Rating: 
Summary: Meatpacking Muse
Review: Whoa. This filmed version of John Cameron Mitchell's out-there Meatpacking District stage show had its thunder stolen last year by the equally flamboyant (though relatively anodyne) "Moulin Rouge." Unfair! Mitchell directed and stars as the titular Hedwig, nee Hans, an East German teenager who suffered a botched sex change operation and a failed marriage (just go with it) to an American military man in order to flee over the Berlin Wall to the States. Abandoned by her husband in a trailer in Middle America, Hedwig takes oddjobs, babysits and jams with future MTV rock god Tommy Gnosis (Michael Pitt), and starts her own less-than-successful band, which she uses to stalk Tommy when she discovers that Tommy has stolen all of her best songs."Hedwig" follows in the campy faux-low-budget musical tradition of "Rocky Horror" and Brian DePalma's "Phantom of the Paradise," with one crucial difference: the songs, by Stephen Trask, are very, very well written. The lyrics in particular demonstrate amazing sophistication (and are complemented effectively by Emily Hubley's free-form animation), but the erudition doesn't get in the way of the music, which resurrects the over-the-top theatrics of '70s glam rock without any of the Lloyd-Weber cheesiness one would expect. The DVD release does the film justice. There's a select-a-song feature that gets you past the film's less successful standup-y schtick, and the included documentary, which matches the film in length, is as entertaining as the film itself. (It covers the genesis of the character and the stage show in addition to the movie, and pretty much everything else. Did you know that the ballroom of the seedy Riverview Hotel, where the stage show debuted, served as a shelter for the Titanic's survivors?) Ladies and gentlemen, whether you like Hedwig herself or not...this movie rocks. No joke. P.S. Miriam Shor in her beard is a ringer for Jason Lee.
Rating: 
Summary: Velvet Goldmine all over again^__^
Review: Yes, it's nothing at all like the Rocky Horror picture show. I watched this right after Velvet Goldmine & they were different yet so complimentive! If you like androgynie, are a yaoi or shounenai fan, miss the 80s, like Jrock, or loved Velvet Goldmine your going to love this movie^.^
Rating:
Summary: The best rock musical ever made
Review: Think about what rock musicals have been like. It's no surprise that when most people think about the rock musical, they think about midnight showings with tons of obsessed fans screaming as the movie plays out before them, decked in attire identical to that of the characters up on screen. One thinks of cultish style, no substance. In other words, when thinking about the rock musical, one immediately thinks "Rocky Horror", and there's a reason for that. Finally, someone has decided to take the rock musical seriously and it works better than one could've imagined. Ladies and gentlemen, whether you like it or not... "HEDWIG!" Based on the off-Broadway hit of the same name, Hedwig and the Angry Inch is about Hedwig Robinson (John Cameron Mitchell), and his journey to find his "other half". While living in East Berlin, Hedwig (then Hansel) meets Sgt. Luther Robinson (Maurice Dean Wint), who over some gummi bears decides to marry him. The only problem is, he has to marry him in Berlin, which would require a physical examination. "To get away, you've gotta leave something behind," Luther tells Hansel. So it is agreed that Hansel must have a sex change operation. Unfortunately for Hansel (who changes his name to Hedwig), the doctor botched the operation, leaving him with nothing but an "angry inch". Luther and Hedwig run off to America, where Luther's wandering eye gets the best of him. Left alone, Hedwig just puts on some makeup, pulls the wig down from the shelf and goes back to her first love of music. That too has its problems: Hedwig gets involved in a relationship with Tommy Speck (Michael Pitt), who steals her music and becomes pop icon Tommy Gnosis. When we meet Hedwig at the beginning of the film, her and her band The Angry Inch are following Gnosis world tour in hopes of landing a successful lawsuit. "Hedwig" rocks like no other movie I have ever seen. The soundtrack is (in my humble opinion) full of classic songs, and the film is full of audacious numbers to match them. I could easily be convinced that this film was made for upwards of $25 million. But obviously, style isn't dictated by budget (the film was made for $6 million). Just look at "Wig in a Box," where a trailer wall is kicked down to become a stage. Or "Angry Inch", where Hedwig's bold retelling of his past lashes out and causes the whole place to erupt. The music could've easily been tacky, but no. The songs, written by Stephen Trask, are punk rock masterpieces (some highlights including "Origin of Love", "Midnight Radio" and "Wig in a Box") that had me singing for days after. I am now convinced that the music industry would be on its way to redemption if more people could write with the gusto and originality of Stephen Trask's work. The film's characters all have stunning emotional depth. Every character is developed, the relationships seem real, and they are all acted to perfection. That there is already more than you can say about most rock musicals. "Hedwig" is the brainchild of John Cameron Mitchell. He knows "this punk rock star" up and down and thus turns in a near flawless performance. Hedwig is bitter, stubborn and sarcastic, but never unpleasant for the audience to be with. Michael Pitt is impressive as the rip-off artist Tommy Gnosis, and Miriam Shor gives a wonderfully layered performance as Yitzak, Hedwig's husband/wife obviously unsure of her place in the world (just like Hedwig herself). "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" has done what no other rock musical has done before. It refuses to give up the music for the story, or vice versa. Instead, the songs complement Hedwig's journey in such a way that we understand her position even more after each one. Now only one question remains: is "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" the greatest rock musical ever made? Hell, yeah.
Rating:
Summary: Best musical-to-film translation EVER
Review: Hedwig was one of my favorite musicals before i knew about the movie. I never go into a musical-turned-movie expecting much because it's impossible to recreate the feeling of seeing it live. Hedwig can't either, but it comes THIS close *imagine me holding my fingers REALLY close together* Amazing movie, you laugh, you cry, it's ALL there. if you're a modern, non-traditional musical fan, buy this movie! It's a necessity for any musical lover's collection!
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic entertainment -- and it makes you think too!
Review: Written, directed and starring John Cameron Mitchell,this film categorizes itself as a "post-punk rock neo glam rock musical". I say it's in a category of it's own. And it completely blew me away. Hedwig is the most outrageous transsexual character that has ever graced the stage or screen. The audience gets to know Hedwig as a REAL person and not a cartoon character. We see his childhood in East Germany, his romance with an army sergeant, the pressure he feels to have a gender change operation in order to marry his love and leave the oppression of the communist world. This story and the subsequent plot complications are told in flashback against a background of original rock music, whose lyrics throb with the meaning of love and the nature of gender. The sets are original and there's even a sequence where the audience is invited to sing along by following a bouncing ball. The story races along and there are animation sequences as Hedwig searches after lost love and a quest for gender identification. The costumes and wigs are magnificent and the camerawork makes the most of the space and balance of energy. It's an elaborate production. And it also has something important to say. I loved the lights, the action, the camera, the costumes, the music, the story. But most of all I the loved the characters. Hedwig is simply wonderful! It's not for children though, or religious fundamentalists, or people easily disturbed by transsexualism. But for anyone who wants to see a fantastic rock musical that will make you think as well as entertain, don't miss it. Recommended for those hearty few.
Rating:
Summary: Classic rock and roll.
Review: An inspirational fairy tale for anybody who's ever made a bad decision or for anybody who's ever had to start over after the failure of a relationship. Songs so archetypal that they sound familiar the first time you hear them. You'll be humming.... "Put on some make-up...."
Rating:
Summary: Beware - This could lead to obsession
Review: This is the most amazing musical I have seen in a long time and one of the most amazing movies as well. Throughout the movie you are with Hedwig all the way. It is a movie about separation and unification. It is about completion. The music sits in your head all day and when you finally get home and put the CD in the player it is like scratching an itch that has bothered you for hours. I especially recommend this film experience to anyone who knows what it feels like to be half.
Rating:
Summary: Rebirth of the punk rock musical!
Review: Not since Rocky Horror has a movie hit you with such fervor. This film will make you want to get out of your seat and sing at the top of your lungs. The music is incredibly well written and truly shows the pain hedwig has gone through on her long journey to the stage. You follow her from East Berlin to Junction City, Kansas. Along the way you meet some interesting characters and hear some great fun music. Enjoy the best rock musical ever written.
Rating:
Summary: And outrageous journey of self-discovery
Review: It's very hard not not like this movie. I don't buy many DVD's, but this was a must-have. Hedwig's journey geographically, artistically and emotionally are a joy to watch and listen to.
Rating:
Summary: Fun movie with deep impressions and great bonus features
Review: I learned about the stage production when it opened in NYC years ago and thought often about it since. When I saw the movie, I had to have it. It's better than I thought it could be. Additionally, the DVD has lots of bonus material, including an 80 minute feature on the show.
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