A Post About a Musical Movie, Not a City

Hello, there. This November post concerns a film that accumulated succession. It actually turns 20 next year. The movie's inspiration was a 1975 B'way musical. Its inspirations were a play and historical occurrences. The musical had a resurgence in 1996 that pavedway for its cinematic interpretation (however, it should've obtained laureling in '75, too). The post's film is 2002's Chicago.

Chicago is smashingly cinematographied by Dion Beebe and edited by Martin Walsh. It's flabbergasting how limited the CGI is. The sound people's designs and Jules Fisher's lighting accentuate the film. Its hair and makeup contribute to the esthetics. Colleen Atwood conceived the costuming expertly! The wardrobe is ravishing. They transmorphed Toronto into 1920s, Chicago. Thanks to the prop folks, John Myhre, Andrew M. Stearn and Gordon Sims, the settings are accomplished terrifically. Rob Marshall's choreography posses the essences of Bob Fosse. The orchestrating, Rob Fisher-initiated conducting and playing of the mellifluous Danny Elfman-Steve Bartek Score and John Kander-Fred Ebb songs are toply-notched. Kander and Ebb actually penned an original song for the credits.

As a result of Ali Farrell and Laura Rosenthal's efforts, we have a cast on the tops of their games. Memorably, there's a cameo by Chita Rivera--The '75 Velma. Lucy Liu's Go-to-Hell Kitty Baxter is hootiful. As a Canadian, it's gratifying witnessing Jayne Eastwood and Sean McCann onscreen. I must mention Conrad Dunn as The Doctor. I'm ecstatic 'cause Cliff Saunders, someone I saw live, is the Stage Manager. Dominic West, Roman Podhara and Colm Feore are bastardly in the film. Taye Diggs delivers a shaded, introductoring performance as The Bandleader. Deidre Goodwin, Mya Harrison, Denise Faye, Susan Misner and Ekaterina Chtchelkanova enthrall as the Cook County Jail's Merry Murdereresses. The remaining ensemble members are dexterous. Though Mary Sunshine is conceptually differentiated from the original show, Christine Baranski is deluxerous and undisappointing as a 20s reporter. Queen Latifah is enjoyably saucy, alluring and unprincipled as Matron 'Mama' Morton. John C. Reilly performs genuinely, poignantly and adorably as Amos Hart. Returning to musical roots, Richard Gere's Billy Flynn is a silverfox showman and scuzzy lawyer. Renee Zellweger's Roxie Hart is flightily bitchy and fame craving. Magnificently, Catherine Zeta-Jones is a mystifying force of nature as Velma Kelly.

The movie actually has faithfulness to the show. I admired the use of the show's overture. The integral musical numbers are retained. The flick knew which songs to 86. It's intriguing how the musical numbers mostly occur in Roxie's mind. It seamlessly switches from reality to song. There aren't pacing-bogs. This story contains has social-commentaries. Bill Condon effectually adapted Bob and Fred's musical book into a script.

Though "somebody" was undeserving of being synonymous with this film, we fortunately had Rob Marshall as a director, too. Marshall captained the film brilliantly. I thank Gwen Verdon, Bob, John, Fred, Maurine Dallas Watkins, Ann Reinking, Walter Bobbie and The Weisslers for the movie's existence. Incidentally, this post is dedicated to 2 incredibly spesh people. They wondrously headlined a thoroughly aceful local production of Chicago.