Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals

Mamma Mia!? More Like "Oy Gevalt!"

I was actually kind of looking forward to seeing the movie version of Mamma Mia!, mostly because of the film's terrific cast. I was a bit deflated when the reviews came out last Friday, but nonetheless resolved to see the movie over the weekend, lest the word-of-mouth sway me too far in either direction.

Well, let's just say that the reviews were overly kind, even the scathing ones. This atrocity sets movie musicals back twenty years. Yes, you'd need to go back to John Huston's bloated "Annie," Richard Attenborough's insipid "A Chorus Line," or Colin Higgins' flaccid "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" to find a movie musical this clumsy, charmless, and just plain painful to sit through.

The worst of the movie's crimes lies in wasting its wonderfully talented cast. Poor Meryl Streep is forced to mug, snort, writhe, and squeal her way through this discomfiting affair. The marvelous Christine Baranski comes off as an awkward mix of Mae West and Frank N. Furter from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." And the otherwise wonderful Julie Walters gives the most over-the-top and painfully frenetic performance in a movie chockablock with same.

The rest of the cast doesn't fare much better, although the young lovers Amanda Seyfreid and Dominic Cooper come off marginally less embarrassing than their more mature co-stars. To say that Pierce Brosnan can't sing would be an understatement. Not since Audrey Hepburn in "Funny Face," or perhaps Vanessa Redgrave in "Camelot," have we heard warbling this forced and tuneless. Stellan Skarsgard somehow manages to maintain his dignity, despite the humiliating business Lloyd gives him in a misguided effort to add life to his songs. And the less said about the normally reliable Colin Firth the better.

How do you make this slate of pros look lame and amateurish? You hire an inexperienced director and a hack writer. Phyllida Lloyd should never be allowed to make another movie. Her enervating mix of hyper-reality and lame musical comedy drains what was an amusing trifle of a stage show of whatever charm to which it might once have laid claim. Her tyro director status makes itself readily apparent in myriad ways, including her use of hackneyed camera tricks. (Example: When the Meryl Streep character first sees her three former suitors, Lloyd has the camera zoom quickly in on each of the men's faces. What is this, "Looney Tunes"? I'm surprised she didn't ask the sound guy to throw a "SPROING!" effect into the soundtrack.) 

Screenwriter Catherine Johnson also wrote the book for the stage version of Mamma Mia! To begin with, the plot is stolen from Alan Jay Lerner's little-known musical Carmelina. (Admittedly, Lerner himself stole the story from the movie "Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell", although he denied it to his dying day.) But more important, there's no credible drama, no believable emotion, and no genuine wit to be had anywhere in the script. But somehow the show works, whereas the movie holds an unflattering light up to the holes in the plot, the dearth of humor, and the lack of character development. And Anthony van Laast's choreography, which on stage was passable, here looks like something out of a local PTA talent show.

Normally, I'll buy the DVD to pretty much any movie musical, if only to help prove that there's a market for this stuff. However, I would sooner endure a colonoscopy and a root canal simultaneously than suffer through the pain of Mamma Mia! ever again.

Clearing Off My Desk - Part 1

I've been coming across a bunch of interesting news tidbits lately, but none of them has inspired in me the desire to craft a full-length post. So I thought I'd do a series of those desk-clearing posts, sort of like the ones that lazy newspaper columnists do at the end of the year. (Since this is sort of the end of the theater season, and I'm sort of a lazy guy...)

NERDS THE MUSICAL: We can add another quirky little musical to the 2008-2009 season. This tuner by Hal Goldberg (music) and Jordan Allen-Dutton and Erik Weiner (book and lyrics) was formerly called Nerds://A Musical Software Satire, began life as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival, and focuses on the longstanding rivalry between Bill Gates and Steve Jobs
Do I care?: The subject matter doesn't scream musical to me, but it sounds like it could be fun with the right treatment. There are some moderately amusing clips on YouTube that the creators have put together to promote the show. So, we'll see.

NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT: The original production team for the upcoming Harry Connick Jr. tuner has parted ways, and Kathleen Marshall has dropped out as director and choreographer. (According to Michael Riedel, Marshall's main squeeze was one of the original producers, but when he bolted, so did Marshall.) Connick remains as the star, and Broadway Across America has become the lead producer.
Do I care?: I already have my ticket for the Boston tryout, but I have serious doubts that the show will work without Marshall. Depending on whom they can line up to replace her, this project may be doomed.

MY FAIR LADY: Cameron Mackintosh is planning a new movie version of the Lerner and Loewe classic. The original score will remain, but the screenplay will reportedly veer a little closer to the original George Bernard Shaw play Pygmalion. Kiera Knightly is currently in talks to star.
Do I care?: At first, I found it presumptuous that they would jettison Alan Jay Lerner's book, but then I recalled that Lerner himself strayed significantly from Shaw's intent. Will they return to Shaw's original ending, which would necessitate cutting "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face"? Somehow I doubt it.

Check back tomorrow for more musical nuggets.

Final Rent Performance to Be Filmed

The final performance on September 7th of the long-running Broadway musical Rent will be filmed for "future screenings in movie theaters around the country," according to Playbill.com. No doubt "director" Chris Columbus's execrable film version of Rent wasn't document enough of this landmark show.

This effort is apparently part of a new venture from Sony Pictures called The Hot Ticket, which will film live events such as concerts, sporting events, and arts performances for viewing in special digital movie theaters nationwide. Among the other Hot Ticket performances will be Cirque du Soleil's music concert Delirium, which is currently touring Europe.

I wonder if, after the new filmed version of Rent is through touring the country, the movie will then be released on DVD. It certainly stands to reason: Why would Sony eschew this additional revenue stream?

I also wonder if the notion of filmed Broadway shows will catch on, much in the same way that The Metropolitan Opera has started simulcasting productions in movie theaters nationwide. Of course, operas are more limited-run events, and often quite dependent on the particular performers involved. And operas don't tend to tour the country as Broadway musicals do. But then, the recent MTV broadcast of Legally Blonde has demonstrated that people will still see a show live even when they've seen it on TV. The show is even going to tour as part of Broadway Across America's 2008-2009 season.

Of course, future efforts similar to the Rent event will be contingent on whether this one makes money. So, if you're interested in seeing more Broadway shows at a theater near you, you might want to check out Rent when it comes to your cineplex.

Follies Movie and Merrily Revival

BroadwayWorld.com recently held an online chat at with Stephen Sondheim in conjunction with the current Roundabout Theater production of Sunday in the Park With George. During the chat, both Sondheim and Todd Haimes, the Roundabout's artistic director, hinted at some intriguing upcoming projects.

First, Haimes confirmed that Roundabout is planning a revival of Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along as part of its 2009-2010 season. The show is slated to be directed by longtime Sondheim collaborator James Lapine, and not the show's original director Harold Prince. Also, Sondheim himself revealed plans afoot to film a movie version of Follies, with what he described as "a major star" and "a major director," although he wouldn't yet reveal who they are.

Sondheim seems to have reached the point in his career where, rather than forging new works, he's cultivating new versions of shows from his considerable catalog. As excited as I am about the prospect of both a Merrily revival and a Follies movie, I'd be much more excited if he was, to borrow a line from Dot in Sunday, working on something new. In the chat, he confirmed that at one point he was considering a musical version of the Bill Murray film "Groundhog Day," but he eventually dropped that idea because, and I paraphrase, the movie is already perfect the way it is and to musicalize it would be gilding the lily. (Hmm...)

But anyway, back to the stuff that actually is in the works. Merrily is arguably the most beloved flop of all time, and certainly Sondheim's. This is probably the only way the show would ever make it back to Broadway: in a limited run under the auspices of a non-profit. I list it on my page of fascinating failures: although it has a marvelous score, I've never seen the show work, in any incarnation. I will be very interested to see if Lapine can bring out the heart of this cold but admirable work.

Because the problem with the show is not that the plot goes backwards in time; it's that we don't care enough about these people. The changes that Sondheim and company have made over the years have made the show different, not better. The added and rearranged songs, if anything, make the show more cynical and heartless. Here's hoping they go back to something a little closer to the original, at least in terms of the score.

As for the Follies movie, although I'm excited personally, I can't imagine that such a property would have any real commercial value. It's an art-house film at best. A friend of mine speculated that the "major star" might could be Barbra Streisand. "They're inseparable," he says. That would certainly lift the movie above art-house status. (Would Babs play Phyllis or Sally? My bet would be Phyllis.)

Care to speculate, dear reader, as to who that major star and major director might be?

Javier Bardem Drops Out of Nine Movie

Bad news, folks.

Oscar winner and major hottie Javier Bardem has dropped out of director Rob Marshall's movie version of Maury Yeston's Nine. Bardem is reportedly suffering from exhaustion and is taking a year off to recoup. Whether we can really believe that remains to be seen, but there haven't yet been any reports of "creative differences." (I'm always kind of nonplussed by these people who take a year off to recharge. Must be nice.)

So, who's going to replace him? No word yet, but certain names spring to mind as possibilities: Antonio Banderas, Hugh Jackman, Freddie Prinze Jr.

Kidding.

Care to speculate, dear reader, as to who will replace the departing Mr. Bardem?

Upcoming DVD Releases

There are quite a few DVDs coming out soon that should be of great interest to theater aficionados. Here's a sampling:

COMPANY: As I watch and re-watch the TV broadcast of the recent Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's Company, the production is really starting to grow on me. As I said in my review, when I saw this show at the Ethel Barrymore Theater, I found it smart but cold. I was seated in the balcony, which made it hard to connect with the performers; it's not really the sort of show that plays well to the back row. But there's something about the PBS-telecast version that brings out the tension and subtlety of John Doyle's direction. Raul Esparza and Barbara Walsh in particular were a lot more impressive on the small screen than in person. The street date for the DVD is May 20th, but if you order it through New York's Channel Thirteen, they'll ship it to you in March. Will I order from Channel Thirteen, or wait for the regular release? Do you even have to ask?

SWEENEY TODD: Another DVD release that I'm eagerly awaiting is Tim Burton's movie version of "Sweeney Todd." In my review, I called the movie a "masterwork," and I'll be interested to see if it holds up to repeated viewings. I imagine that it will, in particular the nuanced performances by Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. (I will probably fast-forward through most of the really gory stuff. I'm kind of a puss when it comes to graphic violence.) The film will be available in both a regular version and a two-disc special edition. Which will I be getting? Do you even have to ask?

ENCHANTED: I haven't really been going to the movies all that much lately, but in addition to "Sweeney Todd," I also saw "Enchanted" during the recent holiday season. I remember seeing the preview one time when I took my eight-year-old niece Alyssa to see something or other, and I turned to her and said, "Oh, sweetie, we have to see that." She agreed, and we both had a blast when we finally got to see it, as I mentioned in my review. I particularly had fun picking out all the theater people both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Not only was Amy Adams utterly disarming as Giselle, but the cast also included two dreamboats: Patrick Dempsey and James Marsden. What's not to love?

Also of interest: The recent ABC broadcast of A Raisin in the Sun, the 1955 film version of Kismet, and the 1961 film of Fanny. Will I be getting them all? Do you even have to ask?

BlueGobo.com: YouTube for Theater Geeks

I recently I posted about YouTube, and the plethora of musical-related videos one can find therein. Reader Scot Colford, co-author of the Just Giblets blog, tipped me off to BlueGobo.com, which is sort of a YouTube for musicals, with clips from the Tony Awards, "The Ed Sullivan show," the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parades, and other sources. (Much obliged, Scot.) Lots and lots of good stuff here, and once I figure out how to post, I hope to be adding stuff from my extensive collection. Here are some clips on BlueGobo that you simply don't want to miss:

Little Shop of Horrors: When the DVD for the movie version of Little Shop first came out, it contained a black-and-white version of the original ending. You know: the one in which everybody dies, as they do in the stage version of the show. After the studio showed the movie to preview audiences, they said it was too much of a downer, so the studio re-shot the ending and made it all happy and nice nice, essentially destroying the movie, and removing whatever satirical intent it may have had. Well, apparently producer David Geffen never signed off on releasing the DVD with the original ending, and when he found out about it, he promptly ordered a recall. Of course, this made what few copies that actually got out into the hands of the general public instant collector's items, and these precious gems periodically sell on eBay for big bucks. Well, if you've always wanted to see what that original ending was like, it's now just a mouse click away.

The Will Rogers Follies: On the Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit CD, Gerard Alessandrini refers to Thoroughly Modern Millie as "the worst best musical ever." Much as I admire Alessandrini and his work, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with him. My nominee for that ignominious distinction would have to be The Will Rogers Follies, which won the 1991 Tony Award over two vastly superior shows -- The Secret Garden and Once on This Island -- and one show that would become far more successful, at least financially, Miss Saigon. Although these other shows have, to varying extents, survived in regional and international productions, Will Rogers is virtually forgotten. But the show did receive a television broadcast in Japan, probably because the original show was produced "in association with" Japan Satellite Broadcasting Inc. Although Will Rogers as a whole didn't really work, there was a lot of great stuff in it, mostly thanks to director/choreographer Tommy Tune. BlueGobo has two clips from the Japan airing, including the terrific opening number "Will-A-Mania" and the act-one finale. You can see the best number from the show -- "Favorite Son," which the cast performed on the Tony Awards broadcast -- over on YouTube.

Buck White: One of the greatest musical-theater oddities of all time, Buck White starred Cassius Clay. That's right: Muhammad Ali. It played 7 performances in 1969. The cast performed "We Came in Chains" on "The Ed Sullivan Show" after the show had closed. The number speaks for itself, but it's interesting to note that Muhammad Ali wasn't all that bad as a singer. Of course, we know he had his own stunning sense of theatricality, but he could also carry a tune. Go figure.

Nine Film Boasts Recent Oscar Winners

OK, so Johnny Depp didn't win the Oscar for best actor for his masterful performance in Sweeney Todd. There was still cause for musical-theater fans to celebrate at last night's Academy Awards ceremony.

Two of the winners in the acting categories are "attached" to Rob Marshall's upcoming film version of Maury Yeston's Nine. Javier Bardem, who took home a best supporting actor award for his performance in best picture "No Country for Old Men," is slated to star as Guido Contini. And best actress Marion Cottilard, who won for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in "La Vie en Rose," will reportedly play opposite Bardem as Contini's wife Luisa.

The movie was delayed because of the recently resolved writer's strike, and according to IMDB is still in pre-production, although the IMDB page hasn't been updated since November. Anyone know whether this baby is filming yet, or whether Bardem and Cottilard are definitely going to be involved?

Sweeney Todd: A Masterwork on Stage and Screen

I'm going to cut right to the chase: Tim Burton's "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" is a thrilling piece of cinema, nothing less than a masterwork. Who else but Tim Burton could have truly done justice to Stephen Sondheim's masterpiece?

The success of the film hinges on its two central performances: Johnny Depp as Sweeney and Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett. In the vocal department, well, they're no great shakes, although Depp comes off slightly better. Depp possesses a soulful wail, Bonham Carter a wistful, slightly off-pitch penny whistle. But somehow, the vocal limitations become secondary to the two laser-sharp performances. As I've said before, Depp and Bonham Carter are two of the finest actors of my generation, and in every scene they demonstrate mastery of their craft.

The rest of the cast is uniformly excellent. Alan Rickman is remarkable, as always, and brings a suitably menacing and credibly creepy quality to his portrayal of Judge Turpin. Timothy Spall is likewise superb as the deliciously slimy Beadle Bamford, and showcases his trademark nuance and depth in what could have been a cardboard role.

But Tim Burton is certainly one of the stars of this movie, particularly via his signature visual style: there's a soot-covered, gaunt, fetid feel to the entire movie. Compelling, too, are Burton's dynamic and illuminating camera angles. The camera never seems to sit still, just as Sweeney's vengeful mind is never idle for a moment. Burton does a masterful job building tension throughout the movie, particularly impressive to me in that I've seen the show MANY times in various forms (the original Broadway production, the concert version, the Broadway revival, the national tour of same, etc.)

Burton achieves a good deal of this tension by making significant cuts in the score, both in terms of entire numbers excised ("Ah, Miss," "City on Fire," "Parlor Songs," etc.) and shortened versions of remaining numbers. Sondheim purists will no doubt balk, but I'm convinced that the shorter form actually made the piece more effective, more compelling, and ultimately more terrifying. The various versions of "Attend the Tale of Sweeney Todd" have been cut, but this is understandable, given the inherent, Brechtian theatricality of those songs. Burton maintains the melody as underscoring, a recurring leitmotif that accents a ruminating Sweeney. The slightly trimmed "A Little Priest" as Todd and Lovett stare out the shop window and "select" their pie flavors from the "menu" of passersby is a monstrous joy, and one of the few light moments in an otherwise grim succession.

Because, make no mistake: this is a gruesome, graphic, gut-wrenching movie. Burton doesn't shy away from showing in full color (well, red, for the most part) the true extent of Todd's and Lovett's horrific crimes. From the very first murder, Burton makes it clear that this won't be stylized violence, but rather full-on gore.

Burton's concept for casting seems to have been to skew the entire cast younger than those that we've witnessed in the various stage versions. Apparently he wanted most of the cast to seem younger than Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, both of whom are in their early forties, but could certainly pass for younger. Jamie Campbell Bower as Anthony is a little slip of a girlie boy, aged 19. Ed Sanders as Toby can't be more than eleven or twelve. Both actors took a bit of getting used to, but eventually they won me over. There's really not a single weak performance in the movie. Sacha Baron Cohen (yes, THAT Sacha Baron Cohen: Ali G and Borat) didn't impress me as Pirelli at first, but when he comes to blackmail Todd and gets his comeuppance, he redeemed himself quite nicely.

[SPOILER ALERT: STOP READING HERE IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN THE SHOW AND DON'T WANT TO SPOIL THE ENDING.]

Burton employs two significant flashbacks, one to show Benjamin Barker being stolen away from his wife and child, and one to show Lucy being tricked and raped by the judge. The first is a bit twee and unnecessary, but the second really helps establish the menace of the judge character. Another problem with the flashback is that we get a strong sense of what Lucy looks like, which makes things a bit harder on Burton when he has to introduce the beggar woman without revealing her identity. Minor quibbles, to be sure.

The entire movie builds to a shattering climax, made all the more visceral by Burton's graphic approach. Mrs. Lovett's death is especially horrifying: Burton shows the character catching on fire and languishing in the flames as Todd stares maniacally on. Burton also employs some heart-breaking touches as Todd discovers what he's done to his beloved Lucy. One significant change Burton makes from the stage version is that the Toby character witnesses all of the hideous events from a sewer grate, and rather than going insane, he emerges angry and seeking vengeance.

The result of all of Burton's efforts is quite simply the best movie musical in decades, an absolute tour-de-force. Go see this movie. Multiple times. I just might see you there.

Watch the Mamma Mia Trailer

I'm not nearly as excited about the upcoming movie version of Mamma Mia as I am about  that of Sweeney Todd. But the former does boast a fairly spectacular cast, including
Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan, and Colin Firth.

And watching the newly available trailer of same certainly has me intrigued. There's a definite and distinct visual style, which is surprising given that this is Phyllida Lloyd's feature-directing debut. And, although it's tough to judge the performances from the trailer, there's no question that the film will at the very least be a lively affair.

"Mamma Mia" is scheduled to open in July 2008.

I'm off to NYC tomorrow for a little Pre-Christmas self-indulgence. I'll finally be getting to see The Little Mermaid, after the stagehands' strike rendered my previous ticket null and void. And I'll also be doing the tacky tourist-y Holiday thang by taking in Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and Cirque du Soleil's Wintuk.

Yeah, I know. But I guess my seeing, and downright enjoying, White Christmas in Boston primed the pump for more seasonal fare. Will I be of a cynical mindset and trash these shows left and right? Or will the Christmas spirit temper my naturally sardonic nature? Watch this space and see for yourself.

Watch Sweeney Todd Credit Sequence

As I sit here champing at the bit, breathlessly awaiting the December 21st opening date of Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd movie, comes this tantalizing peek from BroadwayWorld.com: an exclusive look at the movie's opening-credit sequence.

Actually, BWW has gone a bit barking-Sweeney-mad of late, posting all sorts of tasty tidbits, and amassing them all on their Sweeney megasite, the link to which is prominently featured at the top of their home page. Are they going cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, or what? Were I of a cynical mind, I might speculate as to a financial arrangement with Dreamworks SKG. Yes, were I the cynical sort, I certainly might.

And if those Sweeney morsels aren't enough to assuage you, try these extended clips at Yahoo Movies. There are numerous bits from various important parts of the musical, including "Epiphany," "Not While I'm Around," and "My Friends." Be patient, though: you need to sit through some commercials before you can get to the good stuff.

I'm going to resist the compelling urge to comment extensively on these various glimpses at this eagerly anticipated movie. Some of this stuff looks amazing, but then some of it looks a bit...questionable. Overall, the art direction and cinematography are simply dazzling, as you would expect from Tim Burton. The vocal quality is lacking with most of the performers, but they seem to more than make up for that in intensity and richness of character.

But, for once, I'm going to keep my trap shut about specifics and wait to weigh in on the entire movie when I've finally had a chance to see it. Or, at least, I'll try to.

Disney's Enchanted is...well...Enchanting

I absolutely adore my eight-year-old niece Alyssa, but I don't always adore the movies we see together. Lately my brother and I have fallen into a pattern when we take his kids to the movies: he goes to some shoot-em-up or chop-socky flick with his 15-year-old son Nicholas, and I take Alyssa to something a tad more appropriate to her age and girly sensibility. Fortunately, my sensibilities are decidedly girly as well, but I have been forced to see some pretty dreadful stuff, such as the recent "Underdog" movie. Sheesh.

Well, this weekend, while Mark and Nick took in "Beowulf," Alyssa and I went to see "Enchanted." I was actually looking forward to this movie, given its multifarious Broadway pedigree, and I'm glad to say that it did not disappoint. The songs are by Stephen Schwartz (lyrics) and Alan Menken (music), a formidable pair indeed, and they do a bang-up job of sending up archetypal Disney ditties, particularly with "True Love's Kiss" and "Happy Working Song." The big supposed show-stopper, "That's How You Know," is a bit more lackluster, but it certainly serves its purpose. 

Beyond the Schwartz/Menken connection, the movie also employs a healthy complement of veterans from the New York stage, and it was lots of fun trying to pick them all out, including Tony-winner Idina Menzel (as Patrick Dempsey's girlfriend), Tony-winner Tonya Pinkins (Dempsey's divorce client), Edmund Lyndeck (derelict old man), Brian D'Arcy James (voice on soundtrack), Gregory Jbara (voice on soundtrack), and Daniel Mastrogiorgio (ensemble).

As a charming bonus, the movie also employs a number of Broadway performers who have previously served as the voices of various Disney heroines. Jodi Benson, who plays Dempsey's assistant, was the voice of Ariel in "The Little Mermaid."
Judy Kuhn, who has a very brief bit as a pregnant woman with a bunch of kids, was the singing voice of "Pocahontas." And Paige O'Hara, whom I didn't quite catch in the movie, but who is nonetheless listed in the credits, was the voice of Belle in "Beauty and the Beast."

The movie itself is quite good, and would still be so even without the theater-queen-recognition factor. It's a clever and engaging mix of animation and live-action, and it gently and lovingly skewers many of the conventions and clichés that Disney invented in the first place. "Enchanted" is a terrific holiday treat for the kids in your life, be they female or male, but it's also great for tapping into that eight-year-old girl within.

I know I have one. Isn't it time you embraced yours?

Watch the Sweeney Todd Trailer

Check out the trailer to the movie version of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Visually, the film looks stunning, as one would reasonably expect from director Tim Burton.

At first the trailer seems to be avoiding the fact that the film is a musical. Perhaps they want to lure people in with the thriller aspect of the story and then hope people won't mind the actors singing every now and then. But eventually we get to hear Johnny Depp sing a slice or two from "Epiphany." I must say, he sounds OK, if not amazing.

Helena Bonham Carter looks as though she's going to be a hoot as Mrs. Lovett, although she doesn't do any singing in the trailer, so it's not clear how well she can sing the role.

The movie opens December 21st. I can barely contain my excitement.

Nine Movie to Star Javier Bardem

Suddenly I've become a whole lot more excited about director Rob Marshall's upcoming movie version of Maury Yeston's Nine. Reportedly, Javier Bardem has been offered the starring role of Guido Contini.

Readers may recall Javier Bardem from his breakout movie role in "Before Night Falls," a terrific film, otherwise notable for Johnny Depp's dual role as a sadistic prison guard and a drag queen. Bardem is not only one hell of an actor, but he's also easy on the eyes. Extremely easy on the eyes. (See poster below) Can he sing? I really don't know, but Raul Julia wasn't all that much of a singer, quite consistently going flat on the original Broadway cast recording.

There's been quite a lot of cyber-chatter about who could be playing the female roles in the movie, including the following possibilities:

Sophia Loren...Guido's mother
Penelope Cruz...Carla
Marion Cotillard...Luisa (Del Forno) Contini
Catherine Zeta-Jones...Claudia

Some very intriguing choices, the age-defying Sophia Loren most of all. Loren isn't known for her musical roles, although she did infamously play Aldonza in the wretchedly, painfully, horribly bad movie version of "Man of La Mancha." Catherine Zeta-Jones, of course, won an Oscar for her overrated turn in Rob Marshall's "Chicago." The Claudia role is significantly more subdued than that of Velma Kelly, and Zeta-Jones will have her work cut out for her making the part memorable.

I must confess that, although I'm familiar with Penelope Cruz by name, I can't recall ever seeing a movie she was in. Carla is a very demanding role, and I'd be interested in hearing whether any readers out there think Cruz can pull it off. I had never heard of Marion Cotillard before reading that she was attached to this movie, but I understand she's making quite a splash as Edith Piaf in the new movie "La Môme."

The movie will apparently start shooting in the spring with a planned release of late 2008.

Sunset Boulevard: Streisand, Close, or Streep?

Theater queens are an opinionated bunch. (I know, you're shocked.) And we're quite vociferous about those opinions. Anyone expressing a view different from ours is automatically suspect, and quite possibly dangerous.

So it is with a due sense of hesitation that I announce that I'm actually excited about the proposed movie version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard. I'm a huge fan of this wildly uneven show. It's certainly the best thing Lloyd Webber has done since Evita, although the bar is admittedly not all that high. The score is lush and moving; the songs "With One Look" and "As if We Never Said Goodbye" are two of the best that ALW has crafted. There's waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much recitative, and some of the lyrics are clunky. But on the whole, the show is haunting and heartfelt, and I certainly find that I listen to the London CD more than those of any of ALW's other more recent shows.

I was stunned, as many were, when ALW dumped Patti Lupone for Glenn Close, but I still wanted to see the show. Then I heard the excruciating Los Angeles cast album and decided to wait until the vocally dreadful Close left the show. I was looking forward to seeing Betty Buckley play the role, only to find out that Karen Mason would be subbing for her at that particular performance at the Minskoff. Mason kicked major amounts of ass, so I was hardly disappointed.

Now comes news that Barbra Streisand, Glenn Close, and Meryl Streep are all in the running to play Norma Desmond in the new movie. Also under consideration for the role of Joe Gillis are Ewan McGregor and Hugh Jackman.

As much as I worship Meryl Streep, I can't help hoping that Barbra will land the role. It's complicated for me, because I can't stand any movie that Barbra has done since "What's Up, Doc?" in 1972. But given the right director (i.e. anyone but herself), I think Barbra could be amazing. She's certainly got the pipes for the role, unlike Glenn Close. And I must begrudgingly admit that Barbra can be quite a talented actress, when she has a good director who can reign in her excesses and self-indulgence.

If, somehow, she winds up starring and directing, well, all bets are off, as they say.

Hairspray Movie: Moderately Enjoyable

As I've stated or implied many times in previous posts, I'm thrilled that the movie-musical genre has made a comeback. Film musicals pretty much disappeared during the 80s and 90s, except for the occasional painful misstep like A Chorus Line or Newsies.

Now movie musicals are back with a vengeance. The problem is, there's no one left alive who really knows how to execute one well. Take, for instance, Hairspray. Director/choreographer Adam Shankman does a terrific job with the latter, but an awkward and unconvincing job on the former.

But Shankman isn't alone in his relative ineptitude. Bill Condon didn't fair much better with Dreamgirls, although it was certainly a valiant attempt. Rob Marshall did an OK job with Chicago, although it would have been great to see what Bob Fosse could have done with it. Susan Stroman certainly made a mess of The Producers. And the less said about Chris Columbus and Rent, the better. (Apparently I'm not the only one who feels this way: Columbus hasn't directed a film since.)

For me, nothing will ever replace John Waters' original "Hairspray" movie, but I certainly found the stage version of Hairspray entertaining. The score by Marc Shamain and Scott Wittman is fun and upbeat, although it certainly has its share of clunkers ("It Takes Two," "Cooties," "Miss Baltimore Crabs," "Without Love"). Overall, the show made me realize what a great show The Producers is. I had been mildly underwhelmed when I saw The Producers in previews, and was truly astonished when the show received such a rhapsodic reception. But seeing Hairspray made me realize how truly well crafted The Producers really is.

Anyway, back to the movie version of Hairspray. The real story here is the cast, and I have to say that based on the previews, I wasn't looking forward to seeing John Travolta as Edna Turnblad. But he grew on me. A little. Once I got past the fact that he shouldn't have been playing the part -- at all -- I sort of settled in and went with the flow. Not for a second did I ever believe he was anyone else but John Travolta, but I was eventually able to move on and consider the rest of the cast in turn.

Michelle Pfeiffer as Velma von Tussle sharp and funny. She's really held up well over the years, and it's nice to see her in a part that's worthy of her considerable talents. (As opposed to, say, Grease 2. Yeesh.) Christopher Walken as Wilbur Turnblad was an old pro, revealing his stage training and musical-comedy background.  I was pleased to see that Queen Latifah as Motormouth Maybelle was much better than she was in Chicago. I didn't believe her for a second as Mama Morton, but she wasn't nearly as wooden as Motormouth, and actually seemed to be having a good time.

Nikki Blonski as Tracy Turnblad was downright adorable and very appealing. James Marsden as Corny Collins was one of the best things in the entire movie. He was a very natural screen presence, a great voice, and he's a terrific dancer, too. He was one of the few people on screen who really seemed to get what the movie was about. One major discovery for me was Elijah Kelly as Seaweed, another natural. Kelley has this amazing energy, despite some awkward camera angles during his big number, "Run and Tell That."

Three members of the cast stood out for me as being sorely miscast. The least egregious was Brittany Snow as Amber, who was fine but unremarkable. Amanda Bynes was practically nonexistent as Penny Pingleton. She had no presence, no sparkle, no nothing. Plus she's an awkward dancer. It's a shame, because Penny could have been a real stand-out role, as the wonderful Kerry Butler made it on Broadway.
Another disappointment was Zac Efron as Link Larken. Efron lacks the requisite charisma for Link, although it really seemed he was working hard at it, which of course is exactly how to make sure it won't happen. He wasn't arresting, he was just blandly cute. No wonder he's a Disney favorite.

Special shout out to my former student Hayley Podschun on her film debut as Tammy. Sweetheart, you were sensational! I couldn't take my eyes off you, and not just because I was looking for you in every number. You're off to a terrific start, and I wish you nothing but the best.

Hairspray Movie: Good Reviews, Good Box Office

Fans of movie musicals will be heartened to note that the film version of the hit Broadway musical Hairspray took in nearly $30 million at the box office over the weekend, after receiving almost uniformly positive reviews. So the movie has already surpassed the total gross of the film versions of The Producers ($19 million) and Rent ($29 million), and will surely surpass that of Phantom of the Opera ($51 million).

In fact, according to Variety, Hairspray pulled off the "best musical opening on record," although something tells me that this could be prior to any adjustment for inflation. I mean, it's hard to imagine that Hairspray outperformed The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady, although the economics have certainly changed. Movies make a lot more in their opening weekends these days, so I guess it's possible that Hairspray is indeed a record breaker. 

I haven't seen Hairspray yet, but I'm glad it's doing well, because the movie musical genre could use a shot in the arm after the aforementioned flops. There are certainly more movie musicals in current production, including Sweeney Todd, Mamma Mia, Nine, and...er...Naked Boys Singing. But the production pipeline works years in advance, and had Hairspray not done well, movie studios would have thought twice about green-lighting future musical projects.

Advanced word about the movie also seemed to strengthen ticket sales for the Broadway production, which has seen a steady rise in gross weekly receipts to more than $800,000 recently compared to a February low of about $400,000. Will that halo effect continue with the London production, which opens in October? Well, I'll certainly be paying to attention to see if it will.

Michael Ball in London Hairspray

Veteran British actor and erstwhile heartthrob Michael Ball will play Edna Turnblad in the upcoming London production of Hairspray. I guess he's put on a few since Les Miserables and Aspects of Love.

Here's my question, though: Why did it take five years for this show to open in London? The show is showing signs of winding down its Broadway run (stunt casting = jumping the shark), and has even started showing up in regional theaters such as the North Shore Music Theater, which is just outside of Boston. Plus, the movie version is coming out next month, although perhaps it's not being released yet in th U.K.

It will be interesting to see just how successful the London production is given its delayed bow.

Speaking of the Hairspray movie, I am seriously having second thoughts about paying to see it in the theater now that star John Travolta has said publicly that he agrees with superfreak Tom Cruise on the subject of psychiatry and psychotropic drugs. I'm not even going to mention the name of their crackpot "religion" because these nut jobs have a history of attacking anyone who questions them in public.

Note to Tom and John: your job is to look pretty and collect too much money for appearing in bad movies. Keep your misguided, unfounded, and downright dangerous misconceptions to yourself.

Hairspray Trailer

Check out the trailer for the upcoming Hairspray movie. Of course, you can never really tell what a movie is going to be like just by watching the trailer, but the movie does look very promising. Judging solely from this preview, the movie would seem to have a very infectious energy.

Michelle Pfeiffer looks like she's going to be a hoot as Velma von Tussle. But John Travolta looks awful, both in terms of his physical appearance and the quality of his performance. Pert near embarrassing, in fact. It's really too bad the producers didn't go with Tony-winner Harvey Fierstein.

This is hardly the first time a celebrated musical performer lost the movie role to a "star." Julie Andrews famously lost out to Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady, and Rosalind Russell beat out the legendary Ethel Merman for the lead in Merman's iconic Gypsy. It's interesting to note how frequently the "stars" fail to live up to the quality of their inherited performances.

Best wishes to former BoCo student Hayley Podschun on her movie debut.

Break a leg, doll!

Baranski Confirmed for Mamma Mia Movie

It's official (or as official as Hollywood casting news ever really gets): Christine Baranski will indeed join Meryl Streep in the movie version of Mamma Mia. Baranski will play Tanya, Donna Sheridan's oh-so-blasé friend, who sings "Does Your Mother Know" to the sexually precocious Pepper.

The cast is evidently already in London to pre-record the soundtrack, and includes the previously rumored Julie Walters and the announced Pierce Brosnan, as well as the heretofore unmentioned Colin Firth.

Meryl Streep was also recently cast opposite Phillip Seymour Hoffman in the movie version of John Patrick Shanley's Pulitzer-Prize-winning Doubt. Yeah, it's not a musical, and we don't really care about non-musicals, but it is interesting how much stage-to-screen work Ms. Streep has been landing lately. Much to the chagrin of Tony winner Cherry Jones, I'm sure.

But, hey, it's friggin' Meryl Streep. When you're up against Meryl for a part, you might as well just give up, or hope her interests suddenly turn elsewhere.