Barnum has a pro shot?!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/11/24 at 6:34pm

On Amazon Prime.

From the London Production, 1987, starring Michael Crawford. 

 

I have to admit, my memory of having seen this on Broadway was MUCH better than what I just experienced, but time and memory are strange bedfellows. 

[George in DC]

Posted: 2/11/24 at 7:18pm

The London production had none of the charm or wonder that the Broadway production had.  I can't get through the pro shot. Jim Dale was hypnotic and Michael Crawford is his usual hammy self, - vulgar and uninteresting. Also Broadway had the quiet beauty of Glen Close, not to mention the wonderful Terri White.

Updated On: 2/11/24 at 07:18 PM

[CJRochester]

Posted: 2/11/24 at 8:37pm

I feel like I've seen this, the one with Crawford. Maybe it was on PBS at some point, perhaps years (or decades) ago? 

[pmensky]

Posted: 2/11/24 at 8:42pm

It says 1986 on IMDb as the release date, but I’m pretty sure I saw it on PBS years before that. Crawford started doing that production in 1981. 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 2/11/24 at 8:45pm

This was his second time appearing in production of the show, a return season in London after - I believe - a UK tour, and was indeed filmed in the mid 80s long after he first played the role. This might be why it’s a bit more “Crawford” than it otherwise might have been back in ‘81.  

[Jarethan]

Posted: 2/11/24 at 9:12pm

dramamama611 said: "On Amazon Prime.

From the London Production, 1987, starring Michael Crawford.



I have to admit, my memory of having seen this on Broadway was MUCH better than what I just experienced, but time and memory are strange bedfellows."

I thought that Barnum was mediocre when it originally opened, so your memories may have gotten over time. Jim Dale, coming off his star-making performance in Scapino, was the reason to see it, although there were some good songs and at least one good production number.  I seem to remember that it had a very small cast…am I remembering correctly?  I know GC was in it, but don’t remember anything about her performance.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/11/24 at 9:25pm

I actually didn't get to see Dale, he was on his honeymoon, if I'm remembering correctly. I saw TONY ORLANDO who I thought was terrific.

I don't remember how big the cast was, but I do remember Glenn Close. Fell in love with her. She was so warm and sad... Very unlikely the film! 

 

 

Edited to add: looked up on IBDB, cast of 21, not including understudies.  Terrance Mann was in this, too! And Lillias White (replacement)

Updated On: 2/11/24 at 09:25 PM

[John Adams]

Posted: 2/11/24 at 11:02pm

I've owned the DVD of this for many years. I watched it only once.

The strike may have benefited folks in the industry (and I don't necessarily begrudge them that) but it's been horrible for consumers. Even though the strike's been settled, content on streaming services and OTA TV remains poor.

Where rentals used to be between $3 and $5 before the strike, now Amazon wants $20. They've also implemented commercials into their content. Hulu isn't quite as bad, but they also still lack new content.

Fortunately Amazon isn't charging for "Barnum", but it does demonstrate how low they're scraping the barrel to post any content that might not have been previously viewed.

[jpbran]

Posted: 2/11/24 at 11:16pm

The $20 rentals have been around for a while — long before the strikes — and are the same across Amazon, iTunes, etc.  They’re movies that are still in the theater and all drop to $5-ish after a while (generally when theatrical window ends.).

[Jarethan]

Posted: 2/12/24 at 12:09pm

jpbran said: "The $20 rentals have been around for a while — long before the strikes — and are the same across Amazon, iTunes, etc.They’re movies that are still in the theater and all drop to $5-ish after a while (generally when theatrical window ends.)."

No, it started because of COVID.  Pre-COVID, you did not have movies playing in theatres and on streaming at the same time.  That started with COVID.  I THINK Disney was the first to do it with Mulan.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/12/24 at 1:20pm

Jarethan said: "No, it started because of COVID. Pre-COVID, you did not have movies playing in theatres and on streaming at the same time. That started with COVID. I THINK Disney was the first to do it with Mulan."

There seem to be examples of simultaneous release prior to Covid and even during Covid, Mulan wasn't the first.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simultaneous_release

[ggersten]

Posted: 2/13/24 at 12:27am

I"m more amazed that there are three filmed versions of Stop the World - I Want to Get Off.

I tried to watch the 1966 B/W version - I really tried. Did not know of the later two (Sammy Davis, jr. 1978 TV version and and a 1996 TV version) until I looked up the show on Wikipedia.