NINE test screening tonight...- Page 2

[americanboy99]

Posted: 7/28/09 at 11:51am

10 films will be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars this year if I'm not mistaken.

That will give films like UP and NINE definite room to be nominated.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 7/28/09 at 11:52am

Wait, the vocal overture is gone? Why? I think it is so pretty, they could use it for the main titles sequence.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/28/09 at 12:00pm

"I know this is way too early to call ... but I'm guessing "Nine" won't be Oscar-bait, with the exception of some technical nominations, and perhaps one or two acting nods. It still stands to make some money, though, especially with that cast.

I hope I'm wrong with this early hunch. It sounds like Marshall et al were struggling with some major elements. Cutting "Be On Your Own" and replacing it with a weaker song? Not exactly a good move. And this (wonderful) song is a key dramatic and romantic part of "Nine." Also a key thematic element musically. If they weakened that scene or threw the song away because they didn't know how to film it, they can kiss Oscar goodbye."

EXACTLY, best12bars. We'll have to see how both audiences and critics take to it. The combination of the two should determine its Oscar outcome.

And re: cutting Be On Your Own and replacing it....sounds like the old "let's find a way to get nominated for Best Original Song" to me. Too bad I hear the song isn't good.

Let's also remember that Henry Krieger wrote new songs for DREAMGIRLS' film adaptation. Several original composers had involvement with their musical adaptations to film. And whoever said it above is correct -- the composer of a musical who is hired to transform their own musical into film is there to serve the director's vision and the producers' wallet. The best example is what PROBABLY happened behind-the-scenes while DREAMGIRLS was being cast...

"Henry, Beyonce said she'll do it but only if she has her own big solo number on the same grand scale as 'And I Am Telling You', do you think you can cook something up?"

"Huh? A new song for Deena?"

"No no, Henry, a new song for Beyonce!"

[americanboy99]

Posted: 7/28/09 at 12:02pm

I have faith in this film and all involved.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 7/28/09 at 12:04pm

Agreed, americanboy. The film is being left in very good hands, IMO.

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 7/28/09 at 12:53pm

I trust the creative team of this movie. I hope my expectations are met!

[Pgenre]

Posted: 7/28/09 at 5:14pm

The new song is five times better than "Be On Your Own", an incredible song in its own right. Luisa can't walk up the aisle of the movie theatre and exit out the back, so now there is a filmatic equivalent complete with a new number. What's the big deal? "My Man" and "The Music That Makes Me Dance" all over again.

Film is it's own thing, love it or leave it but some of these comments are verging on the outrageous!

It's not gonna be everyone's cup of tea, just as neither Broadway production was everyone's cup of tea (some of you weren't even born when it opened - I wasn't - so it's hard to go back then, but DREAMGIRLS was a clear favorite and NINE was too "arty" for many people at the time. I've seen the original and the revival and I thought Leveaux almost equalled Tune in much of his staging, but the cast was so incredible it covered many flaws. Isn't that part of the point of the show, anyway, the flash-dash-razzle-dazzle working much as it does in CHICAGO to reveal, camouflage, comment upon or satirize the reality of the, in this case, relationship of each respective woman with Guido and the subsequent plot itself as it unfolds?

I really want to see this myself more than any other film (and with a new Scorsese, Coppola, Von Trier and Tarantino film this fall/winter that's saying a lot!) and I've only seen the trailers but everything I've read, heard and seen proports to be on the level of CHICAGO, for whatever that's worth.

P

P.S. best12bars and CapnHook - I almost always agree with you guys but I think you are WAY off the mark this time. But if you didn't like DREAMGIRLS, HAIRSPRAY or CHICAGO you won't like this. I personally enjoy it when movies are reconceptualized ala HAIRSPRAY with new, (in that case somehow even a little superior!) more filmatic numbers and elements. But that's just me. I think it's unfair to make these wild claims based on nothing besides a song clip and the first trailer. The second one will abet your fears much, much more. Hold tight.

P.P.S. If we're making wildly premature judgment calls then I'll play along: Based on 30 seconds I say "Cinema Italiano" is nominated for Best Song. No need to worry about any of the other new numbers "needing" to be written to get a Best Song nod!

Updated On: 7/28/09 at 05:14 PM

[americanboy99]

Posted: 7/28/09 at 5:21pm

Have you heard the new song? If so, how?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/28/09 at 7:11pm

Opinion respected, Pgenre. And I don't base the prediction based on my own judgements of the trailer, it's just the vibe that I get. I hold off on opinions until I see the thing, of course, but trailers and clips certainly do lean you towards one direction.

NINE is very odd for me, personally. Since the closing of MovieMusicals.net, I haven't been in touch with any of my sources, really. Just some of my friends that work in the industry. And we don't talk about NINE. It's very different not being "in the know."

[Pgenre]

Posted: 7/28/09 at 7:21pm

I was a HUGE fan of that site, CapnHook, and I hope you bring it back in some capacity. I had no idea you ran that! I used to go there on an almost daily basis in the whole post-CHICAGO rumor boom... it seemed like every musical ever written was getting a film adaptation at some point! I must admit that I am shocked that NINE actually got made whereas PIPPIN, DAMN YANKEES, MAME, FIDDLER, etc etc etc, MUCH more well-known and common titles, never came to anything. I applaud your work and hope to see new and brighter things from you in the future!

And all the buzz from people I know seems to be very,very good. Apparently, many of the films I am looking forward to and which will be the Oscar bait this year, are rumored to fall far short of expectations. Weinstein is gonna bet the farm on NINE, mark my words. He's been working on it longer than nearly ANY of his other projects and takes real pride in it.

P

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/28/09 at 7:27pm

Thanks, Pgenre. :) It was fun to run however it was merely a hobby. Just wanted to share my inside info and record-tracking with everyone else, however it got to be too time-consuming and expensive. I don't have the resources to maintain it anymore. Broke my heart to let it go, but it had to be done. I tried finding a partner to help but no one took the bait.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/29/09 at 12:59pm

According to IMDB, these are the only surviving songs.

Guido's Song
A Call from the Vatican
My Husband Makes Movies
Follies Bergeres
Be Italian
Unusual Way
I Can't Make This Movie

If true, that is absolutely PATHETIC. I'm barely even excited for this anymore.
Updated On: 7/29/09 at 12:59 PM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:04pm

What the hell?

Where did like 80% of the score go?

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:06pm

These are apparently the new songs

Cinema Italiano, Take It all, and Guarda La Luna (a brief song for Sophia Loren, new lyrics to the waltz).

So pathetic. I'm glad Sondheim didn't go replacing/adding songs just to have a shot at the Oscar for Sweeney.

Updated On: 7/29/09 at 01:06 PM

[tazber]

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:15pm

They kept Follies Bergeres?!?!? That was the one song I was praying they would cut. I hope they at least kept "The Trouble With Contini" counterpoint.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/29/09 at 1:16pm

"P.S. best12bars and CapnHook - I almost always agree with you guys but I think you are WAY off the mark this time."

Pgenre---I really hope you read my posts before writing that, because it sounds like you didn't at all. My comments were purely speculative, and I said "I hope I'm wrong." I'm not "off the mark" with my hunch. It's just a hunch. But it is my hunch.

All that aside ...

You've helped boost my confidence that the film works with the changes made. Sounds like you've seen it or at least an extended trailer with the soundtrack. Either way, I hope I feel the way you do when I finally see the film.

I certainly don't look forward to being disappointed. I'm all for "adaptation" if it works. But it has to work or I get upset by the changes made.

And for the record, I did like the movies of Chicago, Dreamgirls, and Hairspray very much. I thought they "worked" quite well, for the most part, and were successful film adaptations.