South Pacific Movie Remake- Page 2
South Pacific Movie Remake
#25South Pacific Movie Remake
Posted: 6/7/12 at 5:24pmHonestly, I think Amanda Seyfried would make a good Nellie Forbush.
#26South Pacific Movie Remake
Posted: 6/7/12 at 6:06pmCarlos, I was being too harsh--the film isn't ALL that bad. I like the cast, I like putting back "My Girl Back Home", and finally seeing it in widescreen, remastered, filters and all it looks spectacular (it's amazing growing up with many of these films on pan and scan videotapes, and then finally seeing them properly). I do think Logan opens it up a little too much--the silly war stuff that in the play is merely talked about over the radio, feels like it goes on way too long--it reminds me of how when Logan adapted his production of Picnic to film around the same time, the shots of endless picnic/fair activity just seems to go on, and on, and on. We get it, Josh Logan--you couldn't do this on stage and you're adding to the reality with a movie. But jesus...
#27SOUTH PACIFIC Movie Remake
Posted: 6/8/12 at 12:22pm
EricMontreal22 wrote: I found (the remake) a mess and it made me appreciate the original movie, even with those filters, more. Why was Josh Logan such a great theatre director apparently, but his films are often bloated... even when he adapted his plays like SOUTH PACIFIC?
CarlosAlberto wrote: I may be in the minority here but I don't have a problem with the 1958 film version of SOUTH PACIFIC...color filters and all. It's one of my favorite films.
EricMontreal22 wrote: Carlos, I was being too harsh - the film isn't ALL that bad. I like the cast, I like putting back "My Girl Back Home", and finally seeing it in widescreen, remastered, filters and all it looks spectacular.... I do think Logan opens it up a little too much - the silly war stuff that in the play is merely talked about over the radio, feels like it goes on way too long...
Some time ago I revisited the 1958 film version of SOUTH PACIFIC. I enjoyed it more than I remembered and it I probably liked it more than I ever have.
The storytelling and the score will always be up there for me. Perhaps a this is about the stage show as well as the film, but I love the way the two narratives complement each other so perfectly. The characters are so well written. It's immensely compelling.
Eric, I don't agree that the war stuff in the film is silly. It's not endless and it has its place. The film is not all that much longer than the stage show and I don't find it bloated. I'm not sure I like the shuffling of the scenes at the top of the film, though. I love the symmetry that opening with "Dites-Moi" would have given to the film, in the way that is does on stage. There's also the singing to the camera in "A Wonderful Guy" and "My Girl Back Home": this is my number one pet hate in movie musicals. I don't think it EVER works, and I just find it frustrating here.
The score is, of course, a truly great one, even if the last half hour of both the show and the film ends up being a little "plotty". There are some strange little cuts here and there in the film, but the score is served much better here than in the recent television adaptation, which I thought was misguided in many departments. And "This Nearly Was Mine" is a beautiful - one of my favourite R&H songs.
I enjoy Mitzi Gaynor's performance more and more each time I see the film. Yes, there are two scenes (in my opinion) where her acting is perhaps a little weak - when she breaks down during the rehearsal for "Honey Bun" and just after "My Girl Back Home". But she generally does a great job, and even does all own her singing, as opposed to some of the other cast members of the film, whether or not they were capable of it. Also, the supporting cast is great, especially Ray Walston as Billis and Russ Brown as Captain Bracett. Both are delightful. On the other hand, I'm not crazy about the casting of John Kerr as Cable, and I don't think Bill Lee is the greatest match as his singing voice. I find his dubbing a bit distracting. It's certainly not as good a match as Emile or Bloody Mary.
The locations are also stunningly beautiful and are really well used throughout the film. It's great when a film actually uses its locations to its advantage, to tell the story and create the world of the film, rather than just as a gimmick. In contrast, the colour filters don't enhance the film one bit in my opinion. They really are a gimmick, but I think that's a common complaint.
random person 112
Broadway Star Joined: 6/26/11
#28SOUTH PACIFIC Movie Remake
Posted: 6/8/12 at 12:36pm
I could see them casting stars in the main roles- Cable, Emile, and Billis. I could see them going with Megan Hilty as Nellie, Reese Witherspoon would wonderful if they wanted a star, i could also see them letting Osnes play the role, Just not Kelli she looks a bit too old to do it on film now. Ten years ago i would have said Chenoweth.
Updated On: 6/8/12 at 12:36 PM
#29SOUTH PACIFIC Movie Remake
Posted: 6/8/12 at 12:40pm
Being optimistic I'd say that if Les Mis does well it might well help the prospects of any of the more tradional musical films that might me hanging around somewhere in pre-production.
I love the orginal film and tolerated the Glenn Close version but I don't see why a remake couldn't work, same for Miss Saigon, but thats a whole other discussion.
There's no way they'd touch it without a star name, I'd imagine. Much like Les Mis, there's plenty of little roles for star casting that maybe be the solution to them gooing for a less well-known Nellie, but I'd be shocked if they went that way.
I think Reese Withersoon would be great but I suppose the obvious name would be Amy Adams. John Dujardin would be a brilliant Emile though, until Paulo came along I never saw an actor playing that role where I could see why Nellie fell for him.
#30SOUTH PACIFIC Movie Remake
Posted: 6/9/12 at 4:26am
random person 112 wrote: Ten years ago i would have said Chenoweth.
Really? I don't think she's right for Nellie and I don't think there's any point in her career when I would have said she was. Although she might have the range as an actress to get through the role, I don't think she's a great fit for it vocally, or in terms of type.
random person 112
Broadway Star Joined: 6/26/11
#31SOUTH PACIFIC Movie Remake
Posted: 6/9/12 at 8:15amwell to each their own. I'd just love to see her tackle those songs.
#32SOUTH PACIFIC Movie Remake
Posted: 6/10/12 at 12:54am
There's a world of difference between wanting to hear a favourite singer tackle a couple of songs and wanting that same singer to play a role to which she is not particularly suited - on film, no less.
For example, it is great fun to hear Dee Snider do his creepy hard rock cover of "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd", but he certainly should not be playing Sweeney in a full production or film, and while it is interesting to hear Barbra Streisand singing "Some Enchanted Evening", that does not mean she should be playing Emile de Becque anytime soon.
Kristen Chenoweth might deliver a super "Honey Bun" or "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair", but I cannot see her pulling off "Twin Soliloquies", or even "A Cockeyed Optimist" or "A Wonderful Guy", in the context of a full production. You can predict fairly accurately, based on her body of work, how she would approach those last two songs vocally and while that might work fantastically in a general concert or even a concert staging of the show, it would not work on film or even in a full stage production.
#33SOUTH PACIFIC Movie Remake
Posted: 6/10/12 at 1:09amI could so hear Kristin singing Twin Soliloquies and A Wonderful Guy. Do people forget about her somewhat operatic voice or what? She could use that for Some Enchanted Evening (Reprise) and Twin Soliloquies. She has the twang for Nellie, and I think her voice would suit all the songs. Hell yes for Chenoweth (Ten Years Ago)
#34SOUTH PACIFIC Movie Remake
Posted: 6/10/12 at 1:30am
I agree with RainbowJude, Chenoweth's at her most successful when she's allowed to be funny, broad, and a little bit naughty in terms of her humor; she certainly isn't someone you'd believe singing a song like "A Cockeyed Optimist." Even in her breakout role as Sally, Chenoweth displayed a wise-beyond-her-character's-year sense of humor that is too much at odds with the naive girl from Little Rock, Arkansas that Nellie is supposed to be. However, it's true that she should sing some of the songs as part of her concert, I think she'd give some great renditions of some of them.
In terms of film, Amy Adams would have made an ideal Nellie a few years ago. I don't know that there's a film star that's as appropriate as Adams is for the role, though I'd kinda love to see what Jennifer Lawrence would do with a role like this.
#35SOUTH PACIFIC Movie Remake
Posted: 6/10/12 at 2:33am
I agree that if this were to happen, they should stick with Paulo Szot for Emile. He won a Tony for it, it's not like he's *too* not-famous (according to Hollywood that is). It's been proven that that role only works with someone who can sing it - refer back to the TV movie with Glenn Close if you don't believe me, that Emile was awful!
Can Rachel McAdams sing? If so, Nellie should definitely go to her
Also, I agree about Matt Morrison's voice being too thin on the cast recording. Plus, I think he's getting a little, erm...old...for Lt Cable.
Maybe Zac Efron?
Oooh, the possibilities for Cable. (:
#36SOUTH PACIFIC Movie Remake
Posted: 6/10/12 at 2:41amI'm not sure how you get less "too not famous for Hollywood" than Szot is...
random person 112
Broadway Star Joined: 6/26/11
#37SOUTH PACIFIC Movie Remake
Posted: 6/10/12 at 7:59am
^Strange that you mentioned those songs Jude, those were the ones i thought would work best. After seeing her characterization of Olive on Pushing Daisies, the incredibly naiive waitress at the pie hole hoplessly in love with a man she can't have. Showed she could pull off the innocence and naiivete. I think she could have really sunk her teeth into Nellie, but alas it was not too be.
#38SOUTH PACIFIC Movie Remake
Posted: 6/10/12 at 10:31amChenoweth was far from naive as Olive, it was very clear that she hopelessly loved Ned, but it was also very clear that she wanted to get in his pants, she was flirty, funny, adorable and sexy all at once, which is why she won the Emmy. There was very little naiveté to Olive, if anything, a major plot point throughout is that she highly suspected there was something off about Charlotte, rather than willingly accepting the fact that she was "normal."
random person 112
Broadway Star Joined: 6/26/11
#39SOUTH PACIFIC Movie Remake
Posted: 6/10/12 at 10:37amThis is also the one who suspected that masturbation was the same as mastication. That homoepathic meant deeply related to gay people. If that's not naiive i don't know what is.
#40SOUTH PACIFIC Movie Remake
Posted: 6/10/12 at 10:53amI love the original...I don't think this needs to happen. Juanita Hall is amazing!!! So happy so got to do the role on film!
Videos