Threaded Order Chronological Order
| A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: Valalala 08:33 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Not sure why there are no posts yet, but I'm willing to be the one putting her throat on the chopping block. This absolutely sucks. | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: mattyp4 01:18 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Valalala 08:33 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| I wasn't home last night so I only got around to watching it this morning. I liked it. I'm not sure why it's garnering such bad reviews online and on social media. But I think it comes down to one thing: It's a musical. The common television viewer just doesn't seem to like musicals. Most of the (vitriolic) comments I read online had to do with the fact that there were songs. But even some of the critical reviews were a little puzzling to me. Like when Variety called Matthew Broderick's narrator "creepy." I get that some people take umbrage with having a narrator as a storytelling device, but "creepy?" The only thing I hated was that Bebe Rexa song at the very beginning. I think it was a bad move starting the show with that jarring contemporary song. But after that I found the production quite nice. The cast was excellent-- especially Chris Diamantopoulos, Jane Krakowski and Andy Waken (the kid who played Ralphie). I didn't notice too many flubbed lines by Matthew Broderick-- only one. And I didn't mind the (very few) technical glitches. The Variety reviewer complained about them, most notably the camera going out of focus during a pivotal moment in "A Major Award," but honestly, it wasn't that big a deal. I feel like it's just par for the course with these live musicals... especially now that they're getting very technically advanced. I prefer the more intimate soundstage productions (Sound of Music; The Wiz) over the big, splashy Hollywood lot productions (Grease; Hairspray), but I still think the latter musicals are impressive feats. People just love to shit on these things and I still don't really know why, except for the fact that musicals don't sit well with a lot of people. Part of me wishes they would go back to the smaller soundstage productions but I feel like there's no looking back. Grease set the bar high and now they all have to be on huge Hollywood back lots. (Part of me feels like they should just film a movie at that point rather than broadcast a live production.) |
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| Reviews: Metacritic Scores "A Christmas Story: Live!" 61 Out Of 100 | |
| Last Edit: pierce 02:51 am EST 12/19/17 | |
| Posted by: pierce 02:49 am EST 12/19/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - mattyp4 01:18 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
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| The reviews were all over the place for A Christmas Story: Live! But Metacritic has catalogued them and, based on their rating system, given the telecast a score of 61 out of 100; this places it in the category of receiving "generally favorable" reviews, although just barely - if the point total had come to 60, it would have landed in the "mixed or average" reviews category. As the linked reviews indicate, the telecast wasn't universally panned; indeed, there were some very favorable notices - just as there were some very negative ones. However, there's no question the show was a ratings dud. |
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| Link | A Christmas Story: Live! |
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| Criticizing Metacritic | |
| Last Edit: WaymanWong 11:28 am EST 12/19/17 | |
| Posted by: WaymanWong 11:24 am EST 12/19/17 | |
| In reply to: Reviews: Metacritic Scores "A Christmas Story: Live!" 61 Out Of 100 - pierce 02:49 am EST 12/19/17 | |
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| One of my issues with Metacritic (or Rotten Tomatoes) that it reduces ALL reviews to the same numerical weight. So a review from Variety or the N.Y. Times counts as much as a review from some obscure website? Not in my book. Also, the score will vary on how many reviews Metacritic collects. As you point out, the Metacritic score for ''A Christmas Story Live!'' got 61, barely getting a ''generally favorable'' rating. And yet missing in Metacritic's compilation (of 11 reviews) is Jeremy Gerard's pan at Deadline.com (''180-minute slog''), which clearly would've driven its rating lower. But another issue is who rates or scores these reviews? ''At three hours, it kind of felt like the Christmas parable that would never end. Though the music is written by Broadway’s golden team of Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (Dear Evan Hansen), the score never really rises above feeling like a passably generic theme-park musical.'' That's from Caroline Siede's review from the A.V. Club, which was clearly mixed, but labeled as ''positive.'' And Hank Stuever's withering pan from the Washington Post, calling the show ''tedious'' and ''overblown,'' was scored as simply ''mixed.'' |
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| The Pros and Cons of Metacritic | |
| Posted by: pierce 02:29 am EST 12/20/17 | |
| In reply to: Criticizing Metacritic - WaymanWong 11:24 am EST 12/19/17 | |
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| So a review from Variety or the N.Y. Times counts as much as a review from some obscure website? Don't know what you're talking about. I've seen obscure websites on Rotten Tomatoes (with absurd names like "Planet Sick Boy" and "Too Much Caffeine") but I've never seen anything remotely comparable on Metacritic. Some sources are certainly higher profile than others, but at least I recognize all of them. And though I never program my brain according to reviews, I do appreciate the fact that Metacritic has five categories for a film's critical reception (they are "Universal Acclaim," "Generally Favorable Reviews," "Mixed or Average Reviews," "Generally Unfavorable Reviews" and "Universal Dislke"). These categories, though imperfect, do a better job of describing how a film has been received than by simply labeling them as "Fresh" or "Rotten" - as Rotten Tomatoes does. In addition, I've linked the page Metacritic provides which explains their rating/scoring system. One can always quibble with aspects of that system, but at least they're offering a glimpse into how they score the reviews. As for the reviews from the AV Club and Washington Post, I can see why they've been placed in their respective categories; you've cherry-picked various criticisms but left out the positive things mentioned by both critics. And while I believe the numerical score for the AV Club review is generous (I'd put in in the low 60s and not 75), I still believe it's a favorable review - though definitely a mild one. The review's headline states that A Christmas Story Live! "At least manages not to shoot its eye out' and quickly qualifies it as "a pretty good production of a so-so musical." Finally, after carping about numerous elements while allowing that most of the cast is "suitably adorable," the review concludes with "As reheated holiday leftovers go, A Christmas Story Live! just about hits the spot." As for the Washington Post, I don't believe it's a "withering pan," as you called it - I think it's a mixed review, but definitely on the lower side of that scale (as the numerical score of 40 indicates). Stuever's objections to the production are clearly stated, but he also says "Still, no permanent harm done; the musical didn't commit any outright heresies against the original film". Toward the end of the review, in describing the show's Chinese restaurant sequence, he notes "and this is where A Christmas Story Live! finally found its voice." He also adds that, to the telecast's credit, that it "successfully made room for all Americans." As a disclaimer, I'd like to point out I didn't see the musical version of A Christmas Story (either on stage or on TV), and - facts be known - I never cared for the 1983 film it was based on. All I wanted to do was point out that Sunday's television broadcast received some good reviews - which it did, as the link in my original post proves. |
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| Link | The Scoring System for Metacritic |
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| re: The Pros and Cons of Metacritic | |
| Last Edit: WaymanWong 12:56 pm EST 12/20/17 | |
| Posted by: WaymanWong 12:50 pm EST 12/20/17 | |
| In reply to: The Pros and Cons of Metacritic - pierce 02:29 am EST 12/20/17 | |
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| The Washington Post was predominantly critical, so I excerpted what I thought reflected the tenor of the review. (Nor did you address the omission of Deadine.com's unflattering review, which would've lowered the score.) I never denied that the TV ''Christmas Story'' got ANY good reviews, but a number of the major ones were indeed negative. As my disclaimer, I've written and edited theater reviews during a lifetime on major newspapers, so I view this through my prism. For the record, I've seen the original ''A Christmas Story'' movie, the Broadway musical and, of course, the TV adaptation. ;) |
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| re: The Pros and Cons of Metacritic | |
| Last Edit: pierce 04:57 pm EST 12/20/17 | |
| Posted by: pierce 04:50 pm EST 12/20/17 | |
| In reply to: re: The Pros and Cons of Metacritic - WaymanWong 12:50 pm EST 12/20/17 | |
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| The omission of Deadline.com is a matter for the creators of Metacritic to deal with. But given your earlier complaint about obscure websites being judged on the same level as major publications, it's funny to hear you pushing for the inclusion of Deadline.com; I know who they are, but they're the closest thing to an obscure website that might appear on Metacritic. And no, you didn't deny that A Christmas Story Live! got good reviews. I never said you did. But as this thread confirms, you posted the first negative review the show received, then followed that up with another one (adding that it received a number of negative reviews). There's nothing wrong with reporting that a show got bad notices, but why not give equal time to the positive ones? It's only fair. And you did omit the grudgingly favorable comments in the Washington Post review that clearly influenced Metacitic's decision to label it "mixed" (albeit with the lowest possible score in that category). You may not be aware of it, but you're coming across like a cheerleader for the bad reviews. Like I said, I don't think Metacritic is perfect. I do, however, feel it's the best game in town; it's definitely a better barometer of a film's critical reception than Rotten Tomatoes. |
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| As For Broderick's "Creepy" Narrator... | |
| Posted by: pierce 03:22 am EST 12/19/17 | |
| In reply to: Reviews: Metacritic Scores "A Christmas Story: Live!" 61 Out Of 100 - pierce 02:49 am EST 12/19/17 | |
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| A staff writer for Yahoo News wrote a goofy, tongue-in-cheek examination of Broderick's sinister character. And it's pretty funny... | |
| Link | A Terrifying Descent Into Madness |
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| What is the point of doing "Live"? | |
| Posted by: Kaoru 10:59 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Valalala 08:33 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| I'm on West Coast, so when the show started, of course it was not live. But I still wasn't sure if the show was broadcast "Live" originally. Did they want to replicate "live theatre" feeling? Or back in the day, all the broadcast were televised "live"? Whatever it was, "Live" really didn't add anything valuable through the screen to me. | |
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| re: What is the point of doing "Live"? | |
| Posted by: twocents 11:19 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: What is the point of doing "Live"? - Kaoru 10:59 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| It's a whole different energy! It's thrilling, live wire, tight rope performances. Fun to see how cast reacts to each other's flubs. Chris just piled on to Maya's last night instead of sweeping it under the rug, for example. | |
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| re: What is the point of doing "Live"? | |
| Posted by: Kaoru 04:50 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: What is the point of doing "Live"? - twocents 11:19 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| Are you being sarcastic? It wasn't thrilling to me. So it's more for the cast than for the audience to enjoy?? | |
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| re: What is the point of doing "Live"? | |
| Posted by: twocents 11:53 am EST 12/21/17 | |
| In reply to: re: What is the point of doing "Live"? - Kaoru 04:50 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
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| I enjoyed the adrenaline rush the cast had; it came through. I've also been on TV sets, but never during a live telecast. So I got a lot out of imagining being in their shoes too. | |
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| re: What is the point of doing "Live"? | |
| Posted by: mikem 12:58 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: What is the point of doing "Live"? - twocents 11:19 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| The way people consume television has dramatically changed in just the past couple of years. There's a lot of delayed viewing, which the advertisers don't necessarily pay for in the same way as live viewing. So the networks have turned to more and more "event programming," and one way to try to get the audience to watch the actual broadcast is if it's live. While the ratings were not great, I wonder if Fox thinks they are good enough. They programmed against a huge football game, and so close to Christmas means that people are distracted with shopping and parties, so I think they would have expected lower ratings. They got a 20%+ bump over their usual Sunday ratings. |
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| re: What is the point of doing "Live"? | |
| Posted by: twocents 11:55 am EST 12/21/17 | |
| In reply to: re: What is the point of doing "Live"? - mikem 12:58 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
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| I sampled the game for about thirty seconds during each commercial. It was a doozy. The competition had powerhouse programming. Plus the shopping and parties. It was tough getting myself to sit down promptly at seven. But worth it. | |
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| Ratings: 'Christmas Story' gets thumped by NFL game; beat by 'Sound of Music,' too | |
| Last Edit: WaymanWong 11:42 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| Posted by: WaymanWong 11:41 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: What is the point of doing "Live"? - twocents 11:19 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| Deadline.com reports, not surprisingly, that the night's big winner was CBS' ''Sunday Football Live'' with a 12.3 rating. Fox's ''A Christmas Story Live'' scored a ''mere 2.8,'' and beaten by 7% by ABC's annual encore of ''The Sound of Music'' (1965 movie). ''A Christmas Story'' was down 62% from Fox's ratings for its last live musical, ''Grease.'' |
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| Link | Deadline.com: 'Sunday Night Football' Ratings Up; Low 'Christmas Story Live!' Topped by 'Sound of Music' Encore |
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| Meanwhile, let's give it up for the hunky hotness of Chris Diamantopoulos. | |
| Posted by: GrumpyMorningBoy 10:43 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Valalala 08:33 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| I've had such a crush on that boy since I saw him play Marius in LES MIZ on on Broadway oh, so so long ago. I mean, look at that pic, linked below. That is some smokin' Greek hotness! - GMB |
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| Link | Chris Diamantopoulos |
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| re: Meanwhile, let's give it up for the hunky hotness of Chris Diamantopoulos. | |
| Posted by: SRMHAYES 09:17 am EST 12/19/17 | |
| In reply to: Meanwhile, let's give it up for the hunky hotness of Chris Diamantopoulos. - GrumpyMorningBoy 10:43 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| GODDAMN!!!!! | |
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| re: Meanwhile, let's give it up for the hunky hotness of Chris Diamantopoulos. | |
| Posted by: MarjorieMae 05:46 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: Meanwhile, let's give it up for the hunky hotness of Chris Diamantopoulos. - GrumpyMorningBoy 10:43 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| For a second I thought it was NPH. | |
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| re: Meanwhile, let's give it up for the hunky hotness of Chris Diamantopoulos. | |
| Posted by: SRMHAYES 09:18 am EST 12/19/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Meanwhile, let's give it up for the hunky hotness of Chris Diamantopoulos. - MarjorieMae 05:46 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
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| HOW could you have thought that???? That man has MUSCLES!!!! | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: AnObserver 09:47 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Valalala 08:33 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Somewhere in this thread it's mentioned that Scott Ellis was the director. If that's the case, why does imdb say the director is one Alex Rudzinski? I would put the link if I could. | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: TMGnyc 11:52 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - AnObserver 09:47 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| Scott Ellis directed the performance. Alex Rudzinski directed the show. They work together to put the performances and the camera work together but Alex calls the shots that are used during the Live telecast. | |
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| Variety's review of 'A Christmas Story Live!': 'Ill-conceived, choppy and creepy' | |
| Last Edit: WaymanWong 12:44 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| Posted by: WaymanWong 12:43 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Valalala 08:33 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Link | Variety: TV review of 'A Christmas Story Live!' on Fox |
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| re: Variety's review of 'A Christmas Story Live!': 'Ill-conceived, choppy and creepy' | |
| Posted by: twocents 11:25 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: Variety's review of 'A Christmas Story Live!': 'Ill-conceived, choppy and creepy' - WaymanWong 12:43 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| poor Flick (JJ Batteast) pulled his supposedly stuck tongue off the pole just when the camera zoomed in on it. Yes! Keep your damn tongue on the pole as that is what the scene requires! I know he's just thirteen or whatever, but he was in rehearsals for nine weeks! |
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| re: Variety's review of 'A Christmas Story Live!': 'Ill-conceived, choppy and creepy' | |
| Posted by: SRMHAYES 09:28 am EST 12/19/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Variety's review of 'A Christmas Story Live!': 'Ill-conceived, choppy and creepy' - twocents 11:25 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| I could keep my tongue on the pole!!!! | |
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| re: Variety's review of 'A Christmas Story Live!': 'Ill-conceived, choppy and creepy' | |
| Posted by: Teacher64 03:38 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Variety's review of 'A Christmas Story Live!': 'Ill-conceived, choppy and creepy' - twocents 11:25 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| I don't think it was Batteast's fault. It was more of a technical glitch. I think they may have used a vacuum like they did in the movie to make the kid's tongue stick to the pole. They used something because Batteast's tongue was clearly sticking to the pole. But Batteast not only had to scream with his tongue on the pole, he had to SING. And he had to do it LIVE, unlike the film where they could use the takes that worked. I saw an interview with one of the producers during one of the breaks and he was asked, "What are you most nervous about?". His response was "Would the tongue stick to the pole?". His nervousness seemed to suggest (and he somewhat verified) that this had been a problem during rehearsal. It would have worked better if the camera had not gone in for so many tight closeups on the kid while he was stuck. The tongue came off the pole at least 3 times that I saw, and they were all during closeups. Medium or wide shots would not have given it away. | |
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| re: Variety's review of 'A Christmas Story Live!': 'Ill-conceived, choppy and creepy' | |
| Posted by: twocents 11:23 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: Variety's review of 'A Christmas Story Live!': 'Ill-conceived, choppy and creepy' - WaymanWong 12:43 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| In an inspired bit of consumerism, the musical designed a ‘40s-era Old Navy storefront to nestle next to Higbee’s. Man, was this ever cheesy. I was downright annoyed! |
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| re: Variety's review of 'A Christmas Story Live!': 'Ill-conceived, choppy and creepy' | |
| Posted by: SRMHAYES 09:30 am EST 12/19/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Variety's review of 'A Christmas Story Live!': 'Ill-conceived, choppy and creepy' - twocents 11:23 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| Caught it.....thought it was pretty cheap and sleazy. | |
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| "It only ran for a month"? Really? | |
| Posted by: TimDunleavy 10:06 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: Variety's review of 'A Christmas Story Live!': 'Ill-conceived, choppy and creepy' - WaymanWong 12:43 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| You'd think someone who writes for Variety would know that Christmas shows close at the end of December. Ah well. One thing I noticed this morning - in a thread about on Antenna TV's Facebook page - is that because it was advertised as "A Christmas Story Live" and not "A Christmas Story THE MUSICAL Live," people were NOT expecting a musical - and when the songs started, they felt betrayed. "I don't like musicals. I was so excited for this to come on and then BAM... It's a musical..." wrote one viewer. And she was definitely not alone. |
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| re: "It only ran for a month"? Really? | |
| Posted by: twocents 11:28 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: "It only ran for a month"? Really? - TimDunleavy 10:06 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| Egads, the betrayal! Et tu, Fox! It's worth watching for the live performance alone IMO. There's enough star power, too. | |
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| And what a number to begin with. | |
| Last Edit: Delvino 10:09 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| Posted by: Delvino 10:08 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: "It only ran for a month"? Really? - TimDunleavy 10:06 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| It was a 90s Gap commercial, repurposed to "make sure" no one under 26 changed the channel. It has the opposite impact: it took the very reason we tuned in -- for double nostalgia (both the era of the film, and whatever era we individually fell in love with it) and pretended we needed to be kicked in the ass and reminded it's really 2017. It completely meta-ized a piece of material that didn't require it, and upstaged a genuinely workable format, Broderick's character weaving into his own childhood. It was thus framed twice -- imagine, say a producer waltzing out before the Stage Manager in OUR TOWN -- and it was dreadful. Whoever thought of it should be fired and sent back to advertising. And the song was among the most unmemorable of pop ditties. It set up the Old Navy-ization, per Ann's points (and many on Facebook, who were truly appalled.) |
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| re: And what a number to begin with. | |
| Posted by: SRMHAYES 09:32 am EST 12/19/17 | |
| In reply to: And what a number to begin with. - Delvino 10:08 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| It was TERRIBLE. Who IS that woman? What a gaffe! | |
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| re: And what a number to begin with. | |
| Posted by: gothamplaygoer 12:01 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: And what a number to begin with. - Delvino 10:08 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| It certainly got the evening off to a bad start. As someone who loves the Broadway version of the musical, I was deeply disheartened by what transpired last night. Stretching the evening to three hours with added numbers and, worst of all, those "behind the scenes" segments that destroyed what little momentum the show was generating, was a big mistake. The pace of the first half was glacial. I missed the terrific kid tap dancer and the zany leg lamp number. Matthew Broderick lacked a light touch. On the plus side, Chris Diamantopoulos was a revelation, Jane Krakowski was, as always, an asset and the pace did pick up towards the end. The Chinese restaurant scene was cleverly handled. I fear that the friends that I enthusiastically urged to watch it will wonder why. | |
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| re: And what a number to begin with. | |
| Posted by: twocents 11:31 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: And what a number to begin with. - Delvino 10:08 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| imagine, say a producer waltzing out before the Stage Manager in OUR TOWN Great point. Hell, I loved the song anyway. I simply enjoyed the ride. They got it out of their system and delivered us to the 1940s anyway. |
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| re: And what a number to begin with. | |
| Posted by: MarjorieMae 10:41 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: And what a number to begin with. - Delvino 10:08 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| If that opening number was an Old Navy ad then the Greatest Showman ad was a Dr. Pepper street number ad from the 70's (I'm a Pepper). | |
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| Well, that was pretty nasty... | |
| Posted by: garyd 01:11 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: Variety's review of 'A Christmas Story Live!': 'Ill-conceived, choppy and creepy' - WaymanWong 12:43 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| and not necessary. Not to mention pompous and condescending. I think we can all articulate personal critiques much more incisive. | |
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| re: Well, that was pretty nasty... | |
| Posted by: Delvino 07:04 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: Well, that was pretty nasty... - garyd 01:11 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| I enjoyed it, especially its ending, which earned tears and paid off Broderick with a lovely fade out. But. But ... this part is so true, it's startlingly accurate; "But the production seemed to gyrate around them dizzyingly. The camera swooped through dream sequences, the Parker house, Ralphie’s classroom, and Cleveland Street with enthusiasm — but it felt disorienting, too, as if the camerawork was desperately trying to keep everything interesting. The constant cuts to commercial break didn’t help, especially because Old Navy — the show’s major sponsor — produced commercials that featured singing and dancing, just like the show itself." |
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| re: Well, that was pretty nasty... | |
| Posted by: Ann 08:20 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Well, that was pretty nasty... - Delvino 07:04 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| Not to mention Old Navy's anachronistic product placement. Boo. | |
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| re: Well, that was pretty nasty... | |
| Posted by: WaymanWong 11:44 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Well, that was pretty nasty... - Ann 08:20 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| Jeremy Gerard in his Deadline.com review: ''There was an Old Navy shop in the town square, too – er, 1940?'' | |
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| re: Well, that was pretty nasty... | |
| Posted by: twocents 11:33 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Well, that was pretty nasty... - Ann 08:20 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| That storefront drove me crazy! A total WTH moment. | |
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| re: Well, that was pretty nasty... | |
| Posted by: Teacher64 03:45 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Well, that was pretty nasty... - twocents 11:33 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| Believe it or not, there were stores in the "olden days" (not sure how far back) that were referred to as "Army/Navy Stores" which sold surplus military style clothing and goods. I figured they were going for that. | |
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| re: Well, that was pretty nasty... | |
| Posted by: ryhog 08:58 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Well, that was pretty nasty... - Teacher64 03:45 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
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| there still are. (not sure how that relates to the complaint though.) |
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| Variety wasn't the only nasty review ... | |
| Last Edit: WaymanWong 02:15 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| Posted by: WaymanWong 02:11 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: Well, that was pretty nasty... - garyd 01:11 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| Kelly Lawler's pan in USA Today features the headline: 'A Christmas Story' shoots its own eye out. And Lawler gave it 1-and-a-half stars out of 4: ''Although the cast is quite appealing and the show well staged (with hardly a hiccup or blooper), it couldn't liven up the flat material. A three-hour runtime made it a slog, and the musical was overstuffed with songs, some added from the 2009 Broadway musical adapted from it (by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul). Jokes were too far apart and never seemed to land. The added songs were too sugary sweet for the irreverent story, and as a whole package, it felt tonally dissonant and a little dull. ... Child actors were sweet and talented but overused, bordering on grating.'' Jeremy Gerard at Deadline.com: ''The revised book by Jonathan Tolins and Robert Cary drained whatever momentum and slyness wasn’t already leached out by that 180-minute slog. ... There’s no plot to speak of: Kid wants gun, kid gets gun. The meat is in the atmospherics, and in removing the fun, along with any suggestion of perspective, 'A Christmas Story' is a bust. Dad is an obscenity-spewing blowhard who gets off on the female-leg lamp he won in a crossword contest. His transition to loving father in the last seconds of the show was tough to swallow. A beloved scene in which a boy ends up with his tongue frozen to a lamp-post is as unappealing as this description of it. Where’s Harvey Fierstein when you need him? Although the master designer William Ivey Long is credited with the costumes, they appeared to be off-the-rack from Old Navy, the show’s main sponsor.'' Hank Stuever in the Washington Post: Packed too densely with needless smarm and excess songs, “A Christmas Story Live” stretched itself to three precisely executed but tedious hours Sunday night — including gobs of commercials, one of which was a live song-and-dance commercial for 20th Century Fox’s new musical film “The Greatest Showman,” which reeked instantly of box-office desperation and enforced synergy. Other commercials (Old Navy, in particular) were so full of song-and-dance nonsense that it made the experience of watching “A Christmas Story Live” seem that much longer. I like musicals ... [but] 'A Christmas Story Live' had a too-gooey center and a phony sense of seasonal exuberance.'' |
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| Link | Washington Post: Fox's overblown 'Christmas Story Live' (complete review) |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Last Edit: Delvino 09:04 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| Posted by: Delvino 09:01 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Valalala 08:33 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| See mine in the Geyster thread. Let me start with: why begin a show employing a built-in narrator...with a framing device (featuring a dreadful generic pop song). They hired Broderick as the star but don’t trust him as our point of access? The kids are fine. Way too much Krakowski (and she is a gifted triple threat). And poor Rudolph cannot score many points in the first 90 minutes. She is badly costumed, too. But she’s simple and straightforward and refuses to overcook. Two hours in, the material is finally less aggressively rendered. Holding on for the last chunk. |
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| Last 15 minutes kinda wonderful. | |
| Posted by: Delvino 09:57 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Delvino 09:01 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Tears after all. The restaurant scene was as clever as it needed to be and the final moments - the dropped mitten - Broderick got me. | |
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| I agree there, too | |
| Last Edit: Ann 08:16 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| Posted by: Ann 08:15 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: Last 15 minutes kinda wonderful. - Delvino 09:57 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| I felt this version was a warmer one, especially because of the ending (that is, the ending without the pop song again). I haven't seen the musical on stage, just the original film. Chris Diamantopoulos was new to me, and quite a song and dance man. |
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| re: I agree there, too | |
| Posted by: Deirdre 10:40 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: I agree there, too - Ann 08:15 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| I know him from "Silicon Valley" but he was the star for me. I thought he was absolutely terrific. We loved the show when it was on Broadway a few years ago. I didn't love this TV version (I haven't loved any of the live TV musicals) - but I really enjoyed him. Thought he was terrific - made the part his own, but paid homage to Darren McGavin too. | |
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| re: Last 15 minutes kinda wonderful. | |
| Posted by: twocents 10:01 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: Last 15 minutes kinda wonderful. - Delvino 09:57 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| It was such a special reunion. Gotta love it. | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 09:13 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Delvino 09:01 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Maya Rudolph has been great imho | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: Ann 09:11 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Delvino 09:01 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| I missed the first 8 minutes. What was the framing device? | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: Naughty_Rob 09:45 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Ann 09:11 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Before the show started they had a fabulous new Christmas song to get everyone in the holiday mood! Looked like a fun MTV video from the 90s that ended with dancers in the pink bunny costume. Very cute. |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: twocents 10:17 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Naughty_Rob 09:45 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Bebe Rexha. Song is so catchy! | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Last Edit: Delvino 09:36 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| Posted by: Delvino 09:30 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Ann 09:11 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| A sort of 90’s GAP commercial (eerily). And: Why send the actors out at commercials, breaking the 4th wall, to talk about the experience? Can’t we suspend disbelief til it’s over? Imagine Mary Martin explaining Tinkerbelle? Lock us in. Let the magic rule til 10. Too old school? Guilty as charged. |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: Ann 09:59 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Delvino 09:30 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Ok, I can picture that. I didn't like the interspersing of behind the scenes bits, either. But I loved how they handled the controversial scene -"What were you expecting?" Definitely my favorite of all the Live!s. |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: twocents 09:45 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Delvino 09:30 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| I'm torn on this. I do love the nuggets of info and the delivery is charming. | |
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| There's a reason curtain calls are withheld until the end. | |
| Posted by: Delvino 06:59 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - twocents 09:45 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Actors create characters. Our hearts are connected to their plight, not the actors toiling for 2 1/2 months to pull it off. We should see these people as they are in this small town, suspend disbelief until it's over. I started this conversation on my FB page and to a person everyone agreed that the commercial annotations were distracting and only made the whole thing feel meta in the worst sense. We can hear about the production challenges at the end, in a half hour special "Making 'Christmas Story Live'". I loathed this. I feel as strongly about this as almost anything I post. It'll ruin the way the industry sells its wares. I'll say it again: Imagine if Mary Martin appeared to tell us how hard the lost boys had worked for weeks to pull this off. And why, that Tinkerbelle is a light, projected from up there! So much for magic. And yeah, magic counts. Magic is what storytelling is about. |
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| re: There's a reason curtain calls are withheld until the end. | |
| Posted by: twocents 11:43 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: There's a reason curtain calls are withheld until the end. - Delvino 06:59 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| We can hear about the production challenges at the end, in a half hour special "Making 'Christmas Story Live'" I would have preferred this too! Doubt Fox would have tossed us that bone, however. Heck, I'd watch this footage online if they made it available though. I guess I'm too used to being manipulated that I cease to even get my hackles up anymore. |
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| re: There's a reason curtain calls are withheld until the end. | |
| Posted by: Delvino 07:20 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: There's a reason curtain calls are withheld until the end. - Delvino 06:59 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| I wasn't alone. The review: "And as if to painfully wrench the audience out of any suspension of disbelief it may have had, almost every bumper to commercial break featured little Ralphie’s voice describing the behind-the-scenes production of “A Christmas Story Live.” |
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| re: There's a reason curtain calls are withheld until the end. | |
| Posted by: pfolson 08:33 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: There's a reason curtain calls are withheld until the end. - Delvino 07:20 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| I tend to agree. However, I find it interesting that people didn't seem to mind as much when they did the same thing during GREASE LIVE, including all those shots of the cast racing from one location to another in their golf carts. | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: wasadancer 08:49 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Valalala 08:33 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| because why? | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: Valalala 09:14 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - wasadancer 08:49 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Broderick's narration is predictably wooden and listless. The camera work is handheld/wobbly and inconsistent in its angle and perspective. I suspect they're trying to sometimes invoke the look of a handheld home movie camera of the time, but of course, those shots would be in b & w. It just comes across as really bland and boring to me. | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: Snowysdad 11:09 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Valalala 09:14 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| I'm not sure I agree that Broderick is more wooden than the character is in the movie, but OMG how many times he garbled words and lines. Is this going to be released as a video and if they do, can they redo all his missed words? | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: twocents 09:55 am EST 12/19/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Snowysdad 11:09 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| OMG how many times he garbled words and lines. Yeah. His wife is much more articulate. Apparently nothing has rubbed off, despite decades together! |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: lowwriter 11:59 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Snowysdad 11:09 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| I was working tonight and haven't watched yet but I'm thrilled they rewrote the Chinese restaurant scene. When the show was on Broadway my whole family cringed during that scene. | |
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| Hurrah for getting rid of the 'fa-ra-ra-ra' in the Chinese restaurant scene! | |
| Last Edit: WaymanWong 01:36 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| Posted by: WaymanWong 01:29 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - lowwriter 11:59 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| I also cringed when ''A Christmas Story'' on Broadway (2012) re-created that moment where a Chinese waiter sings ''Fa-ra-ra-ra!'' It was a cheap laugh. And for the record, that issue was raised by the original composer of ''A Christmas Story,'' Scott Davenport Richards, during its tryout at Kansas City Rep in 2009. He said: “I had a very strong feeling that I didn’t want an Asian kid taken to a musical and saying to his parents, ‘Why are they making fun of us?’ '' (Richards would later be replaced by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who admitted the restaurant scene was ''definitely offensive,'' but ''excused'' it because it was in the original 1983 movie, and ''we would be in hot water with a lot of fans'' [if we cut it].'') Happily, wiser heads have prevailed in 2017. The Vulture wrote about how the revisions came about. Ken Jeong, who played the owner of the Chinese restaurant, says director Scott Ellis, producer Marc Platt and writers Robert Cary and Jonathan Tolins updated the script with these changes. Jeong and Ellis made another funny contribution. After the Chinese waiters, some of whom were going to college, sang ''Deck the Halls'' flawlessly and without any hint of accent, Ralphie's father says, ''I wasn't expecting that!'' And Jeong's character says: ''What were you expecting?'' The Vulture article also notes how this Fox production was much more ethnically diverse than the original movie, which was practically all-white. Maya Rudolph, whose mom is African-American, played Ralphie's mother, and David Alan Grier played a Santa who happens to be black. (And Sammy Ramirez played Schwartz, a Jewish kid.) I only wish they had featured a couple of Asian-American kids in some of the musical numbers, but overall, I give them a thumb's-up on casting ''A Christmas Story'' that's more inclusive and reflective of our multicultural times. |
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| Link | Vulture.com: How 'A Christmas Story: Live' tackled that Chinese restaurant scene |
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| re: Hurrah for getting rid of the 'fa-ra-ra-ra' in the Chinese restaurant scene! | |
| Posted by: Delvino 10:27 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: Hurrah for getting rid of the 'fa-ra-ra-ra' in the Chinese restaurant scene! - WaymanWong 01:29 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| I presumed that Randy was bi-racial, or Latinx, and so did several friends who felt (guessed) that may have been Rudolph's (appropriate) request. | |
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| re: Hurrah for getting rid of the 'fa-ra-ra-ra' in the Chinese restaurant scene! | |
| Posted by: mikem 08:36 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: Hurrah for getting rid of the 'fa-ra-ra-ra' in the Chinese restaurant scene! - WaymanWong 01:29 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| I get that Pasek and Paul were unknowns at the time, and this was a big break for them. But I hope that, now that they are in a different place, they would be able to help people come to different conclusions moving forward. My understanding is that the "fa-ra-ra" is optional now; a theater company can delete it if it wants to. |
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| So are current productions of 'A Christmas Story' using the 'fa-ra-ra-ra'? | |
| Last Edit: WaymanWong 11:58 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| Posted by: WaymanWong 11:54 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Hurrah for getting rid of the 'fa-ra-ra-ra' in the Chinese restaurant scene! - mikem 08:36 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| I wish this change weren't optional. I forgot to mention that the original composer of ''A Christmas Story,'' Scott Davenport Richards, who originally registered this complaint about the Chinese restaurant scene, is the son of Tony-winning director Lloyd Richards (''Fences''). He's the recipient of Jonathan Larson and Frederick Loewe Awards, and his work has been done at the Old Globe, the Alliance, etc. Richards also has taught musical theater at Montclair State University, NYU and the Lincoln Center Institute. And Chuck Cooper has performed Richards' songs at 54 Below. And if you go to scottdavenportrichards.com, there's a MP3 of his catchy ''Take That'' from his version of ''A Christmas Story.'' |
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| Link | Official website: Scott Davenport Richards |
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| What about Christmas Eve in "Avenue Q"? | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 01:00 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 12:59 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: So are current productions of 'A Christmas Story' using the 'fa-ra-ra-ra'? - WaymanWong 11:54 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| Wouldn't a substantial part of her role have to be re-written as well? Or at least change some of her consonants? | |
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| re: What about Christmas Eve in "Avenue Q"? | |
| Posted by: SRMHAYES 09:52 am EST 12/19/17 | |
| In reply to: What about Christmas Eve in "Avenue Q"? - PlayWiz 12:59 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
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| " Hula hoops and trumpets and drums, take it all but wait 'til it comes....Harry Truman, Truman Capote and Dewey.....CHOP SUEY" |
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| re: What about Christmas Eve in "Avenue Q"? | |
| Posted by: MarjorieMae 05:53 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: What about Christmas Eve in "Avenue Q"? - PlayWiz 12:59 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
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| I guess we'll find out this coming Sunday night. | |
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| re: What about Christmas Eve in "Avenue Q"? | |
| Last Edit: Ann 01:10 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
| Posted by: Ann 01:08 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: What about Christmas Eve in "Avenue Q"? - PlayWiz 12:59 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
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| If I remember back through the conversations, Christmas Eve is Japanese and speaks semi-broken English like someone who is Japanese would. The waiters in A Christmas Story are Chinese, and they don't make the L-R switch when speaking accented English. Or at least that's part of it. I'm sure Wayman (or his service) will further explain. | |
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| re: What about Christmas Eve in "Avenue Q"? | |
| Posted by: WaymanWong 01:48 am EST 12/19/17 | |
| In reply to: re: What about Christmas Eve in "Avenue Q"? - Ann 01:08 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
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| Ann, that explanation sounded pretty good to me! | |
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| (or his service)! | |
| Posted by: wisebear 03:26 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: What about Christmas Eve in "Avenue Q"? - Ann 01:08 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
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| Glorious. Thanks for the belly laugh! | |
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| re: (or his service)! | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 03:40 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: (or his service)! - wisebear 03:26 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
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| Is that along the lines of someone who once referenced the columnist Rex Reed "or whoever writes his columns"? | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: wasadancer 09:25 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Valalala 09:14 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| respectfully disagree. Not a Broderick fan lately, but he's right for this. And I think the storytelling and camera work are pretty darned great. | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! | |
| Posted by: twocents 09:31 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - wasadancer 09:25 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Loving the dogs as well! So darned cute. | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic | |
| Posted by: Naughty_Rob 08:36 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! - Valalala 08:33 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| I am loving it!!! It’s fantastic |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic | |
| Posted by: twocents 08:39 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic - Naughty_Rob 08:36 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Yup. What's not to love? A couple of tech snafus, granted! | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic | |
| Posted by: keywslt 08:56 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic - twocents 08:39 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| This is Not Live! in South Florida. Some sports type game kept it on delay. We're about 30 minutes later than the rest of you. And holding for some uber-butch violent sports game to wait to see Ana Gasteyer sing that new Hanukkah song is just wrong... DAD! | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic | |
| Posted by: carolinaguy 08:49 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic - twocents 08:39 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| I think it’s an astounding production too. Chris Diamontopoulos is a revelation. | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 09:11 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic - carolinaguy 08:49 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| I'm loving it | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic | |
| Posted by: jhs7521 (jhs7521@aol.com) 09:00 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic - carolinaguy 08:49 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Jane Krakowski can do no wrong. After “A Christmas Story Live” and “Grease Live,” Marc Platt should produce any live musical on television. | |
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| Jane! | |
| Posted by: Carol2 07:46 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic - jhs7521 09:00 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Agree about Jane. I especially loved the tap scene. I warmed up to the show over time and am glad I watched it. (Never liked the movie) |
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| re: Jane! | |
| Posted by: mamaleh 09:01 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: Jane! - Carol2 07:46 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| Agree Krakowski was great. I missed Caroline O'Connor's snazzy red dress, though, a reflection of what connotes naughty or racy in a child's mind. The white dress was pretty, but I think it obscured some of the song's intention. Didn't much like the first half at least, but it got better as the minutes progressed. I'd seen only the original cast of WAITRESS, so I wasn't prepared for Chris D.'s snappy, marvelous song-and-dance performance. I think I'd seen him only as Moe in that awful Three Stooges movie a few years ago. Kudos to him. And Ana Gasteyer was another very bright aspect of the show. Overall I still prefer the original movie and the Broadway version several years ago: more charming, less frenetic. |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic Marc Platt should produce any live musical on television. | |
| Posted by: Thom915 10:28 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic - jhs7521 09:00 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Definitely doing a better job than Zadon and Meron! I found this to be a trifle frantic for my tastes, preferring instead a lower key approach such as the recent and simple telecast of She Loves Me on Great Performances but as far as the "Live" performance series done on NBC and Fox, this was probably the best yet. The kids were extremely talented and appealing (Somewhere Hovering Over Indiana was terrific) and the adults were fine. Broderick especially turned in the best job he has in quite a while. I thought the Chinese restaurant twist was brilliant and the ending was very effective. Congratulations to all! And a very Merry Christmas! | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic Marc Platt should produce any live musical on television. | |
| Last Edit: WaymanWong 02:35 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| Posted by: WaymanWong 02:29 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic Marc Platt should produce any live musical on television. - Thom915 10:28 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| The Roundabout's ''She Loves Me'' and Fox's TV ''A Christmas Story'' both featured the delightful Jane Krakowski ... and have Christmas scenes, but they are worlds apart. To me, ''She Loves Me'' is a gem of musical comedy, written by Masteroff, Bock and Harnick, and its lovely, lilting songs are based on compelling, multi-dimensional characters, arise organically from the dramatic situations and burst with charm and wit. ... To me, however, ''A Christmas Story'' is an overlong, anecdotal children's musical with too many extraneous and inconsequential numbers. On Broadway, I thought it deserved to be a cute 90-minute show, so a 3-hour TV version was really stretching its nearly nonexistent plot. And as much as I love the catchy melody of ''Don't Shoot Your Eye Out,'' I can't imagine any kid, especially one obsessed with a BB gun, fantasizing this 1930s tap number. | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic Marc Platt should produce any live musical on television. | |
| Posted by: davei2000 10:29 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic Marc Platt should produce any live musical on television. - WaymanWong 02:29 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| That's a bit of stereotypical thinking...The show takes place in 1940, not a leap to believe Ralphie had seen a musical or two at that point....or even been dazzled by one. Maybe his Mom took him. | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic Marc Platt should produce any live musical on television. | |
| Posted by: Thom915 10:04 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic Marc Platt should produce any live musical on television. - WaymanWong 02:29 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| I don't disagree with you at all as to the relative merits of each show. And oh yes, how much better A Christmas Story would have been as a 90 minute show (even two hours given all those commercials.) | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic Marc Platt should produce any live musical on television. | |
| Posted by: MarjorieMae 05:37 am EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic Marc Platt should produce any live musical on television. - WaymanWong 02:29 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| I thought of the tap dance number imagined by grown-up Ralphie. He's the one telling the story. I was disappointed that they didn't have a little wonder tapper like the show had. Sorry, I don't know the original kid's name. But he made the number. | |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic Marc Platt should produce any live musical on television. | |
| Posted by: WaymanWong 12:12 pm EST 12/18/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic Marc Platt should produce any live musical on television. - MarjorieMae 05:37 am EST 12/18/17 | |
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| The original tap dance kid in ''A Christmas Story'' on Broadway was Luke Spring. And, yes, he stole the show. And he was greatly missed! | |
| Link | 2013 Tony Awards: 'A Christmas Story' with Johnny Rabe, Caroline O'Connor and Luke Spring in 'Don't Shoot Your Eye Out' |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic Marc Platt should produce any live musical on television. | |
| Posted by: twocents 10:40 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic Marc Platt should produce any live musical on television. - Thom915 10:28 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Broderick had a touch of Richard Thomas, as he usually does. But I really got it here. They're just warm, trusted souls. You know all is well with the world when you see them. The flubbed lines are an issue. This is an actor's son who has acted forever himself. Maya's flub was only reinforced by Chris joking off it. Just ignore it and move on. |
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| re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic | |
| Posted by: twocents 09:12 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! Is fantastic - jhs7521 09:00 pm EST 12/17/17 | |
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| Midas touch! | |
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