"I wanna be a producer..."

Advantages: Strong vocals and musical leads
Disadvantages: Missing a certain sparkle

...The Producers is one of those films that I've wanted to see for a long time. I can't to be honest think why this is the case but it is and so when I noticed it whilst out shopping the other day I simply had to buy it. Now I knew upon purchasing the film that I was going to be a musical style film with a good helping of humour and to be fair that is what I received. I must say however, and this is reflected in my rating of the film, that I was expecting something else. Now what this something else is I don't know either but all I can tell you is that I was expecting a little sparkle that just wasn't there. The Producers tells the story of Leo Bloom an accountant and a down on his luck producer Max Bialystock who despite Leo's initial reluctance plot a somewhat bent get rich scheme. This scheme however will only succeed if the play...

MI9to5 23.09.2008 · Read review
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Review of The Producers (DVD)

Producing a flop or a hit?

Advantages: Encouraged me to see the stage play
Disadvantages: A bit too theatrical for a film

...Max Bialystock is a producer, but not a very good one. After another flop, he is ready to give up. That is, until he meets shy accountant, Leo Bloom, who suggests that they raise the cash for a play that they know will be hugely unpopular, then pocket the surplus cash once the play has closed. And they think they have found their perfect potential flop in 'Springtime for Hitler', written by Franz Liebkind, a Nazi. Will Bialystock and Bloom be successful in their attempt to fail? Will Bialystock be as rich as he has dreamed of? And will Leo Bloom finally find happiness and a woman to love? I should mention before I go any further that I have not seen the stage version of The Producers, or the original film written and directed by Mel Brooks back in 1968, and so cannot comment on the similarities/differences between them. Nathan...

sunmeilan 12.09.2008 (13.09.2008) · Read review
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Review of The Producers (DVD)

I Want to be a Producer

Advantages: Great song and dance routines and a marvellous central performance from Lane
Disadvantages: A touch too stagey and a less endearing turn from Broderick

...Unscrupulous Broadway producer Max Bialystock discovers he can make more money with a flop than a hit. So with bumbling accountant Leo Bloom, he sets about finding the worst play in history, planning to pocket all the money the moment it closes. Luckily he finds "Springtime for Hitler" - the most tasteless musical ever created. But even with a hopeless cast he finds himself with an unexpected hit on his hands. What's a dishonest man to do to make a little cash? The remake roundabout makes a convoluted stop with a film remake of a stage musical of a film. Broadway director Susan Stroman makes her movie debut with this adaptation of the play that made her name. She feels far too attached to the stage conventions of the piece. Instead of making the most of what film can offer her, she is intent on keeping everything as close to...

afy9mab 22.04.2006 · Read review
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Review of The Producers (DVD)

The Producers - Hit or Miss?

Advantages: Light-hearted, brash, funny in places - great for fans of musical theatre
Disadvantages: Over-acted, poor soundtrack, too long

...Sad to say this film didn't stand much of a chance following as it did my viewing of the outstanding 'Brokeback Mountain' (also reviewed on Ciao by myself). I was hoping for a laugh-out-loud comedy to lighten the mood after feeling fairly crushed from the forementioned film, and lighten the mood this film certainly did. However, laugh-out-loud it was not, and coupled with other short-comings it proved to be a disappointment all round. Written by Mel Brooks and based on the original award-winning musical, 'The Producers' charts the ups and downs (mostly downs) of has-been Broadway producer Max Bialystock (Nathan Lane), and his unlikely partnership with OCD-riddled accountant Leopold Bloom (Matthew Broderick), following a visit by Bloom to look at Bialystock's rather corrupt accounts. The story evolves when during his accounting...

katyparles 05.05.2006 · Read review
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Review of The Producers (DVD)

The Producers Produce a Musical Performance

Advantages: Catchy songs, funny moments, Enjoyable
Disadvantages: Not to everyones taste, not the world's best acting

...I seem to be making a habit of watching films that I have no idea what they are about and The Producers was no exception. My husband had added it to the rental list on Amazon and when we sat down to watch it last week I had no idea what it was about or who was in it. So imagine my surprise when I discovered it was in fact a musical. The film features the actors Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick (Sarah Jessica Parkers husband) and Uma Thurman amongst others. The film was originally produced in 1968 and this is a re-make of the original film and was released in 2005. The original film was made into a Broadway production before the release of this second film. I believe that Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick both appeared in the Broadway musical production before filming this version. The basic plot of the film is that Max...

AJ26 23.06.2007 · Read review
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Review of The Producers (DVD)

Mixed Feelings

Advantages: Evocative read of Blethyn's formative years
Disadvantages: Loses it's way a bit once our heroine becomes an adult

...I have always liked the actress Brenda Blethyn - ever since I first remember seeing her in "Chance in a Million" a sitcom she starred in with Simon Callow on Channel 4 in the 80s. There was something incredibly endearing about her in that show, and that charm seems to be an integral part of her persona, to my mind anyway - even when she is portraying less than sympathetic characters. Browsing the books in Tesco one day I came across "Mixed Fancies", Blethyn's memoir, and I immediately decided I wanted to read more about the girl born Brenda Bottle in Ramsgate. Blethyn was the youngest of nine children, and her Catholic parents seem to have had a loving and enduring marriage, despite some of the poverty they had to cope with. Blethyn describes her family history well - for instance her parents didn't actually marry until 1944, despite...

rosebud2001 24.08.2009 · Read review
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Review of Mixed Fancies - Brenda Blethyn

The Producers: Keeping it Light, Bright and Gay

Advantages: Funny, good acting, good singing.
Disadvantages: More swearing than expected, slightly tasteless show within a show.

...The Producers first opened on Broadway in 2001, and since then has been playing to packed audiences across the world. It came to the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London in November 2004. The only question is...will it flop or will it go? Plot Summary: Max Bialystock is in trouble. His productions are closing on opening night, and things are looking bad. Accountant Leo Bloom turns up to do his books, and makes passing reference to a way where flops could be more profitable than hits - and Max's brain starts to work. What follows is Leo's move from accountant to Broadway producer, Max's epiphany, and a realisation that friendship matters more than almost anything else. This realisation goes via the worst play ever written ("Springtime for Hitler") and the worst director ever born (Roger DeBris). If there's any justice in...

xalala 16.05.2005 · Read review
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Review of The Producers - Musical

Who's mixing with murder

Advantages: Realistic and well told story
Disadvantages: none, but the book did fall apart in my hands!!

...a Private Investigator. She really enjoys this work but it often lands her in trouble with the Police, who don?t appreciate her involvement in their investigations. When Nightclub manager Micky Allerton requests Fran finds his clubs most popular dancer she reluctantly agrees to help. In order for her to do this someone needs to look after her dog Bonnie. Micky says he will get one his bouncers to do that. So that she can find this lady and try and bring her back the Micky and the Club. Fran soon realises that unless she produces the goods Bonnie will not be returned to her. She decides to travel to Oxford where her parents live. Her problems really begin when she finds the dancer (Lisa) and finds there is far more to this case then she first imagined. She is in danger in a strange town, who can she trust and what is the truth of the matter...

CPTDANIELS 28.02.2009 · Read review
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Review of Mixing with Murder - Ann Granger

Easy peasy - sponge mix

Advantages: Simple to make with delicious results
Disadvantages: Not for dieters

.... Ingredients Wheat flour, sugar, Vegetable oil, Dextrose, rising agents, cornflour, salt and flavouring. Nutritional information per 56g serving without filling Energy 184kcal Protein 2.6g Carbohydrates 32.4g of which sugars 18.1g Fat 4.9g of which saturates 1.3g Fibre 0.8g Sodium 0.2g Salt equivalent 0.5g There are also 2 warnings highlighted - One is the allergy advice that the product contains gluten and sulphite and the other is that the product is produced in a factory which uses nut ingredients. Now the advantage of this cake mix is that you only need one egg and some water, To cook the basic recipe Preheat oven to 200°C Grease and line two 6-7 inch cake tins. Empty the contents into a mixing bowl. Add a medium sized egg and 45ml of water Mix together with and electric whisk for 1 minute Add another 30ml of water Mix for another...

colliedog2 04.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Morrisons sponge mix

Greens Cheesecake Mix:

Advantages: Cheap, Easy, Tasty
Disadvantages: None

...Greens Cheesecake Mix: I love cheesecake but I am not too keen on the frozen ones as they always seem a bit lame. Making cheesecake isn?t too hard but its faffy and generally there are things I would rather be making in my kitchen. In Asda, (well on asda.com), I saw these cheesecake mixes for a mere 55p each and decided it would be rude not to try them. You get a box much like the boxes on any other cake mix and it contains a little packet of biscuit crumbs, (to form the base), and a packet of cheesecake filling mix. You will also need milk and butter. To make the cheesecake is simple, you just line a cake tin, (something like a Victoria sponge tin), with tin foil then you melt the butter and stir in the biscuit crumbs and put in the tin. Then you make the filling which is the same as making and angel delight, add milk and whisk. Pour...

donnabroom 07.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Green's Cheesecake Mix