Into the Woods DVD question

[born2bebroadway]

Posted: 2/1/10 at 4:24pm

What theater was the movie filmed in? I know it wasn't the same theater as the original production.

[greensgreens]

Posted: 2/1/10 at 4:25pm

It wasn't filmed @ the Beck? I could've sworn it was filmed near the end of the run so many cast members had to return for the filming. But, it seems odd that they'd move all the scenery just for a filming of it...

[born2bebroadway]

Posted: 2/1/10 at 4:27pm

From IMDB

"The show was filmed 3 years after the original production opened and was shot in a different theatre."

[[tos]fan999]

Posted: 2/1/10 at 4:29pm

On IMDB, under Additional Details, it says that it was filmed at the Beck, and I'm 99% positive that the DVD credits say that as well. I would check for myself, but I'm at work.

Updated On: 2/1/10 at 04:29 PM

[StageManager2]

Posted: 2/1/10 at 4:31pm

Also, it wasn't all filmed in one night but over several. This is evident if you keep a lookout for the continuity errors.

[born2bebroadway]

Posted: 2/1/10 at 4:32pm

i see that now, thank you. Interesting that it says differently in th Trivia section

[Pgenre]

Posted: 2/1/10 at 5:21pm

What I want to know is why there is no commentary track, as PASSION and SUNDAY both got them and they are WONDERFUL and absolutely FASCINATING (though Mandy is SO over-the-top and hogs the SUNDAY one until Sondheim puts him in his place)... I'd actually want a commentary track for this over SWEENEY, though one for that would be wonderful. Anyone know the deal?

P

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 2/1/10 at 6:00pm

IMDB is wrong...

The production was taped May 23 to 26, 1989. Bernadette Peters ad Joanna Gleason returned to their original roles for these performances. That was hardly 3 years later! It was a year and half after the show's November 1987 opening. (Show closed Sep 3, 1989, a little over 3 months after the taping.)

And it was indeed taped in the Martin Beck.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/1/10 at 8:20pm

Ben Wright and Danielle Ferland had to return as well.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 2/1/10 at 8:40pm

I just wish the DVD had ANYTHING on it. This thing is virtually blank...

[Pgenre]

Posted: 2/1/10 at 8:49pm

ESPECIALLY since the original NYC PBS broadcast of ITW had a whole interview with Sondheim, plus there was all that unused material from the abandoned children's audio book version (the John Cameron Mitchell demos that showed up on the re-release, etc).

I still say the biggest missed opportunity of archived productions of the last twenty years or so was not filming the Kennedy Center Sondheim shows (at the VERY least, their COMPANY and MERRILY), but I guess that is neither here nor there. What a pleasure it would have been to have all those preserved, and imagine them all having Sondheim/cast commentaries... the mind boggles... ah, dreams...

P

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 2/2/10 at 1:45am

Ben Wright and Danielle Ferland had to return as well

Danielle did indeed, but Ben was there right through th3 closing. I was at the final performance and Sondheim made a brief speech on stage after the curtain calls mentioning that it Ben's birthday...and then everyone sang Happy Birthday to him.

And Pgenre, I too wish they had taped the Kennedy Centre shows. There were rumours then that PBS would tape COMPANY but it never happened. I am told that in Washington there is an archive like the one at Lincoln Centre with tapes of all six shows. (Actually there were eight if you include INTO THE WOODS JR and PACIFIC OVERTURES but these two were done outside the main season.) Even now - 8 years later - the Kennedy Centre Sondheim festival remains one (or six) of the most memorable theatrical events I have attended.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/2/10 at 1:47am

Most of those shows were taped.

Oh wait. We can't talk about that here. Nevermind.

[jv92]

Posted: 2/2/10 at 10:42am

Before I got the DVD of the Into the Woods performance, somebody lent me their VHS tape (Remember VCRs folks?) of the broadcast with the Sondheim-Lapine interview at intermission. I wonder if anyone has a copy of that interview...

[greensgreens]

Posted: 2/2/10 at 12:03pm

Ooooh... Just the thought of a commentary for the ITW DVD makes me giddy. But, I actually really long for a video of the Kansas City Rep production - just phenomenal and definitely worth several re-viewings!!!

[jv92]

Posted: 2/2/10 at 2:20pm

I remember the Sondheim-Lapine interviewer brought up other fairly tale musicals. Lapine couldn't think of any, but Sondheim remembered a flop that had opened in his youth called "If the Shoe Fits." I wonder if Encores! will ever consider that one?

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 2/2/10 at 3:01pm

Most of those shows were taped.

Oh wait. We can't talk about that here. Nevermind.

Yes, Jordan. We all know about the existence of these headache-inducing messes done in the name of "preserving" historic performances. Nonsense. It's just overzealous fans trying to make a quick buck by selling these poor quality reproductions with unlistenable sound and pictures so terrible poor that it's impossible to watch more than a few minutes.

Generally when people ask about "tapings" they mean professional quality or commercial/broadcast versions.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/2/10 at 3:17pm

"We all know about the existence of these headache-inducing messes done in the name of "preserving" historic performances. Nonsense. It's just overzealous fans trying to make a quick buck by selling these poor quality reproductions with unlistenable sound and pictures so terrible poor that it's impossible to watch more than a few minutes."

Actually, I wholeheartedly disagree with you. It's not overzealous fans trying to make a quick buck (for the most part) There certainly are those that do it for that reason and want to "preserve" the same show 200 times but there are those who do it so these productions are not only remembered but accessible to those unable to see them.

But that's a discussion for another thread. :)

[Pgenre]

Posted: 2/2/10 at 4:21pm

While you both have valid points, the particular "preservations" being referenced here are probably in the top 1% of ALL such "preservations" that I've seen and I've seen A LOT, for better or worse. I totally get why some can't stomach them, but, hey, it IS better than nothing, which is the alternative.

Back to the KenCen event as it was to those of us who saw it live: it was really amazing to go to the same exact theatre on three consecutive nights and see productions so disparate on the same stage. It's probably the darkest SWEENEY I've ever seen, the most profound SUNDAY and BY FAR the most fun and sexy COMPANY.

P

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 2/2/10 at 5:36pm

Absolutely! And to be surrounded by others who knew and appreciated what was on stage. The intermissions were great for chatting with others. It had to be experienced live.

The reference videos that can be viewed in the archive preserve the performances and look of each show for future generations. And although not complete most professional productions have promo segments filmed for use on TV programs/newscasts. (CBS made extensive use of these for their Sunday morning segments on Sondheim.)

With those available there is no need for the poorly made hand-held cam videos. I understand it's an "ownership" thing.

Ideally every show would spin off an "original cast" DVD, but since that isn't happening with any regularity we need the archival videos even though they often have restricted access.

Unless you have permission from the show's creators, however, you have no right to be making your own videos of the show. Well, at least that is how I feel.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/2/10 at 6:13pm

"Unless you have permission from the show's creators, however, you have no right to be making your own videos of the show. Well, at least that is how I feel."

I guess we just view this one thing differently. I'm beyond happy that productions on Broadway and far beyond are professionally taped for archives. Those videos are stunning and are what should be seen if you can't see it live. Sadly though, they are not accessible. Even if you are in that particular city and have the time to see them there are still restrictions. I just don't see the point of spending so much time and money to preserve something that you're going to restrict people from seeing when the point of doing so is so they can be seen. At least some people (a few I know of personally) have taken it upon themselves to preserve things so that they can be seen by those who are unable to get to archives to "maybe" be able to view them. Is it wrong? I honestly don't know. Most performers don't think so and that is a fact. Yes there are a few that don't like them and some that say they don't like them when in fact they actively search for copies of their past performances *coughPattiLuPonecough* and speak out against them because they think they should. (That's called hypocrisy by the way, Miss LuPone)

Anywho, it's a discussion that really has no right or wrong answer. But I do know that the majority of things that are out there are made because the people who do it love the theater and think it should be accessible. How much would you give for a bootleg video of Ethel Merman in GYPSY? Julie Andrews in MY FAIR LADY? Gwen Verdon in DAMN YANKEES? and so on and so on. Would it be wrong to have if those existed?

(And I'm NOT trying to argue with you frontrowcentre2, so please don't take it that way. I LOVE reading your posts and what you have to say so I hope you don't take anything I've said as being an attack on you. :)

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 2/3/10 at 2:11am

Oh no, I don't read it as an attack at all. Just a discussion.

You mention Merman in GYPSY. For years I had heard there was an audio tape of her closing night. Someone knew I wanted it and sent it to me...and while I did listen to it once, the sound was too fuzzy (and of pitch) to be enjoyable listening. (Years in radio have made me an audiophile as well as a collector. The wo do not always go hand in hand.)

We need a Broadway show DVD that sells a million units the way OKLAHOMA! sold over million copies (as an actual album of 6 records) to establish the trend.

It would be neat to see actual sales figures of the DVD of INTO THE WOODS (and SWEENEY TODD, SUNDAY and PASSION.) At least their ongoing sales send small incomes to the authors. )

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 2/3/10 at 3:40am

"Also, it wasn't all filmed in one night but over several. This is evident if you keep a lookout for the continuity errors."

Any examples? I've watched it several times and haven't noticed any continuity errors.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/3/10 at 10:40am

I've never seen a continuity error, however they do make it look like Bernie is onstage for the full transformation scene.

They also add that random starburst for the bean throwing.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 2/3/10 at 10:56am

waitwaitwait -- I thought Pyliscia Rashad was the original Witch? Why would Bernadette "return" to the role, I thought Bernie was a replacement?