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Post by hughmanity on Apr 13, 2018 21:51:47 GMT -5
Thanks, Jo ! As for Hugh.. zero expectation of seeing him at a matinee even if he is in NYC  But where is he at the moment -- his last post a day or so ago showed him running by a fully-grown ( with fresh leaves) hedge ... so could that be in NYC? Unless he is posting from another place where he might have spent his anniversary with Deb? Anyway, hope you enjoy the show, hughmanity  Jo |
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Post by njr on Apr 13, 2018 22:32:30 GMT -5
This shows up blank for me. Let me mess with the link. Nancy |
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Post by njr on Apr 13, 2018 22:34:35 GMT -5
This shows up blank for me. Let me mess with the link. ETA: link still does not show Nancy |
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Post by jo on Apr 13, 2018 23:15:11 GMT -5
Hugh does not also mention Jeremy's name. Maybe that is the arrangement? That Jeremy's name will not be mentioned because at that time, he was supposed to be filming for a TV episode somewhere. According to someone who shared the info, after tapping Hugh on the shoulder after Hugh finished singing From Now On at the workshop, Jeremy then rushed out to catch his flight presumably to the West Coast for his TV duties? That was why he was not included in the group photo which Pasek and Paul shared on twitter. Keala also shared the group photo.
Pasek and Paul did acknowledge Jeremy's help in a past tweet. If I remember correctly, they said that Jeremy Jordan is a lifesaver, without saying what Jeremy did.
Jo
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Post by jo on Apr 14, 2018 3:23:02 GMT -5
Omgggggggggggg!!
I am not the most technically-oriented person, even with using BluRay discs. Ask me to find an easter egg and I will likely never find it unless someone points me in the right direction.
But I did stumble onto something -- which some of you have probably already discovered in the BluRay/DVD!
I was looking at the SETUP portion and was actually trying to find out if there is a singalong version where a red tophat points the way as to how the emphasis on the songs is made. I found the one with the subtitles - but I wasn't sure if that was it.
When I saw the SetUp and found the Audio Options -- which initially seem just various options in different languages... I persevered and finally came to the last option!
MICHAEL GRACEY'S COMMENTARY on the whole film!!
I thought the EXTRAs already took care of his commentaries...not realizing that he has actually done a scene-by-scene ( almost) commentary.
Many of them are of the technical and artistic side of film-making...but there are quite a few things which were joys to discover and also answers to questions I had about the film!
*Such as Michael Arndt's work as screenwriter acknowledged in some of the most memorable quotes from the movie as well as something about the elephant at the end.
*My favorite one from him is his comments on FROM NOW ON. I will leave that for later to describe
...because I have to leave now for an errand!
But I will share with you that in that song and scene, Hugh was singing LIVE as in Les Miserables, with an earwig to provide him musical guidance from Justin! Remarkable!!
Jo
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Post by jo on Apr 14, 2018 13:46:43 GMT -5
SPOILER ALERT, if you want to discover yourself what Michael Gracey has shared in his commentary --
I have taken down notes when I rewatched the Gracey commentary.
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I'll share some of them as I recall them --
It looks like Hugh has used his experience in Les Miserables to do the FROM NOW ON number. I think of all the songs from the movie, this is the best acting song of all! There is a lot of drama involved, as Barnum meets the circus troupe he has actually neglected ( in pursuit of his ambition) at the low point in his life. He realized that they have become his second family as much as they acknowledge how he has put them together as a circus family and gave them a home. In the process, he is forgiven by these special people...and he learns that the most important thing for him was not success and acceptance into a part of society he longed to belong but his own family and home. He has learned to love himself, not what he wanted himself to be! That marks the point of his personal redemption!
What better way to musically enact it than by singing live!
According to Gracey, Hugh sang the number live, with an earwig to pick up the accompanying music from Justin Paul who was outside. Now it also made sense what I had seen in the EXTRAs covering "From Now On" which showed Justin playing on a keyboard looking at Hugh projected on the screen ( they were filming) and providing him the musical accompaniment. Shades of how the Les Miserables songs were sung!
Were there other live singing in the movie? According to MG, the two girls also sang the reprise of A MILLION DREAMS live, with earwigs to guide them musically.
Jo
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Post by jo on Apr 14, 2018 19:32:42 GMT -5
SPOILER ALERT
**Two revelations from Gracey's commentary -- one sort of assumed by some Broadway people/one totally unexpected!
*Did you ever see the musical LA CAGE AUX FOLLES? Were you struck by Alban's ( the cross-dresser performer lover of another man) " I AM WHAT I AM"? It was supposed to have inspired THIS IS ME! I remember reading a comment on a Broadway message board that the song from GREATEST SHOWMAN reminded him of I AM WHAT I AM. Maybe it was the lyrics...or the defiant delivery?
*Did you ever wonder why the song NEVER ENOUGH was reprised ( when Jenny sang her last)? I have always thought that it represented her broken feelings compared to how she exultantly sang it for the first time. That wasn't it! She sang the song alluding to Barnum, in his " never enough pursuit of ambition"!
**What about the first ballad in the movie? A MILLION DREAMS was the first song that Pasek and Paul composed and submitted when Michael Gracey was testing competitive entries to write for his movie. But it seems he only gave them a short time to do it -- they were given 2 days to do it ( a song that he referred to as Big Dreams in his film concept). Pasek and Paul did not only compose A MILLION DREAMS...but they wrote another piece! Who knows where that other song will turn up?
**THE GREATEST SHOW which is really the true musical theme of the movie ( This Is Me is more like an anthem of the disadvantaged people who formed Barnum's circus troupe). It opens and closes the show/movie! But it was not completed until the movie was midway being filmed? And it is the first song where Pasek and Paul collaborated with someone else -- Ryan Lewis of Macklemore&Lewis then who provided the unusual and forceful beat and chant for the compelling opening and closing number!
Btw, Gracey did say that Zac did change his outfit deliberately -- he lost the tail of his jacket as he entered the ring for that finale number!
**TIGHTROPE was not meant to be a song of self-pity! It was meant to be a declaration that she fell in love with someone who had big dreams and she is going along with him in his quest!
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Post by jo on Apr 14, 2018 22:10:37 GMT -5
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Post by jo on Apr 14, 2018 22:26:12 GMT -5
SPOILER ALERT - from the Gracey Commentary* * * During pre-prod and filming, the name of Michael Arndt, Oscar winner ( Little Miss Sunshine) and nominee (Toy Story 3) for Screenplay honors was mentioned often as having penned the last and winning touches to the script/screenplay. It was quite odd not to see his name among the screenplay writers. But then I remembered reading an odd WGA ( Writers Guild of America) or AMPAS rule ( not sure which one) that says that only 2 names will be included if there are multiple screenwriters. Maybe Jenny Bicks ( on whose original story/script the final script may have been based) and Bill Condon ( Dreamgirls/Beauty and the Beast) who added the Philip/Anne story as having reviewed the original one were the priority names? But Michael Gracey has acknowledged in his commentary how Michael Arndt's work found its way in the final version of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN. Among them -- *The quote from PT Barnum responding to Jenny Lind's question as to why he is offering Ms. Lind to be part of his show. Something to the effect that ( paraphrasing) : "People come to see my show to be hoodwinked...for once, I want to offer them something real" *Charity's advice to PT ( who was insisting on pursuing the Jenny Lind reflected-glory path so he and his children can be recognized in the upper echelons of society) : " You don't need everyone to love you, Phin, just a few good people." *The artistic contrast between the privileged young Charity and the relatively impoverished young Phineas as they pursue A Million Dreams *Originally, Barnum was supposed to take an elephant ride on Fifth Avenue for publicity ( which sorts of mirrors what the real Barnum did when his elephants crossed Brooklyn Bridge in the past) but Gracey said they had to drop the idea due to budget constraints ( or something like that). Arndt repurposed the use of the CGI elephant with Barnum supposedly riding on the elephant for that trek to his daughter's ballet recital in the finale. Maybe nothing to do with Arndt -- but related to the ending with the elephant ride. It seems that in the original script, Barnum found his horse and carriage stuck in the snow after leaving the circus in Philip's hands ... and then he saw the circus elephant *brilliant idea*  Jo
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Post by jo on Apr 15, 2018 3:49:13 GMT -5
Do take the time to view the GALLERIES on the BluRay/DVD, especially the StoryBoards and Concept Art!
Really beautiful artistic expressions!
I have seen previous storyboard images and graphic novel illustrations ( such as in LOGAN and THE FOUNTAIN) -- the series of artwork for THE GREATEST SHOWMAN is of an altogether different class. The images and color palettes are really beautiful and evocative!
It looks like Michael Gracey used the material ( made by some of his artist friends/colleagues) to present the proposals for the project. I remember when he was in Barcelona to present to CineEurope. He used presumably some of these materials...and also at the same time, he talked about what happened at the final workshop!
Jo
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Post by jo on Apr 15, 2018 4:01:13 GMT -5
"I'm not going to listen to what others are saying -- I am absolutely sure to make it happen!"
That's how Michael Gracey interpreted the defiant Jackman singing of the final song, FROM NOW ON, at the final workshop! Michael said it was unbelievable how the room reacted when it happened -- when Hugh started to defy his cancer surgeon's orders and started using his singing pipes!
*the entire room erupted!
*the singers were going crazy!
*the room lit up!
MG: "This is the song that allowed the film to be made!"
In that moment, it meant a declaration from Hugh Jackman : "I'm not going to listen to what others are saying -- I am absolutely sure to make it happen!"
Such was the impact of that moment!
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Post by jo on Apr 15, 2018 4:11:01 GMT -5
SPOILER ALERT
Michael Gracey did say that they had to rework the scene of FROM NOW ON at the Editing Phase!
They felt that the oddities were forgetting Barnum too fast, by speaking immediately of the things he had done for them.
In the final version, they prefaced the forgiveness with a litany of the selfish things he was guilty of at first. Then they forgave him!
At the moment of personal redemption -- he realized that the oddities picked themselves up after the way he treated them after the Lind concert...but they picked themselves up with their anthem " This Is Me"! And they recognized that Barnum created a family for them even if his initial interest was only for the money.
In the same vein, but taking him much longer to realize it -- Barnum realized that he, too, had to learn to take his own advice to the oddities. To love himself for what he is, and not for what he wanted to be!
Michael says FROM NOW ON is his favorite song from the score and he was sorry he had to edit out a portion of the chorus at some point. But he also said that nobody but Hugh Jackman can run as fast as he could and still sing in sync!
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Post by jo on Apr 15, 2018 4:39:42 GMT -5
Michael Gracey shared many of the exceptional work of his creative team -- cinematography (Shimmy McGarvey who sounds like he has an Irish accent), production design ( Nathan Crowley who usually works with Chris Nolan), choreography ( Ashley Wallen and Daniel Cloud Campos. Campos also appeared as the Barman), costume ( Ellen Mirojnik),the music producers/artists ( Greg Wells, Ryan Lewis), his concept artists and illustrators, all the others who helped him achieve his filmmaking goals. He spoke very often of the cinematography tricks ( including lighting which gave the scene the hue of a painting) from McGarvey and the miniatures created by Crowley and how these enhanced the beauty of the film immensely. He said that he never thought that as newbie director that he could ever have had a chance to work with these two prominent filmmakers for his first film. (I have wondered if it is the Hugh connection which made this happen --Hugh worked with McGarvey win PAN and with Crowley in The Prestige).
He also spoke highly of the team of excellent dancers in the chorus -- working very hard, with Hugh providing strong leadership to the group with his energy and commitment!
There were many instances when MG said they had to live with the budgetary constraints but they were able to come up with pragmatic solutions. Such as in the case of that scene where Hugh was "auditioning" the people with unique qualities for his show. According to Gracey, they had to film that in one take...and Hugh was actually adlibbing his dialogs with the oddities!
Can you imagine, if they had more leeway with their spending budgets. Would we have gotten more lavish spectacle or maybe a more polished film which would not have been denied some awards honors? Or would the added production value not be as joyously received by the public the way the finished product resonated with them?
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Post by jo on Apr 15, 2018 4:42:00 GMT -5
SPOILER ALERT
Michael Gracey was giving us a more complete profile of Barnum --
*his youth was always filled with ambitious dreams, maybe too ambitious?
*his entrepreneurial quality where he could turn difficulties or adversities into something positive or something that favored him.
*he was a flawed character, driven by ambition and success.
*he had a knack for understanding human pychology ( what the audience wanted) and on a more pragmatic level, used advertising as a means of creating a valuable narrative that appeals to the public.
*his regard for Jenny ( where she misunderstood his attention as affection) was driven by his addiction to success with the higher echelons of society, brought on by the success of the Lind concerts. Jenny Lind, to him, represented the ultimate business investment.
*the crack in his regard for the oddities, when he drove them away after the concert... his initial interest in them was for the money that their successful shows can bring.
*on the other hand, the use of the critic in the movie was precisely to address the flaws in his character. The end scene in which the critic acknowledged the essential "humanity of entertainment" was well thought out. Barnum at his end realized that more than the money he had made, that he had created value!
There were many edits and quite a few instances (such as the many ways he fended for himself when he was a young boy; his many business failures before he hit the right project) which left some gaps in Barnum's life. Could those have given a more complete picture of Barnum that would have further enriched Jackman's portrayal? Or would that be unnecessarily prolonging the way the character was defined in the final version?
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Post by jo on Apr 16, 2018 8:12:42 GMT -5
I found the correct SING-ALONG feature It's part of the EXTRAS, after MUSIC MACHINE. Not cut out for a sing-along...breathless...gasp...breathless .  No red tophat but atill like a karaoke version! Enjoy the feature PS: Seeing the words up front, makes the lyrics for FROM NOW ON even more poignant and heartwarming! But seeing him run like while singing in sync...made me think he is morphing into Logan - LOL! While for THE GREATEST SHOW, especially for the second part ( epilog), it elicits the feeling that this would be a perfect song for theatre performers, too! The story of THE GREATEST SHOW is as much a story of theatre troupers! A pity that some Broadway people chose to ignore the connection! Jo |
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Post by jo on Apr 16, 2018 20:29:41 GMT -5
In clear and sharp images from the home video -- you will notice that Barnum wears a full wardrobe of tophats! In very elegant and muted colors! In gray, blue, raspberry, black...all very muted!
The tophat has become Jackman's icon for this movie...just as much as claws are for Wolverine!
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Post by jo on Apr 17, 2018 17:16:13 GMT -5
In the comments from producer Laurence Mark, it seems that it was he who broached the idea to Hugh about doing a movie musical based on the life of PT Barnum. He cited seeing Hugh in rehearsals for the 2009 Oscars ( which Larry Mark co-produced) and that gave him the impression that Hugh Jackman is actually "the greatest showman on earth"!
I have been looking for this video for a long time - which was flashed on the BluRay/DVD clip from Mark -- it was these rehearsal moments which actually clicked the idea in Larry Mark's mind!
Voila -- The greatest showman aka Hugh Jackman! Yes, it is the rehearsals for THE MUSICAL IS BACK from the 2009 Oscars!
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Post by jo on Apr 17, 2018 17:24:28 GMT -5
And this was how that musical number at the 2009 Oscars played out -- dai.ly/x8gzi9www.dailymotion.com/video/x8gzi9How providential that two of his dancing partners here will eventually co-star with Hugh Jackman in his two big movie musicals! *Amanda Seyfried in LES MISERABLES *Zac Efron in THE GREATEST SHOWMAN The number was conceived by Baz Lurhmann. Will Hugh ever work with him again...maybe in Hugh's next movie musical Jo |
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Post by mamaleh on Apr 18, 2018 7:05:25 GMT -5
Only about a year and a half or so earlier, Baz was putting HJ through his rough-and-tumble cowboy paces in AUSTRALIA. Quite a different set of steps at that memorable Oscar ceremony.
Ellen
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Post by jo on Apr 18, 2018 8:56:05 GMT -5
I thought I have already discovered most of the insights on the movie, at least the key ones!
Wow, did I miss on something very thought-provoking!
In the EXTRAS, on the topic of SONGS, Michael Gracey talked about how important the song that would introduce Jenny Lind to audiences. It was never explained why that song and its message was chosen for the popular singer to sing. All we know is that it has to enthrall the audiences...and that includes the movie audiences. As we all know, it is the delivery that wins us over! We never asked what the message of that song has to do with the character of Jenny Lind!
Pasek and Paul, almost carelessly, shares that the message of the song was also, or maybe more importantly, a character reference to Barnum! It represented his consuming ambition and desire for applause from the beginning, although it is doubtful that Jenny herself was singing it for him....
Until the reprise which Michael Gracey categorically says in the Director Commentary was meant by Jenny as a message for Barnum!
Jo
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Post by jo on Apr 18, 2018 21:31:37 GMT -5
Michael Gracey shared in his Director's Commentary that there are Easter Eggs in the artwork. LOL - I am no good at finding them unless they are pointed out to me |
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Post by jo on Apr 20, 2018 10:43:41 GMT -5
The Greatest Showman home entertainment release ranks # 1 in sales and all other measures to measure popularity. Relative ranks, without absolute amounts, are provided in this report -- www.mediaplaynews.com/greatest-showman-sings-up-a-no-1-disc-debut/Excerpts -- *This was not totally unexpected because the BluRay and DVD releases of The Greatest Showman ranked #1 and #2, respectively, on the Amazon charts. One site provides absolute figures on sales but they are usually delayed by a month or so. *Interesting that Jumanji which outpaced The Greatest Showman by more than double in box office figures fared relatively poor when it came to home video release. |
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Post by jo on Apr 21, 2018 20:01:58 GMT -5
Just like the repeat-patronage of the movie --Will there also be a multiple purchase of the home video release? Let me count the ways *An extra one in case I wear out the first one with constant viewing *My eye doctor loves it ( and said she was singing one of the songs on her way to her clinic) ...er, how could I not share the goodies with her? *A musical theatre friend from the UK celebrates her birthday on May 19 -- perfect gift for her, as the UK release date is on May 14 ( Region 2 format)! Btw, she is a friend in another fandom, but she did see the Closing show of THE BOY FROM OZ. *The kids want one for themselves. *I just want to make sure that my Christmas stocking fillers are meaningful this year (written in April) *Hey, I want to have all versions -- regular/Target/BestBuy! *Very remote possibility -- I want to keep the sleeve/cover pristine because I might run into Hugh Jackman ...and he signs it for me - LOL! Jo
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Post by jo on Apr 23, 2018 6:52:15 GMT -5
A review of the novie and the features of the home video release. I am not sure that they do have the credentials to do a movie review when their focus is how the movie is translated/transferred to home video, although they may have been encouraged to review the movie as part of the selling point of the home video release. The review is more of personal impressions that non-film critics usually express ( although in this case the writer does favor the movie). The difference is that the review of the home video release can depend on the author's impressions of the movie, rather than the technical aspects of the transfer. Although there is extensive discussions of the extra features and the technical aspects, too. On a personal note -- I do not see why there should be emphasis on liking or disliking movie musicals to gauge the quality of the home video release. There were many tweeters who said they were non-musical fans but they enjoyed the movie a lot. www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/72976/greatest-showman-the/ |
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Post by jo on Apr 28, 2018 2:43:37 GMT -5
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But where is he at the moment -- his last post a day or so ago showed him running by a fully-grown ( with fresh leaves) hedge ... so could that be in NYC? Unless he is posting from another place where he might have spent his anniversary with Deb?
