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This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3
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Author
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Topic: CHICAGO
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Pravin Ratnam
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 844
From: Atlanta, GA,USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 01-19-2003 12:53 AM
HATED THE MOVIE!
OK, Let me give you a sampling of my tastes lest you think I don't get non rock n' roll musicals. I love Singing in the Rain. Enjoyed the first half of American in Paris. I liked even My Fair Lady with its excellent songs and good acting. I saw Sound of Music as a kid and sorta liked it even if I am not a big Julie Andrews fan. I even got a kick out of the way too drawn out 60s era Thoroughly Modern Millie with the "Tap tap tap tapioca" song.
As far as 70s-80s type broadway or offbroadway type movie musicals,I liked Rocky Horror picture show, especially the songs, and I actually prefer watching it without the audience participation. I even liked the first half of Moulin Rouge until it degenerated into way too much Fosse type posing in the Roxanne song which i totally detested in every aspect (the donkey braying like rendition and the extra overwrought posing of the dancers). Then I realized what I hated about the second half of Moulin rouge. After the really fun inventive frenetic first half culminating in the humorous way they pitch the premise of the play to the duke, it became another broadwayish play.
In short, I like musicals of all kinds except the Fosse type ones. Watching Chicago made me feel like I was watching one of those wretched late 70s, early 80s movies like A Chorus Line or Movie Movie or even ..ugh.. Fame. I even liked Grease despite some annoying supporting actors' broad stagey form of acting because of the great songs.
What I did not like about Chicago:
1) The acting. Catherine Zeta Jones was a trooper in two of her showcase songs- the opener and the one where she pitches her collaboration to Renee in jail. It was impressive that she was able to do all those leg kicks and splits with her big thighs. She was just average in the non singing parts. Renee was OK in the scenes where she does not sing. But she was very mediocre in the song dance numbers. Am I the only one who thinks so? Richard Gere surprisingly has a song dance background from the late 70s , early 80s. While he was OK in the dancing part, his voice was too nasal. O reilly(the husband) did his usual good job even if I did not give a crap about Mr Cellophane. The other characters were forgettable including the one played by the usually underrated Latifah. .
2) The songs themselves! OK the opener was decent. Razzle Dazzle was OK and the cinematography and props for puppet gun song were good unlike the rest of the movie which seemed like an adult version of the kids musical Bugsy Malone. Even the laughable MOVIE MOVIE had a song by the rocky horror guy and the spin city mayor which had more of a melody than any of the chiacago songs. And the movie ending song? Totally forgettable. The cell block song got on my nerves. It looked like a Cop Rock episode . And I can't stand when they give these extra dancers such fake smiles or glares. That seems like such a broadway trademark which really gets on my nerves like no other thing. I come from the movie only remembering the razzle dazzle tune and all that jazz. I can't remember any other tune. THey all sounded middle of the road and alike.
3) Choreography: Zeta Jones did a good job. Renee was laughable. Yes, I know Renee was not supposed to be good which is the point of the character. Still, i found her Marilyn monroe routine to be totally forgettable. Gere was passable. The rest looked like the Fame cast.
4) Cinematography and sets : 80s style soft. Sets were underlit (but I guess that is broadway's style). Too herky jerky for a movie that was conventionally paced. Sets were underwhelming. Half of the movie was like someone just took a 35MM camera to broadway and filmed the play live. Except for Razzle Dazzle, I found the movie look and style drab.
5) Plot and writing: Whenever Adam Sandler makes a movie with the same simplicity in plot and lack of complexity in writing, critics get on his case. Well Chicago is based on an old theme used in many movies. Did anyone even give a damn about Zeta's character? And if the movie ended after the court scene where Renee loses her fame, iw ould have been happier. Then they had to put on that schmaltzy ending for two very annoying character who dont get the fate they deserve.
I thought Moulin Rouge had some reallly good moments mixed in with crap. Chicago was just steady mediocrity for me with maybe 15 minutes worth of very good material interspersed in between.
There were times in Chicago when I just wanted these guys to stop their freaking singing and just have a conversation.
The thing that confuses me is that a some of the guys in my theater(there werent that many for a late show on a cold night) seemed to get impatient with Chicago too. But then almost everyone in the press and viewers who post here and elsewhere seem to genuinely love it. At least with Moulin Rouge, people were split. Did I just see this movie with a small likeminded crowd?
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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster
Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 01-26-2003 11:51 AM
I thought it was great, but then I like musicals alot.....Was disappointed at the 1:85 ratio...that took ALOT away from the film IMHO. Had it been shot in 65mm and released in 70mm it would have been just short of brilliant. I noticed the Busby Berkley parallels in there, but all in all really cool. Richard Gere, who I normally dislike alot was great and very worthy of the awards he's gotten. The marionette and tap dance sequences are amazing. Perfectly cast, perfectly acted, danced, etc. Great Mix job and editing!!!!! A bit slim in the cinematography dept because of the flat format, but he did the best with what he had to work with.
Saw it at Jordon Commons Auditorium 14, one of the 60 foot screens there. They finally have it all together there. NO SCRATCHES ON THIS PRINT after two weeks!!!!!!Picture was a little dim,perhaps 12 f.l., but the sound system was good with excellent high end clarity and response, and good dynamics. The subwoofer channel is also a little weak and could be better. Presented in Dolby Digital,according to the snipe at the beginning.
Other than the Villa Theatre, this screen is probably the best place in SLC to see a film at this time......
Mark
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Paul Linfesty
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1383
From: Bakersfield, CA, USA
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-09-2003 09:53 PM
What a totally enjoyable movie. One of the best experiences I've had in quite a while. Last weekend I made two attempts to catch it at those so-called sneaks, with horrendous results. But this weekend I finaly caught it at a good theatre, and left the theatre in a far better mood than when I entered.
I normally don't like Renee Zellweger, but she worked fine here, especially in her Roxie monologue before her big solo number. Catherine Zeta-Jones also sparkled with her amoral attitude towards the murders and showbiz in general. Only Richard Gere was rather weak in his numbers. And he was just OK in his non-singing scenes. A lot of the film is over the top, but that's what made it work for me. The production values caught the 20's movie look of Chicago (based on so many of those 20's crime films) and Zellweger had the right look of the 30's movies innocent dame turned femme fatale style.
As one who has seen both the stage revival and the film, I can say the film did indeed find the right approach to the material. Both mediums serve the material well in the way both were conceived. Interestingly, while Rob Marshall has said that he didn't want to copy Bob Fosse's stage choreography any more than Fosses did for his film version of Cabaret, in fact, the intercutting between song and "real life" was similiar in the technique Fosse used to counter songs in the Kit Cat Club with scenes of Nazi violence in Germany at the time. Pennies From Heaven has been mentioned as a similiar style film, but I also remember Ken Russell's "The Boyfriend," which turned the original musical into a story7 about a small city production company mounting a production of the musical. Flashy production numbers of the play's songs were re-imagined through the eyes of audience member deThrill, a bigtime Hollywood musical director (think Busby Berkeley).
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Gracia L. Babbidge
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 709
From: Bowdoin, Maine
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 02-17-2003 03:27 AM
While I have not seen a stage production of Chicago, I've listened to a recording of one, several times. It is a show that I've always enjoyed listening to.
I found myself thoroughly entertained watching the film version. And often, when making my rounds checking the auditoriums, I'll linger where Chicago is running, and watch one of the songs being performed. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
~*~ ![[evil]](graemlins/evil.gif) ~*~
Now, I feel compelled to comment on the review posted above by Pravin Ratnam...
quote:
In short, I like musicals of all kinds except the Fosse type ones.
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
Did you stop to think that maybe you were setting yourself up for a disappointment by seeing a film version of a musical Bob Fosse had a hand in creating?
quote:
It was impressive that she {Catherine Zeta Jones} was able to do all those leg kicks and splits with her big thighs.
![[Confused]](confused.gif)
Okay, so Ms Zeta-Jones is not as underweight and emaciated looking as many of the actresses one sees starring in movies. But to call her thighs big? Egad. That is just unecessary.
Besides, for high kicks and splits, flexibility is the key, size is virtually irrelevant.
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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"
Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 03-08-2003 10:59 AM
First of all...is it just me or was Zeta-Jones pregnant during production? She has a maternal glow about her. (This could also explain the concern over the size of her thighs.)
As for the movie, I thought it was just wonderful. I live in a community that is not usually motivated to see non-mainstream movies. It is truly a wonder that we got a print in the first place. As was the case with "Moulin Rouge," the audience for this movie is growing on a weekly basis. We literally started with four viewers (sometimes less) per show and now I'm seeing about 20 or 30 viewers during evening shows. Without question, everybody's favorite number is "Cell Block Tango."
My least favorite number is probably "Mr. Celophane" because it's so repetitive and that style of costuming and movement -- and the song itself -- are just not to my taste. Richard Gere's voice is a little bit lighter than I had imagined it, but I was pleasantly surprised by his musical talents.
Having listened to the Broadway cast recording many, many times, I have to say that Queen Latifah's rendition of "When You're Good To Mama" was a disappointment. In fairness, I must admit that it would be impossible for me to judge her performance on its own terms. In comparison to the Broadway cast album, this number is the weakest link. There were just so many missed opportunities for humor, the most obvious being "they say that life is 'tit for tat' / and that's the way I live / so I deserve a little 'tat' for what I've got to give!" (Did you see what she has to give!?) A lot of the built-in inuendo of this number went away. I also felt that the orchestra was strangely subdued here.
I was also saddened by the loss of the "Class" number but, having heard it on the soundtrack album, I have to wonder if perhaps they axed it because it just wasn't working aesthetically. They'd never admit that out loud, though. Would they?
So this brings me to the confusion I experienced when I learned that Latifah was nominated for an Oscar. First, I think I should clarify that I thought Latifah did a credible and capable job as Mama. Someone earlier had a problem with a black woman in this role; that's not what bothers me. I believe Zeta-Jones is the only choice in this cast for the Supporting Actress nomination and my opinion is based on the size of the role and the performance she gave.
Kudos to the theatre management here for letting the film stay put in the nicer rooms to showcase the movie. Based on its lackluster box office performance, they could just as easily have buried it in one of the 'goodbye rooms.' Instead, they are determined to show off the great visuals -- yes, it is too bad that this movie isn't scope. The current auditorium also shows off the incredible DTS sound mix. As we discussed in another thread, even the analog SR tracks are awesome.
I hope this film wins a whole bunch of Oscars. I'm ready to see the stage version now.
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Paul Linfesty
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1383
From: Bakersfield, CA, USA
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-08-2003 11:28 AM
quote:
was Zeta-Jones pregnant during production?
Yes.
quote:
was also saddened by the loss of the "Class" number but, having heard it on the soundtrack album, I have to wonder if perhaps they axed it because it just wasn't working aesthetically. They'd never admit that out loud, though. Would they?
Actually, yes, in several interviews. Director Marshall said that the research screenings showed the audience losing interest during this scene. He said he agreed that it threw off the pacing of the actual court case, spending way too much time away , losing the momentum in the process. Also, it would have been the only musical number that was performed without Roxie Hart being present for at least part of the number (even Mr. Cellefain Man started off with Hart on camera).
The number has been promised as an extra for the DVD, however.
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David Stambaugh
Film God
Posts: 4021
From: Eugene, Oregon
Registered: Jan 2002
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posted 03-08-2003 09:50 PM
Finally caught up with this.
03/08/2003, 5:00PM, Regal Cinema World 8, Eugene OR, #3,  . Attendance about 100. Surprised to find it still playing in their best house. Unfortunately, the image was somewhat out of focus, and there were intermittent diagonal green/cyan scratches. A little dirt in parts. Reel 2 had several seconds missing at a splice.
My enjoyment of the movie was somewhat dampened by the soft image, and the fact that it would have benefitted greatly from being shot in scope. Nevertheless, I liked it. Everyone in it is very good -- and who woulda thunk that Richard Gere can sing and tap dance? Zeta-Jones does indeed have a maternal glow about her. A real change of pace movie, which the audience seemed to thoroughly enjoy. ![[thumbsup]](graemlins/thumbsup.gif)
[ 03-09-2003, 02:06 PM: Message edited by: David Stambaugh ]
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is a total paen to Snob Culture. I use this reference because last week the state arts council -- which helps finance Snob Culture where I live -- got zeroed out in the New Jersey state budget for 2003. There has been much wailing and gnashing of teeth in the New Jersey press about that.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
Even in the 1960s, they had to replace DoP Vilmos Zsigmond (if I remember right) and get old James Wong Howe out of retirement to shoot FUNNY GIRL. 
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