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Post by jgblunners on Dec 17, 2021 11:34:33 GMT
There's an interesting article in today's Guardian about the poor box office performance of the three major musical movies released this year and what that might mean for the future of the genre:
To me the most interesting part is that the movies he cites as being successes - The Greatest Showman, Les Mis - are to me far less interesting than some of the 'failures'. Of course the problem here is that the definition of success for a movie studio is big box office takings. West Side Story has had almost universal critical acclaim, but that clearly doesn't mean anything if the box office doesn't pick up.
So what do we think? Are big-budget movie musicals soon to be relegated to one-a-year awards bait? Or will the more adventurous projects no longer be picked up by big studios and instead move to smaller distribution (Annette is a good example of that from this year)? Will Disney's musical offerings like the upcoming live-action Little Mermaid still pull the audiences in, and if they do will it be on the Disney name or on the merits of the movie itself? I'd like to see some analysis of how Encanto, Disney's latest animated musical, has done. Perhaps the animated musical is the one type of screen musical that could still survive in its current form?
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Post by sukhavati on Dec 23, 2021 5:57:53 GMT
To me the most interesting part is that the movies he cites as being successes - The Greatest Showman, Les Mis - are to me far less interesting than some of the 'failures'. Of course the problem here is that the definition of success for a movie studio is big box office takings. West Side Story has had almost universal critical acclaim, but that clearly doesn't mean anything if the box office doesn't pick up. He seems to imply in the article itself that film stars are required to get cinema audiences into seats to watch musicals. I often find film stars the weak link in filmed musicals, and would rather see more stage performers (age appropriate) allowed to crossover and make a film adaptation like Samantha Barks. It was difficult seeing Kevin Klein's musical talents constrained and wasted in the live action BatB, but not nearly as bad as sitting through Emma Watson's bland performance and so-so singing. The writer also glosses over the lack of regularly released film musicals prior to the success of Moulin Rouge! If Baz Luhrman hadn't succeeded, it's doubtful Chicago would have gotten the green light. Quite frankly, I wasn't thrilled with the screen adaptation of Les Mis, so wasn't that surprised by the train wreck of Cats. If you think back to the golden age of Hollywood, the studios essentially had repertory companies of trained singer/actor/dancers, with orchestras, conductors, choreographers, designers, and more at their beck and call. There were hundreds of people at all the studios who regularly worked on musicals, directors who knew how to frame the numbers, and editors who knew how to cut the musical film to its best advantage. That knowledge is dying, if not already dead, because even with MTV temporarily requiring rock stars to dance while they mimed singing, they still didn't necessarily know how to cut musical numbers in the best way possible. I think Baz Luhrman's unique working style reminded the studios that audiences would flock to musicals if they were presented with something worth seeing. Disney has done a great job with their animated musicals because the animated form enhances the suspension of belief that allows a viewer to be absorbed in that alternate singing/dancing universe. I didn't particularly care for Greatest Showman between the score and the visual anachronisms, I had a problem with about half the film Les Mis cast, and West Side Story seems like revisiting my childhood. The big elephant in the room that the writer didn't address is the surge in new Covid variants - I wanted to get out and see some films, but even being boosted and masked, the thought of being trapped in a cinema for two hours with people who may not be vaccinated makes me nervous. I think that perhaps a good part of the audience that was expected to show up for the newer musical films has also felt hesitant to be exposed to the variant du jour. I work in a legit theatre, and I've been doing nothing but refunding tickets for the past couple of weeks because of Covid. We're hoping that our patrons will remember that we didn't question their request and will return when the world is healthier again. Providing the production companies aren't decimated by then. In truth, I find live performance far more compelling than what's on the screen since 2003, and don't forget all the musicals that streamed for free during lockdown. People who are still struggling with their budget might not want to pay to see something that they saw stream for free last year. |
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Post by mkb on Dec 23, 2021 7:45:54 GMT
The author singles out movie musicals, but then goes on to admit that the problem is anything that isn't part of a "franchise". Actually, it's anything that isn't a big, non-stop-action movie, designed to appeal to teenage boys.
The rest of the cinemagoing demographic has a disproportionately large number of people adverse to going out during Covid, or who have got accustomed to not going out.
While the author correctly states that no home cinema system can rival the big screen experience, sadly that is only true for the very best cinemas. There are still far too many offering a sub-standard experience, and showmanship from exhibitors is practically extinct.
My nearest Cineworld multiplex, built this century, has only one screen able to show 2.39 aspect ratio films -- i.e. most -- without letter-boxing, and seats are uncomfortable.
Hardly any cinema screens use masking, which is essential to increase the perception of contrast. (When your brain can see how how bright the colour black is on the sides of the image, the black within the frame looks washed out: the illusion is destroyed.) Few cinemas have curtains and theatrical auditorium lighting, not to mention any cinematic music while you wait. All of this was normal 40 years ago
And, most importantly, who wants to buy a ticket, then be subjected to half an hour of advertising and spoilers? I certainly do not. I just want the film.
Most people will not even be aware of what is on at their local cinema. Unless you actively seek out film times on the internet, why would you? Cinemas have not found a way to replicate the adverts they used to have in local newspapers that either no longer exist or no-one sees. You rarely even see marquees on the front of multiplexes listing what's on.
The BBC does far less to promote cinema than it used to. Guest spots on Graham Norton are about it in terms of the mainstream, and that always feels like it's bigging up showbiz gossip rather than the movie.
I am firmly of the belief that there is a huge untapped market for the latest West Side Story, but, under current conditions, most are unaware, or too scared/comfortable to venture out.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 23, 2021 8:05:56 GMT
It’s certainly not the event it used to be and could still be. Why do I want to watch adverts promoting IMAX or Dolby Sound when I’m already sat in there watching/listening to it? Vue keep telling us “this is not a cinema” while it tells us all of the things we might choose to see… at the cinema. Or very high budget ad features about keeping your phone off, just tell people to keep the phone off and get on with the effing film we’ve come to see. It’s all extremely self-congratulatory. And I know people have always eaten treats but not the stinking nachos, hot dogs, popcorn and other crap that people insist on munching while you’re trying to watch the film. Why anyone wants to negotiate sloppy food like that rank cheese sauce or mustardy sausages in the dark completely mystifies me. Total turnoff. A Kia Ora, tub of ice cream or a drink on a stick from a lady with an illuminated tray is all that’s needed. And the only ads I want to see are for Diamonds from DeBeers, Preston’s of Bolton or the curry house round the corner!
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Post by crowblack on Dec 23, 2021 8:58:20 GMT
The BBC does far less to promote cinema than it used to. And they've just axed the Film Programme on Radio 4, so that's pretty well it apart from the occasional item on Front Row and Kermode and Mayo on Friday afternoon on Radio 5 and his 10 minute slot on News 24. Pick up a 1980s Radio or TV Times and the film programming in there is amazing, often with an introductory programme and a well-informed feature on the director or stars in the magazine itself. The BBC, ITV and Channel 4 really cared about films, and more importantly, about spreading the word to those who weren't lucky enough to be growing up in middle class artsy households near London's South Bank. |
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Post by duncan on Dec 23, 2021 9:56:29 GMT
Musical cinema has been doomed for the last 55 years if you believe the naysayers but it will always survive - like the western its day as a major genre in cinema attending is long gone but there will always be people willing to make a new one and some of them will hit with the audience.
Something like West Side Story was always going to be a hard sell - a 75 year old director that means next to nothing to youngsters, a film aimed at an older audience, a pandemic keeping older people away from the screens and a main character cast with an actor that has a dubious past.
Hansen was doomed by being a bad film and In the Heights is one of those properties that the likes of the Guardian think is beloved by everyone but which 99.99% of the population have never heard of so it was always going to be a hard sell. The issue with ITH is that someone greenlit it on a budget of $55 million when it was always going to struggle beyond being a niche product.
The last 35 years or so its been Disney that have been churning out the hit musicals but they never seem to get a mention owing to being cartoons. Maybe they should make Marvel the Movie or The Fast and the Falsetto and have done with it.
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Post by crowblack on Dec 23, 2021 10:04:23 GMT
Actors who are box office faces rarely have great singing voices to go with it. In the old days they'd often be dubbed and it wasn't that controversial: these days it is. Animation is the perfect workaround for that and Disney has been very successful doing it for decades.
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Post by danb on Dec 23, 2021 10:51:33 GMT
It’s certainly not the event it used to be and could still be. Why do I want to watch adverts promoting IMAX or Dolby Sound when I’m already sat in there watching/listening to it? Vue keep telling us “this is not a cinema” while it tells us all of the things we might choose to see… at the cinema. Or very high budget ad features about keeping your phone off, just tell people to keep the phone off and get on with the effing film we’ve come to see. It’s all extremely self-congratulatory. And I know people have always eaten treats but not the stinking nachos, hot dogs, popcorn and other crap that people insist on munching while you’re trying to watch the film. Why anyone wants to negotiate sloppy food like that rank cheese sauce or mustardy sausages in the dark completely mystifies me. Total turnoff. A Kia Ora, tub of ice cream or a drink on a stick from a lady with an illuminated tray is all that’s needed. And the only ads I want to see are for Diamonds from DeBeers, Preston’s of Bolton or the curry house round the corner! What about Boodles and Dunthorne? They always showed their jewellery off at the flicks. I think it still exists. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 23, 2021 12:32:09 GMT
It was always Preston’s of Bolton in Sheffield. Confusing enough, but I highly doubt anyone ever actually travelled all the way from Sheffield to Bolton to buy ‘t bird her engagement ring. Argos more like!
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Post by crabtree on Dec 23, 2021 12:32:54 GMT
'Above our own emporium' was always a favourite ad, and the idea that the left hand side of the auditorium has been designated a no smoking area!! Your cooperation is appreciated! But yes the Vue have way too many ads, and so loud.
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Post by mkb on Dec 23, 2021 13:36:03 GMT
'Above our own emporium' was always a favourite ad, and the idea that the left hand side of the auditorium has been designated a no smoking area!! Your cooperation is appreciated! But yes the Vue have way too many ads, and so loud. I was somewhere this year that still had the hissing snake stealing handbags, which I remember from the 80s. Some of the big-budget cigarette adverts were impressive too, until you'd see them umpteen times. For some strange reason, I had quite a fondness for the 1982 Gordon's Gin ad: Hearing that echoing around the Coventry Odeon in non-Dolby, monophonic sound felt so glamorous at the time. Listen out for the Rank tune at the end. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 23, 2021 14:57:42 GMT
Human League did a cover of the Gordon’s Gin theme on their Travelogue album. 1980.
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Post by mkb on Dec 23, 2021 15:15:30 GMT
Human League did a cover of the Gordon’s Gin theme on their Travelogue album. 1980. Just had a listen on youtube. Brilliant! As an aside, for forty years I thought I didn't like gin, as I'd only ever tried the pigswill that is Gordon's. |
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