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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing TV series, February 16, 2008
The TV series went into production in the summer of 2006.
The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie, was the beginning of their adventure, which won the Audience Award for Family Feature Film at the October 24th, 2005 Hamptons International Film Festival.
The Film and TV series is part documentary and part rock-mockumentary comedy (Part real, part fake). It stars real-life brothers, Nat and Alex Wolff. The film and TV series is directed, written, created, and executive produced by, actress Polly Draper (Nat and Alex's off-camera mom). You might remember Draper from her best known starring role as Ellyn Warren from the 1987-91 hit drama series, "thirtysomething." Draper does not star in the series or film, because she is too busy executive producing, creating all of the episodes. And writing and directing most of them.
In the film and TV series the brother's show-and-real-life dad, Michael Wolff stars as the brothers geeky father who plays the accordion, acts like a kid, and is desperate to join his sons' successful band. In real-life, Michael Wolff is a band-leader, jazz pianist, and composer who was the band-leader and musical director of "The Arsenio Hall Show," from 1989-94. Who worked with musicians such as, Frank Sinatra, Cannonball Adderally, Cal Tjader, Airto/Mel Lewis Orchestra and use to be the musical director of Nancy Wilson!
Draper's idea of making The Naked Brothers Band movie is because she was inspired by her kids' band they formed in Pre-School with their best friends. Draper wanted to be very "Beatle-y" since her 2 sons are obsessed with "The Beatles." And inspired her older son, Nat to write, compose, and perform over 150 songs.
One day Draper came home and said, "Why don't we make a mock documentary about them as if they were huge like "The Beatles" and have all these screaming girls saying, 'they were great.'"
The film had special appearances by Polly Draper's friends: Cyndi Laupher, Julianne Moore, Uma Thurman, Ann Curry, Riki Lake, Tony Shalhoub, Draper's "thirtysomething" cast (Mel Harris, Ken Olin, Melanie Mayron, Peter Thorton, Patricia Wettig, and Draper her self), and Draper's off-broadway Getting into Heaven play including, Gretchen Egolf, James Badge Dale, and Barbara Eda-young. And Wolff's friends: Arsenio Hall, Nancy Wilson, and John B. Williams. Some how communicating or interacting with the band.
An autograph signing at TimeSquare's Virgin Meagstore in Manhattan, New York drew over 1,500 crazed young fans some even camped over night.
Nat and Alex Wolff write, compose, and perform all the music in the show. It brought Nickelodeon's highest rated premiere in seven years!
This is Polly Draper's first directing debut.
In 1998, a film came out titled, "The Tic Code." Which was written and produced by, Polly Draper. Part biography of Michael Wolff's love for the jazz piano and his struggles with his mild case of Tourette syndrome. Before the movie was released, Wolff was in complete denial of his Tourette's.
The film features, Christopher George Marquette as a jazz piano prodigy with a severe case of Tourette syndrome who was abandoned by his father because of his condition. Polly Draper stars as his single-mother Laura who is always there for Miles and threads clothes for a job at home. Actor-and-tap-dancer Gregory Hines stars as a jazz saxophonist, Tyrone who also has Tourette syndrome and meets Miles at a local night spot. Laura and Tyrone start dating and their relationship is strained, because Laura can't help talking about Tourette's which Tyrone doesn't like to talk about. Tyrone and Miles learn how to cope with their condition together.
Michael Wolff contributed the piano playing in the film and Alex Foster contributed the saxophone playing in the film. The film was directed by, Gary Winick.
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2.0 out of 5 stars
Potential so far unrealized, August 7, 2008
I have reviewed the Naked Brothers Band since the movie and have done so in depth, i have produced a 26 page report on the season so condensing it to 1,000 or so words will take a bit of selection.
First off, I have seen more potential in this show and it's actors than in any other show that i have watched since i began taking note of what i was actually watching. However many parts of the season i felt failed to realize the potential.
Nat and Alex are talented musicians and actors and are showing a lot of potential, Nat's was a bit harder to see as he seemed too 'Mary sueish' which seemed to mask and i guess to some degree discredit his skills. It was not their skills both musically or acting that got me interested in the series but it was the potential which seemed to hit me like a freight train.
The first time i watched 'VMA's' I walked away, it was nothing special, i came back and watched 'Alien Clones' which here in NZ was the second episode to show. Again i was tempted to walk away, but i stayed but still was not impressed. It wasn't until 'Wolff brothers cry Wolff' that i actually felt i enjoyed watching the show, and this was my second favourite episode. I did not start reviewing until I saw an episode so horrible that i just had to say something and that was 'A man needs a maid'
Yet in each an every episode I saw alot of potential... well maybe not 'a man needs a maid' that was unsalvageable. Perhaps this potential is why especially my earlier reviews were so harsh. There was a lot in which i enjoyed 'Rebel and a skateboarder' was a great episode, I was generally impressed with Alex through out the season, and there were two songs that stood out. 'Nowhere' by Nat Wolff and 'I Could be' by Alex Wolff. 'Nowhere said alot in such a short time and one of the best parts of the season. 'I could be' was one of those songs you love but you know it could have been so much better.
As a whole the season had it's moments, I felt it was a step back from the movie which i was skeptical about seeing having watched the season first, but it's worth watching if you don't get too critical about it and in my opinion you avoid 'A man needs a maid' like the plague.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
AMAZINGLY TALENTED!!!!!!!!!!!, June 27, 2008
A Kid's Review
I LOVE THIS SHOW AND THEIR MOST RESENT MOVIE "POLAR BEARS" me and my family are going to drive to myrtal beach in 2 days and my dad bought the season for me so i'm fully occupied i also rented the polar bears movie! . this show is great theres not any inapropriate things in it , i'm 13 and i love it! theres awsome comedy,music,and romance (nat and rosalina) , (alex and jessie). this show is great! BUY THE CD ALSO THEIR AMAZINGLY TALENTED!!! I <3 THE NAKED BROTHERS BAND!!!
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