Filming A Little Night Music

I started talking about this on another thread, but I think it deserves its own thread. (And yes I know this is pure speculation, but that's what BWW is for).

The question: Will they film the Broadway revival of A Little Night Music?

I say yes they will, but it all depends on getting Catherine Zeta-Jones to agree to it.

Here are the reasons why I think they will do it:

1) Lack of availability of the show. The film version is next to impossible to get and is not a good representation of the show.

2) Sondheim has allowed "Sweeney Todd" "Sunday in the Park..." "Into the Woods" "Company" and "Passion" all to be filmed. I'm sure he'll be on board for having this filmed.

3) I know there are questions about someone stepping up to finance the filming, but I think someone will because with Catherine Zeta-Jones' name on it, it has more potential to sell to a wider audience.

4) Send in the Clowns. Everyone knows this song and it will be a selling point to see it in the context of the show.

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Updated On: 10/2/09 at 11:44 AM

Wouldn't they want to, you know, wait for it to open and see if it's any good first?

It's not like every single Broadway production of a Sondheim show has been filmed.

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Updated On: 11/12/09 at 12:06 PM

"Wouldn't they want to, you know, wait for it to open and see if it's any good first?"

Good doesn't matter. They filmed Passion didn't they?

With Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury it will be a good production. It's 90% fail proof.

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"i wouldnt rule out another film version."

I don't think the material is enough for a full fledged film. The music doesn't interest the 18-35 demographic.

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There is also the 1978 Liz Taylor film version.

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"Good doesn't matter. They filmed Passion didn't they? "

Cringe, though I disagree strongly that Passion isn't 'Good', can we agree that elements of it - such as Donna Murphy's performance especially - were worth recording :)?

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I have the Live from Lincoln Center burned onto a DVD from a good-quality VHS tape of the broadcast. It's a very good representation of the show. I believe most of the songs are on YouTube.

Seeing the Weekend in the Country can make me happy when I'm depressed.

Watching the Elizabeth Taylor film can make me suicidal, even when I'm happy.

Pauline Kael's infamous review of the film in The New Yorker:

"Harold Prince directs as if he had never even seen a film before."

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Kael HATED Sondheim though and wondered several times why anyone would enjoy his "sour" songs. I love reading her reviews, even when I disagree, but... The film isn't as bad as it's made out to be (before its DVD release it had the rep for being perhaps THE worse film of a musical ever--over such worse transfers like Chorus Line, etc)--it's well cast, has great tweaks to the score (I LOVE Hermione's new bit in Weekend in the COuntry, which is actually well filmed as a number), and... well maybe that's it. Its main fault IMHO is just a lack of energy.

I am mixed on Ellis' production filmed for Live at Lincoln Center with NYCOpera. It's a decent production. But the huge stage is filled with an oddly empty set (how I wish someone would bring back Aronson's gorgeous sliding birch trees set), the cast is just so so, I dunno there's a vibe about it that leaves me off. But again, Weekend in the Country is an almost perfect staging (it's performed by the same cast on the Sondheim Carnegie Hall DVD)

*glares at Gotham for his Passion comment*

"...The film version is next to impossible to get..."

The DVD was re-released for sale maybe a year ago. It's readily available...even on NetFlix.

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"*glares at Gotham for his Passion comment*"

Sorry, I just think Passion is a dreary, boring show.

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Me too Eric.