THE GREATEST SHOWMAN : Publicity and Promotion

[jo]

There is supposed to be an ad at the coming SuperBowl that may be promoting Australian tourism, re an imagined sequel to Crocodile Dundee (not Showman Hugh). Chris Hemsworth will be in it, and Hugh has joined in the fun by releasing a photo of himself saying they cannot do the movie without him

http://instagram.com/p/BedIHt2jF3N

Formal clothes, Aussie flag on the side of an office, Hugh talking "strine" ( Aussie slang) -- someone suggested he looked like the Prime Minister of Australia - LOL!

[mamaleh]

Really funny fake trailer, too. (It’s on You Tube—“Dundee: Son of a Legend.”). Very clever tourism promotion. Great how they got alll those Aussie stars to participate in the trailer.

Ellen

[jo]

Interview with Benj Pasek and Justin Paul before THE GREATEST SHOWMAN was released --

www.goldderby.com/article/2018/benj-pasek-justin-paul-oscars-grammys-tonys-the-greatest-showman-dear-evan-hansen-complete-interview-transcript-video-news/

There's a video of the complete interview...and a full transcript.


Excerpts --

GD: “The Greatest Showman” opens at the end of December so for all your fans that haven’t seen it yet, ‘cause no one’s seen it, can you basically tell us about the plot a little bit? Is there a big opening number like in “La La Land”?
Pasek: (Laughs.) There is definitely a big opening number. It’s inspired by the life of P.T. Barnum. It’s sort of a storybook version of his life and what he represented, this belief that the world is not as it is but it’s what it could be, and this fantastical vision that the world is what you make it. So for us it lends itself to being a musical in that sense that he has a larger than life view of what the world is. So yeah, there’s a big opening number called “The Greatest Show” where it introduces us to the world of the circus.

Paul: Yeah you meet him at the height of his prowess or showmanship, really. You see him in the circus and we’re introduced to that world and then the story takes you back, so we’re in the middle of this moment and then we pull back and you see his roots and the story of his humble beginnings and what was driving him and what was motivating him and then all along the way you follow the story of his life and the invention of the circus. It is, as Benj was saying, it’s sort of a storybook version of that story that really leans into the wonder of it and the joy of it and the spectacle of it. It’s a family friendly movie. It comes out right around Christmas and I think a lot of what we did in the film was writing music that was meant to entertain and meant to be something that kids and parents and grandparents, hopefully everybody can come together on the holidays and enjoy, consume together. I know that I’ll be taking my mom and dad and my daughter. I don’t know if she’ll last very long but I know we’re excited.

Pasek: She’s under two.

Paul: Yeah, exactly. But she has lasted through a couple of movies, a little bit. But having worked on “Dear Evan Hansen,” it sort of is fun and interesting to do something that’s much lighter and much more focused on joy and optimism and I can take my daughter to it.

Pasek: Yeah, it’s celebrating wonder and magic. We lived for a long time in very—

Paul: Darker spaces.

Pasek: Darker, shadowy places and to get to write a score that really is about joy is a thrill.



GD: How important, especially with P.T. Barnum is it that Hugh Jackman, a charismatic man himself, a musical actor sometimes, is the star, and how much input did he have with you about the songs?

Paul: A lot. First of all, it’s hugely important. The film is all about a charismatic, dynamic figure and his larger than life vision and so Hugh is just perfect. He’s insanely, annoyingly charismatic.
Pasek: Onscreen and off. He could convince you to do anything.

Paul: He’s the sort of song and dance man of our time and so it obviously was a thrill to get to write this for him and with him and to that end, he really was a collaborator in ways that he’s aware of and he’s not aware of. In the ways that he was aware of, he was giving notes on songs and giving thoughts all along the way. This was his project before it was anyone else’s, certainly before we were involved. So he was giving a lot of notes on it. But also, for us as the songwriters, as we’re writing every song to know the voice that we’re writing for really informs what we write, so he was that third subconscious collaborator in the room because anything that we’d write, a melody or a lyric or whatever it was, there was the Hugh test, of, “How would Hugh sound on that? Is that cool? Is that not cool? Will that feature his big, beautiful voice or is it a quiet intimate moment?” Either way it was always sort of the Hugh litmus test of how will he respond to that and how will that be performed in a way that highlights his incredible skills of which there are many.

Pasek: And from a songwriting standpoint, too, stylistically, Hugh and Michael [Gracey] always wanted to write a story that felt contemporary for this telling of P.T. Barnum. I know Hugh’s talked often about how he wanted it to be something that his 14-year-old daughter would spark to as much as his grandmother as well. So that kind of vision accompanying with who he is as an actor and the contemporary sensibility that people were trying to achieve even before we came onto the film definitely informed how we approached the material.



GD: I’m curious, how long did the whole creative process for you guys take? How many months and years of your lives were devoted to “The Greatest Showman”?

Paul: This one was in bursts. But it terms of span, this would be the longest, or be up there, ‘cause the other things have happened in the meanwhile since we started working on it.

Pasek: Yeah, we met our collaborator on “Dear Evan Hansen” in L.A. at the beginning of 2013 to really begin to dive into that stage musical and we happened to be in the right office at the right time for the very first opportunity we ever had to write anything for a film project. Especially at that time, the idea of getting to do a movie musical seemed like pie in the sky. It didn’t seem like it would ever happen and it was a real thrill that it began to take shape. But I guess it started in 2013 and then we began to develop it while we were developing other projects.

Paul: Always in bursts, so we’d focus on that for a few weeks and then turn to “Dear Evan Hansen” or turn to then eventually “La La Land” and some other things, but it was several workshops and readings over a period of 2013 until December of 2017 when it finally comes out.

GD: In L.A. where we are right now there are posters everywhere for “The Greatest Showman” and billboards everywhere and a lot of them say, “From the lyricists of ‘La La Land.’” Is there a lot of pressure to have that moniker around your names?

Paul: I think… yeah? (Laughs.)

Pasek: They’re two very different projects.

Paul: To us it’s like, “Oh sure, okay, I guess that’s technically true, but I’m not sure one has to do with the other.” I mean they’re both musicals and so that’s good but they’re such different films.
Pasek: And their ambitions are different.

Paul: Which is cool, which is the really cool thing. To get to have worked on “La La Land” and what that was and then “Greatest Showman” which is what that’s meant to be, which is something very different, I think it’s cool. If you’re asking us, we wouldn’t mind if they lost the moniker of that (laughs).
GD: Just Benj and Justin.

Paul: Or just nowhere.

Pasek: Or just Hugh Jackman (laughs).

Paul: Yeah, there are some exciting selling points about the film, with some wonderful actors but I think what we like about being writers as opposed to being actors is being in the background and hopefully the work speaks, or doesn’t speak but that’s sort of what our focus is and just getting to work as hard as we can and try to make something that we’re proud of and let it be out in the world and let the actors shine. Let it really take centerstage ‘cause they give really incredible, dynamic performances in the film.

[jo]

The view from one Philippine media group re the major selling points for THE GREATEST SHOWMAN --

www.rappler.com/entertainment/movies/194914-the-greatest-showman-hugh-jackman

8 great things about ‘The Greatest Showman’

Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron star in a movie inspired by the founder of the Barnum’s American Museum and the Barnum and Bailey Circus

Jill Tan Radovan

Published 8:00 PM, January 31, 2018
Updated 8:00 PM, January 31, 2018

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN. Hugh Jackman returns to his musical roots in 'The Greatest Showman.' All photos from 20th Century Fox

A visual and musical spectacle, The Greatest Showman is a film inspired by the life of one of America’s most iconic impresarios. It is however, not a biopic, and artistic license has been maximized to ensure that there are sufficient twists and turns to keep viewers interested and entertained. Despite being criticized for its lack of accuracy in presenting events that happened in real life, the film is ultimately a crowd-pleaser.


There are many things to love about The Greatest Showman, and here are some of them.

1.The legend that inspired the film. The film is inspired by the story of the legendary and ambitious Phineas Taylor Barnum, an American showman, businessman, sometime politician, and philanthropist best remembered for founding the Barnum’s American Museum and the Barnum and Bailey Circus, and for promoting human curiosities and hoaxes as the featured performers of his show.

2.The film’s rich cultural backdrop. The story is set in the 1870s, in post-Civil War America, and portrayed the busy yet glamorous world of mass entertainment and fame in New York. The Greatest Showman is a resplendent period flick, complete with old-timey architecture and costumes. Production value: 100 percent.

3.The interesting troupe of human curiosities. The Dog-Faced Boy. Lettie Lutz, the bearded woman with a golden voice. General Tom Thumb. Prince Constantine, who had tattoos all over his face. The Irish Giant. These are just a few of the unusual personalities you’ll meet while watching the film.

4.Zac Efron all grown up, and singing again – finally! Zac Efron rose to fame for playing jock-turned-thespian Troy Bolton in High School Musical and somehow, it’s hard to disassociate him from that role even if he’s played many other roles after. As Philip Carlyle in The Greatest Showman, Efron puts his vocal chords and dancing shoes to good use once again and gives us new songs to remember him by.

5.That beautiful soundtrack. There are quite a few memorable songs that are part f the soundtrack, such as "This Is Me," "Never Enough," and "A Million Dreams." "This Is Me" won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song in 2017, and was nominated in the Academy Awards as well.

6.The spectacular production numbers. Having a full roster of memorable songs as part of a soundtrack is one thing, but being able to bring these songs to life through stellar performances is another.

Here are some numbers to look forward to: Efron and Hugh Jackman singing and dancing to "The Other Side," which couldn’t be more entertaining; Zendaya and Efron’s duet of "Rewrite the Stars" while suspended in mid-air, so romantic and brimming with chemistry; and Jackman, Efron, Zendaya and Keala Seattle’s performance of "The Greatest Show," which is so empowering, it makes you want to just go for that lifelong dream.

7.Lessons on human struggle, the human spirit and humanity, as well as nuggets of inspiration strewn throughout the film. The film depicts the struggles P.T. Barnum and his team of oddities went through, and how they were able to overcome adversity to claim their place in society at a time when the peculiar were frowned upon and discrimination was considered normal. There is a lot to learn in the stories of Barnum, Carlyle, and their troupe. The film is inspiring and overflowing with life lessons.


8.Hugh Jackman—one great showman. Best remembered for playing Wolverine in a handful of X-men and Marvel films, some people easily forget that Hugh Jackman is a total performer, first and foremost. The Tony Award-winning actor is also an immensely talented singer and dancer, and can take on a plethora of roles on stage and on film.

The Greatest Showman reminds us that there’s more to Mr. Jackman than those sinewy arms, that menacing growl, and the fear-inducing conviction that he can tear us to shreds if he wants to.


The Greatest Showman hits cinemas nationwide on January 31. – Rappler.com

[jo]

A very positive review published by the largest media outlet in the Philippines and which will likely be read by most people --

news.abs-cbn.com/life/02/02/18/movie-review-the-greatest-showman-is-a-lavish-spectacle

A business newspaper used the Richard Roeper review ( surprisingly also quite positive) - this is directed towards the business and other high-end market.

Social media reactions have been very positive especially among the internet-savvy.


Jo

[jo]

[jo]

broadway.showtickets.com/articles/stars-and-the-city-hugh-jackman-of-the-greatest-showman/

Stars & the City: Hugh Jackman of 'The Greatest Showman’
Category Stars and the City
|by Jeryl Brunner |February 1, 2018


Hugh Jackman takes us behind the scenes of his new movie musical – and shares why his family loves New York City

Hugh Jackman plays P.T. Barnum in the new movie musical The Greatest Showman. The dream cast also includes Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Keala Settle, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson and Paul Sparks. The Greatest Showman is directed by Michael Gracey and contains songs from Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Dear Evan Hansen, La La Land). Nominated for three Golden Globe awards, including one for Hugh Jackman, the movie tells the story of the intrepid Barnum. The great showman who had little means defied the odds and ultimately created the Barnum & Bailey Circus. The luxury cruise line Cunard and 20th Century Fox Film recently partnered to host the movie’s world premiere on the Queen Mary 2, while the ship was docked in New York.

Hugh Jackman and Zac Ephron toast the world premiere of 'The Greatest Showman' with Moët & Chandon (Photo: Benjamin Lozovsky for BFA Images)


What qualities do you love about P.T. Barnum?

Hugh Jackman: I think of him as a disruptor. He saw the world in a different way from anyone else. I love his imagination. I love his sense of fun and playfulness, his dedication to making other people happy. And I love his grit. I mean, he's a flawed character, but if his back is against the wall, he will fight, and I love that.


You have mentioned that it took seven and a half years to get The Greatest Showman made. The film is like that Little Engine that Could. What kept you going?
Hugh Jackman: I know. The honest truth is Michael Gracey, our director. We were into this. Jenny [Bicks] wrote the script. I gave it to Michael. From that point on, he was the Barnum of this. He never stopped believing and he just pushed and pushed and pushed and pushed, and that's why we're here.


If you could join the circus what would be your special skill?

Hugh Jackman: The tightrope. I'd be on the tightrope. There is something about the tightrope. I used to be terrified of heights and now, since I was about 16, I no longer am. Now I love it. When you're up there, there's a peacefulness about it.


What does your family love to do in New York?

Hugh Jackman: My son’s idea of a great day in New York is to hike. He will wake up, not have any breakfast and go to Central Park. And then he comes back when it’s dark, literally. He loads up his backpack and treats Central Park as a forest.


We love that you do movies, but do you see yourself doing Broadway again?

Hugh Jackman: Absolutely, a hundred percent. I really want to do a new musical. Maybe The Greatest Showman could become a Broadway musical? I totally can see this working. Totally.


Do you remember the first time you performed on stage?

Hugh Jackman: When I was five or six and I played the King in Camelot. And what I remember most is the crown being too big and falling over my face. The stage is where I began to learn my craft. It’s where I fell in love with acting. The very first thing I saw was Man of La Mancha. It was at high school. I was probably eight at the time. Hugo Weaving, who is a very famous Australian actor, was the star. He went to the same high school as me and I couldn’t believe it. I still remember the show very vividly.

[jo]

http://instagram.com/p/BerT636hGSF

[jo]

[jo]

THIS IS ME will be the musical theme for NBC coverage of the WINTER OLYMPICS!


sports.yahoo.com/nbc-keala-settle-spark-attention-160508583.html

NBC to Use Keala Settle’s ‘This Is Me’ to Spark Attention for Winter Olympics

Brian Steinberg
VarietyFeb 4, 2018 12:05 AM

The network known for airing “This Is Us” hopes to harness the power of “This Is Me.”

The hit song, sung by Keala Settle and used in the soundtrack to the movie “The Greatest Showman,” will be used by NBC Olympics leading up to and during the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, NBC Olympics and Atlantic Records announced today. The track was co-produced and written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

The song will be featured in promotional spots to run across NBCUniversal’s broadcast, cable, digital, social, and radio platforms, including during NBC’s coverage of Super Bowl LII this Sunday. The song will also be used by NBC Olympics’ production at strategic times during its 2,400 hours of PyeongChang programming, including within NBC’s primetime coverage on Friday, February 9, the night of the Opening Ceremony.

“The song’s messages of celebrating diversity and individual uniqueness couldn’t be more well suited for the themes and spirit of what the Olympics stand for,” said Kevin Weaver, Atlantic Records President, West Coast, in a statement. “It’s an honor for all of us involved with The Greatest Showman to have had the song chosen to be connected to NBC’s coverage of the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games.”

“With less than a week until the start of The Winter Olympics, ‘This Is Me’ is the perfect song to connect viewers with Olympic athletes on a human level,” said Jenny Storms, CMO, NBC Sports Group, in a statement. “Beginning with a powerful spot that will be seen by the massive Super Bowl audience and continuing up to and throughout the Games, this inspiring song perfectly complements the stories we’re telling about the athletes’ journeys from ordinary to extraordinary.”

The 20th Century Fox film, “The Greatest Showman,” has grossed $270 million worldwide and is inspired by the story of P.T. Barnum. The movie is directed by Michael Gracey, with songs co-produced and written by Pasek and Paul, co-produced by Greg Wells and executive produced by Alex Lacamoire. The movie stars Hugh Jackman with Michelle Williams, Zendaya, Zac Efron, and Rebecca Ferguson.

Hopefully, this honor to represent the Olympic spirit will further strengthen the chances of THIS IS ME to win its own GOLD -- Oscar Gold!


Jo

[jo]

Will we see some of the figure skaters ( men and women) use any of the musical themes from THE GREATEST SHOWMAN to inspire their Olympic effort?

Any one of the songs can qualify, as figure skating involves both romantic and pop-py music as accompaniment. Even better, why not a medley of songs from the movie?

Btw, the 2018 Winter Olympics will take place in South Korea.


Jo

[carouselkathy]

Great News! However, I don't think this will influence OSCAR voting. Pasek & Paul won last year for their LA LA LAND song, so would they win back to back? Musicians vote in this category, so I'm guessing that they take many aspects of composition into consideration. I think the song from MARSHALL will offer some competition. Don't get me wrong, I hope "This is Me" wins. Passaic & Paul have written a wonderful composition. I'd vote for it. Fingers crossed!

[jo]

Tom Hanks once won back-to-back Oscars for Best Actor ( Philadelphia and Forest Gump)

Unlike for the nominees ( who are voted for by their branch of the specific category, such as actors for acting honors), for the final winners at the Oscars, the entire membership of the AMPAS (all 8000+ of them) will vote from among the nominees. The biggest group here will be the actors group.

[jo]

[jo]

Not sure if this has been posted --

Official merchandise/memorabilia from THE GREATEST SHOWMAN :

shop.foxmovies.com/collections/the-greatest-showman

[jo]

Someone recorded the ad -- and tweeted it, complete with personal reactions!

We'll probably get a clean uploaded clip -- but this is giving us an excellent indication of how well THIS IS ME suits the Olympic spirit!


Jo

[jo]

There is an official upload but limited to certain countries only ( presumably because networks generally do not allow viewing in certain countries re copyright violations?) --




Sad, because it should be allowed to all countries, participants or not. In our case, we have qualified to send 2 athletes in two events. Figure skating... and if I am not mistaken, in slalom.

Jo

[jo]

Zac Efron retweeted the NBC tweet -- but sadly, the video clip will not play outside the USA, it seems

[jo]

And Hugh likewise tweeted the ad --

[jo]

Given the ad on the Winter Olympics -- maybe it is time to re-watch EDDIE THE EAGLE ( 1988 - Calgary)

[jo]

The ad is a great plug for the movie and the soundtrack album


And hopefully also strengthens its Oscar chances for the GOLD



In case anyone's interested - in sports parlance ( and maybe also in other types of competitive activity) , the GOAT refers to "GREATEST OF ALL TIME"

[jo]

Should someone go to a sing-along or see it on IMAX

[jo]

CNN classifies the NBC Winter Olympics ads, especially with THIS IS ME, as among the SUPERBOWL ads which "scored" ( as distinguished from the ones which "fumbled") --

edition.cnn.com/2018/02/04/entertainment/super-bowl-52-recap/index.html

The Winter Olympics/NBC. The last time a network aired the Super Bowl and Winter Olympics in the same year was 1992, and NBC was determined to use the showcase to let people know that there will be another huge sporting event kicking off in a few days. Not all the spots were terrific -- although one featuring music from "The Greatest Showman" was -- and in broad terms, mission accomplished.

[jo]

www.goldderby.com/article/2018/oscars-best-original-song-this-is-me-winter-olympics-ad/

Best Original Song nominee ‘This Is Me’ could get an Olympic boost en route to Oscar gold

Joyce Eng
Film
February 5, 2018 1:00PM


Among the dozens of ads that premiered during Sunday’s Super Bowl LII, one featured a very familiar tune to Oscar devotees. NBC aired an extended promo for the Winter Olympics using Best Original Song nominee “This Is Me” from “The Greatest Showman,” which could low-key serve as the song’s best and most effective Oscar campaign.

The nearly two-minute clip features a montage of Olympians training and competing, backed by the Golden Globe-winning Pasek and Paul tune. It’s a savvy visual and aural marriage: There is nothing more goosebump-inducing than the inspirational moments the Olympics create, and the song’s uplifting message and sweeping chorus, amplified by Keala Settle’s killer vocals, are as catchy as a Taylor Swift hook.


NBC will definitely be running various cuts of this promo during the Olympics — the network also premiered a commercial-friendly 45-second version during the Super Bowl that will likely be the one that gets continuous airtime. The Olympics, which start Thursday and overlap with Oscar voting from Feb. 20-25, are a once-in-a-quadrennium event that everyone, even non-sports fans, watches, which gives “This Is Me” maximum visibility. If you’re filling out your ballot while watching the Olympics and this ad comes on, you may be inclined to vote for the addictive earworm that functions as both a circus musical centerpiece and an Olympic hype song. (Let’s be real, people cast their votes for far less.)

“This Is Me,” which is already a Billboard 100 hit, is currently in second place in our combined odds behind “Remember Me” from “Coco.” But you should probably keep tabs on it the next three weeks to see if it rises from silver to gold.


Be sure to make your Oscar predictions so that Hollywood insiders can see how their films and performers are faring in our odds. You can keep changing your predictions until just before winners are announced on March 4. And join in the fierce debate over the 2018 Oscars taking place right now with Hollywood insiders in our movie forums. Read more Gold Derby entertainment news.

It's when a song written for a movie ( and becomes part of the storytelling) and then derives meaning in real life that makes the song part of our lives.

I wonder who approached whom to feature the song in the Olympics ad

It is also going to boost the movie ( presumably the movie will still be in theaters in February) and/or the forthcoming release of the video ( BluRay/DVD) in March!


Jo

[jo]

Er... wrong movie

Laura may not like having competition *SNIKT**SNIKT*