NEWSIES on BROADWAY (Dream Cast and Crew)- Page 2
NEWSIES on BROADWAY (Dream Cast and Crew)
EdmundOG
Broadway Star Joined: 7/9/05
#25re: NEWSIES on BROADWAY (Dream Cast and Crew)
Posted: 7/17/07 at 10:07pm
"And yet, Xanadu is now playing on Broadway.
The Producers, despite its Oscar and some positive press, was a flop at the box office."
Xanadu was a famous flop, renowned for its cheesy badness. The Producers was almost vaulted due to the perceived poor taste of the material, and only given a very limited release because Peter Sellers loved it so much that he put a full page ad in Variety campaigning for its release. And critics mostly hated it. But it went on to become a comedy classic.
Newsies has none of that going for it. It's just a bland, unmemorable movie. Not spectacularly bad, or particularly good.
#26re: NEWSIES on BROADWAY (Dream Cast and Crew)
Posted: 7/17/07 at 11:41pm
Newsies, where I'm from, was a huge hit. loads of kids loved it.
Bale was only 22 when he made the movie. I though he was perfect age to do it.
and I'm probably the only one that appreciates this, but I love that you have Fred Lassen as the conductor! he was the perfect conductor for DRS and he would be for this one too.
<--- the set of A Midsummer Night's Dream that I was assistant stage manager for during the 2007 season at the STNJ outdoor stage.
-Dre- You must remember all the same that at the crux of every game is knowing when it's time to leave the table... And it's important to be artful in your exit. No turning back, you must accept the con is done... It was a ball, it was a blast. And it's a shame it couldn't last. But every chapter has to end, you must agree.
~Dirty Rotten Scoundrels~
There's a special kind of people known as show people. We live in a world full of dreams. Sometimes we're not too certain what's false and what's real. But we're seldom in doubt about what we feel.
~Curtains~
It is a far, far better thing I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest I go to, than I have ever known.
~A Tale of Two Cities ~
~Dirty Rotten Scoundrels~
~Curtains~
~A Tale of Two Cities ~
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#27re: NEWSIES on BROADWAY (Dream Cast and Crew)
Posted: 7/19/07 at 8:21am
I remember one movie critic (Leonard Malten? Though he's usually soovertly pro Disney... hrmm) called it Howard the Newsie 
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steven carter
Swing Joined: 10/4/06
#28re: NEWSIES on BROADWAY (Dream Cast and Crew)
Posted: 7/19/07 at 4:01pm
NEWSIES does indeed have a huge cult following, FAR larger than that of SWING KIDS. In fact, NEWSIES, despite it's initial failure at the box office, generated more internet fan sites than any of the hit movies Disney ever produced. The video, laser disc, and DVD releases were all successful for Disney. And there has been a lot of interest in a stage adaptation.
Interesting to note that NEWSIES was originally a Alan Menkin/Hopward Ashman project. They felt Disney owed them a "live-action" musical after the success of the animated work they did for the company. Of course, Jack Feldman had to take over the lyrics when Ashman tragically died too young.Wonder if those who don't like Feldman's lyrics would have liked ashman's.
NEWSIES has a lot going for it (and received some good reviews too at the time: NY Daily News, Gene Siskel, etc....). Kenny Ortega's work is leaps and bounds above the recent commercial success he's had with HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL. NEWSIES is far superior to that in EVERY way (score, choreography, orchestrations, book, etc...)
Though the scrip/book could use some work, much of the score is robust and thrilling (and vividly sung) and the talent in the original film cast: Christian Bale, David Moscow, Trey Parker, Max Casella, etc... is outstanding. Songs like "King of NY", "Carrying the Banner", and "Santa Fe" are superb, and often sung by young theatre students and in cabarets.
In fact, Christian Bale-sometimes called the first actor who became an internet star-recognizes that his following comes more from NEWSIES (with SWING KIDS running second) than to any other projects in his career.
NEWSIES was released in April of 1992, a time when acceptance on the musical onscreen was at its lowest point. The project deserves credit for daring to be a real, non-animated muscial, with no apologies. I have no doubt that its box-office reception would be better now.(We can all argue about the flaws of some of the recent adaptations of stage musicals, but thank god they have returned.) Most importantly, NEWSIES has reached many people who have been inspired, moved, and entertained by it.
Swing Joined: 12/31/69
#29re: NEWSIES on BROADWAY (Dream Cast and Crew)
Posted: 7/19/07 at 8:13pm
I'm certain I woulda prefered Ashman's lyrics--I can't think of a song lyric he's written that I dislike whereas I can rarely think of a pop or theatre song lyric by Feldman I did particularly like...
I heard though that it was between making this and a live action musical of A Little Princess. (the goregeous Feldman/Menken song Take Care of My Heart from her Menken album was written for Princess). I can't help thinking Princess might have been more of a hit at least with critics--but maybe Cuaron's gorgeous film of it was already in production?
Either way I agree the songs and music and some of the dancing is Newsies is very good indeed. But I think much of the directing is actually pretty poor and the film script wise simply doesn't work. I loved it as a kid, and can still enjoy it, and I know people have different taste, but I think even the biggest fan has to admit it's a severely flawed work (partly I think cuz they don't quite know what audience to go to--if the kids and their language was just a BIT tougher I think it would gain a lot in credibility)
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