Change Your Image
GMPasqua
Reviews
The Producers (2005)
Carbon Copy of the Stage Show
"The Producers" pretty much is a carbon copy of the stage show, with the exception of two songs. The performances are broad to say the least. Nathan Lane is good though a little over the top for film. Matthew Broderick sleepwalks through his role giving a very uninteresting performance. Gary Beach and Roger Bart steal every scene they're in and provide a good deal of the laughs - especially Beach's "Heil Myself". The "Springtime for Hilter" production number is still a highlight. Uma Thurman is okay, if a bit old for the part, and I've been informed she uses a dance double. Will Ferrell is also pretty good and his "Heben sie gehort das Deutsche Band" is quite funny. Nathan Lane scores with "Betrayed" and "Along Came Bialy" is also fun. One of the best numbers was "Keep It Gay". The film may have been funnier if Mel Brooks directed it - he always knew how to get a real laugh. But it follows the traditions set by the MGM musical and is entertaining. Recommended.
Oh! What a Lovely War (1969)
All-Star Cast headline first rate film
I first came across "Oh! What a Lovely War" one night on the BRAVO channel. The first ten minutes or so were slow going but then the film takes off. A clever and adult anti-war film filled with musical sequences. Richard Attenborough does a wonderful job in his film-directing debut. The film concerns the adventures of the "Smith" family as they become involved in the start and finish of World War One. The cinematography is beautiful and the performances all around are perfect. Maggie Smith steals the film which her rendition of "I'll Make a Man of You" and John Mills and Lawrence Olivier give subtle comedic performances as Sir Douglas Haig and Sir John French. The cast features many of Britain's top actors including Michael,Corin and Vanessa Redgrave, Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud, and Susannah York. The musical parodies are staged inventively, some quite moving - "They Were Only Playing Leap Frog", "Adieu la Vie" and the final "They'll Never Believe Me" which is sung as the camera pans back to reveal the endless graves of the soldiers who lost their lives in World War One. There is a lot of `symbolism'. Poppies are handed out to symbolize death and the amusement park pier at Brighton represents WWI with it's shooting galleries and stage shows, all inter-cut with footage recreating the battles of WWI. The film has aged very well, looking like it could have been shot this year, and holds up to repeated viewings. Highly recommended. Will this film ever be released on Home Video?
Oh! What a Lovely War (1969)
All-Star Cast headline first rate film
I first came across "Oh! What a Lovely War" one night on the BRAVO channel. The first ten minutes or so were slow going but then the film takes off. A clever and adult anti-war film filled with musical sequences. Richard Attenborough does a wonderful job in his film-directing debut. The film concerns the adventures of the "Smith" family as they become involved in the start and finish of World War One. The cinematography is beautiful and the performances all around are perfect. Maggie Smith steals the film which her rendition of "I'll Make a Man of You" and John Mills and Lawrence Olivier give subtle comedic performances as Sir Douglas Haig and Sir John French. The cast features many of Britain's top actors including Michael,Corin and Vanessa Redgrave, Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud, and Susannah York. The musical parodies are staged inventively, some quite moving - "They Were Only Playing Leap Frog", "Adieu la Vie" and the final "They'll Never Believe Me" which is sung as the camera pans back to reveal the endless graves of the soldiers who lost their lives in World War One. There is a lot of `symbolism'. Poppies are handed out to symbolize death and the amusement park pier at Brighton represents WWI with it's shooting galleries and stage shows, all inter-cut with footage recreating the battles of WWI. The film has aged very well, looking like it could have been shot this year, and holds up to repeated viewings. Highly recommended. Will this film ever be released on Home Video?
Man of La Mancha (1972)
Under-rated film version of Broadway Musical
This film is not the disaster many people claim it is (Did that many people actually see the film?). In fact, the film is probably better today than when first released in 1972. Peter O'Toole gives one of his best performances in the title role and Sophia Loren has never looked sexier, and gives a moving performance. In fact, all of the major supporting players give fine performances (Harry Andrews, John Castle, Julie Gregg). The musical numbers are the film's weak spot. Unlike the MGM tuners, this film doesn't have big production numbers, the songs are handled in an intimate way but they are full of emotion. Loren was not up to the score vocally, she lacks the operatic quality of the stage Aldonza (but I actually prefer Loren's handling of the songs better than her stage counterpart which is too operatic). O'Toole is dubbed by Simon Gilbert who at times sounds a little too much like O'Toole had O'Toole sung the role himself. The scoring by Laurence Rosenthal is excellent, better than the Broadway version which didn't use a string section. The best songs have been retained for the film "The Impossible Dream" "Man of La Mancha" "Aldonza". True, the film could have used more fantasy, some of the settings are dull, and the musical sequences could have been staged with more imagination, but all in all it's a fine adult film, intelligent and moving. Try to see the letterboxed version which has striking cinematography and a clean and sharp image (probably due to the fact the negative wasn't used too make hundreds of prints like "The Sound of Music")
Chicago (2002)
Top filmization of Bob Fosse's Hit Broadway Musical
One of the best films of the year (and the best musical film since "Little Shop of Horrors") Rob Marshall has filmed the stage show with an inventive eye and the film works on all levels. The musical numbers are performed on the vaudeville stage much like the numbers in the film of "Cabaret" so audiences won't be shocked into seeing actors sing and dance. The cast was incredible. I was most surprised by John C. Reilly and Queen Latifah. Both actors stopped the film with their solo numbers. Catherine Zeta-John's is sympathetic and sexy as a murdering showgirl with excellent singing and dancing skills, and Renee Zellweger should be nominated for an Oscar as the dizzy blonde who dreams of stardom. This role has always been difficult - the audience must sympathize with her even though she is a murderer and seems to only care about herself. Richard Gere seems born to play the role of Billy Flynn and he steals every scene he's in. The screenplay follows the stage show almost scene for scene (with a few song eliminations). A new song "I Move On" performed over the end credits is in keeping with the tone of Kander and Ebb's classic score. The film was well edited and the musical numbers were inventively filmed. "Chicago" is for sophisticated audiences but at the same time it's a lot of fun. Highly recommended.
Well done by Rob Marshall, cast and crew
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
A chore to sit through
I went in expecting to be entertained. The production design was beautiful but the whole thing was edited so quickly I became dizzy. I sat through the whole film, but it was work. A film shouldn't be this hard to sit through. I wasn't crazy about the use of many of the popular songs (Like a Virgin) just seemed silly. And then the dancing - the dancing was completely upstaged by the editing. Did any one really dance in this film? Or did the choreography just have his dancers walk pass the camera and then piece together the footage in the editing room? I'm guessing some of those who say this is the best musical they have ever seen, have never seen a musical film in the theater (since no good ones were made in the last 17 years) But films like "Grease" and "Cabaret" were certainly better than this mess (and used original songs). I actually feel bad for the costume designer and the cinematographer who did wonderful work, which isn't on the screen long enough to be taken in or appreciated. I just hope the next wave of musical films doesn't follow the editing of "Moulin Rogue" definitely a missed opportunity.
Better as a coffee table book.