In the current market environment, modern musicals have become a minefield that few people touch: the high production cost cannot guarantee excellent stage effects, and the fame and lineup in front and behind the scenes seems to be difficult to compare with the box office. hook up. Since "Moulin Rouge" and "Chicago" in the early 2000s, there have been only a handful of song and dance films that have made breakthroughs in popularity, box office and word of mouth-you know, a music-themed biopic can at least make it through the awards season A lap; and if a musical film cannot be recognized by the audience, it is basically doomed to go into the sea.
This makes the situation of "The King of the Circus" a bit subtle. Without a direct Broadway musical as the basis for the adaptation, the film itself will not have a stable audience and stage arrangement like "Hairspray" and "Mamma Mia". But on the other hand, the strong production lineup gives the film itself a reliable quality assurance: Bill Condon ("Chicago", "Dreamgirls") as the screenwriter, Christopher Nolan's long-term partner, Nathan Crowe Leigh is in charge of the art direction, the creative combination that won the Oscar and the Tony Award for "La La Land", and the joining of Benji Pasek and Justin Paul are all effective reassurances. In the end, the movie also has a good reflection on the basis of these hardware.
But a well-made movie can never be directly equated with a good movie. A large number of Hollywood movies that were released in succession at the end of 2017 fell into disrepair in the market. The important reason after that was not because of perfunctory production, but because of lack of fun-this is indispensable for the family-friendly atmosphere of the year-end holiday. point of attraction. "The King of the Circus" has made great compromises on theatrical components, greatly weakening its biographical attributes - which is a great pity for the contemporary Fuhua Dao - but in contrast , the modern cabaret dilutes the seriousness of the story, allowing the entire film to be a delightful, flamboyant celebration of diversity and diversity.
Of course, from a modern perspective, Barnum and his circus are bound by the era in which they exist: there is a considerable degree of exploitation in the presentation of animal performances and special people. But in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, circuses and acrobatic troupes were the only place to live for those special people. Compared with the malicious external society, this place has even become a utopian existence. This also gives the biographical part of "The King of the Circus" a good entry point. While talking about history at a minimum, the story with a sense of history can also be integrated into a modern context - out of an era full of prejudice The background, turned into an ode to dreams and equality.
And because of its profound historical attributes, one of the greatest joys of "The King of the Circus" is that it does not have to follow the narrative curve of traditional musicals to determine the rhythm of the film. This also allows the film to have greater freedom in character selection. Actors like Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams and Rebecca Ferguson are not only capable of regular cabaret performances, they are also more believable and remarkable in their performances. And Zac Efron and Zendaya's Disney origins, even if they lack plasticity, are able to complete the task in attracting teenage groups.
Especially, for Zac Efron, "The King of the Circus" has a special meaning. As the biggest star of "High School Musical", his career has evolved into something quite unique and difficult to define simply. From "Hairspray" to "Neighbors", from "Orson Welles and Me" to "Baywatch", from "Newsboy" to "The Disaster Artist", after many attempts to find a way to perform, and Just like Amanda Seyfried, who is in good shape, she has finally returned to the old way of singing and dancing. Although not as talented as his peer Dave Franco, he still has something in him that cannot be replicated, and that is the charm of an old-school movie star.
After nearly a century and a half, Barnum's legacy, one of the world's three largest circuses, has finally come to an end amid ongoing criticism of exploitation and animal cruelty. In fact, Barnum and his circus have been controversial since the beginning. "The King of the Circus" portrays Barnum like a fly, skipping the worst and focusing on the miraculous trapeze. From a historical point of view, the film would seem too subjective and biased, but Barnum's spirit of bringing entertainment within reach of the masses through circus performances, indeed, in a sense, got inherit.
The real circus may be closed, but Barnum and his spirit of entertainment are still alive.
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