Chicago is a 2002 American crime-drama comedy film based on stage music of the same name, exploring celebrity themes, scandals and corruption in Chicago during Jazz Age. Movie star Renà ©  © Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere. Chicago centered on Velma Kelly (Zeta-Jones) and Roxie Hart (Zellweger), two assassins who found themselves in jail together waiting for a trial in the 1920s Chicago. Velma, vaudevillian, and Roxie, a housewife, are fighting for the fame that will keep them away from the gallows. Directed and choreographed by Rob Marshall, and adapted by screenwriter Bill Condon, with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, Chicago won six Academy Awards in 2003, including Best Picture. The film is critically praised, and is the first music to win the Best Film ever since Oliver! in 1968.
Video Chicago (2002 film)
Plot
In 1924, Roxie Hart saw the star Velma Kelly perform ("Overture/All That Jazz") at the Chicago Theater. Wanting to be a star for herself, she started having an affair with Fred Casely, who claimed to know the manager. After the show, Velma was arrested for killing her husband, Charlie and sister Veronica, who were sleeping together.
A month later, Casely admits to Roxie that she has no showbiz connections and just wants her body. Angry, he shot him dead. He convinces her husband, Amos, to blame, telling him that he killed a thief in self-defense. As Amos confesses to the detective, Roxie fantasies that she is singing a song intended for her husband ("Funny Honey"). However, when the detective brought evidence that Roxie and Casely had an affair, Amos repeated; Roxie angrily admitted what had really happened and was arrested. Ambitious District Attorney Harrison announces he will seek the death penalty.
In Cook County Jail, Roxie is sent to Row Murderess, under the care of the corrupt Morton "Mama" Mama ("When You Good to Mama"). Roxie meets her idol, Velma, but her friendship is rejected outright. She studied backstories from other women there, including Velma ("Cell Block Tango"). At Morton's suggestion, Roxie involves Velma's lawyer, Billy Flynn's brilliant ("All I Care About"). Flynn and Roxie manipulate the press, re-creating Roxie's identity as a virtuous woman turned badly by the city's quick life; he claims he was having an affair with Casely because Amos always worked, but repented and dumped him for Amos, and Casely jealously attacked him ("We Both Got a Gun"). The press believes the story; praised by the public as a tragic hero, Roxie became a sensation last night ("Roxie"). Velma, unhappy at the loss of public attention, tried to convince Roxie to join his act, replacing the sister he killed ("I Can not Do It Alone"), but Roxie, now more popular among the two rivals, booed it. as did Velma.
Meanwhile, Kitty Baxter, a rich heir, was arrested for killing her husband and two lovers, and the press and Flynn paid more attention. What makes Velma shocked, Roxie quickly steal back his fame by claiming to be pregnant. Amos is ignored by the press ("Mister Cellophane"), and Flynn, to create more sympathy for Roxie, assures him that the boy is Casely, and that she should divorce Roxie in the middle of her predicament. Roxie confidently shoots Flynn, believing she can now win by herself. However, when Katalin Helinszki, a Hungarian woman from Murderess' Row, became the first woman in Cook County's history to be executed by hanging, Roxie realized the gravity of the situation and brought Flynn back.
The Roxie court begins, and Billy turns it into a media spectacle ("Razzle Dazzle") with the help of sensational newspaper reporter and Mary Sunshine radio personality. Billy discredits the witness, manipulates the evidence, and even the stage of public reconciliation between Amos and Roxie when he says the child is his. The trial seemed to be going by way of Roxie until Velma appeared with Roxie's diary: she read the incriminating entry in lieu of amnesty in her own case. Billy discredits the diary, implying that Harrison is the one who instilled the evidence ("A Tap Dance"). Roxie was released, but her fame disappeared moments later when another woman, who also shot her own husband, shot at her lawyer outside the courthouse. Flynn tells her to accept it, and admits that she ruined her own diary, to incriminate the county attorney and also to free two clients at once. Amos remains loyal and eager to be a father, but Roxie cruelly rejects him, revealing that he is not pregnant, and finally he leaves her.
Roxie is indeed a vaudeville player, but it is very unsuccessful ("Currently"). Velma was just as unsuccessful, and again approached Roxie to suggest performing together: a double act of two killers. Roxie initially refused, but later accepted when Velma showed that they can perform together despite their hatred of each other. Two stages of spectacular performances that give them the love of the audience and the press ("Currently/Hot Honey Rag"). The film ends with Roxie and Velma receives a standing ovation from an enthusiastic audience, and states that, "We can not do it without you".
Maps Chicago (2002 film)
Cast
- Renà © à © e Zellweger as Roxanne "Roxie" Hart, a housewife who aspires to vaudevillian, and is arrested for the murder of her sneaky lover.
- Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma Kelly ("Cicero"), a stage girl caught for the murder of her husband, Charlie, and her sister Veronica.
- Richard Gere as Billy Flynn, a clever, soft-spoken lawyer who turned his client into a celebrity to gain public support for them.
- Queen Latifah as Matron "Mama" Morton, the warden who is corrupt but caring for County Cook Prison.
- John C. Reilly as Amos Hart, Roxi's innocent, simple-minded but filial husband.
- Christine Baranski as Mary Sunshine, a sensational reporter.
- Taye Diggs as The Bandleader, an ingenious and mysterious master who introduces every song.
- Colm Feore as Harrison, the prosecutor in the court cases of Roxie and Velma.
- Lucy Liu as Kitty Baxter, a millionaire heir who briefly defeated Velma and Roxie when she killed her husband and two concubines.
- Dominic West as Fred Casely, his cheating lover and Roxie's murder victim.
- MÃÆ'½a as Mona ("Lipschitz"), a prisoner in Row Murderess.
- Jayne Eastwood as Mrs. Borusewicz, Harts' neighbor from across the hall.
- Chita Rivera as Nicky, a prostitute.
- Susan Misner as Liz ("Pop"), a prisoner in Row Murderess.
- Denise Faye as Annie ("Six"), a prisoner in Row Murderess.
- Deidre Goodwin as June ("Squish"), a prisoner in 'Row Murderess'.
- Ekaterina Chtchelkanova as Hunyak (Katalin Helinszki) ("Uh Uh"), a Hungarian inmate in the Murderess' line who does not speak English except two words: "innocent".
- Conrad Dunn as Doctor.
Music number
- "Overture/All That Jazz" - Velma, Company
- "Funny Honey" - Roxie
- "When You're Good for Mama" - Mama
- "Cell Block Tango" - Velma, Cell Block Girls
- "All I Care About" - Billy, Chorus Girls
- "We Both Reach the Gun" - Billy, Roxie, Mary, Journalist
- "Roxie" - Roxie, Chorus Boys
- "I Can not Do It Alone" - Velma
- "Mister Cellophane" - Amos
- "Razzle Dazzle" - Billy, Company
- "A Tap Dance" - Billy
- "Classes" - Velma and Mama (cut from movies, included in DVD and 2005 premiere broadcast on NBC)
- "Currently" - Roxie
- "Currently/Hot Honey Rag" - Roxie, Velma
- "I Move On" - Roxie and Velma (via final credit)
- "All That Jazz (reprise)" - Velma, Company Production and development
- Chicago on IMDb
- Chicago in the TCM Movie Database
- Chicago in Box Office Mojo
- Chicago at Rotten Tomatoes
- Chicago in Metacritic
The film is based on the 1975 Broadway musicals, which played for 936 performances but was not well received by the audience, mainly due to the cynical tone of the show. The film version of Chicago is the next project for Bob Fosse, who has directed and made the original 1975 Broadway production choreography and has won an Oscar for his direction for the film version of Cabaret (1972). Although he died before realizing his version, Fosse's distinctive jazz choreography style was evident throughout the 2002 film, and he thanked him in credit. The musical revival of minimalism in 1996 proved to be much more successful, having played over 7,800 performances (as of August 2015), holds the record for the longest-running musical revival, the longest-running American musical on Broadway, and Broadway's third longest show. history. The runaway success sparked a greater appreciation of the original production of 1975 and renewed the stalled interest in the anticipated film adaptation, which combined the effects of both productions. Original music production figures staged as vaudeville action; the film respects this but presents it as a cutaway scene in Roxie character's mind, while scenes in "real life" are filmed with harsh grittiness. (This construction is the reason given by director Marshall why the "Class," performed by Velma and Mama, is cut from the film.) The music itself is based on 1926 Broadway played by Maurine Watkins about two real-life Jazz killers Beulah Annan (Roxie Hart) and Belva Gaertner (Velma Kelly). The George Abbott-directed production, starring Francine Larrimore and Juliette Crosby, ran for 172 performances at the Music Box Theater, and within a year was adapted to a movie in which Gaertner himself had a cameo. Chicago is produced by American company Miramax Films and The Producers Circle in collaboration with German company Kallis Productions. Chicago was filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The court scene was built in Osgoode Hall. Other scenes were filmed at Queen's Park, formerly Gooderham and Worts Distillery, Casa Loma, Elgin Theater, Union Station, Canada Life Building, Danforth Music Hall and Old City Hall. All vocal coaching for the film is headed by Toronto-based Elaine Overholt, whom Richard Gere thanked personally during his Golden Globe acceptance speech.
Release
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an 85% approval rating, based on 251 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The important consensus of the website states: "A lively and energetic adaptation of Broadway musicals, > Chicago succeeds at a pure spectacle level, but provides a surprising level of depth and humor as well. " At Metacritic, the film holds an average score of 82 out of 100, based on 39 critical reviews, showing "universal recognition".
The players received wide recognition for their performances. Tim Robey, author for The Daily Telegraph in the UK, labeled Chicago as the best music screen for 30 years. He also stated that it has taken "three-step tango for us to welcome back the musical as a form." Robey says "This makes the most productive use possible out of one special advantage theater has on stage when it comes to song and dance: it's a continuous celebration of a parallel montage." Roger Ebert calls it "Big, brassy fun". However, other reviewers claim that there is a problem with the film being too lean, and minor complaints made against the influence of directing Marshall.
box office
The film grossed $ 170,687,518 in the United States and Canada, as well as $ 136,089,214 in other regions. Combined, the film grossed $ 306,776,732 worldwide, at which time, the highest gross film of any movie that never reached # 1 or # 2 on the weekly box office ladder in the North American market (Canada and the US - where it was peaking at 3). This record has been defeated by Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel . Around the world, Chicago is the best-selling live action music with $ 306 million, a record broken by Mamma Mia! .
Legacy
Chicago with previous musicals Moulin Rouge! and the hip-hop centered movie 8 Mile , is widely considered responsible for the reappearance of the genre of music movies in the 21st century. Following the success of Chicago many music movies have been released in theaters including Phantom of the Opera , The Producers , Rent >, Dreamgirls (also written and directed by Bill Condon), Hairspray (also starred by Queen Latifah), Enchanted , Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (also featuring costumes by Coleen Atwood), Mamma Mia! (Also stars Christine Baranski), Nine (also directed by Rob Marshall), Les MisÃÆ'Â © rables , Rock of Ages (also starring Catherine Zeta-Jones), Sunshine on Leith , The Last Five Years , Into The Woods (also directed by Rob Marshall and also featuring Baranski and costumes by Atwood), La La Land, Beauty and the Beast (Also directed by Bill Condon), and The Greatest Showman (also written by Bill Condon), all this, the Enchanted bar Sunrise at Leith , La La Land , Beauty and the Beast and The Great est Showman is an adaptation of the Broadway/West End stage show ( Enchanted , La La Land , The Greatest Showman is the original property, Sunshine on Leith is an adaptation of the Dundee Reps production and Beauty and the Beast is one of the live action remakes D isney and also the first live-action adaptation of Disney Renaissance).
Home media
Chicago was released on DVD in Region 1 (US, Canada and US region) on August 19, 2003. The film was released in Full Screen and Widescreen. In addition to this release, the two-disc "Razzle Dazzle" Edition was released over two years later on December 20, 2005, and later, on the Blu-ray format, in January 2007 and, in an updated release, in May 2011. Miramax the label responsible for DVD production and the disc itself provides long-featured audio commentary tracks with director Marshall and screenwriter Condon. There are also deleted music numbers called "Classes", which are performed by Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah.
Awards and nominations
References
External links
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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