THE BIRDCAGE (1996) | FIRST TIME WATCHING | Reaction & Commentary
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ค. 2024
- For PRIDE I had to tackle this one! The Birdcage has come recommended to me for years and I finally committed to this comedic piece of gold. Nathan Lane deserves all the awards, I won't explain. Comment below where were you when you first saw The Birdcage?
JOIN ME ON PATREON?
/ shanellericcio
LIKE MY MUSIC? share.epidemicsound.com/2qh4bz/?
SEND STUFF?
PO Box 4390
Burbank, CA 91503-4390
I HAVE A PODCAST TOO!
/ @thestarvehiclepodcast
WORK WITH ME?
theshanellericcio@gmail.com
*DISCLAIMER* I do NOT claim ownership of any clips used in this video. Used for entertainment and commentary purposes only
Buying your gear from these links supports me as a creator:
I receive a small commission on these purchases with the use of my link!
My camera - Panasonic Lumix G7 - amzn.to/2UhbTbe
Mic - amzn.to/2VWJHL9
Lighting: I use a daylight bulb - amzn.to/36YLGAZ
Paper Lantern: amzn.to/3lWFlR6
Softbox Light: amzn.to/3SqGFYz
Desk Tripod: amzn.to/3YVpJff
Rainbow lamp: amzn.to/3rkG5xS
My favorite desktop Drive: amzn.to/3Ilvxrj
Extra Batteries: amzn.to/3ZcWswp
Lens - I bought this secondhand to save! - amzn.to/3kj3Xmz
TIME STAMPS:
Intros: 00:00
Start Watching: 02:37
Wrap-up and trivia: 33:51
Nathan Lane should have received an Oscar nom for this. To this day, the John Wayne walk might be the hardest I’ve ever laughed in a movie theater.
If comedy was seriously considered by the Academy, Nathan Lane's performance could have won him an Oscar.
Completely agree
@FaceAway-xb9hd well this movie received multiple oscar nominations, and comedic performances have been nominated and won, so it's not far fetched.
Hank Azaria is such an amazing actor. He can do so many different voices and is so diverse in his character portrayals.
The Blue Raja
Right? The guy's done everything!
Does a few on the simpsons
I can't listen to 'She works hard for the money' anymore without adding 'Ee Ee'. Agador Spartacus really made the movie so much funnier than it already would have been.
@@adrianaheiler9794 Hard same.... hard same
"Someone has to like ME best!"
I adore Dianne Wiest. Her reaction to Gene Hackman's fascination with Nathan Lane is so funny. Everyone in this movie is great, but someone has to like her best.
In a film full of favorite lines, this one is my favoritest.
I adore Diane as well. She's such a GEM. LOVED her in this - and in Footloose. The whole cast was amazing!
Love Diane Wiest! One of my favorite roles of hers was in “Parenthood”, with Steve Martin, Keanu Reeves, and even a young Joaquin Phoenix. Another brilliant, forgotten comedy from 1989.
"That's just what Rush Limbaugh said.." always gets me
@@d3l3tes00n Love that line as well.
I'm convinced that Robin Williams was incapable of giving a bad performance. He was always spectacular.
I agree, however… he did have some “weaker movies” honestly.
Toys, Father’s Day, Bicentennial Man, Jack, Flubber… those were his weaker movies
My father a straight man from MS who was a 6’4 forester loved this movie. He died laughing thru the whole movie. And I remember what he told me about it. He thought that it showed the generosity of Armand and Albert. And how things in our society move forward not from brute force but from love. I smile every time I see this movie and think of my father.
"OH MY GOD! I pierced the toast."
I had the honor of seeing Nathan Lane on Broadway in the Mel Brooks production of "The Producers". He is amazing. What a wonderful time I had sharing this reaction with you. The only other thought I have is that Hank Azaria got robbed not at least getting a nomination for best supporting actor.
he and matthew broderick were amazing in the producers musical. i never saw it live, but i saw a recorded version, it might have been released in theatres, or maybe straight to dvd. immediately after watching it, i had to see the original version of the producers, mostly because my mom said it was one the funniest movies she'd ever seen. it did not disappoint. it was as funny, or even funnier, than the stage version.
The very moment you popped into my notification with The Birdcage, I shrieked as if I had just pierced the toast! Clicked it immediately and here we are! Such fun! I think I'll have Shrimp Soup for supper!
29:57 - This scene in the kitchen is one of my favorites, because if you rewatch it closely, you can see Robin just barely holding on and trying not to break character. I believe the story is that he actually tripped or slipped somehow and the fall was real. I love that that's the take they went with. 😂🤣
Yep, he slipped and from that point on the rest of the scene was improv. Agador starts crying to hide his laughter and Val starts chugging the bottle to do the same. lol
"I feel like I know that actor."
Hank Azaria of The Simpsons.
Hank Azaria is now the king of controversial accents; he voiced Apu on The Simpsons, lol. I totally had forgotten Gene Hackman was in this! You automatically get a great performance when you cast him, right? Robin Williams is fantastic in this; in his stand up act, he would often do overly-cartoonish "swishy" gay caricatures so when he did this understated performance, it was not what I was expecting. It's a remake of "La Cage Aux Folles" the film (which was later made into a play). Hey, if you like this: don't miss "Victor, Victoria" from 1981, with Robert Preston and Julie Andrews.....NOT doing what you expect from either of them!!! That movie is fantastic!
....and yeah, Nathan Lane is great in this too.
Respect but it's Apu (although Apu once worked at a pop-up Halloween store and had a 'fun' nametag that said 'A-boo'; Marge told him she actually liked that better)
Why does no one ever bring up Hank's british accent as the Blue Raja in Mystery Men? 🤔
Abu was the monkey in Aladdin.
@@TheJamieRamone Because no one has seen it! lol. I love Hank, by the way!
This is easily one of my favorite movies ever. I have loved Robin Williams since Mork and Mindy back in the late 70's, early 80's. I feel like not a moment was wasted and the overall theme of tolerance and loving people for who they are really hold up today.
Yes, him and Jim Carrey are the best comedians ever
I think it can't compete with the French original by any means.
"I just never realized John Wayne walked like that."
"So this is hell, and there's a crucifix in it."
Shanelle - "This is REAL!"
Yeah! A REALLY GREAT Reaction!
Gotta get me some PIRIN tablets....
Oh my god, DEFINITELY you should do "My Fair Lady", you'd kill on that one! (And other Audrey Hepburn, right off the top of my head: her debut, "Roman Holiday", and the super 60s suspense thriller from 1967 "Wait Until Dark". That same year Gene Hackman blew up in his supporting role in "Bonnie And Clyde", which is even now still one of his greatest performances. A must see movie if you've never seen it, I cannot fathom at all how there isn't a single reaction to that one. Faye Dunaway, Warren Beatty, Gene Hackman.....and Gene Wilder! Estelle Parsons. Must see.
All those films are great and worthy of reactions on the channel. ❤️
Wait Until Dark gets my 100% support! One of the best suspense movies in history. In my opinion at least.
My favorite Diane Wiest film is Parenthood. Directed by Ron Howard. Also stars Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, Keanu Reeves and a very young Joaquin Phoenix.
This is a must see!!
Parenthood is a fantastic movie!! My sister and I randomly say to each other, "They're not stolen...They're put away!"
Wiest earned her second Oscar nomination for Parenthood, which should have earned more (Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor for Jason Robards and Joaquin Phoenix).
Really underrated movie! The bathmat chaps...🤣
@@calipidgious Cowboy Gil!❤
Such an amazing movie.
08:34 I love how they introduce his son, but you at first have a uneasy feeling but then a loving one. (in a good way). It shows really fast Robin has made a loving family. It is great. He truly loves his son and his wife.
This movie is based on a classic French film, and it shows. I think it's great, and Robin and Nathan work so well together.
I love le cage ex folles. The birdcage is one of my repeat movies that I can watch over and over again and due to technology helping to shorten my attention span, I can’t watch movies in full straight through anymore. This is one where I can watch straight through and To Wong Fu.
I grew up around gay and lesbian and some trans people who are represented like this and they were strong like the characters portrayed in both of those movies. They would fight anyone who disrespected them but gave everyone respect.
Elaine May, the writer, is known as extraordinarily gifted. (She also wrote much of Tootsie, though is uncredited.) She and Mike Nichols were a well-known comedy duo in the early 60s before he became a big-shot director and her a writer (and actress and director). They remained life-long friends.
Yes! Elaine May is a genius!
Having been a Robin Williams fan since childhood, I saw this in the theater back in '96. A brilliant, hilarious, and sometimes insightful movie.
Cheers from Canada, Shanelle. 🥃👍✌❤
6:23 And I would watch that show. 😍
The performances in this movie are so incredible!
I think it can't compete with the French original by any means.
When I saw this video posted I had The Producers in my head until I started it. You should put it on the list, another good Nathan Lane movie.
I just keep hoping for Star Trek reactions. 🖖😌
Same here. I keep bringing it up in comments from time to time, and in the live streams. Hop in tomorrow, we'll remind her together. Whaddya say? 😁
@@TheJamieRamone I would have liked to do that, but I'm from Germany and unfortunately their live streams are always in the middle of the night for me. The last was at 3am!
@@martinbraun1211 Sorry to hear that dude. On the other hand it IS only one a month and on a Friday. Anyway I totally forgot to mention these movies yesterday, sorry. I should've written that down. But I did bring up 3 O'clock High (once again), hopefully she added it to the list this time. And I did get her to FINALLY add Taxi Driver and Casino. And there were a lot of bangers thrown about that she also took note of, like the next 2 Die Hards and American Pies, and The Game so not a total loss. 😁
29:04 - OK, we just got together, discussed it, took straw polls, flipped coins, played rock-paper-scissors, and came to a decision: yes, you should do My Fair Lady on the channel! 😁
Out shinning Robin Williams... only done once! Nathan Lane is just amazing!! That Shriek is the best thing about this movie! I laugh. Every. Single. Time! Lol oh, and "You're wasting your gum" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I pierced the toast!!! 🤣🤣🤣
You didn't show my favorite part. When he answers about the socks, he says... "one does need a splash of color". I live my life by that quote.
Most EXCELLENT motto my friend! 😃
Literally my favorite movie. I saw this soon after it came out on VHS, and it helped me before I came out. I was so excited when I saw you had reacted to this video! I am even more happy you didn't see the Albert coming out in drag coming!
I love that you can see Robin break in the background when Nathan is trying to walk manly!
IMMEDIATE LIKE!! Can’t wait to see your reaction to this cinematic masterpiece 🤩🎥
I know you’ve got to cut quite a bit to make the YT-reaction-for-all happen, but that scene where Albie/Nathan Lane goes thru his “little piglets” room still in stage costume, collecting his laundry, watching him sleep w/a loving sigh… like any mother would do when their child comes home for a visit… I remember watching this in theaters & hearing ladies gasp audibly in a relatable moment beyond compare.
This WAS released in “don’t ask, don’t tell” ‘96. The entire cast crushed it top to bottom, extras and small parts included - the gum chewing guy… Bless his heart! Thank you for this reaction, the theatricality was not lost on you and yes, 110% to My Fair Lady! Bring it on, Shan!❤🏳️🌈🎬
LOVE THIS MOVIE!!
It's the perfect portrayal of a gay couple trying to pretend to be husband and wife for their son's in laws, a conservative senator and his family.
I think it can't compete with the French original by any means.
That was oddly specific for what is it was a perfect portrayal of haha. I mean you're not wrong but it would be like me saying Jurassic Park is the perfect film where they betray a billionaire who funds a theme park filled with genetically engineered dinosaurs that break out and attack scientists sent there to approve of the park. Haha
Hank Azaria is the star of this movie!
I never wear shoes, because they make me fall down 🤣🤣🤣
He was hilarious, but for my money that award went to Lane.
Happy Pride, y’all! 🥰🏳️🌈
Happy Pride ❤🌈
proud of what?
My favorite comedy of all time!!! “Mmm.. but let me tell you why.” 🤣
It's always awesome to see you upload a new video and what a great film to react to. Mike Nichols was an accomplished Broadway director and had collaborated with the screenwriter Elaine May as a comedy duo in New York and recorded three albums together as Nichols and May in the early 60s. The late 90s saw them reunite with two films, The Birdcage and Primary Colors.
I know you love musicals, so here's some extra trivia. The song that Christine Baranski and Robin Williams dance to (at about 20:30ish) "Love is in the Air" was the original opening song for 𝑨 𝑭𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒖𝒎. That song was dropped in out of town tryouts because it didn't set the tone of the musical, allegedly because someone pointed out that the opening number should alert the audience that they're going to see a comedy tonight. It was replaced with the song called "Comedy Tonight" ("Something Familiar, Something Peculiar") and the rest was history. Nathan Lane must have finished filming this movie when he starred as Pseudolus in the 1996 Broadway revival of "Funny Thing", for which he won a Tony.
And the song that Starina starts to sing was a song called "Can That Boy Foxtrot" by Sondheim which was originally in the musical "Follies", but was dropped out of town and replaced with "I'm Still Here"
Also, the song that Nathan Lane sings in the rehearsal scene is an original Sondheim song for the movie. It was Sondheim's attempt at a song that would sound like it was written by an amateur.
YES! I love the Birdcage!!! Great out of the box movie!
I think it can't compete with the French original by any means.
I was a week late being born and my mothers doctor reccomended her going to see a comedy and this one is the one she saw in theaters and remembers crying laughing; 27 years later she attributes my being a screaming queer to seeing this movie in utero 😅
This really is an underrated movie. The laughs just don't stop.
It's not at all. Why is it sO uNdErRateD?
@@LumpyAdams your point seems to be missing.
@@jaydisqus3353 Well it's regarded as one of the best comedies of the 90s, grossed over 100,000,000 dollars, was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globes, and pretty much put Nathan Lane on the map as a great actor. I know everything that's ever happened in existence is sao uNderRateD to some dude on TH-cam so I was just curious as to why.
@@LumpyAdamsbecause everybody is obsessed with calling everything “underrated” on TH-cam! Get use to it
@@LumpyAdamsit’s not just him… everybody on TH-cam is obsessed with “Underrated!” They mindlessly label so many things as underrated. Every 2 seconds there’s somebody saying that someone or something is underrated… it’s annoying as hell!
Nathan Lane is an Icon, I love him as Max in The Producers (would love to see you react/commentary on that as you love musicals) He and Matthew Broderick are amazing.
Actually clapped when I saw that you were doing this react. I love this movie. It is lovely if it were made today there would be a few changes but IMHO its overall theme and some of the characters choices would remain. A great react. Thank you. A great Diane Weast movie that will always stop and watch is Parenthood. I have not seen this react yet. Excellent movie. 😊
Love the way her voice sounds in this era, needs to come back. She doesn't have the raspier perfectly performed cadence that inducing a trance like state I use her videos to relax daily
If you love a musical and drag, watch Connie and Carla! So much fun! Also, when you watch My Fair Lady, if you look closely during the Ascot race scene, you can see very young Dianne Wiest as an extra in a striped grey dress and black hat. Love the correlation, but not sure if it's intentional.
Another film that you’d probably really enjoy is called Bullets Over Broadway. It’s a hilarious spoof about putting on a Broadway Play. Diane Weist earned a Best Actress Academy Award for her role. Would love to see you react to this gem.
Best Supporting Actress. That's her second Oscar win. Her first was for Hannah And Her Sisters.
9:20 - I know, the "Barbie-ra" line gets a good chuckle out of me too. 😂
My Fair Lady is a great idea. I love the classic musicals.
South Beach baby!
I lived there when they shot the movie. It wan an event! Love th emovie~
So glad you liked it! This is such a feelgood film. If you are feeling a bit down, it never fails to lift your spirits. This came out when I was in my last year of university but I didn't see it until a few years later on DVD (good old Blockbuster). The combination of Robin Williams and Nathan Lane is pure magic.
This is my favorite Gene Hackman movie. I think he steals the show.
I love every moment of this movie with the exception of dinner. I can't sit through the conversation, the discussion about the plates, the food... I just cant.
I love this movie so much. Brilliant comedy. And Nathan Lane's performance is absolute fabulous.
I was so excited to watch this with you when I saw it in my feed. You're a blast. 🥰
I am so glad I’m not the only one obsessed with Christine Baranski.
If you like musicals I would say yes to watching "My Fair Lady", it's great. It's very long though, almost 3 hours.
Top tier comedy.
South Beach, Miami FL….great Art Deco buildings. Opening shot over water is a throwback to the old “Jackie Gleason Show”- Live from Miami Beach! Cheers
I love this movie.
Seeing a young Aly McBeal (Calixta Flockhart), Marianne, Cybill's best friend (Cristine Baranski), or Gene Hackman for the first time in a comedic role was really a great time. And that's just the supporting roles. Robin Williams and Nathan Lane were just brilliant.
Nice eye shadow. Pretty eyes Shanelle. 😍
"I PIERCED THE TOAST!"
"That's okay. The point is not to go to pieces when that happens."
So I was having an odd day. I wasn’t in a bad mood, a pretty good one actually, but I needed entertainment and nothing was working. My pods, my music, my books, a few minutes in and I just felt bored and uninspired. But then I saw Shanelle first time reacts to The Birdcage and I knew that would do the trick! And it did!
Three things. While not my absolute favorite film or anything, I still consider it a ‘perfect’ film. Everything was done right, nothing was done wrong. Secondly, Christine Baranski was at her most gorgeous. Third, as a man who loves his Nathan Lane I consider this his best role. MVP of the film for sure!
Also Albert may seem larger than life but I know one! I know that guy/gal well and I can safely say there are Alberts in the real world!
Love this movie. Saw it for the first time when it was newish (thanks blockbuster!) with my mom. Sometimes we still need Pirin tablets 🤷♀️
Two earlier versions worth seeking out. The original French film “La Cage aux Folles” (1978) and the 1983 stage musical version also by that title. I *know* you’d love that one. The opening and closing of Act I is “I Am what I Am”, if that tells you what theme is emphasized.
This was Nathan Lane's breakout STARRING role; he had previously had a bit speaking part in the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan 1990 film "Joe and the Volcano". Nathan was a native islander on the island that had the volcano.
Robin Williams referred to Gene Hackman when Gene was in drag as "Betty White on steroids".
The director of "The Birdcage" was Mike Nichols, the screenwriter was Elaine May. From 1958 to 1962 they were a comedy team and put out three very successful comedy albums during their time in comedy. TH-cam has quite a number of 'Nichols and May' comedy sketches, if you want to see what their comedy was like.
I always thought Lane's breakout was Lion King...
This is in my top 20 movies of all time, easily. I can't tell you how many times I've quoted the line, "Well... one does want a hint of color..." This film speaks to me in ways no other big studio film at the time did. I was working at a movie theater when it came out, and I had also just come out, and boy-howdy was this a fun film for all of us queer & theater kids! 🥰🥰🥰🤩🤩🤩😂😂😂😋😋😋
Nathan Lane actually outshines Williams in this movie, which is no small feat. But Williams, as Armand, leans into letting the film be mostly about Albie. So we get this wonderful situational comedy that lets Robin Williams be the "straight" man (pun intended) and Lane be the perfect comedic foil, and Lane pulls it off so effortlessly and earnestly.
Between this and 'Priscilla,' 'To Wong Foo,' 'Chasing Amy,' 'Philadelphia,' and 'Beautiful Thing,' it helped a queer kid thrive and feel represented in so many ways. I miss that excitement. 😊🥰🏳🌈🏳⚧🏳🌈🏳⚧
One of my favorite all time movies!
Hell yes to MY FAIR LADY!!
YAS QUEEN! I was just thinking to see this one again. I love this one, except how furious Val makes me, every single time.
What?! You just made my thursday!
A lot of good actors in this comedy that doesn't get the attention it deserves! I'm glad you enjoyed it 😊
This will be fun!
Diane Wiest is so underrated and so brilliant. When she says, "Someone has to like me best!" I always think, I do, I do.
Watching/listening to this reaction while I got ready this morning was honestly such a good way to start the day on a positive note
Great choice 👍Saw this in the movie theater with a group of friends. Loved it.
Cool reaction as always Shanelle, you have a good night sweetie 🥰❤️
The bench scene is my favorite in the whole movie. It reminds me of the conversations hype tween my late brother and his ex. Really touching and human moment.
You will enjoy "Victor, Victoria" ... you will love it!
The legendary comedy team of Elaine May (screenplay) and Mike Nichols (director) goes all the way back to the early 1960's.
Shanelle! Great reaction vid! I love that you predicted most of the things that happened 😂
A few things to consider:
1) Hank Azaria is such a diverse actor but I particularly love the contrast between him as Agador Spartacus in this and badass pharaoh/villain Kahmunrah in Night at the Museum 2!
2) I was in a community production of La Cage Aux Folles. The main characters change the name slightly to Georges (Robin Williams character) and Albin (Nathan Lane's character), as well as the daughter being named Anne and the son being named Jean-Michel. The conservation parents have different names as well.
3) Hank Azaria also voices several Simpsons characters
Yes on doing My Fair Lady!!
24:47 - I so knew you were gonna have this reaction to pretty much *ALL* of this movie when I saw it on your listing! 😁
One of the best. I love how they are both over dramatic but in different ways.
I always wondered how they did that opening shot! Thanks for clearing that up for me Shanelle! I guess I should have checked with IMDB. Lol
Absolutely loved your reaction, such a great movie!
Omg this is gonna be fun
Hiya. Now you have to watch the original trilogy (why do people always ignore OG's?) -
La Cage Aux Folles (1978)
La Cage Aux Folles II (1980)
La Cage Aux Folles III: The Wedding (1985)
Stay safe. All the best to you.
14:51 This line in that outfit though 😂
Nathan Lane was such an item that a Broadway show was put on hold so that he had time to do this movie. When the broadway show finally went into production, Lane won the Tony for best actor in a musical that year.
Good pick love this one. Thanks for the reactions. Hello again from pa USA. ❤️❤️❤️👍👍👌
Thanks for the video. I enjoyed it.
29:18 - Having watched both performances many times over the years, and loving both I gotta say: Nathan Lane, hands down.
This movie is fantastic. Great performance.
I think it can't compete with the French original by any means.
This movie is sooo...funny. You can get another fantastic Nathan Lane performance in the 2005 musical remake of 'The Producers' starring alongside Matthew Broderick and Uma Thurman. It's another movie that has me laughing from start to finish.
+1 to see you react to My Fair Lady.
Seen this in the theater a few times. Loved it right away. A actor loves films like this. The stage is your world!
"How do you think I feel?....betrayed, bewildered." High -larius!!
Bless you.
I saw this movie as a teenager (I was 13 when it came out), my dad loved Robin Williams and we watched pretty much every Robin Williams comedy, but this one was a special favorite. I remember my dad singing along to "Conga" in the car with so much enthusiasm that it embarrassed 14-year-old me 😂😂
Another thing I love and I apologize for rambling, but this film is so heartfelt. It’s a silly comedy replete with over the top satire and flat out slapstick, but it cares about its core subject matter and doesn’t trash, ignore or exploit it at all, (well maybe a tiny bit of good natured exploitation!) It’s even kind to the conservatives. There are a few digs, like the Rush Limbaugh bit, although lord knows he deserved it, but overall the film is amazingly warm and inclusive.
The way I think this is best expressed is this: who is the antagonist of the film? It’s none of the characters. The situation is the conflict, but not the enemy. The antagonist is the issue of being comfortable with your own self identification and how it influences your relationship with others, and it’s overcome when their worlds and identities finally overlap, and become inclusive. The problem is judgmental behavior and insecurity, overcome by understanding and support.
Yes 🙌🏽 love this one
La Cage aux Folles is also a French movie.... I'm not sure if the musical or movie came first but it is just as funny as the Birdcage. It came out in the late seventies and is worth a watch. A lot of the names from the Birdcage comes from the French movie.
Movie came first. Saw it years ago myself and was floored by how well they adapted it! 😃