Musical Review

Continuing my movie-going spree, I went to see The Producers this afternoon.

I was more or less indifferent to the original film version. I personally think Mel Brooks didn't reach the heights of his brilliance until the period beginning with Blazing Saddles and ending with Spaceballs. The play version, on the other hand, I thought was pretty genius. Better than any of Mel Brooks' film work.

I was never lucky enough to see the original Broadway production of the musical. I had the soundtrack. I caught a touring version of the production, with no particularly noteworthy actors in the main roles. But I thoroughly enjoyed both, and I was really looking forward to the new film.

And it really delivered. In fact, it really illustrated for me just how important the performances were in creating the perfect mix, because I basically knew every line of every song, but still laughed out loud all throughout the movie. Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick were both outstanding. Roger Bart (who had a good run as the creepy-stalker-pharmicist on Desperate Housewives) deserves an Oscar nomination for how freaking funny he is in this movie.

My only real complaint about the film was that at times it felt a little too much like a stage production in watching it. Oh sure, they opened up the budget left and right. Songs which on Broadway took place on a single set went indoors, outdoors, in a taxi cab, and through a park in the film. But nevertheless, 90% of the film was made up of long, uninterrupted takes looking into a clearly three-walled set. It basically felt like a front-row seat at a theatrical production of the play.

Not that I'm complaining much. After all, that is what I'd long wished I could have seen. And truthfully, the film probably wouldn't have been nearly as funny if much had been done to adapt it away from the stage play and photograph it in a more "motion picture" sort of way. It worked on Broadway for a damn good reason.

So, I'm giving it an A. And it's making it onto the top 100 list. For the moment, I'm sticking it in at #84, but I am sort of wondering if this is a movie I won't think quite as highly of upon multiple repeat viewings. Will it still generate the big laughs when I'm seeing it for the fourth, the fifth time, like other comedies on my top 100 list do? I'll guess we'll see down the road. I just know I've had the giggles all day since seeing it, and I highly recommend the movie to everyone.

And by the way -- stay all the way until the end of the credits. There's a great song that plays over the second half of the crawl, and another great surprise waiting at the very end.