The Fantasticks
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Movie Reviews of The Fantasticks
Movie Review: If You Liked the Play
Summary: 5 Stars
If you liked the play, you would like the movie production of it where there is time to savor details that otherwise can fly by quickly on stage. The extras on the DVD, that includes a commentary, provide additional enjoyment for follow-up. Recommended reading: other comments on the play available on internet websites, including Amazon.Movie Review: Stunning
Summary: 5 Stars
This film version of the musical is beautiful in every way. The performances are some of the best of the year and the direction is amazing. The cinematography is flawless and is reminiscent of Oklahoma! The dvd has all the extra bells and whistles that are common these days.Movie Review: JOE is Great!
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved this movie! It was great to see Joe in a movie after the New Kids broke up. If you love Joe as much as I do, you have to see this movie! Also check out his new CD 8:09! It's Great!Movie Review: Very flawed, yet strangely charming
Summary: 4 Stars
After eagerly awating the arrival of the DVD of one of my favorite musicals, I have very mixed emotions about it. I wish I could give it 5 stars, but have to deduct one because of the horrible cutting job done to it. Evidently the director and producers are unaware that there a great number of fans who know the songs and dialogue word for word. Some of the cuts are unbelievable. The "hit" song, "Try To Remember" become a very short version at the very end of the film. Since the whole idea of the show is to remeber emotions and situations, cutting this number really hurts the whole film. (Luckily the full version is on the bonus features of the DVD)One of the biggest clues to the character of El Gallo - the narrator and driving force of the piece - comes at the end of the speech beginning: "There is a curious paradox that no one can explain --"(just prior to the song "They Were You") The final lines of the speech are cut ("I hurt them for that reason, and myself a little bit too.") they made the character a bit more human. It is really a beautifully poetic speech and one of my favorites in the show.
The "Old Actor" and his sidekick, Mortimer, have some of their best scenes cut (again, thanks to the DVD special features, they can still be seen, even though out of context). Teller, who is the usually silent member of the team of Penn and Teller actually speaks in these scenes, but you will only see them in the "special features".
One real plus for the DVD is that the original "Rape" number is included. This is the one that was in the show when it opened 40 years ago and has now been rewritten because of today's standards. Even though it is explained that "rape" is used with the old meaning of "abduction" not the sexual violation of today, people object to the original very funny number. To have it is a definite plus for the DVD.
In the theater, "Fantasticks" is presented very simply on a small platorm with no elaborate scenery. This could not work in a film. The idea of setting parts of the story in a traveling carnival is a good one and works surprisingly well. The whole film has an other world, fantasy feeling that is right for the story. (The carvnival is reminiscent of the one in "Somthing Wicked This Way Comes".) It is probably the only way this musical could have worked as a film.
The performances, with one exception, are excellent. Joel Gray is wonderful as one of the fathers. Contrast this performance with the emcee in "Cabaret" and you will see just how talented this man is. The one exception is a very miscast Jonathon Morris as El Gallo. The part calls for a strong singer and larger than life personality, Morris has a barely adequare singing voice and no charisma to speak of and his English accent is out of place. How the girl would want to go off with him is unbelievable.
All in all, it is worth watching and having but is not as good as it could have been if important parts had not been cut. It would have been helpful if the director, Michael Ritchie, had explained why the cuts were made in his audio track, but he never tells the reasons. Perhaps some day a "special edition" DVD will come out with the full, uncut version.
Movie Review: A mostly Fantastick effort
Summary: 4 Stars
I am happy to have this DVD in my collection. When this movie was filmed, I waited with high anticipation to see it. When I didn't get to, this was a day I hoped for!I was disappointed in the editing of some of the songs, but on the whole, this is a good piece. I think the book is handled marvelously. Yes, the poetry is gone, but that would be a big risk in film for the mass appeal of it all.
The concepts for the songs were great. I did think, with some of the film editing and song editing, that the pieces didn't quite make it until Soon It's Gonna Rain. Though all songs are performed wonderfully by the performers, it is not until this song, despite a useless edit, that the blend of film making, magic and romance begin to mix. Round and Round caps it off as the best screen adaption of a song for the whole show.
The performances are top notch and the cinematography is first rate as is the art direction.
DVD is the only way to go. You get just about everything that was cut, including pieces from songs, and Michael Ritchie's commentary. He nicely explains why the Rape Song was exchanged for the Abduction Song, which was written for a tour in the 80s I believe. (I know Rape means abduction in this play, but I suppose trying to explain it to everyone would be tedious!) I forgive the change due to its originality from the authors.
I couldn't evaluate the book scenes cut, but the songs that had edits, only takes about 10 - 15 minutes. They should have just left those. It is a musical after all!
Still, that is my only complaint. If you love musicals, if you love The Fantasticks, you will love this movie. Or at least really really like it!