The IN THE HEIGHTS Film Adaptation Thread- Page 35

[edmundog2]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 5:07pm

Yes, he's old but so were the people from RENT.

And look how that worked out.

Oh, also, everyone who’s responding derisively to observations of colorism? Cool your jets. Especially the one who responded with a GIF of a rich white man laughing about it. Talk about telling on yourself. 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 6:11pm

While I agree with many of the comments made regarding the script's weaknesses, none detracted from my enjoyment of the film.  I'm sad that the box office numbers are disappointing, especially since we'll never know the impact of the simultaneous stream on HBO Max.  How can there ever be a fair analysis of box office success when some percentage of the audience is home in front of their TV's?  In my case, literally everyone I've recommended the movie to watched it at home or found a friend with HBO Max, despite my recommendation to enjoy it on a big screen.  Of course my experience is purely anecdotal, but without meaningful data from HBO everyone's facts will be guesses based on his or her own experience.

Some months ago no one knew what the state of the pandemic would be in June 2021 and the decision was made to make the film available for streaming on day one.  If the vaccines had not been effective or distributed so quickly, in-person attendance at movie theaters would have been a pipe dream and everyone would be enjoying the film at home.  How would we have judged success or failure in that case? . . . and why is the current situation materially different?

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 6:34pm

Oh, also, everyone who’s responding derisively to observations of colorism? Cool your jets. Especially the one who responded with a GIF of a rich white man laughing about it. Talk about telling on yourself.
 

Haha. I'll do what I want (as usual) and won't be cooling my jets. But, good luck controlling people on the internet.

And the amazing Leo gif only has to do with people on Twitter being outraged since they don't matter and are just looking to bitch about something. Not anything else. 

[twotrey]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 6:53pm

kidbroadway2 said: "I thought Vanessa was very just ok, and didn't Hudgens play her already in the show WITH Ramos at KC? Neither of the Nina/Vanessa actors made a big enough impact as a Ramos or Hawkins to warrant not casting a name at all.

"

Hudgens may have helped the box office somewhat (at the very least, it would've helped grab some attention), but that opens up another can of worms since she isn't Latina.  I do wonder, though, if the late Naya Rivera was ever in contention for Vanessa in this incarnation of the film.  I know she was in the mix for Nina (and, if rumor is to be believed, was in negotiations) for the aborted Kenny Ortega version 10 years ago.  I do think she would've been a great Vanessa and, not to be morbid, if it were her final screen performance...

[JBroadway]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 7:00pm

Wow, I have literally spent 15 years of my life thinking that Vanessa Hudgens was Latina, but I just googled it, and sure enough she's of Filipina descent. As the kids say, "I was today years old when I learned that." Wild! She played Latina characters in High School Musical, Rent, and In The Heights, and I just never once questioned it.

It might be worth noting that there have been other ITH actors over the years who were not Latinx, like Corbin Bleu and Shaun Taylor-Corbett. But it seems they weren't interested in going that direction for the film, and rightly so, I think. 

I wouldn't have been opposed to the idea of bigger names being in it, but I will go to my grave thankful that Lin Manuel Miranda didn't play Usnavi in this film. That would've been an utter disaster. 

[David10086]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 7:50pm

According to box office reports, the estimated weekend box office for ITH is less than $13M. That's far below it's projection by the studio of $20M.  Not such great news. 

[InTheBathroom1]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 8:16pm

It ended up being $11.4 million and coming in second to Quiet Place II. I hope the HBOMax numbers are good.

[kidbroadway2]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 9:14pm

SporkGoddess said: "- Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez and/or Jennifer Lopez needed to be in this. Jennifer could have played Daniela easily. Again, Daphne was great but that's probably the easiest part to cast with a name. I thought Vanessa was very just ok, and didn't Hudgens play her already in the show WITH Ramos at KC? Neither of the Nina/Vanessa actors made a big enough impact as a Ramos or Hawkins to warrant not casting a name at all.

I agree that casting Hudgens as Vanessa and/or JLo as Danielamight have worked just as well, but please no to LMM playing Usnavi."

'-----

LMM brings in the $$. There's a reason they forced him onto the poster. Even him being in Mary Poppins or that island Rock movie helped bring in numbers. Whether it would have helped the movie or not, It would have brought more Money to the movie. 

[kidbroadway2]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 9:16pm

ggersten said: "kidbroadway2 said: "As someone who loved the movie and stage version, I am very disappointed to see how awful the box office numbers were.



Here were the changes that should have been made:

- Lin should have played Usnavi. Yes, he's old but so were the people from RENT. The difference is that Lin is the only bankable Latino name out there, MADE the show and I guarantee would have brought in more people. Anthony Ramos was fantastic and charismatic, but no one went out to see him. No one. Hell, even Daveed Diggs would have brought more people in as a "name" (I understand he's not Latino but just as an example)..

- Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomezand/or Jennifer Lopez needed to be in this. Jennifer could have played Daniela easily. Again, Daphne was great but that's probably the easiest part to cast with a name. I thought Vanessa was very just ok, and didn't Hudgens play her already in the show WITH Ramos at KC? Neither of the Nina/Vanessa actors made a big enough impact as a Ramos or Hawkins to warrant not casting a name at all.

- Run time was way too long. I'd say 90% of the scenes just did flat out not work. The music numbest were spectacular and the star of the show, but the screenplay was VERY weak. There's at least 20 minutes that should have been cut to get this under 2 hours. I'm taking out Alabanza, Piragua (IF Lin is now playing Usnavi), and I hate to say it but even No Me Diga IF JLo isn't cast in this.

- Home All Summer was awful. If you're going to make a new song, make it a HUGE Big finale dancing number that can go right after "Finale".

- Get rid of the entire Dreamers/immigration plot. Was totally unnecessary, not even expanded on correctly and felt like they were just trying to score some political points.





- Put up most if not ALL of the music numbers on YouTube. Only way to generate more hype for the movie AND 96,000 is not even that great a pop song. Put up ALL the pop song numbers - especially the female ballads. (Breathe, It Won't be Long Now, When You're Home)

- I understand w covid not ideal, but try to have them do live songs of the show to promote it.



The main issue boils down to them not getting more names. And the HBO Max streaming availability. Too bad, guess people who were telling Lin for years they needed a name to make the show work were 100% right.

"

I feel that your criticisms of the script have nothing to do with the box office. I think people are enjoying the film as it is. I'm guessing this will spread to good word of mouth. Casting is what it is - but I believe I read some discussion revolved around Crazy Rich Asians not having any "US" names with Chu saying his cast was filled with "stars" just not people yet known to be stars. I think this carried over to ITH casting.

We talked about going to the theatre to see it in IMAX this weekend - but even though vaccinated, we still are tentative about going out to the movie theatre. So, we may venture out this week/next weekend. We watched the earlier on-line preview."

 

--

I've already heard of people who didn't go see the movie because they heard the runtime was 2 hours 30. It should have been under 2 hours, it sounds like a homework assignment the way they tried to pitch this. You can make Hamilton 2 hours 30, but In the Heights needed WAY more cuts, not making the story even longer. 

 

The broadway show is 2 hours 30 minutes, the movie is 2 hours 23 minutes. That's ridiculous. A lot of the added storylines only made it worse and longer. 

Updated On: 6/13/21 at 09:16 PM

[kidbroadway2]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 9:22pm

edmundog2 said: "Yes, he's old but so were the people from RENT.

And look how that worked out.

Oh, also, everyone who’s responding derisively to observations of colorism? Cool your jets. Especially the one who responded with a GIF of a rich white man laughing about it. Talk about telling on yourself."

----

With all due respect, no one went to see Anthony Rapp or any of those people. The only one may have been Idina, but in many ways there was no difference in name quality from them vs. the In Heights cast. 

Lin would have been a name like Zac Efron, who brings people to the theater (difference audition obviously).

 

[kidbroadway2]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 9:24pm

InTheBathroom1 said: "It ended up being $11.4 million and coming in second to Quiet Place II. I hope the HBOMax numbers are good."

 

They'll never say. 

[kidbroadway2]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 9:26pm

twotrey said: "kidbroadway2 said: "I thought Vanessa was very just ok, and didn't Hudgens play her already in the show WITH Ramos at KC? Neither of the Nina/Vanessa actors made a big enough impact as a Ramos or Hawkins to warrant not casting a name at all.

"

Hudgens may have helped the box office somewhat (at the very least, it would've helped grab some attention), but that opens up another can of worms since she isn't Latina. I do wonder, though, if the late Naya Rivera was ever in contention for Vanessa in this incarnationof the film. I know she was in the mix for Nina (and, if rumor is to be believed, was in negotiations) for the aborted Kenny Ortega version 10 years ago. I do think she would've been a great Vanessa and, not to be morbid, if it were her final screen performance..."

--

Oh, didn't realize. Yes, Naya would have been good but I think this year just not relevant enough and has too much drama. At the time w Ortega, a great choice. 

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 9:45pm

Sutton Ross wrote: “And the amazing Leo gif only has to do with people on Twitter being outraged since they don't matter and are just looking to bitch about something. Not anything else. “
 

For better or worse, Twitter’s influence, by a long shot, far surpasses anything posted on this board. Though we might not like it, it’s a fact.

[James885]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 10:05pm

Caught it on HBO Max earlier today. Having never seen the Broadway show, I thought the movie was good, but not great. Really liked the performances as well as the music and choreography. 

The screenplay was very weak and unfocused - from what I understand, that's a familiar criticism of the book of the musical as well. It was also way too long and could've easily lost 15 or 20 minutes without losing anything important.

As for the box office, I think it's interesting that it performed as expected in the NY area but in other regions of the country with a large Latinx population - like Texas and Southern California - it underperformed.

Updated On: 6/13/21 at 10:05 PM

[sng]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 10:27pm

I wish I could afford to drop out of college because of casual racism instead of standing up to them and I also wish I had a girlfriend who abandoned her newly rented apartment so she could decorate my bodega. 

[Melissa25]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 11:09pm

Here is some detail about one of my favorite numbers in the movie, Paciencia Y Fe.

How ‘In the Heights’ pulled off its most moving, ambitious musical number of all

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 6/13/21 at 11:37pm

MichelleCraig said: "Sutton Ross wrote: “And the amazing Leo gif only has to do with people on Twitter being outraged since they don't matter and are just looking to bitch about something. Not anything else. “


For better or worse, Twitter’s influence, by a long shot, far surpasses anything posted on this board. Though we might not like it, it’s a fact."

Oh, nothing said here influences anything most of the time, I'm under no illusions regarding that. But, the toxic Twitter people canceling movies and musicals don't see them, and they don't pay for a movie ticket or musical. They just complain.

I just read that Twitter is mad at Billie Eilish because she isn't gay. Like, I cannot with that platform. 

[Luminaire2]

Posted: 6/14/21 at 12:28am

Important to also remember normally the box office numbers would include Canada (in the US numbers), and we have no theatres open yet… (BC theatres open Tuesday finally, and I have tickets to see In The Heights that very day).

Not that we add that much I’m sure, with our population.

But also I think everyone needs to be way more forgiving of box office numbers… we are still in a pandemic. Nothing is performing normally or as expected.

[A Director]

Posted: 6/14/21 at 3:40am

sng said: "I wish I could afford to drop out of college because of casual racism instead of standing up to themand I also wish I had a girlfriend who abandoned her newly rented apartment so she could decorate my bodega."

I guess you have never been a victim of casual racism. Until she went to Stanford, Nina lived in a community where people care for and looked out for her. This didn't happen at Stanford.  As for Vanesa, she thinks to be successful, she has to leave her neighborhood and move to the white part of town.  She discovers this is not true.  There are BIPOC designers who are successful without dealing with the white world.

 

[A Director]

Posted: 6/14/21 at 3:47am

The beloved movie, MY FAIR LADY runs 2 hours and 50 minutes.

The beloved movie, WEST SIDE STORY (1961) runs 2 hours and 33 minutes.

The beloved movie, THE SOUND OF MUSIC runs 2 hours and 52 minutes.

The movie version of In The Heights IS NOT TOO LONG!

 

[bear88]

Posted: 6/14/21 at 3:56am

I have noticed that other people on this thread have revised their opinions of the film after seeing it a second time, so I will wait to offer an assessment. I do tend to agree with the consensus view that the screenplay was the major problem.

As for the box office, I watched the film at my local metroplex in the San Francisco suburbs on a Saturday night with 10 other people, including my wife, in the largest theater in the place.

Pandemic restrictions make it impossible to sell many seats but the film just didn’t draw interest. I think a full-blown musical with no stars about the lives of Latinos in a New York City neighborhood is an awfully tough sell outside of the NYC area.

I do not believe Lin-Manuel Miranda as Usnavi would have made much of a difference. He’s not an established movie star.

There’s a reason studios have spent decades hiring big-name ‘stars’ for expensive musicals regardless of their ability to sing and dance. Had this been a small, low-budget project, that might not have mattered as much. Irony: The Miranda-directed Tick Tick Boom - a lower-budget passion project that had a trailer before In the Heights - has bigger names in the cast.

In the Heights isn’t just a critical favorite, as audience reviews are positive and its CinemaScore is an A. That might make me more optimistic it might have legs. But that’s where HBO Max won’t help. The curious or those not ready to set foot in a theater who have HBO Max access will check it out there.

I also wonder if the greater skittishness about going to theaters in urban, more liberal areas will hurt movies like In the Heights until pandemic concerns subside.

In the end, In the Heights has too many things working against it to be a box office success.

Updated On: 6/14/21 at 03:56 AM

[kidbroadway2]

Posted: 6/14/21 at 4:04am

A Director said: "The beloved movie, MY FAIR LADY runs 2 hours and 50 minutes.

The beloved movie, WEST SIDE STORY (1961) runs 2 hours and 33 minutes.

The beloved movie, THE SOUND OF MUSIC runs 2 hours and 52 minutes.

The movie version of In The Heights IS NOT TOO LONG!

"

--

I absolutely loved this movie, but to compare it even close to the level of West Side Story or The Sound of Music is absurd. 

If the reason the movie was 2.5 hours bc Lin added 2-3 new songs to the movie, that's one thing. People went to see Lin's music.

 

If the reason it's 2.5 hours is bc they added entirely new storylines and additional (unnecessary) scenes to make it more "relevant" today that's an issue. 

 

The best scenes were the ones that flowed RIGHT INTO the next song immediately after. 

[kidbroadway2]

Posted: 6/14/21 at 4:06am

Anecdotal, but I've already gone back and watched In the Heights on HBOMax again for the second time in 2-3 days AND replayed a few of the songs nearly most of this weekend.

 

Does any of this show up in the box office numbers? No.

 

 

[jo]

Posted: 6/14/21 at 4:11am

kidbroadway2 said: "Anecdotal, but I've already gone back and watched In the Heights on HBOMaxagain for the second time in 2-3 days AND replayed a few of the songs nearly most of this weekend.



Does any of this show up in the box office numbers? No.



"

What counts is how many times you have paid for a ticket to the movie. Not the number of times you have watched it on your TV screen via streaming or home video.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 6/14/21 at 8:34am

After streaming it twice, I will definitely go see this in the movie theatre.

The script missteps were more apparent in the second viewing.  I didn't think the framing device of Usnavi narrating the story from the beach was necessary.  The addition of Cuca also wasn't necessary.  That being said, the changes didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the film.

I believe Leslie Grace hit the final note in When the Sun Goes Down that was missing in When You're Home. I definitely missed Everything I Know from the Broadway production.