The worst movie version of a ground-breaking Broadway musical yet!
Added 3/12/2010
The movie musical "Nine" is an insult to the genius of Federico Fellini and that of Tommy Tune. The Broadway musical is based on Fellini's film "Eight and a Half" which deals with the director's movie-making block in the 1960's. He went to a spa to recuperate and began to envision a thrilling confessional style. The title came from the fact that he had just finished his eighth film and couldn't decide what his ninth film would be about. Tommy Tune adapted the film for Broadway using the health spa as his only set. The musical showed all the women in his mind and what they had meant to him and alas what he did to them. Fellini let us see his guilt and where it came from. Tommy Tune and Maury Yeston made it sing. It was a phenomenal experience.
When I heard that Rob Marshall was considering making a film version of the show, I was concerned because the score is not one of Broadway's best and that the dramatic intent of the score would not come across on screen. I also thought that Marshall is not yet the great film maker that Fellini was and could in no way come up to the Maestro's standards. I was proven right. I was so dismayed that Marshall set in the film on a movie set and not in a spa. This is very indicative of Marshall whose style is rather cartoonish and bombastic as evidenced in his film version of "Chicago" which razzle-dazzled itself into caricature rather than the deadly satire that was Fosse's vision so beautifully recreated in Walter Bobby's Broadway revival. Federico Fellini was a master at combining the subtle with the grotesque. His choice of the spa gave him the freedom to move from the everyday to the realm of the protagonist's dreams and memories.The clean white walls of the spa were blank canvases on which Fellini was able to take his audience into the mind and heart of Guido's nervous breakdown. We were given nothing of Daniel Day-Lewis' inner conflict--just running up and down staircases and scowling at the camera. Who was this man for whom women suffered? Marshall had no idea. But then Marshall has trouble capturing the nuances of his male characters. For example, Richard Gere, who is a fine subtle actor was nothing but a cardboard character in "Chicago."
As to the three main women in "Nine" they are symbols of three facets of women. Kidman is the ice queen. Cruz was the whore; Coitilard the long-suffering wife. With his ending of "Nine" Marshall would have us think that these women are Fellini's inspiration, but they are only his instruments upon which he plays his songs. Fellini had much more to film than just some little romance, which seems to be what Daniel Day-Lewis was working on at the end of "Nine" the movie. Fellini never made a little romance--his vision was epic. Marshall's is myopic.
Again, when the "Nine" news came out, I thought Marshall was making a bad decision. He just isn't equipped with subtlety. I wish he had chosen Sondheim's "Follies" which is certainly more in his range with great parts for women and cold, torn men. I do think given the right material Marshall can be one of our great directors. Hey, Rob, go back to Broadway and direct a few little plays. Trust the material first and out it will come mastering of your craft.
One last note: I hope I never see another musical number in which scantily clad women sing and dance around a chair. Let Bob Fosse rest in peace!!
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Not Even 5
Added 3/11/2010
"Nine"
Not Even 5
Amos Lassen
"Nine" is a big musical based on Federico Fellini's classic film "8 1/2". On the Broadway stage where I saw it years ago it was wonderful but something happened with its transition to film but then that is 30 years later after the original. The songs are blah and the rest of it just falls flat.
Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis) is a beloved film director with a reputation for wonderful movies and gallivanting with women. He has hit a down point in his life and cannot come up with an idea for a new film. The sets are built, the costumes are ready and he has a leading lady (Nicole Kidman) but he is in no mood to turn the cameras on. He holes up in a hotel as painful images of his life flash before him and he decides that his problems come from the women in his life. He realizes that he may face a future without his wife (Marion Cotillard) and the only person he can confide in is his costume designer (Dame Judi Dench). He wavers between guilt and his blank mind and really wants to come to terms with himself and end his Casanova ways.
The movie turns out to be a total bore with the exception of a wonderful number with Penelope Cruz. The problem might be because Guido's journey to self-acceptance is minimalized and we do not see what he actually goes through. Day-Lewis plays him as an enigma whose problems do not seem solvable. What we do see is beautiful Italy as it wars with emotional conflict and the movie comes across as superficial. Guido begs his mother (Sophia Loren) for attention and this could have been really powerful stuff but it doesn't come across.
The cast list is impressive and tends to blind the audience until they actually see the film. Along with those already mentioned are Kate Hudson as a reporter for "Vogue" and Fergie. Fergie sings the only song that really stands out, "Be Italian".
I really wanted to like this movie but it sinks into melodrama and does not have a soul.
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Quite simply magnificent
Added 3/10/2010
Opinion on films is such an interesting thing, no two people feel the same way about the art of
film. What's one man's poison etc...."Nine" seems to have been dividing a lot of people. Reviews
have been almost ridiculously divided, after initial positive press (mainly in "Variety") a couple of
major critics utterly trashed it. This seemed to play into a certain loathing of director Rob
Marshall, who, many in the film world resented the way a choreographer had risen from the
ranks to direct an Academy Award winning movie (ie "Chicago") Others (especially in Australia)
have been much more embracing of the film, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Sun Herald
both gave it rave reviews. More positive reviews have been turning up every day, so much so
that today a lengthy advert appeared in the paper listing quotes. It;s good to see some people
liking the film as there is much to like.
I went to the film very cynically, but it drew me into its world so much that I did something I
havent done for years, I snuggled down in my seat and stayed and watched it again. I found the
film quite enthralling, the boldness of Marshall's vision, the performances, especially Day Lewis
who completely makes Contini his own and the magnificent Marion Cotillard among the highlights.
Many of the fans of the stage show have been scathing of the movie. No one could be more fond of the stage show than I, but to film it as a stage show runs the risk of the film of the musical "The Producers" which stayed so loyal to the show that it is now viewed as little more than an ambitious filming of the stage text. Movies as we know are a different form and very few stage musicals have successfully made that transition. In only examining films post "Chicago", I can only think of two that have come close to making a strong film of a hit stage show -" "Dreamgirls" and "Hairspray", neither are really great films and both heavily flawed in many ways, but they do manage to stay faithful to the book of the musical in some way while still being movies in their own right. I personally love "Rent" the movie, with all its flaws, as it has some great set pieces and a very strong heart, but it is easy to be very critical of it. The others including Tim Burtons' failed attempt to translate "Sweeney Todd" to film, the uneven and hysterically undisciplined "Mamma Mia", the languid "Phantom of the Opera", all fail to really make the basic premise of the original text live as a movie in its own right. (In the case of :"Mamma Mia" one could argue -what text!)
"Nine" I believe makes the transition to film successfully by throwing out many of the songs and set pieces of the stage show while still holding on to the central theme of the show- that is, that for Contini to overcome his demons and his mid life crisis and understand his own womanizing, he has to embrace his inner child. This is the main theme of the Fellini movie as well as the stage show. The stage musical painted this theme in strong colours even to the extent of having the young Guido as part of most of the action and the musical numbers. He makes many appearances in the film as well and I was wondering without the two finally meeting and singing together in the final moments, how that embracing could actually occur. The final words Guido says to his little Guido in the stage musical are to give him advise to go and be embraced by his mother- "I'll be fourty and you'll be nine".
The movie ties this up beautifully without the song, we learn in the final moments that the film he is making is called "nine" it is clearly autobiographical and the little boy sits on Guido's lap and the two sail high on the movie crane as Guido calls `action'.
Yes we miss the colour and movement, the comedic touches of the stage show, the idea that Guido is going to make a musical of "Casanova" is much of the central premise of the stage musical, this would never work in film. Yet this is a more serious look at a man (now aged 50 not 40-more believable) in total crisis, the main four songs from the stage show are there, added with some nice new numbers and
a sense of Fellini and Rome that is perhaps missing in the stage show. This is film of very European sensibilities, every aspect seems to breathe the central song's theme "be Italian", which may explain why some American critics have not "got it". It will do well in Europe and I suggest better than expected in Australia. Commercially it can never be a "Chicago", its theme is too personal, its canvas too subtle for the broard strokes of a musical bathed in burlesque and murder. Yet Marshall does allow his comic and musical homages; Judi Dench resplendent in "Folies Bergere' is given her Sally Bowles moment, paying tribute to the role she so affectively created on stage, Kate Hudson deliberately cast in a production number that pays homage to the "Laugh In' go- go numbers her mother made so famous in the sixties, Nicole Kidman clearly be-decked out to look like Anita Ekberg in "La Dolce Vita". Yet when Marshall turns his eye to his real leading lady; Marion Cotillard, as the much dumped on wife-Luisa, this is when movie magic occurs. Watching her "My Husband Makes Movies" is breathtaking with Dion Beebe's camera translating her every move onto a film canvas that illuminates her every word and thought, again her strip number, gets the point across as a worthy replacement for "Be on Your Own" her stage number in this part of the story scenario.
In the stage musical Luisa leaves Guido when she sees he is making a mock musical of their own lives, in the film she leaves him when she sees the way he is handling a young starlet in a screen test, so similar to the beginning of their own relationship.
For me "Nine" is a masterpiece and I agree with one Australian critic this week who linked it to "Cabaret:" and "All That Jazz", putting it in the same company as "Cabaret" is praise perhaps a little too high, but it is up there with the best of musicals from stage shows. It hurdles the impossible gap between stage and film, but to truly love it, we must let go our memories of the wonderful way the stage musical told the story and embrace Marshall's new vision of the same story.
Let us hope this isn't the last musical he makes, he is a master of the craft, I would love to see what he would do with "Pippin", "Follies" and "Company", all stage musicals tipped to be made into movies. Let us hope the failure of "Nine" at the American box office doesn't hold back this master from what he does best. !!
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Nine Review
Added 3/7/2010
NINE
STARRING: Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren and Stacy Ferguson
WRITTEN BY: Michael Tolkin and Anthony Minghella; based on the Broadway musical "Nine" by Arthur Kopit, Maury Yeston and Mario Fratti
DIRECTED BY: Rob Marshall
Rated: PG - 13
Genre: Musical / Drama
Release Date: 25 December 2009
If Nine wasn't one of the ten best films of 2009, it sure was close. I'm not a big fan of musicals in general, but if a film is good, then it's good. Rob Marshal, the Academy Award nominated director of Chicago, has created another unique and glorious musical with a banging soundtrack.
Daniel Day-Lewis stars as Guido Contini. He's a guy who isn't very optimistic despite having Marion Cotillard for a wife and Penelope Cruz for a mistress. He is a successful filmmaker and is having trouble producing the material for his latest film. But due to his accredited past, he is able to have an entire production put into motion without even so much as a rough copy of a screenplay.
The film opens with a huge musical number that was not the least bit cheap. We meet all the leading ladies, and Guido. These leading ladies consist of Marion Cotillard, Kate Hudson, Judie Dench, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren and Stacy Ferguson (aka `Fergie' for you MTV folks).
They are all leading ladies in Hollywood and the characters they portray are leading ladies in the mind and or life of Guido. Sophia Loren is his mother, Judi Dench is his costume designer, Nicole Kidman is his friend as well as a famous actress, and Stacy Ferguson plays a seductive woman of his past that he found attractive at a very young age.
The reason for the huge musical number is to show us that Guido is a man who is constantly fantasizing about these various women in several different ways. Each one of them performs an amazing song at some point in the film; usually, if not always, taking place in Guido's mind.
Guido sulks around the frame throughout the film, living off utter moments of happiness that fade away within seconds. At one moment Penelope Cruz's character does it for him, but then he loses interest and it's Kate Hudson who has his attention. His wife even manages to catch his eye for a brief moment, but it's more than anything the fact that she's enraged with his having an affair, that he finds appealing. He's a poor sap indeed, but Lewis plays him magnificently. If you have seen Lewis in even one other film, then I don't need to tell you how talented he is.
Kate Hudson is in the film for a very short time, but blew me out of my seat nonetheless. She shows a side of herself that I have never seen before, that reminded me partially of her mother (Goldie Hawn) and something else completely unknown. I can't believe that she was not nominated for her performance. As if that's not bad enough, her beautiful song `Italian Cinema' was snubbed out of a nomination to boot. Why was this overlooked? I can't be alone in thinking it was spectacular.
I can see how Nicole Kidman, Daniel Day-Lewis and Judi Dench were all able to walk away without an Oscar nomination. Not that they weren't great, but we know what to expect from them; they are three of the most talented people acting today. But how did Marion Cotillard go unnoticed?
She was magnificent as Guido's emotionally neglected wife. There is a scene near the end of the film where she has come to the realization that he is not the man she thought he was when they married. He looks at her and sees this written across her face, and it is very powerful stuff. Her songs were extraordinary and one of them received an Oscar nomination.
Stacy Ferguson doesn't really do much acting in the film, but her song `Be Italian' was very enjoyable to watch and could have very easily been nominated for an Oscar as well.
It's almost offensive that out of all the incredible actors in Nine, Penelope Cruz was the only one to receive an Oscar nomination. I think she's a pretty good actress overall; but up against Daniel Day-Lewis, Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman and especially Marion Cotillard and Kate Hudson; Cruz falls miserably behind in this film. All of the other actors brought far more to the table than she did. It's bad enough she already won last year for her mediocre performance in Vicky Christina Barcelona. Sometimes, I just don't get the get the Academy Awards.
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I feel asleep at the theater...
Added 3/1/2010
I truly regret going to see this film and wasting 2 hours of my day. The film was a complete bore, and I nodded off in the theater a couple times during the show. The story and dialogue didn't give me anyone to care about in the film. I could have cared less about how everyone ended up. The musical numbers were not at all memorable, didn't have tunes that stuck in my head, or lyrics I could sing along with. As for the dance choreography--what choreography? The dancing routines looked like no thought had been put into them.
As for the actors and actresses: Marion Cotillard's character was sympathetic, but I couldn't get enough of a feeling about who she was, what drove her, what made her a unique character; so I couldn't really generate any strong feelings towards her. Daniel Day-Lewis was merely bland, I think a dozen other actors could have filled his place without any difference in the film. Kate Hudson's character was cute, but irritating. Penelope Cruz was sultry, but I can't actually remember anything about her character. Sophia Loren was in it? I totally forgot. Judi Dench was great as always but her role was small (a costume designer) and she only appeared briefly onscreen.
All in all, a terrible bore. The film totally lacked the sparkle and excitement of Rob Marshall' last musical, 'Chicago'.
1 out of 5 people found this helpful.
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