Upcoming PBS 'Hamilton' Documentary Puts Us In the Room Where It Happens- Page 2

[sorano916]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 1:05am

Question: could anyone tell the difference between what was filmed as original B-Roll and what was filmed as the entire performance? I just couldn't help noticing Betsy in most, if not all, of the production footage and I'm pretty sure that she wasn't in the show anymore when they filmed the entire performance.

 

I think Chris performing "One Last Time" and talking about Washington was probably the best part, IMHO.

[schubox]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 1:18am

sorano916 said: "Question: could anyone tell the difference between what was filmed as original B-Roll and what was filmed as the entire performance? I just couldn't help noticing Betsy in most, if not all, of the production footage and I'm pretty sure that she wasn't in the show anymore when they filmed the entire performance.

 

I think Chris performing "One Last Time" and talking about Washington was probably the best part, IMHO.

 

"

She wasn't. I actually think none (maybe one or two shots) were from the professional shoot. 

[Valentina3]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 1:25am

Some of it was seemingly shot when the show was at the Public too, by the looks of it. Costumes were different in some shots than the final versions on Broadway.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 1:25am

It seemed like it was all the same footage from the B-Roll to me.

[aaaaaa15]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 1:37am

I understand why they didn't focus any more on Angelica. The documentary was really about Hamilton's life and fitting the narrative of the musical's journey around that. Hamilton's relationship with Angelica is overly exaggerated for the show and the actual significance of her in his life is far less than with Eliza or even John Laurens.

I really enjoyed the doc.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 3:05am

Satisfied is the best song in the show so i was also a little sad at its absence. The whole documentary i thought was fantastic. I don't think any of the footage was from when the filmed it recently (i actually thought they might show us Lin'a last night in the show) but it had more footage than the b-roll i'd seen previously i thought.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 7:03am

I'd have liked the documentary a lot more if it hadn't featured cameos from George W. Bush, Laura Bush, Paul Ryan and some creature from Fox Business News.  Why give vermin like this a chance to polish their reputations by association with an important American cultural event?  A sad sad error.

[indytallguy]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 8:25am

Well maybe they were included because American history and its current citizenry is filled with all types from all parties ... much as the show itself portrays.

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 9:44am

last night on PBS i got a really interesting history lession as well as a taste of the hottest musical to hit Broadway in many years...and i loved both...what really got my attention last night was the homage to STEPHEN SONDHEIM's PACFIC OVERTURES...with the maestro and his co-writer John Weidman...what a lovely moment having those two men of such legendary status talk to the relatively newcomer about history and how it can come alive in a Broadway Musical...Lin-Manuel has learned from the best!...

and one more thought...all great artists learn from those who have proceeded them and moves it forward...and this is the success of HAMILTON...BRAVO to PBS and to Lin-Manuel Miranda!

Updated On: 10/22/16 at 09:44 AM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 9:48am

Consistent with what had been indicated at the time (and notwithstanding which some here continued to think it was otherwise) the only "new" footage in the doc was moments that were not previously filmed or not effectively filmed and that were thus spot shot at the same time that the recording was made. There were dozens of these, many of which were just closeups interlaced with B-roll. Some that I noticed:  My Shot, You'll Be Back, Right Hand Man, Wait for It, Guns and Ships, What'd I Miss, Cab Battle 1, One Last Time, Burn, and everything at the end. 

[macnyc]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 10:07am

I did notice the closeups and was wondering how many cameras were used simultaneously. Thanks for that insight, HogansHero!

I loved the documentary but wanted even more footage of the show. But the clips they did use conveyed very well the excitement of the staging and choreography, etc.

I thought the documentary was very well done and I enjoyed how they animated the old prints. The talking-head historians were great too, and I always like seeing Chernow.

Did anyone see the half-hour that followed it? I guess it was interviews with the cast? I'm recording it again later today and I'll try to get the last half-hour.

Updated On: 10/22/16 at 10:07 AM

[Jimbo2]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 10:20am

I enjoyed it as well. I was just a bit disappointed that Javier Munoz was not included in it at all-I thought he was Lin's "right hand man."

Otherwise, highlight for me was Chris singing "One Last Time." WOW!

[macnyc]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 10:22am

Yes, that struck me too, how excellent Jackson is. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 11:20am

@mac, I believe all of those closeups were set up shots, with only 1-2 actors called. Some clearly had camera angles that would have been shot from on stage. If you read what was actually said at the time, it's clear (to me though obviously not to those who wished to think otherwise) that the doc shots were contemporaneous to the full recording only as a matter of convenience, and it is not even clear that the doc people had access to the latter. 

Re Washington and Chris Jackson, I have always felt Jackson was excellent and perhaps slightly lost in the praise at times. I also think that the play really limns Washington's greatness and importance (while as pointed out not apologizing for his warts). The "___ is easy/___ is harder" theme really shows that. 

[rjm516]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 11:32am

I loved it so much. I can't wait to watch it again. I loved how much Chernow was interviewed and other historians, especially the female (Freeman?) scholar. I also would have loved if Javier could have been at least shown in one measly scene! I thought there was a touch too much footage from the White House when I would have loved some of that to be footage from the show instead (like What'd I Miss, which doesn't have the same zing offstage), but i get that they didn't want to show too much! The most hilarious part (in a bad way) was Paul Ryan talking about how no matter the views of those in government, the most important thing is for officials to respect the law and do their duty as defined by our adopted documents when he has been having a high time for the past year flouting that exact sentiment (re SCOTUS hearings). Aside from that, great choices made.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 2:42pm

macnyc said: "Did anyone see the half-hour that followed it? I guess it was interviews with the cast? I'm recording it again later today and I'll try to get the last half-hour."

i thought the 90-minute presentation was just followed by a re-airing of the entire thing?

[belrowley]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 3:17pm

The additional half hour in the second airing was for pledge drives - there's no additional footage.

[Alexander Lamar]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 3:41pm

Haven't watched this yet, but some might be interested in listening to the latest episode of "The Room Where It's Happening" podcast. They interview the creator of the documentary and he talks about interviewing political figures from both sides, as well as the performance footage. They used as much as they contractually were allowed and not a second less. 

[SueBee06]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 7:20pm

gypsy101 said: "Satisfied is the best song in the show so i was also a little sad at its absence."

 

I saw somewhere (can't remember where for the life of me) Alex (the director) said that, out of context, any clip he used from Satisfied just didn't work as powerfully as the number does on stage. That made him decide not to use it. Disappointing, yes, but at the same time, I can totally respect that - the transition into it and then the song itself are so great, I'd hate to see that diminished at all. 

[Ranger Tom]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 7:40pm

Good documentary.  Enjoyed the history in it and using both Dem and Reps in the discussion. Have a much clearer picture on what drew L-MM's mind and heart to it.  I'm sorry but it didn't do anything to make me want to run out, brave the crowd, pay the price, and see the show.  Maybe someday.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 10/22/16 at 8:32pm

Drat! I was happy to wait till 2000something for Hamilton to show up on TV ... but this documentary has changed all that. Gotta see it.

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 10/23/16 at 1:13pm

Jimbo2 said: "I enjoyed it as well. I was just a bit disappointed that Javier Munoz was not included in it at all-I thought he was Lin's "right hand man."

Otherwise, highlight for me was Chris singing "One Last Time." WOW!

 

I'm such a softie that my eyes welled up with tears during Chris' "One Last Time". It hit an emotional chord. It's the magic of the marriage between a beautiful voice and a beautiful song.