Tales of a Swedish Supermodel -or- Our Love Is Here To Stay

It's possible I've overemphasized the role of the Swedish supermodel in this week's blog. But I'm hoping you'll forgive me once you read today's fantastic entry from guest scribe Bruce Leddy who will be taking you behind the velvet ropes, inside the process of Lemmings myth-making. And there IS a Swedish supermodel in there somewhere. So without further ado, I give you a woody... I mean, I give you our own resident Woody Allen... filmmaker, baritone, yamhead, Bruce J. Leddy. Bruce?

Lights... Camera... Tote!

Dear Timid Woodland Creatures:

Standing in the shadow of Bill's unmentionable blog from last week, I offer this week's ode to Lemosity. If any among you should question just how meaningful being a member of this group has been to me, look no further than the feature film I spent a solid 3 years of my life on: the valentine of all valentines to male bonding through harmony, "Shut Up & Sing," nay "The Wedding Weekend," er, "Sing Now or Forever Hold Your Peace."  

Some may even wonder why I would make such a gargantuan homage to our beloved pastime when I've never been much of a singer, never a soloist or star, and at best could be considered a utility player. It's like a chorus girl making a movie about how great show business is (only without the vagina). But I think part of what inspired me to write and direct a film about a mythified version of "us," is that I have been both an outsider and an insider to the group and that gave me an even deeper appreciation. It's like Ang Lee making "Ice Storm" (only much different). For a long time, I was among the spectators at parties, watching and listening with the same gee-whiz astonishment (and yes, I'll admit envy) at the beauty and humor and complexity of a Lemmings performance. I was enthralled with its magic, without knowing how the trick worked. 

...click...

And then I was let into the inner sanctum, permitted to view the workings of the machine which, far from dispelling the illusion, made it all the more incredible. I'm sure that you'll all agree that producing one part of a complex chord with a bunch of other people whom you know and love, using the original musical instrument of voice only, reaches right down inside you and lights you on fire (in a good way). Talk about a reltney! (see the Lemmings etymology blog). While the movie is not actually ABOUT a cappella, it's soul is there, and I felt that the unique musical experience of a cappella and the bonds that come with it, had never been depicted in a movie before (outside of gay pirate porn, that is. What?! I had to say it!). 

While I can safely say that "The Wedding Weekend" is one of the things I am most proud of in my whole life, it can also be said that it would not exist if not for all of you, my fellow singers and above all my friends. First and foremost is the fact that on a practical level, many of you worked hard on the film for little or no pay, a debt for which I will always be grateful. Some of you even contributed financially, a debt for which I will always feel grateful but guilty that the film didn't make it's money back. But all of you contributed by being part of the experience which was so inspirational to me. 

Art imitating life imitating Bill

Although none of you were actually translated into characters in the film (thank God no one has a wife like Molly Shannon's character!), there are certainly debts of detail such as Bill's monks robes being ascribed to Spooner, and of course our favorite inside vernacular of "shut up!" as a salutation, which is sprinkled throughout the film (sadly none of us ever actually hooked up with an orgasmic Swedish supermodel like Elsa... or DID WE?!?!). 

Some of the most memorable and meaningful things we ever did as a group, in my opinion, were singing at each other's weddings and so, this became the "inciting incident" of the film: the main character returns from abroad to inform his fellow singers that he's getting married and wants them to sing at the wedding. 

For my wedding to the lovely Doreen Squilla on September 12, 1992, I made the same request. So a subset of Lemmings (Kev, Charlie, Wayne, Paul, Winthy, Lyman) filled the Unitarian Church on Nantucket with a gorgeous rendition of "Our Love is Here to Stay." Here's that original inspiring performance. Even with pre-digital, lame camera-mic/back of the house audio, you can still hear the gold.

That moment so resonated for me, that I wanted it to be the climactic moment for the film as well. Someday I hope to write a blog about the making of the movie itself which is one of the most improbable experiences imaginable, full of the highest highs and devastating lows.  But for now, I will just give the broad strokes and, in late night talk show parlance, "set up the clip."  

Us but not us

By 2005 I had been "attached" to innumerable movies which would invariably fall through at the studios, and had sold a spec screenplay to Paramount which was orphaned and sits on a shelf to this day. So when I completed the script for "Shut Up & Sing" (which to be honest, I wrote in fits and starts over the course of about a decade), I decided to produce it outside the system, knowing full well that if a studio bought it, the first thing they would say is, "We want them to be a hip-hop group instead of a cappella." [Of course, this might've led to Will Smith being cast and I would now be an A-list director working with Naomi Watts and Clive Owen on a new Bond film. So maybe it wasn't the best decision.] 

I'm waiting for you, Bruce.

So with all my integrity intact but little money in hand, I put the project together through ridiculous schemes like home equity loans and family shake-downs.  Because the singing was going to be on-camera, I had to clear all the music ahead of time and pre-record it, which meant putting together an a cappella "super-group" to record the tracks, adding the voices of the actors who sang their own solos afterwards. [A couple of tracks like the opening version of "Take Me Home" were from collegiate groups.]  If memory serves, the group (Kev, Winthy, Wayne -- with a little guest appearance by Mark -- plus Sean Altman, Charlie Evett, and Elliott Kerman from Rockapella) learned all the parts for 5 songs in one day at my apartment. Then we headed to the Noize Factory studio where we worked with Jeff Thacher to produce the tracks.  Here's a bit of never-before-seen footage from the sessions on "Our Love." 

With casting completed, the imposter Lemmings (David Harbour, Reg Rogers, Sandy Chaplin, David Alan Basche, Mark Feuerstein, and Samrat Chakrabarti) were taught their parts by Sean so that they could believably lip-sync them on film. We shot 6 days in New York City (during insufferable August heat) and then headed to the Hamptons for the scenes of rehearsing and singing at the wedding. Here, then is my "Hollywood" version of one of the best moments of my life, inspired by the lot of you.

Having worn out my guest blog welcome, I thank you again for all the great memories and moments, and for allowing this singer of modest ability be part of something so magical. 

Verily I say unto you: shut up.

Bruce L 

Thank you, Bruce. You've set the bar impossibly high for the next guest blogger. And by impossibly high I mean they have to go out and make TWO movies about the Lemmings and then we'll talk. (Or maybe just SEE two movies. I'm desperate for guest scribes.)

POLL RESULTS: Apparently, when we think of things that are "hot", we think of Bruegel the Elder. Or of Mike Battey doing his impression of Bruegel the Elder. The data didn't really specify. This week, instead of a poll question, I want your answers in the comments section below. Who should have played you in the movie??

Shutup. And Sing.