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Reviews
Paul and Michelle (1974)
I want to make a comment about the music for the film
I disagree with a reviewer who says that the music from the first film is "dreck" and that the music of this sequel is even worse. First off, I am prejudiced because I and my wife-to-be used "Michelle's Song" (Cast a pebble on the water, watch the ripples slowly spreading...) for our Wedding! To each his own.
Actually, I found the melody of the song in Paul and Michelle to be very pretty, sweet... and ever so sad, particularly when played by a wind instrument at the very end of the movie! What I think that the other reviewer is noticing is the overly intellectual, just plain poor lyrics that go with that melody. The lyrics are too heavy and wordy and it kills the melody. The jazzy arrangement at the beginning of the film doesn't do justice to the melody, as the singer at the beginning of the film doesn't do justice to the melody either. So, on its own, the melody is not dreck or worse, it is hauntingly sad when played in its orchestral arrangement alone, but the lyrics and singing of the song using that tearful melody never should have happened!
Friends (1971)
A very warm movie...
When it appeared in movie theaters around 1971, I went to see "Friends" many times. Apparently, the music and the movie had their impact on me because when I got married in 1973, my wife-to-be and I used "Michelle's theme" (Cast a pebble on the water...) for our wedding music along with "None but the Lonely Hearts" by Tchaikovsky! Later, I saw the sequel "Paul and Michelle" which was also quite good if not a bit sad at the end. But "Friends" is sad at the end, too.
Now I am 63 years old and came across "Friends" on Amazon and bought it in streaming video. (The sequel is available on DVD region 0 so it plays on any DVD Player...just Google "Paul and Michelle" DVD). "Friends" on DVD is region 2 so it will not play on American DVD's and the video tape is extremely rare. I just bought it!
"Friends" and "Paul and Michelle" remain Anicee's best work. I feel that in later movies, she was exploited because of her physical beauty in silly scripts with gratuitous nudity. I have read that there were those who tried to cast her as a "sex bomb".
Sean Bury who played Paul announced some very sad news. Anicee Alvina passed away of lung cancer in 2006. She was born on January 28, 1953. Anicee was 53. However, she was always sweet and CUTE. She was a good singer... May she rest in the arms of God.