loveagoodstory I first saw this film at a showing in junior school and watched it again in my twenties and many times again since. I've always wanted it to be good and, to be honest, cut it so much slack to give it a chance.It has so many good elements, with a cast really giving it their all, great tunes and a script full of fun ideas. The pedalled cars, the splurge guns...it's all there.Unfortunately - lethally so, in my eyes - it suffers from sound that kills it absolutely stone dead. The echoey thinness that runs through so many scenes gives the film a terribly empty, vacant, almost lonely quality. It removes all atmosphere and musicals really do benefit from atmosphere.I personally think that's a sound style that runs through a great many UK film recordings in the 70's. That's just part of the progression of technology and history is harmlessly littered with such things.The decision to record the songs with adults singing is a logical enough one and probably quite pragmatic. But it makes the children seem like puppets singing along them and can look awfully fake.If you watch this film and find that none of this is apparent to you or diminishes your enjoyment then I'm delighted for you. Unfortunately, I can't recommend it. For me, it's one of cinema's missed opportunities through no fault of the cast, scriptwriters or songwriters.

Paul Robinson "Suddenly everybody wants to be in show business."Bugsy Malone the prohibition era gangster/musical, cast entirely with kids. Is a little gem of a picture. Providing great fun and whimsy to a serious genre.The story is about a gang war in 20's/30's New York, and the well liked and smart Bugsy Malone who is roped in to help his pal Fat Sam. The main thing to remember about this film is the word FUN. Because that is what this film is all about, who wouldn't at that age, want to shoot a splurge gun or drive around in a pedal car. All while playing a modified version of cops and robbers. The costumes are great, the songs still feel fresh, and were performed very well. Sung by adults as the children were dubbed over. The ending is also good as it reminds us that is a children's film and keeps it light and sweet.Thinking critically some of the characters seemed unnecessary, and are only there to set up a new song. Kinda making wish the film could run a little longer to flesh these characters out a bit. Also you would not expect great acting, but some of the interaction between actors came across as clunky, and could of done with a couple more takes being shot.On the whole a fun original film, that hopefully kids will enjoy for years to come.

Rodrigo Amaro "Bugsy Malone" is comedy with some musical numbers that recreates the gangster films of the 1930's with a ensemble casting of kids and teens. Instead of blood and guns these gangster kids throw cream, pie and shoot with splurge guns to each other. It might not be as glamorous as those movies or even with the same richness of details like "Cotton Club" (1984) but its good intentions and its humor are far better than many forgotten classics of the same genre (and it cost less than the bad "Cotton Club"). The title of the movie is a reference to Scott Baio's character, a young guy romantically involved with Blousey Brown (Florrie Dugger) a young singer trying to get a chance to work in the club of Fat Sam (John Cassisi) a powerful gangster. Bugsy also gets involved with one of Fat Sam's girl Tallulah (played by Jodie Foster) also singer at the club but much more prettier and smarter than Blousey. At last during these good times there's the power battle between Fat Sam and Dandy Dan (Martin Lev) another powerful gangster who happens to own a new secret weapon that's "killing" all the thugs that work for Sam. And now Fat Sam needs all the help he can't get to survive to this creamy battle in New York. This is one of those rare films when you really get jealous for not being involved at it. Seriously, I think all these kids really had a great time doing their parts here, acting like adults in a very cool movie. It makes you think that if when you were child you really wanted to be part of this. All the ensemble casting is great (notably Baio and John Cassisi), they're very charismatic in their roles, not a single bad acting in this movie. The only disappointing thing was the songs. Most of it it's played repeatedly, the lyrics are not so much inspiring and to make things even more creepy all of the songs are performed by adults. That's right, the kids are dubbing during the musical numbers. But it's not all the songs that are bad, after all the Bugsy Malone theme and the song played at the ending are very interesting (this theme was used in a Coca-Cola commercial a few years ago so when I heard some of the lines it was like a Dejá-Vù feeling). What makes this movie so appealing: The kids playing tiny versions of grown-up characters in a gangster movie. Quite original if you consider that most of the movies with this kind of situation doesn't happen, always has to be some adult in the film playing a father or a mother. The kids were left alone in scene and they did a wonderful job. Not just that, there are very funny moments too. The comedy works pretty good (specially Knuckles the dumb thug played by Sheridan Russell, always making that annoying noise with his fingers making Fat Sam nervous). The idea of the splurge gun and all that cream, and the strange cars also were a great idea, a movie starring kids specially made for a kid audience but it's very good for adults too, way better than to take kids to see some stupid little movies with boring punchlines that many adults are forced to watch. I'm giving 9 starts only because of the songs that distracted me in some points but it was a training exercise for director Alan Parker (his first feature film released in theaters) with the musical genre something he would do better with "The Commitments" and "Evita". Worth seeing! 10/10

Diego_rjc What if there was a gangster movie starred by children? What if this movie were a musical? Alan Parker took this idea and transformed into a movie in 1976. And it worked really well.As i said, 'Bugsy Malone' is a gangster movie starred by children, and there isn't much more to say about the story. The script has that feeling of 'I have seen this before', telling the story of Bugsy Malone (Scott Baio), a gangster in the late 1920's New York, in the middle of the Depression. The predictable script is really no problem, because it's told in a different way than any gangster movie you've ever seen - through songs. The musical feeling really works, and original songs are absolutely great. Two days after I've watched the movie, 'Tomorrow', 'My Name is Tallulah' and 'Bugsy Malone' kept playing on my head. Definitely gonna buy the Soundtrack.The acting in this movie is not marvelous, but with every member of the cast been under 16 you can't expect much. For kids, they did a nice job. I was amazed to see that most of the cast didn't do anything after this, which is a shame, 'cause they sure had talent. Scott Baio is nice as the lead, but when you watch the movie, your eyes can't help it and are going to focus on Jodie Foster. She was fine as Tallulah, and 1976 was a great year for her, also appearing on Scorsese's 'Taxy Driver. She is the only member of the cast that turned into a star.The British-born Alan Parker writes and directs here and does a good job in both functions. It's amazing to think he did this in 1976. With almost the whole movie been shot in the set, he putted the camera at so- interesting that you don't realize it's not location. There is one scene at the end of the movie that really resembles the also Alan Parker's later 'Pink Floyd - The Wall'. Maybe he did it on purpose, who knows... The cinematography is quite weird, having that old-European movie feel to it. One thing that I particularly liked was the art-direction. The cars and guns were a nice catch.Overral, Alan Parker written and directed this excellent idea, and he executed it very well. Of course 'Bugsy Malone' is no masterpiece, but it's really fun to watch. Hope they don't remake this - it would that take away all the magic.7/10