Marshall's Choreography for the Chicago Movie.. — Page 2

I agree. Never for a moment have I thought about the choreography as weak or felt that it should have been more Fosse. I don't feel it was at all necessary to include Fosse, obviously they didn't either. I think Bob Fosse is a legend...but this wasn't Bob Fosse's Chicago...it was Marshall's.

"Funny that the Chicago movie was so accepted without Fosse. But the current Charity revival is not well accepted without Fosse. "

Hmm... Possibly because Sweet Charity is also playing on a Broadway stage, and so they're "playing on the same turf" as Fosse's original production. There's a direct comparison and competition in audiences eyes. The revival loses.

The movie of Chicago is a different medium, as well as interpretation, playing to a much larger and different audience.

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Updated On: 9/23/05 at 07:26 PM

Where is Wonderboy? I want to know what he has to say.

Well, I've watched the whole film with the director's commentary and Marshall says he wanted to stay away from Fosse as far as possible because Fosse was such a genius that he didn't want to emulate him badly. I think he created his own thing and did a pretty fine job. I love the "All That Jazz" choreography, specially how it is intertwined with Roxie's escapade. I love Marshall's concept on "The Cell Block Tango" specially because it is so different from the show, it creates a new atmosphere. Don't get me wrong,I looooove Reinking's choreography and I don't think Marshall should have touched "The Hot Honey Rag" but I like that he created a new point of view for the movie through his choreography.

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I find it VERY funny Marshall didn't want to emulate any of Fosse's choreo. But he copied many of Fosse's ideas from the original, directional wise.

I don't know, I think I like Kathleen better choreography wise than Rob. She really thrilled me with her WONDERFUL TOWN choreography. She also snatched the Tony for that.

Well Kathleen deserved that Tony over Cilento for Wicked, so thankfully she got it.

Her BALLET AT VILLAGE VORTEX, SWING, CONGA, and CHRISTOPHER STREET were simply stunning.

GOD, if we're gonna talk about Kathleen Marshall deserving the Tony over Cilento's choreograpy(could we call it that?) for Wicked. Getting back on topic, I found Rob Marshall's choreography innovating but I do see where you're coming from ljay88, maybe he should've directed and let Reinking choreograph. I simply adore this movie, but I kind of believe that if Chicago was to be seen and remembered by future generations it should've had Fosse's stamp like the revival. Still, I like Marshall's choreography, how come he's never won a Tony?

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And the revival won 6 Tonys, 5 Drama Desk Awards, 5 Outer Critic Circle Awards, 2 Oliver Awards, 1 Grammy, and the list continues. It is also the most successful revival of ALL TIME. And is in the top 10 of longest running shows of all time.

True, and the Chicago movie has won a lot of awards too. That doesn't stop you from criticizing it.

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Never fear WonderBoy is here!

Okay, here we go...

Yes, Gwen had been after the rights to Roxie Hart for a long time. Fosse felt obligated to give her another show and he went after the rights as soon as the author died and go them for Gwen. I believe he "gave" it to her for her birthday, if I'm not mistaken.

There is actually A LOT of Fosse in the CHICAGO film. Not just in staging and setting but in the choreography. No, it's not the 'signature' Fosse movement per se that is so recognizable but many other moves are in there. Remember, the first 'signature' Fosse number was "Steam Heat" but he choreographed many other numbers in other shows that weren't filled with that 'signature' Fosse movement until we get to SWEET CHARITY. His movement was a lot more than knocked knees, hip thrusts, hat work and wrist movements. So, as some one who has experienced and danced his 'other' style/works I for one can say that I do see some Fosse or at least a tribute to him in his movement.

Let's be honest here. I love the woman, she's been very good to me and I'll deny that I ever wrote this if she see's it but Annie doing non-Fosse choreography isn't exactly brilliant by any means. The CHICAGO revival is all Fosse choreography that is just taken apart and moved around. There is also a lot of the original choreography in there as well. It's kinda like if I were to use parts of "Turkey Lurkey Time", "Steppin' To The Bad Side", "Chapter 54, Number 1909" and "Who's That Woman?" and choreograph the opening of ACL and call it "Choreographed in the style of Michael Bennett." Make sense?

Now, the film didn't exactly blow me away the first couple times I watched it. The film is filmed as Fosse would have filmed it were he alive today I think. I had issues with some casting especially with RZ. I loved, loved, loved what Marshall did with "Cell Block Tango"! It was SO Fosse it wasn't even funny. Well, Hollywood Fosse that is. I found the "Hot Honey Rag" to be painful to sit through. The tempo was too slow and the movement was boring. I also think that Marshall nailed "All That Jazz" on the head! As much as I longed for the revival choreography in the film, I got over it about the third time I watched it because I could begin to accept it for what it was.

Yes, there are many things that I don't like about the film and there are a few things that I really love. I especially love that it has revived the movie musical!

I really think that Marshall would've made Fosse and Gwen proud with his adaptation for film. I personally wish Fosse's film version would've come to fruition years ago when Fosse originally wanted Bette for Roxie and Liza for Velma before he went after Madonna for the role.

I personally find Rob's choreography far stronger than Kathleen's.

Hope I helped and covered most of it. Whew!




(PS: ljay889, I don't know why I thought you called her Annie. Sorry babe! )

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Updated On: 9/26/05 at 06:11 PM

Never seen "The Who's Tommy" but if the choreography was as mediocre as Cilento's choreography on "Aida" and "Wicked" then it means the Tony people definitely hate Rob Marshall.
Rob Marshall said he's friends with Ann Reinking, so I wonder why he didn't let her choreograph the movie, was Marshall's choreographer ego involved in this decision?

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The movie version of Chicago is NOT a broadway musical. It's a hollywood musical... and in a hollywood musical, the choreography of the camera is often much more important than the choreography of the dances... having fabulous dances filmed flatly would be boring... this is something Fosse was intimately aquainted with... as demonstrated famously in Cabaret (It has been noted by people much more intelligent then me that the choreography in Cabaret is NOT all that spectacular on it's own terms...however coupled with framing and camera placement the choreography shines)... second... there are many nods to the original Chicago... the bars used in the Cell Block Tango, the stipping in All I Care About, and Chita Rivera all come from the original production... in this way Rob Marshall rather ingeniously nods to Fosse without ever "quoting" the Fosse style... which probably have caused you (and others) to complain even louder... lastly... and this is rather prissy... but there is nothing ironic about Catherine Zeta Jones winning an oscar for the role Madonna was told she could win an oscar for... in fact that's sort of the opposite of irony actually... all it is really... is unfortunate for Ms. Ritchie... perhaps she'll star in a film version of Redhead choreographed by Kathleen Marshall using all of Fosse's original choreography... and then she'll win her ironic oscar.

kc

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