fluffy wrote:The only thing about Damn Yankees is it's based around Baseball which is a sport pretty much limited to the USA and Canada......half the planet has no interest in the sport whatsoever .......add to that it's a musical and the audience demographic is reducing dramatically........straight blokes won't go to see it, and it's not camp enough or glam enough for females or teens..........So who are they aiming it at???........
there's not been a big musical hit since Mama Mia, Moulin Rouge and Chicago......and they were hit's because they were camp/or glam and appealed to females...............
Sorry Jim but my advice would be to shelve this one......you'll get another chance to show off your vocal chords.........
I have different thoughts on that one. If there's a movie that's happening in the world of a certain sport, it doesn't necessarily means they are aiming for a sport-loving audiance. Not being a sports fan at all, I can think of many titles I wanted and still want to see and where the fact that it's about a sport is not the main reason of the movie's existence, on the contrary. The most recent example is 'Moneyball' (2011). I have sport-people in my group of friends, but I can't imagine one of them would go to the theatres and actually see that one. When a movie has quality names (Bennett Miller, Pitt, Seymour Hoffman) like this, you know it's more about the performances, the characters, the dialogues and the (in this case more financial managment-esque) story.
When George Clooney makes 'Leatherheads', a screwball comedy (not populair at all) about baseball in the 1920's (bye bye sportloving audiance), you know they are not aiming at them. Question is ... are they aiming at someone specific? I'm sure they don't. When greenlighting a project like this, you know it's not about the box office, it's about so much more.
Okay, I agree. There aren't that many musicals these days. But the ones out there that matter, do have a very interesting cast. And perhaps the most important fact is that almost every single one of them was doing good in every possible way. Just take a look at the Golden Globe nominations and wins, for example. Not kidding, every single one of them. And again, women and gay men (I know that's not what you said exactly) wouldn't be the audiance they are aiming for ... But every movie-loving person out there that's up for something you don't see every week. I know a lot of my straight male friends that would see it, just because of the talent.
What do they offer? An interesting cast in a original concept (these days). That's always doing good in general. And I'm not talking moneywise, although it would be nice. I'm talking about all other levels. I think that's much more important.
Most of the titles that are mentioned in the end of the year lists, awards worldwide and critics worldwide ... are the ones that are hard to sell. I think this is something Jim should do with Gyllenhaal, no doubt. It's such a unique chance to do a thing like this as an actor.
Now, the only thing I do have doubts about, is the director involved. That's not a unique talent or someone that has done interesting things ... This project requires a strong vision.