"The Producers" Movie

[The Aliens]

It was thoroughly pointless. Most movie remakes of musicals have something new to bring to the story, they have a point. Phantom of the Opera put the stage at the Opéra Populaire into perspective, showing all the action that takes place outside, behind, and underneath it, and bringing a much wider focus to the audience. Rent did the same thing- it expanded the sets, changed the angles, and gave it atmosphere- no-one can watch that dark scene in the sunny graveyard, or the barren gymnasium of Life Support and not be moved- these are scenes that simply cannot carry the same weight on stage.

This relevance is something The Producers lacks- it is a faithful adaptation of the movie, but it’s simply like a taped version of the show. It doesn’t bring any new perspective to the show, it’s merely the same musical over again. Sure, it’s funny, sure it’s got some good moments, but the actors don’t seem to realize that acting on film is different than on stage. Expressions that are funny when it’s one face on a 40 foot stage, seen from the second balcony, are overblown and, well cheesy when they’re on a screen where the actor’s face takes up 1/3rd of the field of vision. And while the director was obviously going for authenticity, trying to make it look exactly like it did on the stage (even using lavs in the scene with Ulla for lighting), it ends up being, quite literally, two dimensional.

I’m sure that it worked for a lot of you, hoping to see the same Producers you loved on stage- and you wouldn’t have been disappointed. It’s still a great show, subtle, comedic, and creative, but it’s not cinematography. It’s not a movie. It’s a videotape.

Your thoughts?

[Vendetta]

The Producers is one of Mel Brooks' funniest movies. In fact, I think it's my favourite after Blazing Saddles. The interaction between Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel is fantastic, even if the rest of the film had been weak, that would have made it eminently watchable..

Of course, that came out in 1968, when Brooks was still funny.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

He's refering to the new one.

[Vendetta]

I know. My praise of the old one is an ironic counterpoint to criticism of the new one.