Streep's new song reportedly cut from final film- Page 2

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 11:16am

Thanks, SM2. I really thought the rules had been changed in the past couple of years and that the eligible song had to be within the body of the film, but I guess I was wrong.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 11:18am

Brick, that's exactly why some people need to get over the changes from stage to film because film is a different monster all around and if INTO THE WOODS was uber-faithful to the stage show, it would feel stagebound and slow. Marshall, if I remember correctly, wanted "Class" in CHICAGO but when he realized that it slowed down the film, he had to cut it; which according to him was "painful", but it had to be done to keep the flow of the film going.

Now some changes like the ones in HAIR are quite needed in order to work for film, but if you change too much of what was the tone of the piece and making something way too different, would not only be wrong for film, but it misses the point of what made the stage show great like NINE. It's good to hear that Streep's singing will be so much better than Daniel Day-Lewis' singing in NINE, he was way too MISCAST in that one.

Updated On: 8/14/14 at 11:18 AM

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 11:18am

I'm also glad to hear they're still tinkering with the pacing and trying to make the film as good as possible, even with the advance buzz being very positive from screenings.

[skylight2]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 11:20am

cknick, I found it campy. Streep has always been prone to theatrics, well in recent films anyway. Here's an interesting article discussing just that.

http://lareviewofbooks.org/essay/meryl-streeps-hunger-games

This is why I think we'll be getting more of the same for Into The Woods and Master Class.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 11:24am

Marshall, if I remember correctly, wanted "Class" in CHICAGO but when he realized that it slowed down the film, he had to cut it; which according to him was "painful", but it had to be done to keep the flow of the film going.

No, he says on the DVD commentary that it was because it didn't fit with the "from Roxie's POV" concept. Same reason why he hated to cut "When Velma Takes the Stand" although there's a chapter titled that when Velma becomes a witness for the prosecution in the film.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 11:24am

Marshall, if I remember correctly, wanted "Class" in CHICAGO but when he realized that it slowed down the film, he had to cut it;

No, it's because even though he filmed the song, it didn't fit his and Condon's concept for justifying the singing (that it was all in Roxie's head).

[cknick]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 11:27am

skylight2, thanks for that article! I'm not one for absolutes (though I will say I enjoy Streep in many things) so I look forward to reading that. Cherry Jones was certainly a better Sister Aloysius, in my opinion.

[dreaming]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 11:30am

At least the stories remained the same-they really changed/butchered Into the Woods, IMO. I won't get over that one.

In regards to Streep's voice-Of course it sounds good-it's been sweetened and autotuned.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 11:32am

Thanks StageManager2 and Phyllis for the correction those songs did go against the "Roxie's POV concept" and had to be cut and not to mention "Me and My Baby" as well.

[Alan Henry]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 11:46am

Sondheim did not not like the song. It was still in as of a week and a half ago. The song is about Rapunzel leaving, but they're not going to change the overall direction at this point.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 11:46am

Musical Master, "Me and My Baby" would've worked perfectly. All the remaining songs well with the "Roxie's POV" format, except for "Mr. Cellophane." The movie tries to justify it by showing Roxie looking at Amos looking all forlorn, as the paddy wagon drives away from the hospital. Her POV of Amos is the last thing we see before "Mr. Cellophane" commences. I've always felt they should've kept "Me and My Baby" and dropped "Mr. Cellophane," because the former is actually from Roxie's POV and covers all the hoopla (i.e. Billy bribing the doctor to lie about Roxie's pregnancy and Amos trying to get noticed by shouting "I'm the father! That's my kid"), but I guess they wanted to keep Amos' one and only song, because the principal characters -- Velma, Roxie, Billy, Mama -- all get at least one big number. Granted, the song is pivotal on stage and humanizes Amos, who up to that point has only been seen as a bumbling cuckold, but it just doesn't work with the format of the film.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 11:50am

To quote the witch herself, "Who cares?!!! The cow is gone! Get it back!"

In addition to pacing, there's balance to consider. If the overall narrative focuses too long on the witch losing Rapunzel, then you lose sight of the main plot about a baker and his wife doing everything they can to have a kid. Subplots are fine and important, but not when they eclipse the main story. Then everything is weakened and often muddled. (aka, what is this really about?)

[Musical Master]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 11:59am

I hate do disagree about this StageManager2, but I don't miss "Me and My Baby". Sure it could've fit the "Roxie's POV" thing but I think they did cut the song for a good reason, now what that reason is I'm not sure but cutting "Mr. Cellophane" would've been criminal to me because John C. Reilly's talent would've been wasted and it's one of the better songs of CHICAGO.

But with that said, Rob Marshall wants INTO THE WOODS to be a good movie, at least better than his last hot mess of a movie. I guess the thing we can all agree on is that we can't wait for the movie this Christmas.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 12:04pm

My Own Best Friend and Baby would have fit nicely in the Chicago film. I especially miss the former.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 12:10pm

^I agree, out of the songs cut from the film, I wished "My Own Best Friend" stayed, it's a really good song and Rob Marshall and Bill Condon could've justified it like "Mr. Cellophane".

[Showface]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 12:12pm

Well getting back on the Into the Woods topic.

I agree that the song cut could have been cut just for pacing issues. I hope we get it on the DVD though, because I want to hear it.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 12:15pm

^I have a feeling it will be in the DVD/Blu-ray release, which I wished NINE did with "Simple" and "Only With You" which were filmed but cut.

Updated On: 8/14/14 at 12:15 PM

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 12:46pm

Marshall says he "promises" everyone's favorite moments will be in the film. One of my friends, who has directed the show, loves "No More" and the Mysterious Man and points out that if they are indeed cut from the film, then his promise is already broken.

[ShakinBaconGirl]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 1:03pm

Sounds like Rapunzel might die after all .

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 1:09pm

^it would be nice.

Maybe throw in No More too.

[Showface]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 1:10pm

I really don't want "No More" in the film. It will just slow it down at the end. I like that dialogue they used to replace it.

EDIT:Because I wanted to address something...

"In regards to Streep's voice-Of course it sounds good-it's been sweetened and autotuned."

Of course. Just like CZJ's was in Chicago. Same with everyone in the cast. Your point? Updated On: 10/12/14 at 01:10 PM

[Musical Master]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 1:12pm

^I agree, "No More" is a lovely song on stage but it could look really silly on screen.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 1:13pm

Why are you posting unsubstantiated rumors? As of the most recent screening, Rapunzel lived. She did not die.

[Showface]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 1:15pm

They did reshoots, so who knows? We wont know until the film premiers.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 8/14/14 at 1:17pm

Now some changes like the ones in HAIR are quite needed in order to work for film, but if you change too much of what was the tone of the piece and making something way too different, would not only be wrong for film, but it misses the point of what made the stage show great...

Except that's what the film of Hair did, in a nutshell. It changed too much of what was the tone of the piece, made something way too different, and missed the point of what made the stage show great. Can you say flawed argument?

Updated On: 8/14/14 at 01:17 PM