A Chorus Line

Rating:
Summary: Good Musical with Great Dancing
Review: Let me start off by saying that I have never seen the stage show of "A Chorus Line" therefore, have nothing to compare it to. I really liked the movie version though. I'm a dancer myself (although not close to professional) and I can relate to the characters in the movie. To me, and many other dancers, it doesn't matter what part you get in a show, just as long as you can dance and perform for people! I thought the dancing was great, the songs were ok. It's not my favorite musical, but it's a show I like to watch from time to time.

Rating:
Summary: Bennett - 10, Attenborough - 3
Review: The day the film version of "A Chorus Line" opened across the country, director Richard Attenborough was interviewed by Jane Pauley on the Today Show. "And what's this film really about?" asked Jane. Sir Richard answered, "It's about kids trying to break into show business."

And there you have everything that's right and wrong about the film. Some have enjoyed this film (as you can see from some of the other reviews), and even been inspired by the inside look at young professionals trying to make it to the top, or even just get in the door. I'm very happy for them.

The only problem is, that's NOT what A Chorus Line is about - at least the Pulitzer prize winning stage musical conceived by the late Michel Bennett. And if the movie's director is that far off base, well what you end up with is confusing series of characters and stories that don't seem to have a lot of point to them, other than all these folks are auditioning together one afternoon.

Kids breaking into show business? No, A Chorus Line is (was) about top-of-their-career professional dancers trying to get one more lousy job to keep food on the table and injuries at bay, letting them work one more year. And asking the question "Is it really worth the physical pain, humiliation, and invisibility?" Most had already let go of the dream of being a star - that would have happened by now if it was in the cards. No they were dancers - but what did that mean?

Although the creators thought they were putting a project together in workshop that would appeal only to the Broadway community - audiences strongly identified with the dancer's stories. The audition became a metaphor for any place where people are treated as interchangeable commodities, whether its on a stage, in an office, or in a factory. We're all "on the line".

It's this core that is missing from the film. The stage musical has three pivotal group numbers: the opening "I Hope I Get It", "Montage", and "What I Did For Love". The rest are individual character songs. (The popular number "One", is really outside the plot, more of a curtain call than a book number.) "What I Did for Love" is practically the emotional climax of the show - the dancers reaching for an answer to the inevitable question of "why do this?" In the film, however, it's a love ballad for Cassie, musing over her former love for Zach. On stage, the heart of the show is "Montage", a single musical number about 15 to 20 minutes long takes the characters stories from the pain and wonder of childhood related in the first half, through puberty, and into young adulthood. It contains the song "Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen", as well as several other themes. It's not in the movie - replaced with a new (and much less ambitious) song "Surprise". That leaves only the opening number, which thankfully is still there. Unfortunately it pails in comparison to Bob Fosse's "appropriation" of the idea that he used to open his film "All That Jazz" in 1980.

With the major themes shuffled off to the background, what you are left with is the dancer's colorful stories, and the Cassie / Zach failed love affair melodrama pushed to the fore. The love story isn't any more compelling here than it was on Broadway, where Bennett wisely kept it in the background, only using to add an extra layer of tension to the proceedings. But it is good to see the individual dancer's stories and songs can still impress in the film. The late Greg Burge is riveting in what, on Broadway, was the tiny role of Ritchie. The film gives him his own number, the aforementioned "Surprise". Michael Blevins is sweet as the young Mark, experiencing his first audition. Janet Jones lights up the screen in the tiny part of Judy, demonstrating why she was the sole newcomer to go on to other films (and to marry star hockey player Wayne Gretzky). Broadway veteran Terence Mann (Cats, Les Miserables, Man of La Mancha) is memorable in the small part of Larry, the assistant choreographer with a heart of gold. Cameron English gives a heartfelt rendition of what is probably the greatest piece of writing in the canon of American musicals: Nicholas Dante's story of Paul, the young gay dancer who's family disowned him after seeing him perform in a drag show.

Others don't fare as well, however. Audrey Landers is exactly the WRONG type of vixenish actress to play Ms. Dance-Ten, Looks-Three. The song comes off as vulgar and slutty. It only worked on stage because these shocking things were coming out of the mouth of a petite blond Drew Barrymore look-alike in disarming pigtails. And Alyson Reed, a wonderful dancer, doesn't really register as Cassie. Perhaps if a star had been put in the part, it would have justified all the extra screen time devoted to Cassie's chorus girl to star to chorus girl story. But Alyson doesn't have the right charisma or face for the camera. Choreography was handed over to Jeffery Hornady, who was the man of the moment after the success of his Flashdance numbers. Big mistake. Obviously Mr. Hornaday had never see a Broadway show, for the dances look like outtakes from a Wham! video.

So there you have it - add this one to the list of landmark Broadway musicals butchered on film, along side Gypsy, A Little Night Music, and Man of La Mancha. Maybe someone can convince Chicago film director Rob Marshall to give us a television version of Chorus Line? It really deserves a do-over.

Back stage note: When Universal studios bought the rights to Chorus Line in 1976, they also hired Michael Bennett as producer (and implicitly as director). Michael spent over a year and a half working on various versions of the screenplay, but eventually got tired of "taking meetings" and left LA for New York where he went to work on Dream Girls. One concept for the movie was to depart from the original setting and make it about dancers auditioning for the film version of "Chorus Line". He had already approached two hot newcomers to participate. He wanted Mikhail Baryshnikov as Zach, and in a gender switch, Saturday Night Fever star John Travolta in Cassie role. Already that sounds like a more interesting movie.

Rating:
Summary: never sounded better on DVD
Review: Ignore the negativity above. The Marvin Hamlisch songs, Ralph Burns orchestrations, cast performances, underscore, even the early 1980's vintage synthesizers used occasionally etc. are stunning going on 20 years later. It was definitely time to replace the old worn out VHS tape with the DVD. Well worth the price. Nice interview with Marvin Hamlisch at the end.

Rating:
Summary: A Chorus Line Review
Review: This movie inspired me to be a dancer. It is one of the greatest movies I have ever watched.

Rating:
Summary: Auditioning A CHORUS LINE on DVD
Review: The three stars are all for the feature, the drama and tragedy found in a day-long audition for a Broadway chorus line, as enjoyable as ever.

The DVD presentation of A CHORUS LINE, however, is only adequate. The widescreen video transfer is good, but the English stereo surround audio is only a minor step up from VHS. Keeping a good sound level is difficult; tune the volume up loud enough to hear dialogue subtleties and the songs crack the plaster. Stereo is used throughout, but the only noticeable surround use is (the MGM lion) Leo's roar at the onset.

On the plus side, English, French, and Spanish subtitles are offered, along with the original trailer and an enjoyable but brief "stage to screen" featurette of Marvin Hamlish on his contributions to A CHORUS LINE.

Overall, an adequate presentation, with the DVD leaving the impression it could have been so much more considering the noteworthiness of the feature.

Rating:
Summary: It's No Chicago!
Review: If you've never seen A Chorus Line do yourself a favor and try to catch it when it invariably tours around the country. What you'll see is an innovative, (particularly for the time when it was conceived) edgy show. Unfortunately little to none of that "edge" or energy translates to this lackluster, useless film. Michael Douglas' role, which in the stage version could arguably be reduced to nothing more than a voice on the theater's sound system, is here nonsensically heightened, tragically altering the major thrust of the stage show. What is supposed to be a peek into the motivations, loves and fears of otherwise "faceless" Broadway talent is turned into a star vehicle for a woefully miscast star.

Bottom line: find a touring company of the stage show to experience this story. What's featured in the film is a travesty.

Rating:
Summary: What a disappontment
Review: Anyone who has seen any live production of "A Chorus Line" will know what a disaster this film is. Richard Attenborough was a terrible choice as director and whoever butchered the story should never work again. What was once a truly remarkable piece about 'gypsy' dancers has been turned into a soap opera about Zack & Cassie. It's too bad that the only filmed record we have of the remarkable show is this waste of time. No wonder it flopped at the box-office. Better to buy the Original Cast album and close your eyes.

Rating:
Summary: Wait for a stage production
Review: I was fortunate enough to perform in the stage production of "A Chorus Line" back in the day, and we were all really excited when the Movie was finally coming out...until we saw it.
This film misses on virtually every count, not capturing anything that made the musical special and unique. Has-been choreographer of the moment Hornaday practically destroyed any style this film could've had, and the casting of talentless "names" like Judy the Bimbo from "Dallas" only made things even more hideous.
Michael Bennett, the original creator of "Chorus Line" felt that there was no way it could adequately be made into a film...it looks like he was right. Don't waste your money, and withhold your opinion about this show until you can see it for real, on a stage.

Rating:
Summary: One... Singular Semi-Sensation...
Review: First, the good news: A CHORUS LINE finally arrives on DVD.

Now, the bad news: A CHORUS LINE on DVD is still the inferior movie version of the quintessential 1970s stage musical.

Since that was a mistake made 18 years ago, there's not much anyone can do about it, so let's not dwell on what a bad stage-to-screen adaptation the film is. Let's take a closer look at why you may want to own this title on DVD.

1. When compared to the previous panned-and-scanned VHS/laserdisc versions of this film, this anamorphic widescreen version preserves the 2.35:1 aspect ratio the film was shot in. The group dance sequences look better, and the continuity errors of the background people (arms shifting position from folded to outstretched on change of camera angle) are not as noticeable since they're much smaller.

2. The color and sound have never been better.

3. In addition to the theatrical trailer, there's a nice 20 minute featurette where Marvin Hamlisch talks about his experiences writing the music for A Chorus Line for the stage and for the screen. What's annoying is that this featurette was clearly edited by someone unfamiliar with the show. When Hamlisch says original lyricist Edward Kleban came out of some sort of retirement to compose two songs for the film version... the documentary cuts to an excerpt from the wrong song! The clips featured are from "Who Am I Anyway?" and "Surprise", when the new songs written for the movie were actually "Surprise" and "Let Me Dance For You". This lack of even basic research shows a total lack of respect for the material, and such a mistake shouldn't have been made.

4. Many of the excellent songs from the Broadway version did make it, anyway... despite those two lousy replacement songs filling in for some fan favorites.

If you never saw the stage version of this musical, then maybe you can enjoy this DVD. But if you did and are expecting to relive the show's magic by purchasing this disc... then you're in for a huge disappointment.

Rating:
Summary: Better to pass on this one...
Review: This movie is unfortunate, because it ignores the elements that made the stage version so intense without replacing with anything else.

The stage version of the show runs in real-time. You watch the singers/dancers do the first number, after which they go through an initial cut down to "the line" of hopefuls, and then watch as each presents himself/herself to the casting director. The intensity of the stage show is that those folks on stage remain there, leaving once or twice, but largely, they stare back at you and don't leave. You stare at them, and it gets scary. Just like an audition.

The movie tries to "open it up" by messing around with the pacing and timelines. There are flashbacks, people arrive at different points into the audition, there is footage included from outside the theater. Worse, the concept of "the line, no stars" from the show is lost in a poor subplot involving the director and one older dancer. (Yes, in the stage version that subplot's there. It's not the focus of the show, however, and the single top-10 song from the show, "What I Did For Love", is stolen from its focus about the love of dance/art and used in this wretched context instead.)

Do not see this movie before seeing the stage show.

It's considered, by Broadway types, to be the worse movie adaptation of a Broadway show that's been done. (Oliver and Chicago are the opposites, both adapting the shows excellently without being a simple film of a stage production.)