Hamilton: The Musical

[Tour2ma]

Caught the Houston road company's show near the end of their three-week run.

Quite simply it was the best theater/ music experience of my life... (sorry Bowie).

Only quibble was that after almost two-years of listening to the Original cast recording whenever I was on a road, the voice of the lead was too pure and lacked the character Lin-Manuel injected into the role. Every... and I mean every... other performance was spot on true to the recording.

Hope to fill my Lin-Manuel void this January in San Juan, PR this January. Lin is putting on three-weeks of shows benefiting PR Hurricane relief.

 

And later in 2019 a road company is coming to Dallas.

 

And plans are already in place to film Hamilton: The Movie. Word is that it will be the original cast and will simply be the filming of the stage performance from a prime location.

[The Gipper]

On your suggestion about making it into a film.  I would not doubt it would happen......BUT....when they made Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera into a movie....it fairly well sucked.    And certainly Phantom had more positivity surrounding it than Hamilton does.

So, hopefully, if they do that, it will not suck as did POTO.      

I know that it CAN be done.   Back in the early 2000s, they took an older Broadway show and turned it into a movie, and that movie turned out to perhaps be the BEST movie of the 21st Century, so far.    That would be Chicago.

[Westside Steve]

I saw the film version of Phantom of the Opera 2 which was multiple cameras all over the stage during an Australian performance. It really was incredible because it was live. I hated Phantom 2 but was amazed by the spectacular performance and recording. 

I've heard good things about Hamilton, knowing your politics how much did the agenda figure in your review?

WSS

[The Gipper]

12 minutes ago, Westside Steve said:

I saw the film version of Phantom of the Opera 2 which was multiple cameras all over the stage during an Australian performance. It really was incredible because it was live. I hated Phantom 2 but was amazed by the spectacular performance and recording. 

I've heard good things about Hamilton, knowing your politics how much did the agenda figure in your review?

WSS

Hmm....the film version that I think I saw was not just a filming of a stage performance....I didn't think so anyway.   Now I am not sure. (never saw Phantom 2)

[Westside Steve]

Yes there was a sequel. Phantom of the Opera to love never dies or love never does something... I love Phantom of the Opera but the sequel didn't seem to have any memorable musical lines.

I would be willing to give it a second chance.

WSS

[Tour2ma]

8 hours ago, Westside Steve said:

I saw the film version of Phantom of the Opera 2 which was multiple cameras all over the stage during an Australian performance. It really was incredible because it was live. I hated Phantom 2 but was amazed by the spectacular performance and recording. 

I've heard good things about Hamilton, knowing your politics how much did the agenda figure in your review?

Same old sh!t... huh, Steve?

Kiss my a$$.

You don't "know" my "politics"... just some of my views. There was no "agenda". Just a great telling of the story of one of our Founding Fathers.

Here's the opening line... from memory...

How does a bastard.. immigrant... son of a whore and a SCotsman... dropped in the middle of a forgotten spot in the Carribean in poverty and squalor... grow up to be a hero and a scholar?

The $10... Founding Father without a father got a lot farther... by working a lot harder... by being a self-starter... by 13... he was put in charge of a trading charter.

 

Wow! Hard work...you're right... pretty subversive stuff there...

 

 

 

[Westside Steve]

Tour

 

Simmer down angry boy. That was a valid question. Subversive did I say submersive? Actually I doubt you're unaware of the politically charged atmosphere among the Hollywood and New York left. I don't expect that it's slipped your attention that the cast of Hamilton was unprecedented in their rudeness to the vice president. I don't think anyone can seriously overlook the last couple years of the election cycle banging away at women, blacks, homosexuals and immigrants. And here we have not one but two of those newly sainted groups

We've seen otherwise unworthy Oscar nominations to receive attention merely because one of those four groups. Do I think those factors represented a heavy thumb on the scale from the liberal critics? Yes I certainly do.

I have no reason to believe that Hamilton is anything but a fine show. I also believe that many critics give it extra credit. Try a quick Google search for Hamilton and race. It gets attention from the right and left.

So I asked you what I thought was a fair question.

WSS

[The Gipper]

2 hours ago, Westside Steve said:

Tour

 

Simmer down angry boy. That was a valid question. Subversive did I say submersive? Actually I doubt you're unaware of the politically charged atmosphere among the Hollywood and New York left.

Only, of course, being a de minimus  ratio thereto of the politically charged right.

I don't expect that it's slipped your attention that the cast of Hamilton was unprecedented in their rudeness to the vice president.

I agree that it is not right that unprecedented ignorance should  be met with rudeness....but with facts/truth.

I don't think anyone can seriously overlook the last couple years of the election cycle banging away at women, blacks, homosexuals and immigrants. And here we have not one but two of those newly sainted groups

Yes, you are right again...we have seen an election cycle where racism,  homophobia, mysogyny and xenophobia have run rampant

We've seen otherwise unworthy Oscar nominations to receive attention merely because one of those four groups. Do I think those factors represented a heavy thumb on the scale from the liberal critics? Yes I certainly do.

You are right again. (I don't know about the critics...but I agree that movies have had nominations and awards that were probably undeserved simply because of political views.  It would be nice if a movie could be based on its craftmanship..and not on its subject)

I have no reason to believe that Hamilton is anything but a fine show. I also believe that many critics give it extra credit. Try a quick Google search for Hamilton and race. It gets attention from the right and left.

I have not seen it....so I can't comment on the content of it.  But I do say that I think it somewhat improvident to judge 1770s events by 2018 standards.

So I asked you what I thought was a fair question.

WSS

 

[Westside Steve]

I agree with you on some of your points here.

I have very little interest in your politics Gipper, and I'd be a little surprise if you knew what I was talking about, but let's say Joe Biden had got into some sort of a concert and the banf had stopped to call him out so that the audience could boo him. I think that was in poor taste and Over The line. I also think that little piece of rudeness is one of the reasons the show is so popular. Lefties love that crap . I also don't care about the constant haranguing about racism sexism homophobia blah blah blah. It's probably know better or worse now but the left needs to get the base worked up.

Also are you accusing me of giving a D minus to something on political grounds? If so you are just full of sht.

I thought moonlight and get out were turds and the Black Panther was a below-average superhero flick, most of which I don't like. I didn't like the Phantom thread either even though it was pretty well crafted and very well-acted, unlike the Black Panther. 

I also think Michael Moore makes pretty good movies despite the fact that they are rubbish and yellow journalism. I haven't seen the new one yet but I don't think de Sousa makes it very interesting film whether or not I agree.

It's just a fact that political correctness earns you more points with liberal critics. Which there are more of than conservative critics. And since Alexander Hamilton is praised, even into Tours memorized preamble, for his diversity.

I also don't care about comparing 18th century and 21st century events. If I like the music in the story in Hamilton that I will think it's a great show. If I don't, I won't. I really wanted to love Les Miz but just couldn't get next to the songs.

But finally if otherwise well-respected critics are going to keep on extra praise because of politics I just asked if that was the case with tours review. To which he could have answered no not at all instead of his usual how dare you rant.

WSS

 

[The Gipper]

7 minutes ago, Westside Steve said:

I agree with you on some of your points here.

I have very little interest in your politics Gipper, and I'd be a little surprise if you knew what I was talking about, but let's say Joe Biden had got into some sort of a concert and the banf had stopped to call him out so that the audience could boo him. I think that was in poor taste and Over The line. I also think that little piece of rudeness is one of the reasons the show is so popular. Lefties love that crap . I also don't care about the constant haranguing about racism sexism homophobia blah blah blah. It's probably know better or worse now but the left needs to get the base worked up.

You seem to be the one worked up about whatever it is. And I knew exactly what you were talking about...and I agreed with you about it being rude.  (beyond that, of course you have an interest in my politics...we talk about it all the time.  (and despite YOUR particular ambivalence about racism, sexism etc....the world does care about those things. For what that's worth.) 

Also are you accusing me of giving a D minus to something on political grounds? If so you are just full of sht.

No....I told you....I agreed with you about Moonlight etc.  I disagreed with you a bit about Black Panther.  I thought it was an above average Superhero movie.

I thought moonlight and get out were turds and the Black Panther was a below-average superhero flick, most of which I don't like. I didn't like the Phantom thread either even though it was pretty well crafted and very well-acted, unlike the Black Panther. 

Well...like I said, here I DO think that your view of it seem slightly tainted.....but perhaps that is because we have a minor disagreement about the quality of that movie. I thought it fairly above average, you didn't.  (I have not seen either Moonlight nor Get Out....precisely because I don't really want to see what I feel are  going to be unentertaining movies.....and that was my perception of what those were going to be.  You know what I thought about 12 years as a slave as an entertainment event....it had -0- entertainment value....and I thought those movies may be in the same unentertaining vain)

I also think Michael Moore makes pretty good movies despite the fact that they are rubbish and yellow journalism. (most of what I have seen of his movies have been done with a comedic slant, even though they point out real issues) I haven't seen the new one yet but I don't think de Sousa makes it very interesting film whether or not I agree.

It's just a fact that political correctness earns you more points with liberal critics. Which there are more of than conservative critics. And since Alexander Hamilton is praised, even into Tours memorized preamble, for his diversity.

(I didn't realize that there were "liberal" or "conservative" movie critics.  Perhaps that is a problem...perhaps even you bring in too much of your political point of view into your viewpoint on a movie.   I am just trying to go in for the story.)

I also don't care about comparing 18th century and 21st century events. If I like the music in the story in Hamilton that I will think it's a great show. If I don't, I won't. I really wanted to love Les Miz but just couldn't get next to the songs.

Well, I am not talking about comparing 18th century to 21st century events.  I am talking about applying 21st century "ethics/values" to 18th/19th century events. Things that were a matter of course then would be appalling now. I think that we just have to understand that we live in a more enlightened age.   Washington, Jefferson, Jackson....these guys all owned slaves.  Should we demote them historically because they were doing what was commonplace then?  

But finally if otherwise well-respected critics are going to keep on extra praise because of politics I just asked if that was the case with tours review. To which he could have answered no not at all instead of his usual how dare you rant.

Maybe I don't pay attention to it.....perhaps you could give an example of where some well respected critic heaped extra praise on a movie because of politics. I mean, ever since Siskel and Ebert died I don't know of any other "well respected" movie critics.  Leonard Malten?  The guy from the Beacon...Heldenfeld or something? 

 

 

 

[Westside Steve]

Not going to waste my time on a political discussion here. But you seriously don't think respected critics gave the Black Panther get out and moonlight excellent reviews because they are Negroes and or homosexuals?? Come on even you said in your opinion it was a slightly above-average superhero movie. Why else do you think critics have rated  one of the greatest movies of all time? Have you heard any of that preys about any other superhero noise Fest?

Besides it was tour that I asked the question and you just decide to jump in.

WSS

[The Gipper]

16 minutes ago, Westside Steve said:

Not going to waste my time on a political discussion here. But you seriously don't think respected critics gave the Black Panther get out and moonlight excellent reviews because they are Negroes and or homosexuals?? Come on even you said in your opinion it was a slightly above-average superhero movie. Why else do you think critics have rated  one of the greatest movies of all time? Have you heard any of that preys about any other superhero noise Fest?

Besides it was tour that I asked the question and you just decide to jump in.

WSS

I honestly haven't see any other critics write up about it other than yours.  I don't know if any of them tout it as highly as you claim. I personally thought that of all the Marvel movies that have been spewed out over the last several years that it rated about in the Top third. Just as a story.

I do know that African Americans in general, yes, went gaga over it, probably because they thought, finally, that they  had a black Super Hero.  (but then, wasn't The Hawk also that?  And pre-Black Panther.  Though, perhaps, I do not recall, he was not given his own movie with an origin story, was he?)

When did Black Panther come out?  Wasn't it last year, meaning it would have been up for the Oscars earlier this year?  I know it was NOT nominated for Best Picture.

 for 2018.   So, if I am right about it being last year's picture, and it not being nominated, then I guess critics would not have gone as gaga over it as you suspect. 

(though...apparently, having checked, the release date of it was Feb. 16, 2018.....so it may be up for something next year.)

[Westside Steve]

 I recently saw an article in the New Yorker or something like that bemoaning the fact that black panther might not win best picture. PS it was released early this year so it will be in the next Academy Awards. Any of the other films you can go to Metacritic which will give you review after review after review by people all across the United States as well as fan reviews.

 

WSS

[Westside Steve]

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/top/bestofrt/

 

Granted Rotten Tomatoes is not Metacritic and I think it's pretty much just mugs off the street but within the top 11 are get out and moonlight.

WSS

[Westside Steve]

http://www.metacritic.com/browse/movies/score/metascore/all/filtered

[Westside Steve]

http://www.metacritic.com/movie/black-panther

[The Gipper]

37 minutes ago, Westside Steve said:

http://www.metacritic.com/movie/black-panther

#9 best movie so far in 2018.   I don't have a problem with that.

[Westside Steve]

Ps check Slate and WaPo reviews of BP

WSS

[JPPT1974]

Lin Manuel owned that role. And really the guy is very smart and talented. Gifted indeed.