Sondheim Talks FOLLIES Movie Musical — Page 8

The reason people laughed at "Family" was because Bill Condon kept apologizing for making a musical scene, you almost expected him to pop up in the movie telling the audience "I'm sorry for not finding a concept for this one number." I love the film DREAMGIRLS but it is ridiculous that the first book song that's not performed with any concept was about 30-45 minutes into the movie. That's why people laughed.
Nobody laughed at the unabashed musical scenes in SWEENEY TODD and I saw it twice at the theatre, nobody laughed in ENCHANTED or MAMMA MIA when people sang, I think with a good director who is NOT apologetic about the movie being a musical, it would definitely work.

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I think the LOVELAND sequence is going to be the hardest part to transfer to film. 6 songs sung on a stage, one right after the other. But the song LOVELAND could potentially be really fascinating on film.

Updated On: 12/6/08 at 03:02 PM

As well as Rain on the Roof, Ah, Paris!, Broadway Baby, ljay.

Right, but I believe that truncating may happen to a good majority of the songs in the film and we may be left with something that looks vastly different than what we've come to love about the show.

Ugh, I can't stand Jason Alexander. Please no.

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How could one possibly justify "Broadway Baby" or "One More Kiss" other than having someone standing on a stage performing them?

As it was originally written. In their memories. They're not really performing the numbers in the show.

People cause movies about flying bat men to gross billions of dollars, but have a bunch of middle aged women start singing and it's the most preposterous thing you've ever heard of.

The (alleged) movie will hardly be a huge financial success (but find a director a bunch of people are clamoring the work for and they'll do it for scale. Except Eddie Murphy, of course), but like the original, I think it could be the kind of movie that is stunningly beautiful and bizarre.

And to whichever Debbie downer (I know it was logan, but I don't feel like losing the second of my life to check), Nicole who? Where did that come from?

Right, but I believe that truncating may happen to a good majority of the songs in the film and we may be left with something that looks vastly different than what we've come to love about the show.

Like Dreamgirls, which is kind of a failure when you look at it in relation to the stage show. It's just as long as the show with half the music (much like Rent). Condon filled it with extraneous and useless extra information and came all over himself trying to make it about the Supremes.

But whatever, I'm not a filmmaker, but there's got to be someone with the means who can be even half as imaginative I am about this coming off on film.

I should have gone to directing school, that seems clear.

And slam Vanessa Williams all you want, who has never denied using Botox and is at least one woman of her age who does overdo it, people on this board love the idea of her, so as long as we're talking hypothetical, how about offering your thoughts?

The Follies threads are sacred, dammit!

As it was originally written. In their memories. They're not really performing the numbers in the show.

So are you suggesting having their younger selves perform it? The songs in the show are supposed to mirror the songs they performed in the Follies however many years prior, so I don't really understand what you're suggesting.

I of course know who "Nicole" is, so wasn't me.

As for the truncation, you're saying that the truncation of Dreamgirls caused it to be a failure, so why wouldn't the same apply here? If it serves as any example then they would remove all of the above listed songs and put in scenes further exploring the lives of the two couples which could be just as boring.

I'm a fan of Vanessa's and of Ugly Betty, but I think that her talents for mugging at the camera and wearing couture are best fit there. Regardless of her admittance of Botox I can't agree that she hasn't "overdone it." Comparing her in "Soul Food" to today, one can clearly see the lack of ability to emote via facial movement.



As for my "thoughts," I was totally for this when I began posting in the thread, but with further thought it just feels like everyone is casting their dream cast for what could be a stellar production of concert version of the show. I feel like the show itself has some amazing songs that advance the plot and could be part of a gorgeous movie musical, but I wouldn't want to see it made just for those and to then lose some of the other gems that just wouldn't transfer to film.

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Looks like Susan has already practiced the accent:

Rugrats in Paris: The Movie - Rugrats II (2000) (voice) .... Coco LaBouche

You have to admit, that a Phyllis whose didn't move would probably work for the character. I really think that the role (with a few tweaks) would be so perfectly suited for her.

And yeah, she has her shtick on Ugly Betty, that show is all about shtick.

Well, everything is possible and nothing makes sense. Just because I believe Follies could be an incredible movie doesn't it mean it can or ever will. I think there was a much better movie to be made with Dreamgirls. Hairspray and Sweeney were truncated, but I thought they were their own animals and true and respectful of their roots.

But whatever, it's almost 2 am, and I love to wax poetic about Follies.

Sorry if I sounded bitchy a few posts back.

Even with Sweeney what I found especially hard with the people watchign around me--was people not knowing to LISTEN to the songs like dialogue. Even those who like songs in movies sorta tune out and think it's time to focus on the visuals and et their popcorn and not care what's being said...

I know Phyllis wasn't written for a great singer, but I think you should still cast someone who can at least sing a little bit.

Kim Basinger might be able to sing Sally. I don't think she's an incredible actress, but she's nothing if not fragile.

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Updated On: 12/10/08 at 11:08 AM

Ugh, Kim Basinger. Can't stand her.
You do have a point though, Donna Murphy's Phyllis was pretty great in part because of her vocals.
I do like the idea of Vanessa Williams as Phyllis, Phyllis

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Apparently Aaron Sorkin is writing the screenplay
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1172993/

And it would most certainly need an intermission.

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