CHORUS LINE movie

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 10:44am

Never saw this film! How much different is this movie (with Michael Douglas) from the Broadway show? Is it any good? Are all the songs included?

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 10:55am

The movie is very similiar to the show and is actually quite good. "Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love" is cut but is replaced by another song called "Surprise". "The Music and The Mirror" is replaced by "Let Me Dance for You", but the two replacements for these songs are great with nice choreography. Otherwise, all of the other songs are still intact, I believe. Unlike the show, Zach is seen quite frequently. You also see Cassie backstage reminiscing about her days with Zach when the two of them were together.

It's a very good movie. I recommend renting it if you can find it.

[rlbgbc]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 11:06am

Oh, Lord. I beg to dissent. A CHORUS LINE - The Movie was a disappointment. First of all, they "younged" down the cast, making it a tale of showbiz hopefuls trying to get into the business. Which is so NOT what the show was about.

Secondly, the whole Cassie/Zach relationship was stupid in the film. Crissakes, they made "What I Did For Love" a love song for Cassie to sing about her relationship with Zach! That is so NOT what that song was about.

The only part that worked for me in the film was the audition sequence. After that, it was downhill (as if it was ever "uphill"...)

But I found it great fun to try to spot Audrey Landers' dance double.
Updated On: 2/17/04 at 11:06 AM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 11:12am

HORRIBLE!!! One of the worst films ever made. Attenborough, the director lost all of what Michael Bennett did on the stage.

[secret-soul]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 11:53am

It's not a FANTASTIC movie. I think parts of it were poorly done, but certain aspects of it do make it worth watching...sparse as those aspects may be. Terrence Mann is another great addition to the movie. It's not a large part, but Terry is Terry. And I agree that changing "What I did for love" into a Cassie song was not a good idea, but it's beautiful all the same. It's a movie worth watching for it's theatrical quality...but it's a movie all the same (sorry if all that doesn't make sense. I know what I'm trying to say....the words just don't want to come out correctly.)

[Elphie]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 12:24pm

I own the DVD and am dissapointed I purchased it, expecting more from the film. There are highlights, but most of the vocals do not compare to the Broadway Cast and a lot of the songs lost their meaning. Why on earth did the cut "HellowTwelve..?" That is the most excting show number in my eyes. The song they replaced it with pretty much sucked.

[robyn525600]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 12:26pm

Its not the worlds best movie but if you are a fan of theater and that show, it IS worth watching.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 12:32pm

Gotta go with the nay's on this one. A Chorus Line and A Little Night Music are neck in neck for the worst film of a hit musical ever...Chorus Line wins by a hair. The acting--except for Terrence Mann--is soooooo bad.

[LouW95]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 2:45pm

While the movie had some of the songs delivered in the same manner, the entire concept was different. The show was done with mirrors and lights and no outdoor scenes. I was shocked to see the fim begin in a taxi on a bridge. Ruined the simplicity and greatness of the show when they enlarged it. (Almost as bad as mixing all 3 acts of Torch Song to enlarge the mother's role in the film. On the stage, the mother appears only in Act 3 and it was a brilliant performance by Estelle Getty.

[nyctopone]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 4:02pm

How could anyone think there is anything good about this movie. It is best example of taking a wonderful Broadway show, blowing it up, expanding it, changin songs and turning it into crap.
Whose stupid idea was it to hire Attenborough, he didn't understand the show and ruined what should have been a great film.

[CJR]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 4:35pm

Billy Lawlor, are you old enough to have seen ACL on Broadway in all it's glory?

ACL the movie is NOT just like the show -- in fact, it's a horrible representation of the show! While I love the movie for the pure and simple reason that Vicki Frederick is in it, I would not call it fabulous or fantastic. Quite to the contrary -- I would call it campy and sometimes laughable.

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 4:39pm

I've actually never seen the show in all it's glory. But I have seen it very well done at my high school (The Professional Performing Arts High School, so the show was done justice) and I own the libretto with plenty of pictures of the show. I think I know enough about it to compare it to the movie. And yes, Vicki Frederick was a highlight.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 4:44pm

I love the show and I liked the film. Yeah, they're different. Yeah, the film's not as good. But I still like to watch it. I thought the hacked up versions of Pal Joey and On the Town were far worse.

[tkts]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 4:49pm

"A Chorus Line and A Little Night Music are neck in neck for the worst film of a hit musical ever."

I must beg to differ. A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum gets my vote.

[CJR]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 5:02pm

I've actually never seen the show in all it's glory. But I have seen it very well done at my high school (The Professional Performing Arts High School, so the show was done justice) and I own the libretto with plenty of pictures of the show. I think I know enough about it to compare it to the movie.

There's a HUGE difference between having seen it on Broadway, and all the things you mention above.

[Kitzarina]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 5:07pm

The only good part of this movie is the fact that it has Terrance Mann. I saw the movie before I knew anything about the show and really liked it, but once I re-watched it after seeing a production of A Chorus Line, I HATED it!!! They really did young-down the cast, and made it way too 80s. My biggest problem was the dumbing-down of Paul's monologue; it was so much more moving in the stage version!

[CJR]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 5:11pm

And yes, Vicki Frederick was a highlight.

I'm kinda biased though

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 6:04pm

I think you ARE Vicki Frederick, CJR.

Anyway, I never mentioned anything about seeing the show in my original post. I just mentioned the differences in the songs, how Zach is seen, and how Cassie is seen reminiscing backstage. That has nothing to do with seeing the show in all its glory.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 6:22pm

Alas, A Chorus Line has never been made into a movie. That piece of crapola that they tried to sell in the 1980's is as different from the stage show as Phantom of the Opera is from Oklahoma.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 6:22pm

In my humble opinion the film version of A CHORUS LINE is a travesty of stage to film and has to be one of the top 3 worst stage musicals on film since 1960. All of the negative comments already posted pretty sum up the reasons why this is a total failure. The creators of the film appear to have had not even a glimmer of the spine this musical. The value of seeing this film is to first know the show intimately and then see and hear hot NOT to make a film musical of musical that "works."

Cheers!

Broadway Bulldog Updated On: 2/17/04 at 06:22 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 6:26pm

Actually, I do take back a bit of what I said. The strong point of the movie is that you get to see the interior of the Mark Hellinger theater which is beautiful.

[racerchiquita76m]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 10:18pm

I've seen the movie, but not the stage show. What, specifically, makes the stage version much better?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 10:29pm

The stage show is better because you actually see the dancers DANCE!! I defy you to find one frame where Audrey Landers dances in the movie.

The movie didn't have the heart of the stage show. The stage show is about dancers having a dream and working toward it. The final moment when the cast is chosen is heartbreaking. You see some with soaring hope and you see some with defeated hope. The movie just became a soppy love story between Zach & Cassie.

In the stage show, What I Did For Love is a song about passion and dedication for their art. In the movie, it was turned into a saccharine physical love ballad.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 11:12pm

There is an intimacy in the stage version that is lost in the film I think. In the stage version, you really have a chance to connect to these characters/dancers.. not so much with teh film


I agree about the Hellinger.

[racerchiquita76m]

Posted: 2/17/04 at 11:27pm

Thank you for the clarification...I had no idea that "What I Did for Love" was about that. That makes me really want to see the show!