This SUNSET should be filmed!

[TaleofTwo]

Just seen this on Friday and totally fell in love. Considering this is such a limited engagement (that also has the BroadwayHD couple in the producing team) and that ALW loves filming his shows, what are the chances we'll get this treasure captured?

[dramamama611]

Hopefully a good chance  on HD.

[chernjam]

TaleofTwo - I really hope so... particularly since they preserved POTO with the 25th anniversary concert, It's almost Sunset's 25th - its hard to imagine when another opportunity to have this type of cast with that amazing orchestra together in such a terrific production

[Lot666]

chernjam said: "TaleofTwo - I really hope so... particularly since they preserved POTO with the 25th anniversary concert, It's almost Sunset's 25th - its hard to imagine when another opportunity to have this type of cast with that amazing orchestra together in such a terrific production"

It's too bad this isn't a "milestone" (i.e., anniversary) year for Sunset, as it would certainly provide motivation to preserve the production. That said, I don't expect the show to be revived again after this run, so this may well be their last chance.

Phantom 25 at the Royal Albert Hall was a major event that was quite costly to mount, so considerable effort was expended to capture it for broadcast and DVD. They filmed at least two of the three performances to ensure sufficient quality footage to work with. I would love to see some investment in Sunset.

PS: If I watch the Hannibal rehearsal scene on the Phantom 25 DVD in slow-mo, I can just pick myself out in the audience at stage left. 

 

[muscle23ftl]

I think that watching filmed musicals is usually underwhelming and the emotions conveyed by the live show and the live orchestra is much superior. It doesn't need to be filmed and it doesn't need to have a new recording, The recording with Glenn and Judy is perfect. This is why we spend big bucks to see a show live. Go see the show!

[Princeton2]

So because you don't like filmed performances it shouldn't be filmed?

Glenn Close is giving a performance that will go down in history and it would be great for it to be captured for posterity. Glenn's name would help sell any cinema and dvd release, and filming Sunset with Glenn has been spoken of before, ALW is keen

[muscle23ftl]

True...also I guess some people don't have access to see it...but I just think us, that can access the show, should go see it. That's all. Because it's much better live than on film. 

[chernjam]

While it's true - there's nothing like seeing any theatrical production live compared to on film, having them preserved is invaluable.  The only reason Love Never Dies is coming to the US after the whole debacle in London was that the Australian production was filmed and well received here in the US when it was played in cinemas and released on DVD.  And I kick myself that I never saw Light in the Piazza live after I saw it on Live from Lincoln Center (one of the most foolish things about that is that they've never released that on DVD... wasn't as computer savvy then to record it on TV)  So I would love this production to be captured on film.  Especially since a full blown movie-musical of this seems unlikely to me.  I just can't imagine Paramount giving that green light.

[zainmax]

I do not think that ALW or his firm, RUG, is that much involved in the Sunset revival. But, I'm all for preserving performances on tape.

[M.O.A.I.]

I would be very surprised if this were filmed. Last time I heard, there are plans for Close to make an actual film (and finally win an Oscar, lol).

[TaleofTwo]

Interesting bit from wikipedia..

"In December 2011, Andrew Lloyd Webber told the Daily Mail that he was considering filming a stage production of [SUNSET] for cinema and DVD release featuring Glenn Close as Norma Desmond, but noted that the inherent costs in forming the production might hinder the project's viability.

In an interview with Elaine Paige during her BBC Radio 2 show Elaine Paige on Sunday on 6 October 2013, Lloyd Webber was asked "What's happening to the film?", and he replied:

"I would love a film to be made of Sunset, of course, but unfortunately the rights are owned by Paramount who own the original movie and, so far, talks with them have never led to anything. And it's sad for me because I think in many ways Sunset is, I think, the most complete musical I have written, I mean in the sense that the book and the music and everything come together I think in a way that perhaps even some of the others, they don't. Anyway that's my sadness at the moment and maybe, one day, the whole thing will get brokered. I'm doing something else with Paramount because after I've done this I'm producing School of Rock on stage, and that's a Paramount picture, so maybe if they like what I do with that they'll let me do Sunset.[59]"

[chernjam]

Thanks for sharing that Tale - I knew I had read that somewhere (ALW hope to film a stage production - which I'm guessing he was talking about doing it with the original set designs ala Cats and Love Never Dies... which I would love )  

So I'm guessing even filming the current revival requires Paramount's thumbs up?  They can't be too upset with ALW considering School of Rock seems a hit on both sides of the Atlantic and this revival of Sunset became a huge hit in London and seems off to a fantastic start here

[Lot666]

chernjam said: "While it's true - there's nothing like seeing any theatrical production live compared to on film, having them preserved is invaluable."

I wholeheartedly agree. I don't think anyone who's hoping the production will be filmed is suggesting that it should be filmed so that we don't have to buy theatre tickets. Of course it's better live, and we're all either going (some several times) or already have, but it would be wonderful to have the DVD when the show closes. I still wish ALW would pull the archival footage of the original production (which I'm convinced exists, based on what I saw recently at the Lincoln Center Library exhibit) and release it on DVD.