A Record World ‘Special Event’ Review

NEW YORK — The teen record star cause will get a tremendous shot in its frugging arm along about Christmas when the second Electronovision “special event,” the Teen-Age Music International Show “Teenage Command Performance,” is exhibited for limited two-day, four performance runs (between Dec. 19 and Jan.3) throughout the country and around the world.

The reason is that the outing – a showcase for 12 slick and youthful acts – is a sensation. And some of the pay-offs should be upping record sales and wider acceptance of teen entertainers on the nightclub and TV circuit. There is even the possibility of a cast album to be peddled in theaters where the show is run (see below).

The two-hour entertainment, in format and execution best described as a phantasmagorical “Shindig” segment, was premiered to the press last week and to lucky audiences in 33 Los Angeles-area theaters Nov. 14.

James Brown Scores

The acts, highlighted by a stupendous James Brown turn, are emceed by the fey and funny Liberty team, Jan and Dean.

Strutting their stuff in addition to these guys are the high priest of the current popular beat, Chess’ Chuck Berry; and Laurie’s Gerry and the Pacemakers, Tamla’s The Miracles and Marvin Gaye, Mercury’s Lesley Gore, Capitol’s Beach Boys, Imperial’s Billy J.Kramer and the Dakotas, Motown’s Supremes, London’s Rolling Stones and Joy’s Barbarians.

Each singer(s) and/or instrumentalist(s), with one exception, sings three or four of his (their) hit singles and some of the folks introduce new numbers.

A scantily clad chorus line of well-shaped gals with their motors running provide almost non-stop backdrop activity.

The show, filmed in black and white, is pitched, of course, at teen-agers, but adults in attendance will be impressed by the professional sheen with which most of the acts perform. The Supremes – each a sinuous satin doll – should be able to expand their outlets. Marvin Gaye, Gerry and the Pacemakers – well, just about everyone, under the direction of Steve Binder – show their ability to keep audiences rapt on a high level. Oldsters may gripe at material, but rarely at presentation.

And, as mentioned above, Smash’s James Brown is a standout. Brown has raised caterwauling and camp to a fine art. His stint consists of dancing, playing, shouting and ingenious emotional ploys. Aided by his Terrific Flames, who comfort him like a concerned family, he goes through the pangs of unrequited love and unbounded gaiety. The songster has no end of energy and the audience is exhausted many “Please, Please, Please’s” before he is. His footage is truly unique. It’ll be remembered and well talked about.

The Electronovision process seems extremely well suited to this kind of entertainment. Filming is done before a live audience during a regular performance. A number of cameras are set up around the stage and manipulated much like television cameras. There is heavy and effective use of vaselined lensing, superimposition and tight close-ups.

Electronovision’s producers refuse to call the completed product a film or movie in the usual sense. Instead, they have coined the “special event” tag and liken this presentation, their first presentation (Richard Burton’s “Hamlet”) and all subsequent presentations to closed circuit live shows. They plan no less than 12 releases annually. And another Teenage demand performance can be expected. (“Hamlet” is to be entered in the motion picture Oscar race).

Album Plans

William Sargent Jr., president of Electronovision, Inc. and executive producer of ‘The T-A-M-I Show,’ told reporters at the press screening that there are plans afoot to put together an album, containing the new material in the show, but that little direct negotiation with the parent companies has commenced. He pointed out that “there are almost as many labels as artists represented.”

This suggests that contract dickering could be fairly extensive. The shows will be booked at odd hours so as not to conflict with regular film showings at the exhibiting houses. The first show will precede, in all instances, the first showing of a house’s feature. And the second showing will take the form of a midnight show.

The 3000 or so prints of “TACP” (Teen Age Command Performance) will be pulled from circulation after Jan. 3, never to be shown again. It may be stated, however, that teens would probably begin to find the show dated if it were to be put into normal distribution since the songs will have faded from widespread popularity following pop patterns. END

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Information, credit and news source: RECORD WORLD; Nov. 21, 1964