I Found Some Blog

a division of the Chersonian Institute

Category: Film (Page 11 of 16)

Burlesque: How’re We Doing?

December 20, 2010 / / 0 Comments

This Burlesque shit is off the charts.

First, a year of fun pre-premiering with lots of kewl appearances, interviews and products…then all the scandals and intrigue.

The Murder:

Although one person of interest just committed suicide, the Ronnie Chasen murder still not solved to anyone’s satisfaction:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8191882/Murder-of-Hollywood-publicist-Ronnie-Chasen-solved.html

Her killing baffled investigators, who indicated it may have been targeted but could find no apparent motive. Her purse had not been stolen, adding weight to suspicions that she was not a random victim.

Last week Harold Smith, an unemployed 43-year-old with a string of past convictions, shot himself as he was approached by officers investigating a tip-off given to a Crimewatch-style television programme.

An anonymous caller gave the name of Smith, who was about to be evicted from his flat, and said he had bragged to neighbours that he was paid $10,000 to kill Miss Chasen.

But officers said Smith was merely "of interest" to them and was not a suspect. They said initially the gun and bullets he used to kill himself did not appear to match those used on Miss Chasen.
Further doubts that Smith was capable of the apparently sophisticated roadside murder were raised when it emerged that his only form of transport had been a bicycle.

However, at a news conference late on Wednesday, Dave Snowden, the chief of Beverly Hills police, said that it now seemed almost certain that Smith had indeed carried out the killing.
He said tests had found Smith's gun and bullets did match those used on Miss Chasen after all. "We believe that Mr Smith acted alone," Mr Snowden said.

"We don't believe it was a professional hit." Det Sgt Michael Publicker added that Smith "was at a desperate point and was reaching out and doing desperate measures". He added: "Most likely it was a robbery gone bad".

Smith had several convictions, including robbery and drugs offences, and was released from his second spell in prison in 2007.

The Box Office:

After spending its first week at #4, Burlesque moved up to #3 behind Tangled and Harry Potter for its second week, then went down to #7 for the third week, (the theater count went down as well) and this week has fallen to #11 in box office. I saw it again with my husband on Sunday (yes, he went twice!! And still insists he enjoyed it) and the tiny theater it had been relegated to was stuffed with 30 people for a Sunday 2pm showing. They all seemed into it. The average age of the audience was elderly. I enjoyed listening to the gay guy next to us comment throughout the movie. He was there with his mom. We all three, husband, me and gay guy (unbeknownst to us), all tried to see how much money Tess turns over to her ex-husband with that check dramatic check close-up…none of us could locate a dollar amount. We all vowed to freeze frame the DVD someday. 

To date the movie has earned $35,537,765. To make up its cost, it has to beat $55 million which internationally it should do.

http://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/

The Golden Globe Nominations:

Cher’s song "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" has moved up to #14 on he dance chart and has been nominated for a Golden Globe award, as has Christina's "Bound to You."

Other competition: Gwyneth Paltrow's "Coming Home" (from Country Strong), Mandy Moore & Zachery Levi's "I See The Light" (from Tangled) and Carried Underwood's "There's a Place for Us" (from Chronicles of Narnia). Christina said of the nomination:"I want to thank the HFPA for recognizing our song 'Bound to You'. It is a ballad Sia and I wrote from the heart and one that I am extremely proud of."

Me love me some Sia.

And…The 68th Annual Golden Globe nominations also includes the movie Burlesque in the category of Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical and it was quite the controversial pick.

From: http://www.popeater.com/2010/12/20/burlesque-bribe-golden-globes-cher/

When the poorly-reviewed film 'Burlesque' earned a Best Picture (Musical or Comedy) Golden Globe nomination last week, many observers and everyday movie fans were left with stunned looks on their faces. A fun musical romp? Sure. But one of the best of the year? C'mon! Well, thanks to Patrick Goldstein of the the Los Angeles Times, we may now have an idea at just how Sony was able to swing such an honor from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

Goldstein opened a can of worms when he wrote last week that HFPA members "took a Sony-sponsored trip to Las Vegas to see Cher in concert, then gave her film a stunning best picture nod."

This shocking little nugget leaves us to wonder: Did the makers of 'Burlesque,' which currently sports a 39 percent rating from film critics over at Rotten Tomatoes, grease the palms of the 81-member foreign press voting bloc in order to secure a nomination? Well, it's been done before, as The Independent notes:

"In 1981, the unknown Pia Zadora won a Best Newcomer award for her role in 'Butterfly,' a film which had been universally derided. It later emerged that the movie's producer, who was also her husband, had flown the entire HFPA to Las Vegas for a weekend holiday immediately before they voted."

All this scandal has angered one of the stars of 'Burlesque,' Cher, who I'm told had no idea Sony was flying the voters to Vegas to see her perform.

"Cher is furious that this happened," an insider tells me. "She meets hundreds of people backstage every week and never asks what they do for a living. She just assumed this group was another group of fans for her to meet and greet."

My source tells me that if it's somehow confirmed that voters gave the film the nomination because they got a free trip to Vegas, "Cher would rather they keep the darn thing."

That doesn’t sound like a real Cher quote, honestly. I can't see her using the phrase "darn thing." The phrase "insider tells me" also makes me wonder about that bit of news.

From: http://www.hotmommagossip.com/2010/12/20/golden-globes-nod-for-burlesque-uncovers-judging-corruption/

For years the Golden Globes were regarded as a signpost to the Oscars; If it won a Globe it was sure to get a gold man as well. Today, few in Hollywood respect them, and since Cher and Christina Aguilera got picked for ‘Burlesque’ this disdain has grown.

Released on November 24, Burlesque’s $55-million budget and withering reception rightly made it one of the most expensive Thanksgiving turkeys in history. So when it received a nomination for ‘Best Picture’ at last week’s Globes preview, even those whose medication prompts them to consider the awards vaguely relevant were confused.

But the cause of this error may have been found – Just before they cast their votes, the obscure collection of 81 foreign journalists who are the Globes’ voting panel received a lavish, free trip to Las Vegas to see Cher in concert.

I thought this was all very outrageous and scandalous and told my husband so shortly after he got home from work. He seemed to think it was non-news and said people are naïve if they think buying nominations isn’t how the dirty business works. I said this potentially taints Cher and the Globes. He said bolderdash and then I called him a Cherpologist, mostly because I just wanted to try out that word (yell it the way my niece Sarah once accused him very loudly at a family dinner of being a FISH AND TURKEY STEALER!) but also because I am finding it hard to get a Cher criticism out of him lately. 

He said he hoped my blog headline would read "Man Who Sets Cher Traps Becomes a Cherpologist"

 

Cher Interviews! Can You Get Enough?

December 20, 2010 / / 1 Comment

The great thing about Burlesque press is seeing how friendly Cher has become again. In TV interviews over the past years Cher has seemed tense and stern. It's fun to see her smiling again. 

A good online Cher interview:

  • When asked her beauty secret: “There's a team of five dozen people and it takes them two hours."
  • Asked about making friends on the road vs on the set: “You develop a real shorthand as to who you like…”
  • “I’m never going to do a lot of films”
  • Her secret to longevity: “I haven’t got a clue. I think it’s luck. I really do think it’s luck.”

The Movie Phone interview between Cher and Christina was fun:

  • When asked about her favorite gift from a fan she talks about a painting, I think she's talking about that Ward Lamb picture again.

An essay on Cher's appeal as a gay icon:

  • “Every gay icon possesses qualities through which we live vicariously…and with Cher you get more bang for your buck. It’s wish fulfillment on a grand scale.”
  • "She’s 'a woman like no other.' That’s basically the front of the line for gay men.”

The New York Times Interview:

  • She talks about needing foot surgery, and having aches and pains everywhere.
  • The Times describes her as having “a magnitude of celebrity for which the word fame is pathetically insufficient…Cher has come to seem the Sherman tank of divas, sometimes under fire but seldom in retreat.”
  • The author expresses discomfort with treating her like a mortal.
  • The big news:  Cher will soon host and introduce old favorite movies to be shown after midnight on the TCM channel.  Can’t wait to watch old movies with Cher!!
  • On her movie role choices: “Look, I have a very narrow range.” Me, I think think Cher should choose to a bad guy character next. Bad guys are fun to play. And she can exercize her bitchy look.
  • She tells a funny story about Barbra Streisand: When she flashed back to her favorite exercise class in Beverly Hills decades ago, the fellow crunchers and squatters were Raquel Welch, and Ali McGraw…and Streisand, who “would go over, do two little things, and then walk around and talk,” Cher said.

Regis-philbin-cher-kelly-ripa-2010-11-19-14-20-23 Regis and Kelly

This was one of my favorite interviews, maybe because I could relate to Kelly's giddiness or because they asked really fun questions and got Cher talking about life at home.

  • Regis said "You can't get bigger than this next guest."
  • Kelly said: "This is the greatest moment of my life."
  • Regis made me laugh when he joked with Cher: "Have you missed me at all?"
  • Cher admitted she's a great cook (Sonny taught me) but she only cooks on special occasions. Her specialty is sauces (Sonny’s sauce). Don't you think Christy Bono, Chaz and Cher ought to get together to commemorate Sonny with book of his recipes?
  • At Chez Cher, they do a traditional thanksgiving: turkey, mashed potatoes, spinach, sweet potatoes "with the bad marshmallows" and for Thanksgiving she dresses like a bum.
  • Cher and Regis have known each other since The Joey Bishop Show.
  • Cher says "We are all artists in our own life, all the star of our own life."
  • Kelly called Cher the original performance artist.
  • Cher said Lady Gaga's Meat purse “didn’t feel very nice.”
  • Cher insists she's not threatening or menacing and that younger men are attracted to her because "younger men were being rasied by women like me."
  • Cher claims she never sang in any of her movies? But she sang in Good Times, and for bits of Jimmy Dean, Mask (an entire song that got cut) and Tea with Mussolini.

Letterman David Letterman:

  • Letterman reminded Cher it was 23 years ago that she was on the NBC show with Sonny. (That makes me feel old.)
  • On signing autographs Cher says: "It takes as much time to say no as to say yes." (Can Cher do an intervention between autograph-hater Val Kilmer and the town of Pecos, NM?)
  • On expensive Vegas show tickets “My fans have a hard time with it.”
  • She has appreciated the Vegas show but likes arenas better. She jokes husbands must say: “I'll take you to see the naked old bitch and then I’m gambling.”
  • When Letterman reads out a list of men, Cher smiles the biggest for Gene Simmons. The name Michael Bolton elicits a “nooooo!”  Letterman askes "how many? and Cher says "we're not talking Cleopatra numbers."
  • November 13, 1987 was the airdate for the reunion with Sonny. On May 22, 1986 Cher called Letterman an asshole. For historians, Letterman said. Indeed, for historians. 
  • Discussions of Cher's gargantuan fortune seem to embarrass her.
  • Chaz thought about his gender change for 10-12 years. Letterman grapples with the difference between transgender and being gay. To my way of thinking: a gay man, for instance, likes men but also likes being a man. A man who wishes to become transgendered likes men too, but hates being a man.
  • Cher says she approves of Chaz's decision although throughout the process was not always calm about it. People have told Cher that Chaz is very brave (this got applause). 
  • They talked about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Paul Shaffer doesn’t know anybody “over there” and Cher says “there’s a cool factor…if they don’t think you are…” Letterman said it's all about timing (in a self-knowing way, almost like he would take care of it.)

Good Morning America-Nightline-20/20: Abc_cher_cynthia_101115_mn

The annoying Cynthia McFadden interviews. Yes, she annoys me…maybe through no fault of her own. She reminds me of an annoying woman I work with. But on some level I also think she reminds me of an annoying archetype, not quite smug, but smuggy. And I really do hate the big interview chopped up over three shows. Cheap, cheap, cheap. And you had to watch all three…because none of them aired the same soundbites.

Good Morning America called their segment “Cher Unplugged”

  • The intro claimed incorrectly that Cher has had a #1 hit in the last five decades.
  • There are still no clips available of the Vegas show…they always show Farewell Tour clips when talking about the Vegas show. Will we see a Vegas special soon??  Bette Milder's The Showgirl Must Go On special is airing New Year's Even on HBO. I wish I had HBO.
  • On Motherhood: Cher said maybe she should have had children when she was older.

Nightline called their segment “Pure Cher”

  • The intro compared her to the Statue of Liberty and claimed she has had a "hit record in last 5 decades."
  • When asked about toughness, Cher says "No one’s tough all the time."
  • She hates being called ma’am and "no Miss Cher."
  • When asked about her movie roles, she said, “This is my fault, I’m sure. I haven’t stretched myself. I've done comfortable things." (I'm telling you, play a villain!)
  • Cher likes Lady Gaga’s "balls to the wall" outfits. (I still think all her costume changes for the VMAs were a bit too much)
  • Regarding the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: "Everything’s about being cool. Very little is about reality.”
  • She feels she's been a good mother "in fits and starts."

20/20:

  • The introduction traces her transformations from barefoot hippie (didn’t she always love shoes too much to ever go barefoot?) to sizzling singer to Oscar maven
  • This is Cher and Cynthia McFadden's 4th interview in 10 years.
  • Now the intro claims Cher has had "top 10 hits in five decades."
  • Cher says she was freightened for Chaz in the, beginning of her transgendering, feeling her doctor's  didn’t do due diligence on account of her celebrity. But that Chaz is "the same person. It made him happy."
  • When McFadden commented that now Cher has two sons, Cher said "I have 2 sons. Never thought that would be. You get what you get. You get what belongs to you.” That would have to be my favorite quote of all these interviews: you get what belongs to you.

ImagesCAHIZIN9 Jay Leno:

  • Leno and Cher talk about the specialness of getting her footprints at the Grauman’s Theater and her outfit snafu, the missing slip and the peek-a-boo turquoise g-string, Cher blanking on the spelling of her name. Where is the E? Jay said about adding Cher to the footprints: "You would've thought they’d have done it 20 years ago." Amen.
  • They talked about Cher dating Leno's friend Ron Zimmerman and Cher called their relationship "hillbilly cousins" and talked about meeting him on Facebook.

Parade Magazine:

  • They called her Malibu house "ponderously self-important."
  • Cher talked about having 4 miscarriages and about Sonny’s womanizing ("five women weren’t enough") and how she later asked him how he juggled all those women logistically?
  • She talked about Elijah's art shows and said he has been asked to design a Louis Vuitton label – considering the content of his last two shows, wouldn't it seem odd if he did that?

Vanity Fair:

  • Cher talks about Elijah's art show and says he has sold everything.
  • Cher says her kids both had the addictions of their fathers: heroin for Elijah, pain meds for Chaz but that Georgeanne and Cher didn’t get the addictions of their fathers. Georgeanne's Dad was alcoholic and Cher’s was addicted to heroin. Cher says she has "the constitution of a fruit fly."
  • Her Grandma recently died at age 96 and that she "was a mean bitch most of the time."
  • Interestingly, Cher's mom Georgia talks about her mother in the interview below: “my mother left when I was about 5…got custody of me at 12 and then she decided she didn’t want me. She told me to go back to my father." That sounds really awful.  How can that not affect you and your ability to mother? Affect your self esteem?
  • Cher speculated that "if sonny had agreed to disband Cher Enterprises and start all over again, I never would have left." She said he had such a tight grip.
  • She told a longer form of the old Johnny Carson story, where he kicks her out of the room.
  • Robert Camilletti still comes over to Christmas dinner.
  • Jen has been her personal assistant for 17 years; Deb has been with her for 34 years.
  • They called Bob Mackie "the sultan of sequins."

Whew! A lot of tidbits to slog through, no?

  

The Burlesque Movie Review

December 4, 2010 / / 6 Comments

Cherburlesque There's a lot of Cher stuff to talk about and I'd love to cover all the press appearances she's done, print and TV, for this movie. But that will have to wait until next week. The pressing question now is: how was Burlesque, which  opened the day before Thanksgiving competing against Harry Potter (saw it: loved it), the new Disney movie Tangled and the superhero movie Meagamind. Burlesque earned a respectable #4 spot, earning $17 million in its opening holiday weekend.

But the reviews have been vicious. I slogged through about 15 to 20 of them before seeing the movie. I was disheartened. You can read all the reviews aggregated here: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/burlesque/.  There are over 100 if you're masochistic enough to read them all, go for it. I think I read enough to get the gist of their arguments. The average aggregate review was 4 out of 10.

Myself, I didn't think it was all that bad. I kind of enjoyed it and plan to see it again, something I didn't do with Stuck on You or Faithful. I mean  I have come to accept it for what it is: a star-vehicle movie with music for Christina Aquilera. I think if they hadn't opened the movie on Thanksgiving (like it was an Oscar contender), if it was released say in the summer and not billed as "a musical", it may have been accepted as a kind of fluffy, feel-good movie.

It's not a musical. It's just not. It's a movie with music. Musicals are more integrated with their music. Musicals have choruses, overtures, they speak directly to you through musical asides. This movie just doesn't fit right into that genre. Yeah, there's singing in it…

But let's talk about the bad reviews. Amazingly, they most entirely spare Cher of any criticism. They roast Steve Antin mostly, his direction and his script and occasionally jab at Aquilera's acting. The reviews are so angry, you get the feeling they're particularly out to bash Antin's big-budget first film for grievances that exist behind the content of the movie, to cut down the ambitions created from all the pre-publicity. Who knows? But here is the gist of it:

  • "Going to See Burlesque? Snap Out of It (Rex Reed): "a cliche-riddled pastiche of old Betty Grable movies"
  • AP Review: "a shameless vehicle for Christina Aqilera", "plays like an extended version of the "Lady Marmalade video"
  • The Hollywood Reporter: "The worst served is Alan Cumming. Did his role wind up on the cutting-room floor?"
  • Variety: "an overwrought, underwritten hootchy-kootchy turner that desperately wants to be Cabaret but lacks the edge and historical context to pull it off"…"the acting-challenged pop star Christina Aquilera…the least developed of all these characters…a shortcoming, considering how much Tucci and Cher are able to do with their minor roles."
  • USA Today: "Scanty story line hobbles Aquilera, Cher…"
  • NJ.com: "Fifty-odd years ago, Tallulah Bankhead starred in a revival of "A Streetcar Named Desire"–a production so crammed full of camp that it was said straight men were struck gay simply passing the theater. Burlesque may have the reverse effect." (bitchy!) "The whole thing's so safe, so straight, so completely anti-fabulous it could put Elton John in gray flannel."
  • The New York Times: "the old bump and grind receives a squeaky-clean workout…", "Steven Antin hasn't a clue what real life looks like…" "sexless"
  • The Arizona Republic: "not interesting enough to be a disaster."
  • The Washington Post: "the film's chief flaw, which is Antin's penchant for a constantly moving camera and whipsaw editing. There must be good dancing in Burlesque but too much of it gets lost in a Cuisinarted welter of swish pans and jump cuts….Alan Cumming is shamefully underused."
  • Entertainment Weekly: "hokum dialogue", "a crockpot-stew of leftovers…eroticism is safely off the table…synthetic spectacle operated with a newbie's licence by first-time feature writer-director Antin."
  • The Detroit News: "Every Thanksgiving needs a turkey…the groaner of a musical that's part Glitter, part Cabaret, part Showgirls and all fowl….the movie is a dull slog…no pizzazz…never lets Burlesque become the bawdy romp it deserves to be."
  • Village Voice: "montages of body parts…no sense of how the dancers are moving through space."
  • New York Post: "curiously unsexy musical."
  • Yahoo!: "It's entertaining enough, like watching a celebrity workout film with a plot."
  • Time: "It's frivolous fun…a middle-of-the-road musical…the numbers are lively but produced no urge to sing in the shower."
  • Chicago Sun Times: "the story is dumb. The dialogue is intended to be sassy; it's also dumb."
  • MSN Movies: "While it will be impossible to determine which picture wins the title of Most Aggressively Insubstantial Holiday Entertainment of 2010 until Yogi Bear gets its day in court…the original songs are serviceable, nothing more."
  • Chicago Tribune: "corn syrup diguised as dialogue."

My responses to this: I will agree the movie is more like a long music video (a sign of the times) and I completely agree that Alan Cumming should have been entirely cut or used. I agree the movie was sexless (even when it was supposed to be about sex) and is a far cry from an art piece. However, the dialogue wasn't as laughable as I was lead to believe and Christina did a fine job. She did fine.

And although they hated the movie, Cher gets some sweet shout outs as follows:

Continue reading

The Burlesque CD Review

December 4, 2010 / / 0 Comments

Cher-You-Havent-Seen-Th-last-Of-Me Let me start by saying the soundtrack Burlesque made its Billboard debut at #18 this week. Not too shabby. Not at all. But I have to admit, I was more excited over the clip Cher scholar "Dishy" sent me last week of Cher singing a Christmas version of "One Tin Soldier" from the early 70s.

That's because this is primarily a Christina Aquilera CD. With the exception of Cher's two tracks, this is Aquilera's Yentl. More a star-vehicle than a musical.

Musicals have choruses, duets, themes, overtures. 

Entertainment Weekly liked Christina's tracks on this CD better than her earlier "misfire" Bionic. But they accuse Cher's of warbling and never again mention her tracks at all.

I had heard an early bootleg of Aquilera's track #9 "Show Me How You Burlesque" but it was titled "Spotlight" when I heard it. I thought it was a decent track but kind of emotionless and I was curious to see what kind of range the soundtrack would have.

The CD does have a bit of variety, comprised of a few Etta James inspired performances that Christina Aqulera yells through, alternating with camp, groove, and the musical pillars of the movie–dance tracks about burlesque ("Express", "Show Me How You Burlesque" and "The Beautiful People"), which are catchy but all kind of sound alike after awhile.

I think Aquilera has a powerful voice and I have always liked her song choices and overall articstic message. But I don't feel like these songs are the best of her best. I played the CD about three times in the first few days before seeing the movie and my husband John popped his head in to ask what all the yelling was about.

There's a lot of yelling.

But the truly stand out track is Aquilera's torch ballad "Bound To You" (the song to download according to Entertainment Weekly). In a way it's the only emotive moment in the soundtrack.

Then there are two Cher songs, which is the only reason I now own this CD.

"Welcome to Burlesque" – the lyrics to the chorus (according to Cher on David Letterman) were written by Moonstruck screenwriter John Patrick Shanley who did a polish on the Burlesque script. I like the sort of gypsy-sounding violin parts that wind around in the song, but the rest of the instrumentals behind Cher are plodding and mushy and it never quite takes off for some reason. Like the music drags it down and makes it sleepier than it should be. Cher might have been better served singing a copella.

"You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" — I was initially highly disappointed to hear Diane Warren was penning this. Her contributions to the Cher canon are not favorites as you may know. And her style is so bombastically unique that her song stands out like a toe among the Aquilera songs.

Which brings us to the point of mentioning how uneven the music to this "musical" is, how seemingly  haphazardly the songs were slapped together. Even though I'm not a Warren-fan, it would have been much better if either she or Aquilera had written an actual full score to the movie for musical consistency. 

All that said, this Warren song has gotten into my head like an earworm and stayed there. So maybe I like it more than I want to admit. Again, the music behind Cher on this track sounds murky and plodding, too. Which is why the bootleg remixes have been such infectious fun: http://www.youtube.com/user/InfoVectra#p/u/2/sri9f90JwS4

 

Remixes: http://www.youtube.com/user/InfoVectra#p/u/2/sri9f90JwS4

Glory and Tragedy at the Burlesque Premiere

November 18, 2010 / / 4 Comments

Cher-tina The Burlesque Hollywood premiere was broadcast live on YouTube Monday night. It was lots of fun to embed the code into this very blog and watch all the glamorous happenings. The premiere was held with much hoopla at Grauman’s Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard, truly an old-school location for a potential blockbuster musical.

I guess Cher's visit there reminded the Gods of Grauman’s that Cher’s tootsies have not yet been laid into the cement there, a fact that is being corrected today at 5pm PST.

http://losangeles.broadwayworld.com/article/Cher_to_Attend_Graumans_Ceremony_1118_20101117

Burlesquestar Cher, is set to take part in a Hand and Footprint Ceremony at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. The event will take place on November 18 at 5pm.

Unfortunately, after the premiere and a Burlesque party, Ronni Chasen, the publicist working on promoting the movie soundtrack, was gunned down gangland-style on her way driving home.

The MSNBC Story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40214433/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

ABC Local News: “Slain publicist was a fixture in industry” Image7066618g

On the night of her murder she had attended the premier of "Burlesque" and had been hard at work promoting the film's soundtrack for awards.

On Tuesday, A-list publicist Kelly Bush released this statement: "All of us in personal publicity are devastated by this tragic loss. Ronni was a terrific publicist, blazing a trail for women in this business like few others. I greatly admired and respected her."

Paul Bloch, co-chairman of Rogers and Cowan, where Ronni once worked said: "She was a powerhouse in the industry. She was as good as it gets. She was a great woman and a brilliant publicist."

The Atlantic: The Ronni Chasen Mystery: Making Sense of the Publicist's Murder

CBS: Ronni Chasen Slay: "Classic Hollywood Whodunit"

Yesterday’s story from ABC Local: Few leads in murder of Hollywood publicist

Chasen, 64, was found in her Mercedes-Benz early Tuesday morning, shot five times in the chest.

The prominent Hollywood publicist was at the "Burlesque" premiere on Monday night, a film she was helping to promote. Chasen then attended an after party in West Hollywood before heading home to Westwood.

Chasen's black Mercedes crashed into a light pole on Whittier Drive in Beverly Hills and she died less than an hour later at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Investigators reportedly sought to obtain surveillance video from the homes in Beverly Hills near where the crime took place as well as the W Hotel, where Chasen had attended a party just minutes before her death.

Fellow publicist Michael Levine said he is establishing a reward fund for information that leads to the capture and conviction of Chasen's killer.

"She was almost an icon in Hollywood, very well-liked, very well-known," Levine said.

The Palm Springs International Film Festival has also set up a reward, offering $100,000 for information.

"Hopefully they'll find the perpetrator and bring him to justice," said Harold Matzner with the festival. " I realize that doesn't bring Ronni back. She's going to be very missed by all of us. She was a very big part of the success of the Film Festival's award gala."

Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to call the Beverly Hills Detectives Hotline at (310) 288-2656.

It's truly an awful story and one that, unfortunately, may haunt the film to some degree.

Of note: Sonny Bono founded The Palm Springs Film Festival.

The premier itself was very festive and no one could predict such a scary event to follow in its shadow.

Untitled-1 On the live premiere broadcast, KISS FM DJ’s hosted a parade of cast-members and a hand-full of celebrity fans including, Kathy Griffin, Isabella Hoffman,  Tyne Stecklein, Chelsea Traille (a So You Think You Can Dance alum), Robin Antin (sister of Steve), George Hamilton (who saw Cher in Vegas and on set and called her "a worker"), Christina Aquilera, Diane Warren (who claims to have written only one song for the film but news stories keep assigning both of Cher's movie songs to her…I guess we’ll find out when we get the CD next week…Diane says this song is the favorite of all 10 or 12 she’s done for Cher), David Walton, Kristin Cavallari, Debbie Mazar, Peter Gallagher, James Marsden, Steve Antin, Choreographer Denise Faye, Linda Perry (who also wrote a song in the movie), Julianne Huff, Patricia Clarkson (who said “I Love Cher”), Terrence J (who gushed about his first movie scene ever…with Cher), the three Kardashians, Eric Dane (who Cher knew as being friends with Elijah), Stanley Tucci (who is said to have stolen the movie), Cam Gigandet, and last but not least…Cher herself who made a dramatic entrance and when was complimented on her look said "I did my best." (Cher with Chaz above)

KISS FM DJ Ellen K. (who had already seen the film) called Cher "The Godess of Pop," said she wanted more of Cher in the movie, and called the film empowering and inspiring for women.

Cast 
Cast and director

     

TV and Magazine Alerts

November 15, 2010 / / 0 Comments

Chernewyork Spent last week in Cancun soaking up the sun and swimming with dolphins. Pics and more commentary on Cher's latest interviews to come, including commentary on Vanity Fair and Letterman.

Meanwhile, we have to keep on top of our latest happenings.

Pic to the left: Cher in New York to tape various TV appearances.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Magazines:

Parade: Cher will be on the cover on Sunday's Parade Magazine. Buy a Sunday Nov 21 paper in your town and get the insert magazine.

Entertainment Weekly: Nov 19 issue has holiday movie previews including Burlesque with a few pages of photos.

TV Appearances:

  • Good Morning America – November 19
  • Regis and Kelly – November 19
  • 20/20 – November 19
  • American Music Awards – November 21
  • Jay Leno – November 24 (This one will be painful for me. I hate that show.)

 

The Burlesque Countdown! Many Alerts!!

November 4, 2010 / / 4 Comments

Cher-ss07 Hold on, kids!! A lot is going on. Don’t fall off the Cher train.

Be on the lookout for new TV clips, magazines, songs and useless junk to fill your fan-shelves. I know…how can we be so excited about Burlesque when our country is going to hell in a hand-basket. Well, at least the Puppy Mill Proposition Passed in Missouri. That’s somethin.

Anywho, we have lots of Cher stuff to divert our attention today. What I love about the Burlesque  release is that we are getting so much information this time through the web…very exciting. And everything is so multi-sensory: beauty products, music, interviews and retrospectives in magazines, movie clips, contests, dancing, singing, drama, scenery…lots to enjoy. Everything but a Burlesque fragrance (which I would imagine would be arm-pit funk…that is IF they wanted to be authentic).

Major TV and Music

  • CHER will be on David Letterman’s The Late Show Thursday on November 11 (thanks to Cher Scholar Tyler for the heads up)
  • You can also catch a full preview of Cher singing “Welcome to Burlesque” on youtube. Search for it until it gets removed.
  • You can also hear a clip of her song “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me” here: http://www.kbsradio.ca/News/Entertainment/Story.aspx?ID=1305905

The Magazines

1021-women-of-the-year-2010-cher_at Small article on Cher as Glamour Woman of the Year: http://www.glamour.com/women-of-the-year/2010/cher (the birds totally rock that picture…even they’re fans!) Big news here: she has plans to direct her first film. Accolade of quote: “Cher is one of a handful of entertainers to win a Grammy, an Oscar and an Emmy, and she’s sold 100 million albums over her career.”

 

 

 

Cher will be on the cover of Vanity Fair (with awesome NEW photos)…this drops in NY and LA Nov 4. The rest of us plebes have to wait until Nov 9. (thanks again to Cher Scholar Tyler for the dates). But here are some previews:Vf-cover

My fabulous cousin alerted me to Cher’s six-page style retrospective in the November issue of In Style. Cher actually comments on the pictures herself in this one…so this is an above average retrospective. My favorite line from writer David Keeps:

“Lady Gaga? Please.”

On a side note, there’s a picture of her with Val Kilmer. Kilmer lives a town near us called Pecos. John has co-workers who live there and gripe about Kilmer’s being a jerk to the locals. Kilmer put his house on the market last year for 33-something million dollars and recently downgraded the sale by 10 million.  I don’t know who would need to pay tens of millions for a house in New Mexico since you can get a pretty swell mud-hut for a couple of million. But I digress.

The Stuff:

Burles414zv3w6QRL__SL500_AA300_PIbundle-4,TopRight,0,0_AA300_SH20_que is coming out with some very swell promotional items of a super girlie nature.

Opi Nail polish: You can get the minis in red or the little teasers. http://www.google.com/products?q=nail+polish+burlesque+opi&hl=en&aq=f

 

 

31eua+zAfNL__SL250_ Nail salons are getting a full line of holiday colors that they can place in a custom Burlesque display.

Here are some color swatches: http://beautyofasite.wordpress.com/2010/10/03/opi-holiday-burlesque-swatches-part-1/

Names and descriptions for the 12 full-size bottles:

* Simmer & Shimmer – In this glitter bit of blue.
* Let Me Entertain You – Multi-talented fuchsia glimmer.
* Sparkle-icious – Multi-color glitter-iciousness
* The Show Must Go On! – With this deep pink shimmer on your nails!
* Ali’s Big Break – This glowing red shimmer breaks through in style.
* Tease-y Does It – In this tempting burgundy shimmer.
* Rising Star – Lustrous glimmering gold.
* Glow Up Already! – You’re ready for this glittering green.
* Bring On the Bling – A gold that glitter that’s beyond dazzling.
* Extra-va-vaganza! – This orange glitter is not for the shy.
* Take the Stage – A warm orange spotlight shimmer.
* Show It & Glow It! – If you’ve got this fuchsia glitter, flaunt it!

Hairspray Hairspray by Sebastian: This was supposed to come out Oct 1 enclosed with a movie ticket but they have yet to be seen anywhere. Stay tuned.  http://modernsalon.com/Article.aspx?oid=1275479
http://cocoperez.com/2010-10-19-smashbox-cosmetics-and-sebastian-professional-release-burlesque-themed-products

 

 

 

Smashbox Smashbox makeup: You can buy the small kit as follows…

• Limitless Liquid Liner Pen in Jet Black
• Shadow & Liner Quad in Risque
• Loose Shimmer in Burlesque
• Double Ended Lip Gloss in Peep/Show

http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P270008

http://www.amazon.com/Smashbox-SmshBx-Burlesque-Beauty-Collection/dp/B00440ZWZK

Smashbox2

 

Or you can fork over $80 for the large case exclusively at Nordsroms as described below…

Sultry, provocative, sexy. Bring out your ultra-glam side with this collection of limited-edition shades and products inspired by ‘Burlesque.’  Re-create looks featured in this film about a small-town gal who makes it big in Hollywood in the new film premiering November 2010.

 

Kit includes:
– Hyperlash Mascara in Blackout.
– Limitless Liquid Liner Pen in Jet Black.
– Double Ended Lip Gloss in Peep/Show.
– O-Glow Intuitive Cheek Color.
– Cream Eyeliner Palette in Vixen.
– Eyeshadow Quad in Entice.
– Fusion Soft Lights in Tease.
– Loose Shimmer in Burlesque.

A tiny brochure comes inside with instructions on how to “get that look,” that look being: “Stardom” or “Nightclub”

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3130040?cm_cat=datafeed&cm_pla=gift%2Foperational:women:gift_set_(beauty_only)&cm_ite=smashbox_’burlesque’_beauty_collection_%26_train_case_(nordstrom_exclusive)_(%24250_value):322050&cm_ven=Froogle&mr:trackingCode=712295C6-57CE-DF11-A880-001B2163195C&mr:referralID=NA

Oscar Buzz

Awards Daily is predicting a few songs from Burlesque may be nominated for Oscars this year:

Burlesque / “Bound to You” – Performed by Christina Aguilera
Referred to as the “voice of her generation,” Christina Aguilera makes her theatrical film and musical debut as the lead character in Burlesque. Her electrifying vocals on the films track “Bound To You” will remind you why this starlet is a 5-time Grammy winner!

Burlesque / “You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me” – Performed by Cher
Music has very few living legends, but Cher is one of them. She commands the screen in her first starring role in a decade, performing “You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me” written by the incomparable hit maker and six time Oscar nominee Diane Warren (acclaimed writer of Cher’s past megahit “If You Could Turn Back Time”). This ballad is a true show stopper in this film.

http://www.awardsdaily.com/2010/10/best-song-and-score-is-the-academy-not-cool-enough-for-reznor-and-ross/\

Win Stuff

Win tickets to premier:

MTV Burlesque dance contest: http://burlesque.live.seven2.net/

BurlesqueCONTEST-560x348

News of when the contest stopped in my hometown (who recently passed the Puppy Mill Prop): http://wearemoviegeeks.com/2010/10/burlesque-mtv-dance-contest-in-st-louis-this-saturday/

Etc.

The official movie web site: http://www.burlesquethemovie.com/

An early review (is the movie out for reviews yet?): http://www.thedailyaztec.com/entertainment/film-fashion-issue-burlesque-has-dance-drama-cher-1.2376355  Quote of note:

Burlesque has dance, drama, Cher

Complete with a number of inventive musical routines, a star-studded cast and a juicy plot, “Burlesque” is sure to please.  The film is similar to its 1995 predecessor “Showgirls,” and what it lacks in racy nudity it makes up for in creative performance. Aguilera offers her contribution not only as an actress but also as a writer for the film’s soundtrack. Writer and Director Steven Antin pulls out all the stops with this musically inspired romantic drama.

Behind-the-scenes video: http://www.afterld.com/showthread.php?19622-VIDEO-Meet-The-Burlesque-Dancers-amp-Hair-Stylist-Martin-Samuel

Article from the LA Times on the costume designer Michael Kaplan (who also did Blade Runner, Fight Club and Flashdance): http://articles.latimes.com/2010/oct/31/entertainment/la-ca-sneaks-burlesque-20101031 Says he was inspried by surrealist Rene Magritte and “a bit of Man Ray.” Quote of note:

“Cher always put her imprint on everything she was wearing. I’d put clothes in her room every day and she’d walk out combining them in a different way than I thought she would. Cher and Tess are not that unalike…both are show business troupers.”

Press conference photos: http://www.wireimage.com/gallerylisting.asp?navtyp=gls====460251&source=rss&nbc=1

 

Lots of new Cher toys to play with, huh?

 

The Burlesque Movie Book

October 28, 2010 / / 4 Comments

LaTour_Educ_Virgin And FINALLY… FINALLY I received my Burlesque book! Jesus but this took effort and the patience of some higher power than me. Because I was DYING to get my little hands on it! My first order accidentally went to my old Redondo Beach address. And the forward didn’t work. Calling Amazon and the post office got me nowhere, the book was lost in postal space…so after  two weeks I just reordered the darn thing. I was a bit unsure what to expect. People on the Cherfreaks lists here and there were NOT raving about it…in fact they were complaining about the dearth of Cher pics in it.

The book is smaller than your typical coffee table book but I have to say I really like it.  It begins with a very generous 3-page introduction by Cher.  She talks about her first magical movie experience seeing Cinderella at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in LA and memorizing “A Dream Is a Wish Your Hearts Makes” so she was able to sing it for her parents on the way home. Very cute. She talks about coaching “this beautiful child” Christina Aquilera, Stanley Tucci (Cher agrees with Meryl  Streep…although Cher gives no last name, just Meryl…that Stanley never has a false moment in his performances). She calls “K-Bell” a fire cracker, Peter Gallagher wonderful and fun. Eric Dane full of charisma, and Cam Gigandet a sort of James Dean.  She talks about writing a scene from the movie and I wont tell you which one but it has to do with her mother and her friends. She says “They were all so beautiful and I was an ugly duckling” a comment which of course reminded me of sad things women continually say on Ru Paul’s Drag Race (of which I’ve been watching reruns I’ve already seen and been crying all over again!).

Cher’s essay reminded me again of how long her professional relationships have lasted. Not the situation of a nasty DIVA. She lists a long line of long-time compatriots, her agent, her managers, the professional advice of David Geffen, her makeup artist, her costume wrangler,  and the loooong-time assistant of many-trades Deb Paul. She also thanks newbies like the movie’s Director of Photography Bojan Bazelli (“I will never look this good again”), the movie’s wigmaker Carol Robinson and most incredibly her assistant on set, Jennifer Ruiz (“she’s the girl you want in your foxhole”).  It was a very generous of her to use the space to thank everyone.

Christina also adds a forward in which she calls Cher her mentor and working with her a “dream come true.” She ends by saying she thinks the film is something Etta James, Josephine Baker and Bob Fosse would be proud of.

Caravaggio-the-calling-of-saint-matthew And beyond that, the book is full of tidbits about the making of the movie.  Antin defines burlesque as he sees it, and the many stories of it taking nine months of chasing Cher “shamelessly” to make the film. He calls Cher “the coolest chick I’ve ever met."  Choreographer Denise Faye talks about how they created organic routines to match the storylines, set people talk about the dramatic look they were going for, inspired by the paintings of LaTour (1st above) and Caravaggio (at right), how they researched the “main character”, the burlesque lounge, and what inspired them. Designers discuss the specialized costumes and wigs, the use of Swarovski crystals, they symbolism of the color red, the use of monochromatic lighting for non-club scenes, the special Christian Louboutin shoes for Christina, the bartenders outfits, and even the zinc bar top. The book talks about who greenlit the movie, what producer gave it credibility, the makeup methodology, how the footlights work to serve the opening scene, how Steve Antin grew up in LA and particularly appreciated the sunlight at Hollywood and Vine. Even the news that Bob Mackie designed Cher’s “Welcome to Burlesque” outfit.  This book is like a Burlesque CliffsNotes.

Julianne Hough says “no detail was sparred and nothing is boring.” Alan Cumming says “If you like Cher, you’ll love this movie…this movie is Cher Christmas.”

It’s about time for some Cher Christmas!
 

« Older posts Newer posts »

Cher Scholar reserves the right to modify or delete any comments deemed inappropriate at our discretion.

Email Cher Scholar

© 2025 I Found Some Blog

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑