THE GREATEST SHOWMAN : Fan Reactions/Reviews

[jo]

From an Instagram post --

johncampbellest
20th Century Fox


johncampbellest Had the pleasure of attending an Industry Screening of The Greatest Showman at Fox Studios with a client. I had no expectation (just grateful for the invite). What an incredible movie, go see one of my favorite films of the year flawless. #greatestshowman

[jo]

Could be biased, because the tweeter includes FOX SEARCHLIGHT on her profile, but still --

[jo]

The tweeter is an actor/singer from LA --

[jo]

Not a review but a look at the movie from the perspective of the keepers of Barnum's legacy!

New Barnum movie ‘a fantastical musical’
By John Burgeson Published 12:00 am, Saturday, December 16, 2017

Photo: 20th Century Fox / Contributed Photo


BRIDGEPORT — Let’s get this fact out of the way: Hollywood heartthrob Hugh Jackman looks about as much like P.T. Barnum as your cat.

But that shouldn’t keep you from seeing Jackman portraying Barnum in the new 20th Century Fox movie musical, “The Greatest Showman,” which opens in general release Wednesday.

“You know, I think that P.T. Barnum would totally approve,” said Kathleen Maher, executive director and curator of the Barnum Museum on Main Street. “It’s not supposed to be an historical account of his life. Rather, it’s a fantastical musical and visual experience that illustrates Barnum’s gift to us: showmanship. And P.T Barnum would have loved the casting.”

Maher, who attended a VIP premier screening of the film aboard the Queen Mary 2 last week, said there have been dozens of accounts of Barnum’s life, both in print and on film.

“But the idea behind ‘The Greatest Showman’ is to bring the spirit of P.T. Barnum back to life,” she said. “His story is enormous — too big for a two-hour movie. There would be too many tangents.”


For example, Barnum was, for a year, the mayor of Bridgeport, something not part of “The Greatest Showman.”
His ornate, Iranistan mansion near what is now Seaside Park? Not mentioned either.


“Instead, (the movie) focuses on his American Museum creation as well as his circus — and the performers, the music and the dancing,” Maher said, “his spectacular successes and his heartbreaking failures.”


Elinor Biggs, Barnum’s great-great-great-granddaughter, accompanied Maher at the premier screening, where they got to meet Jackman and the other cast members.

Biggs and Maher said that the people from 20th Century Fox spent about four hours with them at the Barnum Museum.
“Looking a Tom Thumb’s wool outfit, his little carriage and Barnum’s coat really made an impression with them,” Biggs said. “They were genuinely interested in finding out as much they could about Barnum.”

Biggs, 71, of the Southport section of Fairfield, described the movie as “incredibly uplifting, genuine and fun,” and one that gives its audience a window into the showman’s life.

“I said to the director (Michael Gracey) that I felt incredibly proud — even more so now — to be a descendant of P.T. Barnum after seeing the film,” she said. “You’ll really want to go back and see it again — the dance sequences, the music — it’s all jaw-dropping."


This was by no means the first motion picture about Bridgeport’s most famous person.

In 2017, the documentary “P.T. Barnum, the Lost Legend,” about Bethel’s statue of the famous showman was released. It centered on Bethel Sculptor David Gesualdi and the statue he created in that town, Barnum’s birthplace.
Beau Bridges starred in the Television miniseries, “PT Barnum,” which was released in 1999. It was filmed entirely in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia.

Then there was the 1986 TV movie “Barnum” that starred Burt Lancaster. For a time that film was shown continuously at the museum on Main Street.

Burl Ives played Barnum in “The Fantastic Flying Fools,” a fictional 1967 film about the master showman financing a failed effort to send Tom Thumb to the Moon aboard a cannon projectile.


In 1934, the Hollywood movie “The Mighty Barnum” was released, starring the rubber-faced comedian Wallace Beery as Barnum and siren Virginia Bruce as Jenny Lind.

Movie trivia: Beery’s career in show business began when he was hired as an assistant elephant trainer in 1904 for Barnum’s circus. He quit when he was clawed by a leopard. And the portly Beery, it can be said, did look a lot like Barnum.

There were several silent movies in the around 1900s about Barnum and his circus, such as “Barnum & Bailey’s Circus” (1903), “Arrival of Barnum and Bailey’s Circus” (1899) and “Barnum & Bailey's Circus Street Parade,” (1904).
There were numerous TV documentaries, too. “Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus: 113th Edition” from 1983 was one of the better ones.


Maher said that she, as curator, unearthed about 15 years ago a little-known quote from a dusty book in the museum’s vast archives that found its way into the new film.

“It was ‘The noblest art is that of making others happy,’ ” she said. “I use that 1886 quote over everything. And, you know, that quote made it into the closing shot of the film. I was really excited about that.”

“The man is phenomenal in all that he accomplished in his life — a man who is not well known by a lot of people,” Biggs said.

“And this is a great opportunity for us here at the Barnum Museum,” Maher said. “After people see the movie, they will want to see more about the man, and we’re here to give it to them.”

Biggs agreed. “Bridgeport should be very proud of him — and its all there in the museum,” she said.
[e-mail]

[jo]

A dance cover of THIS IS ME --

[jo]

Such faith

[jo]

Luv the enthusiasm

[jo]

Santiago‏
@tiagoamota
5m

Also, got to see Greatest showman, movie it's a good one, but not good enough to win anything. My prediction for #goldenglobes actor James Franco. Movie, either the disaster artist or Lady bird, I Tonya.




Santiago‏
@tiagoamota

Once said that, I think Hugh Jackman is amazing (as always), there's one good scene with Zac that drives a part of movie, Michelle Williams is stunning. Zendaya is good enough and her song with Zac is good but their chemistry fell flat half way into the movie.
9:24 PM - 16 Dec 2017

[jo]

Okay, how many are lucky enough to be going to the advance screenings in NYC, evening of December 18 ??

Or as soon as it is released on December 20 and beyond --


Please share your impressions ( even if you just use 5 words, one each for each of the following ) --

Or just rate according to OUTSTANDING/GOOD/FAIR/POOR for each category --


*Movie in general
*Jackman
*Direction
*Storyline/narrative
*Production numbers





It's been such a long wait!


Jo

[jo]

Some early reactions from the advance screening --

ᴺᴷKayla
🌸
‏
@slaymisskordei
15m



Just came back from watching The Greatest Showman. Let me tell you that movie is really good. People should check it out in theaters.


****************************************

Angie‏
@nyefrongirls
16m
16 minutes ago


The Greatest Showman was phenomenal! Best movie I’ve seen all year. I am so proud of @zacefron and all the hard work he put into this film! It truly shows on screen! @greatestshowman


*******************************************


Angie‏
@nyefrongirls
27m
27 minutes ago


The Greatest Showman was phenomenal. Best movie I’ve seen all year. I am so proud of @zacefron…

http://instagram.com/p/Bc3mtjLHtS1

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Flávio Brasil‏
@brasilfl
55s
55 seconds ago

The greatest showman é um puta filme que todo mundo tem que ver! São 2 da manhã, eu saí do cinema antes da meia noite e tô ouvindo as músicas direto. Se for indicado ao Oscar, merece ganhar em todas as categorias que participar

Translated from Portuguese by
Bing
The greatest showman is a fucking movie that everyone must see! Are 2 A.M., I left the cinema before midnight and hear the songs straight. If nominated, deserves to win in every category that participate


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[jo]

[jo]

[jo]

Pj Krings‏
@pajojo
4h

In other @greatestshowman news, I can say that it’s one of the best movies of the year - with the best opening scene by far! The soundtrack is addictive. & @realhughjackman is such a force to be reckon with, he’s AMAZE in this movie. #TheGreatestShowman



Pj Krings‏
@pajojo
4h

Tonight we saw ‘The Greatest Showman’ and life was never the same again.
•
“Where the runaways are running the night
Impossible comes true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show”
•
#TheGreatestShowman – at AMC Palm Promenade 24

[jo]

From an ATC'er --

re: "World's Greatest Showman" review embargo?
Posted by: dannyone11 10:55 pm EST 12/18/17
In reply to: re: "World's Greatest Showman" review embargo? - MarjorieMae 05:38 pm EST 12/18/17

I saw a preview of it two weeks ago. Very much enjoyed it though I caution that you have to go with the "musical" flow. The songs were very good and right up there with the Evan Hansen score which I loved vs Dogfight or A Christmas Story which I was not so much a fan of. The movie has a surreal kinda Moulin Rouge feel to it during the musical numbers which may be off putting to some. Beautiful performances by all and you can tell they had their heart in it. Choreography is especially creative in the Hugh/Zac number "The Other Side". I also loved the " A Million Dreams" number.. ( A song that still sticks in my head two weeks later). One of my favorite moments was a Jenny Lind stage performance of "Never Enough". She was the singer Barnum toured through the US to try to elevate his producing status to legit acts vs the freaks and geeks he was promoting in the circus. Hugh Jackman owns his scenes and has nice chemistry with Michelle Williams. The movie is not so much a PT Barnum documentary as a celebration of his life story. Its a full fledge "NEW" musical which I welcome whole heartily vs another remake of a movie as we have been subjected to over and over on Broadway. As I say.."just go with the flow" and enjoy it for what it is...a project full of love of "movie" musical theatre.

[jo]

Look at these fan reactions on Twitter alone!

twitter.com/hashtag/thegreatestshowman?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash

[hughmanity]

There are also some great fan reactions in the audience review section of RT, where the audience score stands at 87% at this moment.  As an aside, a lot of the critics seem offended by the portrayal of the critic in the film.  Talk about thin-skinned!

Dec 22, 2017 3:56:58 GMT -5 jo said:

Look at these fan reactions on Twitter alone!

twitter.com/hashtag/thegreatestshowman?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash

[jo]

More -- tweets to the official site :

twitter.com/greatestshowman

Like this one ( she does not agree with James Corden ) --

Or this one --

Let's vote with our feet, ladies and gents!

[jo]

The continuing messages on Twitter of wonderment and admiration for the movie is like a broken record

Hope Hugh et al get to read these many expressions of extreme pleasure over the movie and the music!

twitter.com/hashtag/thegreatestshowman?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash


twitter.com/search?f=tweets&vertical=news&q=THE%20GREATEST%20SHOWMAN&src=tyah

[jo]

Dear Critics --

Listen with your hearts and see with the eyes of a child on Christmas Day -- and maybe you will actually receive a truly great gift this holiday season!

Jo

[Deleted]

Dear Jo, film critics are often overwhelmed by their personal dislikes, they are never reliable in their judgments but people should use their own critical spirit when choosing a film to watch, without reading the reviews. Impartiality and professionalism, are qualities that rarely reviewers can boast, arrogance and snobbery usually prevail. These so-called 'professionals' who destroy a film regardless, just for the sake of talking badly of it, have killed their inner child probably when they were still children, they are pervaded by the Grinch spirit. If Walt Disney and his films had existed in the present day, this type of critics would have urged the audience to snub them in theaters in order to making them end up straight to the secondary home video market.

[jo]

I think many of them have forgotten that to bring happiness to others is a much better human trait than showing off how an actor looks inward and then expresses his angst to show how he is looking at his own plight.

Christmas is the season of giving... and that is what THE GREATEST SHOWMAN (aka Santa Claus) is generously giving in large doses!


Take a look at this tweet --

[jo]

The conflicted fan

In 2011, I sat on the same row ( 2nd row Center Orchestra) for BACK ON BROADWAY as an obvious Wolverine fan ( who sat on the other end of the row)! Hugh saw him when he stepped down to the aisle and interrogated him as to what a young man who looked like a fanboy was doing there. The young man sheepishly admitted he wanted to see Wolverine in person ( and at such distance to the stage ) ... Hugh gave him his autograph in front of over a thousand theatregoers

[jo]

Users reviews on IMDB -- supportive of the high rating among IMDB users ( 7.8 of 10) of over 2700 pollers.

www.imdb.com/title/tt1485796/reviews?ref_=tt_urv


Interesting stats holding strong for the demos profile --

www.imdb.com/title/tt1485796/ratings?ref_=tt_ov_r


*Preference among the female sector is very strong!

*Male voters continue to hold fairly high ratings for the movie

*The only slightly sour note comes from a minority group - the regular voters on IMDB

[jo]

[jo]

So many admiring tweets --

Hey, the audience are expressing themselves - LIKE factor on Rotten Tomatoes is now 89%

Hope to see it cross over to the '90's very soon!