BestOfAllPossible Reviews

Alice at the Palace (1982 TV Movie)

Simply dreadful

[1/10 · 15 October 2007]

I've seen several stage and film adaptations of Alice in Wonderland and this one has to take the cake as the absolute worst. My family bought the DVD unsuspectingly and couldn't even make it through the first half. I later went back and forced myself to watch the whole thing (it had been a Christmas gift to me) and was just appalled.

The only redeeming factor (and it's hardly redeeming enough to save the whole show) is Mark Lin-Baker playing the Mock Turtle with a Yiddish accent. It's one of the few moments in the piece that has some real charm and can be taken somewhat seriously. Other than that, the songs are half-songs, the melodies are half-melodies and even Meryl Streep cannot make this direction look good.

The Wonderful World of Disney: Once Upon a Mattress (2005) Season 47, Episode 8

What a disappointment in a wonderful show

[1/10 · 20 December 2005]

I was very much looking forward to this new TV "Mattress," especially to see Carol Burnett playing the role she played opposite in the original Broadway production. I was a little skeptical about Tracy Ullman, but willing to see what this new version would be like.

Well, my fears about Tracy Ullman were fulfilled, and then some. She was simply miscast in the role of Princess Winnifred. Though, even worse was the actress playing Lady Larkin as though she were in a bad '80s teeny-bopper movie. Her voice was not good enough to sing Larkin, so her harmonies with the marvelous Matthew Morrison were mucked with to the point that some of the songs were almost unrecognizable.

And even the good performers (Carol Burnett, Denis O'Hare, Matthew Morrison) could not save it, due to poor direction. The choreography was pedestrian at best. The majority of the jokes were given away before the punchline was anywhere in sight.

The highlight was the new song written for Carol Burnett as Queen Aggravaine. Still, the whole thing stayed very "safe," which you cannot do with musical theatre. Safe musical theatre is boring musical theatre.

The whole thing, I'm sad to say, is a disappointment and an embarrassment.

The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

Two and a half hours I'll never get back

[1/10 · 18 October 2005]

I don't know quite what I expected from this movie, but I thought it was absolutely dreadful. I had heard that even for someone who doesn't like the music, the movie was well-made: it was not. It was well-paid-for. A lot of money had obviously been put into creating extravagant sets and costumes, but not a lot of thought was put into the making of the film, the continuity, or the talent.

I had never seen the show live before, but did know some of the music. The songs, banal out of context, are painful when strung together in an unending stream of musical nonsense. The characters are flat, with hints of something possibly redeemable arriving far too late in the story. The Phantom kills numerous people, but in the end we're supposed to like him when we find out he "loves" Christine? I didn't buy it. The Phantom is also supposed to be an Angel of Music, and Gerard Butler cannot sing. Emmy Rossum was very nice to look at, but her character has virtually nothing to do, so one got bored very quickly. Patrick Wilson did an admirable job with an absolute sap of a character. The lyrics are dreadfully clichéd and dry. The music is the creation of a multi-million dollar hack. The story and characters are butchered. As a huge fan of Maury Yeston's musical "Phantom," this self-indulgent piece of drek did not cut it.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Concert (2001 TV Movie)

Sheer brilliance!

[7 December 2004]

This is a wonderful representation of this brilliant musical. The performances are all at peek energy and perfect characterization. Patti LuPone's voice and new spin on the classic character of Mrs. Lovett is the highlight of this concert, for me. She is moving, hysterical, coy, and her voice is always beautiful. George Hearn gives a wonderful reprise performance of the role he played so many years ago. All other performances are wonderfully acted and beautifully sung by both Broadway and opera singers. Lonny Price's new vision and direction for this concert is just about perfection. He uses minimal set, props and costumes, but still creates the atmosphere of the show. Also, the opera ensemble and symphonic orchestra only adds to the magnitude and beauty of the piece. This is a must-have for any Sweeney fan!