War Horse: Broadway play versus the movie

[leigh.bess.toad]

I was wondering if anyone who may have seen War Horse on Broadway (or London for that matter) has seen the new Spielberg movie. I saw the movie last night and loved it. But I was wondering how it compared to the stage production. I was hoping to bring "the bf" (sorry coop, couldn't resist) to NY in the spring to see it. The horse used in the stage production looks incredible. I was just wondering if anyone could comment on differences between the two.

 

Thanks in advance (couldn't resist again, could i??)

[+ beethoven]

I haven't seen the movie yet, but the play at Lincoln Center is unlike anything you've ever seen -- and I've seen a lot of plays over the years. Yes, it's just a children's story -- boy loves horse, boy loses horse, boy looks for horse, boy finds horse (hope I didn't spoil the ending for you!) -- but the puppetry is absolutely amazing. Within five minutes, you forget that these aren't real horses. The emotions are genuine, it is easy to suspend any disbelief that you need to suspend -- isn't that what great theater is all about?. I don't have a list of every play in New York in front of me, but this is one of the very, very best experiences you can have. I'd add "Anything Goes" to this, too. Pure pleasure!!

See it, and I know you'll enjoy it!

And, Lee, we've never met, but I wish you all the happiness in the world in your new personal ventures.

[+ Cash4Trash]

And if your looking for some raunchy fun "Silence, The Musical" is hysterical.

[edjames]

The obvious difference between the film and the stage production (I saw both the Bway and West End productions) is that the play relies on the audiences imagination to define the scenes and the puppet horses. The stage production defines what the magic of theater is all about, the ability to become so engrossed in the action that suddenly the horse puppets almost become realistic. The film is a great recreation of the story but the stage production goes above and beyond the story. It is said that it is the only show where "grown men cry." If you are headed to NYC, Toronto or other cities where this production is playing I highly recommend you see it. I haven't heard one negative word about this show from the many who have seen it.

 

ED

[+ Lucky]

Ed, much like your reaction to the film The Artist, my reaction to the musical Warhorse was that it was fine, but why all of the fuss?

The LA Times today compares some films to their theatrical counterparts. In part, Charles McNulty had this to say on Warhorse, the film, versus the musical:

 

"This is an epic intended for a wide audience, and so anthropomorphic schmaltz is part of the deal. But Spielberg, working with a screenplay by Lee Hall and Richard Curtis, manages to convey in purely cinematic terms not just the insane nightmare of World War I but the seemingly limitless capacity of human destructiveness. The vulnerability of Joey, the brave steed at the center of our keyed-up sympathy, is powerfully exploited. Not everyone will be able to keep their eyes open as the poor horse tries to survive the hell he's been thrust into. But the movie communicates with as much force as the stage version the hideous waste of war."

The photo comparisons are marvelous:

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2011-12/67064348.jpg

 

For more, and the comparison with other films, see: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-ca-mcnulty-movie-notebook-20120101,0,3437764.story

[RockCreekRunr]

Glad you asked. I saw the play a couple months ago and was moved by the simplicity of it--and the emotional attachment. I saw the movie yesterday and was disappointed in it. The film was toooo BIG...too grand. All the sweeping cinematography, orange skies, etc. and the interminable John Williams music that would not stop. Spielberg is capable of much better than the whole of this film, but I can't deny that there are small portions of the movie that are very strong. The play deserved "Best Play" but the film does not deserve "Best Picture," imho.

[edjames]

Ed, much like your reaction to the film The Artist, my reaction to the musical Warhorse was that it was fine, but why all of the fuss?

 

One reaction to your post..."MUSICAL" Warhorse.......???????????????????????????????

 

So far, the stage production wins higher praise among freinds that have seen both productions.

 

ED

[+ Lucky]

Ed, so quick to find fault. I posted that on a holiday, specifically the one that follows New Year's Eve, and you expect me to get everything right?

 

And don't forget, I said it was fine. Others were talking abut how "powerful" it is, but that part didn't register so much with me.

[jackhammer91406]

A great example of the value of this MC

 

This thread is a prime example of why the MC is so valuable to me. As if someone was reading my mind....

I have wrestled with this dilemma for a few weeks. The stage version runs this coming summer at the Ahmanson Theater. My season tickets are for a July date. I am worried that the stage version won't be as impressive if I see the movie first.

I also read the article in the L.A.Times that Lucky referenced.

After reading this thread, I will wait and see the play, then rent the DVD of the movie later.

Thanks guys for all you do to make my life easier.

[foxy]

I thought the play was wonderful, especially the "puppets" which within minutes I saw as real horses. I saw the movie today and went with low expectations but thought it was good yet not as good as the play. Jeremy Irvine who plays Albert is so cute he was worth the price of the ticket alone although the kid who sold me the ticket was just as cute so that added to the experience.

[Guest rohale]

I felt the film was equally compelling as the stage play if not more. For obvious reasons the stage play had limits whereas the film doesn't. Having stated this, the stage play deserves all the accolades that have so far been bestowed upon it. The film itself in typical Steven Spielberg approach was wonderfully captivating. There were a couple of war scenes that so much reminded me of "Saving Private Ryan". Overall I thought the film was absolutely brilliantly filmed and somewhat reminescent of the 1994 film "Black Beauty" that starred Peter Davison and Sean Bean. Since the award season is upon us, I hope Spielberg's film gets some nominations that would be well deserved.

[uwsman2]

I saw the film yesterday. I saw the play at Lincoln Center early in the run. I think the play was better. The problem for me is that the story itself is rather thin and predictable, so everything depends on the magic of the medium. In the theater, the sheer virtuosity of the life-size puppets operated with elegant choreography by a crew of superb dancers just takes your breath away, especially with the close proximity of the theater-in-the-round at Lincoln Center and an excellent case. In the film, you have real horses instead of the puppets, and they have been well trained - enough to actually create personalities and draw you in to the drama. But somehow the less realistic, more artificial theater version is for me much more thrilling, being enacted live in your presence. The movie is a compilation of individual takes edited into a flowing narrative that works well but is not in the same league. Seen on its own, I think the movie is fine - even better than that, very good - but as an experience the show is better.

[jackhammer91406]

My partner and I saw the stage version last night at the Ahmanson Theater here in Los Angeles. I did not see the movie, hadn't read the book, so only had a bare inkling of what was in store.

 

Well. I guess I am not alone when I say I was dazzled by the stagecraft. Just visually stunning in it's simplicity and power. The ensemble is uniformly strong and the performers who animate the animals are very good. I was captivated by the animation and really moved by the detail they were able to evoke.

 

Last night's performance had a technical glitch very early on which caused the show to have to stop and the houselights to come up. An announcement was made and the show resumed a few minutes later. As simple as the conceptual staging is, there are many technical visuals which are, I assume, run by computer, so it's easy to understand the stoppage if one thing was out of place or mistimed.

When the show resumed from the exact same spot, I was caught back up in Joey's story immediately and forgot all about the brief interruption.

 

My partner had seen the movie and says the live staging was much more moving and he liked it better. He used to train horses (yes he is an ex-cowboy, although you can never really call a cowboy an ex-cowboy...it never really leaves them). He said he was very impressed with the animation of the animals. He did comment on the "breathing" simulation as being not really believable but he understood it was meant to suggest the horses inhalation.

 

All in all, we enjoyed it greatly and I can recommend it to anyone. It is in a limited engagement.