In that last scene with Emile, Glenn Close smiles as if her grandmother just gave her socks for her birthday. It's a very polite smile, but there's no affection or passion in it.

There should probably just be a designated job for any and all filmed musicals to be there like "this is a musical. It's already stylized. Embrace it. And if I see a speck of gritty realism, everything goes on timeout."

"... condemned to read the entire Fifty Shades Trilogy..." Wow, this movie REALLY made you angry, didn't it? I mean, I get it, "demon" and all that, but dang.

4:54 I have not seen a song about soldiers playfully pining over women capped off with such a single horrifying note like that since Mulan.

I would love a scene that revealed that Bloody Mary's pidgin English is an act. She's playing into the soldiers' expectations, the better to wheel and deal.

Time to wash this musical remake right out of our hair and send it on its way.

Glenn Close can usually do no wrong, but there's an exception to everything, I suppose!

I think a Know the Score on all three versions of the R+H Cinderella would make a good video. Also, I love how you managed to work a reference to Sunset Boulevard in a video about a movie with Glenn Close. Very clever.

That passionate... HAND HOLDING! At the end! Swoon!

Glenn worked as Cruella. This? Yikes. Also, going native is slang for getting too friendly with the native people and assimilating with them over the people you originally came with. Or something.

I rolled my eyes so hard when this movie decided to have Cable get beaten up so that he can look more like a victim of racist attitudes and not just someone who has them.

Even though I didn't find the original musical very interesting, I always thought it was one of the many Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals that went beyond the time period to include characters of different ethnicities and give them character development and leading roles in musicals. It wouldn't be completely politically correct today, but for the time period (40s and 50s), it was quite progressive and helped shape musical theater into an inclusive, diverse environment

I actually wrote an essay on South Pacific for my history class last year. It's an interesting one, and examining how the show's original production and some of the stereotypes it contains were influenced by post World War II racism was a wild ride. I haven't ever seen this movie, but it will be interesting to hear about how it differs from the original musical

Gotta love that Papyrus font on the title.

To paraphrase Tom Jones: 🎵It’s not an usual for an adaptation to fail🎵

I guess you can say this adaptation was... Glenn Close, but no cigar. 12:27 Also, yeah. I miss Brian Stokes Mitchell.

Glenn Close acting like a young naive woman is reminding me of Meryl Streep in Mama Mia (2008)... and that's not a good thing.

I thought Bloody Mary looked familiar and then it hit me-she plays Awkwafina’s grandma on Nora from Queens! She’s one of the best things about that show and it seems like she’s one of the few good points here.

Biggest problem, Nellie is supposed to be younger than Emil. It could work on stage, but not on film. And Pastorelli was no Ray Walston.

In my mind, the PBS Live from Lincoln Center broadcast of the revival is the definitive filmed version of the musical.

10:03 it sounds like he’s trying to channels Cary Elwes’s Robin Hood when he sang “The Night is Young” but didn’t realize that was for comedy and then just gave up half away in the song.

I was having an all out panic attack from pain and lack of sleep. I started watching (and rewatching) your videos. It has helped me so much I cannot even express it properly. Your voice is so soothing and you are so funny. Just, thank you!

I'd love to see you do an At The Source for James Michener's Tales of the South Pacific.

"...it is practically impossible to make Glenn Close look anything but poised and sophisticated." Well that's one place where the _Warcraft_ movie succeeded (it's a guilty pleasure for me, but wow was she out of place) I completely missed that this version happened, and after seeing that it mainly has mixed reviews, I can tell from the clips here that it's not something I'd enjoy much. This musical's always been special to me because our high school did it my senior year. Not only was it the first time I ever got a lead part (mainly because nobody else wanted to play Emile), it was a small town and most of us had known each other since at least kindergarten. In fact the girl who played Nellie used to pick on me a lot when we were younger, we were past all that by then but it was still awkward to be making out on stage 😄 And although it was 100% a low budget high school production, I was always really proud of how hard I worked on getting the accent right, and belting out the end of "Some Enchanted Evening" in a comfortable key while doing the falsetto for the reprise just as well.

Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July is next?! my thoughts: this is gonna be good!

I saw a version of this with Reba McIntyre playing Nellie and she actually pulled it off beautifully. It aired on channel 13 (I had no cable) and the actor who played Emile had a beautiful voice. To this day I’ve never seen it again but it always sticks with me

Thank you Diva for saving us the trouble of sitting through this train-wreck alone Can’t wait to see the next video‼️

Wow, first Izzzyzzz uploads, and then a new Musical Hell? In the immortal words of the late Rick May, "Today is a good day!"

"Going Native" is slang in The Service if one gets too friendly with the civilians

The KKK bullies (or any extreme POV) is always a pet peeve of mine. Media of this nature only lands when the characters are subtle because it makes the audience uncomfortable since they are relatable. None of the people I know who watched this saw Nellie or Cable as racist. Just the ones who beat up Cable were racist.

I love your station. You have given me the ability to have a greater appreciation for great music and musicals. Thank you (even though you're the 😈❣️)

No sin for the unironic use of Papyrus in the opening titles? Or is that low hanging fruit for a film 20 years old?

Funny you talk about Glenn Close in South Pacific following the release of Cruella...😉.

The sad thing is, I could easily see Rade Serbedzija being able to give a great performance as this kind of character in a non-musical (just check him out in a kind of similar role in Downton Abbey). But ask him to sing, and that all goes away.

RUDOLPH AND FROSTY?! YES YES YES YES YES YES AND MILLION TIMES YES!!!!! I've been WAITING for you to review that turkey!! I mean I was so excited to see a Frosty and Rudolph cross-over, but this thing made no sense, the puppet Frosty is creepy, and I hope you're gonna mention how Rudolph isn't a child when he pulled Santa's sleigh, but here he;s still a child!! what the hell?! And this is gonna come after the 4th. One of my favorite holidays! You're gonna make my summer!!

"It's practically impossible to make Glenn Close anything other than poised and sophisticated" The live-action 101 Dalmatians movie begs to differ.

Oh, NOW I remember this! I remembered when I was a kid and heard the phrase "AIn't that too damn bad" sung in passing at my house, and never learned where it came from.

One thing I did love about Emile in the 1958 adaptation, even when I was seeing the musical for the first time as a kid, was that he seemed like a MAN™. Even though he was a sensitive widower, he could still get crap done and lean slightly into that escapist feeling South Pacific gives of finding love on the brink of a horrible war, and how momentarily it feels that Emile can protect Nellie from that destruction, even though he obviously can't. This adaptation, it just seems Emile is just full sad/sensitive widower, without any of that "last dying embers" passion behind his performance.

The location and look of the film reminds me of the 1997 film adaptation of McHale's Navy.

Diva, I think a certain musical film is in need of a strong roasting in your court: Sia's Music. Racial stereotypes? Check. Sia dissing the Autism Community and having paper thin research? Check. Musical numbers that just end up being filler? Check and mate.

Glenn Close's hair is one of the worst parts of this. It's like they didn't even bother putting her in costume.

Since you're on the Disney/ABC musical adaptations, can you please, please rip apart the 2005 Once Upon A Mattress?

Hey, Diva! Think you can put Little Mermaid III: Ariel's Beginning on the chopping block?

Here's another sin: whenever the musical numbers try to go grand, they do a terrible job. The trumpets are way too loud, and the vocals are so boisterous and obnoxious that I can't even hear what they're saying.

I was in a production of this in high school. After seeing this…Woof.

So I guess this movie left the Pacific part out and went South pretty quickly. It's the equivalent of the Simpsons 'You Tried' cake gif.

Just discovered your channel today. LOVE these reviews!

Just what I needed after a long tech week! Thanks Diva!

Even when doing "Da Butt" at the Oscars, Glenn Close was classy about it.

I saw the Live from Lincoln Center airing of the revival of "South Pacific" with Kelli O'Hara as Nellie Forbush. She pretty much spoiled me for other actresses in the role. But then, that whole cast was excellent, and my memory of it only brings into sharper relief how bloody MEDIOCRE this misguided version is.

Okay now I kinda want to hear Diva's take on the Brandy Cinderella...don't hate me I'm just curious.

Glad to see more of your content, Diva.

Idk why but the way the thunder of the verdict just cuts in on the end of the movie made me laugh. I love it, nice review

8:25: Good lord, I've seen burnt-out candle stumps that produced more sparks. 16:44: "But that's not enough for this movie, oh no... it wants JUSTIFICATION." You just flawlessly summed up everything I hate about the Disney live-action remakes. The only thing this production did right was eliminate the song "Happy Talk". "Happy Talk" is a crime against humanity.

This was one of the few musicals that I seen where I actually said, “no not another song” and this is someone who loves movie musicals and broadway.

I've been waiting for you an entire month, Diva. Lay it on, us! (Give us a heads up next time you post something, though, I've been waiting an entire week fore this to appear in my feed.)

I like the title card. I think Diva should go off to a South Pacific beach after having to sit through this. Of course I made the request, so mea culpa.

I'm surprised you left out one glaring sin: shortchanging the best song in the show, "This Nearly Was Mine". Like the 1958 version, this adaptation truncates it and leaves out the second bridge ("So clear and deep are my fancies/Of things I wish were true..."), although the cast recording of the 2001 version does include the full version. But even worse, Rade Serbedzija's pop-singer voice is unsuited for it, and they change the song's position in the script, putting it BEFORE Nellie's final rejection and robbing it of its power. Compare this rendition of the song to Brian Stokes Mitchell's in the 2006 concert version (and the nearly-one-minute ROAR of applause that followed it) and you'll see just how badly this version mishandled this song.

That 1999 Annie slaps, tho

It sucks because parts of this show are more relevant now than ever, and certainly were relevant in 2001. I hope people can find a way to make the good parts of this material still resonate for future generations.

This thumbnail could make a great postcard picture

I remember seeing posters of the Robert Goulet version and that's pretty much the only thing I'm familiar with in regards to the musical.

Next to Amy Adams, Glenn Close is overdue for an Oscar. What's she gotta' do, reprise her role of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard?

Hey Diva, will you be covering that Sia movie Music? Yes, the main problem with the movie was that it depicts autistic people as burdens and props to further the lives of neurotypical people, but the musical numbers on it for the most part are randomly put in and have nothing to do with the plot. The fact that Sia originally wrote it to be a straight drama serves that point home.

I am IMMEDIATELY going to my DVD player and watching the 1958 musical in a desperate (and probably futile) effort to forget this version was ever conceived. Proof positive that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Mitzi Gaynor and Giorgio Tozzi, take me away!

Yay sound!

Any of you know that the guy who played the Bass Sergant (Simon Pryce) is now the red member of the Wiggles replacing Murray Cook.

In High School (specifically, 2 years before this mess came into existence), I was in a production of South Pacific (Yes, I was originally slated to play 1st Trumpet, got demoted when we hired a trumpet player and had the Drama teacher angry at me for not auditioning for Harbison or Bracket-while the trombone section was ready to let me have it if I didn't play trumpet-but still, I was in it). So seeing this-especially how the managed to ruin the songs, annoys me. This was also a production where one of the best accesses in the school did not audition, due to being tired of ending up as the leading role (and, I'll be honest: she wouldn't have made a good Nellie and I think she knew she wouldn't make a good Nellie, but would get the role on reputation alone). This was also a dueling production, since another High School in the area was ALSO doing South Pacific at the same time. This was a musical I liked enough to make as the central play in a story about a play gone wrong. Also, "should join a support group with the woman at home in 'Ms. Saigon'" had me cracking up, especially since I saw Ms. Saigon with many of the same people in that production of "South Pacific."

I have a few comments about about this movie myself. First...Yikes, to that news about Pastorelli's history, and how knowing about it can make certain scenes all the more uncomfortable. Second...Damn right, this is not a "movie about war". This is 'South Pacific', not 'Patton'! Third...I think a big reason as to why "You Got to Be Carefully Taught" was so much more effective in the original is because it's during an interaction between Emile and Cable, instead of just Cable singing it to himself. It has Emile coming to Cable and saying that he doesn't buy Ellie's whole "racism is born inside me" claim, and Cable is basically giving the answer to it while (at the same time) realizing and coming to terms with it in himself. The song works much better in that context, because at it's core, the song is a confession. Fourth...I too have to agree about Glenn Close. Say what you will about John Hughe's '101 Dalmations', but Cruella was a role she was BORN to play! (I'll leave talking about Emma Thompson and her recent movie to someone else.) She also fits well in voice-acting roles like Kala in Disney's Tarzan, or Granny in 'Hoodwinked', but she doesn't fit here, try as she might.

19:50 Oh, the book writer for the musical Carrie wrote this? What do you know....

Excellent review! You little devil, you!

Can you do Alice from 1982 plzzzzz?? I’d love to see you rip it apart! It sounds like something right up your alley

Enjoying the longer format

'South Pacific' Wait, what? '2001' Oh, okay, never mind.

South Pacific: Best musical Tony 1950 and Best musical revival 2008. How could they do this to it

Oh My Gods! How could anyone have messed up a Rodgers and Hammerstein classic that badly.

13:00 “I hid this uncomfortable hunk of metal up my ass for two years.”

I wonder if we'll ever see the animated "King and I" from 1999 in the court. Let's just say that massive liberties are taken...

Omg those verdicts had me on the floor 🤣🤣🤣

I saw this when it was originally broadcast but didn't remembertoo muck about it. I guess my brain was trying tho save me.

Is this vid really quiet for anyone else? I had my tv at 70 when it’s usually at around 20-25 🤷🏻‍♀️ Also, this channel is wonderful and always a fun watch💕💕

I don't watch too many musical (expect with Dinsey stuff😅 but I enjoy these and give me some or bit more insine on Musical so Thank you for that.☺️💗🌺🎶

i remember the tv spots for this i think one of em misidentified Close as Academy Award Winner

*watches video when it first comes out* *3 days later* Well, I've already rewatched all the other videos, might as well rewatch this one again :D

After more than *4* hours, I finally made time for the "South Pacific (2001)" episode. EDITS- 6:08 P.M.: *finishes episode 23 minutes later* I never knew that this adaptation of the musical existed until now. 6:12 P.M.: I'd rather watch the 1958 adaptation. It looked more interesting and has *presumably* aged better!

I remember watching this version for my college musicals class and writing about the changes to this movie and the overall anti-racist message of South Pacific.

"South Pacific, one of the brightest jewels in the musical theater canon." Me, someone who's only vaguely familiar with the show because she did a song from it with her senior year Choir: 😶

For a hot second there I thought the thumbnail said "South Park". Very confusing hahaha

Can you review this 2012 musical padak also known swimming to sea

Great review. I hope to see you do a review of HAIR in the near future. I hated the film. It's far removed from the stage show. While it does have some good voices and some amusing scenes here and there, I think they really missed the mark with that one.

I saw this at a local theater. It was great and I’m glad this tv production wasn’t my first view of it 😬

You think Glenn Close was miscast.? Try Kiri Te-Kanawa for size( with Jose Carreras as her co-star).

On the day I graduate nice

Diva, what do you think of The Road to El Dorado?

For once, I saw both the original and the remake. Couldn't agree with you more.

12:35 that right there is an: oh! I'm sorry! I did not mean to lead you on! Face

I shouldn't have laughed at the landmine. I did. Hard.

Off subject I want to hear what you think about the In The Heights movie. I hope that doesn’t end up in Musical Hell.

Question: What would you recommend as far as good movie adaptations? Is there only two to choose from? Is the 1958 version at least decent? I'm genuinely curious.

Can you review Alladin by Dingo Pictures, Z-O-M-B-I-E-S sequels, Pirate Queen, and/or Escape to Margaritaville?