"I hate Broadway. I think it is the very incarnation of tackiness" - film director- Page 2

[aaronb]

Posted: 8/25/13 at 6:35pm

Jean-Pierre Jeunet's films are terrible. So...who cares?

Exactly. He did good work when Marc Caro was co-directing, but his solo stuff is painfully cute.

[JRybka]

Posted: 8/25/13 at 7:50pm

I like Amelie and I like the idea of it as a musical. He has issues then he can piss off.

[suestorm]

Posted: 8/26/13 at 9:55am

say what you want, Broadway didnt make Rob Schneider, David Spade or Adam Sandler stars

Posted: 10/30/13 at 11:05pm

I just saw this movie the other day and while I loved the movie, I can't see it working on stage.

So much of what made the movie great was the cinematic quality of it all: the close ups, the little effects here and there, the seamless pace. Also the on location shooting in Paris and the score.

That's not to say it wouldn't work, if they have some inventive ways to substitute the film effects for theatrical ones. It couldn't be a relatively direct adaption, they would have to modify it considerably for the new medium.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 10/31/13 at 7:57am

I would imagine he's had limited experience seeing Broadway theater. He's certainly not alone in generically and unfairly reducing Broadway to its most tacky; to be fair, when Broadway does tacky - not infrequently - it really does tacky.

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 10/31/13 at 9:11am

Well...maybe when this Broadway stuff realizes that it is a flash in the pan and won't last more than...100 PLUS years?

Posted: 10/31/13 at 9:29am

He hates Broadway so much he must be a HUGE FAN!

[newintown]

Posted: 10/31/13 at 9:45am

I think Amelie is a good candidate for adaptation; it's not one of those films like Shrek where you can just plug some songs into the unchanged source and dump the thing on the stage. It would require real adaptation.

Of course, they might, sadly, just try to plug some songs into the unchanged source and dump the thing on the stage anyway...

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/31/13 at 9:57am

I would imagine he's had limited experience seeing Broadway theater.

I think so. And the French have VERY different taste in musical theatre. I'd say 99% of the people here would call French musicals "tacky" or worse (and already have). So what if a French film director doesn't like Broadway? He doesn't have to.

With the exception of Alien Resurrection, I think Jeunet is absolutely brilliant. I can't wait to see his latest film, The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet. Amelie is a brilliant choice for a musical, but I don't know if it can break free from the iconic music and imagery of the film.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 10/31/13 at 1:18pm

"I'd say 99% of the people here would call French musicals "tacky" or worse (and already have). "

I know I have (still got Notre Dame de Paris and Starmania on my iPod though).

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/31/13 at 1:33pm

"So what if a French film director doesn't like Broadway? He doesn't have to."

Yes he DOES. He absolutely DOES. How darey vare he?

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 10/31/13 at 2:40pm

*Throws Alien Resurrection the Musical on Ice script out of the window*

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/31/13 at 3:29pm

Voulez vous? Ah ha. Ah ha. Ah ha.

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 3/10/15 at 12:50pm

Looks like it will be produced at Berkeley Rep this summer:
http://www.broadwayworld.com/san-francisco/article/World-Premiere-of-AMELIE-and-More-Set-for-Berkeley-Reps-2015-16-Season-20150309

[JRybka]

Posted: 3/10/15 at 1:02pm

If The Berkeley Rep is doing it, I am thinking it will be something excellent. I was a member of the BR for years and my parents still are. Love that place.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/10/15 at 1:06pm

Interesting! I've never seen the movie, but I always love it when Berkeley Rep does big new things like this. Looking forward to seeing it this summer!

[Patash]

Posted: 3/10/15 at 2:19pm

It's such an unfounded statement -- as if all Broadway is the same. Does that mean he feels all live theatre is tacky? Or just the shows that appear on Broadway? Does he think the production values themselves are tacky or the idea of commercialization of the art form? Does he mean Broadway musicals or plays as well? Has he ever seen a show on Broadway? Does he think regional theatre, or London's West End or all theatre is just as tacky?

Is almost as silly as saying "movies are tacky" -- anyone who labels an entire art form that way is asking for a major rebuttal or at least an explanation.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 3/10/15 at 6:50pm

For many people who haven't had much experience or knowledge of Broadway, what they probably imagine when they think of Broadway or musicals in general is a stereotypical, bloated, over-the-top, free from subtlety medium. Broadway and musicals have had this perception problem since it was no longer one of the driving forces of the mainstream culture some time in the mid-20th century. It's not like what's popular right now does much to dispel this idea. And tourists of all kinds love the tacky ones or at least the biggest ones. Some times, it's one level away from being a Las Vegas stage show.

Also, musical theatre isn't as accessible or as big of a part in people's lives as film is (although you hear a lot of generalizations about genres whether it be high-brow or super hero). I wonder if he dislikes French, German, and other European musical theatre as well. Those could also be seen as tacky.

Even though we know better and understand just how diverse the musical theatre form is, most people, other than this niche audience, don't understand that.
Updated On: 3/10/15 at 06:50 PM

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 3/10/15 at 8:04pm

I don't see them bringing over every aspect of the movie but I think it could be successful as a simple romance with some extra things added on to it. I definitely see how the most general description of the plot would be appealing for an adaptation.

I really don't care about the director's opinion any more than I would care about any other individual's opinion.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 3/10/15 at 9:27pm

Amelie. That's the movie about that disturbingly obsessive stalker, right?

Agree w u Besty.

A friend of mine tried to convince me I was Amelie - sitting on the side, getting everyone else's life in order. I was furious, the invasions of peoples lives she engineers ( yes I get that's 1/2 the story) to get them to what SHE believes is best for them. That cashier looked real happy huh?
So, agreeing w u SNAFU.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 4/22/15 at 5:56pm

Could Samantha Barks Be Starring in It?

[skies]

Posted: 4/22/15 at 8:33pm

As an "artist" I find the Jeunet's broad generalization a bit self serving.  Sure I could see how it's the type of film that might not trasnlsate to BW without a major transformation into something else, but who's to say it wouldn't be entertaining in it's own right?  

Amelie is actually a creepy movie with some strange undertones, so I still think it would be a stretch to make it a musical.

[Dave19]

Posted: 4/23/15 at 7:24am

He is probably familiar with tacky shows like "Into the woods", "I need to go to the festival, festi, festi festival. I wish to go to the festival, festi, festi, festival".

But when he sees a show like Billy Elliot, with a straight forward, filmic, humanic approach of the writing, lyrics and scenes, I'm sure he will change his mind.

 

 

Updated On: 4/23/15 at 07:24 AM

[Kad]

Posted: 4/23/15 at 9:44am

Those aren't the lyrics to "Into the Woods."

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/23/15 at 12:58pm

EL OH EL