January 4, 2010 - Night at the Opera

Mondays in January are scheduled for laughter in the Slaughtered Lamb (have you heard the one about the laughter in slaughter?) as we continue our 40/40 program.

First up, a timeless Marx Brothers classic celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2010, Night at the Opera. While I love all of their films, and any one would have been a great choice, this includes several of my favorite Marx Brothers bits, including the 'contract negotiation' between Otis P. Driftwood and Fiorello.

While I can't recall the first time I saw Night at the Opera specifically, it was on LaserDisc that it grew to become one of my most watched Marx Brothers films. I do have early memories of not only watching the Marx Brothers in Animal Crackers, but also listening to a copy we had recorded on audiotape, enough that many of those bits are forever ingrained in my memory.

If you've never seen a Marx Brothers film, Night at the Opera is a great introduction.