I wonder how Rob Marshall must feel?!?!?!?!?

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 2/24/08 at 10:44pm

Two of his leads in "Nine" just won Academy Awards! That's got to make you feel GREAT!!!!!!

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 2/24/08 at 10:45pm

...That and the whole him winning an Oscar too.

Great for his upcoming film, for sure.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 2/24/08 at 10:46pm

he probably feels pretty damn good.


Does anyone know if Javier can actually sing? (im assuming they wouldnt ahve cast him if he couldn't but has anyone actually heard him?

[lildogs]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 11:32am

And what Oscar would that be Anna? He wasn't a producer on CHICAGO.

[shameless]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 11:35am

The film he directed won an Oscar, no?

[lildogs]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 11:40am

The director doesn't get the Oscar--the producer does.

[tazber]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 11:42am

I just phoned and asked him so we could put this question to rest.
His answer: "gassy".

So there you go,

[shameless]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 11:53am

Well, since the producer has the Oscar in his bathroom, I doubt Marshall even acknowledges the accomplishment.

[lildogs]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 11:55am

Depends on the bathroom...

[Roscoe]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 12:59pm

I hope and pray that Rob Marshall feels really really great, and feels like never directing a major motion picture ever again.

[mmousefan]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 5:18pm

hey ROSCOE as a Marshall fan (admittedly), can I ask politely why? is there a movie musical director currently working that you prefer, like possibly Bill Condon?

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 5:22pm

Oh please, I'm sure he's happy about the Oscar that he really and truly won.

Waha I'm so full of it.

Updated On: 2/25/08 at 05:22 PM

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 6:24pm

Roman Polanski won the Best Director Oscar for "The Piano" but (of course) he couldn't accept it in person because I think he will be arrested if he comes to the U.S. for "raping" a little girl.

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 6:40pm

Who accepted it on his behalf?
What an awkward situation.
"Yeah erm..Roman couldn't be here tonight. I think you know why..."

[lildogs]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 9:34am

Roscoe, you just redeemed yourself from your FARGO hate...back in the heart of this lildog.

mmouse, Rob has only directed two films and a TV movie--hardly an oeuvre--he pretty much stole from and sanitized Fosse in CHICAGO, robbing it of any political and social overtones. Baz Luhrmann and Frank Oz are both better directors, in my worthless opinion.

[mmousefan]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 9:44am

not worthless at all. I also like Oz and Luhrmann (though I didn't care much for Luhrmann's stage direction of BOHEME, it would be nice to see more of his operas---while I generally like Marshall's stage work). It is tough to tell what was really motoring the CHICAGO screen version, Marshall's work or the brilliant screenplay by Condon. However, I don't think the screen version of CHICAGO "sanitized" Fosse anymore than Reinking/Bobbie's revival did. Yes, the revival had more political/social overtones than the film version; I'm just not sure faulting Marshall for that makes sense. And aren't there at least two Marshall TV movies---Midler's GYPSY and Disney's ANNIE (both of which I liked very much, but again that's subjective). Did he also direct the Brandy/Whitney CINDERELLA?

[nygrl23]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 9:46am

Rob Marshall just won't return my calls.

[lildogs]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 9:55am

He choreographed those but only directed ANNIE.

I kinda see what you mean about the Bobbie revival, but it still has an edge that the film didn't have--which was no edge at all.

At least the stage revival casts older Roxies and Velmas, which I think is key to a faithful production--I think they should be borderline repulsive--they're both cold-blooded, gleeful murderers who shouldn't be objects of sympathy...but glamorized for their depravity.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 10:01am

I've posted elsewhere my criticisms of that monstrous abortion known as CHICAGO, and of Rob Marshall's utterly inept direction of it.

[lildogs]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 10:03am

Guess I missed those...

[mmousefan]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 10:05am

thanks ROSCOE, I'll search for your previous post.

LIL DOGS, I can see that point about Roxie/Velma. That is definitely one way of approaching the characters, and probably nearest what Fosse had in mind...though I'm not sure Verdon and Chita would care to hear it.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 10:16am

Here it is, the first and clearest posting on Why I Hate CHICAGO the Movie:

It is my opinion that Chicago is quite simply the worst film ever made. What few virtues the film possesses (a good score, a good plot, some adequate performances) are completely overwhelmed by the sheer awfulness of the execution. Even such classic howlers as Showgirls and Plan Nine From Outer Space are classics of cinema compared with this hyper-caffeinated load of garbage.

The device of having musical numbers take place as Roxie's fantasies is interesting on paper but badly carried out. I don't think it works. Similar devices have been used effectively before, in Pennies From Heaven and All That Jazz, but it is worth remembering that those films were conceived with those devices in mind, as being integral parts of the films/TV series. Chicago grafts this device onto an already existing piece of material, and does a bad job of it. The film spends so much time getting in and out of Roxie's fantasies that it can't work up urgency in the plot, or generate any sexual tension.

The camera work and editing are a mess. The dances are cut to shreds, and the choreography vanishes in a flurry of quick cuts to bizarre camera angles and hand held shots. It starts to look like The Blair Witch Musical after a while.

As for the performances, I can't say I was terribly impressed with anyone. Catherine Zeta Jones shakes her ass, waggles her shoulders, drags on cigarettes, widens her eyes at strategic moments, and gets an Oscar. Renee Zellweger tries her best, but doesn't make much of an impression. Richard Gere smirks his way through the film, which is sort of in character, but his alleged singing only gets worse on repeat viewings. I have to say that I was astonished by the lack of charisma exhibited by Queen Latifah. In other films she is a vibrant and attractive actress, with great energy and intelligence, to say nothing of incredbile sexual energy. I can't imagine what Rob Marshall must have done to get her to deliver the tired by-the-numbers work she does here.

All in all, a travesty. For this piece of junk to be even nominated for any Oscars at all is a joke, one that the Academy will have a hard time living down.

[mmousefan]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 10:21am

thanks, the Search function here (though it has improved a LOT) still won't let you combine searches (as in Poster Name AND keyword, or whatever).

Some interesting points....

[lildogs]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 10:21am

Well, you know, mmouse, in ALL THAT JAZZ, the Fosse character says something to the Verdon character about being too old for the role that is loosely based on Roxie.

I also think you often have to go into that age bracket to find a good Fosse dancer--the ensemble of CHICAGO on Bway right now is quite a bit older than that of say, MAMMA MIA! because the older dancers (as a rule) are the only performers who can execute that fabulous choreography.

[mmousefan]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 10:25am

that's a good point. Though I have seen my share of older dancers in the ensemble of CHICAGO (both NYC and tours) that didn't dance all that well, too.

Yeah, it's really fun to try and parse what parts of JAZZ are referencing CHICAGO and what parts are referencing PIPPIN or other Fosse works....like LENNY.