MAN OF LA MANCHA Film

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 10:37am

I'm watching MAN OF LA MANCHA on Showtime right now.

OMG, I've always heard it was BAD, but I think "turgid" is a more apt description...


Peter O'Toole just "sang" "The Impossible Dream"--with about as much movement and emotion as a wax-work dummy...


Its like a root canal WITHOUT the novacaine...


Anyone else view this? What are your thoughts?

[sabrelady]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 10:40am

Oh lets not forget La Loren for her Hypnotizing portrayal of Aldonza!!!

[Marquise]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 10:40am

the only thing i loved about that movie was the artwork they used for the poster.

[Feodor Sverdlov]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 10:41am

I hated it, but then I wasn't a fan of it stage, either. But, yes, the film really does stink. Even so, I liked Sophia! Even in her songs, which I prefer to the overrated Joan whats-her-face with the transition issues. And, I saw her on stage.

Updated On: 4/5/05 at 10:41 AM

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 10:44am

Methinks you are referring to Joan Diener, Feodor...


She was also in the original cast of KISMET...

[Feodor Sverdlov]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 10:47am

Yes, I hated her voice.

[Marquise]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 10:50am

Feodor,

I bet you wouldn't say that if Julie Andrews had played "Dulcinea/Aldonza".

[Marquise]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 10:50am

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 10:53am

It is a masterpiece compared to the production Jarico and I saw in Madrid recently. The director obviously had no clue about the concept of the show.

Precurtain consisted of the Spanish cast CD playing in the theatre. That was our first clue. All the music was prerecorded. During the overture, there was a series of short scenes depicting the arrest of Cervantes. In the prison, the sound cue was off for the lowering staircase, so we kept hearing them being lowered long after they were firmly in place. The prison set used a projection as a backdrop which was projected directly on all the actors completely obliterating their faces. By this time, we were laughing hysterically.

During "I, Don Quixote", as Sancho was dressing Cervantes, he accidentally knocked his microphone out of whack causing lots of noise and eventual failure. We couldn't hear Snacho for the next 15 minutes. Instead of the mule dance, they wheeled the actors out on gigantic statues of a horse and mule. At that point, the entire prison presence was firmly abandonded, never to be seen again (at least in the first act). Because the music was prerecorded and the sound cues were all over the place, many times the actors would simply place themselves and wait out the musical vamps in silence until it was time to sing, which could have been amusing if it were not so incredibly DULL.

During "It's All the Same", the stage was washed in a variety of solid colors somewhat in the bewildering style of the film version of South Pacific, but with complete disregard to musical phrasing or timing. It seemed completely at random. The end of the first act (we were PRAYING for an intermission), there was an entire dream sequence which consisted of a wedding between Quixote and Aldonza complete with an elegantly dressed dancing court of lords and ladies. It was painful to stay that long. Not surprisingly, we did not stay for the second act.

For this, they charged 50 Euros for orchestra seats. For the first time in my life, I really felt we deserved a refund for the travesty we witnessed on stage. Luckily, we bought the cheap seats and were upgraded for free because there was only about 30 people in the audience. The only good thing I can say about the production was that the cast had some great singers.

Now I love the film version.

Updated On: 4/5/05 at 10:53 AM

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 10:57am

INTERMISSION, Mister Matt???


The original stage production of MAN OF LA MANCHA on Broadway was presented in one long ACT--NO Intermission...

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 10:58am

I know! That's why we were praying so hard hoping there would be an intermission in this production. It was so horribly misconceived, we knew there had to be one.

[Feodor Sverdlov]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 10:59am

It's funny how one production can put another into perspective. I always bad-mouthed the 1958 production of SOUTH PACIFIC, until I saw the remake with Glenn Close. Now, I appreciated what a masterwork the original film is!

Updated On: 4/5/05 at 10:59 AM

[Feodor Sverdlov]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 11:00am

Feodor,

I bet you wouldn't say that if Julie Andrews had played "Dulcinea/Aldonza".


I didn't say it when Sophia Loren played Aldonza. Only Joan Diener.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 11:23am

It JUST ENDED.


As Tennessee Williams said in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, "Sometimes there's God so quickly."

[Feodor Sverdlov]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 11:27am

Did they show it in widescreen or did they crop it? I can't watch a cropped film. Not that it really matters, it's so poorly made.

[Jon]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 11:38am

No one has mentioned James Coco, who played Sancho, who should be a lovable simpleton, as if he were as sophisticated
Manhattanite.

And no one mentioned the fact that O'Toole sings for himself, EXCEPT the high notes - so you have this effect:

(O'Toole's small thin voice) To reach... the unreachable...

(totally different huge operatic voice) STAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:47pm

As most of you know by now - Man of La Mancha is my favorite piece of musical theatre - I've been blessed to be able to do the show several times in my career and I never grow tired of the story or the music. I've kept myself from renting the film because of all the negative things I've heard about it and you are all re-confirming this in my mind. There's a really wonderful book called "The Impossible Musical" written by Dale Wasserman - its a fascinating look at the creation of Man of La Mancha from the beginning - when it was only a non-musical Television script - and its really a wonderful read - I highly recommend it.

[AndyHardy]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 2:19pm

Thanks for the info Redhot. I'll look for that book.

As for that "film" of La Mancha, I have tried at least seven times to watch it. It truly is horrid. Can't think of anything good to say except that it makes the film of "Camelot" look like a masterpiece by comparison.

...and I think Peter O'Toole is one of our greatest movie actors.

Updated On: 4/5/05 at 02:19 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/5/05 at 2:30pm

My favorite rendition of "The Impossible Dream" is the one recorded by Ethel Merman on the impossibly-camp album "Ethel's Riding High."

The lugubrious tempo and Bolero-like accompaniment are giggle-inducing, and she takes a glass-shattering high note at the end of the song that is simultaneously thrilling and laughable.

Equally crazy are her renditions of "What Kind of Fool Am I?" and "Sunrise, Sunset." It's available now on a twofer CD with Merman Sings Merman. I play it at the gym, which tells you all you need to know about me.
Merman Sings Merman/Ethel's Ridin' High