For quite a while I had planned to provide new cd audio tracks for some of the 'older' routines (i.e. those that have been in my collection for a long time, sourced mainly from EinsFestival and BBC4). When I finally started this project a few weeks ago, I had to rewatch a number of routines that I hadn't viewed for quite a while. It turned out to be a very pleasant but also somewhat surprising experience, as I realized that my ratings for some of those routines would be fairly different now. Here are some of my thoughts:
More More More: Even though I had given that one a '9' I had not watched it for some time. It is really nice but I felt that this late incarnation of Pan's People with just 4 dancers somehow didn't quite do it for me. And it is too short. I'd possibly rate it a bit lower now, 8.5 seems right.
Do You Wanna Dance: I don't know why I neglected that one. It is great. I would certainly up my 'miserly' 8.5 to 9.5 now with just the credits getting in the way. The girls look fantastic and the dance is pure joy. A rediscovered gem.
What Am I Gonna Do With You: Nothing rediscovered here. The girls look marvelous, but that's about it. My rating of 8.5 still seems appropriate.
You're The First, The Last, My Everything (Xmas): 7.5 was my rating. I can't believe it. I must have been blind! This is so much better! Somehow I had never understood that this routine was a complete send-up from start to finish and performed with more than just a wink! Watching the facial expressions and the numerous gestures now, it is so obvious that I keep wondering why I had never realized it before. A 9 at least!
You're So Vain: A 10 if ever there was one. No change here. Highlight is Ruth singing along during her solo. Just love it! Needless to say that this routine is improved a lot by the new sound as the original audio is so dull.
There's A Kind Of Hush: Another member called it 'A Kind Of Mush' and that pretty much sums it up. Cheesy intro, cheesy song and cheesy routine. A nice idea (music box dancers) but it doesn't work. Yep just those 4 again. I gave 7.5. Quite generous in retrospect. A 5 seems more adequate.
I'm A Man: Wow. Just wow. This is one
groundbreaking routine when you consider it was done in the first month of 1970! A 9 was my rating. I think I'd go for 9.5 now, with half a point deducted for the many redundant pictures of the band. And it sounds simply great now.
Ghetto Child: I remember how excited I was when I finally saw that one on BBC4. I called it a classic and awarded the highest rating of 10. Well I still think it's a great routine - but it's not a 10. More of a 9.
Get Down: It's funny what happens when you watch a routine that has been in public circulation for so long and you haven't actually played it for ages. Yes it is very literal but certainly much better than its reputation. What was my rating? An 8? Make that a 9 please!
Disco Connection: I only gave it a 7, so I was anxious to find out if DC would have risen in my estimation. The short answer is no. I really don't know what was wrong with poor Ruth. She must have suffered from a flu or something like that. At any rate, she wasn't her usual self. Sue is faultless though. Heck, this should have been a solo routine just with Sue. Then it may have scored an 8 with me. As it is, I would go no higher than 6 now.
Swing Your Daddy: Well what I can say about the routine that started my love for the dancers except that this will always be a '10' in my book. Always.
Help Me Make It Through The Night: A great
great routine. Everything is just perfect. What did I say about 4 dancers a bit earlier? Never mind, those four are splendid! I already gave it a 10 and would do so again.
Both Sides Now: Surprise, surprise. This used to be my example of a Pan's People turkey. My rating was a 3. A 3! The lowest score I ever gave for a Pan's People routine. Watching it again made me realize that it is actually quite charming and beautiful. Not that it will ever be one of my favourites. But it is worth much more than a 3. I think I would rate it 7.5 or possibly even 8 now. There goes my turkey!
If now, after reading all this, you think you would like to see
and hear all those routines, you can! I have uploaded them in two (big) archives. However, as they are intended for the good people of OFTD only, the archives are password-encoded to prevent them from falling into wrong hands. So every member on here can send me a message, tell me his user name and ask for the password, and if he's accumulated 100 posts at least, I will send the password by email.
The archives are here:
Part 1:
https://we.tl/t-jzn9d1nqrrPart 2:
https://we.tl/t-oK2VrzGDuABut hurry! They'll be gone in 7 days!