I didn't say this is logical, I'm sure, but maybe it is, thinking it over as I write. I feel that James Marsden and Idina Mendel were given short shrift by the writers, editors, whoever, in this film.
First: in the special features, one of the song writers was complimenting Marsden's voice, and stated it was good enough for Broadway. Right away, the other writer chimed in, interrupting the first man, and started waxing poetic about Amy Adams' voice. Give the man his due, will you please? I think that the first man had more to say, but he was cut off by the second one.
Second: they filmed Idina Mendel and James singing a duet, then cut it out of the film, and then had the audacity to mention it in the special features. If they're going to cut out a segment of film, why do they have to talk about it, and give the public no access to it? I don't like that. At least include it in the special features, or put it on youtube, please.
Third, they tease people like me in starting the restaurant scene with this great introduction of Marsden singing "That's Amore", and then lower the sound so drastically, that it's barely audible. In fact, it was inaudible. I had thought they had just cut out the rest of the song, but once in a while, his voice could still be heard.
The only saving element of my last point is that at least "That's Amore" was on the CD soundtrack, so I could at least and at last enjoy it. It would have been nice if they had also included the duet.
I also will probably incur all kinds of wrath by saying this: yes, Amy Adams' character was the focus of the film, but people behaved like sycophants about her. Making too much of her is not fair to the other talent in the film. I don't think her voice is very strong (if she is "worthy" of Broadway, as this man claimed, she'd need microphone enhancement), nor is she all that pretty, and her portrayal of Giselle was too much like one of those bad actresses in the old Saturday morning serials. She sounded like the poor heroine lying on the train tracks tied to the rails, squealing away, with a train coming. "Oh, dear! Please rescue me!"
Have you heard Idina Mendel sing? I have - her voice is ten times better than Amy Adams' voice, and I don't think her looks are all that bad.
I wasn't going to say all that, keep it to myself, but there it is.
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MaximumMadness
12 years ago
Yeah, you probably shouldn't have said all that, because it seems like it's based on a lot of personal biases you have both for and against the actors.
Ex. I find Amy Adams stunning, and I basically completely disagree with your complaints about her performance altogether. I thought she should have been nominated for an Oscar, because she had to play an incredibly tight balancing act with how far to go while still having restraint which is not easy. And while I do love Idina Mendel's voice and find her gorgeous as well, I agree with cutting her singing number, because it just doesn't seem like it would fit that well in the flow of the film.
I also don't think you should judge the film for things from the special features. Plus, the "That's Amore" thing seems like knit-picking based on behind-the-scenes info and personal bias. Like I said, I didn't know it was Marsden, I thought it was just one of Dean Martin's recordings, so I didn't feel teased or betrayed or anything at all. Plus, it's just background noise for the scene, they had to turn it down so it was only barely audible. Trust me, I've been involved with independent and student productions- bad sound mixing, or background music that is just a teeny bit too high is an enormous distraction, and you oftentimes have to make music barely audible and make the actors louder for it to work.
I appreciate that you shared, but it seems like you have a lot of strong, personal biases and an overload of behind-the-scenes info that are preventing you from enjoying the film.
And FURTHERMORE, this is my signature! SERIOUSLY! Did you think I was still talking about my point?
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lynn-ash
12 years ago
Fine, I just shared something about myself, and you judged me. I stand by what I think, even though you don't like it. My biases are strong and I accept that. There are elements I like about the film, but I'm not over the moon (that's a pun) about all of it. So be it. Judge me if you like; that's your prerogative.
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MaximumMadness
12 years ago
Wow... ... ...touchy much? I wasn't judging you, and you said full-on that you had certain prejudices that might seem illogical (you even said "insane"), and that you didn't necessarily want to explain it as a result.
All I did was merely say that I disagreed with and explained why slightly, and confirmed you do indeed seem to have some personal prejudices that I disagree with. I also noted that you probably shouldn't have explained them (which you yourself had said), because they are very personal, and could get fans upset with you. (As most people won't care about the things that bothered you) Chill out, I was just trying to be constructive and offer healthy discussion. I even said I appreciated your response! Don't take offense to something that wasn't meant to be offensive.
And FURTHERMORE, this is my signature! SERIOUSLY! Did you think I was still talking about my point?
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MaximumMadness
12 years ago
Did Lynn-ash put me on ignore or something because they took what I said out of contet and took unneeded offense to it? Because I never got a reply back or heard from them on another post where I happened to reply to them.
And FURTHERMORE, this is my signature! SERIOUSLY! Did you think I was still talking about my point?
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lynn-ash
12 years ago
I have twice tried to answer you, MaximumMadness, but my computer whisks it away from the monitor and I lose it.
So, therefore, I give up.
Just be assured that I had tried to answer, with several citations. I've lost my cell phone and I'm too upset about it to try again.
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Val-El
12 years ago
Broadway, as this man claimed, she'd need microphone enhancement),
fyi - there isn't a singer on broadway who doesn't get "microphone" enhancement! No one would hear them otherwise!
Idina does sing very well and I was put out for them dropping the duet, but this man's opinion is that she's not very pretty.
I'd take Amy any day of the week!
Maybe that's just me, eh?
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