NINE - "Cinema Italiano"

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 7:49pm

"Cinema Italiano" from the movie musical of NINE will be shown in part on tomorrow's ET.

They showed a tiny clip tonight, looks fun and sexy!

The song is a lot of fun in a swinging Burt Bacharach/Shirley Bassey sort of way.

I love the "Guido, Guido, Guido" part! So catchy!

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Updated On: 11/15/09 at 07:49 PM

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 8:59pm

I saw a screening of the movie last night, and I liked this number.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 9:03pm

OH! Wonderful! One of "us" has finally seen it!

Can you give us the dish, #1Elphie?

What was your favorite number? Was "Only With You" in the cut you saw? How did you like "Take It All" versus "Be On Your Own"? Was "My Husband Makes Movies" the highlight, along with "A Call From The Vatican", as many of you lucky screeners have said, and, if not, what song was your favorite? Is "Cinema Italiano" out of place or does it work to lighten the mood and give a little more variety to the score that remains?

We're DYING to know EVERYTHING so anything you can give us will be very appreciated!

Thanks!

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[#1Elphie]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 10:34pm

Unfortunately, I am SO not the person to answer your questions. I didn't see the stage musical, so this was my first experience with Nine. *hides with embarrassment* But I'll tell you what I can.

"My Husband Makes Movies" was my favorite musical number; it really stood out to me. I thought Marion Cotillard's performance was absolutely wonderful. She somehow managed to exude vulnerability and an inner strength simultaneously. And she sang beautifully. "Take it All" was another one of Marion's songs, right? If it's the one I'm thinking of, I enjoyed it very much.

Yes, "A Call from the Vatican" was also a highlight. I loved Penelope Cruz; she just oozed sex appeal in that number, and she also gave a very layered performance.

I thought "Cinema Italiano" worked because of the contrast it provided. It was such a sensory overload (loud and sparkly with lots of movement and dancing and flashes), but the next scene had such a different mood, and I thought its tone was enhanced because it was so different from the previous scene ("Cinema Italiano"). So the fact that the song seems out of place actually made it fit in my mind.

I'm sorry, I don't know "Only With You." I don't remember it, so that may mean it wasn't in the cut I saw.

I wasn't crazy about Nicole Kidman, but I'm usually not, so maybe that's just my bias talking. I've heard Laura Benanti sing "Unusual Way," so Kidman's version was disappointing. But I was surprised at how small her role was. That was her only song, and I don't think she was in the movie for more than 10 minutes.

I was pleasantly surprised with Fergie; I'm not usually a fan of hers, but I thought she did a great job with her small part.

I just realized I haven't mentioned Daniel Day Lewis yet. He's one of my favorite actors, and I loved him in this. I was pleasantly surprised by his beautiful voice, and he seemed perfect for the role. He was very charming. Oh, and Judi Dench was very funny and made the most of her small role.

One thing that confused me was the accents. There seemed to be a few different accents floating around. Not sure if that's normal.

Overall I loved the movie. I thought Daniel Day Lewis, Marion Cotillard, and Penelope Cruz gave fabulous performances, I liked the cinematography, and I enjoyed the story and the music. I'm sorry I can't provide the perspective of someone familiar with the show, but I can do my best to answer more questions.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 10:59pm

OH, how fantastic! WHAT detail! Thank you SO SO MUCH!

You answered all my questions and more! How great to hear such a positive response from what I assume is a relatively tough critic! I think it actually works in your favor not to be familiar with the musical beforehand as the film seems to be its own thing even more than CHICAGO or SWEENEY were. As it SHOULD be, given the subject and source material. So glad you enjoyed it so much!

Wow! So happy to hear "Cinema Italiano" is doing what it was intended to do and at least worked well for you! There have been rumors going around recently that it would be severely truncated following a less than enthusiastic response at the test screenings. I guess we will all be able to voice our opinions on at least that number after the ET premiere tomorrow.

One last question: yes, "Take It All" is Marion's 2nd song (it replaced "Be On Your Own" in the stage version) and I have to ask what sort of style is the song? Is there any other song or performer or style of music you can think of to characterize it? Is it fast, slow, does it build...? Sort of like how I described "Cinema Italiano" as a fun, swinging, Bacharach by way of Shirley Bassey style song...

Thanks again for that super detailed review!

Oh, and one or two more questions: if you have seen CHICAGO would you say that this is as good a film as that, better or worse and why? Since CHICAGO and NINE both share the same cinematic creative team (Marshall/Deluca/Bebe/Myhre/Atwood) would you ever guess as much, particularly since the "musical in the mind" concept is shared by the two films? In other words: does it feel like CHICAGO 2 or have a been-there-done-that feel to it?

You rock!

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Updated On: 11/11/09 at 10:59 PM

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 11:25pm

Thank you for the encouragement! I'm afraid I'm not the most discerning critic at all, but I'm trying.

I can see why some people might not respond well to "Cinema Italiano," but it was only after that song, in the next scene, that I really appreciated its inclusion (because of that contrast I mentioned). I'm not crazy about Kate Hudson. But yeah, I still think the scene worked in context. I'm interested to see if it stays in the movie now that you told me it hasn't received positive reception. I haven't read any other comments on the movie, so I have no idea what the popular opinion is!

I wish I could remember more about "Take It All." Unfortunately what really sticks out in my mind are the visual images of that scene rather than the music. The scene was just heartbreaking to me. It's a sad song, and it's definitely slower than it is fast. I'll try to remember more, but unfortunately I'm not much help in this arena. I didn't realize it was a new song, and it seemed to fit right in.

I liked Nine better than Chicago. I did notice a similar style because of the "musical in the mind" concept that you brought up, but that didn't make it feel like the creative team was just rehashing the same old thing. It has a different tone to it. I think it's more visually stunning (there were some gorgeous shots), and I enjoyed the performances more.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 11:37pm

You are, to quote SISTER ACT, fabulous, baby!

Thanks SO much and actually you answered my question about "Take It All" better than I asked it! I am so stoked that it works well and feels so integrated into the score and film.

And it's not like everyone dislikes "Cinema Italiano", but now that I've heard more of it I think a lot of that probably comes from the fact that it is so different from the rest of the score that it may be jarring to many. But the CONTRAST, as you pointed out, is what makes it work. That's the best news I could hope for. And the only recent comment regarding that song's length that I've heard is that they may trim a verse from it or cut it down, but certainly not remove it altogether. It seems as though that's just a rumor though, particularly given its big push as the big single (started only today!).

Again, thank you SO much for such a wonderful review! I've been hanging on ever word I can find about this and your review is the best I've come across so far.

If ANY thoughts occur to you, or any little moments that you remember fondly, even mere images you'd like to describe, please tell us! You seem to be the ideal audience for the film so I'm glad that it got such a positive reaction from you!

A few more questions, if you don't mind: Did the creative team or anyone speak before or after the film? Did they say this was the final cut or that work was still being done? Were there credits or a curtain-call style montage of clips at the end ala CHICAGO? Did you fill out survey cards? Were the other audience members seemingly similarly enthusiastic? And did applause occur after any of the numbers (particularly "Be Italian" as that seems to be the showstopper)?


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[#1Elphie]

Posted: 11/12/09 at 5:12pm

I guess spoilers are assumed by now, right? If not,

WARNING, SPOILERS AHEAD!



There's a beautiful moment when we see a flashback of Guido first meeting Luisa in her screen test, and he comes over to her and lets her hair down and her face opens up and she's just gorgeous. I forget his exact line, but he says something to her and it's a really sweet moment. But then, before "Take It All," they're watching some screen tests for his latest film and he does the same exact thing with another actress who looks like Luisa. And you can just see Luisa's heart breaking as she sits watching this on screen (and Guido doesn't get it at all). And then, during "Take It All," I think it briefly flashes back to that. And I still have this picture in my head of Marion Cotillard on a lonely, dark staircase; that moment gave me chills. Guido is imagining that in his mind during that number.


SPOILERS OVER


No one from the creative team spoke. We did have to fill out questionnaires, and the person who introduced the film said it was a rough cut and they're still editing.

There was no applause during the film, but there was at the end.

The credits are fun; they show rehearsal footage interspersed with clips from the movie. So, for example, there's video of Kate Hudson rehearsing (looking very plain, in work-out clothes, no make-up) and then they cut to her number in the movie.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/12/09 at 5:46pm

Fabulous!

Your description of that repeated image sounds positively chilling! So great to hear this truly is as detailed and thoughtfully artistic as I had hoped!

I can't wait to see when Luisa DelFiorno first met Guido Contini! Movie musicals can always fill in little moments like this which is why I was hoping for close consideration of all story elements as they apparently have done!

Only about an hour left until "Cinema Italiano" on ET!

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[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/12/09 at 6:36pm

"Three women are leaving Guido at the same time, but only one of them devoted her life to him. Only one of them has been married to him for 20 years. Only one of them is giving up everything in her body and soul. Once we explored it, it did not make any sense for three women to share and participate in the depth of despair and anger that only one of them had really earned. So we restored it to a solo.

"I saw Marion Cotillard's movie three times, and 'Take It All' is as much inspired by Marion Cotillard as 'Folies Bergeres' was inspired by Liliane Montevecchi. I think that's, sometimes, when you do your best work because you realize 'Nothing that I write makes any sense if I don't have a brilliant actor to put it across the footlights to the audience.' Here, I knew I was writing for the specific gifts of a brilliant actress."

Kate Hudson also rates a new number â?? because, as a Vogue writer in Rome, she was uniquely suited to fill in some important background blanks for a modern audience.

"The greatest sin that you could make in a musical is to make an assumption that the audience knows all this before they come into the theatre. Quite the contrary. Why would younger audiences today know about the '60s? You need to give them this information so they can understand the nature of the character of Guido, the nature of his world, that he is the king of Italian cinema. The 1960s was a time when the whole sweep of Italian art films was thrilling the world. This was a world of glamour and style. Remember skinny ties, pointed leather shoes, the sports cars, the sunglasses? Remember café latte and the mod clothes, stars like Marcello Mastroianni and Claudia Cardinale? They exuded class and intelligence.

"Therefore, Kate as a Vogue reporter â?? American to the core, seduced and enchanted by Guido's work, by his style, by his world â?? can educate contemporary audiences about this era while celebrating the 1960s. She can tell us everything about what Italian movies meant to the world at that time by singing 'Cinema Italiano,' a production number in which I could pull out all the stops, characterize her, entertain and, at the same time, depict this whole world that we're talking about."

In truth, the melody of Loren's new song is in the stage show â?? a little waltz in the second act. "I've always been told that a lot of people who know the show consider it their favorite music. It wasn't sung. so I added a lyric. The number replaces a song called 'Nine' which Taina Elg sang as Guido's mother. It was a song for a high soprano. Sophia Loren is not a high soprano, so, in the same way that I was inspired to write certain things for Raul Julia, I was inspired to write 'Guarda la Luna' [Look at the Moon] for Sophia. It accomplishes exactly the same lyric function and dramatic function that the equivalent song did in the stage show, except that it does it in a way that capitalizes on the brilliance of Sophia Loren. That's the thrill of doing this â?? of being allowed to do something fresh, do something that could evolve into a form that would work not only in the film but work for the actor in the film."

A chronic and eternal tinkerer, Yeston believes in going with what you've got and admits to being very susceptible to the talent put in front of him. "I was inspired by Anita Morris to completely rewrite 'A Call From the Vatican.' I was inspired by Liliane Montevecchi to write 'Folies Bergeres,' which never even existed in the score â?? and she won a Tony Award for it. When we did it with Antonio Banderas and Chita Rivera in 2003, the first thing I did was write a new tango for them in the first act. Well, of course. How could I not? I have two showbiz legends on stage. You don't just say, 'Let's make the show literally what it was 20 years ago.'"
Maury Yeston on the new songs and the movie in general Updated On: 11/12/09 at 06:36 PM

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 11/12/09 at 7:01pm

Thanks for posting that! Very interesting. :)

Posted: 11/12/09 at 7:01pm

Great reading both your thoughts and comments.

"One thing that confused me was the accents. There seemed to be a few different accents floating around. Not sure if that's normal."

I think that's par for the course when it comes to any production of Nine, so it's nice to see they're keeping with tradition here

I have a feeling I'll enjoy this more than Chicago (though I tend to be quite hard on Chicago, I think it's a good movie adaptation of a show I just prefer much more on stage)

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/12/09 at 7:09pm

OK, the segment just aired here.

I officially love this song.

Can't wait to hear the whole thing!

I'm smiling from ear to ear!



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[MrMidwest]

Posted: 11/12/09 at 7:12pm

How does Kate sound?

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/12/09 at 7:19pm

FABULOUS.

At the end of the refrain of the song, the build to the big note at the end of all the "Guido, Guido, Guido"'s has a totally rocking riff that she nails. Doesn't sound too auto-tuned either, really good belting.

Did I say that I *LOVE* this song yet?

I can't wait until all the tired old queens come out to b*tch about the rap breakdown section of this song (even though Stephanie has a rap-like patter counterpoint verse in the original in a song that is not in the film) or make the inevitable Madge/"Vogue" comparison, ::shudder::

LOVE it.

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Updated On: 11/12/09 at 07:19 PM

[E.Davis]

Posted: 11/12/09 at 7:26pm

I really enjoyed it....The clip was short but showed some new clips we haven't seen beside "Cinema italiano"

Kate has a really nice voice and sound clear and not overly auto-tuned. It is full and mature...

Also the song is different....give it a chance, ya old bats...:)

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 11/12/09 at 7:49pm

I was pleasantly surprised by Kate Hudson's singing. I agree that it didn't sound autotuned.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/12/09 at 8:21pm

"Cinema Italiano" clip

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 11/12/09 at 8:36pm

The song is great even if it seems a bit out of place with the rest of the score. Though it may not seem out of place in the actual film.
Kate Hudson does sound fantastic, and she seems to be giving an all out musical performance. She's truly channeling her mom and doing so in a marvelous way!

[BreakingTheCircle07]

Posted: 11/12/09 at 8:48pm

I'm on a work computer and that Twitter clip isn't the best quality, so all I can hear in the melody sounds like the Fanta song.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/12/09 at 11:04pm

HQ ET CLIP

[iamchanging9]

Posted: 11/12/09 at 11:10pm

she sounds so much like her mother (good thing).

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 11/13/09 at 1:36am

I agree, iamchanging, not only does she sound like her mother, but she looks just like her in what I think is a very deliberate nod to Hawn, especially since Hudson will be playing an American reporter from the era.

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/13/09 at 1:39am

Apparently Cruz showed a clip of her VATICAN on Leno tonight. Now THAT I want to see.

[Plexsis]

Posted: 11/13/09 at 2:20am

Call From the Vatican clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKYXTiT-rPQ