*** Official "CHICAGO" Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

Has anybody bought the soundtrack yet? Went to Best Buy on Tuesday, but they never received their order of it.





Crawdaddy

 

[Craig S]

Robert, you may want to check BB again - the one here had about 20 copies when I was there earlier today.Hopefully yours received a shipment since Tuesday.

I picked mine up Tuesday from CC (for the same $11.99 price). Great disc!!

 

[Greg_M]

BB had "Chicago" under the new releases on Tuesday. There were plenty of copies. On sale for $11.99

 

[Chris Farmer]

I picked it up. Good soundtrack, although the two rap songs at the end don't do a thing for me. Unnecessary and out of character with the rest of the album, but at least I have all the songs that were in the movie. It's easy enough to just skip those two.

 

[Brian W.]

Anyone hear anything about restoring the numbers "Class" and "I Move On" when it's released on video? The're on the soundtrack, but I don't know if they ever actually shot them.

 

[Greg_M]

Rob Marshall said the number "Class" was the only number filmed and then cut from the final print (Because the test audiences rated it low - since it was the only number not taking place in Roxie's mind, it seemed out of place) "Class" will be on the DVD. "I Move On" was recorded to be sung over the credits, never to be filmed.

All the songs from the show were originally to be in the film but cut before filming/recording ever started. Mr. Marshall said "He wanted to keep all the songs in but the film would run seven hours if they did" and songs which weren't vital to the plot were cut.

 

[PatrickL]

"I Move On" was recorded to be sung over the credits, never to be filmed.

"I Move On" was recorded and put under the end credits very late in the game - it's not from the Broadway show. As late as the second week in December, when the current Broadway cast got to see a screening of the movie, it wasn't yet in. I read that the lateness made it ineligible for Golden Globes consideration as Best Song, btw. (It would of course be the only eligible song at the Oscars, since the songs previously written for the stage show are not eligible) Assumedly, if it gets nommed, Renee Zelweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones would be asked to perform it at the Oscars show, right?

Billboard's next chart shows the soundtrack debuting at #4, and boxofficemojo reports that the movie jumped to #1 nationwide yesterday (Tuesday) even though it's booked at only about 550 theatres.

 

[Brian W.]

"Class" will be on the DVD.

But integrated into the film or as extra material?

 

[Clint B]

I've never seen the play, but I just loved the film (which I saw today). I am SO glad that Madonna wasn't involved. Catherine Zeta-Jones was great as Velma...Michael Douglas must be proud!

 

[Colin-H]

The film was a very flat copy of the play. As I said in the review thread, my interpretation of the story is that it is Roxie’s idealized recollection of the situation. It doesn’t have the same effect when painted realistically. The great thing about the play is that the line between fantasy and reality doesn’t exist. In the movie, it’s pretty clear. Reality = realistic sets, fantasy = on stage or in the black void. If you liked the movie, you have to see the play. The movie is only good because the source material is good.

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

It appears that Miramax changed its mind in releasing this one wide this weekend and instead, opted for sneak previews for today and tomorrow in cities where it is still not released.

That is odd though since one of the multiplex here is planning one of these sneaks when it is already playing in other multiplexes around the city.

It is now scheduled for its ultra wide release around the release of the Oscar nominations.

~Edwin

 

[Brook K]

They did the same thing in Atlanta Edwin. We went to one of the "sneak" theaters, but Chicago has already been playing here for a month.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Miramax is playing games because they've done the same thing in my little metropolis with only sneak previews available.

 

[Seth Paxton]

I read that the lateness made it ineligible for Golden Globes consideration as Best Song, btw

I was wondering about that. I hadn't been thinking about "I Move On" in terms of Oscar Best Song, mainly because of it being unmentioned with the Globes. However, I can't see this song not being the Oscar front runner. Especially considering it is coming from the front running Best Pix candidate that happens to be a musical.
It also helps that the song is outstanding.
Since buying the soundtrack it has received constant play in the car and the house. The fiancee is having me make her an "in her car" copy because there is just not enough CD to go around. I can't remember the last time we had a tug of war over a CD (maybe Moulin Rouge a bit though she listened to it more than me).
I have flopped around on my favorite song, but right now it's close between "We Both Went for the Gun", "Roxie", "Nowadays", and "I Move On". "Class" is also outstanding and I look forward to seeing it on the DVD, though I can totally agree with Marshall on seeing it as breaking the line of Roxie's perceivable fantasy space.
I think Latifah was great in her performance. Her singing is full and powerful, IMO. Sure they softened her up (though upon introduction she seemed more threatening and lesbian than they ended up playing her), but she still has a lot of pizzazz.
Lost in the shuffle a bit is Taye Diggs who makes for a terrific presence himself and seems to have natural authority on screen.
What a year for Reilly - The Good Girl, Hours, Chicago, Gangs of New York. While 3 of his roles are naive husbands Chicago involves the singing and Good Girl and Hours are quite different versions of that type of character. And then you have his GONY character which is totally different.
His year is a LOT like Broadbent's year last year when he played Supporting to many of the top Actress efforts of the year (Moulin Rouge, Iris, Bridget Jones Diary). For Reilly it's Chicago, Hours, The Good Girl.
Heck, Broadbent has followed 2001 up pretty damn well himself with Nicholas Nickleby (a cartoonishly good character in Wackford Squeers) and his own Gangs of NY performance. No reason to think Reilly won't be doing the same next year considering his current pace.
Vickie,
Great info, the story and the translation are two things that have been on Sarah's mind (as well as mine) and I printed them out for her to read. I'm sure she thanks you ahead of time for digging them up.

 

[PatrickL]

The movie is only good because the source material is good.

But then why are the films of Man of La Mancha and The Fantasticks, to give two examples, unrelenting unwatchable messes while on stage they remain almost foolproof on account of their solid source material? I think you underestimate what Marshall has done with the movie, because in my view, transitioning material from the stage onto the screen and remaining true to the intent and spirit of the original is a rare accomplishment in itself, for one thing.

I could certainly understand if you feel, as I do, that the Fosse-derived choreography that is seen on stage is, *taken on its own merits*, better than Marshall's choreography for the movie. But after seeing the movie and how the material was conceptualized, I no longer believe that Fosse's choreography would have been preferable on film...it is such a specific style, with such a recognizable vocabulary (the slouched shoulders, the finger snaps, the isolated pelvis, the bowler hats) that it would have made no sense supposedly springing from Roxie's imagination in the movie. It would have been like, okay, not only does she musicalize everyone around her, but with genius premonition she imagines them dancing in the groundbreaking style that freed musicals from their balletic conventions 4 decades later? Nah.

I can't agree with your interpretation of the stage show as Roxie's idealized recollection; it simply isn't supported by the neo-Brechtian way the material is presented. This is especially so considering that in the stage show, Roxie is much more of a real "char-uck-tuh" part, boozed out and slutty from the get-go and, to quote a line dropped for the movie, "older than she ever intended to be." She uses her feminine wiles to be a climber in the play, intoxicated by the attention she gets, but she's not much of a dreamer.

I'll agree that the stage is still the best format for this material - that's what it was conceived for and that's where it finds its best presentation, with the actors often breaking the fourth wall and playing on our complicity as an audience, which is integral to the theme. There is simply no way a movie could give you the same kick in the pants that you get from being tricked by the finale of the stage show, where the gals are given roses as they take their bows and seem to be thanking the audience out of character, as actresses who've just given a performance, but then suddenly give deadly sincere speeches thanking us for our cards and letters and for believing in their innocence. The movie gets the main point and has them say "we couldn't have done it without you!" but it isn't the same as sitting there with a live audience and being lied to.

 

[Grady Hollums]

I enjoyed Chicago for the sheer fact that I love that Musicals are coming back into fashion, at least if I don't like the movie I can still respect the voice talent of the actors. I still think Moulin Rouge is one of the best modern day musicals that will not be "out done" any time soon. So what do you think?Do you like more musicals? Is Chicago a good movie..musical? Thanks!

 

[Michael Reuben]

But then why are the films of Man of La Mancha and The Fantasticks, to give two examples, unrelenting unwatchable messes while on stage they remain almost foolproof on account of their solid source material?

The producers of the current B'way revival of La Mancha might disagree with that characterization (at least the "foolproof" part).
M.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

still think Moulin Rouge is one of the best modern day musicals that will not be "out done" any time soon. So what do you think?Do you like more musicals? Is Chicago a good movie..musical? Thanks!

Hmm, well, Chicago has original songs in a style appropriate for the time period, while Moulin Rougue had songs not written for 80 years written by Rock artists...

Chicago trumpets in every way Moulin Rougue craps

 

[Lou Sytsma]

deleted by poster

 

[Vickie_M]

Moulin Rouge is not crap. It's a wonderful movie, and does have plenty of heart, which is what makes it special, far beyond the costumes, sets, songs and editing. Moulin Rouge bashing is old and stale and deserves little more than an eye-roll and a "sucks to be you."

Chicago is a fantastic movie which I've seen 3 times and would see again in a heartbeat. Chicago vs. Moulin Rouge is as silly as Moulin Rouge vs. LOTR. There's enough room in the world for several movies that people love.

This isn't Highlander.