What happened to the "Chicago" re-release with a new musical number?
 

With the DVD out next Tuesday, what happened to the planned theatrical re-release (with a musical number re-added after it was originally cut)?

Hmm...never heard anything about a theatrical re-release. Probably just another unsubstantiated internet rumor.

The cut number is on the DVD as a deleted scene.

Wish I could remember where I read that. A link off www.rottentomatoes.com I'm sure. But they even gave a time frame (sometime in July). And said it would be a limited release in less than 300 theatres. Or something along those lines. Hmm, oh well.

I think it was added on the dvd as a deleted scene. I believe it was a song with Queen Latifah & Katherine Zeta-Jones. It was featured on Ebert & Roeper yesterday.

I remember reading somewhere, probably in Entertainment Weekly, that there was a planned rerelease of Chicago with the reinstated musical number. I can't honestly say why it wasn't put back out in theatres, but my guess would be the box office was just too crowded with competing pictures. Plus, the window would have been so small between the theatrical rerelease and the dvd release.

I seem to recall that the song would have been performed in a more traditional musical style (i.e. a song out of the blue) as opposed to the narrative they had established with the numbers taking place in Roxie's head for the most part. Re-instating it into the move would have really gone against the style in which they were making the film IMO, and that might be why they decided it would best be a deleted scene.

It's actually still showing here in the budget theaters, so I don't know about other places, but it would have been a hard draw around here given the fact people could see it for about $2 or less.

Miramax planned to rerelease this, and Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind, the former with a new number and the latter because it underperformed. However both ideas were scrapped, considering how packed the market is now.

That's the explanation given in the DVD's commentary for the deleted scene. They chose to remove the scene because it didn't fit the movie... if you added it back into the movie (for example for a theatrical rerelease) it still wouldn't fit. It's a great song, but a song being there doesn't make sense in context.

maybe this time around I can stay awake for "Confessions" and see all the scenes I fell asleep on.

I heard that after the Oscar hangover they woke up and realized the truth: The movie sucks, and its success was all hype directed at people who read People Magazine and care how much Rene Zellwegger weighs. Since this group can't be counted on as a return audience they junked the idea

rotfl :thumbsup:

I second the rotfl

You know, I watched it last night on DVD after having never seen it in a theater.

While I liked it (even though it is not the typical movie I like), I didn't think it was "all that".

I liked that it was different. A couple of the numbers were real "show stoppers" (IMHO). But I'm note running out to buy it, and probably would not watch it again...

My guess? It was a bad idea. It's a cheap attempt to cash in on the success and I really doubt it would of worked. How many people would go to see the movie again, just because it had an added number? Not a lot, espically when you consider the fact that everyone would of thought "wow, it should of been in the original" or " wow, I can see why this was cut" or finally, "why didn't they just make it a deleted scene on the DVD?!?!?".

Can somebody give me a more or less unbiased opinion: is Chicago worth my time or not? I do love a good musical, but I like them in the 'classic' mold. But I hate Miramax and their 'cookie cutter' formula for high-profile award-show 'flypaper.'

I like musicals - I loved 'Dancer in the Dark' and I really didn't care for Chicago, other than the gorgeous girls flautning around.

I like musicals - I really loved Moulin Rouge, liked Chicago, and hated Dancer in the Dark. It is definitely worth a rental if anything, just to see the Cell Black Tango number...

Loved Dancer in the Dark, Wizard of Oz and South Park BLU and I loved Chicago.

I think the was one of the funniest bits of meta-humor I've heard in ages.