The movie Chicago came out in 2002. It was one of the greatest opening nights of the year. This film gathered such famous Hollywood stars as Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah and Lucy Liu at one set. Undoubtedly, such strong and popular actor group contributed to the successful promotion of the film. With the total budget of $45 million the movie grossed over $300 million during the time of screening. It received many positive reviews and worldwide acclaim. It collected six Academy Awards (Oscars) including that one, which is considered to be the most important, - the award for the Best Picture. Also, Catherine Zeta-Jones took the award as the Best Supporting Actress and such important components of the film as art direction, costume design, film editing and sound mixing were awarded by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Success of any musical is strongly dependent not only on the actors starring in it but also on the conductor and the orchestra, which plays a vital role in the process. This time famous Broadway orchestrator, musical director, supervisor and arranger Paul Bogaev was chosen for the post of the conductor. In the theater world he is well-known for his arrangements and orchestrations for musicals Aida, Sunset Boulevard and Aspects of Love. He also was the conductor of these musicals (IBDB). As for the cinema works, he participated in the creation of such cartoons as Lion King and Mulan. Paul Bogaev also was the conductor in the TV-movie South Pacific. In 2004 he was nominated for Broadway’s Tony Award for the Best Orchestrations for Bombay Dreams (IMDB). But Chicago is the most famous project he took part in. As Paul Bogaev is a sound arranger there is no particular or specific musical style he prefers but Chicago depicts the story of the Jazz-age city and therefore soundtracks of the movie are mainly jazzy or close to that style.
As for the musicians, Paul Bogaev gathered a nice combination of performers. Some of them were already famous and for some musicians Chicago was the first serious project. For example, leading guitarist of Oingo Boingo and former member of Strawberry Alarm Clock Steve Bartek participated in the project as a conductor of original score and orchestrator. Almost all the musicians have different background and did not work in the same projects before. But Paul Bogaev managed to organize them in a nicely sounded orchestra. The band consisted of guitar and banjo(Mitch Dalton), drums (Perry Cavari), different types of saxes (Stan Saltzman, Ray Swinfield, Jamie Talbot and Alan Barnes), trombone (Pete Beachill), violin (Chris Garrick), piano (David Hartley), double bass (Paul Morgan), and trumpet (Derek Watkins) (IMDB). As it can be seen all main types of musical instruments were represented in the orchestra: wind, stringed and keyboard ones.
The musical itself was first played on the Broadway stage in 1975. But actually, it is not the primary source. It is in turn based on the play written by
Maurine Dallas Watkins. She was a reporter of the Chicago Tribune during 1920s, so the play is based on the actual murder happened during that time in Chicago. Her play became popular enough to inspire directors of different types. For example, the play was transformed into a movie made in 1940s. But of course, musical created by composer John Kander and music theatre lyricist Fredd Ebb became the most famous creative project based on the reporter’s novel. Both Kander and Ebb worked together for many years. They wrote songs for such famous singers as Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera. Chicago was not their first work in collaboration with each other. They were already quite famous before the staging this musical. Nevertheless, this work is considered to be one of their masterpieces, which made their names immortal of at least popular for every American living in 20th and 21st century.
The musical reflects the story, which took place during the Prohibition-era of Chicago. The story behind the musical really took place in 1924. But the musical itself is aimed not to show the actual story but to express satirical attitude to the corruption issues in criminal justice system of that time as well as to reflect the concept of “celebrit criminal”. The plot is focused on the story of Roxie Hart, a naïve girl who turns to be a murderer of her lover. In order to not to get behind the bars she tries to convince her husband to take the blame. It does not work and Roxie is sent to the prison, where she meets Velma Kelly, a cabaret singer. Both of them want to get out from the prison. And the only reason is to become famous and make public loves you. They start struggling for the love of the audience with the help of a lawyer. Finally, both of them get off the hook. Roxie’s husband leaves her. In the last part of the musical both Velma and Roxie decided on cooperation in show business and succeed in it (Mitchell).
The main musical theme of the performance is of course Jazz. It can be called a native Chicago music because the word itself appeared at the Western Coast to define a musical style that was performed in the city at the beginning of 1920s. The play refers to the middle of 1920s. By that time jazz was a kind of popular music and was played in many clubs of Chicago. Therefore, Kander and Ebbs decided to use this style as it reflects time and culture of that period.
Musical score is an important part of the movie. Actually, it is the mood-creative factor. Even the most touching scene would seem unnatural and empty without music that surrounds it. As it is a musical movie, the music is even more important here because it makes the image full and complete. In some cases characters do not need words – music can say for them everything. In Chicago orchestra managed to perform in a way when mood is created with music – the audience feels the naivety of Roxie at the beginning and her anger and her addiction to fame.
Dialogues of the movie were adapted by screenwriter Bill Condoll. But the songs were left untouched and that are exactly the songs written by Kander and Ebb. Ebb paid a great attention to the words he used in the lyrics because he succeeded in creating the needed effect when an actor performs a song. From the very beginning of the film when Catherine Zeta-Jones performs All That Jazz the audience is intrigued and waits how the story would proceed.
Another important component of the movie is choreography. It is “polished to perfection” (Papamichael). In case of the movie Rob Marshall, the director and the choreographer of the movie, decided to make it different from the play and added lots of dancing elements. He wanted to create an image of cabaret, something, which reminds of Moulin Rouge. By this approach he increased the role of the choreography in the movie.
The movie received many awards including BAFTA for the best sound and Oscar for the Best Sound Mixing. This means that the band, which performed during the film, did a great performance. The musical pieces are touching and leave nobody indifferent to the movie.
Works Cited
Mitchell, Elvis. Film review. Chicago, Bare Legs And All, Makes It To Film. The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 27 Dec 2002. Web. 3 December 2011.
Papamichael, Stella. Chicago (2002). BBC. BBC, 26 Dec 2002. Web. 3 December 2011.
Paul Bogaev. IMDB. Web. 3 December 2011.
Paul Bogaev. IBDB. Web. 3 December 2011.
Steve Bartek. IMDB. Web. 3 December 2011.
