Divine Madness

I watched 1980's DIVINE MADNESS simply because it meets one part of my movie watching criteria: late '70s/early '80s release, and all the better that it is a concert film from that era.  When concert films were fairly common.  That Bette Midler is the artist certainly doesn't hurt, but I'm not the biggest fan of her singing, especially when she covers rock songs.  I first noted that when I watched her video of "Beast of Burden" in the early '80s on MTV.  "I sing this song better than anybody!" she says to Mick Jagger.  He dryly replies, "Well, almost anybody."

Midler covers "You Can't Always Get What You Want" near the close of DIVINE MADNESS. Eh. She also drives through versions of "Fire Down Below" and "The E Street Shuffle."  If I have to tell you who the original artists are of any of the above you should be reading someone else's blog.  Midler brings ferocity and passion to every tune, but it is far better suited to "Stay With Me" and "The Rose", the latter of course the title song from her movie debut in 1979.  She is a very talented singer, make no mistake, and she literally throws herself into her craft.  Sometimes while wearing mermaid or bag lady costumes, or dressed as a bride and groom simultaneously.  The movie is comprised of several shows recorded in Pasadena by director Michael Ritchie and cinematographer William Fraker.  And they make what is a wildly theatrical show quite cinematic.

In between songs, Midler gets bawdy with material that would make your grandma blush.  And it's damned funny.  She introduces her back up trio, the Harlettes, as "not knowing shit about Euripdes, but plenty about Trojans."  Her stand up mode is quite at odds with how serious she is while singing, and I've always found that intriguing about her.  You'd expect some raunch in her songs, but no.  Very different personas emerge.  No overlap.  The Divine Miss M is either telling dick jokes or weeping through "I Shall Be Released."  I responded to the unabashed vulgarity and sentiment equally well.  This gear switching always keeps her show interesting, as does the very vocal audience - one guy asks Bette to show more of her ample bosom, and she complies by pulling her brassiere open a little more. Calm down, invisible audience, she doesn't go topless.