THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

[jo]

Inspired by Hugh's determination --

[jo]

This should be off-topic...but

Our Secretary of Foreign Affairs here in the Philippines ( also former Ambassador to the UN) is known for his blunt and outspoken manner. He used to be a well-known and hard-fighting journalist … and even used to write speeches for our lady president then Corazon Aquino.

I know what he means about government officials trying to being part of political circuses and how they use self-serving promotional campaigns, so his metaphor about not liking being a Showman is not lost on me. I do like how he refers to Hugh Jackman's "striking good looks"

He rarely praises people.


Btw, I have met him way back in the past - and he does have a blunt sense of humor!

PS: In case you're interested here's the speech he wrote for President Aquino which she delivered to the Joint Session of the United States Congress --

en.wikisource.org/wiki/Corazon_Aquino%27s_Speech_before_the_Joint_session_of_the_United_States_Congress


Jo

[jo]

When you simply listen to the recorded song ( as in the above tweet) for The Other Side -- I have noticed only now how varied the vocal range that Hugh and Zac employ to come across the sung story-telling. From deep baritones to high baritonal notes! Both are really accomplished singers ( and actors)!

And are mean dancers, too!

What a treat it would be to see both of them together performing live ( maybe in a Broadway show - too bad Zac would be too young to be Harold's Hill pal, Marcellus, in The Music Man)


Jo

[jo]

[njr]

Jan 19, 2020 0:47:04 GMT -5 jo said:

That is TOO funny that she would think someone else was doing Hugh’s singing! 😂

[jo]

From the time of the release of The Greatest Showman - an article on choreographer Ashley Wallen.

[jo]

Interesting comment by the photographer Niko Tavernise --

http://instagram.com/p/Bc7c95kh7Uv

Did you know Niko worked on a documentary with Darren Aronofsky for THE FOUNTAIN? I don't have it in my files -- but I recall reading it in the past.

[jo]

Emma Watts, left, with 2 of the official producers for The Greatest Showman. Emma Watts who was Vice Chairman and Head of Production at the old FOX studio and now heads the production label 20th Century Studios, has resigned from her post.

Besides The Greatest Showman, she was also involved in LOGAN.


She shares in the successes of Greatest Showman and Logan, Hugh Jackman's best artistic efforts and box office successes in movies released in the same year.


Jo

[jo]

The Greatest Showman has become a cultural phenomenon --

check out this scene from Brooklyn Nine-Nine

[mamaleh]

Ha, my daughter's a writer on that show this season; will have to ask her if she had anything to do with the "greatest showman" references. Probably not.

Ellen

[mamaleh]

That episode is scheduled to be shown tomorrow (Thurs.) evening on NBC. Seems the writers were poking gentle fun at TGS, but I prefer to see it as an homage.

Ellen

[jo]

At the time of the promo campaign for The Greatest Showman, we were deluged with so many informative articles/clips on the making of the movie.

The costumes were particularly imaginative and jewel-color-attractive!

Here's the background, as shared by Costume Designer Ellen Mirojnick --


wwd.com/eye/lifestyle/greatest-showman-costumes-ellen-mirojnick-11076151/


Excerpts --

WWD: How was working with Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum?

E.M.: Thrilling. The ringmaster is a special costume. That is the person that focuses the entire show. What was most important creating this was that you could feel the costume around his body, that it moved with his body. We found fabulous red lush silken wool that reflected the light. He dances throughout these shows, so it’s really important that you feel the light encircling his body, giving him the freedom to move.

WWD: What was his reaction when he tried the jacket on for the first time?

E.M.: This was an amazing moment. Hugh had an hour and it was a Saturday morning, very, very early in the morning. We were in the room, he came in and he started piece by piece to put the costume on. He was slow, methodical. Shirt, pants, boots and then the red coat went on.

I have never seen a transformation and a bolt of electricity go through the air as strong as it did when Hugh put it on.

From Niko Tavernise --

http://instagram.com/p/BdgC4FIhIhG

http://instagram.com/p/BflczMwhypc

http://instagram.com/p/BhSkFu2nklO

[jo]

And this great photo, posted by Ellen Mirojnick ( TGS Costume Designer) --

http://instagram.com/p/B8x9A4MJOW3

The electrifying moment she was referring to in the earlier-posted article on the costumes for The Greatest Showman...when Hugh completed putting on the full costume especially the final part of donning the red jacket


Jo

[jo]

Ellen Mirojnick came to see Hugh perform at the O2 in London ( #tmtmts)

http://instagram.com/p/ByPgQwppZZM

[jo]

More from Ellen's Instagram photo gallery --

http://instagram.com/p/Brq_YjGg2o1

Everybody wants to put on the red coat

http://instagram.com/p/BcY5t0khzER

[jo]

It need not be the red coat -- Hugh did all the costumes designed by Ellen justice!

Looking very handsome here --

http://instagram.com/p/Bevb9Rdhsxp

[njr]

“@visualprostitute with his signature outfit” (Michael Gracey) 😂

[jo]

http://instagram.com/p/B9Ec6tGHNzu

[jo]

Remember this promo a few days before the release of the movie?




It was an angsty time - we were apprehensive if the movie is going to at least have some degree of success! The first week box office results were not at all reassuring


Then...…….

As if the movie musical genre, represented by THE GREATEST SHOWMAN, was firing on all cylinders!

*The leggiest movie since Titanic...the third most popular musical at the domestic box office - for all time!
*Billboard chart topper and RIAA certified
*Fans going against the critical reception -- remember how NYTimes asked us for our comments and they did get a full tirade? Remember how the Audience Score was behaving diametrically opposite what the Rotten Tomatoes critics were saying? Remember the audience rating on IMDB?
*Remember how the popularity crossed across the pond...and then all around the world?
*Remember how social media was full of people ( of all ages and gender and nationality) singing the songs and dancing like the circus troupers from THE GREATEST SHOWMAN?

The world seemed to have gone crazy over THE GREATEST SHOWMAN! The world CAME ALIVE!


And it only took Hugh Jackman 9 years to shepherd this original movie musical through


Jo

[jo]

A lot of social media mentions of the media - and how it is helping beat the isolation doldrums

Some do gym work with it, some practice their drums set with it, some using the songs for school farewells, some discovering it for the first time...while others do not mind watching it for the Nth time


Jo

[jo]

Maybe she just discovered A MILLION DREAMS and THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

Translation by Google --

After seeing #TheGreatestShowman i feel the need to have one #HughJackman in my life that makes me dance to the notes of A million dreams

[jo]

Who ever thought that The Greatest Showman would become so popular ( now, it is one on REPEAT to while away the lockdown hours)...that toys would be created to honor its characters?

To me, the most amazing and unexpected thing is the new Jackman fanbase among the very, very young! Young ones who have rebaptized his character as Peachy Barnum

Jo

[jo]

It started as a song which solidified the project greenlight in that remarkable workshop scene, with an impassioned Hugh singing it despite doctor's orders.

Michael Gracey has proclaimed it as his favorite song from THE GREATEST SHOWMAN! And it so happened to be mine, too.

It is as anthemic as This Is Me, but more from the perspective of redemption and resolve for the future.


Now it's noticeable how many have mentioned that the song FROM NOW ON has become an appropriate musical theme in these difficult days of the virus --

Here's an impressive interpretation by a theatre group!

[hughmanity]

Guess it's still a favorite during staying at home..TGS among Amazon best sellers last week ..all others much newer releases


www.sfgate.com/shopping/article/amazon-best-selling-videos-and-movies-15169531.php

[jo]

www.broadwayworld.com/article/VIDEO-Watch-Benj-Pasek-Justin-Paul-on-STARS-IN-THE-HOUSE--Live-Now-20200505

"Stars in the House" featuring Pasek and Paul...

and Keala (she appears at around 1'07") reprising "THIS IS ME", some 5 years after she first sang it during their workshops ( she said that when all the songs that P&P were developing finally came together while they were doing the workshops, that it was "heaven"! The Fox exec who told her after hearing her sing This Is Me was Jim Gianopulos ( not said in this clip, but mentioned in the past).

There is a surprise - how the opening song was supposed to have a prologue called " Can you believe" … Er… am I glad Ryan Lewis came in and rescued it ( he added the famous " Whoa...whoa...etc" and gave the opening song that catchy pop music beat!)

She also talks about their experience in Mexico when they were on tour ( #tmtmts).


Jo