Likewise the hippy in the Producers was my favourite bit, and he was cut in the remake. I seem to have a thing for long-dead subcultures…

What I suspect it lacks, despite the fact it’s a musical, is the proudly camp/queering undertones of the original, which I have only seen bits of – John Travolta takes Divine’s role and while he’s fun, it’s not the same. It’s ‘guy in a fat suit’ humour in places and it’s very MTV-sheeny as a film in general. But it’s definitely worth a look – the cast are really great. We should watch them back to back and compare! My sister found the musical version more accessible but owns both versions and they are big faves.

They were both good inroads for talking to her – she has a learning disability – about the civil rights movement. It is a very white civil rights fairytale in the sense that the white characters kind of show up and lead the breakthrough (I would love Inez, who is kind of Tracy’s counterpart in the black community in the musical in that singing is her dream, to have her own film, for example). But it opened up discussion with her really well and I love the way it nails the transition period, in fashion, music and attitudes, from the fifties into the sixties.

HOLY SHIT LONG FANNISH MUSICAL COMMENT. WHERE DID THIS RAMBLE EVEN COME FROM :D