Chicago: The Movie and Lyrics (Newmarket Pictorial Moviebook) - Hardcover

Marshall, Rob; Richards, Martin; Condon, Bill

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 155704578X ISBN 13: 9781557045782

Publisher: Newmarket Press, 2003

Synopsis

A magnificent visual book in full color with over 120 photos about the making of the major feature film Chicago, based on the award-winning musical by John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Bob Fosse.

Everyone loves a legend, but in Chicago, there's only room for one. Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) burns in the spotlight as a nightclub sensation. When she shoots her philandering husband, she lands on Chicago's famed murderess row, retains Chicago's slickest lawyer, Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), and is the center of the town's most notorious murder case, only increasing her celebrity.

Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger), seduced by the city's promise of style and adventure, dreams of singing and dancing her way to stardom. When Roxie's abusive lover tries to walk out on her, and she, too, ends up in prison. Billy recognizes a made-for-tabloids story, and postpones Velma's court date to take on Roxie's case. Infamy is Roxie's ticket to stardom. Billy turns her crime of passion into celebrity headlines, and in this town, where murder is a form of entertainment, she becomes a bona fide star—much to Velma's chagrin. As Roxie fashions herself as America's sweetheart, Velma has more than a few surprises in store, and the two women stop at nothing to outdo each other in their pursuit of fame and celebrity.

A new interpretation that takes the award-winning Broadway show into fresh and expansive cinematic realms, Chicago shifts adroitly from the reality of intrigue, rivalry and betrayal to spectacular fantasies of music and dance, offering tongue-in-cheek commentary on the cult of celebrity and the scandalous lengths to which people will go to attain it.

About this title

About the Author:

Dreamgirls is directed by Bill Condon from a screenplay he adapted from the stage musical's original book by Tom Eyen. Condon (Oscar® winner for his screenplay for Gods and Monsters, which he also directed) received another Oscar® nomination for his screenplay adaptation of Chicago. He more recently wrote and directed Kinsey.

David James's photographs previously appeared in the moviebooks of Memoirs of a Geisha, Chicago, and Saving Private Ryan.

From Publishers Weekly:

Although this book (which is based on a movie, which is based on a musical) can't sing or dance, it comes darn well close enough to providing the oohs and aahs of going to see Chicago on the big screen. The smash hit movie has paved the way to a stunner of a book that simultaneously pays tribute to and explains the intricacies of Rob Marshall's showstopper. In his introduction, the director explains, "Musical theater is American-born, and it's our form. When musicals are done beautifully... it seems completely organic and convincing that people can sing and dance while telling their stories. When musicals are done right, they lift you in a way that no other form can. And that's why I love them so." The gorgeous photos in the book are uplifting indeed: there's Richard Gere as lawyer Billy Flynn, surrounded by scantily clad vaudeville showgirls in fishnets; there's Chicago's fictitious, sparkling Onyx Theater, balconies aglow; there's the voluptuous Queen Latifa, draped in gold and shimmying across the stage as Mama Morton. The book shares profiles of Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Lucy Liu and other stars of the film; historical vignettes of the real-life murderesses who inspired the characters; and essays on the costumes and set design. And then there's the screenplay, containing the movie's song lyrics and spoken lines. It's a marvelous package: flashy, informative and sure to "razzle dazzle 'em."
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Newmarket Press
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 155704578X
• ISBN 13: 9781557045782
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192