A chorus line film...- Page 2

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 2:08am

Well the film is terrible, but as a piece of camp a lot of it is very entertaining (Cassie's asymetrical hair cut, "Watch this - this is right!")

I disagree that Alyson Reed was miscast as Cassie. She played the role on stage in the tour and was known as one of the best to ever play the role. It is too bad that they gave her that dreadful "Let Me Dance" for you song instead of "Music and the Mirror" but that is hardly her fault.

[little donkey]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 2:25am

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.

[jgilmore]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 3:00am

Actually, IMHO, the cast was not the problem. Many of the movie cast actually performed in the Broadway company and were seasoned Broadway performers. The problem was everything else (the choreography, the screenplay and the direction). Echoing the other sentiments: there was no need to open up the story with the flashbacks, no need to change the focus of "What I Did for Love" to Cassie, no need to replace the original choreography, no need to write new (and, IMHO, terrible) songs to replace "Music and the Mirror" and the "Hello 13..." montage. The film would have been best served as a straight-forward adaptation. I will say, however, that I always felt that the "At the Ballet" number was quite striking and theatrical as filmed...if the rest of the movie had been as straight-forward as this, I think it would have been fine.

On a related note, when the new ACL Broadway revival was announced, someone posted a message wondering aloud if it would be filmed for video release (ala Cats, Victor/Victoria, etc.) Here's hoping that Mr. Breglio will indeed have the foresight to authorize this, realizing that this would likely be one of the last chances to preserve Bennett's original staging on film for public consumption, while most of the original cast and crew are still around to supervise and comment on this amazing work.

[CJR]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 10:26am

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

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 10:37am

I agree that in general the cast was not the problem... with a few glaring exceptions.

Michelle Johnston was a fierce dancer as Bebe, but she can't sing AT ALL, she can't act AT ALL... and she's TOTALLY wrong for Bebe. Those lyrics don't make sense coming out of her mouth (out of sync because she had to loop them) in "At the Ballet."

As much as I enjoyed Audrey Landers as Val (her number was one of the only highlights in the film), there is no excuse for not hiring a dancer in the part. It was a bizzare case of "stunt" casting with a C-list celebrity. Hardly worth the artistic cost. They had to cut around her in the ensemble dance sequences, and it's SO obvious that she's just not there in the long shots.

And then there's Michael Douglas. Yes, he's a damn fine actor, but he can't dance a step. So he sits in the audience all the time and never physically connects with the dancers on stage. Tragic. If they wanted a "star" back then, they should have cast Christopher Walken, who was a kick-ass dancer in his day. He would have been perfect as Zack and could have danced right alongside them in the opening number and other spots.

I could go on, but this is giving me a headache. I doubt we'll ever see it done right on film. We'll have to catch next year's revival and be happy with that.

Updated On: 11/21/05 at 10:37 AM

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 11:10am

"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.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 11:10am

CJR -- did you see Reed do the role on stage? This would have been about 1981, and I'm somehow guessing you were pretty young then...

[Gothampc]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 11:11am

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.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 11:14am

Bob Fosse actually really wanted to direct and choreograph the film but was never asked. His reply of not being asked is why he filmed the opening of ALL THAT JAZZ the way he did.

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 11:21am

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.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 11:30am

I disagree. Both Bennett and Fosse defined the choreography of the 70's. Mr Fosse's style is so much more than what people "think" his style is. I'm not gonna go into detail on that again as I've done it in other threads. However, Joe Layton would have been an excellent choice as well.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 11:52am

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.

[CJR]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 11:59am

WonderBoy, thanks for taking the Vicki comment. As you saw, I wasnt going to justify it with the kind of answer the poster was looking.

As for Reed onstage, don't make assumptions, MB What Ive seen and have not seen would no doubt suprirse you.

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 12:15pm

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.

[my2cents]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 12:26pm

I actually removed that comment, cause when i wrote it i was thinking of someon else. Funny how after I remove it the SH it hits the fan. I dont know why but i was thinking of ms landers. I indeed do love ms frederick. so i applogize for being a tired idiot.

But cjr for someone who told me this thread was tired and old, you sure are posting a lot on it. Updated On: 11/21/05 at 12:26 PM

[CJR]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 1:09pm

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.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 2:39pm

CJR ~ have I told you lately that I love you?

[CJR]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 3:00pm

Not today you haven't, my dear.

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

[jimmirae]

Posted: 11/21/05 at 3:13pm

I agree the biggest problem was that screenplay. However, would I like to see it redone or re-filmed now, I'd have to pass. That show was one of those great wonders that you just had to be there to fully GET it. It was also one of the first shows I ever saw with NO intermission - It was simply flawless! Here's to great memories!