Mario is the Maître d'
June 2, 2024 6:50 PM Subscribe
Copacabana Dollmation [3m50s] is THAT song with a video made with stop motion dolls. That is what it is.
That was amazing. What more can I say? Get this into an animation festival, stat.
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:15 PM on June 2 [4 favorites]
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:15 PM on June 2 [4 favorites]
Except for... Mario?
Truly, this is more of a Luigi story.
But seconding Faint of Butt - that was amazing.
posted by Joey Michaels at 7:16 PM on June 2 [1 favorite]
Truly, this is more of a Luigi story.
But seconding Faint of Butt - that was amazing.
posted by Joey Michaels at 7:16 PM on June 2 [1 favorite]
Are those the original lyrics? I've known the song for ages. Never guessed it was that dark...
posted by jim in austin at 7:20 PM on June 2
posted by jim in austin at 7:20 PM on June 2
Yes, those are the original lyrics. She and He worked there, there was a conflict, he was killed, she's drinking herself to death. It's a happy song! At the Copa! Copacabana!
posted by hippybear at 7:24 PM on June 2 [9 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 7:24 PM on June 2 [9 favorites]
It's a happy song!
When I was little, I thought the line "no she's lost her mind" was so funny and something about the way Manilow delivered it seemed like he was holding up Lola as a figure to be mocked, but as I've aged, I've realized that last verse - especially that last line - is kind of what the song is really all about. That crazy old lady at the club - the one all the young people dismiss? - she had an absolute horrible trauma happen to her 30 years before and she never recovered from it. But, hey disco citizens, don't worry about all that suffering that lady over there is experiencing, just dance you callous monsters.
It is possible I am overthinking this, but if you can't overthink something at Metafilter, where can you overthink something?
refrain... at the Copa...
posted by Joey Michaels at 7:41 PM on June 2 [12 favorites]
When I was little, I thought the line "no she's lost her mind" was so funny and something about the way Manilow delivered it seemed like he was holding up Lola as a figure to be mocked, but as I've aged, I've realized that last verse - especially that last line - is kind of what the song is really all about. That crazy old lady at the club - the one all the young people dismiss? - she had an absolute horrible trauma happen to her 30 years before and she never recovered from it. But, hey disco citizens, don't worry about all that suffering that lady over there is experiencing, just dance you callous monsters.
It is possible I am overthinking this, but if you can't overthink something at Metafilter, where can you overthink something?
refrain... at the Copa...
posted by Joey Michaels at 7:41 PM on June 2 [12 favorites]
Joey: no, that's the song. You aren't overthinking it. It's not a happy song.
Have you seen the mid-Eighties film? I wish it were online.
posted by hippybear at 7:46 PM on June 2 [1 favorite]
Have you seen the mid-Eighties film? I wish it were online.
posted by hippybear at 7:46 PM on June 2 [1 favorite]
oh this is very cute
posted by DoctorFedora at 8:15 PM on June 2
posted by DoctorFedora at 8:15 PM on June 2
Metafilter: Just Dance You Callous Monsters!
posted by otherchaz at 8:37 PM on June 2 [6 favorites]
posted by otherchaz at 8:37 PM on June 2 [6 favorites]
Heh. It's like, what if Robot Chicken, but... gay?
posted by Ursula Hitler at 9:04 PM on June 2
posted by Ursula Hitler at 9:04 PM on June 2
Brilliant. Well done. I love this.
Manilow tops the list of artists I would have been horrified to been caught liking when I was young, but now in middle age, I love him and I DGAF who knows. The songs are great and more complex that was ever given him credit for, it’s all so polished, and it takes a lot of fucking work to be that popular.
posted by Capt. Renault at 9:06 PM on June 2 [9 favorites]
Manilow tops the list of artists I would have been horrified to been caught liking when I was young, but now in middle age, I love him and I DGAF who knows. The songs are great and more complex that was ever given him credit for, it’s all so polished, and it takes a lot of fucking work to be that popular.
posted by Capt. Renault at 9:06 PM on June 2 [9 favorites]
Death dancing with Lola rather than Tony was a real missed opportunity here!
posted by mittens at 4:56 AM on June 3 [2 favorites]
posted by mittens at 4:56 AM on June 3 [2 favorites]
Everything from the lighting to the casting choices (is that doll Pierce Brosnan as Tony?) made this so much more than a random video to me. Exquisite.
posted by jy4m at 7:07 AM on June 3 [1 favorite]
posted by jy4m at 7:07 AM on June 3 [1 favorite]
Just brilliant.
posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 8:21 AM on June 3
posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 8:21 AM on June 3
I love the detail that Lola does indeed merengue and do the cha-cha. Also noting that Warencito used his iPhone12 to make this while I was… well probably commenting here.
posted by rongorongo at 9:08 AM on June 3
posted by rongorongo at 9:08 AM on June 3
That is absolutely amazing. Always been a great song, and seeing it in this format just makes me love it even more.
posted by davidmsc at 10:25 AM on June 3
posted by davidmsc at 10:25 AM on June 3
That was great! I love the song so much, and it's a karaoke favorite (it helps to have a ringer in the audience start a conga line during the long instrumental break)
posted by Cookiebastard at 1:45 PM on June 3 [3 favorites]
posted by Cookiebastard at 1:45 PM on June 3 [3 favorites]
All superb, but it's the double-dong thimbles martini shaker (~0:55) for me.
posted by applemeat at 2:39 PM on June 3
posted by applemeat at 2:39 PM on June 3
That's really wonderful, thanks for posting it. Also, Copacabana is the most potent earworm replacer ever. And then it vanishes in a day like magic.
posted by theora55 at 8:29 PM on June 3
posted by theora55 at 8:29 PM on June 3
Have you seen the mid-Eighties film?
I've not but I'm intrigued as all get out now.
posted by Joey Michaels at 10:30 PM on June 3
I've not but I'm intrigued as all get out now.
posted by Joey Michaels at 10:30 PM on June 3
It's out on the Bay if you are so inclined. Copacabana 1985 is the search term. Not many seeds, but you can get it eventually.
posted by hippybear at 6:56 AM on June 4 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 6:56 AM on June 4 [1 favorite]
So many great details, including costumes and hairstyles, but I especially liked Mario trying to shield Lola from seeing the grievously wounded Tony; Lola dancing with Death to try to distract them from taking Tony; Lola dramatically breaking up the young disco couples; and a Luigi cameo as a disco waiter. But amid all the high camp it brings home Lola's tragedy, which (like some other commenters) I didn't really appreciate as a kid hearing this song.
The creator has a making of video as well.
posted by lisa g at 9:55 PM on June 4
The creator has a making of video as well.
posted by lisa g at 9:55 PM on June 4
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posted by eschatfische at 7:07 PM on June 2 [5 favorites]