I saw a sneak preview last night of "The Producers" movie musical!

[nealb1]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 11:01am

Last night in Sherman Oaks, California, I attended a sneak preview of "The Producers." It was FANTASTIC! FANTASTIC!!!!

Here are a few thoughts on it..........

I all ready saw the trailer of the film that's now on-line. In this cut of the movie, "The King of Broadway" was gone??? Very bizarre. It opens with the theatre customers exiting the theatre and singing "it's the worst show in town." Then we see a man reading a newspaper - Nathan Lane - and, then it cuts right to Max's office to where Matthew Broderick enters. The bits with Matthew's blue blanket are hysterical!

The "Hold Me, Touch Me" sequence is next. Very, very funny! Then it goes right into "We Can Do It." Immediately following that we see Matthew going to work at his Accounting office and hating life. "I Want To Be A Producer" is a ABSOLUTE SHOWSTOPPER!!! It's so polished and just a wonderful number. And, of course, Matthew is so charming and captivating dreaming of being a Broadway producer.

Will Ferrell is BRILLIANT in the role of Franz. The scene of Max, Leo and Franz on the roof dancing the "Guten Tag Hop Hop" is so very funny. Especially a little section of the dance with their middle fingers.

Roger Bart and Gary Beach, are, of course.........fabulous in their roles of Carmen Ghia and Roger De Bris. Roger holding his sssssssssssssss when he says "yes" had the entire theatre in hysterics! Jai Rodriquez from "Queer Eye" pops up in "Keep It Gay." As does Brent Barrett as the Leather Man and the gal who originated the role of Shirley Markowitz in the musical, reprises her bull dyke role again for the film. She was very funny.

Uma Thurman is very good as Ulla. Her dancing is very good. There are some moments where it's evident that a "dancing double" was used. The scene when she paints the office completely white, rather than saying to Leo "Vhy Bloom go so far downstage right?" In the movie she says, "Vhy Bloom go so far down camera right." It's a funny bit.

Getting all the old ladies to write checks to Leo and Max is a great number. It's very, very colorful as it was filmed in Central Park.

The audition process and the actual performance of "Springtime For Hitler" is great. Just great! John Barryman as the Lead Tenor has colored his hair and now he's a blonde. At first the audience is horrified at what they are seeing. Then they love it. Ruth Williamson has a great cameo as an offened theatre goer who storms out of the theatre.

I could go on and on and on, on how wonderful this movie is.

The pacing, the comedy, the cleverness, the chemistry is wonderful. Just like the musical, it's zany, over the top and completely enjoyable! The production numbers are ALL fantastic. The movie doesn't lag and it just flies by.

I was in the panel discussion after the film and said that "The King of Broadway" needs to be put back in the film....especially since it's in the trailer. Nathan really needs that "grand entrance" on camera, rather than waking up under the newspapers in his office when Leo arrives. Hopefully, it will be added back.

There's another moment in the trailer that wasn't in the version from last night....Nathan and one of the little old ladies are in Central Park at a hot dog stand. That was gone.

There were no closing credits and very few opening credits. The last number was "Goodbye," just like in the musical, with Mel Brooks added in a great, little cameo.

Mel Brooks was there as was Tom Meehan. My friend and I saw them after the screening going into PJ Chang's China Bistro Restaurant. We spoke with them briefly telling them that they have A HIT on their hands.

I see Oscar, Oscar, Oscar in this film's future. I'm sure that it will dominate The Golden Globes since they have the Musical/Comedy category.

Thanks for reading!

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 11:32am

I still can't believe they cut "King of Broadway." Why would they eliminate one of the best numbers in the show?

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 11:40am

What? They cut "King of Broadway"? That's an odd choice.

[BluCat500]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 12:14pm

How was Uma's singing...more importantly how was her now ulla belt?

[Magdalene]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 12:28pm

I can't wait for this to open! Sounds like a winner!

[nealb1]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 12:28pm

Her singing was fine, as was her belt. I've seen the show twice in NYC - with the orginal cast. I was never really that impressed with Cady Huffman in the role both times I saw it. So, to see someone else do it, was very nice.

[TennesseeTwang]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 12:35pm

I can't see them leaving out King of Broadway in the finished product. It's one of the best songs in the show. Maybe they're having problems editing that particular number.

Btw, what was the general audience reaction?

[Buscee]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 12:38pm

Is BETRAYED still in the film, and if it is what does he say instead of internission?

[nealb1]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 1:13pm

Yes, "Betrayed" was in the movie. It was very funny. There was a section where Nathan was looking back on his life and remembered his Mom.......Nathan in drag via flashback...and his life on a farm. Very funny.

From start to finish, the entire audience was laughing!

Odd that "The King of Broadway" was cut out of the version from last night? It's in the trailer and I can't imagine that that particular number was harded to film and or/edit than any other number??

[Richard Simmons]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 1:22pm

I saw the test screenings of this last night also. Instead of saying Intermission, he just skips to the next step. The "Betrayed" scene was really quite remarkable. Nathan does a fine job keeping the audience's attention for the duration of the number.

The sets and cinematography are absolutley beautiful. Many of the numbers use long takes instead of fast-paced editing, which enhance the the scope of the film. This movie feels like a great old fashioned musical comedy that you haven't seen in some time.

I thought Uma did a pretty good job, but I prefer Cady Huffman's beautiful voice and accent. Uma's accent set me off a little bit, only because I'm used to hearing Cady's, but the audience really seemed to enjoy what they saw.

The running time of the film was about 2 hours and 10 minutes without credits. I think they have enough time to play with to add "King of Broadway" back in, but I doubt they will. I'm sure they're already concerned with it being too long.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 1:35pm

Did this screen without credits? I know they're reworking a song to play over the end credits. I would be interested how successful that reworking was.

[Richard Simmons]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 1:38pm

The credits weren't finished. We didn't hear the song that will play over the credits. It just ended after "Goodbye!", which was incredibly entertaining. A nice little bonus for anyone who didn't know it was coming.

[nealb1]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 1:39pm

There were no closing credits and the new song for the film didn't play. The opening credits were very limited. I think the only thing that showed was the title coming up out of the NYC skyline.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 1:42pm

As well as the new song, they're reworking Will Ferrell's song for them too, I guess the closing credits are LONG.

[Adam Chris]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 1:42pm

If King of Broadway doesn't make the final cut perhaps they will include it on the DVD?

Sucks they didnt include 'Where did We Go Right?' - I love that bit. Updated On: 9/30/05 at 01:42 PM

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 1:54pm

Where did We Go Right? is one of the more clever, funny, and worthwhile songs in the show...is it really gone? To me, that's as bad as cutting King of Broadway...there are other more despensible songs.

[nealb1]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 2:19pm

Yes. "Where Did We Go Right" is not in the film. I don't know if the soundtrack is available for pre-ordering on Amazon.com or other sites yet. If it is, they may have an exact listing of what's on the cd.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 2:24pm

It's on amazon, but there's no track listing.

[nealb1]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 2:33pm

Hopefully it will be on Amazon.com very soon. I don't remember if the website for the film has that listed or not???

I'll take a look.

[Adam Chris]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 4:26pm

Strange they would include "Opening Night" and "Goodbye" and leave out "King of Broadway" and "Where Did We Go Right".

Oh well.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 5:05pm

That sucks about "King of Broadway." I also especially enjoyed the dance break. They better put it back in. If not, which I will be angry if they don't, then they should put it in as a special feature on the DVD like they did with Chicago and "Class."

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 5:59pm

I will see it on cable. Where are there heads at to take out 3 of the shows strongest numbers ? I will refrain from commenting other than to say it is in a rear area

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 11:24pm

Glad that people seem to be liking the movie.

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/30/05 at 11:28pm

Does the movie start with the two usherettes singing their part of "Opening Night?" I hope so, because I love that.

Also, I will be really dissapointed if Uma had a dancing double.

[CJWesselman]

Posted: 10/1/05 at 4:52am

Not only a dancing double, but am I mistaken in the fact that she also had a singing double? Or was that just a rumor?