The Greatest Showman
By ice rivers
- 1670 reads
With Mary's ticket in hand, we made our way to the Regal theater. For various reasons, we decided to start our cinematic journey with "The Greatest Showman" starring Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams.
Even though it's chilly out, I went without a jacket. I have several bad habits with jackets in theaters, either I keep them on throughout the show and make crinkling sounds every time I move and then freeze when I go outside or I take the jacket off and invariably something falls out of my pocket and it still makes a crinkling sound every time I fidget which is often.
I wasn't aware of all of this until we started out this morning when Lynn filled me in and said "For God's sake don't wear that crinkly Columbia jacket today."
When we arrived at the theatre, Lynn dropped me off at the door while she parked the car. I awaited her arrival in the lobby and wondered if I didn't have the ticket, would I see this movie. I love musicals and Jackman and Williams are likable performers but if I didn't have the ticket, I probably would have waited for Net Flix and watched at home.
We entered the theater as the trailers ended. There were two other souls in the theater.
Between the actual movie and the trailers there was a short little film in which Hugh Jackman appeared as Hugh Jackman and he thanked and congratulated all four of us in the audience for coming to the theater and seeing the film in full size and sound as it was intended to be seen by all the folks who had labored to get it made.
This was a nice way to begin our adventure.
I told Hugh he was welcome.
As I mentioned earlier I have a fondness for musicals. My wife doesn't share the bias. Yet, she made The Greatest Showman the choice for the first movie on the ticket. When I asked her why she had chosen this one she responded "I know you like musicals and you go with me when I see the Insidiouses so I thought I'd return the favor"
Very nice.
The Greatest Showman kicks off with a big opening number and continues at a steady pace for the duration of the film. I have no complaints bout the musical numbers. I don't think there's a "Maria" amongst the bunch but all are enjoyable.
Enjoyable.
They help the movie to provide joy.
One of the questions raised within the film is the contrast between joy and art. A quote by the actual Barnum at the end of the film espouses the importance of joy in human existence.
If we had to sacrifice one or the other would it be joy or art.
To Barnum, the choice would be easy...we would crearte something in the middle called a circus.
I'ver seen some great circuses in my time including Soleil but the best circus that I ever saw was surely The Ringling Brothers/ Barnum and Bailey Greatest Show on Earth which I caught a long time ago in that space of time between thirty and forty years of age when a person is starting to realize that they've seen everything before and yet have seen nothing. At this juncture, there is nothing like a circus..especially The Greatest Show on Earth.
The Greatest Show on Earth barely made it into the twenty first century and is now a thing of the past.. Joy is being replaced with irony...awe with ennui.
The dream has come to an ignominious end.
The probability that dreams will end in heartbreak prevents many of us from pursuing our dreams with the courage, determination and energy that wish fulfillment demands.
The Greatest Showman encourages viewers to be comfortable with their dreams. I am grateful.
I keep writing and dreaming.
.See The Greatest Showman at the movies, it's too big for teevee.
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I read this with great
I read this with great interest. I usually go to the cinema about once a week, and just at the moment there's a crop of movies I fancy (eg Three Billboards, The Post) and I've been thinking about The Greatest Showman but wasn't sure if I wanted to part with my money (mind you, I'm the only person left in the civilised world who doesn't have Netflix). Sounds like I should give it a go.
And a lovely photo!
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