Yes, it Was Inevitable: Jackman in Carousel
Filed under: Music & Musicals, Casting, Disney, 20th Century Fox, Newsstand, Remakes and Sequels
Given the combination of Hugh Jackman's stardom and his musical/stage background, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood mixed him into its new, we're-less-scared-of-musicals-now trend. Though the actor actually has a deal with Disney to develop musicals for the screen, his first singin' and dancin' appearance in Hollywood will apparently be for Fox 2000, which has struck a deal with Jackman to star in a remake of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, Carousel. (Fox already owns the rights to the original film, so getting the remake going shouldn't be a problem -- assuming they get the OK for the music.) According to Variety, Wolverine will play Billy Bigelow (a role originated on-screen by Gordon MacRae), the grumpy carnival barker who ends up dead because of his temper. Luckily, however, he's allowed "to return [for a day] and fix the problems he left behind -- namely a teenager who has a lot of his rebellious traits."I'm a fan of both Jackman (I own Swordfish. AND Someone Like You. Shhh.) and musicals, but for some reason I just cannot stomach Carousel -- I hate all the characters, and find the story incredibly tiresome. Clearly, I'm a bad person. Still, though, I do wonder if Jackman's star power will be enough to bring audiences to this one.
_thumbnail.jpg)
Discuss: So, How Was 'Twilight'?
Quizzimatical: Vampire Movies
Insert Caption: Twilight
Fan Made: 'Twilight' Cookies
Cinematical Seven: Great Exports from Down Under
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg){kind=spacer}
_thumbnail.jpg "Watchmen Storyboards")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-02-2006 @ 1:06PM
Hughfan said...
The movie, Carousel was awful, but I saw the original show on Bway and it was great. If anyoneone has any doubts about seeing Hugh in Carousel, just listen to his rendition of My Boy Bill - that's enough to get me and many others to see the new version.
Reply
8-02-2006 @ 3:06PM
Matt said...
Carousel is the one musical of the Fox-owned Rogers/Hammerstein musicals that could really use a second chance. The music is spectacular and Jackman (even if he phoned it in) could only be an improvement on Gordon MacRae.
Reply
8-02-2006 @ 3:12PM
Mallory said...
well, i love hugh jackman too, but carousel? what a terrible musical... haha. he was great in oklahoma though. i saw the london broadway version and thought he was great as curly. though, that was actually a live show and this will not be.
Reply
8-02-2006 @ 5:53PM
Peter Nellhaus said...
I guess I'm in the minority. While I generally don't like Rogers & Hammerstein musicals, I do like "Carousel". And where would soccer be without "You'll Never Walk Alone"? It has been quite a while since I last saw it, but I do find Henry King's "Carousel" less ridiculous and more watchable than Fritz Lang's "Lilliom".
Reply
8-02-2006 @ 6:15PM
Kate said...
Although not a fav of mine, I think Jackman will make an outstanding Billy - My problem with the movie version was that you didn't understand why Julie would fall in love with Bill the way Gordon McCrea portrayed him.
Who for Julie I wonder??? I hope it is a broadway person and not someone like Beyonce.... or worse Brittnay!! There are so many talented performers
Reply
8-02-2006 @ 8:17PM
sabrina said...
The reason Jackman wants to do this musical is because Bigelow is a huge grandstanding role. "Soliloquy," anyone? So he'll get some young little slip of a soprano (Anne Hathaway? Emmy Rossum?) to play Julie and basically have the whole movie to himself. Pretty smart, actually -- providing it really ever gets made.
Reply
9-15-2006 @ 7:18PM
Ron Meyer said...
I think that it is great that they want to remake Carousel. The 1956 version is awful. They tell it as a memory play (so, you already know that Billy dies), they cut out too much of the score (considered R&H's best), and they have Billy die by falling on his knife rather than the original stage action of his commiting suicide. They sweetened the whole thing too much. They tried to make it another Oklahoma!, which it is not!!!! I've seen too many poor productions of Carousel because they try to make it like Oklahoma!
I've directed the stage production twice. A good friend of mine created the role of Carrie in the original Broadway production. She told me to direct it like a play and not like a musical comedy. Believe me, she was right, it works!!!!! And about the previous comment about why would Julie go for such a bad guy; have you never seen good girls go for the rough and wild type???
Carousel carries a powerful message. I just hope they don't mess it up. It can come off corny if not treated correctly. It's tough piece and a delicate story.
Reply