Sunset Boulevard: The Movie- Page 2

[Plum]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 9:20pm

I'll say this for Sunset Boulevard: It's not as abysmally godawful as Evita and The Phantom of the Opera.

Then again, I haven't actually watched a production of it, so I could be wrong. Sorry, spider. Once again we disagree on everything that is unrelated to pretty people. :)

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 9:28pm

Um...what did we disagree on in this thread again?

[Plum]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 9:34pm

I'm assuming you like those other ALWs. Updated On: 1/5/05 at 09:34 PM

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 9:36pm

Oh, yes. I like *almost* all of ALW's shows (even though I have only seen POTO on stage and then 3 on dvd....LEGAL dvd's). Are there any shows by him you like?

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 9:47pm

Hugh and Antony Hopkins would be perfect for their roles ! And as for Norma, I'd love to see Barbra, though i don't see it happening, I wouldn't like Liza, Bette is wrong and I am very ok with Glenn Close ! And I think her voice is quite acceptable. For those who say she can not play the role because she is not a great singer, I have two words... Gerard Butler!!!! :)

Take care

[stacey717]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 10:05pm

Oh, dammit!

I wanted to direct this movie musical!

(And you think I'm kidding... I was saying that if it were to be done it should be waited out until after Webber cannot influence it as he did with POTO-- I'd say mostly as a result of his involvment POTO couldn't have been made any better than it was....if this makes sense to anyone else... he wields much power and he aided strongly the choosing of the main actors (singing capabilities are...umm...), etc, and then was unable to see problems among the filmmakers of all types and levels...)

We'll see I guess... now I have to explore this topic more and set my sights another musical movie in the future heh

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 10:07pm

Well, if you composed the music to a musical wouldn't you want to have some kind of control over it?

[Plum]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 10:44pm

Spider, my first Broadway musical was Cats. I loved it at the time, but I haven't listened to it a single time since for fear that I'd ruin those memories.

As I already said, I utterly loathe Evita and The Phantom of the Opera but found the concert of Sunset Boulevard that was aired on BBC2 to be mostly tolerable and occassionally quite lovely. I haven't listened to any of his other musicals, but I probably will some time. I would have gotten Song and Dance for the sake of Bernadette Peters if I didn't know how weak she sounded on that recording.

[stacey717]

Posted: 1/6/05 at 12:03am

"Well, if you composed the music to a musical wouldn't you want to have some kind of control over it? "

I agree with you completely-- yes I would, and believe he should to (I didn't mean that he shouldn't)

The thing is--it bothered me filmically, as one very interested in filmmaking, to see that he, as the one with this control, because he is the one with this control over his work, hindered certain aspects of the film and didn't exercise the authority he should have commanded in other areas of the filming process...
It has been said by the director (ny times, a few weeks back) that Webber knew he didn't know anything about film and left the filmic details to those who knew (and some things the director said also bothered me as to his directions given to the cast, etc), but I don't know why Webber didn't see the problems in the film --filmically mostly, again-- and that he picked certain leads... Well, I understand he chose them for great reasons he has, he must have...
(perhaps he has proud parent syndrome or sorts? It possible if he truly does not know anything about film, especially to the untrained eye, but he didn't want to learn anything, watch anything, anything anything, about the process just to make sure everything was going right...?)

And my opinion on the film, for reference, when I tried to watch without a critical filmmaker's eye I enjoyed it (I would tell anyone who asked to go see it as a viewing is worth a go, it satisfies a need for bway musicality if you can't get to the great white way-- especially as any subsequent ticket is worth the price because of the transformation and any pleasure you may and will experience in the viewing is a bonus to that) , but from the view of a filmmaker, a view of one who enjoys meticulous editing (especially with music syncing involved), areas, especially such as the editing and certain shots, bothered me, while especially certain and ultimately fewer areas made me ecstatic (the transformation at the beginning is the mot notable).

I didn't mean to sound rude or stuck up or mean in reference to someone great as Webber (I enjoy a good number of his musicals, especially Phantom, especially for sentimentality to me) ...it's just my little and ultimately insignifigant opinion :)

[Justice]

Posted: 1/6/05 at 12:41am

As Norma, How about Harvey Fierstein?
Or better yet, Charles Busch?
Nathan Lane as Norma and Matthew Broderick as Joe.
Bernadette as Norma with Steve Martin as Joe.

How about they not make a film of this horrendous score?

Posted: 1/6/05 at 4:48am

BOOOO Promises Promises isn't a "Crappy stage version of a Wilder classic". And for the record it came very very close to being filmed in the very late 60s but the death of most major film musicals of the time ended that.

E

[sharon1]

Posted: 1/6/05 at 9:40am

I really liked the recent bbc concert version too, Plum. Everyone was very good. I was told they would like to do it again. But I just read that Elaine Paige and Michael Ball might do concerts in the Spring. I wonder if they might do the concert SSB. I have never heard her do the part. I would think she would be wonderful.

[MaTakeALookAtMe]

Posted: 1/6/05 at 10:10am

I like the Hugh Jackman and Anthony Hopkins suggestions, but who to play Norma? I've not seen any ideas that seem so great...

except maybe Carol Burnette...or Vicki Lawrnce...or make Norma really old and get Bea Arthur..