Copacabana (1982)

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Based on the ever-popular Barry Manilow song, 1985's Copacabana is a light, innocuous hour and a half. Dime-a-dance girl Lola LaMar (Annette O'Toole) longs to showcase her talents at NYC's famous Copacabana club. She and bartender-songwriter Tony Starr (Manilow) meet cute and fall in love with visions of fame dancing in their heads. O'Toole's strong voice and sexy shimmers are showcased in "Man Wanted," while Manilow shines in "Who Needs to Dream" and "Sweet Heaven (I'm in Love Again)." When suave Rico (Joe Bologna) offers Lola a headliner at his Havana nightclub Tropicana, she jumps at the chance. Broken-hearted Tony stays behind singing the blues until he discovers Rico's intentions are not honorable. A big dance number and rescue ensue. But as in the song, there is a showdown at the end and Lola is left alone with faded feathers in her hair. Campy and clean, Copacabana gives musical fans a fix but leaves them wishing for a little more substance. --Dana Van Nest

Description

The tune-filled story of star-crossed lovers Tony and Lola comes to life in this delightful musical. Bringing his hit song to life, Barry Manilow stars as Tony, a struggling young pianist/composer at New York's famous Copacabana nightclub who falls for beautiful showgirl Lola ("Smallville's" Annette O'Toole). Love is in the air, but smarmy rival nighclub owner Rico (Joseph Bologna) offers Lola a shot at the big time performing in Havana. When heartbroken Tony learns that Rico's intentions are not exactly honorable, chaos ensues! An irresistible combination of Manilow's infectious melodies, splashy song and dance numbers, and glitzy costumes, "Copacabana" is a delirious musical romp the whole family will enjoy!

Customer Reviews:

Not quite!.......2007-03-19

It was with great excitement that I bought this DVD and couldn't wait to sit down and watch. Twenty minutes into it I thought to myself, "just give it time, I'm sure it'll pick up!!" Well I was thinking that all the way to the credits!! If you want the stage show, then this is not the one to get. But if it's glorious 80's kitch and some nice Manilow tunes thrown into a rather tedious story, mediocre acting and singing that you want, well then this will hit the spot! Not a great DVD, but a nice souvenir of a past era!

At the Copa..........2006-11-27

This is a cute little musical. OK. It's not academy award acting material, but the music is great. Annette O'Toole does a great job as Lola, too. Barry plays her boyfriend, Tony. The movie follows the basic story in Barry's song "Copacabana." (Tony & Lola are in love. They work at the Copa dance club. Hot-shot Rico comes in one night. Makes a pass at Lola. Things heat up.) Honestly, I guess it's more for a Barry fan's collection than anyone else, but I like it.

Thoroughly Enchanting!.......2006-08-22

This movie reminded me of the reason I used to go to movies...to be entertained! It was cute, camp, clean, and captivating. I was blown away by the creative way in which the song "Copacabana" was used as the starting point to tell a great story with an unfortunately tragic end. Barry Manilow demonstrated that he is a true artist who can do it all; in this movie he is as believable as he is lovable in the role of Tony. For Fanilows like me this movie is a MUST SEE/MUST HAVE for your collection; for everyone else it's just plain great.

Cynics need not apply.......2005-11-15

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. If your goal is to be entertained, this is it. Music, dancing, and the acting ain't bad, either. Barry Manilow has a boyish charm and exuberance that is really quite infectious, and Annette O'Toole is quite good in this role. Copacabana is good, old-fashioned clean fun.

Fabulous movie.......2005-09-22

This is a great musical and timeless story.Annette O'Toole was wonderful as was Barry Manilow.The soundtrack is a must have for music fans. I have been a Manilow fan since Mandy and Its a Miracle.This movie is definately worth watching.I highly recommend it.

Average customer rating:

It's enough to make me have a nervous breakup !!!
Copacabana
Groucho Marx and Carmen Miranda. The mind boggles...
It's...... Groucho! (and Carmen is fun too!)

Copacabana
Starring: Groucho Marx , Carmen Miranda , Steve Cochran , Andy Russell , and Gloria Jean
Director: Alfred E. Green
Manufacturer: Republic Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00007GZQF
Release Date: 2003-01-21

Amazon.com

Happily, Groucho is still Groucho in his first post-Marx brothers movie, and that's enough to keep this showbiz farce going. The rather labored plot has Groucho getting his longtime fiancée, Carmen Miranda, booked at Manhattan's glamorous Copacabana club, but as two different performers: a Brazilian bombshell (the usual Carmen Miranda act, without the pineapple on the head) and a veiled French chanteuse called Mademoiselle Fifi. Some of the nightclub stuff has a retro appeal, and the appearance of real-life showbiz columnists (like Earl Wilson) brings a whiff of Sweet Smell of Success. But mostly there's Groucho, still flinging one-liners in a zone of his own. Even when the material isn't first-rate, his delivery never wavers from the withering skepticism of the Marx brothers' early days. The old greasepaint mustache comes out for one typically Marxist number, with the remainder of the songs handled by Miranda and wet-eyed crooner Andy Russell. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

It's enough to make me have a nervous breakup !!!.......2007-07-31

Groucho Marx and Carmen Miranda star in this rather humorous movie entitled Copacabana. Although Amazon states that not all the material is first rate, I personally liked it very much. The plot moves along at a good pace and the action never stops in this zany, funny story.

Lionel Q. Deveraux (Groucho Marx) and his fiancée of ten years Carmen Novarro (Carmen Miranda) simply can't make it in show business despite years of trying their best. After they get kicked out of the famous Copacabana nightclub they must face the hotel night clerk who threatens to kick them of their hotel as well because they can't pay their bills. Lionel has a brainstorm: he'll become Carmen's manager and book her at The Copa no matter what!

At first, the owner of the nightclub, Steve Hunt (Steve Cochran), doesn't want to even try out Carmen--until she magically appears doing her number. Steve likes her after all; and trouble ensues when Steve asks Lionel if he has other acts to spice up the nightly entertainment at the Copacabana. Lionel gets very flustered but in another moment of good quick thinking he tells Steve Hunt he has another client, Mademoiselle Fifi. Steve orders Mademoiselle Fifi to appear at the club for an audition the next day--and Carmen and Lionel go into a panic.

Lionel and Carmen must figure out a way for Carmen to appear nightly as both Carmen and Fifi. It sure gets rough--and when Steve Hunt falls in love with Mademoiselle Fifi things become REALLY rough! To complicate matters further, Steve's secretary Anne (Gloria Jean) has a crush on Steve and can't get up the nerve to tell Steve. Meanwhile, every so often, singer Andy Russell, playing himself, sings a ballad--that's the only part of this movie that could have been cut. Andy sings wonderfully; but it doesn't really fit into the plot very well.

Many questions arise: Will Carmen be able to keep up the frantic pace, changing costumes every five minutes so that she can be Fifi and Carmen at the nightclub at the same time and not have anyone suspect anything? What if really big time agents hear of the glamorous Fifi--could this complicate matters? What will Steve Hunt and the rest do if big time agents want Fifi to star in a movie? Ultimately, will people come to believe that Fifi and Carmen are truly the same person? Or will Carmen and Lionel pull the whole thing off and never have them find out the truth? No spoilers here, folks--you'll just have to get the movie and watch to find out for yourself!

The choreography works well for the stage show numbers at The Copacabana; and the cinematography never falters either.

The DVD comes with no extra features--but the film is so good I'll ignore this disappointment anyway.

Overall, if you want a good Groucho Marx flick from his later years in movies, you can't go wrong with Copacabana. Carmen Miranda turns in a marvelous performance that would make most Hollywood screen goddesses green with envy! The supporting cast bolsters the antics as the plot moves along; and the film provides plenty of good laughs.

Enjoy!

Copacabana.......2006-07-03

I have always been a fan of the Marx Bros. and have most all their movies, This movies has only Groucho but it also has Carman Maranda. The plot is based around what might be a Marx Bros. adventure with Carman Maranda easly making up for the lack of the other brothers. I think this is an exelent movie for those who want to see Carnam Maranda and how talented she is. This movie is light harted fun and adventure and a peek into the styles of the time.

Groucho Marx and Carmen Miranda. The mind boggles..........2003-08-09

Putting Groucho Marx and his cigar in a movie with Carmen Miranda and her fruit basket headdress certainly seems like a good idea, but nobody bothered to write a decent script for this 1947 musical comedy (and you can only think of all the Groucho one-liners that must have ended up on the cutting room floor). The plot, such as it is, has Groucho as Lionel Q. Deveraux, an agent who has one client, Carmen Novarro (Miranda). To make money he has her pose as both a Brazilian bombshell and a French chanteuse to fool nightclub owner Steve Hunt (Steve Cochran). There are some minor subplots involving romance, but they are of tertiary interest at best.

Of course for me the only worthwhile moments are when Groucho is on screen and making with the jokes. The musical numbers are okay, but nothing memorable. If all you have seen are parodies of Carmen Miranda in action then this exposure to the real thing has its value as well. She also works well as a foil for Groucho, which is not really that surprising. You can either be totally flustered or joyfully oblivious to Groucho's zingers and Carmen goes with the later strategy to good effect. "Copacabana" is no substitute for a "true" Marx Brothers film, but despite that inherent limitation it is not a bad film. It would rate a 3.5 but we round up because, after all, it is Groucho.

It's...... Groucho! (and Carmen is fun too!).......2003-03-21

Just enough gags and zippy one-liners to make it worth the price of admission for Groucho fans. It's only a pity the other brothers are nowhere in sight. I didn't care much for the musical numbers, but that's what the fast-forward button is for.

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Andes: Illimani brings the viewer to Bolivia. Leaving Puno, we stop before the Peru-Bolivia border to visit a beautiful church in the village of Pomata and continue inside Bolivia to Copacabana with a visit to its white cathedral, built on the site of an old Inca settlement. We continue on unpaved roads in clouds of dust, over Tiquina strait on Lake Titicaca, to La Paz, Bolivia's capital. Next day we start early to go to Tiahuanaco, the most famous archeological site in the country. Tiahuanaco culture was the precursor of the Incas and here we can see lots of elements that where incorporated later by these in their culture. Impressive is the semisubteran temple with its bearded statue of Viracocha in the middle. After a short visit in Tiahuanaco village we return to La Paz to visit Tiahuanaco museum, housing artifacts found in the dig, and different other places in the city center, one of the most fascinating being the visit to the enchanting Mercado de Artesanias, where a highlight is the Witch Market. Our tour in Bolivia ends in Valle de la Luna, a badlands area several miles out of La Paz.

The Girls of Copacabana (Spanish Version)

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The Girls of Copacabana (Spanish Version)
Director: Jess Franco
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Nudity, Mature Situations
Uncut Version
Spanish Audio Only
Scene Selection

ASIN: B000SE8R6M

Product Description

Juanita, Jean and Hans are three young students living in Paris. Juanita, very sensual and free, lovingly satisfies both boys but all are looking for a bit more to spice up their lives. They decide to make a trip to Rio for Carnival where they find a new world of pleasures and freedom...

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