"The Producers" Movie Reviews Thread- Page 3

[jasonf]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 5:21pm

My official review:

I TOTALLY understand why all these critics are bashing this movie. I will bet you, to the man (or woman) they are people who hate musicals to begin with or, for whatever reason, hate this show to begin with and went in expecting to hate it. What's on the screen IS the musical currently being seen on Broadway, with a few cuts that in the end didn't really harm the movie (I missed King of Broadway for about ten seconds - though I can't wait to see the footage on the DVD, and I missed "The Intermission" joke in "Betrayed" - but it's made up for by a slight alteration of another meta-joke a few moments earlier.)

The other criticism of this movie - it means nothing, it's fluff, etc. etc. Well, yes, it is. It's not a serious piece of theater or film and doesn't make any pretensions to being more than that. What the play and the film do is transport the audience to a time when musicals were FUN. It's a light, fluffy entertainment where you can go for two hours and laugh. In this time of "serious" movies (this trend of films like Syriana, Munich, Memoirs... etc.) and serious movie musicals (what was the last successful COMEDY?), there's absolutely nothing wrong with a movie where its sole purpose is to ENTERTAIN!

What Susan Stroman has managed to do is to ACTUALLY make a movie of a Broadway musical that really gives the feel of what that experience is like. If you hate the show, or hate musicals, you have no hope here. This movie is 100% theatrical - I feel like I just got back from the "theater" - not the cineplex, but the theater we all love.

Are Lane and Broderick completely over the top? Hell yes, and thank God, because that's what made the show so funny in the first place. Faults with the show itself aside (I agree with those who say some of the music isn't exactly the best the Great White Way has ever offered), this movie is VERY funny and entertaining as anything I've seen in the movies this year. The actors are all spot-on in their performances - I could go into individual performances, but there's no point. They're all great - and Uma Thurman and Will Ferrell (who I usually can't stand) are great fill-ins for their Broadway counterpoints (though I felt very bad for poor Brad Oscar, reduced to a two second cameo!). And that's another great thing for this community -- catching all the Broadway cameos filtered throughout the movie! I had so much fun identifying them - and I don't want to spoil the surprise of who's in here. (Though I have to ask - does anyone know if that was Victoria Clark in the Opening Night sequence - I thought I saw her at the VERY end of it, but it was so fast, and I forgot to check in the credits...).

Anyway, I think this movie is an absolute success. Those criticizing it for being "too theatrical," - I don't think there was any point to NOT making this movie theatrical! We already HAVE a movie of The Producers. What this film does is capture forever the stage show - and yes, at times it literally looks like a stage. But so what??? (And thank you, Ms. Stroman, for filming dance sequences full body rather than "Chorus-Line-from-the-waist-up").

The crowd at the 3/4 full theater I was in (Christmas afternoon), laughed almost continuously through the film. There were even a couple of points where I could FEEL the audience holding back from applauding after a couple of the songs (someone got in two claps after "Betrayed" before realizing what they were doing). The theater ERUPTED in applause afterwards - probably more than I've ever seen a crowd do in a movie theater.

We've seen shows turned into movies countless times, we've seen recordings of stage shows -- this is the first true blending of those two forms. This is a love-letter to Broadway, a wink at the fans of Broadway, and hopefully a sneak-attack on those who would NEVER go see a musical live in the theater.

Updated On: 12/25/05 at 05:21 PM

[ProducersFan]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 5:25pm

I'll be seeing it tonight, available tickets willing. I'll post a review afterwards should you all want to read it. I'm an enormous fan of the musical (and the original movie), so I'm very excited to see it translated to film. It's saddening to see a show that I love so much being panned by the critics, but ah well, that's show business.

Merry Christmas everyone!

[AnotherDay46]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 5:31pm

Hmmm, I loved it! Ohh well...

[DancNdaMoonlite]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 5:35pm

I didn't like it. But maybe I have to have seen the show to appreciate it more or something..

[worrell4077]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 6:20pm

I saw it today at the first showing and I just loved every minute of it, as did the audience in the theater. Everyone was laughing at basically all the jokes, everyone went nuts for the blue blankie and Carmen's YESSSSSSSSSSSSS. I also loved Will Ferrell as Franz, he was just so perfect in that role.

I hope that when the dvd comes out that, it's either a two sided disc or a two disc set with one side/disc with the theatrical version and a good amount of special features including the deleted scenes and the other being a director's cut of the movie, putting the deleted scenes back in where they belong including King of Broadway.
________________________________________________________________
"If you intention was to shoot an arrow through my heart.....BULLSEYE!!!!"
-The Producers

[jasonf]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 7:13pm

worrell - that would be great -- I was thinking I'd love a double packaging of this movie and the original movie as well.

This DVD will also make my "Recording the Producers" a bit of a redundancy...

[loudasthehelliwant]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 7:33pm

Thanks for the review, Jason! It's very comforting.

Seeing it in an hour. Probably won't post a review, but we'll see.

[ProducersFan]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 7:35pm

Got my tickets, so I'll be seeing it at 10:10 tonight - yay!

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 7:37pm

You won't be disappointed. Even with all my moaning about the "selective editing," it's still a damn fine movie. I hope it's doing well this weekend.

[jasonf]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 7:40pm

loud -- I'd love to hear what you think.

best12bars - I was thinking that too - but isn't its opening ONLY today in wide release dooming it to a small weekend box office? Add to that the fact that our HUGE multiplex here is only showing it about four times today on one screen....I don't know how much chance it has for a good box office this weekend...

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 7:51pm

I still think the word-of-mouth overall is going to be good. People are going to tell their friends that it's really funny.

That should do the trick. But it also depends on the competition out this weekend. Personally, I think people would rather LAUGH during the holidays than "think." As good as they may be, movies like "Munich" and several others will suffer right now. I'd rather have some eggnog and smile.

[jasonf]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 7:53pm

Totally agree -- though I think I'm going to go see Munich tomorrow... :)

Who knows, maybe I'll need another dose of The Producers after it.

Posted: 12/25/05 at 8:01pm

I pray it does well in wide release. Screw the reviewers! Lauren Bacall once called them "failed writers." Yes it's a bit stagey. Who cares? It's so much fun and so entertaining. I hope it does wonderful things for Gary Beach. My favorite on stage and in the movie.I also hope it makes a lot of dough to help insure the continued life of the movie musical.

[nolatheatre]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 8:15pm

IT WAS AMAZING!!! I felt the exact same magic as when i saw it on broadway! I thought everyone in the cast did a wonderful job. I have always loved Mel Brooks and his work but besides Blazing Saddles i think this is his best work. I loved every minute!

[renthead2]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 8:55pm

Okay I am a big musical fan so I was obviously very excited to see it. Well all in all I thaught it was a good movie. The Casting was great and it was very funny. But (aside from the original movie made in 196 the producers was meant to remain on stage. Even though it was very funny, and it remained very true to the broadway play, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. It would be really fun to see it on stage tho.

Posted: 12/25/05 at 10:12pm

Im a bit tired and headache-y...so I thought I'd spare you (and my head) the time and write something short.

Just wanted to drop a post and say that I (having just returned from the 7pm showing) highly enjoyed it. It definately did the show justice and definately remained as funny as it always has been.
Loved Ferrel
So and so-ed Thurmann.

Lane and Broderick, perfectly perfect as always.

[Benzy92]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 10:19pm

I saw this today and was COMPLETELY let down with the final product. I can't put my finger on it, but basically, it just didn't work.

Lane and Broderick are cartoons and don't give good performances at ALL, IMHO.

Uma was the only one I actually enjoyed, along with Bart, which is surprising since I didn't think she'd fair too well.

Overall, I'd give it a C-/D+, and boy was I hoping for an A

[jasonf]

Posted: 12/25/05 at 11:43pm

I disagree benzy, but your avatar is hot so I'll let it go this time.

[Swiftynifty15]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 9:20am

I thought it was great! I thought it was hillarious! I thought Uma Therman was beautiful and wonderful. She is hot, huh? Oh back to the review.....LOL. And, I thought that Will Ferell was great. I think the whole cast did a great job!
Updated On: 12/26/05 at 09:20 AM

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 9:34am

Thought it was great. I agree with scarywarhol, I definitely think it will work much better on the small screen.

[ProducersFan]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 9:59am

Saw it late last night and absolutely loved it. I think my family brought the loudest laughter in the tiny audience. Nathan was fantastic as always, and it brought back great memories of seeing him perform the role on stage. I wanted to applaud after Betrayed - the guy next to me started to after Springtime.

Roger is perfection - and when he did his hand popping noise I almost died. He does so much in so little screen time - makes me love him even more!

My only complaint, which was shared by my mom and others, is the lack of camera movement. I agree with whoever said that unlike on the stage, you're forced to watch what's given to you and you feel like you're missing something. I wasn't a fan of the heads being cut off repeatedly...

All in all I thought it was a fantastic film and I'm anxiously awaiting to see it again. I left feeling as though I was leaving the St. James, making it a perfect ending to a great Christmas.

[Theatreboy33]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 11:35am

I agree with nearly everyone else here. I LOVED this film. And after reading the countless 1-star reviews and total bashes of the movie, I just have to think that film crtics had it out for this film from the get-go. They want subtlety. They want thinking films. The only films that garner any universal praise nowadays are the small cast, independent, filmed-so-subtely-an-eye-twitch-can-win-an-oscar. And that's fine. OK. But what the HELL were these critics expecting with "Producers?" Its a mel brooks creation for christs sake. Theyve been reviewing his work for over 30 years. I'll just say that it truly annoys me how in nearly every awful review ive read, the film critics seem to take a moronic pride in being culturally ignorant in any artistic field but film, constantly reminding everyone that theyve never nor never would see the stage musical. And I dont mean to argue that seeing the stage show is a prerequisite for enjoying the film, but i will say that holding ANY basic sense of musical theatricality IS. It's a musical's musical; Brooks love song to broadway. And that's what has been put on screen. Can you really pull out a subtle preformance when uttering the line, "Im not going into the toilet. I'm going into showbusiness!" I'd say probably not. Look, if you enjoy musicals/brooks films/big, loud comedy you will most likely love this film. I only wish the damn film critics could end the vendetta and let the public enjoy what is clearly this season's most enjoyable film.

[jasonf]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 2:19pm

Very well written, theatreboy -- that's like the second time this week I've read a post of yours that I've said that to. Are you a writer by trade?

I agree with everything you said (as is clearly indicated by my review). I've come to the conclusion that ANYONE who doesn't enjoy musicals for what they are simply is ignorant and, quite frankly, not all that intelligent. My proof of this: my best friend in college was a math major, hated even the THOUGHT of going to musicals. However, he is VERY intelligent. A girlfriend finally got him to see the touring production of Les Mis (this was a few years back now) and he LOVED it. He's since gone to see many shows - including the Producers - and loved them (not all, he is discriminating, but he has come to appreciate and understand the art form). What separates him from the critics is 1)an open mind - which he didn't have for the longest time, and 2)an INTELLIGENT mind. These critics who are against musicals from the get-go, either because they inherently don't like them for their own idiotic reasons, or worse, because they want to be seen as "cool" by the rest of the idiotic country, SHOULD NOT be allowed to damage this movie. Most of the theater lovers on here seem to love this film -- I would be interested to hear the opinion of someone who does love theater but never saw the show and have them INTELLIGENTLY explain why they feel the movie might not work for them. Otherwise, I'm just disregarding the pans, as I hope anyone reading this thread and debating about whether or not to see the movie will, and reveling (revelling?) in the entertainment of the Producers.

[ProducersFan]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 2:49pm

Hear hear! Couldn't have put it better myself!

[YankeeGal#24]

Posted: 12/26/05 at 5:00pm

I saw it today and absolutely LOVED IT! I can't begin to imagine why it's getting so many negative reviews. I read a review that said that only those who have never had prior exposure to "The Producers" will enjoy it, and that's insane! NOT TRUE--I saw and liked the original film with Zero Mostel and saw the Broadway show with Matthew and Nathan six times and still thought this film was funny, well done, and just terrific! I don't remember the last time I laughed that hard in a movie theater...and I knew what was coming!!! Go see it--again and again!