Richard Linklater - Merrily We Roll Along- Page 4

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 8/31/19 at 6:09pm

This is absolutely bizarre. Sondheim will be long dead before this film finishes filming. 

[ImaginaryManticore]

Posted: 8/31/19 at 6:14pm

I hope they don't record the numbers until they need to film them. Imagine trying to act to a vocal performance from 20 years ago... It will be interesting to hear their voices age too. And Ben Platt has, what, 16 years to rehearse 'Franklin Shepard, Inc'?

I wonder how much Linklater's going to plan in advance. Having to sustain a vision for two decades, and having no chance to do reshoots or rewrites before the edit.

MichelleCraig said: "Finally, this thread has the possibility of becoming the longest thread in the history of Broadway World!"

Please can this thread be bumped every year! You know, to keep the memory alive.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 8/31/19 at 9:14pm

Great idea. Great casting. Great show. Too bad Linklater is a dreadful director. I thought Where'd You Go Bernadette was the nail in his career's coffin, but apparently not.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 8/31/19 at 11:45pm

The moreI think about this, the more I think it is a dumb idea.  We have to wait 20 years to see the film version of a known property.  This was not the case with Boyhood.  I fear that lightening will not strike twice.

The gimmick was really clever the first time, and we really saw a child grow into adolescence.  Platt and Feldstein are already adults AND  talented performers.  They are going to grow older, but they are not going to change the way the boy in Boyhood did (can't remember his name).

I assume that a musical would cost more lo produce than a small drama.  What happens if Ben Platt of Beanie of the person in the other lead role are not around to finish the movie...will they then use CGI to complete it?  Will they script and create another failed movie legend?

 

 

[BJR]

Posted: 9/1/19 at 10:18am

It feels like the thing people are most mad about is waiting.

If Linklater said, SUPRISE, I started filming in 1999 and this comes out tomorrow starring rising stars from the 90s/00s, we'd all be shocked and thrilled.

Updated On: 9/1/19 at 10:18 AM

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 9/2/19 at 3:02pm

Couple of questions come up reading all this-- If they already shot the scene with the 3 leads at their youngest, wouldn't that be the Graduation scene/ valedictorian speech and "Hills of Tomorrow" rather than "Our Time"? Or do we know for a fact that that version of the show has been chucked for the movie?

Do we get "Rich and Happy" or "That Frank"? Do we get "The Blob"? "Honey?" "Growing Up"? There have been so many revisions to this score over the years that it rivals "BOUNCE"/ "WISE GUYS"/ "ROAD SHOW"... 

Beyond maintaining the cast, wouldn't they need to insure against anything happening  to Linklater? The DP? The Production Designer? 

And most important, are they honoring the time frame of the original show, which spanned from 1956 to 1980 (24, not the 20 years you all keep mentioning). And were they to switch up the years the story takes place, who the hell would they hire to rewrite Sondheim's original lyrics which constantly refer to the particular years in which the original was set?  ...Which all makes me very curious if the present script is locked, or could morph into something different over the 2 decades the film takes to shoot and edit.

If there's anyone out there close to the production who could enlighten us, we'd all be in your debt.

 

 

[John Adams]

Posted: 9/2/19 at 11:37pm

...and what about the advancement of technology in 20 years? Will 2-D, widescreen format still be entertaining enough? Will VR advance to a point where the current format will seem "soooo 2019"? In 2039, will audiences be saying, "Why didn't he just deepfake it?"

Will the actors be obligated to "age appropriately", in a business where it's beneficial to always look younger than your chronological age? 

I saw "Boyhood". I didn't find the age progression to be that noticeable among the adult actors. Also, I thought the age progression was just plain gimmicky, and completely unnecessary considering the story/plot was fictional. For me, it was no more interesting than viewing any stranger's progression of grade school to high school photos (big whoop...). It didn't do enough to enhance the plot or the storytelling. The biggest disappointment, for me, was that Coltrane's acting did not get better as he grew older. I thought he appeared more natural onscreen when he was younger.

And I do understand that it's not just about looks. The actors will actually be 20 years older --- but 20 years older as themselves, in their own lives - not as the characters they will be playing. They won't have aged with each other in the same way, so what's the point? If this were a documentary, I could find more value in the actual aging process; but it's fiction. Regardless of the 'reality' of their ages, their character are still 'make-believe' and will need to be acted.

I'm reminded of the Chorus Line documentary ('Every Little Step', and the actress who was auditioning for Sheila. There was a long stretch of time between her first audition and the callback. She lost the role (IMO) because she couldn't remember what she'd done that impressed them so much in her first audition. I wonder if these actors will be compensated to "stay in the moment" for the next 20 years...?
 

Updated On: 9/2/19 at 11:37 PM

[KnewItWhenIWasInFron]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 3:23pm

John Adams said: "...and what about the advancement of technology in 20 years? Will 2-D, widescreen format still be entertaining enough? Will VR advance to a point where the current format will seem "soooo 2019"? In 2039, will audiences be saying, "Whydidn't he just deepfake it?"

Will the actors be obligated to "age appropriately", in a business where it's beneficial to always look younger than your chronological age?

I saw "Boyhood". I didn't find the age progression to be that noticeable amongthe adult actors. Also, I thought the age progression was just plain gimmicky, and completely unnecessary considering the story/plot was fictional. For me, it was no more interesting than viewing any stranger's progression of grade school to high school photos (big whoop...). It didn't do enough to enhance the plot or the storytelling.The biggest disappointment, for me, was that Coltrane's acting did not get better as he grew older. I thought he appeared more natural onscreen when he was younger.

And I do understand that it's not just aboutlooks. The actors will actually be 20 years older --- but 20 years older asthemselves, in their own lives - not as the characters they will be playing. They won't have aged with each other in the same way, so what's the point? If this were a documentary, I could find more value in the actual aging process; but it's fiction. Regardless of the 'reality' of their ages, their character are still 'make-believe' and will need to be acted.

I'm reminded of the Chorus Linedocumentary ('EveryLittle Step', and the actress who was auditioning for Sheila. There was a long stretch of time between her first audition and the callback. She lost the role (IMO) because she couldn't remember what she'd done that impressed them so much in her first audition. I wonder if these actors will be compensated to "stay in the moment" for the next 20 years...?
"

Surely the whole point of filming it this way is so they will be in different moments, that they specifically won't "stay in the moment."

[seahag2]

Posted: 9/4/19 at 12:40am

Bold of Linklater to do this knowing Sondheim will never get to see the finished product

[joevitus]

Posted: 9/4/19 at 9:53am

Or cowardly? But somehow, Sondheim has become the guy who loves all the recent adaptations from his work, from the overall acceptable Into the Woods to the incompetent Sweeney Todd. That this is the same guy who hates the movie version of West Side Story baffles me. 

[Playbill_Trash]

Posted: 9/4/19 at 11:03am

I’m not complaining about this announcement at all and am very excited to see such a risk taken on a property that is famously not a safe bet.

But imagine if they didn’t announce this at all now, filmed it the way the planned in the next 20 years, and in 2040 the movie just premiered out of nowhere with this incredible concept. If it was a huge surprise that they’ve been filming for 20 years and we have this now 20 year old footage of this cast. That surprise would be so compelling and I think would even attract audiences unfamiliar with the show just based on concept alone.

Coulda woulda shoulda, but maybe this format could be the one that everyone agrees on, since seeing it live with actors of one age spanning 20 years has put some people off in the past.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 9/4/19 at 2:52pm

ljay889 said: "All I can say is WTF?
This before an adaption of Company, Follies, and Sunday is downright shocking. And who wants to wait 20 years to see this?"

All I can say is I can see this being a huge success.

First of all, I can see Merrily working very well on film.

Second, what do you mean "this before,"?  "This" gives decades for Company, Follies and Sunday, etc. to reach the screen before "this" premiers.

Third, though lately I'm wondering if Linkater might have lost his touch  ("Bernadette" is all over the place in tone with much of it tone deaf)  Boyhood showed his longitudinal instincts can be right on.

Fourth, Platt and Feldstein are exciting choices... and they may well be box office two decades from now.

 

[ImaginaryManticore]

Posted: 9/4/19 at 5:18pm

John Adams said: "...and what about the advancement of technology in 20 years? Will 2-D, widescreen format still be entertaining enough? Will VR advance to a point where the current format will seem "soooo 2019"? In 2039, will audiences be saying, "Why didn't he just deepfake it?"
"

Or they could just shoot it on film and it would look a lot like movies made in the 20th century. Maybe in 20 years that will be refreshing in itself. Probably the most dangerous choice with this one is to use much digital technology at all.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/5/19 at 12:57am

I think it is an awful, awful idea. I mean, so much can happen in 20 years. People die, people can get injured, people can have terrible plastic surgery. It's just too much time to invest in something that I don't think too many people care about in the first place? 

[seahag2]

Posted: 9/5/19 at 2:05am

I was satisfied with the performance Beanie gave in the Merrily highlights sequence from Ladybird. I guess Linklater wasn't  

[John Adams]

Posted: 9/5/19 at 11:28am

KnewItWhenIWasInFron said: "Surely the whole point of filming it this way is so they will be in different moments, that they specifically won't "stay in the moment.""

"Surely"? I'm not as sure about Linklater's point for filming this way as you (which is why I asked, 'What's the point?', but I'd be interested to hear from Linklater RE: that aspect.

"Merrily..." is fiction. I'm not sure how (or to what extent) documenting the actual passage of time might add value to a predetermined, fictional plot line.

Regardless of what happens to these actors in their real lives over the next 20 years (including their physical aging), they will still bound by the scripted plot of the book. UNLESS Linklater is planning to do rewrites of the book based on the realities of the actors' lives as they age. ...but that might be a Pandora's box of issues regarding incorporating the score, as written. 

It is more interesting (for me) to see how actors interpret any script (fiction) in the present. ...'Ya know - that thing called, "acting".

Very similar concept/"plot" - already accomplished - is the ITV "Seven Up" documentary series. Documenting the passage of time on film makes more sense, and is MUCH more interesting to me because the filmmakers captured the uncertainty of the future, and the audience was able to internalize the journey with the "cast".

I don't know how Linklater intends to capture that effect, or what purpose the reality of time will serve when the vehicle is a scripted (...and already known to at least some) book.

PS: It's interesting to note that the original article from Collider states, "Representatives for Linklater, Platt, Feldstein and Blumhouse did not respond to requests for comment."

To me, that indicates a possibility that this project may not be a "definite".

Updated On: 9/5/19 at 11:28 AM

[John Adams]

Posted: 9/6/19 at 11:24am

An experimental musical I'd rather see instead:

Keep the concept (telling the story backwards in time, characters [close friends at the start] who are looking to establish their careers in the Arts)

Document their journeys over the next 20 years, writing the book in real time. Although the book could be based on the real events of their lives, it would not have to be restricted to being a documentary.

Bring a Broadway composer on board to write the score in real time (my vote would be for Adam Guettel). I think the final score could end up being equally as interesting as the book because it might also reflect the composer's growth over 20 years.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 9/6/19 at 11:34am

I'd be okay with this thread dying out for the next 20 years. Let's talk about it if we're still here when the movie is actually out, and critique the movie instead of sharing fairly uninformed opinions about the concept itself.

[John Adams]

Posted: 9/6/19 at 12:04pm

Valentina3 said: "I'd be okay with this thread dying out for the next 20 years. Let's talk about it if we're still here when the movie is actually out [...]."

I fully support your implied choice to help this thread die out by waiting to return to it 20 years from now.

I look forward to seeing you again in 20 years! 

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 9/6/19 at 7:19pm

Please God let the next 20 years bring a more thrilling way to gossip about the goings on on  Broadway than this old board. I promise to contribute my unvarnished opinion on the MERRILY film in 2040 if I can still find the buttons on my laptop...

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 10:47pm

Ben Platt mentioned in a recent interview that they have to reshoot what they’ve filmed of Merrily. I wonder if they’re recasting Melissa Benoist’s ex (can’t think of his name) because of the insinuations made. He mentions Covid, but I don’t know. Seems weird.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Ben-Platt-Talks-Broadway-Return-MERRILY-DEAR-EVAN-HANSEN-Film-and-More-20200707

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/7/20 at 10:57pm

Perhaps they'll end up with a more interesting (or diverse) performer than the alleged abuser, too. It may have been that they were planning to start reshooting before Covid halted everything. Full quote:

 

But of course, with [Merrily], like all the others, there’s been a lot of challenges because of COVID. It was already going to be such a difficult and long, arduous task to commit to, and we’re all very passionate about still trying to make it work, but we’re going to have to start at square one as soon as COVID allows.

DEADLINE: I thought at least one sequence had already been filmed.

PLATT: We have to reshoot that, the small amount that was filmed. So it’s really like we’re starting over.

[bear88]

Posted: 7/8/20 at 1:17am

My expectations for a Merrily film are really low. And Linklater's conceit is already falling apart because they're scrapping whatever they shot for whatever reason. (Yes, I checked on the rumors - yet another reason a 20-year shoot is a bad idea. Who knows what can happen with people?) 

I like Boyhood a lot, but except for the challenge of hiring a little kid as your sort-of lead actor, it seems straightforward compared to a musical with a notoriously tricky and overly simplistic book. It's got a terrific Sondheim score, arguably his best, but it doesn't exactly speak to the kids of today. I can't imagine anyone but theater folk being all that interested now - much less 20 years from now. I realize it's a passion project, with rich folks involved, but still...

There's simply no reason to drag this out for 20 years. Hollywood has managed to have actors play older characters for years now. That's what makeup artists are for. Platt is already 26. Beanie Feldstein is 27. They're well into the timeline of the musical and haven't even started. If they're just going to pretend to be young, why can't they pretend to be old too (a much easier trick)?

I'm with the skeptics now. This never actually happens, and certainly not if they stick with the two-decade shooting schedule.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 7/8/20 at 2:50am

that is so stupid, why are they starting over???

[binau]

Posted: 7/8/20 at 8:40am

I think this will end up being one of those projects that never really happen/get finished.