Monday, February 20, 2012

Barry Manilow & Annette O'Toole in Copacabana (1985)

After the phenomenal success of his hit song of the same name, Manilow starred in this television musical dramatizing the story we're all so familiar with. Tony (Manilow) and Lola (O'Toole) are talented performers, hungry for their first break. They meet, fall in love and find their way to the Copacabana, where they ultimately find success. Lola is lured away by the promise of making it big in Havana at the famed Tropicana and is heavily courted by the smarmy Rico (Joseph Bologna). Will Tony win her back? will she escape the clutches of Rico? I think you know the answer...

Though it's no classic, there are some lovely moments to be had, and it picks up as it goes along. If nothing else, it's good campy fun. Look for Estelle Getty as Manilow's mother, and some dreadful age makeup on Annette O'Toole at the beginning and end of the film.

This title is available on DVD, and can be seen in full on YouTube, thanks to an upload by nybrian5. The stream is in one big chunk, complete with the original 1980's commercials.

Obscurity factor: 8 (on DVD & YouTube, known to Fanilows, otherwise forgotten)

10 comments:

  1. I just saw "Story and screenplay by James Lipton" in the credits. I wonder if he brings that up as an off-camera chat topic during breaks on "Live from the Actors' Studio."

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, decidedly not a highpoint in his career...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, I remember this as being pretty bad. So I must watch it!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Are Barry Manilow fans really called Fanilows?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Indeed... You've never heard that?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Never heard that. But it sounds like something Brini Maxwell might have thought of!

    ReplyDelete
  7. A bit of trivia regarding this made for TV movie.

    Copacabana was nominated for an Emmy in two categories:
    Outstanding Achievement in Choreography ~ Grover Dale
    Outstanding Directing in a Variety or Music Program ~ Waris Hussein

    Waris Hussein took home the Directing Emmy.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Tis TRUE Campy fun...that's why I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Indeed! It's delicious cheese.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Spectacular! I don'tknow about y'all, but I need the laughs.

    ReplyDelete