“Bang Bang Baby” can be labeled a science fiction musical as it incorporates elements of both genres in an exciting plot. After watching the trailer first, I was surprised by the energetic nature of the music and the characters in the film. The main protagonist of the movie is a young lady named Stephy. She dreams about becoming a famous singer; however, her alcoholic father disapproves of her dreams. The story’s setting takes place in 1963 in a small Canadian town, and additionally, the movie is stylistically reminiscent of the 1950-1960s era in American pop music (Perone 34). The dresses, hairstyles, costumes, and decorations all point out the teddy-boy trend that was common in the 1950s.
However, after watching a film, it turned out to be a bitter and depressing experience as themes described in the movie are much more profound than they seem from a preview. First of all, the director managed to achieve the surrealistic and magical atmosphere by questioning the reality of the events through the scenes where Stephy wakes up from her dream. Sleep is used as one of the main transitional tools in the movie’s script as Stephy is sexually harassed when she falls asleep. Then she wakes up with Bobby Shore in her house, and the next time she wakes up in her bed, her whole life is different, and she is pregnant with a strange baby and sleeps with a man who raped her. Therefore, I think the film is about the maturity of Stephy and her sad story of letting go of her dreams of becoming a singer to the cruel external circumstances.
Besides that, the film is filled with charismatic dialogues and jokes, mainly coming from the famous singer Bobby Shore. He is a stylish young man who looks like Billie Joe Armstrong and Elvis Presley. He is quick-witted and slick, but somehow he feels shallow as his intentions are vague. However, one of my favorite jokes in the film comes from this character when he says, “Yeah, people love casinos. They are great for gambling addicts.” It is dark and cynical, but it dramatically represents the type of man Bobby Holiday is.
The music in the film plays a vital role as in every crucial point of the movie, the song starts. One of the most heartbreaking ones for me was when Stephy sings at the gas station when she finds out that all of her dreams are ruined and that she lives a life with a man she hates. Another remarkable thing is the purple fumes from the chemical plant near the city. Once they appear, everything in town and the life of Stephy becomes magical, and when the fumes clear, then everything comes back to the sad norm. The mutations of the city dwellers are grotesque, which represents a dream-like feeling of the movie. The camerawork in the film is also remarkable as it often uses the compositing techniques from movies of the 1940-1950s era.