Amazon.co.uk Review: The movie version of Kander and Ebb's Chicago was long in the making but its well worth the wait. Director Rob Marshall's main change was to turn the classic musical numbers into fantasy sequences, but of course this isn't obvious on CD. Most importantly, the arrangements are bursting with life while being true to the show's spirit, and the casting is simply inspired.
Catherine Zeta Jones actually started her career on the British boards (she was in The Pajama Game and 42nd Street) so her turn as slinky Velma Kelly isn't that surprising; Renée Zellweger as Roxie Hart is more of a leftfield choice but she shows she can handle the singing demands with pizzazz. The real revelation may well be rapper Queen Latifah, who belts out "When You're Good to Mama" with a marvelous affinity for the material.
Okay, so the R&B reprise of "Cell Block Tango/He Had It Coming" by Queen Latifah, Macy Gray, and Lil' Kim fails to convince, while Anastacia's "Love is a Crime" is just bland (rest easy, purists, it's over the end credits). On the other hand, the CD provides two bonuses: "Class," which was cut from the movie, and "I Move On," a great duet written by Kander and Ebb for the final cut. It's really easy to mess up film adaptations of Broadway shows: happily, Chicago proves it can be done right. --Elisabeth Vincentelli
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Thank you Tommy Valando!
John Kander and Fred Ebb present CHICAGO, a musical set during prohibition in Chicago.
The story deals with the idea of a "celebrity criminal." The musical is based on a 1926 play of the same name by writer Maurine Dallas Watkins about real crimes & criminals she reported on!
The synopsis {possible spoilers ahead!}
Velma Kelly is a vaudevillian that murders her husband & sister {they were sleeping together.}
Chorus girl Roxie Hart murders her lover Fred Casely. ... Read More
Rating: - Dance-tastic soundtrack!
I was given the soundtrack as part of a dance routine. I had not watched the film, but the tunes that stood out the most were "Cell Block Tango" with its catchy chorus, and "Overture/And All That Jazz", with the soulful singing from Catherine Zeta Jones. It compelled me to rent the film, and I was not disappointed - I ended up buying my own copy!Only low point in the soundtrack is possibly track 15, as it is a bit down compared to the rest of the fantastic, catchy, upbeat tunes (or downbeat tunes with ... Read More
Rating: - stunning
catherine-zeta-jones is the clear star of the screen adaptation of the musical. her voice is os rich and powerful and as she sings the most on the album you really get your moneys worth. renee zellweger also performs well especially cos shes not a natural perfromer. it alsio letys us see a new side of queen latifah with her belting voice which is full of character. there is not one song one this soundtrack whioch isnt grea not forgetting, of course the great song 'class' not featured in the main film!!!!!!!
Rating: - A "must" if you love CHICAGO (the movie)
The film CHICAGO has the exuberant energy to blow open the theater's doors, and I raved about it to every one of my friends for whom film going is a pastime. The CD of the CHICAGO soundtrack is a "must" if you think you'll love the music divorced from the superlative visuals.
I've already listened to this disk twice, and the cat is looking at me strange as I thump her cat tree to the beat of the music. I plan to plug this CD into the chariot's boom box tomorrow and see how many noise abatement laws ... Read More
Rating: - This just razzles and dazzles
If you loved the film, you will love this cd. It is packed with all the songs and listening to the soundtrack allows you to relive the story all over again!All the voices sound great on this cd and if you are a fan of musicals, you will know what i mean when i say that you end up singing and dancing your way throught the cd!
