February 27, 2003

There are a lot of ways to skin a musical…

Now that Miramax has insinuated themselves into the remake of Guys & Dolls by swooping in on Craig Zadan & Neil Meron’s long-standing effort to secure the rights by jumping on the Daymon Runyon estate before Team Z/M could get there.  Clev-ah.

So now the question is how to cast the thing.  There are lots of versions of the film to create.

Do you know the characters?  There are two couples.  The slick operator, Nathan Detroit, and his long-suffering girlfriend, Adelaide.  Then you have the reserved professional gambler, Sky Masterson and his efforts to take Salvation Army babe Sarah Brown to Havana.  The fifth key character, to me, is Nicely Nicely, who gets the only showstopper not sung by a lead.

Here are my Top Fives for each role:

Nathan Detroit
1. Mel Gibson
2. Sean Penn
3. Steve Buscemi
4. John Cusack
5. John Travolta

Adelaide
1. Reese Witherspoon
2. Toni Collette
3. Drew Barrymoore
4. Amanda Detmer
5. Tara Reid

Sky Masterson – Russell Crowe has passed and Vin Diesel has been passed on
1. Hugh Jackman
2. Brad Pitt
3. Benecio Del Toro
4. Jude Law
5. Colin Farrell

Sarah Brown
1. Kate Beckinsale
2. Kate Winslet
3. Jennifer Garner
4. Claire Forlani
5. Renee Zellweger

Nicely Nicely – Not John C. Reilly, please.
1. Brando
2. Bill Murray
3. Steve Zahn
4. Billy Crystal
5. Nathan Lane

Of course, you could have a great black version of this musical:
Will Smith as Nathan Detroit
Halle Berry As Adelaide
Denzel Washington as Sky Masterson
Jada Pinkett Smith As Sarah Brown
Eddie Murphy as Nicely Nicely

MISSION:IMPOSSIBLE GOES URBAN:  There are few things as pleasurable as when someone gets what’s coming.  In this case, it’s a nine-figure budget for one Joseph Ignatius Carnahan of Sacramento, CA to make a Tom Cruise flick.  Did Joe have to go to New Zealand to close the deal with Thomas Mapother aka Tom Cruise aka Mr. Electro-Smile?  I don’t know.  Carno’s already not returning my e-mail.  (See what happens?!?!)  But it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. 

ELEKTRA GUIDE IN GREEN:  They’re going to milk the gal in the leather outfit for al they can.  People have talked about this as the Year of The Woman.  But Jen Garner and Halle Berry in babe-centered action vehicles, both likely in 2004, gets pretty interesting.  Add Catwoman to the mix and parents won’t see much of their teenage boys next year.  (Don’t open that door without knocking!)  With Fox getting behind Bring It On and Down With Love’s Peyton Reed for The Fantastic Four (three words in the title is a must), what interesting choice might they make for Elektra?  How about a light turn for Phillip Noyce?  Or a real comic for Julie Taymor?  You know who’d be great?  Joe Carna… oh. 

READER OF THE DAY:  OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE SYNDROME writes:  “I couldn't let M&M's comments about "The Pianist" go unchallenged.  "Life is Beautiful" is no more a film about the Holocaust than "Police Academy" is a film about law enforcement.  That people continue to believe that Benigni's movie represents these horrific events with even the slightest bit of accuracy or verisimilitude is truly tragic, and only goes to show just how important Polanski's film is.”

THEO DU LA GLADE writes:  “Although the scene where Matt Murdoch follows Elektra to the park was meant to be a fun romantic-comedy bit, i found it a bit disturbing, to say the least.

In the scene, she repeatedly denied his advances, and was angry that he was still following her. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I call this stalking. I'll tell you right now that if Elektra had been my daughter and i was there when it happened, Matt Murdoch wouldn't live to see the park where they end up foreplay/fighting.

Granted, Elektra can take care of herself. But Matt didn't know what she's capable of. What are the filmmakers trying to say here? It's ok to stalk a girl as long as she has a black-belt? Are there circumstance in which the type of behavior is acceptable?

Perhaps most people didn't mind this scene because she was being followed by such a "handsome young man". When people go see this film, whether in the theatre or on DVD later this year, I’ll ask you to close your eyes during this scene and picture a different actor in Ben's place. Someone like, oh... maybe ... Crispin Glover... or Steve Buscemi ... or even Michael Chiklis (a-la The Shield).  Would you find his actions appropriate then?

...didn't think so...

This scene didn't make me jump up and scream in disgust, or anything like that, but i did move around in my seat rather uncomfortably during it.  What happens if girls are watching this film? What will they take away from this?

I'd like to think that most people who watch this, or most other films, understand it's just a movie and not to be taken too seriously, but most pubescent teenage girls who see this film aren't fully developed individuals, emotionally or intellectually. What are they gonna get out of this? Being stalked is a rather sweet & romantic show of affection? When you tell a guy NO, it's ok if he doesn't listen? A stalker isn't going to hurt you, he's gonna be all sweet, understanding and fun to be with? 

The filmmakers' intentions were botched in the "delivery" I guess.  This scene could have been handled differently. There's a fine line between being persistent & being a stalker and everyone has a different sense of where that line is, but for me this scene crossed over that line. Mat chasing down Elektra and grabbing her. Elektra breaking free and running away, Matt going after her again.

Does this seem right to you?”

E ME:  Well, would it bother you more if it were Steve Buscemi sleeping with J-Lo?  Oh… the movie… Think for a second before you start calling this guy a wet blanket.  Okay… go!

And who would you cast for Guys & Dolls?  And what stars would you love to see in musical roles?