Evita movie question- Page 2

[ChristineDaae]

Posted: 3/23/05 at 1:25pm

hmm I never knew that.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/23/05 at 1:27pm

I laughed when I read that article with LuPone. She had some comment about "Andrew Lloyd Webber hating women" as evidence of where he placed Eva's music in the show.

I don't think Webber has any aversion towards women (though he might towards LuPone at this point) but as I say earlier in the thread, he clearly had a certain disregard for the character of Eva Peron when he wrote it, and probably wanted her to sound biting and shrill and ferocious -- which Julie Covington does to quite good effect on the original record.

Posted: 3/23/05 at 1:53pm

While it's true that Madonna has a limited range, I remember an interview with Alan Parker (that aired on MTV, with Madonna included actually) wherein he said that they wanted to lower the keys of the songs so that when the audience is watching the film, the singing is at a more conversational pitch as opposed to huge belting and high notes.
Whether you like the results aside, there is some logic to that.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 3/23/05 at 2:05pm

I understand the "Another Suitcase" switcheroo, but I remember how poignant the stage version was:

A young waif in her slip sitting on her suitcase singing "So what happens now?" and Che responding "Don't ask anymore".

I really think Evita was one of ALW's best.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 3/23/05 at 3:44pm

The film version still does include the mistress singing a reprise of "Another Suitcase," this time with Eva responding with, "Don't ask anymore." I found that this kept the spirit of the original setup, while also showing the parallel between Eva and the mistress and how Eva has taken on the same stance as those who victimized her.

Believe me, I don't think Madonna demanded that she sing "Another Suitcase" -- I believe her only request (besides having Alan Parker cast her in the role) was that the film portray Eva in a more balanced or sympathetic light than the original musical did.

Updated On: 3/23/05 at 03:44 PM

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 3/23/05 at 4:27pm

Didn't they also portray Eva that way because the people of Argentina, where they filmed the movie, wanted one of their biggest political figures to be seen in a good light? I thought that in order to film the movie on location, they had to make certain compromises in the portrayal or something. Am I making this up or is this real? I don't remember where I heard it, so I don't really know.

~Steven

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/23/05 at 4:32pm

I think Alan Parker made an appeal to the Argentine governement that the film was going to show Eva Peron in a better light, but I don't think the film was skewered that way simply to gain access to actual locations. A fair amount of the script was written by Oliver Stone who, when attached as director, was not planning on filming it in Argentina.

As I remember, everyone involved was rather surprised when Madonna was given permission to film "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" on the actual balcony of the Casa Rosada.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 3/23/05 at 4:34pm

O ohk, that makes sense.

~Steven

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 1:03am

The opportunity to film on the Casa Rosada's balcony was secured by Madonna herself. Vanity Fair published the journal entries that Madonna wrote while filming EVITA (very interesting, by the way), where she documented a dinner meeting with the president of Argentina and other officials to get their permission to use the location.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 1:07am

Well, in my opinion which doesn't matter to anyone really, is that everything about the movie soundtrack is leaps and bounds better than the OBCR from vocals, to instrumentals, to emotions. The movie was perfect in my humble opinion.....granted, I never saw the stage show but I have listened to the cast recording.