Michael Flatley, the Chicago-born foot-tapper and mighty titan of Irish dancing, just will not let “Lord of the Dance” die.
He invented the mega-successful stage show in 1996, and has taken it around the globe since.
Although a video of the show has endlessly aired on PBS stations eve
ry time there’s a pledge drive, surely raising far more money from subscribers than the U.S. government has ever given public broadcasting, Flatley evidently felt “Lord of the Dance” needed a new version.
Behold “Lord of the Dance in 3D,” captured in Dublin before a worshipful crowd. The crisp digital photography and the novelty of 3D turn out to be enough justification for a new rendering of the piece, if, you know, you like this sort of thing.
And by “this sort of thing” I don’t mean Irish dancing, but Michael Flatley’s brand of cockeyed, overheated, sequin-spattered Irish dance. “Lord of the Dance” purports to use Irish mythology for its storytelling spine, although Flatley appears to have concocted his own good vs. evil thread out of a few basic situations.
You can hear some traditional elements in the music, as advertised. However, much of the soundtrack sounds influenced by that little-known county in Ireland, O’Vegas.
Flatley, who is now in his early 50s, returned to the central role for this project, and although he may look a tad older than he used to, he doesn’t act any less studly. When he’s not leaping and tapping across the stage, he’s engaged in tough-guy theatrics, as though determined to single-handedly chart a new course for men in dance.
Fans will love it. Those of us who always found parts of “Lord of the Dance” unintentionally funny will crack up when Flatley is robbed of his glittery cummerbund (actually emblazoned with the words “Lord of the Dance”), which looks like a championship belt from pro wrestling.
The 3D works in the film’s favor. Even nonbelievers must admit there is something exhilarating about unison dancing, and when the troupe is stretched out across the wide, huge screen, tapping like mad in perfect synchronicity, it’s a sight.
Because fast cutting in 3D requires airsickness bags to be at the ready, the film moves in a calm style that rightly allows the dancers to be seen. The background projections still look cheesy, alas.
Of course, “Lord of the Dance” is critic-proof. Give this to Michael Flatley: He’s an old-school showman, a born ham who puts out the effort night after night. Color that ham green, because “Lord of the Dance” arrives just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.
“Lord of the Dance in 3D”: Two stars
Michael Flatley’s sequin-spattered stage show gets a new bigscreen version in 3D, and because the technology requires a calm approach without fast cutting, it works in favor of presenting the Irish dance spectacular. How you feel about the show itself will depend on your taste for cheesy theatrics and Flatley’s hard-working showmanship.
Rated: Not rated; probably G
Showing: Everett Mall, Meridian
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