Louis Prima - The Wildest

Starring:Louis Prima, Jimmy Vincent, Woody Herman, Gia Maione, Sam Butera, Keely Smith
Director: Don McGlynn
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
He may have been "just a gigolo," but it's easy to understand why Louis Prima continues to find audiences both young and old. The trumpeter and bandleader was at the forefront of the rock & roll movement, he was the epitome of the cool, singing and swinging Italian crooner ("Oh Marie"), and he achieved immortality as King Louie in Disney's Jungle Book. But the entertainer also went through five wives, struggled to keep up with new musical trends, and, ultimately, will be remembered as one of the world's great lounge acts.

Louis Prima: The Wildest chronicles his rise to fame from his early years in the French Quarter of New Orleans to his glory days in Sin City. Interviews with jazz critics, former wife Keely Smith, and numerous bandmates abound in this well-made documentary. But the real highlight for Prima fans will be the live music footage, showcasing Smith and Prima singing in their prime, his crackerjack band that knew how to swing, twist, and (yes) rock when it mattered, and Prima's incredible stage presence. The fascinating footage is abundant here- -from "Chinatown" to "Sing, Sing, Sing" to an awe-inspiring performance of "I'm in the Mood for Love." No one can ever sum up what makes Prima so magical, but the music speaks for itself. Added DVD features include some uncut concert performances and a few audio-only bonus tracks. --Jason Verlinde
Description
Before Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tom Jones, Tony Bennett or Engelbert Humperdinck ever played the stages of Vegas, there was Louis Prima. One of America's most hypnotic and original performers, Prima's career spanned several decades and turned out hits like "That Old Black Magic," "Sing, Sing, Sing," "Just a Gigolo," "I Ain't Got Nobody" and "Jump, Jive an' Wail." In Disney's animated classic "The Jungle Book," Prima created the "hep" voice of King Louie the orangutan. This film profiles the magnetic Louis Prima in a nostalgic historical journey through the music scenes of a racy New Orleans, the swinging jazz culture of uptown New York and Las Vegas's "formative" years. As a solo act or with his wife, acclaimed singer Keely Smith, Louis Prima was and will forever be the "wildest" man in show business!

Amazon.com

He may have been "just a gigolo," but it's easy to understand why Louis Prima continues to find audiences both young and old. The trumpeter and bandleader was at the forefront of the rock & roll movement, he was the epitome of the cool, singing and swinging Italian crooner ("Oh Marie"), and he achieved immortality as King Louie in Disney's Jungle Book. But the entertainer also went through five wives, struggled to keep up with new musical trends, and, ultimately, will be remembered as one of the world's great lounge acts.

Louis Prima: The Wildest chronicles his rise to fame from his early years in the French Quarter of New Orleans to his glory days in Sin City. Interviews with jazz critics, former wife Keely Smith, and numerous bandmates abound in this well-made documentary. But the real highlight for Prima fans will be the live music footage, showcasing Smith and Prima singing in their prime, his crackerjack band that knew how to swing, twist, and (yes) rock when it mattered, and Prima's incredible stage presence. The fascinating footage is abundant here- -from "Chinatown" to "Sing, Sing, Sing" to an awe-inspiring performance of "I'm in the Mood for Love." No one can ever sum up what makes Prima so magical, but the music speaks for itself. Added DVD features include some uncut concert performances and a few audio-only bonus tracks. --Jason Verlinde

Description

Before Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tom Jones, Tony Bennett or Engelbert Humperdinck ever played the stages of Vegas, there was Louis Prima. One of America's most hypnotic and original performers, Prima's career spanned several decades and turned out hits like "That Old Black Magic," "Sing, Sing, Sing," "Just a Gigolo," "I Ain't Got Nobody" and "Jump, Jive an' Wail." In Disney's animated classic "The Jungle Book," Prima created the "hep" voice of King Louie the orangutan. This film profiles the magnetic Louis Prima in a nostalgic historical journey through the music scenes of a racy New Orleans, the swinging jazz culture of uptown New York and Las Vegas's "formative" years. As a solo act or with his wife, acclaimed singer Keely Smith, Louis Prima was and will forever be the "wildest" man in show business!

Customer Reviews:

LOUIS PRIMA: THE WILDEST and THE BEST!!!!.......2006-09-21

The filmakers chose to concentrate on the music here. And there is a great wealth of rare and fabulous LOUIS PRIMA performance clips in this film highlighted by extended clips from PRIMA's ground breaking 1959 ED SULLIVAN SHOW appearances..most having not been seen since the day they were first broadcasted I suspect. I am told that Louis didn't have too much to say except when his horn was in his mouth..I think this doc clearly brings that home. Good informative interviews with family memebers, managers and fellow bandmates, great info on the ITALIAN AMERICAN communities of New Orleans as well...thank you for doing this one Don McGlynn & Joe Lauro!!!

El Primo.......2006-08-18

It's all in the live footage. Interspersed among somewhat predictable interviews ( bar the talks with Sam Butera ) it's dynamite. For the ones of us who never got to experience King Louis in the flesh, this gives a hint of what it must've been like.

For Prima Completists Only.......2006-04-14

I was a little disappointed with this film. I know the name, and a fair amount of the material, but was hoping to gain some insight to the Man. Got some, but not much. Maybe a bit too esoteric for the curious. Much of the information was glossed over. There is mention of "The Lion King", and Prima's influence on contemporary rock n' roll, but there is never any further exploration of these topics. I wanted to know the thought process behind the deadpan delivery of Keely Smith's on-stage persona, as well as a host of other things, but was left high and dry... This is probably common knowledge to the fan "in the know". However, for the rest of us... The footage is fantastic, but I never felt I really got to know Louis Prima, or even his work, really. Isn't that the point?

Comments about this DVD.......2005-01-13

Although I truly enjoy Louie Prima's music, this DVD does not due him justice. The sound and picture quality is poor.
The performances are old and all in BLACK & WHITE!! The only parts in color are the commentary and the cemetary photo where he is buried. Better to just buy a CD and listen to him perform. This DVD is way overpriced for its poor quality.
I do not recommend unless you just want anything and everything there is available on Louie Prima, no matter what the quality is like. I was very disappointed.

We're Lovin' Louis.......2004-12-22

I've been a Prima fan for many years. In fact, my daughter, who was born a few days after I watched Louis Prima perform with his then new wife, is named Gia (for Gia Maione, of course). My Gia has identical 4 year old twin boys who absolutely love Louis Prima, watch the DVD each and every day, sing all the songs and do wonderful imitations of Louis and Sam Butera. Ryan is always Louis and Nicky is always Sam. Wish all Prima fans could see the twins perform. Yes, we're all lovin' Louis.

Average customer rating:

LOUIS PRIMA: THE WILDEST and THE BEST!!!!
El Primo
For Prima Completists Only
Comments about this DVD
We're Lovin' Louis

Louis Prima: The Wildest! [Region 2]
Starring: Louis Prima , Jimmy Vincent , Woody Herman , Gia Maione , and Sam Butera
Director: Don McGlynn
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Ultra-Lounge: Wild, Cool & Swingin' - Artist Series Vol 1
Louis Prima Keely Smith Live from Las Vegas
Louis and Keely!
Call of the Wildest/Wildest Show at Tahoe
Capitol Collectors Series: Louis Prima

ASIN: B00005NFRG