THEME FROM SCHINDLER'S LIST

I just felt the need to share...

John Williams' score from Schindler's List is one of the most beautiful pieces of music written for a film.  Between Williams' score and Itzhak Pearlman's execution of a beautiful and haunting violin solo, I am transfixed!  Beyond being an amazing score from an even more amazingly powerful film, there is something magical for me when I hear it.  Everytime I hear the first few notes, I feel like Pavlov's dogs as it puts me into a zone and I can focus, concentrate and write. Its what got me through every single one of my undergrad papers and it never fails me, even now when I have to hanker down and get something done.  Thanks, John Williams (and Itzhak Pearlman)! 

TAKE A CHANCE ON ME

Not since Chicago have I experienced a greater movie musical viewing experience…until Mamma Mia!. Rent, Hairspray and Sweeney Todd all had their strong points but for the most part were seriously flawed and none more so than Phantom of the Opera. Of course I was skeptical when I first heard about the film version of Mamma Mia!. How could I possibly think that a show (that I never truly loved) written around ABBA's hit songs from yesteryear would make a good film? Let’s just say that the film far surpasses the stage version that I saw and it is a great film!

Mamma Mia! was fun, beautiful and proportionately campy (it is ABBA after all) and the music worked remarkably well in the structure of the film. Musicals I think are difficult to translate from stage to screen because of the logistics of staging musical theater is a far different beast than that of the film world. The theatre has scene changes that are intricate in their own right, films have the luxury of going on-location which can change a film’s tone altogether. It takes a director with a real vision and understanding of both the theater and film to execute a great movie musical (particularly if said musical was written for the stage).

Rob Marshall definitely had a vision when it came to directing Chicago, however I am not sure I appreciated his efforts in his small screen direction of Annie. Prior to his film directorial debut in Chicago, Marshall was known predominantly for his work as a Broadway choreographer on shows like Kiss of the Spider Woman and Damn Yankees and later as a director in shows like Little Me and Cabaret. It is no surprise then that the director of Mamma Mia!, Phyllida Lloyd is a well known British theatre director. I truly think that it takes a person who really understands theatre to direct a movie musical that translates beautifully on film. Looking back on recent films that were translated from stage to screen, the ones that were most successful were ones whose director came from the theater and not from the film world like Chicago with the exception of Susan Stroman's directorial film debut in The Producers which flopped in the box office. Interestingly enough, Stroman is an multi-award winning choreographer/director however her vision didn't translate as well on the screen as it did on stage. 

Mamma Mia! worked better as a film than a stage show and I absolutely believe that the location greatly enhanced the film. Filming on-location in Greece was in part only part of what benefited Mamma Mia!, but I think it was really about being a thoroughly thought out, planned, shot and executed film. I was impressed at how well the film flowed, how easily the songs worked into the structure of the story (which for some reason didn’t work out as well when I saw Mamma Mia! on stage – touring version). What I saw in the touring version of Mamma Mia! was less than impressive but at the time (it was in like 2001) the talent was mediocre and the energy was lackluster all of which left me feeling (for the most part) uninterested in the show. Of course a solidly written book and music is a big factor in a successful show but it takes some solid talent to execute any decent role. The talent in this film made all the difference in the world.

Let me just get this out of the way and state that I cried during Mamma Mia!. Yes, I cried and I attribute this to the brilliantly talented Meryl Streep (I’ve always been a fan). I remember thinking, “Only Meryl Streep could move me to tears in two separate scenes in a film like Mamma Mia!….nobody else could do that!” There is such a depth of emotion in her acting whether in Kramer vs. Kramer or The Devil Wears Prada that is just so intense, honest and vulnerable even. Her facial expressions come from somewhere real, deep and sincere and I am amazed everytime I see her in any role and am grateful that there are awesome actors like her out there still working.

While Meryl Streep was the standout actor in this film (each of the key roles were perfectly cast and acted) it was Pierce Brosnan whose performance was the most endearing. One wouldn’t typically think of Mr. James Bond as a singer-type in movie musical, right?  Brosnan is not a singer by any means (sorry) but his singing had so much heart and effort that was just sweet and charming. I chuckled with the first note he sang and consequently in each song. His obvious effort was really adorable and as an actor it gave more of a lighthearted edge to him.

Mamma Mia! is a great film to celebrate the summer with and I had no idea I would love it so much! I laughed, I cried, I wanted to sing along (how fun would that be?!) and I liken its appeal to Grease and know that it will be around for a long, long time.

Don't discount Mamma Mia! just because its a movie musical or just because its based on music by ABBA (heck, I loved it and I'm a self proclaimed musical theater snob). Look at Mamma Mia! as a great story that happens to have music in it. Skip out on Mamma Mia! and you'll miss 108 minutes of a great time in which you'll be smiling through most of it (unless you're crying in those 10 or so minutes like I was) -- take a chance...

YOU CAN'T STOP THE BEAT

So I avoided it when it hit Broadway and ignored it when the touring version came to town. Apparently I had some kind of biased aversion to Hairspray (the musical). I could go on about why I wasn't interested in the musical but that's really not so important right now. I will say that I not-so-recently saw Hairspray (the film) (nearly a month ago to be exact) and it was really good! Yes, so good that it even surprised me. It has been a long time since I've seen a film that made me glad that I spent $10.75 and two hours in a smelly movie theatre. In regard to movie musicals, sure, I was excited to see Rent and Phantom on the big screen, but I was biased. I went into the theatre loving those films even before seeing anything (and quite frankly they weren't so good). With Hairspray (the film) there was actually a lot going for it.

The best thing about Hairspray (the film) hands down was breakout (read about her "discovery" story here) star Nikki Blonsky. As an actress, she had such energy and presence about her that there was no way not to love her as Tracy Turnblad. I think her character was well written, but Blonsky truly gave you a reason to love Tracy. Sure the character of Tracy was written as a very open minded and determined teen, but it was Blonsky who perfectly embodied that with her vibrant charm. Everything about her was spot on and I even prefer her voice to that of Marisa Jaret Winokur (Tony winner as Broadway's Tracy).

Here's where the critical, snobby aspect of my musical theatre taste comes in. Hairspray's score is definitely a fun one. Its upbeat, feel-good, happy music...but that's it. I don't think there's anything particularly complex about the music (not that there has to be). The melodies are memorable and the best way I can describe or compare it to is that of a sitcom. It is simple with just a hint of substance and doesn't make you think too much. There are issues of course that you know are important but nothing that you don't already know about and the "symbolism" is all too obvious. You pretty much get all you can get form it after one or two viewings. With that said, its still a great film with great heart and on the whole I really loved it.

Of course everyone likes to discuss the casting choice of John Travolta as Edna Turnblad. The first word that comes to mind is creepy. I suppose its no big surprise that John Travolta comes across as a really creepy middle aged woman. It would be one thing if he was good, but he just wasn't. On his Oprah appearance, Travolta made a point to reiterate the fact that he loves Maryland. He did two films in a row there, the people are great, blah, blah, blah which is why he believed so deeply in "Edna" having an authentic Baltimore accent. That would have been great had the rest of the cast had the same accent and had Travolta been able to be consistent with it.

While the rest of the cast was fine, the only other stand out performance was Christopher Walken. Can we say adorable?! Ahem, let me rephrase that, his portrayal of his character was adorable. As Wilbur Turnblad, he was such a warm, sweet, encouraging and loving father and husband. LOVED him.

Anyhow, Hairspray (the film) was just great. A happy, upbeat, wonderful story that puts a smile on my face just thinking about it. Great direction, cinematography, acting, choreography and LOVED the cameos. Go see it!

SOMETHING GOOD

I realize I may get verbally shot down for even posing the question, but...what's with the cult-like following of The Sound of Music (film version, thank you)? If I can't explain it properly, someone please explain it to me! Don't get me wrong, its a great story with beautiful music, an extremely talented cast etc., but I just don't understand why people become so incredibly fanatic over it. The music is delightful, but so are some of Rogers & Hammerstein's other musicals (including): Oklahoma, Carousel, South Pacific and The King & I. Compared to the aforementioned musicals, I think The Sound of Music is on par, so why does this work garner more attention than the others? What causes audiences to go into a frenzied like state when Dame Julie Andrews appears on the hilltops belting out, "the hills are alive..."?

I recently attended the 5th annual Sound of Music sing-a-long at the Hollywood Bowl. Considering my love of musical theatre, this was actually the first time I ever saw the film all the way through. Yes, I own The Sound of Music on DVD as well as the soundtrack from the film and My Favorite Things is a staple in my karaoke set, yet I have never seen the film (or the musical) all the way through. Yes, horrors of horrors, gasp if you will and call me names but I have never had the want to sit through the film that some list as one of their favorite thing(s). Even as a youngster, I guess I just never got around to seeing it. I went out of my way to see Carousel and South Pacific...even Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, but never The Sound of Music.

Every year, The Sound of Music broadcasts on television and viewers sit around the set with their families and squeal with delight at the Von Trapp family. I'm sure more people than most sing-a-long to classics such as Do-Re-Mi and So Long, Farewell as part of a family tradition. Parents pass along their love of the film as a kind of legacy to subsequent generations. Only recently did I find out how much my own parents adore the film, but never did we sit around the tube on any holiday and intently watch The Sound of Music. My parents grew up on movie musicals. Not only did they love the genre, but so did their siblings and other family members, so between my parents, aunts, great-aunts and uncles, I think I could have a complete vinyl collection of showtunes. Had they sat me down in front of the tele to watch The Sound of Music, this post could conceivably be very different.

For my first time seeing The Sound of Music, the sing-a-long at the Bowl isn't a shabby way to go. It was rather intriguing though to see how excited everyone was to be there. I liken the sing-a-long to a Star Trek convention with folks dressed up from everyone including the bowing nun to all thirteen or so of My Favorite Things. Pre-show festivities included a costume contest/parade hosted by Melissa Peterman (of Reba fame) and Charmain Carr (Liesl von Trapp from the film) and this went on for almost two hours. Folks of all ages dressed up as characters or scenes from the film and paraded across the stage, often times stopping to give an exuberant hug to Carr. After 45 minutes of this craziness, I was ready for it to be over...start the film already!

I greatly enjoyed the experience of the sing-a-long though. Goodness knows I have to restrain myself from singing along to movie musicals that I love, but this time it was expected that everyone sing out and sing loud. Having never seen the film, I pretty much knew all the songs but enjoyed more, hearing the sold out crowd of 17,416 people singing in unison all the songs but specifically the truly beautiful classic Edelweiss. As the dreamy Christopher Plummer (as Captain Georg Von Trapp) sang, everyone in the Bowl pulled out their cell phones and illuminated the interior of the amphitheatre. It was actually quite a moment.

It was a nice experience to be united with people of various ages, ethnicities, and orientations who were all enthusiastically there for the same purpose. After having seen the movie, I'm not sure I am better equipped to understand why this musical is so beloved. It almost seems immoral to break down the musical and examine it the way I seem to often do. If The Sound of Music is the main exposure most have to the world of musicals, its not a bad one to love. I still don't think The Sound of Music is any better than any of Rogers & Hammerstein's other musicals, because to me, they're all phenomenal works in their own right. As Dame Julie Andrews has said about the classic R&H musicals, "...these wonderful Rogers & Hammerstein musicals...are the popular classics of their day. They stand as important as any opera or any great play."

In its day, The Sound of Music was the most successful film of its time. Its initial release ran nearly four years grossing over $158 million in North America alone and won 5 Academy Awards including best picture. AFI lists it as one of its top movie musicals (#4 to be exact), its soundtrack has never been out of print, has been the subject of a reality series and countless revivals on both Broadway and the West End. In the five years the Hollywood Bowl has been featuring it during the summer series it consistently sells out. The event at the Bowl marks the largest Sound of Music sing-a-long in the world and it was even featured in the bonus material disc of the film's 40th anniversary DVD. Why then is it so wildly popular? Its inspirational, romantic, exciting, wholesome family entertainment that has stood the test of time. The Sound of Music is a cultural phenomena that really does blend inspiration with entertainment...and these days, who doesn't cherish that?

HAPPY TALK

Leading men are a dime a dozen in Hollywood these days and they come and go just as quickly as Paris Hilton's boyfriends. Hollywood's leading men A-Listers are generally good looking, charming and sometimes talented (but not always). Said actors typically stick to film roles, rarely making an appearance on the small screen and even less common is the A-Lister who will make a trip to **gulp** Broadway. One of Hollywood's hottest leading men, Hugh Jackman certainly seems to be a diverse actor garnering success in blockbuster hits like X-Men, romantic comedies such as Kate & Leopold as well as on Broadway in his Tony-Award winning role of the late Peter Allen in The Boy From Oz.

When Playbill reported that Jackman wil likely star in the remake of the classic Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, Carousel as Billy Bigelow, I was thrilled! This is particularly exciting to me for a few reasons. First, it's Hugh Jackman...beyond the fact that he's a good looking actor, he's actually talented and can play in a variety of mediums like comedy, drama as well as gay or straight and as a singer, the man actually has pipes! Beyond that, he's just plain engaging and entertaining. Did anyone catch the 2004 Tony Awards in which Jackman thoroughly embarrassed Sarah Jessica Parker while gyrating (or attempting to) onstage with her? If not, catch it here. Second, Carousel as a musical has special meaning to me. Though socially, it is wildly out of date (there are issues like domstic violence that aren't so appropriate in the musical) the movie version of the show was the first from the "Golden Age of Broadway" that I had seen (and loved). The music in Carousel is spectacular with some of the most gorgeous melodies ever written by R & H. It is because of Carousel that I fell in love with the music of Rodgers & Hammerstein and a whole new era of showtunes.

Together, Rodgers & Hammerstein defined the classic American Musical theatre genre by turning out such memorable and historic shows like Oklahoma!, South Pacific, The King and I and of course, The Sound of Music both on stage and the silver screen. So it is no surprise that Fox (the studio that originally distributed the 1956 film) is in talks to produce the Carousel feature starring Jackman. With some movie studios still interested in making the next big musical hit (like Miramax did with Chicago), why not try and revive a classic story with one of the biggest names in in entertainment industry.

IS THERE NO OTHER WAY

I have an issue with the trailer for Memoirs of a Geisha. Keep in mind, this is a film about JAPAN and JAPANESE people yet all of the alleged Japanese people don't even look Japanese! Maybe that's because they aren't! Isn't it obvious that Zhang Ziyi is Chinese or did the casting directors think that all Asians look alike, so who will notice? Being Japanese, I find myself slightly (but only slightly) offended by this casting choice. Keep in mind, typically I don't really care about issues like this, but this time, maybe because of the subject of the film, it just doesn't seem right. Maybe it would be one thing of Zhang Ziyi was the only Chinese person with any prominence in the film, but after watching the trailer, very few of the actors appear to be Japanese. Out of eight of the principal characters, only half are Japanese:

Ziyi Zhang.... Sayuri Nitta (Chinese)
Ken Watanabe.... The Chairman (Japanese)
Kôji Yakusho.... Nobu (Japanese)
Michelle Yeoh.... Mameha (Chinese)
Kaori Momoi.... O-kami (landlady) (Japanese)
Youki Kudoh.... O-Kabo (Pumpkin) (Japanese)
Li Gong.... Hatsumomo (Chinese)
Kenneth Tsang... General (Chinese)

I suppose I expect this fictional-historical film to be more authentic. With the many talented Japanese actors out there, I would have liked to have seen more of them cast in this film. My expectations are unrealistic though, I know. I'm all for the idea of chosing the best actor for the role, but at the same time, actors like Zhang Ziyi look too authentically Chinese to even resemble being Japanese. Did anyone notice that Zhang Ziyi has blue eyes in this poster? Though Japan has many advances before the rest of the world, I don't think they had colored contact lenses in the 1800's. C'mon people. I mean, REALLY!? Of course, this is Hollywood, so...why the heck am I complaining? I should know better!

I just got back from seeing Hotel Rwanda and let me say...what an amazing and disturbing true story of genocide in Rwanda that took place only TEN years ago.

The tragedy that took place in Rwanda while powerful and distrubing really bothered me, but it was Paul Rusesabagina's determination and the courage he had to do what he did. He saved lives during the bloodshed of the Rwandans in 1994. Truly, I am in shock over this story that I am ashamed to say, didn't know even happened! Maybe I heard vaguely about it (I was in high school) but it really isn't anything that I paid attention to.

I got to thinking about how many times things like this have gone on...with the Jews, the Japanese Americans...and it got me thinking about the emotional and psychological part of the story and that of course got me thinking about my family...and what they went through.

There are a ton of stories we each have in our own family histories...stories about courage and loss, strength and determination -- all need to be recounted for future generations. When my grandmother passed away, I questioned who would care that she was gone...and questioned the importance of her life, my life, everyone's life after they are gone. Do they matter? Who cared that they lived at all? I think it is important for everyone to tell their story. I believe that our lives matter, they touch someone at some point everyday. While you may not make a difference like Paul Rusesabagina did, you still affect others...and make a difference.