Fosse/Verdon

And it does A Chorus Line in ten minutes or so better than the actual movie of A Chorus Line.

 

The movie version of A Chorus Line is horrible. The only way to see it is on stage.
As others have said, this was a great series, it pulled no punches, and both principles were marvelous. Michelle Williams nailed Verdon perfectly, Sam Rockwell had a very difficult task in showing Fosse warts and all but still at least somewhat sympathetic, and he more than rose to the occasion. Also loved Broadway stalwart Norbert Leo Butz as Paddy Chayefsky. Lin Manuel Miranda showing up the end was a lovely surprise.

 

I didn't see Versace, but I'll have to check that out.

 

I love All That Jazz. I think it's brilliant, and I didn't realize one of the things I love about the film was something I never took into account until @Vidiot's excellent post about the editing. The "On Broadway" opening sequence is really one of the greatest sequences on film, in my opinion. The music, the editing, the dancing, just stunning. It perfectly sets up the film. You learn so much about Gideon/Fosse in that first sequence. It's also one of those films that perfectly captures what it must have been like in late '70s NYC.

FX has made some fantastic series as mentioned. I really love anthology series. I'm so tired of watching shows that get cancelled quickly (ie. For the People, The Catch, Whiskey Cavalier).

 

I have watched that damn opening scene 50 times (maybe more) over the years, and it is absolutely stunning: no dialogue, no sound effects, just the visuals and that song.

About the only thing that's off in All That Jazz is that it's very obvious that Roy Scheider can't dance, and they do their best to hide that by putting him behind furniture and props, or just having him hold women when they do their moves during rehearsal. In Fosse/Verdon, they did manage to get Sam Rockwell (or stand-ins) do some pretty good dance moves when necessary, enough to convince the audience, "yeah, this is the real guy."

 

Thanks for this Thread, OP!
Loved Fosse/Verdon!!!
It was tv highlight while on. Tuned in mainly for the actors...knew both Michelle Williams and Sam Rockwell to be outstanding & their performances in this were stupendous!!! Michelle W. especially spot-on!

Will be missing it, now that it's over. But, consoling myself w/some BBC/ITV DVDs recently purchased.
Continuing Luther (Season 3). Know it's on BBC America Season 5. I may watch simultaneously; not decided yet. Just completed Life on Mars (Series 1). Started The Fall, just finished Travelers (Canadian/US joint venture Netflix streamed series) & just watched 1st episode of Humans...that's VG+ lineup. US tv programming, just not great of late, IMO. I'm finding, esp. after viewing Brit. shows, that US series cram dialogue in, where sometimes space works, letting tension build, characters & scenes develop. US shows can come off frantic, in comparison.

I think that's 1 reason Fosse/Verdon so good, in addition to the story, writing, production & cast, is that they give the actors time/space.

Versace was excellent, as well. Trust yet another terrific FX series!!!! Didn't even realize how big a portion of my tv viewing FX has had. And, re: Trust....Michelle Williams was in movie version same story: All The Money In The World. I saw Trust first. If I had to choose, I'd go w/Trust, though both are excellent.

 

Darren Criss is uh - MAZE - ing in this.

 

I actually just saw the film for the first time last night, in a theatrical presentation of a 35mm print. Remarkably, up until about three days ago, I didn't even have a sense of who Fosse was. I enjoyed it, to a significant extent because of, rather than in spite of, what looks like just about the most time-bound costume and set design I think I've ever seen. Some of the dancing -- and I'm not a connoisseur of this, but it's so good even I can tell -- is incredible. The editing, as you point out, in the big production numbers especially, is phenomenal (although in a few slower moments, I found it abrupt and choppy).

The print shown last night was fairly intact visually, it seemed, with some scratches at the beginning of a couple reels, but good resolution. The yellowness you're seeing in the Criterion release was if anything a bit worse in the print I saw last night. (I am skimming through the Blu-ray, which actually had been sitting on my shelf for a couple years, unopened, while I write this.) I'm sure you're right that the new master is the best the film has ever looked on home video. Same with the sound. Unfortunately the print I saw last night sounded terrible, like an AM radio broadcast almost out of range, and the projectionist no doubt felt he needed to turn up the volume so that half the dialogue wouldn't be obliterated. The most unfortunate result was that my hearing was obliterated by "Bye-Bye Life," which is a shame because there are some interesting layers to that musical number, but all I heard last night for the final four minutes or so sounded like a high-pitched trash compactor. Anyhow, all this does make me interested to see some of the new TV show. Fosse's world seems both near (it was the New York I was first exposed to) and distant, and appealing thus in both respects.

 

Well, bear in mind it won the Oscar for Best Editing and All That Jazz is currently #4 on the all-time best-edited feature films list by the Editors Guild:

Editors Guild Selects 75 Best Edited Films of All Time - ComingSoon.net

I'm glad to hear that the slightly-yellow look may have been intentional by the filmmakers, because other than that, the Blu-ray was spectacular. The dance numbers are jaw-dropping, just phenomenal in terms of editing.

As I think I said before, to this day, I often look in the mirror and say, "it showtime, folks!" Particularly when I have a tough day ahead.

 

Neat list. Makes me want to watch again some of the films on it just to think about editing. And I can't help but notice that of the films in the top 10, "All That Jazz" is probably the only one that is not a regular on the various "all-time best" lists -- which to my mind makes its presence on this list even more legitimate.

Hopefully without a cig in your mouth.

 

No, but I do take an exhausted shower and put in eyedrops, no lie.

 

and then you say.........."

 

Am I the only one nowadays when I see the “Airotica” dance scene in “All That Jazz” hears Paula Abdul’s “cold hearted snake”?

 

Nope. I don't remember that video, but when I told a friend I was going to see the movie, she made the same comparison.

 

No amphetamines, but I confess to living on 5-Hour Energy drinks and/or coffee. "It's showtime, folks!"

 

Inspired casting. Good to see Sam Rockwell adding to his dancing reel.

 

Just finished this series and found it to be excellent and highly recommend even though I was not into musicals or familiar w/ the history of Fosse or Verdon!
Both Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams were outstanding and deserving of some awards this year if they haven't already.

 

Michelle won basically every "Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie" in existence: Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, Critic's Choice, Satellite, Television Critics. Sam was nominated for most of those; he won the SAG.

 

Thanks for that info; guess I missed it.

 

Sam Rockwell dancing to Saint Motel "My Type" wasn't on that reel & it's terrific! It was in his movie w/Anna Kendrick: "Mr. Right" - fun & quirky dark rom-com/crime story!
He did a video separate from the official music video. Highly recommend the movie! (I'd left my comments re: Fosse/Verdon earlier.


- Sam Rockwell/My Type
Mr.Right : My Type( SAINT MOTEL) - Mr. Right "My Type"
Mr. Right Official Trailer #1 (2016) - Anna Kendrick, Sam Rockwell Comedy HD - Mr. Right movie trailer
Looks like this is the actual music video: Different band/song: Flight Facilities "Down To Earth" (much prefer Saint Motel. Their official music video, though, is quite well-done-fella's in band met @ film school & their music video's showcase this creativity & background.)
Sam Rockwell Dances His Way Through a Diner in New Music Video — GeekTyrant
SAINT MOTEL - My Type (Official Video) - Saint Motel official music video.