baj2
Sophomore
@baj2
Posts: 265
Likes: 94
|
Post by baj2 on Jul 9, 2017 3:50:02 GMT
Surprisingly, from Jackman's perspective ( who developed the project together with producer Laurence Marc and director Michael Gracey), the main focus of the movie is not really the "circus". From another informative set visit report -- entertainment.inquirer.net/233579/hugh-jackman-bearded-woman-greatest-showman-setInsights on how songwriters-of-the-moment ( recent OSCAR and TONY winners for LA LA LAND and DEAR EVAN HANSEN) got involved early on. Also, some focus on the Broadway actress ( The Bearded Lady in SHOWMAN), Keala Settle who sang the song THIS IS ME in the trailer.
|
|
|
Post by leesilm on Jul 19, 2017 23:07:18 GMT
CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS MOVIE! Jackman is one of my favorites, and I think this is the most-excited I've been for a non-Wolverine movie of his since AUSTRALIA.
|
|
baj2
Sophomore
@baj2
Posts: 265
Likes: 94
|
Post by baj2 on Jul 20, 2017 1:51:14 GMT
CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS MOVIE! Jackman is one of my favorites, and I think this is the most-excited I've been for a non-Wolverine movie of his since AUSTRALIA. You've mentioned AUSTRALIA - which was directed by Baz Luhrmann. Many people have said that THE GREATEST SHOWMAN has some Moulin Rouge vibes, too. MR was also directed by Baz Luhrmann. The director of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN is Michael Gracey, who like Baz and Hugh, is also Australian. Maybe they share similar musicality genes Back to SHOWMAN and movie musicals -- have you seen LES MISERABLES, also with Hugh in the lead role of Valjean? That is the yardstick with which I would like to compare the entertainment value of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN... although Les Miserables is a dramatic musical based on a stage musical derived from a major literary gem from Victor Hugo. The Greatest Showman is also a period piece - probably the same century as when Les Miserables takes place, give or take a few decades) - but is inspired by a true life story ( that partly traces the birth of showbusiness) - it would probably fall more under musical comedy ( hopefully with some dramatic elements) and is focused on the rise of individuality as one of its major themes. Les Miserables was sung-through...while The Greatest Showman uses contemporary music ( by Pasek and Paul) to tell a period piece story. It is not a movie, but a filmed stage musical -- if you are interested in Jackman's musical theatre background, I think you can find an upload of OKLAHOMA! on YouTube. I was lucky to have seen that live in London and I didn't even know who he was -- just a commanding stage presence and a " legit stage voice" ( which means he has musical theatre singing skills). Many do not realize that he started his professional career as Gaston in the original stage production of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. And that he performed the iconic role of Billy Bigelow in a concert of CAROUSEL ( with Audra McDonald). He was also Joe Gillis in SUNSET BOULEVARD. And of course he is/was Wolverine for the longest time
|
|
|
Post by leesilm on Jul 20, 2017 15:54:54 GMT
CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS MOVIE! Jackman is one of my favorites, and I think this is the most-excited I've been for a non-Wolverine movie of his since AUSTRALIA. You've mentioned AUSTRALIA - which was directed by Baz Luhrmann. Many people have said that THE GREATEST SHOWMAN has some Moulin Rouge vibes, too. MR was also directed by Baz Luhrmann. The director of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN is Michael Gracey, who like Baz and Hugh, is also Australian. Maybe they share similar musicality genes Back to SHOWMAN and movie musicals -- have you seen LES MISERABLES, also with Hugh in the lead role of Valjean? That is the yardstick with which I would like to compare the entertainment value of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN... although Les Miserables is a dramatic musical based on a stage musical derived from a major literary gem from Victor Hugo. The Greatest Showman is also a period piece - probably the same century as when Les Miserables takes place, give or take a few decades) - but is inspired by a true life story ( that partly traces the birth of showbusiness) - it would probably fall more under musical comedy ( hopefully with some dramatic elements) and is focused on the rise of individuality as one of its major themes. Les Miserables was sung-through...while The Greatest Showman uses contemporary music ( by Pasek and Paul) to tell a period piece story. It is not a movie, but a filmed stage musical -- if you are interested in Jackman's musical theatre background, I think you can find an upload of OKLAHOMA! on YouTube. I was lucky to have seen that live in London and I didn't even know who he was -- just a commanding stage presence and a " legit stage voice" ( which means he has musical theatre singing skills). Many do not realize that he started his professional career as Gaston in the original stage production of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. And that he performed the iconic role of Billy Bigelow in a concert of CAROUSEL ( with Audra McDonald). He was also Joe Gillis in SUNSET BOULEVARD. And of course he is/was Wolverine for the longest time I did know Baz L. was behind MULAN ROUGE, which I watched once under the orders of a friend who was (and is still) obsessed with it. Not my cup of tea, but I hate sad endings. Did like some of the songs enough to buy the soundtrack, which is still in my car (along with the soundtrack of the 2003 version of PotO and the soundtrack for TRON: LEGACY). I did watch LES MIS, being both a H.Jackman fan and a Russell Crowe fan, plus my best friend majored in French history, so she wanted to see the movie. I nearly walked out the theatre 4 times and never got the DVD or soundtrack for that one. I've seen most of his OKLAHOMA and BOY FROM OZ on YouTube and such- the man has some amazing pipes!!! I remember hearing about hom being Gaston, which made the "Gaston Off" held by a British talkshow host where he had Luke Evans, the kid from the KINGSMEN movies, and Jackman doing their best Gaston, all the funnier. I have seen quite a few Jackman movies- a guilty pleasure is he and Meg Ryan in KATE AND LEOPOLD, though AUSTRALIA is probably my absolute favorite of his movies (and I say this as someone who has loved the character Logan Howlette for almost 30 years). PS: Fun tidbit, his costar & friend R.Crowe was asked by the studio to play Wolverine and he suggested they look at Hugh Jackman instead. The 2 would later do Les Miz together.
|
|
baj2
Sophomore
@baj2
Posts: 265
Likes: 94
|
Post by baj2 on Jul 20, 2017 20:21:51 GMT
AUSTRALIA was fun to follow especially when it was filming in their homeland. There was an Australian website which monitored all the filming developments then. It's a good movie but it could have stood a little editing especially towards the final act. Also, the tone was a little inconsistent because it switched from almost comedic in tone initially to high drama later. But I do like the team-up of Hugh and Nicole and the production values were outstanding ( given Baz's attention to details and artistic direction). Russell did suggest Hugh for the Wolverine part. Did you also know that Russell was supposed to be the original Drover in AUSTRALIA but he did not end up agreeing to the terms with Fox...and the role eventually went to Hugh! I think they did enjoy working together in LES MISERABLES - another film project that was fun to monitor. There was a big group on the defunct IMDB message board which held regular discussions on the filming progress - sharing stuff like set videos ( official and unofficial), discussing the movie versus its stage musical origin, even early auditions and rehearsals stuff... Russell had the funniest TWITTER posts about the filming, followed by the Barricade Boys and Samantha Barks...Russell did share that he was voting for Hugh for Best Actor Oscar -- because of " the character arc and the difficulty involved" ( presumably referring to the acting and singing requirements). You didn't like Les Miserables at all? Is it the live-singing format which threw you off ... or the fact that it was a sung-through type of musical? Have you seen the stage version? It does have a great story. To each his own, I guess. It is my favorite musical - I saw the stage version many times in different places and over a long period of time...and the film adaptation is now my favorite version. Excellent acting from everyone around... and since I have known the musical since decades ago, the singing format was something I took for granted. May I share a funny story with you - in June 2011 before LES MISERABLES was cast, I had a chance to see Hugh do his tryout one-man show in San Francisco for what would become his "Back on Broadway" show on Broadway later in the year. I also had a chance to meet him briefly at the stage door. As the rumors were just circulating then that he would be Jean Valjean, I asked him if he has been cast for the part. His reply : " I am working on it". I followed it up with " Russell Crowe would make a good Javert". His reply " That would be good!". LOL - I didn't know if the casting had been decided at that point ( but not announced yet -- it was announced a few months later) for Hugh and Russell and he couldn't just disclose that at that time -- or did I make a good talent scout for Russell Crowe I thought that was perfect casting for the two protagonists - loved their acting/singing duet of THE CONFRONTATION. The Greatest Showman promises to be a different kind of musical -- using music with a contemporary beat for a period piece inspired by a true story. It looks like it will be a family-friendly movie given the themes and their handling. It is as much a story of showbusiness ( special emphasis on the early beginnings of mass entertainment) as it is about individuality/talent/hardwork! Are you familiar with Pasek and Paul - they seem to be the hottest songwriting team at the moment, being the current Oscar ( La La Land) and Tony ( Dear Evan Hansen) winners for musical scores. The song that accompanies the trailer ( This Is Me) is one of the songs from the musical.
|
|
|
Post by leesilm on Jul 26, 2017 3:19:55 GMT
AUSTRALIA was fun to follow especially when it was filming in their homeland. There was an Australian website which monitored all the filming developments then. It's a good movie but it could have stood a little editing especially towards the final act. Also, the tone was a little inconsistent because it switched from almost comedic in tone initially to high drama later. But I do like the team-up of Hugh and Nicole and the production values were outstanding ( given Baz's attention to details and artistic direction). Russell did suggest Hugh for the Wolverine part. Did you also know that Russell was supposed to be the original Drover in AUSTRALIA but he did not end up agreeing to the terms with Fox...and the role eventually went to Hugh! I think they did enjoy working together in LES MISERABLES - another film project that was fun to monitor. There was a big group on the defunct IMDB message board which held regular discussions on the filming progress - sharing stuff like set videos ( official and unofficial), discussing the movie versus its stage musical origin, even early auditions and rehearsals stuff... Russell had the funniest TWITTER posts about the filming, followed by the Barricade Boys and Samantha Barks...Russell did share that he was voting for Hugh for Best Actor Oscar -- because of " the character arc and the difficulty involved" ( presumably referring to the acting and singing requirements). You didn't like Les Miserables at all? Is it the live-singing format which threw you off ... or the fact that it was a sung-through type of musical? Have you seen the stage version? It does have a great story. To each his own, I guess. It is my favorite musical - I saw the stage version many times in different places and over a long period of time...and the film adaptation is now my favorite version. Excellent acting from everyone around... and since I have known the musical since decades ago, the singing format was something I took for granted. May I share a funny story with you - in June 2011 before LES MISERABLES was cast, I had a chance to see Hugh do his tryout one-man show in San Francisco for what would become his "Back on Broadway" show on Broadway later in the year. I also had a chance to meet him briefly at the stage door. As the rumors were just circulating then that he would be Jean Valjean, I asked him if he has been cast for the part. His reply : " I am working on it". I followed it up with " Russell Crowe would make a good Javert". His reply " That would be good!". LOL - I didn't know if the casting had been decided at that point ( but not announced yet -- it was announced a few months later) for Hugh and Russell and he couldn't just disclose that at that time -- or did I make a good talent scout for Russell Crowe I thought that was perfect casting for the two protagonists - loved their acting/singing duet of THE CONFRONTATION. The Greatest Showman promises to be a different kind of musical -- using music with a contemporary beat for a period piece inspired by a true story. It looks like it will be a family-friendly movie given the themes and their handling. It is as much a story of showbusiness ( special emphasis on the early beginnings of mass entertainment) as it is about individuality/talent/hardwork! Are you familiar with Pasek and Paul - they seem to be the hottest songwriting team at the moment, being the current Oscar ( La La Land) and Tony ( Dear Evan Hansen) winners for musical scores. The song that accompanies the trailer ( This Is Me) is one of the songs from the musical. AUSTRALIA is one of my all time favorite movies, and honestly the only issue I had with it was that we didn't get to spend some more time with Nullah's mom and grandma before the water tower scene. I'm one of those people who doesn't cry at movies. I may stand up and scream at the screen, I have been known to mutter threats under my breath (i.e., my friend that went with me, informed me that during CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, I threatened to break Tony Stark in half and crap in the middle if he touched Steve one more time), but I do not cry- and AUSTRALIA actually made me tear up when Nullah is playing the harmonica that Kipling gave him, and his voice has given out from the smoke. I was seriously choked up, and I am not generally known to cry at movies (or in real life situations). And I still think Baz L. was being cheeky about how Jackman was considered for BOND, with the dinner jacket scene. Bond, eat your heart out because when women saw Jackman walking in the room in that scene, they were going "Bond who?" I do vaguely recall that about Crowe having been considered for AUSTRALIA. At the time, I had been really bummed out he wouldn't get it. But I got to see him play an Aussie in WATER DIVINER a few years later, so alls well that ends well I suppose. Oh, I love Russell's twitter. Hugh J's isn't bad either, a lot of selfies for my tastes, but if I were traveling that much, having that much fun with my spouse and kids, I'd probably plaster my phone with photos to document it too. And his interaction with Jackman has always been fun to read and hear about. Live-singing doesn't bother me- I enjoyed the new BEAUTY AND THE BEAST movie and WHITE CHRISTMAS is one of my favorite movies, so I've no problem with musicals in general. I think part of it was I felt like I didn't spend long enough with anyone to give a crap what happened to them. I loved how good a job they all did singing, I didn't care for a single song from the movie. And I think, for me, another issue is the tone. It was simply too dark, too depressing, too bleak for most of the first half of the movie so I had totally lost interest by the time it got mildly interesting. No, I have never seen a live performance (I'd need to binge things like GOLDEN GIRLS or old Disney cartoons for days after to get out of the oppressive mood the movie had put me in). I had seen a previous, non-musical version (Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Rush, and Uma Thurman) and it was tolerable but again, too depressing overall for my liking. I think that's my problem- I generally do not like sad, depressing movies or books (or musicals). Honestly, the only reason I cared at all about any of the characters was from being a fan of the actor playing the character. But I think I'll stick with AUSTRALIA, CINDERELLA MAN, and PRINCESS DIARIES 2 for my Jackman, Crowe, and Hathaway hits. Now I do sing stuff from musicals I like, such as PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (my rare 'sad' movie I like), WHITE CHRISTMAS, MAMMA MIA, and HAIRSPRAY. I can actually be pretty annoying, especially since I'm a contralto and can sing along to a lot of different stuff. I even do duets between male and female singers, especially from PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. AWESOME! Never met either gentleman- did meet Homer Hickum (The guy OCTOBER SKY is based off of) once, but that's another story for another day. Kudos for keeping your cool! That sounds right for them. Nice. Isn't it funny how that kind of stuff works out sometimes? If you ever wanna change jobs, now you know which way to head. I loved how in ROBIN HOOD, you did get to hear Russell sing a little bit with the 'merry men' when they were all drunk on the boat. I wish we had gotten to hear more of him singing, he does have a lovely voice. It is a softer one, but there's nothing wrong with that. And any time he works with Kevin Durand, I am all for it! They bring out the best in each other's acting, and neither are slouches to begin with. (If you are a Kevin Durand fan, by any chance, I'd suggest viewing his episodes of DARK ANGEL.) I've never heard of the two writers of whom you speak, although I agree about the tone and it seeming more of a family affair. I know what I'll be doing this Dec/January when it is released! I'm honestly such a fan that I saw PAN and have no issue telling people I watched it all the way through, and I watched SWORDFISH back in the day too. I think GREATEST SHOWMAN will be a really good movie, and it'll be a sweet movie. And I admit, I love a period film. THE ILLUSIONIST, CINDERELLA MAN, HIDDEN FIGURES, and THE MUMMY(1999). It'll be interesting to see GREATEST SHOWMAN this winter!!! And I admit, I kind of have a thing for movies that take place in/around a circus. I love seeing how movies handle the acts from the trapeze artists to the bearded ladies. Have you ever seen WATER FOR ELEPHANTS or CIRCUS WORLD?
|
|
baj2
Sophomore
@baj2
Posts: 265
Likes: 94
|
Post by baj2 on Jul 26, 2017 6:25:10 GMT
Yes, the Nullah part was very poignant. It was also brilliantly acted and he almost stole the scenes with Nicole and Hugh. Back to Les Mis ( I will convert you yet - just kidding ) Have you seen this concert number -- Russell and his band held a small concert at Joe's Pub in NYC and had Hugh and Samantha B among the people who joined him onstage. This was before the movie was released -- This is the counterpart dramatic scene from the movie -- There are other songs in the concert, one which includes Kevin Durand, if I am not mistaken. Greatest Showman -- I never saw the two circus movies you mentioned. I understand that while the storyline is focused on a circus setting, based on a recent Jackman interview, the main theme is supposed to emphasize individuality -- talent/creativity/hard work as the road to success ...and in this movie, that was the road towards becoming the first showbusiness entrepreneur for Barnum. I am probably the opposite in my musical tastes -- I do like dramatic elements introduced into the storytelling and characterizations because I am a great fan of acting... and singing/dancing, while very enjoyable, to me complements the acting/storytelling more. That is why I like dramatic musicals ( Les Mis... my other favorites are Man of La Mancha and Camelot which I all like because of the book ( the storyline/script) and the musical score. I like Andrew Lloyd Webber a lot and except for his more recent works, I have practically seen almost all of his musicals ( my fave is Aspects of Love and Sunset Boulevard, one has a controversial book of Bohemian affairs of the heart... and the other is a faithful adaptation of the Billy Wilder film classic)...Also a great fan of other composers ( Rodgers & Hammerstein and some Lerner & Lowe)...and to me Sondheim is a bit of an acquired taste ( did you ever see the film adaptation of Sweeney Todd with Johnny Depp - another dramatic musical and arguably Sondheim's best work...although Sondheim also did the lyrics of Oscar winner West Side Story). I am great musical theatre fan and have been for a long time ( but my preference is more of dramatic musicals). I saw Les Miserables a long time ago and saw it again and again over the years on many venues. Also, I have actually seen Hugh perform live in Oklahoma! ( London), The Boy from Oz/ Back on Broadway ( both on Broadway) as well as two straight plays ( A Steady Rain and The River). He does have an electrifying stage presence - even more charismatic than on film! Also, he is usually accessible at the stagedoor ( except of course you have to "fight" it over with other excited fans - LOL) when he arrives and leaves the stagedoor - he spends a bit of time with fans and even answers questions quite candidly. Occasionally, you would sometimes see him walk from the street corner to the theatre ( to the utter surprise of people walking along). Of those you mentioned - I saw both live stagings and film adaptations of Phantom, Hairspray, and White Christmas -- with different personal reactions ... I do like Phantom for its intense theatricality and the musical score, Hairspray would fall under so-so, while Mamma Mia! is a jukebox musical where the book/script did not fit the songbook chosen from ABBA - sorry! I liked the movie mostly because of the Greek Island setting - love that background! Love Amanda ... and I had seen Dominic C before on Broadway ( History Boys). White Christmas - I watch the film version with Crosby and Kaye every Christmas ( just as I also watch The Nutcracker every holiday season) ...and I also saw a later stage adaptation ( a little disappointing). Beauty and the Beast - I was a fan of the animated original musical mainly because of the musical score... and I saw a stage version twice. Did you know Hugh was Gaston in the original Australian stage production? Although I am a great musical theatre fan - love overtures - I also appreciate straight plays a lot. In A STEADY RAIN, Hugh and Daniel Craig played against type -- Hugh was an Alpha male rogue cop who was loud and blustery...while Daniel was his best friend, a recovering alcoholic rogue cop who seemed low-key but turned out to have some ulterior motives. Loved that one -you can hear a pin drop in the theatre -- as we watched the two actors ( no other cast- just the two of them) emote in a very gritty and gripping atmosphere. I guess my love for drama shows up again Spielberg showed some early interest to direct a film adaptation ( an early script was completed) but it never happened. THE GREATEST SHOWMAN is a long-gestating Jackman project - it was first announced in 2009! The early readings/workshops ( 4 of them, over a span of a few years) of the evolving musical score were done with Broadway actors/actresses - the only Broadway personality who was actually cast in a featured role is Keala Settle ( the Bearded Lady) who sings THIS IS ME in the trailer background. Also, did you know Michelle Williams did a Broadway musical a few years ago ( Cabaret)...people will probably be surprised that she has Broadway-caliber singing skills? But it is the scene of Michelle and Hugh dancing on the rooftop which looks very exciting. Rebecca Ferguson ( Mission Impossible et al) also has a musical background but I have not heard her sing -- she plays the singer Jenny Lind who was one of Barnum's theatrical attractions. I saw Zac in High School Musical and Hairspray so I guess his musical versatility is already established. I have seen a brief clip of Zendaya singing, so this would be mainly a first time for me to see her musicality. Director Michael Gracey shared a story at CineEurope 2016 of how Hugh Jackman proved how committed he was to the film project. For the last reading/workshop in early 2016 with the top FOX execs ( prior to the film greenlight), Hugh had a surgical procedure for his recurring skin cancer condition the day before...and was told by his doctors not to sing as this might break the surgical stitches. Someone ( Jeremy Jordan both from Broadway and TV) was asked to sing some of his songs. For the final song with the ensemble, as Jeremy Jordan began singing, Hugh Jackman( despite doctors precaution) suddenly stood up and started singing over Jeremy's vocals! He continued it till the end - and everyone was shocked ...and delighted at the same time! A real showman, indeed!
|
|
baj2
Sophomore
@baj2
Posts: 265
Likes: 94
|
Post by baj2 on Jul 26, 2017 6:41:54 GMT
I am relentless The major cast singing ONE DAY MORE at the 2013 Oscars -- Hugh's Valjean's SOLILOQUY -- Here's Russell's most important song from Les Mis -- STARS!
|
|
|
Post by geode on Aug 2, 2017 7:51:30 GMT
How ironic and sad that a movie about Barnum is being made in the year that his circus has been killed by people who don't like the circus. Indeed
|
|
|
Post by leesilm on Aug 3, 2017 16:20:22 GMT
Yes, the Nullah part was very poignant. It was also brilliantly acted and he almost stole the scenes with Nicole and Hugh. Back to Les Mis ( I will convert you yet - just kidding ) Have you seen this concert number -- Russell and his band held a small concert at Joe's Pub in NYC and had Hugh and Samantha B among the people who joined him onstage. This was before the movie was released -- This is the counterpart dramatic scene from the movie -- There are other songs in the concert, one which includes Kevin Durand, if I am not mistaken. Greatest Showman -- I never saw the two circus movies you mentioned. I understand that while the storyline is focused on a circus setting, based on a recent Jackman interview, the main theme is supposed to emphasize individuality -- talent/creativity/hard work as the road to success ...and in this movie, that was the road towards becoming the first showbusiness entrepreneur for Barnum. I am probably the opposite in my musical tastes -- I do like dramatic elements introduced into the storytelling and characterizations because I am a great fan of acting... and singing/dancing, while very enjoyable, to me complements the acting/storytelling more. That is why I like dramatic musicals ( Les Mis... my other favorites are Man of La Mancha and Camelot which I all like because of the book ( the storyline/script) and the musical score. I like Andrew Lloyd Webber a lot and except for his more recent works, I have practically seen almost all of his musicals ( my fave is Aspects of Love and Sunset Boulevard, one has a controversial book of Bohemian affairs of the heart... and the other is a faithful adaptation of the Billy Wilder film classic)...Also a great fan of other composers ( Rodgers & Hammerstein and some Lerner & Lowe)...and to me Sondheim is a bit of an acquired taste ( did you ever see the film adaptation of Sweeney Todd with Johnny Depp - another dramatic musical and arguably Sondheim's best work...although Sondheim also did the lyrics of Oscar winner West Side Story). I am great musical theatre fan and have been for a long time ( but my preference is more of dramatic musicals). I saw Les Miserables a long time ago and saw it again and again over the years on many venues. Also, I have actually seen Hugh perform live in Oklahoma! ( London), The Boy from Oz/ Back on Broadway ( both on Broadway) as well as two straight plays ( A Steady Rain and The River). He does have an electrifying stage presence - even more charismatic than on film! Also, he is usually accessible at the stagedoor ( except of course you have to "fight" it over with other excited fans - LOL) when he arrives and leaves the stagedoor - he spends a bit of time with fans and even answers questions quite candidly. Occasionally, you would sometimes see him walk from the street corner to the theatre ( to the utter surprise of people walking along). Of those you mentioned - I saw both live stagings and film adaptations of Phantom, Hairspray, and White Christmas -- with different personal reactions ... I do like Phantom for its intense theatricality and the musical score, Hairspray would fall under so-so, while Mamma Mia! is a jukebox musical where the book/script did not fit the songbook chosen from ABBA - sorry! I liked the movie mostly because of the Greek Island setting - love that background! Love Amanda ... and I had seen Dominic C before on Broadway ( History Boys). White Christmas - I watch the film version with Crosby and Kaye every Christmas ( just as I also watch The Nutcracker every holiday season) ...and I also saw a later stage adaptation ( a little disappointing). Beauty and the Beast - I was a fan of the animated original musical mainly because of the musical score... and I saw a stage version twice. Did you know Hugh was Gaston in the original Australian stage production? Although I am a great musical theatre fan - love overtures - I also appreciate straight plays a lot. In A STEADY RAIN, Hugh and Daniel Craig played against type -- Hugh was an Alpha male rogue cop who was loud and blustery...while Daniel was his best friend, a recovering alcoholic rogue cop who seemed low-key but turned out to have some ulterior motives. Loved that one -you can hear a pin drop in the theatre -- as we watched the two actors ( no other cast- just the two of them) emote in a very gritty and gripping atmosphere. I guess my love for drama shows up again Spielberg showed some early interest to direct a film adaptation ( an early script was completed) but it never happened. THE GREATEST SHOWMAN is a long-gestating Jackman project - it was first announced in 2009! The early readings/workshops ( 4 of them, over a span of a few years) of the evolving musical score were done with Broadway actors/actresses - the only Broadway personality who was actually cast in a featured role is Keala Settle ( the Bearded Lady) who sings THIS IS ME in the trailer background. Also, did you know Michelle Williams did a Broadway musical a few years ago ( Cabaret)...people will probably be surprised that she has Broadway-caliber singing skills? But it is the scene of Michelle and Hugh dancing on the rooftop which looks very exciting. Rebecca Ferguson ( Mission Impossible et al) also has a musical background but I have not heard her sing -- she plays the singer Jenny Lind who was one of Barnum's theatrical attractions. I saw Zac in High School Musical and Hairspray so I guess his musical versatility is already established. I have seen a brief clip of Zendaya singing, so this would be mainly a first time for me to see her musicality. Director Michael Gracey shared a story at CineEurope 2016 of how Hugh Jackman proved how committed he was to the film project. For the last reading/workshop in early 2016 with the top FOX execs ( prior to the film greenlight), Hugh had a surgical procedure for his recurring skin cancer condition the day before...and was told by his doctors not to sing as this might break the surgical stitches. Someone ( Jeremy Jordan both from Broadway and TV) was asked to sing some of his songs. For the final song with the ensemble, as Jeremy Jordan began singing, Hugh Jackman( despite doctors precaution) suddenly stood up and started singing over Jeremy's vocals! He continued it till the end - and everyone was shocked ...and delighted at the same time! A real showman, indeed! I agree- the little boy was phenomenal and he really did just-almost steal the movie from everyone. I honestly have a slight obsession with that movie, so any time someone tells me they want to see something a bit different (i.e. not another super-hero movie or a sequel or heavy scifi), I recommend AUSTRALIA. Especially to friends who like period films and/or enjoy cowboy movies. I even have a friend who generally hates movies that aren't John Wayne/Kevin Cosner westerns, and he LOVED the movie AUSTRALIA when I got him to watch it. (On a side note, I also got him obsessed with Russell Crowe's MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD, since he is a Russell Crowe fan from 3:10 TO YUMA and THE WATER DIVINER.) I welcome the attempts to get me converted. I had seen part of that, though not in as good a quality! Thank you for the link! I actually do enjoy live performances. The new EMPIRE magazine (the one that has the '100 Greatest Movies of all time' stuff on the front and one of the covers is Indiana Jones, another is the Godfather) has an article about GREATEST SHOWMAN and it talks about how long Jackman has been chasing this and trying to get it to go to film, and how he was really going into the stuff about Barnum's life from starting the show to an affair he had with a singer. The article sounded like the writer of it was looking forward to the movie almost as much as Jackman. My friends find it funny, my favorite songs [from the radio, soundtracks, etc.] are almost exclusively sad or super dramatic songs, but when it comes to actual musicals- I like them very much to be like the old WHITE CHRISTMAS movie. Now for westerns and such, I like dramatic movies and such, just not musicals for some reason. And yes, I have seen the Depp version of SWEENEY TODD. The advantage of having several theatre-groupie friend is that you end up watching a lot of movies and shows you'd normally never consider. I admit, for TODD, they mostly talked me into viewing it due to the cast- Depp, Rickman, etc. Even had one friend bribe me into going to see INTO THE WOODS with her, when it came through theatres, in part because I had enjoyed Depp's turn as Todd and thought he was going to have a substantial role in WOODS. I was surprised how much I enjoyed TODD, since it normally wouldn't be my cuppa tea. Oh yeah, I have heard how wonderful he is with fans when he's performing live somewhere. A former coworker of mine had actually met him a few years ago, although I don't recall what play he was doing at the time. My former coworker was an assistant to an electrician at the time, and he was helping at the theatre and ended up bumping into Jackman. Literally, he had been backing up with equipment in his arms and he backed into someone quite tall, turning to see 'Wolverine' looking back at him. They talked for a minute, and the guy will never stop singing the praises of how nice and how personable Jackman was. It was a nice story to hear in the lunch room, about an actor who always does come across as being rather sweet and down to earth. I've never seen PHANTOM or WHITE CHRISTMAS in any live form, only HAIRSPRAY and MAMMA MIA (I've also seen more versions of JOSEPH AND HIS TECHNICOLOR DREAM COAT, than I'd care to count, due to a close friend's obsession with the play, as well as having seen a high school performance for a relative's school), but I would have to agree about the score of PHANTOM! Very dramatic. Heck, even the music without anyone singing along, can give you chills. And the movie version with Butler and Rossum was simply beautiful to look at, and I loved the very WIZARD OF OZ style thing they did with the black and white- to color- back to black and white. And all the actors did so well with the singing, you could close your eyes and get nearly as much as you get watching the performances on their faces. I did know about that with Jackman, for the Gaston role. I believe there was an interview where he mentioned it, and joked about when his kids learned he had been a Disney villain. I think the interview was circa PRESTIGE or maybe that movie he did with Scarlet Johanson (I can't think of the name of it, but I believe he was some sort of conman in it). And the NUTCRACKER, oh that is a beautiful production to see. There's a local theatre near where I went to school as a kid, and they put on THE NUTCRACKER every Christmas season. My family always went. Supporting your local theatre PLUS getting to see something that truly is a beautiful show (some of their costumes are hand made by a local woman who is about 90 years old and still does some work for them and has for about 50 years) to see, it doesn't get much better than that for geeks. Wow, I still remember picking up a magazine some time ago, and it had a 15-18 page spread about Craig and Jackman being in that. It had tons of pictures, interviews, fan-reviews, and more. I had wanted to see it so badly, though that was never going to happen. And yes, straight plays/stage productions, are awesome to see. One of my favorites I ever saw was in an outdoor theatre, in West Virginia, USA- it was called HONEY IN THE ROCK and it was a dramatization of how the state of West Virginia, came to be a state. I also saw ROCKET BOYS, JUNGLE BOOK, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, and HATFIELDS & MCCOYS there over the years (I have a friend who lives 20 minutes away from that theatre and her son works there as a park ranger, so I visit her in the summers sometimes, and we run over to see a play or two while I'm there), and they are awesome plays- some are musical, others are not, though most are. Have you ever seen the old BBC version of CHRONICLES OF NARNIA from the late 60s? It feels like you are watching a live-performance of the story rather than seeing a TV mini-series type thing. I had heard about it being long-gestating for Jackman. And I did know the actress playing his wife, was a singer and had done shows, though I didn't know it was Broadway (I had assumed, from what I read, it was something more like a stage play that had COUNTRY STRONG type singing from the cast). I heard Fergurson was a singer, though from what I've seen of her (WHITE QUEEN, HERCULES, and RED TENT), I hadn't heard enough to know if she'd need dubbing in SHOWMAN. Sometimes it can be very surprising just how good a singer some actors turn out to be (like how many TREK fans were surprised to learn what a singer Pine was unless they'd already seen the little-heard-of SMALL TOWN SATURDAY NIGHT movie he did pre-TREK, or WEST WORLD's Ben Barnes, or STAR WARS's Daisy Ridley- she sang on Barbara Strisand's new album in a song that also features Anne Hathaway, if memory serves). And yes, we all know Ephron can sing from HAIRSPRAY/etc., and having heard Zendaya on the radio, I figured she could sing prettily. Jeremy Jordon, isn't he the actor from SUPERGIRL and JOYFUL NOISE? But yes, that sounds like stories I've heard about Jackman. Some of my favorite stories with him, are ones about him with the kids on set for movies he's been in. Sometimes his costars even joke about him being a den-mother when his kids and other people's kids were on set, and he would come up with stuff for all the kids to do in order for them to have fun, and not get into any trouble. The world could use a few more Jackman-types in it.
|
|
baj2
Sophomore
@baj2
Posts: 265
Likes: 94
|
Post by baj2 on Aug 4, 2017 22:37:53 GMT
Re the Barbra Streisand album -- if you have heard the whole album, you know that Hugh sang a duet with her. This video has notes from Barbra on how she came up with the material -- . Yes, that Jeremy Jordan -- who actually has a lot of Broadway credits. I guess his most famous role would be the lead in NEWSIES ( stage adaptation of the film with the young Christian Bale -- did you know he can sing and dance, too?). Re Joseph/Coat -- I saw the revival in London with Jason Donovan a very long time ago...and I do have the DVD of the filmed show with Donny Osmond and Maria Friedman. It is a fun show -- did you know that it was ALWebber's first show, composed with his first writing partner Tim Rice... which was of course followed by their masterpiece Jesus Christ Superstar ( controversial then, but not anymore). Re A Steady Rain -- let me share with you a surprising aspect of Hugh's performance. When I see a show ( especially for plays where listening to the spoken word and seeing facial closeups helps understand the play much better) I do get seats that are very close to the stage -- first 5 rows preferably ( front row does not bother me). At the end of A STEADY RAIN, there is a scene where Hugh and Daniel are slumped down on the stage with their feet hanging down - so close that if you were on front row, you could almost reach out and touch them. That was one of the quietest moments in the play as the two buddies reminisced about their young days ( friends since kindergarten) - there was one particularly poignant moment... which left the character of Hugh emotionally affected. Guess what -- I saw tears coursing down from one eye! Ok - I saw the show another time ( I am a repeat watcher for certain shows - I have seen Les Mis 10 times over the years) -- and at exactly the same moment -- I saw the tears coursing down his cheek again. He even wiped it with a finger! Now -- that is the mark of an actor who has internalized the portrayal of the character so well that he could summon those tears at will! I thought it only happened in movies where there could be breaks between filming to put the fake tears on... but this is a live show! Btw, after that scene -- the stage went black...followed by shots being heard...and then the Daniel character started narrating a few things to mark the finale. The shots heard meant that the Hugh character had committed suicide (so I guess when the tears started coming -- he was already thinking of ending his life -- was it an act of cowardice...or an act of nobility because of the circumstances -- the audience is left to think about it!). But sometimes, there are also disappointing shows, especially for classics. Before I saw the show, I even tried to study the play, as I am always wary that classic plays are only better understood if one is prepared. So, I was excited to see Denzel Washington as Brutus in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar -- but how disappointing. In the first place, it was modernized as if the events were happening in modern times ( instead of the Roman senate -- it was a corporate boardroom and the fights that happen there). But was what more disappointing was how Denzel handled his role. He could not enunciate well and he spoke too fast, a great contrast to his classically trained actor associates who shone in the show. During intermission, the person sitting next to me ( who is a play-lover and does not like musicals too much) simply burst out with :" Why is he speaking so fast?? I could not understand much of what he was saying?". Denzel was not even nominated for a TONY for that role... I guess sometimes the actors have to choose the right material -- he actually won a TONY when he did FENCES years later. I also saw then-very famous Julia Roberts in a three-hander play THREE DAYS OF RAIN. But she was such a disappointment -- not much stage presence ( to which the critics agreed)! Of the three actors, I rated Paul Rudd ( yup, AntMan) first...followed by an unknown actor to me, named Bradley Cooper *wink*. They stole the show from her! Talk about surprises -- I had seen Daniel Radcliffe in a revival of a musical ( How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) -- he was very good singing and dancing...and acting! Unfortunately, he will forever be Harry Potter in the eyes of many. Back to movies -- and Showman -- there is some awards buzz about Keala Settle ( the bearded lady who sings the song from the trailer). There was a recent event sponsored by the Golden Globes people re announcements of multi-million grants that their association ( Hollywood Foreign Press Assn) has given away. Keala provided the entertainment and sang THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL -- and as reported by Deadline Hollywood -- people were so impressed with her performance, creating possible Jennifer Hudson-like buzz for her role in Showman. There are three other ladies in the movie -- Michelle Williams ( who has been nominated for an Oscar 4 times, the most recent being Manchester by the Sea), Rebecca F and Zendaya... and now it seems, an unbilled actress among the major cast may actually steal the show Keala was the actress who sang the same song (This is Me) in the final reading of the musical score of SHOWMAN for top FOX execs and so impressed the execs that the FOX CEO/Chairman hugged her and told her " Young lady -- you just signed your contract for your first Hollywood movie!". Sounds like a fairy tale, huh? So many new YTube sites trying to upload the trailer song on its own! THE GREATEST SHOWMAN is going to be such a contrast for Hugh, following LOGAN!
|
|
baj2
Sophomore
@baj2
Posts: 265
Likes: 94
|
Post by baj2 on Aug 4, 2017 23:07:28 GMT
Here's another version of THIS IS ME ( the trailer song for THE GREATEST SHOWMAN) --
Before he filmed LOGAN and THE GREATEST SHOWMAN, Hugh held a series of shows ( based on his Back on Broadway show) in his native Australia. He introduced a new song from his film project (Showman) as part of the show -- unfortunately, this is NOT the entire clip ( the first part of the song was truncated in this clip) but it gives you an idea on how compelling this theme song is. It will of course not be staged in the same way in the movie...and it is supposed to be sung by THE BEARDED LADY ( and maybe Barnum will not be a part of it).
|
|
baj2
Sophomore
@baj2
Posts: 265
Likes: 94
|
Post by baj2 on Aug 4, 2017 23:15:44 GMT
There is a full version ( also from another unofficial clip of the show) but the audio is not great - but it gives you a better idea of the song.
The entire clip is the second part of his show taken and uploaded by an audience member -- you have to fast-forward to around 42'30" to get to THIS IS ME.
|
|
baj2
Sophomore
@baj2
Posts: 265
Likes: 94
|
Post by baj2 on Aug 4, 2017 23:23:03 GMT
And he really is a Great Showman! At the 2009 Oscars, in case you haven't seen this --
|
|
baj2
Sophomore
@baj2
Posts: 265
Likes: 94
|
Post by baj2 on Aug 4, 2017 23:40:08 GMT
And if you haven't seen this -- from one of the previous TONY awards shows. This was before NPH hosted the Oscars and before he won a TONY himself.
|
|
|
Post by leesilm on Aug 8, 2017 17:35:07 GMT
Actually, I have not heard the whole album, I have a friend who is a rather big fan of D.Ridley, and she sent me a link to listen to that song, and I'm a fan of H.Jackman and C.Pine so I found the links for their songs- and honestly, I'd listen to either man sing all day. The only thing I didn't like about RISE OF THE GUARDIANS is that we never got to hear either of those two singing, but it wasn't a Disney movie, so no singing. I had never seen J.Jordan live, only in SUPERGIRL and JOYFUL NOISE. Thought he did a good job in both, I actually ship his character with Kara/Supergirl on that show, and I really like his character. Someday I'll have to actually sit down and watch the show, in order, without distractions. I did not know that about it being his first show. When I was helping out the stage crew for the local production of JOSEPH/COAT, I caught the cast watching the Donny Osmond DVD, and I had to work hard not to laugh. I was supposed to be helping two of the 'kids' in the crew figure out how to use a table saw, not watching a bunch of people fawning over Donny Osmond. I liked the live version at the local theatre, better than the Donny O. DVD version, as it had some added fun with them having to reuse actors due to such a small cast. The Pharoh was the same actor who played Joseph's father, plus he also played 2 other non-speaking parts - the actor playing one of Joseph's brothers was also one of his jailors, a dancer in another scene, plus he was a townsperson in a later scene. That's one of the greatest parts about small theatres- you can see these shows and not even notice that kind of thing the first time around, plus it gives the actors a chance to flex their muscles. Wow, that is amazing. I mean, it's Jackman so I'm not surprised he was That Good at the tear/breaking up for people, but that is amazing! And I understand what you mean about front rows. They don't bother me most of the time, unless there will be things like gunfire or whatnot on stage, in which case I want my eardrums to have some distance from the musketfire. And I don't blame you about seeing shows multiple times. There's a local set of plays I have gone to see every summer (they have a lot of actors who are teachers at a nearby university, mostly from the performing arts department) and it is the same 3 they do every summer, plus they pick a new Broadway play each summer and then a random musical as well, and I've seen some of those shows about 30+ times, plus one year they had the Broadway BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, which I saw four weekends in a row. I don't blame you at all, sometimes shows are just so beautiful or so well done (or even the theatre itself is just an experience) that you have to return. Wow, yeah that's bad. I had heard similar things about both Washington and Roberts in live shows. Sometimes I think some actors are meant only to be movie-actors where they have camera angles, lighting, musical effects, etc. to guide the audience with them - other actors are meant for a stage with big presence, projection, intimate audience interaction, and then there are the blessed few who could be on a stage, in a blockbuster, in a BBC mini-series, or anything else they may wish to attempt. I have heard good things about Jake Gyllenhaal and Richard Armitage in live shows, and I know they are both very good in their movies, but not every actor can do that. I had heard Bradley Cooper was quite the scene-stealer. There was some TV show he did where they asked him to sing and dance (ELLEN maybe? I don't recall) and he did an excellent job. I certainly do hope he gets a few scripts that allow him to do that on film once or twice. Exactly, the local radio station actually had a bit about SHOWMAN and the DJ kept talking about how amazing she thought the 'bearded chic' was, and how beautiful her singing voice was. She was raving about the 'bearded chic' being one of the most amazing singers she'd heard in a long time, so then she started pulling out articles from the internet and magazines she had found, all to the same effect. They loved the voice of this woman who did not have her name appearing above the title on the poster, yet she was probably going to steal the show when the movie came out in December. Oh gosh, I still remember coming out of the theatre from going to see KATE & LEOPOLD and hearing people who'd only seen Jackman in X-MEN, all talking about how they couldn't believe Leopold was Wolverine. It was blowing their minds! (Fun fact, the guy who causes the time-jumping issues would later go on to be Wolverine's half brother/AKA Sabertooth.)
|
|
baj2
Sophomore
@baj2
Posts: 265
Likes: 94
|
Post by baj2 on Aug 12, 2017 4:03:30 GMT
|
|
baj2
Sophomore
@baj2
Posts: 265
Likes: 94
|
Post by baj2 on Aug 16, 2017 23:23:00 GMT
So this is how you pose for famed photographer Annie Leibovitz
|
|
baj2
Sophomore
@baj2
Posts: 265
Likes: 94
|
Post by baj2 on Aug 16, 2017 23:28:23 GMT
Featured on ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY --
|
|
baj2
Sophomore
@baj2
Posts: 265
Likes: 94
|
Post by baj2 on Aug 16, 2017 23:33:55 GMT
Also, from the same Entertainment Weekly feature -- Very interesting and exciting insights re filming.
|
|