MEMPHIS in movie theaters Reviews — Page 3

"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)."

If this is even close to the way "RENT" was filmed, I will wait for the DVD. I was really disappointed with the "RENT-Final Performance" film. It was like looking at an MTV video. JMO

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Video of "Someday" someone posted on YouTube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvfIFgkMfyI

Second screening's tonight!

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I also thought the Rent filming was great (in terms of production value and filming choices), it's a shame The Hot Ticket has not done Broadway since.

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Good to hear the screening is pulling in more people this weekend!

Nice article from the Philadelphia Inquirer titled "Broadening Broadway":

For show producers who depend on real bodies at a single venue when the curtain rises, film-house exposure is just that - a branding device and a potential for international audiences, plus another revenue stream. Although arrangements vary, exhibitors and producers often split cinema box-office receipts 50-50, and theater artists are paid extra by the producers.

Live theater wouldn't be taking this route if it weren't for the Metropolitan Opera, whose nine cinema simulcasts last season sold 2.4 million tickets, grossed $48 million, and put a net profit of $8 million into the opera company's coffers.

Bruce Brandwen, a television entrepreneur, first tested the idea of major live shows on the big screen a decade ago, but was ahead of the curve. The avid following for the Met "revived the idea, and Bruce talked with Broadway producers," says Don Roy King, a longtime TV director and former Philadelphian who directed The Mike Douglas Show here, as well as the current capture of Memphis for big screens.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/121041539.html

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Went to the 12:30 matinee this afternoon in Massachusetts. Only a total of 23 people in the movie theater. The sound only came from the front of the theatre and not in the surround sound on the sides and rear. I complained twice but it was never fixed. Was this show recorded in surround sound? I can't imagine it wasn't. I think it was the movie theatre's fault. After the 15 minute intermission, the lights in the theatre stayed on for 20-30 minutes. After 4 people going up to complain, they turned the lights off.

I thought they did a great job filming this show. It was so nice to revisit a show that I saw on Broadway a year ago. Montego's voice blew me away. I am so glad I was fortunate to see this show live as watching the movie really loses that live experience and also having an audience appreciate it and react to it as I did. That said, I hope that they film more Broadway shows and release them in movie theatres for a large audience who are unable to make it to New York City. I look forward to Memphis on dvd and hope there is a lot of bonus footage.

The sound only came from the front of the theatre and not in the surround sound on the sides and rear. I complained twice but it was never fixed. Was this show recorded in surround sound? I can't imagine it wasn't. I think it was the movie theatre's fault.

It was the theatre's fault as it was in surround sound when I saw it and it was fabulous! It was better than hearing it at the Shubert. Too bad about the attendance; you had 11 more people than when I saw it on Thursday evening.

Nice article about the movie from The Lantern

"I think that the sound's better ... They did a really good job of mixing it. You don't feel like you've lost anything," Peter Boyuk said. "In fact, I feel like we gained something. For example, the sirens coming in from behind you."

http://www.thelantern.com/arts/memphis-meets-columbus-in-musical-1.2216814

And for those that already watched the film, you can answer this post-presentation survey and recommend more Broadway shows getting this treatment.. http://e.fathomevents.com/content/FathomSurvey

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Updated On: 5/3/11 at 02:35 AM

^^ Most of the people in my theater left the movie with that feeling. I think these screenings can do the job, in terms of spreading the word and market a running production. Just wish they'd have done a better job advertising this.

Wondering if we'll get any indication of how the movie did B.O. wise.

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Saw this tonight in a theatre in north Toronto. Very good sized audience (easily 100+ people, mostly middle aged and seniors) for a Wednesday night (and the second screening of the show).

Although I knew of the show and had seen the performance on the Tonys and at the White House, I otherwise was unfamiliar with the plot and hadn't heard the cast album. I was expecting to be indifferent to it, but... I quite liked it. A very pleasant surprise. Simple, easy to follow story, yet with enough emotion and message (but not too much of that, either). The Huey Calhoun character had some complexity and I was quite emotionally taken (esp. when he proposes marriage). The audience seemed to be taken, too, gasping at certain parts (the N-word, the broken record, the kiss on the TV show).

While I probably wouldn't see it if I came to NYC, I will certainly check it out when the tour comes to town in December.

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