer to the tradition. Hear the wind whine, the white horses on the ocean - the life.
O'Donoghue's Opera
O'Donoghue's Opera
A nice treat if you've never seen it:
"O'Donoghue's Opera' is a unique and hilarious film starring Ronnie Drew and his band of bohemian merrymakers who include 'The Dubliners' and other favourite Irish musicians of the time like the McKennas and Johnny Moynihan. Made in 1965, Ireland's first musical was never completed due to financial difficulties and remained unseen until veteran filmmaker Tom Hayes brought the out-takes to Sé Merry Doyle who painstakingly restored the gem and launched it at the 1998 Dublin Film Festival. Based on the ballad 'The Night That Larry Was Stretched', sung by a young Johnny Moynihan, Ronnie Drew finds himself caught in a hangman's noose as a reward for his dubious career as "the best burglar in all Ireland". The film which is tongue-in-cheek (all the way) has the flavour of an Irish Spaghetti Western and captures the spirit of Dublin camaraderie like no other work before or since. The Guinness, the music, the wit and the grit, its all there in abundance. It says it all, when we see Ronnie fully decked-out in his stripy burglar outfit, trying to evade the law by disguising himself with a pioneer pin."
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=356252404053826816
# Posted on October 30th 2011 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: O'Donoghue's Opera
Thanks!
# Posted on October 30th 2011 by Boots MacAllen
Re: O'Donoghue's Opera
I can watch O'Donoghue's Opera over and over again, and I never ever get tired of it! Simply beautiful!
# Posted on October 30th 2011 by Mattias Holm
Re: O'Donoghue's Opera
Thanks for that -- made my night.
# Posted on October 30th 2011 by gam
Re: O'Donoghue's Opera
I dunno, it's interesting in a historical kind of way but I can see why it might never have been released. I grew up in Dublin, would have been five when that was made and it seems to me twee, cringe inducing and stage Irishy. Even given that it's meant as a spoof, there's the grain of truth in it and it's the sort of image I had of Irish music growing up as a teenager in that city. The music in it, is about the only redeeming feature, in my honest opinion.
This'd be far more relevant to my frame of mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiehZZ2tXKg&feature=related
# Posted on October 31st 2011 by the wounded hussar
Re: O'Donoghue's Opera
Made just about 5 years later than the above, a bit staged in it's own way but a lot truer to the tradition. Hear the wind whine, the white horses on the ocean - the life.
# Posted on October 31st 2011 by the wounded hussar
Re: O'Donoghue's Opera
SWFL - absolutely wonderful. Thanks for posting.
Note to self: When launching a career as a burglar, do not hang up your wee burglar mask by the front door. It's a bloody dead give-away, that...
# Posted on October 31st 2011 by Jusa Nutter Eejit
Re: O'Donoghue's Opera
Watched both of 'em, loved both of 'em!
# Posted on November 1st 2011 by pbassnote