Every Little Step on DVD (musical DVDs in general): Wasted Opportunity

OK so despite some problems I have with the film itself, I'm thankful to have this documentary on DVD and with some great extras, but...

I know it was foolish to even dream this kinda thing , but I was hoping among the extras they'd include the professionally filmed clips from Chorus Line's original and revived productions--stuff like TV performances, maybe even tv commercials, etc. Most of all though I was hoping to get the wonderful 7 minute opening they did for the 1976 Tony Awards.

Yeah I know we can see this easily online right now, but surely the quality would be much better (despite old video source tape) on DVD. I suspect the reason we didn't get this clip (or the terrific Dreamgirls Tony clip, or even the wonderful Promises Promises Turkey Lurkey Time Tony clip) on any of the Broadway's Lost Treasures DVDs (since Chorus Line is one of the best known Broadway classics ever) is due to the notoriously tight control of the Michael Bennett estate...

But surely including them on this documentary (where the clips are included partially anyway) would be the ideal place? At this point, with them easily viewable in bad quality online for free, why not allow fans to finally get at them? I know often it's a rights issue but didn't the Estate already sign off many of those for the documentary?

Similarly I'm always dismayed when even the two disc editions of recent musical theatre film adaptations have ZERO footage from the original stage version. Chicago, Rent, Dreamgirls, even musicals I'm not so keen on like Mama Mia and Hairspray are all guilty of this at best only including still images (Chicago does have that cool bit with Liza on the Dinah Shore show). In this case I do get that it's probably a licensing/rights issue, the film owners rarely having anything to do with the people who own the original imagery (the Phantom of the Opera 2 disc set does have that great documentary about the stage musical which has many great clips). Still I really feel for any truly "collector's edition" DVD of these adaptations of very famous stage musicals, to not include any of the clips out there really is just a wasted opportunity...

In some cases (I can only venture to guess which) I'm sure there's a desire to distance the movie from the stage production.

It was pointed out to me by a friend that perhaps the casting of Morales just wasn't compelling enough to include in the film.

Perhaps it was very easy to cast her. When they saw her there was no question that she was Morales. Probably the same with Zach and all the others whose casting process they didn't highlight.

Updated On: 11/10/09 at 01:34 PM

Why is the search for Diana not in the documentary?

The Every Little Step filmmakers have said that Morales was cast early on, there was nothing to 'show'...

Q. Why didn't we see auditioners going out for the role of Morales? That character sings two great songs in the show. And did you interview Priscilla Lopez, the original Morales?

Stern It's incredibly simple. Natalie Cortez sewed the role up so early. She didn't compete with anybody on the call backs...
Filmmakers follow 'Chorus Line' to Broadway

From what I gather, Natalie Cortez was cast pretty early on and so there really wasn't anything to show in terms of the auditions.

There may have been girls who looked like potential Dianas at the callbacks because they were casting understudies from that as well...as I remember they were originally looking at Jessica Lee Goldyn as a understudy for Cassie and Val and she was at the final callbacks.

It's a wonderful film. Saw it 4 times, and just ordered it on Amazon. Love the moment where the 1 gal, who's called back for Val, watches through the curtain, and realizes that she didn't get the part, as she watches the other gal NAIL IT.

Perhaps the rights for filmed clips/portions of the original production aren't/weren't available, too costly, etc. Who knows?

The Bennett estate had to give permission for the clips to be used on Broadway's Lost Treasures (which they denied) but they didn't actually own the clips.

I would imagine that its also possible that some actors denied signing a waiver at the auditions allowing them to be video recorded for the documentary.

Also, there just wasn't much need to interview further members of the OBC for this. I don't think there needs to be speculation about 'bad blood' keeping certain OBC members from participating. The documentary balances the past and the creation of the new production quite well in my opinion.

It was filmed for the theatre archive or whatever for viewing there--and I believe some of it (the finale?) aired on tv.

MB I agree that the documentary does do a good job of mixing the two. I wish though that if the Bennett estate wasn't going to approve the use of those clips for Lost Treasures they would approve of its use for something like this--just frustrating having them sitting there gathering dust (and I'm sure they're not keen on them being so easy to see online in lesser quality but giving people an option to buy them would make a small difference...)

It's also worth noting that Bennett directed the CHORUS LINE Tony segment as well, choosing the angles and the precise cuts he wanted made, and even had them bring in four or five extra cameras (16mm?) so he could get all the camera coverage he wanted. Those ten minutes (or whatever) is the closest we will ever get to a filmed version of A CHORUS LINE as Bennett would have wanted it (or at least a filmed version of the OBP, as he had different plans for an actual movie musical version of the show).

P

P.S. This documentary makes me feel REALLY bad for Rachelle Rak and REALLY dislike Natascia Diaz. And caused me to realize that Charlotte D'Amboise IS Chris Hargenson from CARRIE (overacheiving beyotch)!

Updated On: 11/10/09 at 04:13 PM

I agree that it would be great to have all that kind of stuff on DVDs, I suspect the reason they don't has to do with rights. It's not only the Bennett estates it's also the networks and whoever owns the shows the original appearances were on. Also, since you're dealing with writers, lyricists, orchestrations, performers, etc... most of these shows happened before the advent of dvds--or even home video, so getting the rights to these shows can be very difficult--even in finding out who controls those rights. It will, most likely, be easier for newer shows because those issues will be settled in the original contracts. There were a lot of great Broadway show numbers on old talk shows--Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas etc... but in those cases not only would you have to deal with the rights of the creaters of the Broadway show you would also have to deal with the networks or estates of whoever owned those shows.

Also, just one more thought--these kind of DVDs are usually considered "niche" so they're not going to go overboard in acquiring these things. It's too bad because I would love more comprehensive extras.

Pgenre, why do you dislike Charlotte? She sought out a role, studied for it, and nailed it. Should she not have gotten the part?

Always thought that Natascia wasn't right for Cassie. She's very, very talented - just not a Cassie.

Rachelle Rak's audition changed so much from the first time to the last call back. She was very harsh. Wasn't her time.

Updated On: 11/10/09 at 05:07 PM

I don't dislike Charlotte, it just seems like she's an overachiever, not that there's anything wrong with that. I was just making a little joke, don't mind me...

And it's "coarse" not "course".

P