CHICAGO Specs: Where's the rest? (1 Viewer)

[Adam_WM]

From DVDANSWERS.COM:

At a time when crimes of passion result in celebrity headlines, nightclub sensation Velma Kelly and spotlight-seeking Roxie Hart both find themselves sharing space on Chicago's famed Murderess Row! They also share Billy Flynn, the town's slickest lawyer with a talent for turning notorious defendants into local legends. But in Chicago, there's only room for one legend! You will be able to own Chicago from the 19th August for around $29.99. The disc will comprise of the following:


1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
English Dolby Digital 5.1 Track
French Dolby Digital 5.1 Track
Deleted Scenes
Behind-the-Scenes Featurette

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I don't mean to be ungrateful, but where's the rest? VH1 had an awesome one hour documentary and I know the director/cast should have something to say on a commentary? The movie wins Best Picture and this is the version we get? I'll still buy it, but I wish there was 4x this!!!

 

[Jesse Skeen]

At least I'll get to see and hear the movie better than in the theater I went to- the sound was analog and turned down way low, and the picture was rather dark and slightly off-frame!
Anyone know if the French dub has the songs in French?

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

Anyone know what the deleted scenes are? On the soundtrack album, there was a song between Mama and Velma called "Class" that wasn't in the film. I have no idea whether the track was recorded for a scene that was never filmed, or whether the scene was filmed and then dropped. I would like to see that scene.

There should definitely be more on this disc. A commentary would be fascinating. We could hear the reflections of a first time director of a Best Picture winner, and some good discussions about the difficulties met in adapting a very stage-bound musical for the screen. If there was a 1 hour documentary, that would definitely be worth seeing.

I'm guessing this will be a double-dip.

 

[Greg_M]

You guess? Miramax will milk this one for all they can.

 

[Richard Kim]

Anyone know what the deleted scenes are? On the soundtrack album, there was a song between Mama and Velma called "Class" that wasn't in the film. I have no idea whether the track was recorded for a scene that was never filmed, or whether the scene was filmed and then dropped. I would like to see that scene.

Director Rob Marshall has said that "Class" will be included as a deleted scene on the DVD.

 

[Galen_V]

"Class" was taken out of the movie right before the final cut was made, as the test audiences apparently did not like it (although many argue it is one of the best numbers in the musical). So that will definately be there (as Richard said), although my guess is that the rest of the deleted scenes will be dialogue, since they didn't cut any more numbers that they shot that I am aware of. A commentary track would be a very nice addition for all the reasons mentioned above-although they could decide to put this in the documentary.

 

[MattGuyOR]

Will Class be inserted back in the movie or just as an extra scene? I hope it's back in the movie.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

I doubt "Class" will be reinstated in the film, as the release would mention something about a new cut. But I'm happy to be getting it in the deleted scenes.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

This thread (and particularly Richard Kim's signature) has prompted me to think about a question I was wondering about when I first saw the film. I was just wondering whether anyone could provide an answer.

In the song "Cell Block Tango", each singer has one word:
"Pop!" "Six!" "Squish!" "Uh-Uh!" "Cicero!" "Lipschitz!"

Now, I can understand five of these words:

"Pop!" = the guy was popping his gum.
"Six!" = the guy had six wives.
"Squish!" = I'll get back to this one.
"Uh-Uh!" = Asked if she did it, she replied "Uh-Uh. Not Guilty."
"Cicero!" = Murder committed at the Hotel Cicero.
"Lipschitz!" = the guy's name was Lipschitz.

I cannot for the life of me understand what the "Squish!" refers to. From memory, the girl's husband after he accused her of screwing the milkman. He then ran into her knife ... ten times. The word "Squish" is not used, and does not seem to make much sense (unless it describes the sound of the knife going into his body - a rather tenuous explanation). Does anyone out there have an explanation? Was something changed between the musical and the film that would explain this? Any assistance would be appreciated.

 

[GerardoHP]

"Squish" is the sound of the knife she stabbed her husband with -- ten times (she was carving up the chicken with it).

 

[Jeff Wilson]

This has double-dip written all over it. No sale...

 

[PatrickL]

What I most notice missing from the specs is rehearsal footage, which I'd very much like to see more of. Sure, a bit of it will turn up on the "featurette" but probably only a fraction of what exists.

If only they'd go for an overloaded special edition and include tv appearances of those songs...like Zeta-Jones and Latifah doing "I Move On" on the Oscars, or Jerry Orbach doing "All I Care About" from the original Bob Fosse production on the Tonys, or Bebe Neuwirth doing "All That Jazz" from the promo film for the stage revival, etc etc.

Anyone know if the French dub has the songs in French?

I want to know this too. I read at one point that they were voice casting to make a foreign-language version which included dubbing the songs but I don't remember anything more.

 

[Brandon Gantt]

I think I'll hold off on this and pick up All That Jazz and Hello Dolly instead.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

That part of the number isn't any different in the stage version and I think Gerardo is right; it's meant to be onomatopoeia - the "squish" sound of the knife.

OK, I was joking when I suggested it might have been the sound of the knife going into his body. Apparently it wasn't as silly an idea as I thought.

 

[Martin Fontaine]

Anyone know if the French dub has the songs in French?

According to my sis who saw it in french and some reader's comment in a local newspaper, Yes.

When I found that out, I started another anti-french rage of mine. When will Quebecians learn that dubs are *ONLY* for people who do not understand the original language and is nothing more than a temporary solution until said language is learned or subtitles become practical (Ex: Kids watching dubbed movie until they are old enough to learn english/read subs) It seems that people believe that the english version of movies are only for those who do not understand french and/or that the french version is actually better than the english one (No kidding, I heard people saying that!)

One relief of mine is that there are less people watching Chicago in the wrong languag than there are people listening to t.A.T.u. in the wrong language...

The more I see it, the more I think studios will soon begin to realise that french people are impossible to satisfy spoiled brats and come to the conclusion that if putting french on a DVD results in complaints that it's not in 5.1, not in DTS, the France Dub, no french menus, no french packaging (Spirited Away being pulled because no french packaging was done) then they'll stop putting french on DVDs.

Anyway, back to Chicago DVD Specs. Maybe they'll do 2 versions like some mentionned (The Double-Dipping) but I can only hope that the Collector's Edition (Or whatever they choose to call it) has a DTS Track which is not mentionned on the specs at the beginning of this thread. And most importantly, release them at the same time, or very close together.

 

[Kenneth_C]

"Class" was taken out of the movie right before the final cut was made, as the test audiences apparently did not like it (although many argue it is one of the best numbers in the musical).

(Spoilers used for those that haven't seen the film yet.)

 

[Brian Kidd]

The reason it was cut in the first place wasn't because test audiences didn't like it but because the song would be the only one that couldn't logically take place in Roxie's imagination. Marshall cut it for those reasons. Although I like the song, I can see that the film is better without it.
Marshall has also stated that it will not be re-cut into the film proper.

As for double dipping, I doubt it. I mean AMERICAN BEAUTY had a lousy set of "special features" and there hasn't been a new release of that. Also, in the end it's the film that matters. I think they're asking a bit much, price-wise, for a fairly standard release. Miramax is bad about that.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

'Chicago' To Return -- With an Added Musical Number

Miramax plans to bring the Oscar-winning musical Chicago back to theaters in July in a new version featuring an additional musical number that was cut from the original release, Daily Variety reported today (Thursday). The trade paper said that the release, which will probably screen in fewer than 600 theaters, is intended to promote the DVD version, set to hit retailers on Aug. 19, also featuring the additional scene.

From the IMDb Movie News

OK, I'm confused. Is this new song "Class", which was cut out because it didn't make sense in the context of the film, or is it some other song we don't know about. AND, is this new song going to be incorporated into the film on DVD as a new cut, or just another deleted scene.

Will be interested to see what happens.

 

[Nick Sievers]

I'll bet "Class" will be the deleted scene to be re-inserted to the theatrical prints.

 

[Brian W.]

I'm quite sure that "Class" is the only number that was cut, so that must be it. Exciting news (though I hope the DVD will give you the option of watching either cut).