Jennifer Lopez to Star in KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN Film — Page 19

Here’s the correct link: https://www.galatheatre.org/post/el-beso-de-la-mujer-ara%C3%B1a-1

NOTE: this production is a play adaptation and isn’t a production of the Broadway musical adaptation.

The single is okay (cue an outraged Frank-N-Furter). Like with everything else that we've learned about this production, it gives the impression of being well-executed, professional, but not extraordinary. Seems good enough that I'll likely see it in the theaters. But I'm not barely contatining myself waiting for opening day, either.

Updated On: 9/11/25 at 02:23 PM

Well, Idunno, I don't exactly expect this movie adaptation to be particularly memorable or satisfying given the director's track record and all we've learned, but I think she sounded pretty freaking great.

Others have said this, but this is truly a role that she SHOULD shine in. And from what we’ve heard thus far, she’s pretty much nailing the vocal performance.

I feel like Jennifer is going to slay “Gimme Love”. That is my favorite number in the show.

We just caught the Academy screening in LA last night, followed by a terrific Q&A with Bill Condon, Lopez, Tonatiuh, plus DP, Prod Designer and Casting Director.

First the fabulous: Jennifer Lopez is dazzling-- gorgeous legit voice, sparkling mid-Atlantic accent, great moves, stunning wearer of fashions (Colleen Atwood on the cheap). She embodies the full package of La Luna, which holds even more colors than the stage musical did. (For instance, a nod to the forced 50's Americanization of this Latina Star-- smart writing.) Brava!

Second, the sublime: Tonatiuh earns the raves. He dropped 45 pounds to embody the wispiness of Molina (smart move since he's paired with the innately wispy Diego Luna). He pulls off the innately telenovela plotting in scene after scene with surprising authenticity. Lovely singing voice (not as Molina but his doppleganger in the 50's movie plot gets to sing quite a lot), great dancer, such an expressive face which the camera loves.

The script struggles to find a trans take on the character wanting to live fully as a woman, but frankly, the movie doesn't justify a rewrite like this. For 98% of the film, Molina reads as a closeted (and self-hating) gay man, as did the Molina of the stage show-- and an update like this sounded like a wan attempt at new relevance to me which the material didn't earn.

Then there are a few musical numbers that deserve absolute raves: "Where You Are" just leaps off the screen with the exact right tone of dazzling staging, abstract set ideas, brilliant vocalizing, and an electric male dance ensemble backing the leads with moves that suggest being electrocuted in the last beats-- scary and thrilling!

Another highpoint is the Spiderwoman's first appearance in the prison infirmary for "The Moon Grows Dimmer". To see the fantasy character interact with Molina for the only time outside of the 50's movie framework gave me shivers-- the exact magic the original show carried.

But oh, there were downsides too. Condon threw out fully half the K&E score, and added in 2 or 3 of their lesser songs from earlier versions of the musical-- just a dreadful deal for anyone who treasures the Bway score that we know. Condon also created a single new 50's movie musical plot for Aurora to carry us through the entire film-- a lousy package of melodramatic clichés to hold all of the remaining songs in the score. The relentless flip-flopping from sad spoken prison scene (shot in grey-blues) to vividly sung technicolor 50's musical became harder and harder to take over the 2 hour running time.

Worst of all, Condon tossed Terrence McNally's very skillful pretext for WHY Molina and Valentin actually come together in bed. And he inexplicably separates the 2 men completely to arrive at the final beats of the story-- just WHY??

I know I've rambled on way too long--can't wait to hear other posters reactions to this imperfect but thought-provoking take on one of Kander & Ebb's greatest shows.

Updated On: 9/14/25 at 03:01 PM

I can't help but think of how if Bob Fosse was making his Cabaret movie today and word got out how he wasn't using any of the book numbers from the stage version, many would be reacting on social media like "Are you f***ing kidding me?!."

Someone in a tree ,

Some of that sounds thrilling, but I’m so disappointed that they threw away some of the musical numbers. ‘Anything for him’ was absolutely thrilling on stage, I just can’t see the film working without it. I will go in opened minded.

‘Anything for him’ was absolutely thrilling on stage, I just can’t see the film working without it.

I agree completely, Rosscoe. That gap is exactly what I was referring to in condemning how Condon's script lamely lands the two men in bed together compared to the stage show.

Many of the missing songs do get glimpsed in different ways onscreen. Some become snatches of dialogue ("Dressing Them Up"), some are sung by background characters in Spanish ("Dear One"), or show up in the instrumental score ("Over the Wall"). I was really surprised to hear Molina sing the "Viva La Revolucion" phrases from "Good Times"(which is not in the movie) during the final beats of "Only at the Movies" which is, thank God.

So yeah, a mixed bag. Thank God we've always got Chita and Vanessa Williams' Bway cast CDs to listen to whenever we want.

I'm not sure what always constitutes a spoiler alert and what doesn't, but I'll put it out there anyway just in case.

I had the opportunity to see the screening in LA as well yesterday afternoon.

I found it to be very good.

Movie renditions of Broadway musicals will never capture the full intimacy or special "once in a moment" theatrical performances of live theater.

So I knew going in that I wasn't going to get Chita as I did when I saw the OBC in New York. I knew something would be lost in the translation because cinema will always be able to present and develop with things that the live stage won't be able to mimic. But things will always be lost even within that ability to do so much with those cinematic elements they have at their finger tips.

I thought all of the performances were great. JLo was super, if not a bit contemporary-seeming in voice. I agree with the poster who said her voice comes off as not unlike Madonna as Evita. Both great performances, but something that still held a bit of that pop nuance in their presentations of various songs. She sure looked great.

I also felt Valentin in the movie was played a little softer too. It has been over 30 years since I saw the Broadway production, but I seem to remember Crivello playing it more distant, with a higher level of disconnect and machismo. When Valentin came together with Molina onstage you figured it was going to happen, but there was still that sense of, 'Ok, wow. Distant to final Jeopardy' as he decided to just give in and give Molina what he wants and needs. You knew Valentin was getting something out of it too, but you still got this sense of resistance from him as he was fighting his feelings.

In the movie, he seemed to be drawn in by Molina from almost the get go, so when it came time for them to come together, if you had never seen it before, you were like, well I saw that coming from over an hour ago. You could see how captivated and engaged Valentin was from almost the beginning. Again, Crivello played it as more resistant as I recall. But those who remember the original production with more clarity than I might be able to correct me if I'm wrong.

The stage production also envelops you in this sense of continuous claustrophobia that the movie, of course, will not accomplish.

When they transitioned from the cell to the technicolor in the movie, you were drawn out of the cell.

Conversely on the stage, the darkness just pervaded the whole time. Even when the electric dance numbers broke out. You still felt confined to Molina's imagination. That was going to be lost in the movie a bit, in my opinion. Which is to be expected.

Overall thought liked it for what it was. And I was entertained throughout.

I didn't get around to discussing Diego Luna in my first reaction to the screening, but for an actor whom I admire greatly, I thought he was woefully miscast as Valentin. This is a character who grew from the mud and squalor of the slums into an impassioned revolutionary, but Diego just seemed so small and frankly effete. Plus he had neither the voice nor looks nor dance moves to pull off the matinee idol he's meant to play in the film-within-the-film. We really needed a latterday Raul Julia in the part to make the mismatched cellmates click.

Updated On: 9/16/25 at 10:08 AM

Someone in a Tree2 said: "I thought he was woefully miscast as Valentin.."

There's part of what I'm seeking opinions about. Thanks, SIAT2!

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "I can't help but think of how if Bob Fosse was making his Cabaret movie today and word got out how he wasn't usingany of the book numbers from the stage version, many would be reacting on social media like "Are you f***ing kidding me?!.""

I don't think there would have been much of a reaction. How many of those book songs count among people's favorites? But as has already been pointed out, the film of Cabaret is more it's own thing than a Broadway-to-Hollywood adaptation.

Updated On: 9/16/25 at 12:05 PM