Post by jo on Feb 1, 2023 19:35:43 GMT -5
Oops -- the tweet was deleted!
It said that he was looking forward to the casting of Matthew Broderick as Harold Hill but was "shocked" by his actual performance. He also said that Hugh Jackman was only slightly better compared to Broderick.
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I couldn't quite helieve that I read the above -- that Hugh's performance is only slightly better than Matthew ( who was lackluster).
He praised the Preston movie ( which he said has just been added to the list of movies being streamed on HBO-M+AX... even added photos of Preston/Jones/Howard).
I wonder if he realized why in the past the Preston model worked but at present the Jackman portrayal aligns more with the times.
Preston was of the tentpole preaching variety -- shocking people who were gullible -- even making (near-insipid) Marian falling readily for him ( the transition to falling for him by Shirley Jones was too abrupt). He appealed to the mid-50's generation -- he was a "force" that wrought compliance among the gullible.
Jackman explored the modern conman template -- charismatic, beguiling, using many ways to win over Winthrop (and convince Marian that he had a good heart after all). He seduced the town not by simply fooling the kids... but by seducing the kids themselves with music and dance (an activity that is kid-friendly all the time). He was like a Pied Piper ( who was not evil but stood to gain from what he was doing). I could not see that appeal with Preston... Jackman was a Prince Charming (but with ulterior motives) who himself fell in love with the town.
Btw, what I did not like most in the original movie is that part of Shipoopi where Hollywood-glamor-type-of-professional-dancers were brought in to dance like in old Hollywood movies - it really looked out of place. In the revival, that was what sealed the kids to Jackman's Prof Hill -- he became one of them! Feel the camaraderie! The revival brought out something that was not that obvious in the film adaptation nor in revivals before the 2022 one. That the artistic focus is to show Hill being instrumental in the town regaining its sense of community, first with the kids being won over...and then the parents also getting the same message.
So, this tweeter is maybe schooled in the old type of entertainment -- and do not find much appeal in the Jackman seduction style.
Furthermore --
Why did the Marian of the Shirley Jones variety fall in love with the Preston-Hill? Was it just the kindness he showed Winthrop -- will that work at all now? She could look more kindly at him but to fall in love with someone whose persona showed such a harsh edge to it - will that appeal to the woman as portrayed by Jones?
In the revival, the romantic tension between two opposite personas worked -- why? The kissing scene brought the audiences at the Winter Graden near-swooning
Jackman was very seductive in his courtship of Marian ( Marian must have been attracted also by the good looks of this Prof Hill, at least at first glance. That he became a Winthrop friend enhanced his chances. But those moments when he was physically seducing her -- won her over completely. I doubt it would have happened like this with the lackluster personality of Matthew Broderick. Hugh Jackman was the right one to cast for this portrayal of a very charismatic Prof Hill.The movie audiences of the 50's were probably far too gullible compared to modern times showgoers. ( I identified with both types in both times
)Thus the tentpole preaching way of convincing people to swing to his side is far easily done...on the other hand, the modern day con man will choose which type of seduction he has to use for a specific market (which he perceives will work best with that market). Cast Preston in the 2022 revival and see how far (if he does go far) he will go.
It is the evolution in the culture.
Jo