Bathtubs Over Broadway 2018
Universal Studios has been running a rewards program where you use points earned by purchasing Universal movies to pick a free digital movie from a selection each month. For their final month, they made 65 movies available (instead of the usual 5-12), but there is a lot of filler. This documentary, which I had never heard of, got good reviews (albeit from a small number of critics), so I picked it up. It primarily follows around a David Letterman writer named Steve Young who had become obsessed with records from industry trade show musicals. It's an obscure niche, but he thought it was hilarious to have a short musical about bathroom fixtures or silicone products, and he becomes an avid collector and expert. Because he is the primary source, the movie mostly follows him around, which makes it feel more like a personal project than a PBS documentary. What he finds out is some of these shows from the 1950's to 1980's had surprisingly high production values (bankrolled by the biggest companies) and were written and performed by some decent talent: starving artists looking for steady work. In his quest to amass a collection, Young becomes familiar not only with the work, but contacts the people involved as well and gets to know some of them. It is a bit like having someone tell you about a hobby they are really passionate about, but he has the resources to take it to another level. Ultimately you may be looking for a way to excuse yourself, but the movie is only 87 minutes long at least and offers a unique insight into the most American of Americana.
Written: 05 Jun 2024
Owned on: Digital