[starmelace]

I just discovered this musical and absolutely adore it. (Thats a thing about me, either I absolutely love a musical, or I hate it. There is no in between.)
I was just wondering if anyone else liked this show.

[JIJane]

Yes, it's the one Lloyd-Webber show I truly like. However, he stole pretty much all of the script from Billy Wilder and the film version.

[starmelace]

I know that, I've seen the movie. I love the movie too

[Salome]

The broadway version is the only version to like. Glenn CLose is absolutely brillaint. ALan Campbell,George Hearn and Alice Ripley also perfectly embodied their roles.

Patti LuPone was a disaster and Kevin Anderson comatose.

[EricMontreal22]

My weakness is for the Canadian cast album. I tmay be because I saw the production in Vancouver with the same leads. Diahann Carroll was brilliant in the role and vocally sings it more than Close, and the uberhot Rex Smith (who I've had a crush on ever since my boyhood Pirates of Penzance infatuation) was perfect as the aging playboy Gillis. The recording is just one CD but it has all the music you really need, and the largest orchestra of any of the recordings which gives it a wonderful lushness--but I admit part of my reason for loving it is it's the version I saw.

The original cast album is interesting not just for Patti, but because the piece was significantly revised by the time fo its American recording.

[RainbowJude]

I haven't got the Canadian album, but I really love the Diahann Carroll tracks I've heard.

Glenn Close is oftentimes a remarkable actress and does wonderful things insofar as her presence in the role is concerned, but she doesn't quite have the pipes to consistently carry off the role fully in terms of the vocals it requires. (After all, this isn't a role like Henry Higgins where the singing ability of the actor is a lesser factor or the role.) But she acts it so well that, for the most part, it almost doesn't matter.

Patti LuPone is far from disastrous. She certainly has the voice for it, even if her acting work isn't up to her standard of performance in Evita,

And, Salome, here is one case where I will concur that Elaine Paige just didn't work in the role.

Later days
David

PS. EricMontreal, is Rex Smith as uberhot as you are?

[EricMontreal22]

Of course not

:gets in my blackl, tight swim trunks and belts out Sunset Boulevard:

[starmelace]

Lol. I've never seen anything clips of Patti LuPone as Norma, so I can't really say. I was actually surprised at how well Glen Close could sing. I didn't know she could sing at all until now.

[Salome]

Close is quite a good singer.. sunset blvd was only one of several musicals she did.

she belts out some brilliantr songs opposite jim dale in barnum and plays the pre-throne mary tudor in rex.

[starmelace]

I didn't know that. Very cool.

[TR_Wolf]

I love Sunset, that wonderful Hollywood style epic sweeping 50's glamour style score, wonderful!

And yes, if you like the movie, it's kept very true to it, which I like too!

I wish it'd tour the UK again, as that's the only time I saw it (with Faith Brown as Norma), I would've loved to see it in London or Broadway with the massive set!

As for Patti, she's good in other things, but she was far too quiet and lacked the passion and slight madness to play Norma, Glenn Close was perfect.

[Jekkienumber24601]

As a guy I care more about who plays joe than who plays norma so Rex Smith wins for this one.

[starmelace]

Yay, other fans. i was worried I was alone. I wish I was a guy so I could play Joe and other fantastic male roles. *sniff* I wish it would tour anywhere that I could see it. I've never gotten to see it on stage

[JIJane]

There is a rumour that the production that was at the Watermill in the UK earlier this year (an actor/musician production) is heading to the West End. They sent out a casting for it last week to agents I believe...

[Nicola]

They're supposed to be making a film for this. It's been officially announced, but nobody seems to get round to it. It was supposed to released last year! No one is even cast yet. ALW too busy flapping around with a disasterous sequel to Phantom, no doubt.

I'd really enjoy the film, because I have never been able to catch it live either. It is an extremely expensive musical to produce and put on. ALW never made his money back when he put it on in the US last (that's very hazy in my memory, it might have been somewhere else). The expense makes it unlikely that it will come back, but with some changes, it may be possible. I just hope that what JIJane said is true.

[JIJane]

Nothing is going to beat the original Billy Wilder film, so it's probably best they don't do one - imo. I realise it would be a musical and bring a different slant but keeping in mind that Billy Wilder hated the musical and was very upset that they "stole" most of his original script and scene ideas - it's probably best to leave it. I can't think of anyone appropriate to play Norma either.

[Nicola]

I imagine that not everyone agrees with Billy Wilder, though. I know he created it, but people still have the right to enjoy a musical film if they want to, even if he doesn't. When does ALW ever respect his source material, anyway?

Making remakes is quite useful. Coming from a younger generation, I wouldn't have picked up the Billy Wilder film if ALW hadn't updated it with his musical. Not that I am closed to old films, it's just there's no opportunities to come across them by accident.

Gaston Leroux's Phantom was forgotten before the silent movie was made, and then again, until ALW revived the story. I'm thankful that he did, because that got me to pick up the source material and really enjoy it. Especially grateful to ALW for introducing me to Wilkie Collins! The last four years of my life has been based around discovering Wilkie Collins in 2004 (the excellent author of The Woman in White).

I don't think remakes are out to better anything, just to bring something old to a new audience.

[JIJane]

That's very true. It's just that the source material is usually a lot better than the remake haha. The original Phantom, Hunchback, Sunset, certainly Woman in White (great novel, awful musical). I am absolutely dreading a remake of the My Fair Lady film. It just shouldn't be considered. Ever.

[RainbowJude]

[JIJane]

My Billy Wilder quote comes from the person who sat next to him of Sunset Boulevard opening night and spoke to him about it afterwards - and had known him well for several years. Official statements often tend to vary from quotes from friends and business acquaintances...

[Salome]

I agree..i ant believe Wilder would ravbe about LuPone's' terrible performance as Norma.

[Nicola]

[JIJane]

Haha maybe. But Wilder was a very strong-willed man and he was not pleased that he had no say when the rights to Sunset were sold to Webber - because he didn't own them as at that time the studios owned everything.

[RainbowJude]

[JIJane]

"What you're offering is merely hearsay."

It comes from a very reliable and respected source who often takes part in respected documentaries about this period of time and is often quoted. Definitely not hearsay, I believe what I was told, as that person also related back many stories of what Wilder was like on the set. Which at a later point in time, I found backed up by written information in corresponding books. I would not quote random "hearsay" on a public internet board if I wasn't very very sure it was true.

I can't comment on LuPone, I didn't see her. From what I have seen/heard of her, she varies from role to role. Also, I don't think anyone could have really believed she was an aging former ravishing beauty that men committed suicide for. Lu Pone is many things but a ravishing blinding beauty in her youth? Methinks not.

[Salome]

[RainbowJude]

[Nicola]

[Salome]

ask anyone on the boards about my knowledge..and if you want justification on something ask. don't attack.

[Hans]

[EricMontreal22]

I don't think that was meant as an attack--and neither is this. The short time I've been on here, Salome it does seem that you like to use hyperbole to express yourself, which makes it hard for others to take it seriously. It comes off a bit as a teacher who is tolerating her students and their wrong opinions but knows that there's no chance anyone else's opinion could have ANY legitimicy at all and is only too happen to hammer that back into them.

Wilder's opinions about Patti are even in the official Sunset BLVD companion book--true that's an official book so might be hard to credit--except Wilder is notorious for never mincing his words or speaking out of courtesy.


So whoon these boards are we meant to ask about your knowledge of all things Billy Wilder and Sunset Blvd? The fact you claim to have this huge vast knowledge on anything makes it seem all the more preposterous--why discuss on a disucssion forum if you won't entertain other opinions.

[RainbowJude]

[RobSmy]

I strongly recommend you listen (or collect) this CD, with Diahann Carroll as Norma. The songs are not just sung, they are acted. Even the bit players, like the owner of the men's shop, put their full attention into the songs. Also, the quality of the romantic leads' voices and the orchestration are superb.