Jennifer Lopez to Star in KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN Film- Page 11

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/14/25 at 9:28pm

greensgreens said: "Sometimes I hate Fosse for establishing this “all the musical numbers need to be staged in a theatrical way” for musicals to work on film. It seems like Condon & Marshall lean on this too much. If “She’s A Woman,” “Day After That,” and “I Do Miracles” get cut - add ”Dear One” too, they’re missing a lot of beautiful character development to stick with the overdone concept of relegating numbers to theatrical presentation only. I don’t think any screenwriter could replace those songs with dialogue and telegraph the same message and emotion."

Why would I Do Miracles be cut?  I imagine that could still fit the fantasy conceit since it's sung by Aurora and not in a "realistic" way.  I expect Day After That somehow might still be included too (fully repurposed as a protest song.)  But I do agree with you.

 

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 1/14/25 at 9:54pm

So there's like five songs?  If they cut "Day After That," I'm not sure I'll even see this movie (I will, but I want the world to think I might not).  

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 1/14/25 at 10:00pm

greensgreens said: "Sometimes I hate Fosse for establishing this “all the musical numbers need to be staged in a theatrical way” for musicals to work on film. It seems like Condon & Marshall lean on this too much."

Appears to be a common thing with film adaptations of Kander & Ebb musicals.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/14/25 at 10:09pm

I think the Kander and Ebb style established with Cabaret seems to particularly lend itself to that (and I realize that in point of fact there are probably more K&E shows that don't have some heavy element of pastiche and/or diegectic songs than there are shows that do, but the most famous ones...)

What I want is a Zorba that reverts from the lame current revised version and commits hard to Hal Prince's original Bouzouki Cafe framework, and we can have all of the songs take place in various parts of a Bouzouki Cafe :P

[greensgreens]

Posted: 1/14/25 at 10:40pm

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Appears to be a common thing with film adaptations of Kander & Ebb musicals."

This is incredibly true, but also incredibly sad. The choice to do “reality=no singing” is just lazy and easy at this point. I wasn’t a huge fan of Emilia Perez, but I was hoping Spider Woman would integrate non-Aurora songs more in that style. Even Fosse wouldn’t have repeated the Cabaret approach again, he would’ve found new ways to integrate music, dance, and story. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 1/14/25 at 10:42pm

Ensemble1736545253 said: "So Tonatiuh and Luna were incredibly good, but Lopez was just "fine"? I've heard from some people who've attended early screenings she is GREAT and the film is also wonderful?? They didn't reveal much but they did throw superlatives her way..."

CAA signed Tonatiuh after the first screening so that tells you something!

[joevitus]

Posted: 1/15/25 at 11:22am

greensgreens said: "Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Appears to be a common thing with film adaptations of Kander & Ebb musicals."

This is incredibly true, but also incredibly sad. The choice to do “reality=no singing” is just lazy and easy at this point. I wasn’t a huge fan of Emilia Perez, but I was hoping Spider Woman would integrate non-Aurora songs more in that style. Even Fosse wouldn’t have repeated the Cabaret approach again, he would’ve found new ways to integrate music, dance, and story."

All That Jazz would seem to argue against that hypothesis. 

I think it kinda depends. To me, Marshall trying to force "Class" into a dream sequence style, and not finding an effective way of doing it so having to cut the song from the movie, was a mistake. We were into the movie enough, and the world of the movie, at that point that the characters could have simply sung it in the "real" setting of Mama's office, and it would have worked just fine.

If the prison in Spider Woman is stylized in the same way the prison in Chicgo was stylized, I think singing there once we're invested in the characters might work. But if it's a grittier and more realistic set, cutting those songs makes sense.

Updated On: 1/16/25 at 11:22 AM

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 1/25/25 at 9:29am

 

Updated On: 1/25/25 at 09:29 AM

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 1/25/25 at 10:42am

Just drop a trailer for Jebus sake 

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 1/25/25 at 10:54am

Condon’s take on the story inserts snippets of a newly devised fictional film that Molina adores—starring his idol, a glamorous star named Ingrid Luna (Lopez). Rehearsals kicked off in New York before Tonatiuh, Lopez, and Diego Luna (who plays Valentín) started filming on New Jersey soundstages. The musical shoot was completely separate from the prison shoot, which took place down in Uruguay. “I wrote it as two movies, and we made it as two movies,” Condon says. “That left us the means to make a lavish Hollywood movie musical—because it was only 35 minutes.”
 

Why just Why

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 1/25/25 at 10:57am

So while the Valentín-Molina relationship in past adaptations was relatively transactional, here, it’s heated and romantic. Luna imbues the revolutionary with a tender if ragged edge. Taking inspiration from Bob Fosse’s Cabaretfilm, Condon also cut several songs from the stage version to avoid characters “simply breaking out into song.” Instead, the film flows between a poignant, realist two-character drama inside a dark prison cell, and an old-school fantasy inside Molina’s vividly imagined world. The latter pushed both Tonatiuh and Luna into uncharted territory. “I was excited and shocked to be asked to be part of a musical, because I am definitely not trained for it,” Luna says with a laugh. “It was like, ‘SH*T, how much do I have to do?’ It’s basically two roles constantly. I was very scared through the whole process.”

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/25/25 at 12:09pm

She’s not even named Aurora? No Her Name Was Aurora?

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 1/25/25 at 12:20pm

CATSNYrevival said: "She’s not even namedAurora? No Her Name WasAurora?"

Now that its out in the open. Molina's obsession is with Ingrid Luna and her various roles, one of which is Aurora which is the prominent movie that gets referred to and played out.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 1/25/25 at 12:22pm

rosscoe(au) said: "Just drop a trailer for Jebus sake"

Literally doesn't even have a distributor or release date. That is not how these Film Festival movies operate. The intent is to get it picked up for financing of distribution and marketing (AKA the trailer).

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 1/25/25 at 3:34pm

TheatreFan4 said: "rosscoe(au) said: "Just drop a trailer for Jebus sake"

Literally doesn't even have a distributor or release date. That is not how these Film Festival movies operate. The intent is to get it picked up for financing of distribution and marketing (AKA the trailer)."

I know I was just being impatient 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/25/25 at 4:58pm

Why impatient? The trailer will just pretend it’s not a musical.

[DAME]

Posted: 1/25/25 at 8:40pm

CATSNYrevival said: "Why impatient? The trailer will just pretend it’s not a musical."

GOOD.  Whatever sells.  I just want there to be more   Looking forward to this .  I saw Chita 3 times.  I saw Vanessa.  And I even saw Maria Conchita Alonso.  They better not F it up.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/25/25 at 8:47pm

……………………

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 1/26/25 at 12:34pm

I know someone who is at Sundance right now and is seeing it tonight. I will share their report.

Personally, I am disappointed if all/most of the non-Spider Woman song are cut. If that is the case, why even bother making this movie? We already have a film version of the non-musical play. And making Valentin actually gay/bi goes against the character, IMO. He makes a conscious choice to use Molina as a means to an end (plus he's in prison, and misses his girlfriend and just craves physical contact). Making it a "romance" might please some, but that's not the story and robs the relationship of its complexity. But I guess I should wait before making any judgements...

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/26/25 at 12:37pm

Oh wait it’s playing right now? So we can talk about it??

[Kad]

Posted: 1/26/25 at 12:39pm

I've seen one of the ensemble members in the film post BTS pics that he had previously posted and then taken down last year, so I think you'll be fine.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/26/25 at 12:42pm

Wow. Ok then. So just to answer the question above - there is no music in the prison. We counted and I believe there are 8 songs total in the film and if I remember correctly,  one song (i can’t remember which one now) is only about one or two verses of it. 

[TellZ]

Posted: 1/26/25 at 1:32pm

Taking inspiration from Bob Fosse’s Cabaret film, Condon also cut several songs from the stage version to avoid characters “simply breaking out into song.”

He did this with Dreamgirls too, keeping all the non-diegetic singing out until "Family," a baffling choice.

Either make a musical, or don't, but if he doesn't actually like musicals, why does he insist on making them?

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 1/26/25 at 1:34pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Wow. Ok then. So just to answer the question above - there is no music in the prison. We counted and I believe there are 8 songs total in the film and if I remember correctly,one song (i can’t remember which one now) is only about one or two verses of it."

I'm having less and less faith in this. Seems like a super obvious cash-grab and pandering to J. Lo fans who would be turned off by people breaking into song in a prison. 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 1/26/25 at 1:49pm

Although Aurora’s production number songs are catchy, my favorite parts of the score are the songs sung by Molina and Valentin. If those are all cut then I have no interest in seeing this. It is their story - the Spider Woman is a supporting role, dramaturgically speaking. Turning this into The Jennifer Lopez Show would be a mistake.