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R/E/P => R/E/P Archives => Fletcher => Topic started by: mark4man on November 01, 2004, 02:26:29 PM

Title: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: mark4man on November 01, 2004, 02:26:29 PM

A little off topic, but...

Go see the movie: "Ray".

Yeah, what a flick...what a production...authentic sets & equipment. Wow!

And the music? The portrayals/recreations of various gigs & jams & recording sessions is excellent! Jamie Foxx was so good in his characterization of the man himself, it was eerie.  Everything looked & sounded (lip sync & otherwise) like the real thing!

Very polished. Loved it, loved it.

Go see it.

mark4man

Title: Re: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: John Ivan on November 01, 2004, 03:30:59 PM

Yeah man;
I can't wait. I saw some promo stuff and it looks soooo coooolll. Can't wait!!

Title: Re: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: Level on November 02, 2004, 09:34:39 AM

One of my artists got some "face time" and Piano time" in the movie. It is Willie Tee..and he did not end up on the cutting room floor. I have not seen it yet (hope to sometime this week) but all reviews so far have been stellar!

http://www.theiceberg.com/artist/28422/willie_tee.html

Title: Re: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: Fulcrum on November 02, 2004, 05:47:21 PM

mark4man wrote on Mon, 01 November 2004 14:26

Jamie Foxx was so good in his characterization of the man himself, it was eerie.  Everything looked & sounded (lip sync & otherwise) like the real thing!

Since Foxx was a piano major in college (I understand), and played his own piano in the movie, I'd say it was the real thing.

I'll probably check it out on the weekend.

Title: Re: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: Mark Lemaire on November 03, 2004, 03:58:28 AM

I saw the film and was not real impressed- sorry!

The plot and general tone of the movie was kinda a "made for TV" type level. The ending was especially weak. But YMMV, as they say. I'm sure many folks will enjoy the movie.

One thing I always enjoy in films like this are all the old instruments, cases, recorders, etc. In the studio scenes, Ray and the background singers sang into U47s. Lovely! But after a while, I realised that the shock mounts used with the 47s were not from that period, though they are very simaler to the original article. Also, the mic clips are setup with quick-releases that AFAIK, are more modern devices not yet invented in the 50s and 60s. Am I right in this (admittedly small) detail? Can anyone tell me when those quik releases were first invented?

Mark Lemaire

Title: Re: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: Level on November 04, 2004, 12:18:06 AM

Quote:

Can anyone tell me when those quik releases were first invented?

I think they came in around '66. I could be wrong.

When I first was exposed to film (work) one of my favorite things to do was to pick TV and motion picture details out that were chronograpically incorrect or just technically incorrect.

Vapor trails off in the distance of old westerns...and rubber tire tracks. That same old "rented tumbleweed" that was used to death. Even shadows of the lighting were all so noticable when you know what to look for.

These days, I try to gather in the emotional state with a story line and not pay close attention to the mistakes in production.

I do think it is wise to learn to find the mistakes in shows.. if you ever want to get into production/direction of a film.

Title: Re: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: lucey on November 04, 2004, 04:31:26 PM

Mark Lemaire wrote on Wed, 03 November 2004 03:58

The plot and general tone of the movie was kinda a "made for TV" type level. The ending was especially weak. But YMMV, as they say. I'm sure many folks will enjoy the movie.

yea, the heroin use in the made for TV movies these days has me up in arms!


how were you not impressed by Foxx? or the music? or the sets, costumes and supporting cast?

sure it was long and slow ... but it was very good, and worth all 750 pennies, unlike most new films.




and as for the ending ... well Ray Charles dies in the end, but they chose to go out on a positive.   sorry if you were disappointed!

Title: Re: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: bobkatz on November 21, 2004, 10:19:54 AM

I haven't had time to surf through Fletcher's forum in many a moon, but I saw this post and have to agree that "Ray" is a must-see. A tetch long in the biopic category, but riveting, enjoyable and even tear-jerking nevertheless. Whether or not you were a fan of Ray Charles (who wasn't????), go see Ray, The Movie!

Title: Re: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: J.J. Blair on November 23, 2004, 01:14:28 PM

Fox is a very accomplished piano player.  I've heard him play on some of his comedy specials, and that cat can really throw down.  I kinda thought it was funny how they make such a big deal about the fact that Ray never did heroin again, but never mentioned that he was a pretty full blown alcoholic until the day he died, from all accounts I've heard.

BTW, I know that I'm OCD'ing on minutiae, but I noticed the quick clips on the Telefunken U47s at the Atlantic studios.  Did they have quick clips back then?

Title: Re: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: lucey on November 23, 2004, 03:18:22 PM

J.J. wrote on Tue, 23 November 2004 13:14

BTW, I know that I'm OCD'ing on minutiae, but I noticed the quick clips on the Telefunken U47s at the Atlantic studios.  Did they have quick clips back then?

not sure when they were invented ...

Mark Lemaire wrote on Wed, 03 November 2004 03:58

One thing I always enjoy in films like this are all the old instruments, cases, recorders, etc. In the studio scenes, Ray and the background singers sang into U47s. Lovely! But after a while, I realised that the shock mounts used with the 47s were not from that period, though they are very simaler to the original article. Also, the mic clips are setup with quick-releases that AFAIK, are more modern devices not yet invented in the 50s and 60s. Am I right in this (admittedly small) detail? Can anyone tell me when those quik releases were first invented? Mark Lemaire

Title: Re: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: Thomas Lester on November 28, 2004, 06:12:56 PM

I saw it last night and loved it.  I thought it was fantastic.  Jamie Fox was incredibly good.  He's definately very talented.  Any scene with music was just awesome.  I had chills in several places in the movie.  I just love those older recordings.  It makes me want to hang up everything about how I make records today and go back to a bunch of guys in a room with open mics going to two track w/ a big ass plate or whatever that reverb was!

BTW..  w/ everyone pointing out all the microphone stuff, I'm suprised that no one picked up on the very first mic in the movie with the brand new Soundelux logo in the middle of it.  Also...  at 3/4 way through, I can't remember the scene, but there's a Full Compass sticker on one of the mics.  I'm not sure how long Full Compass has been around...

Once last thing...  the very first song that I every learned to play on the guitar was "Baby What'd I Say".  My step-father, who taught me to play, was a big Ray fan and other artists of that era.  Those are the songs I grew up learning, even though I was a generation or two younger.

-Tom

Title: Re: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: J.J. Blair on December 03, 2004, 02:18:04 PM

Where was this scene?



Yeah, I know.  I'm going to hell for that.

Title: Re: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: Thomas Lester on December 04, 2004, 06:21:56 AM

Actually....  there was a scene just like that.  He starts singing and you can't hear him, and he spins the mic around and he's good.

-Tom

Title: Re: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: ted nightshade on December 04, 2004, 09:36:29 AM

Thomas Lester wrote on Sat, 04 December 2004 03:21

Actually....  there was a scene just like that.  He starts singing and you can't hear him, and he spins the mic around and he's good. -Tom

I bet you could hear Ray pretty damn good without a mic! Like he couldn't tell which end was which with his hand...

Title: Re: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: J.J. Blair on December 04, 2004, 03:15:51 PM

Thomas Lester wrote on Sat, 04 December 2004 03:21

Actually....  there was a scene just like that.  He starts singing and you can't hear him, and he spins the mic around and he's good. -Tom

You're right!  I forgot about that.  THis picture was too funny to not post, though.

Title: Re: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: PRobb on December 06, 2004, 12:35:46 PM

Great Flick! My tech question was early in the movie when he plays What'd I Say on a Rhodes, although later he plays it on a Wurli.

Quote:

Actually....  there was a scene just like that.  He starts singing and you can't hear him, and he spins the mic around and he's good. -Tom

That was a live scene and I remember thinking they must have been missing the vocal on the first line and blocked the scene to cover for it.

I just saw David "Fathead" Newman sitting in with Joey DeFrancesco (awesome!) and had a chance to speak with his wife. She said Fathead totally bought Fox as Ray and loved the movie.
 

Title: Re: "Ray" ! Two Mic Stands Up ! !
Post by: iluvatar on December 06, 2004, 11:05:34 PM

Quote:

Since Foxx was a piano major in college (I understand), and played his own piano in the movie, I'd say it was the real thing.

I read he got a 50% scholarship for piano.

-Dan.