Monday, July 16, 2007

Bugsy Malone Is 45...and Single

I watched "Scott Baio Is 45...and Single" on VH-1 last night, of course, and I enjoyed it while also finding it kind of depressing. While Baio does acknowledge his douchbaggery, I also get the feeling it's just too damn late for him to really change. I kind of feel sorry for the guy.

My youthfull fondness for Scott Baio didn't extend past Baio's tween years. Once he got to the "Joanie Loves Chachi" age, I lost all interest in him, and never even bothered to watch "Charles In Charge." For me, it's all about his small role in "Foxes," and the ultimate tween Baio flick, "Bugsy Malone."

I was obsessed with the movie as a kid, listening to its soundtrack so much that I can still remember all the lyrics. For those who don't know, the movie was a weird gangster musical featuring a cast made up entirely of children who lip-sang to Paul Williams songs. Yes, it sounds horrible, and perhaps if I were introduced to the movie as an adult, I'd indeed think it was horrible, and possibly creepy. But that childhood nostalgia can't be brushed away, and it still remains a fave.

I don't think it's available on DVD in the U.S. (and it sounds like the copy for rent on Netflix is a disc for the Chinese market). I'm still hoping for a special edition DVD, but in the meantime I will just satisfy myself with YouTube clips. Here are a few of my faves.

Jodie Foster as Tallulah:



Scott Baio as Bugsy, trying to recruit the down-and-out for his gang:



Blousy's just an Ordinary Fool:



And, (Spoiler Alert!) the happy ending:

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