A chorus line film... — Page 2

i'd agree "what I did for love" is definitely diana's song.... she sings it on behalf of, and with, the rest of the cast. with cassie singing it in the film, particularly for people who have never seen the stage show, it becomes a song about her relationship with zac. it seems to just dilute the whole focus of everything that's gone on before.

She played the role on stage in the tour and was known as one of the best to ever play the role.

I disagree. Good, yes. Great some days, maybe. One of the best to play the role? Not so much

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"PS: Vicki Frederick was one of the worst things about the film." ~ my2cents



Those are fighting words my dear!!! Someone hold my jewelry while I slap some Vaseline on my face because we are about to scrap!!!

You obviously wouldn't know talent if you saw it. She remains one of the only redeeming qualities of that film along with the other former Broadway cast members in it.

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I think this is one of the few shows that can't translate well to the film medium. The excitement of ACL is the immediacy of being present. It loses the immediacy on film.

Because it doesn't have a linear plot, it's difficult to translate to film. Hair was the same way, but they reworked the movie so that it was more linear. Since ACL depends upon the characters remaining in one specific location, there wasn't much that could be opened up about it.

The worst thing about this movie was Richard Attenborough directing. There was no excuse for hiring him when there were other directors who could have made a better movie.

Think about some of the directors around at that time:
Randal Kleiser (Grease)
Alan Parker (Fame)
Adrian Lyne (Flashdance)

Since music videos were popular at the time of this movie, I'm surprised they didn't take more of a segmented approach to the film. (Not that this would be a good thing). For example, all the characters songs are performed in their respective environments and then the cast coming together at the end to audition and learn their fate.

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Fosse might have done a good job with the direction, but as much as I love his "moves," I wouldn't want to see his style of choreography used for this material.

And Gothampc is right... "Immediacy" is the key. ANY director, no matter how gifted or experienced, who cuts away from the action happening on stage during the audition, is sabotaging the driving force and focus of A Chorus Line.

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While Attenborough was not a great choice to direct the film, truly the main problem lies in the screenplay.

Being a screenwriter myself, I know first hand how strict most studios are in terms of films adhering to a basic three act structure. A CHORUS LINE was a little deceptive, because on the surface it would appear that the musical has no clear protagonist, no real clear antagonist and thus no clearly defined plots points to turn the action of the script.

What happened with the screenplay is that they basically picked characters to fill these necessary "roles" == Cassie the protagonist, Zach == the antagonist and thus fashioned the script and the turning points around their relationship.

If they had really looked at the piece, however (or simply read Syd Field's books) -- they would have realized that just as the protagonist in NASHVILLE is the city (not one person) and the protagonist in NETWORK, is in fact "the Network" == the Protagonist in A CHORUS LINE - is the audition.

Act 1 is the dance combinations. Act 2 is the "line" interviews. Act 3 is the rehearsing of the one combo leading into the "what happens when you can't dance anymore" sequence -- leading to the climax -- Zach's selection.

Zach may be calling the shots, but point isn't his choices or his character -- the point is the nature or character of auditions.

A film director with a little more vision surely would have picked up on this and would have been able to make the film work, but clearly the studio was freaked out by the source
material's unconventional structure.

WonderBoy---I'm very familiar with Bob Fosse's contribution and talent as a choreographer for both stage and film. More than you think. And I still believe he was not the right man for the job. That's why they didn't ask him. (Although I would GLADLY take him over the "flashdance"-in-the-pan talents of Jeffrey Hornaday. God, yuck!)

And Michael---Very nicely put.

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You are TRYING to pick a fight with me?

Pretty much everything that is brought up on the board is tired and old. "New" to each new cycle of posters.

I was merely stating the obvious.

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Not today you haven't, my dear.

It's always nice to hear those sweet words from you

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