The Hollow Crown: Four of Shakespeare's Histories

This starts tonight on PBS!

TV Review: Sleepy Hollow

First I have to just say, as morbid as it was, watching the headless horseman chop off someone's head from the POV of the victim was one of the most unique camera shots I've seen in a very long time.

And now, regarding the series pilot. I loved it! I am really looking forward to seeing where this show goes. I hope the rest of the season is as good as the series opener. Tim Mison is not what I imagine when I hear the name Ichabod Crane (I guess I've seen the Disney cartoon version too many times), but I love him in the role.

The headless horseman is an impressive sight.

The mythology of the story is interesting, and after having recently watched marathons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel lately, I'm interested in seeing where the mythology takes this show. Just like Buffy and Angel, the goal here is to save the world. That's not going to be easy, right? I'm not much into police procedural shows, unless they have an premise that makes it not just a police procedural (i.e., Castle, Grimm), but I'm willing to take a chance on this one.

Please, don't let me down, Ichabod!

Side note: The police captain's name is Frank Irving. Nice shout out to the writer of The Legend of Sleep Hollow, Washington Irving. I'm going to have to read the short story to see if there are any other hidden "Easter eggs" in the show.

And just so you know, there were five decapitations in this first episode, and I'm sure many more people are going to lose their heads in this series.

Into the Woods Casting: Good News

Lilla Crawford

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about how inappropriate I thought the casting was for Little Red for the movie version of Into the Woods, because of her young age. 

I am happy to say that 10 year-old Sophia Grace Brownlee will not be playing Little Red. Instead, 12 year-old Lilla Crawford (she recently played the title role in Annie on Broadway) has been cast. I still think that 12 is a bit too young for the part of Little Red, however, it's much better than ten. We'll see how it works out when the movie comes out in December 2014.

Casting News for NBC's The Sound of Music

Stephen Moyer (True Blood) will join Carrie Underwood in NBC's new version of The Sound of Music as Captain Von Trapp. It's an interesting choice, and I hope he can sing. I have no doubt about the singing of three other actors who have joined the cast. Five-time Tony award winner, Audra McDonald (Private Practice), will play the Mother Abbess, Laura Benanti (Tony award winner for Gypsy) will play Baroness Elsa Schrader, and Christian Borle (Smash, Tony award winner for Peter and the Starcatcher) will play Max Dettweiler. I love it when the casting directors for movie (and television) musicals  look to Broadway for the roles. They have made smart choices so far, since this show is going to be broadcast live.

Side note: I had the pleasure of seeing Audra McDonald in concert a few weeks ago. I knew she had an incredible voice, but she is amazing live. I can understand why she won all of those Tony awards. She will make an amazing Mother Abbess, and when she sings "Climb Every Mountain," she is going to blow everyone away.

Disneyland - Through My Lens

I love Disneyland, and I visit as often as I can. I have taken a multitude of pictures on my many jaunts to the happiest place on earth, and I've started a new blog, Disneyland - Through my Lens, to feature some of my favorite photos. 

I hope you visit my new blog, and I hope you enjoy seeing Disneyland (and California Adventure) through my eyes.

Doctor Who: 50th Anniversary Special Poster

Oh, yea!

'Nuff said.

Into the Woods: More Casting News

I haven't been too critical about any of the casting for the movie musical version of Into the Woods - until now.

It's rumored that an actress named Sophie Grace Brownlee will play the role of Little Red. I don't know who the little girl is, but she's really a little girl. According to her website she's eight years old. Eight years old! I think that's too young to be playing Little Red. To me, the Little Red's character represents the things we learn as we start going out into the world, and you don't usually start venturing out into the world on your own until you're a little older than eight. 

I think that the part should be played by an actress around 15-16 at the youngest. Also, if the actress is younger than 15 or 16, the scene with Little Red and the wolf would seem extremely creepy, because there are more themes there than just a wolf that wants to make Little Red his next meal. With an eight year old that's just disturbing. I also don't think her solo, "I Know Things Now," would sound convincing from the mouth of a girl that age.

I'm nervous that eight year-old actress won't be able to pull off the humor in the character as well. No offense to any eight year-old actors, but I just can't see it happening.

****Spoiler****

Also, it seems strange that an eight year-old would tell Jack, "I'll be your mother" at the end. Or maybe it would be funnier, I don't know.

Maybe I'll be proven wrong about the wisdom in this casting choice, but I think it's very unlikely.

Correction: Sophie is 10 years old. Two years doesn't make a difference in this case. She's still too young.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

I don't usually watch The Chew, mainly because it's on during the day when I'm at work, and also because it's a talk show that doesn't interest me. However, I happened upon it on Monday when I was home for the Labor Day holiday. Instead of a doing what I assume is a cooking/talk show, they had sneak-peeks at the upcoming fall season on ABC.

I was excited to see the sneak-peek for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I am really looking forward to this show, and not just because Joss Whedon is the showrunner. Okay, actually, it's mainly because Joss Whedon is the showrunner. However, I loved The Avengers, and I enjoyed Iron Man, Captain America and Thor, and I'm looking forward to seeing a show about the inner workings of the agency that brought all of the superheroes together. And Joss Whedon is the showrunner.

Strictly Ballroom, the Musical

A Life Lived in Fear is a Life Half Lived

Before The Great Gatsby, before Australia, before Moulin Rouge, before William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, Baz Luhrmann made a little film called Strictly Ballroom. I immediately fell in love with this quirky movie when I saw it 20 years ago.

For many years since I saw it I have heard rumors that the film was being adapted into a musical. Now, the rumor is no longer a rumor. Strictly Ballroom, the musical, will be opening in Sydney in March 2014.

Now, I'm not much for adapting every movie into a musical. I don't think just any movie can be adapted to the stage - let alone add music to it. However, Strictly Ballroom is the perfect movie to adapt into a musical - if it's done right.  And the original creative team from the film will be the ones to bring it to life on the stage. Baz Luhrmann (director, co-writer), Craig Pearce (co-writer), John O'Connell (choreographer), and Catherine Martin (set and costume designer). With that group at the helm, it's sure to keep its original charm and "quirkiness."

I hope it's good, I hope it's successful, and I hope it comes to Broadway someday. And I hope that eventually I'll get to see it.