MEMPHIS in movie theaters Reviews- Page 2

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 5:55pm

I saw it once onstage on Broadway...didn't really care for it then. Wouldn't see it in a movie theatre.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 6:41pm

Sadly there is no place around me so I guess I'll be waiting for the bluray.

[shomeika]

Posted: 4/28/11 at 11:11pm

I just got home from the show. I liked it a LOT more than I expected. I thought the performances were outstanding, esp. the two leads.

The sound was excellent in parts....*slightly* muffled in others. Could have done without out the 20 minute "behind the scenes" before the show..but I guess that equates to previews.

I was, honestly, rather surprised when it ended. I expected more resolution or something else to happen. It was lets kiss....fall in love.....run away...I'm a star...long time since I've seen you.....ending number.

The father of Montego Glover was sitting behind me. We had a conversation.....she's from Atlanta apparently.

.Anyway, really liked it!

I really liked it.

[phantom39]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 12:00am

Also back from the screening in NYC.. Great filming, wow! The HD was spectacular and the audio in the theater was just great. Will post a full review in the morning.

Updated On: 4/29/11 at 12:00 AM

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 12:32am

20 minute intro? Ugh...

[Broadwaybaby209]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 12:48am

We just came back from seeing the movie in NJ and had a wonderful time. Saw the show last year on Broadway and always wanted to catch it again. The theater was actually pretty packed, which surprised us considering this is a Fathom event (most of these nights are not half full).

Anyway, the High-Def taping of the show is incredible to watch. The company that filmed it are true pro's (And about the 20 minute into, it was actually great to see how they filmed it, and i'm sure it'll be a nice bonus feature on the DVD).

Perfect night out, go see this just for the fact Broadway is finally getting the media treatment it always deserved. Old fashioned producing is what prevented these things from happening way earlier. Would love to see more of these coming soon! A true Broadway event.

[phantom39]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 1:18am

Indianopolis Businesss Journal already has a review out:

Not having seen the Broadway production, I can't tell you what works on screen that didn't work on stage (or vice versa). I can say, though, that the show comes across fine at the multiplex, the music is solid but without a breakout number (Think "Dreamgirls" without "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"), and the supporting cast is fine. Telling the tale of a white Memphis deejay's efforts to bring rhythm and blues to the center of the radio dial, "Memphis" doesn't feel like anything new or different--until you consider how few Broadway musicals these days that aren't based on a movie and/or contain pre-existing songs.

http://www.ibj.com/lou-harrys-ae/2011/04/28/review-memphis-on-the-big-screen/PARAMS/post/26875

[phantom39]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 1:35am

Not a review, but more of a 'report' from Naples News:

There are three more showings on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday. If you're so inclined, I urge you to take the opportunity to see Chad Kimball and Montego Glover in their original Broadway roles. I am curious as to how the show will transfer to the road. Much of the show seems to depend on the unique quality star Chad Kimball's brings to the role of Huey Calhoun and Montego Glover's sheer "presence" as Felicia. Both were nominated for (but lost) Tony awards.

http://blogs.naplesnews.com/stage-door/2011/04/broadway-musical-memphis-in-theaters-fathom-tickets.html

[dented146]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 1:39am

Also just got back from a performance in San Diego. I had seen the musical here before Broadway so I was curious to see the changes which had been made. It's now a much better show.

The filmed version is truly a superb technical job. The lighting and sound are fabulous. The performances are what you'd expect with this kind of treatment which is absolutely first rate. I found it quite a nice way to see the show.

[Wicked Fanatic]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 2:20am

I saw it tonight in the OC at the Irvine Spectrum and there were only 12 people there. My friend saw it at Universal City where there were only 14 people. Hopefully they're getting better numbers elsewhere and the 3 remaining shows will pull more than this. If not, I'm not expecting more of these shows to be done.

That being said I'll also say that it was absolutely great in HD and the sound was fantastic much better than what I experienced live at the Shubert.

Seeing and hearing Montego better than when I saw her in person she got robbed when she lost the Tony to CZJ. I liked CZJ in "A Little Night Music" which I loved, but Montego's singing and acting together were so much better than the actual Tony winner.

Yes "Memphis" got lots of Tony's but the one they didn't get and deserved was for choreography. Sergio Trujillo got robbed especially when he didn't get nominated.

[phantom39]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 9:25am

I was surprised at how great they transferred this to film. I knew the company has a past of filming Broadway musicals but those others did not fare as well on screen.

The 20-minute behind the scenes was great to watch (and i'm very glad they've shown it) but could have been placed at intermission or after the performance. Another thing that stood out was the sound quality- they really knew what they we're doing recording this (I think it was said they used 96 tracks of sound).. GREAT quality. The cuts by director Don Roy King are what made this film "the best seat in the house" as you could see performances you usually miss at the theater (reminded me of the Rent filming, which was also very well done).

The theater was not packed but I was happy to see a good amount of people. I'm assuming most are going to catch this on the weekend. The buzz after the movie was great, with people searching the program trying to find out how to get the DVD of the show. Also heard some wanting to see it live on Broadway, and I think that's the ultimate confirmation this filming did its job (at least in my theater).

So, congrats to all involved. The musical transferred extremely well, and is now one of the few musicals captured live on film for future generations.

Updated On: 4/29/11 at 09:25 AM

[ace33]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 9:32am

It was pretty awesome to see it come to the big screen in HD, a completely different experience! The show translates to film VERY well.

The opening 20min of documentary was cool but wish it would have had more backstage of the SHOW ITSELF rather than backstage of the TAPING OF THE SHOW.

Sure you could see the wig lines but i forgot about that after 5 min. Chad went wig-less.. and seemed to have a little less sweat than usual (stage hands must have been ready with towels!)

My only tiny gripes:
1) Chad did not go for the C#, D at the end of the 11 o'clock number, he doesn't do it in the show anymore because its a killer note but i thought he would for the movie!
2) The ovations at the end were lackluster... prob because of all the cameras and the fact that the whole first 5 rows were missing, but c'mon! (and yes the ovations are always good every time Ive been to the show!)
3)I thought the sound could have been a little better but then again I'm used to the live theater.


Saw it in Germantown MD by the way, it wasn't very crowded, maybe 50 ppl tops, but then again its a Thursday night in the suburbs. They did a terrible job marketing this outside of the Theater world, the movie theater itself didn't even have a sign... just "fathom special event"... they forget that the average American is not familiar with all the bway shows out there and the best way to reach them is NOT via bww.com or other bway websites.
Updated On: 4/29/11 at 09:32 AM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 9:43am

Would like to see this, but it's not playing in any theatre's in DC. Someone mentioned Mazza Gallery, but I checked, and it's not showing there.

[phantom39]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 9:49am

You can search movie theaters showing the musical (by zip code) at Fathom's website:

http://www.fathomevents.com/performingarts/series/memphis.aspx

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 9:57am

Thanks. Nearest to me is in Virginia (but not all that convenient, since I don't have a car).

[phantom39]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 10:08am

No problem,.. it's worth the trip!

[phantom39]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 10:27am

An article from the Honolulu Pulse:

“Memphis” has been such a success on Broadway that there is now a “live” film version of the show, “Memphis: Direct from Broadway,” shot during four performances at New York’s Schubert Theatre back in January with multiple high-definition cameras and with 96-track sound.

http://www.honolulupulse.com/tgifinprint/bon-jovis-keyboardist-lends-his-talent-to-the-musical-memphis

Updated On: 4/29/11 at 10:27 AM

[NicoleKeo]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 12:23pm

We also saw it last night in San Francisco. We didn't get to see the production on Broadway yet, simply for the fact we had interest in other shows. So glad we got the tickets for the screening--we loved it! We now hope to include memphis in our next trip to the city later this year. Great way for marketing the show, just by the reactions of the people that were in the theater last night.

[Brick]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 12:56pm

I'd love to support more filming, but I'm not seeing MEMPHIS.

I'll keep going to the National Live and Met screenings.

[phantom39]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 1:15pm

You can get the Memphis movie program in PDF format from Broadway Worldwide's website: (I must add they need a new photoshop artist!)

http://www.broadwayonline.com//html/circle.html

[phantom39]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 1:34pm

"Memphis: The Movie" is an experience with in itself! The way the show was filmed allowed me to see "Memphis" in a whole new light. The enhanced sound allowed me to hear things I missed when seeing the show on Broadway (because some actors say lines under their breath) while the close-ups of the actors made some moments of the show that much greater and added a new dimension to the amazingly fantastical talent that is the "Memphis" cast! After seeing the movie, not only did I leave the Ziegfeld singing the music, but it made me want to see "Memphis" live on Broadway again.

http://adaumbellesquest.squarespace.com/reviews/2011/4/29/memphis-the-moviefantastical.html

[LALALand]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 2:50pm

Saw it last night in LA. We were 2 of 8 in the theater, very sad. I only know the show from clips, tv appearances, and the cast recording. It is what it is. I enjoyed some of it. However, that lame opening behind the scenes thing would be better presented on a PBS pledge drive or dvd extra. It was long, boring, and unneccessary for the crowd in attendance. JMHO.

[LoveDemBroadwayShows2]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 3:28pm

I'm seeing this in Kansas City next Tuesday night. I didn't have it included in my 9-day, 13 show trip last May although I wish I'd seen anything besides Come Fly Away, the one clinker in an otherwise pretty perfect trip. Now I'll get to see the Tony winner; I'm really looking forward to it. Hopefully the 13 shows I'm seeing on this year's 9 day trek, three weeks from tomorrow, will all be winners. I'm wishing I had room for three more because I didn't include Jerusalem, Sister Act or Born Yesterday and they all sound good. Thank goodness I also don't have tickets for Baby, It's You or Wonderland. The only show that sounds iffy at this point is That Championship Season but we're seeing that more for the cast than the story itself.
Updated On: 4/29/11 at 03:28 PM

[melodyrose]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 8:10pm

I saw it last night in Boston.
Visually it was outstanding!
Audio........
It was muffled, foggy and hard to understand at times.
When I spoke to the management at intermission, they told me they didn't want to raise the volume since it would make the musical numbers too loud.
I don't know about that!
I've already seen the show on Broadway- couldn't wait for the movie, but the 200 seat theater was only 1/3 full

Huckadoo!!

[sorano916]

Posted: 4/29/11 at 10:46pm

Thanks. Nearest to me is in Virginia (but not all that convenient, since I don't have a car).

Although it's in Virginia, AMC Hoffman is Metro accessible since you don't have a car.