Sweeney or Hairpray- Page 4

[roquat]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 8:33pm

There were actually more similarities between these two movies than are immediately evident--

John Travolta's Edna and Helena Bonham Carter's Lovett each generated passionate controversy;

Each movie had a great supporting cast who chewed up their roles with gusto, but without overdoing it (Rickman, Cohen and Spall for SWEENEY; Pfeiffer, Walken, and Latifah for HAIRSPRAY).

The main difference? SWEENEY's screenplay stayed reasonably faithful to the stage show while streamlining it for the movies. Most of the deletions were warranted and the scenes added fit in very well (the "Life is for life, my dear", for example.) However, the tone and delivery of the material changed completely onscreen. HAIRSPRAY made numerous changes (replaced many of the jokes, fooled with the structure so it was no longer definitively Act One/Act Two, added new songs) yet the spirit of the original was duplicated in the movie almost exactly.

If one of these two wins, I think it'll be HAIRSPRAY, which was widely loved across many demographics. Plus, the Globes aren't really known for rewarding risks--they're much more "Entertain us."

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 9:32pm

Well, Phyllis, upon examination of the Metacritic scores of all of the nominated movies, it would seem that Knocked Up would be the LEAST appropriate film to distinguish as a "cinematic dump". Just because you have an opinion doesn't mean that it's the right one.

Metacritic scores of the Golden Globe nominees in the Best Picture Musical/Comedy category:

Across the Universe: 56
Charlie Wilson's War: 69
Hairspray: 81
Juno: 81
Sweeney Todd: 82
-------------------
Knocked Up: 85

[me2]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 9:40pm

Is there anyone out there who understands what I am failing to communicate? :)
Broadway Blog: In Celebration of Wicked

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 10:25pm

You are correct, TheActr, but just because a majority of people share an opinion doesn't automatically make THAT the right one. Maybe it would have played better if I saw it in a theatre, but it played like an ugly domestic drama on tv. And I have a nice tv! Anyhoo, I know most people liked that movie. I just didn't get it.

I brought it up because I thought it was nominated and I remember it being the world's favorite new romantic comedy, so I thought that would be hard to beat. But it's not. Back to the movies that ARE,

me2, I think the problem with what you're saying is that it's all hyperbole and straw man and allegorical. And it's just not true. I get that not all people like all voices. I can't stand the sound of Stritch. Ever. We get that you don't like her voice, but ultimately, what does it have to do with anything? She'd never get cast in a high school musical because she chain smokes and she'd probably be inappropriate with the young men.

I guess I'm in a minority, but unless a role is specifically a role is supposed to be some big great singer, I don't care about the voice. Some people hold movie musicals up to such scrutiny that I don't see lobbed at other genres. It's a world where people sing. Why should I expect that all of them have great voices?

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 1/4/08 at 12:54am

It's easy to see what a joke the Globes are when you look at some of the nominees in these categories.