September 09, 2005
Rappers OutKast Signed for Universal Musical
With the new success of big screne musicals on the rise, Universal Pictures has signed Outkast members Andre 3000 and Big Boi for there next lyrical blockbuster. Variety has the story behind writer/director Bryan Barber (Outkast videos) and how he screened a 5 minuet test at Cannes this year to solidify the go ahead for the project -yep 5 minuets is about all I could take as well-. Aparently HBO is backing much of this project and is currently holding a budget of $15 million. Set in the south this time period piece has big ambitions which is obvious after seeing the line up.
The pic, a full-blown tuner that is set in a speakeasy in the South during Prohibition, drew an ensemble that includes Ving Rhames, Terrence Howard, Faizon Love, Malinda Williams, Paula Jai Parker, Jackie Long, Patti LaBelle, Cicely Tyson, Ben Vereen, Macy Gray and newcomer Paula Patton.So pretty much Lackawanna Blues with a buch of singing and dancing. Perhaps the musical bit is going a tad overboard now. Moulin Rouge was great because it was original, new and was put together very artistically. Chicago was all right but I wasn't that keen on watching Richard Gere prance around. As much as I did like The Phantom of the Opera -and Emmy Rossum's heaving breasts- it was rather melodramatic. So are we kicking a dead horse here, or is there something still to sell?
What do you think? Should they continue to produce big screne musicals, or are they getting out of control?
Posted by Brad Shipston at September 9, 2005 08:38 PM
Comments
Posted by: John Campea at September 9, 2005 09:47 PM
If musicals work why would you expect studios to stop making them?
Oh gee, the action genre has been done 6 times this year- we better not make another one. No more comedies, right? They've been done a lot lately and people seem to go to them. Better stop making them.
Andre 3000/Andre Benjamin is a musician first but at least he's acted before. He was actually one of the saving points of Be Cool. I haven't seen Phantom of the Opera or Chicago but I'd be interested in seeing this one.
Posted by: Ben at September 9, 2005 10:55 PM
We need some candy wrappers, like M&M;, or P. Paul. The future looks grim in more ways than one.
Posted by: lizardfreak12 at September 9, 2005 11:15 PM
I'd have to agree with Ben. No one asks this question about comedies (and all its sub genres), dramas (and all its sub-genres) etc. so why would the question come up for musicals? Er...because of the music?
I don't have anything against musicians per se--I mean sure I'm tired of every blonde pop star jumping at the chance--but I'm more concerned about if they can act and I don't think being a musician renders that question moot.
Posted by: Arethusa at September 10, 2005 02:53 PM
I think my girl Danielle Polanco gone be in dat movie.She told me she was a swing dancer off in dis movie.
Posted by: Vick at December 20, 2005 01:32 AM
Oh good... more musicians in movies. That'll increase the quality of film for sure.