RISS&ENTERTAINME Smith & Reeve at the Movies: The Producers Iain W. Reeve and Steph Smith, A&E Editor Down on his luck Broadway theatre producer Max Bialystock (Nathan Lane) finds his last hope at financial success in the musings of neurotic accountant Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick), who insists that a stage flop could make more money than a hit. The two head off to find the worst script, director, and actors in the city to manufacture the biggest flop in stage history: Springtime for Hitler. Based on the musical based on the film. Reeve: Some aspects of this film made me very excited. We’re talking a Mel Brooks penned musical with a wicked funny cast and a story that has already proven itself as comic gold. However, being both a remake, my least favourite trend in modern film, and an adaptation of a musical, my second least favourite trend in film, I had my share of hes- itations. But let me tell you, moviegoers, this is a solid film with laughs-a-plenty. Obviously, the first thing one wants to know about the musical is what the music is like. While by no means groundbreaking or astounding, the music does its job per- fectly. From the clever lyrics of such songs as “We Can Do It,” to the wicked genius of “Keep it Gay,” and the grandiose wonder that is “Springtime for Hitler” and “Heil Myself,” the audience will walk away remembering the lyrics, staging, sets, and costumes more than they will the music. Though some of the tunes are darn catchy, like any good musical. Speaking of sets and costumes, this is the one place where musicals take a big step up on the big screen. The big budget glitz allowed this musical within a musical to really take off. The sets are fantastic; the costumes, espe- cially the gayest Nazis you’ve ever seen, are hilarious. And what a solid cast. Nathan Lane is his usual unscrupulous self and Broderick comes close to the impossible task of living up to Gene Wilder in the role of Leo Bloom. The supporting cast includes Uma Thurman’s B Sides: continued from pg. 7 silly and sexy turn as Swedish actress-to-be Ulla, Will Ferrell as Hitler-loving writer Franz Liebkind, scene-stealer Gary Beach as director, and stage Hitler, Roger De Bris, is splen- did. Not to mention cameos by John Lovitz, Dom DeLuise and others. Lastly, you just can’t say no to an ensemble that includes Nazis, old ladies, beleaguered accountants, and prancing prisoners. This is a must see and may have a shot come Oscar time. Better than Chicago, Rent, or any of these other silly musical adaptations, The Producers brings an outstanding plot and barrels of huge laughs to play with a wicked ensemble of music and dance. Solid fare for all! Smith: The 1965 Gene Wilder version of The Producers is one of my favourite movies of all time. It is so absolutely hysteri- cal, it brings me to tears every time I watch it. So imagine my shock when I heard that they were re-adapting it in movie form. Now, I am always a little frightened of re- makes since so many tend to crash and burn. Godzilla or Planet of the Apes anyone? They are painful and they rarely live up to their originals. The Producers was originally turned from a movie into a play. The play was a success and the movie based on the play that was based on a movie based on a play is set to be a success as well. I was a little leery of it because I was unsure that Matthew Broderick, one of my least favourite actors, could possibly pull off a Gene Wilder role without making me want to vomit. I was wrong. Very, very wrong. Not only did Broderick pull it off, he did so with style. He played off the original character’s charm, but made it his own. His them exactly 33 percent more lyrically gifted than Franz Ferdinand. Do you—do you, do you—do you want to refute me? Now I'm the first to admit that my musical inclinations are, at best, skewed—Duran Duran's Ordinary World is the most played song on my iTunes because it's the greatest trashy ballad ever. And as much as I'd love to see Beyoncé's booty inhale both Nickleback and Franz Ferdinand forever before imploding into itself, I can also dance my skinny white rump off to her and Jay-Z's fat ass beats in that girlfriend or boyfriend or casual fuck song they sing together. Which is another thing that pisses me off about the self-righteousness of you Pope Emo the Turds: you geeks don't dance. Or, at least, you don't very often. With all your highfalutin poetry posturing, you've clearly nailed sim- ple tempos on paper for sonnets sent to imaginary girl- friends, so why not meet a real girl in a real room, chat her up, ask her to dance, and move your knees and ass a little? Ah yes, of course—the goal of any self-respecting Captain Emo is to stand alone amongst 20,000 geeks in a sea, hands in pocket, shuffling listlessly and shifting wist- fully, eyebrow arched, appreciating the nuances of an oth- erwise unappetizing affair. Psst! Come close...good. Sometimes...shh...some- times I'm known to break a sweat at a concert. And guess aeditor@gmail.com hysteria was less frightening sociopath and more child hay- ing a temper tantrum. I was impressed. Somewhere he’d learned how to act in a film without making me feel an uncontrollable rage and hatred toward him. On top of that, Nathan Lane was hilarious and sleazy and scummy and charming all at the same time. He was wonderful, and the perfect portrayal of scam artist Max Bialystock. However, the most shocking and well-played role of the film was that of playwright Franz Liebkind, played to perfection by Will Ferrell. He was just the right amount of nonsense and insanity to be able to pull off a character who had seriously written a play entitled Springtime for Hitler. It should also be said that The Producers is a musical, so there is singing and dancing all throughout; but with songs like “Keep it Gay,” “Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop,” and the aforementioned “Springtime for Hitler,” it is not your typical Sound of Music type musical. This one is funny. It’s been a long time since I laughed so hard at a film in the theatre, but this was so much better than I had anticipated. I highly recommend The Producers to anyone who has ever seen the original, or likes hilarious comedy/ musicals. what? My vintage second-hand shirts still come out of the crowd and concert in tact. All's I'm saying is this: get off your high horses and accept that all music is shitty to someone and a reason for living to another. Every song was written for a purpose; whether it was written for a polished pop princess to per- form or as a pussy-whipped purge for a partner probably long gone, music's brilliant because it can conjure up mem- ories and create moments anew. If you hear the same con- versation told by the same friend more than twice, it gets old real quick. A song can't be burnt out, or if it is, you can try something new and return to it later. A band can fluctuate like the stock market or can plateau like the prairies—that's life, but musically so. So, my alienated Emo friends; unfurl your fists and relax those noodles holding them to your undeveloped torso. Your tastes are far more refined than mine, but that doesn't mean you're better than me. It means you're nuanced and passionate about something, for which you have my respect. But if you ram down my throat how I'm somehow uncivilized or less evolved because I don't see a particular brilliance in a band, don't think for a moment that I won't slap on some Henry Rollins Band and kick your whiny little ass. *Shudder* Think of the dark poems that'll inspire in you.