….we can turn our attention to truly important films—specifically the early ’90s music videos of Reba McEntire.
In the early ’90s, Reba was a country-music superstar who wanted to make a new kind of splash. Her million-dollar idea: Take the great, old, plot-heavy saga-songs of ’70s AM radio, add a twang or two to make it “country,” then gussy up the whole thing with extravagantly ramshackle videos in which Reba acts out the story.
Exhibit A: Reba’s 1992 revamp of the Southern Gothic murder-by-kangaroo-court ballad “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” in which the classic song is submerged in a dialogue-heavy mini-miniseries starring Reba in amazing, Mama’s Family-quality old-age makeup.
Exhibit B: Reba’s equally subtle and necessary revamp of Bobbie Gentry’s mama-pimped-me-out ballad “Fancy.”
Tragically, Reba’s transition from country star to sitcom star robbed us of her miniseries-video covers of “Angie Baby,” “(She Ran Callin’) Wildfire,” and “Harper Valley PTA.” But we’ll always have “Fancy” and “The Night Mama’s Family Went Out in Georgia.”
Also, SIFF-the-festival may be over, but SIFF-the-cinemas continue, this week featuring encore screenings of the greatest hits of the just-finished fest. (One more chance to see Eden!)
Thanks to perpetual Slog Tipper Jake for the Reba alert.
