NINE - "Take It All" — Page 3

Michael Bennett: I'm glad you liked the film. I'm just offering my personal two cents, just as you are. And yes, I also loathe the fast cutting in non-musical movies. I haven't seen Sweeney in a while, but I don't recall it in that film, at least not to the degree that it's used in Chicago and Nine. People keep bringing up The Producers as an example of something that was more traditionally shot. It's a BAD example because the movie stinks and was directed by an amateur. Had Mr. Brooks directed it, I think it would have been much better. I really didn't like the Dreamgirls film, BTW, for all the reasons you state. And I understand what Nine is doing, I'm just tired of it - that's just me, and if others, including yourself, like it then that's terrific.

I know you're not being facetious and it's a question I ask myself all the time - because I just really WANT to like them. But the answer is, no, I haven't loved any of them, but have enjoyed parts of a lot - a couple of things in Dreamgirls were excellent, I liked several things in Nine, the performances in Chicago, and although I really didn't care for either Depp or Bonham Carter, I kind of enjoyed Sweeney. I hated The Producers, and I really didn't care for Rent at all. Am I missing others? If you want some context for what I DO like - adaptations of B'way musicals - The Music Man (which I think is perfect), West Side Story, and I have a really soft spot for The Boy Friend. I'm fond of a lot of Sweet Charity, love most of Cabaret, and only wish that your namesake would have gotten to make movies out of A Chorus Line and Dreamgirls.

And I do think that theater fans will probably like Nine as much as you did.

Updated On: 11/23/09 at 08:17 PM

I didn't miss the song NINE at all. Rob Marshall is able to convey the entire meaning of that song in a 30 second visual that closes out the movie.

There is a dramatic scene that replaces what BELLS OF ST. SEBASTIAN conveys, so storywise, the information from that song is still in the film.

Perhaps BELLS, the song could have worked in the film, the problem as I view it in adapting the musical numbers in NINE is that the verses are so repetitive. I'm sure thats why, for example, the introduction to BE ITALIAN was trimmed. BELLS is gorgeous music but its a long song to establish a very brief moment.

" I'll probably see it again. I wish that the people who make musicals today weren't so afraid of just letting characters sing - they did in Sweeney Todd and the audience accepted it because it was set-up and well done. I'm just a little over everything having to be in a character's imagination or head to be a musical number. They think the audiences won't sit still for anything else, but they will if it's set-up and done well. "

Surely this is starting to change, especially with younger audiences thanks to the success of High School Musical, Glee, etc?

I know Marshall played a big part in making the stage Cabaret (which I loved) revival work so well--having seen Mendes original UK take without him. I have to admit I still think of Marshall as someone who is better at style than substance (sometimes he's so good the style becomes thesubstance). This may sound odd but that technique suits me fine with Nine (witness Tune's production) and even having said that I do find Nine a deeply moving work. But I don't think he'd do a good film job of Cabaret or Follies whatsoever--they need a different approach at least for half the movie.

And while I wouldn't have chosen it, doign Pirates 4 makes perfect sense--he proved with Memoirs of a Geisha he could make a spectacular near epic looking movie, that run emotionally false at nearly every turn. So Pirates should really suit him (and I mean that in a nice way)

Isn't Mendes still tied to Follies? i know in his recent chats Sondheim has said the movie is fully on the go but he can't divulge anything about it yet.