REVIEW: CHICAGO

Larry:
I am glad you are giving Harvey Weinstein credit. At the recent Golden Globes Ceremony, at least three winners gave thanks to Harvey.

Just a few of the films produced by Harvey in addition to "Chicago":

Gangs of New York, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Chocolat,
The Cider House Rules, Shakespeare in Love, Little Voice,
Good Will Hunting, The English Patient, The City of Angels,
Emma, Restoration & Pulp Fiction.

By the way I enjoyed "Chicago" but the dancing was not up to par.

MIRAMAX TRACK RECORD
Hi Couzz,

You are wrong about the Tolkien movies. Miramax had nothing to do with producing either the Lord of the Rings or The Two Towers. They were produced by Fine Line.

Miramax has done some good films and some real crap over the years. If people thanked Weinstein at the Golden Globes you can bet they were doling it for political reasons not because they like him, because the man is a pig and a monster with the worst temper in Hollywood.

"The Lord of the Rings" started out at Miramax but when Peter Jackson, who wanted to make two films, was told to shrink it down to one film, he bailed on them and went to New Line. New Line suggested it was too difficult to make in two films and thus, for the first time in film history, three films were produced at once. Wise productions executives indeed!

I do agree that too much of the Miramax output is pretentious artiness that falls flat on its face (many directors blaming it on the studio's perchance to cut their films and Scorcese almost got into it with them on "Gangs"). They don't experiment -- they go with the slick dryness approach in an attempt to emulate of James Ivory.
I don't think anyone in their production department had the balls to cut "Chicago" as they had absolutely no idea how to cut a muscial comedy, Rob Morrow proving he could transfer a stage production to film and make it cinematic (outdoing Robert Wise in spades).

I was impressed by the comedic characterizations of Richard Gere and Zeta-Jones (we already knew Zellwegger and Queen Laifah had talents in that direction). I reviewed the film in the Chicago thread but I'd like it restate that this was one of the few films that brings the visceral excitement and joy of seeing a live staged musical.

BTW, couzz, I don't think that Ebb and Kander relied that much on dancing any more than they did with "Cabaret." It is the story and the way the songs were integrated into the action that makes "Chicago" fun to watch and assimilate.

Lightwizard is right. CHICAGO is not a dance musical--it depends on the cleverness of the songs and the book. Also, none of the leads is a trained dancer, so you can hardly fault them for not being Gene Kelly or Cyd Charisse.

Zeta Jones with her svelt long legs was fine in "All That Jazz" as well as the rest of her numbers, Zellwegger was an aspiring stage entertainer so her dance numbers were the least important until the finale which was typical Twenties vaudville glitz (not too many important dancers came our of vaudville). Gere's easy, swinging tap dancing was just right interspersed with his "tap dancing" in court. A brilliant metaphor which comes off better in the film than on stage.

Larry<

I agree with you: "Chicago is a triumph."

Zeta Jones' legs are NOT long and svelte but long and plump, Lightwizard. The woman is talented but she is a cow. Did you see her at the SAG awards? She could have knocked down the stage with her decolletage. I hope Michael Douglas doesn't let her get on top.

Larry<

I didn't see the SAG awards. If Zeta-Jones appeared "cow-like," perhaps it is caused by her pregnancy.

larry's emulation of Cruella is quite funny. I thought Zeta-Jones while not as thin and pale as you-know-who (what do you think, Frazier?), she turned in a respectably good if not dynamite dance performance. I only wish larry could get pregnant (what a picture!)

If I were a woman, Lightwizard, I could certainly never get pregnant by YOU. You lack the anatomical equipment required...