The Town of Odyssey

The general public is finally going to be able to see Hamilton when it comes to Disney+ next week so it's time to have a thread about it.

I don't know much about the musical. I've only heard one of their songs because a friend played it for me. This friend loves the sountrack but has never seen Hamilton live. We're excited to watch it when it's released.

Now that it's accessible I feel like I have to watch it because it's one of the biggest cultural things ever; but I would be doing it for precisely that, a feeling of obligation to watch it not an actual desire to see it.

The premise of the show isn't interesting to me, and the bits of soundtrack I've heard don't appeal to me in any way. And there's no way it's going to fulfill the incredible level of hype it has.

I partly agree with bookworm that I want to see it because it is such a big thing and I want to see for myself what all the fuss is about. In general I enjoy musicals. I'm hoping to enjoy it. I know it's hard to film a stage version and retain the power of the show, but the ad looks good, and the way Disney is promoting it, I assume that it was filmed to showcase the production as well as possible.

Neither the topic or musical genre (hip-hop) would have particularly intrigued me in any way, either... and the first time I listened to the soundtrack a few years ago, it didn't instantly blow me away. But it was juuuust ear-wormy enough to inspire a second listen, and then a third... and I don't know how else to explain it other than the magic took hold. There are so many layers of artistic brilliance that make it the perfect "improve over time" experience.

I know it's a flex, but my wife and I went to go see it on Broadway in late January (just before the apocalypse hit..!), and it was pretty much indescribable. Easily some the most powerful storytelling I think I'll ever witness.

My bias is that I'm a sucker for nuanced storytelling and also musicals usually, so based on that I can't predict that it will automatically work on everyone... although I have often heard it described as "the musical for people who don't like musicals." So at least worth a shot.

jelly wrote:Neither the topic or musical genre (hip-hop) would have particularly intrigued me in any way, either... and the first time I listened to the soundtrack a few years ago, it didn't instantly blow me away. But it was juuuust ear-wormy enough to inspire a second listen, and then a third... and I don't know how else to explain it other than the magic took hold. There are so many layers of artistic brilliance that make it the purrfect "improve over time" experience.

I know it's a flex, but my wife and I went to go see it on Broadway in late January (just before the apocalypse hit..!), and it was pretty much indescribable. Easily some the most powerful storytelling I think I'll ever witness.

My bias is that I'm a sucker for nuanced storytelling and also musicals usually, so based on that I can't predict that it will automatically work on everyone... although I have often heard it described as "the musical for people who don't like musicals." So at least worth a shot.

THIS. Even if you don't think you'll like it, I would highly recommend that everybody give it a listen or a watch at least once. Lin-Manuel Miranda is one of the greatest minds of our time, and you will not change my mind on that.

Also, not to flex either, but I will confirm that seeing it live is a totally indescribable experience.

I got to watch it live in London last year, and it was a great experience! Was feeling moved to tears by a few of the more powerful scenes (you guys know which ones... )

I managed to miss out on all the Hamilton hype for so long, but one day I sort of absently played the whole musical while working on some coding project or other... I was hooked by the time they got to Satisfied, which still remains one of my favourite songs in the musical. Definitely worth a listen if you're into compelling character-driven storytelling and don't mind/appreciate a Broadway-hip-hop fusion sound.

Another Hamilfan here I'm excited and slightly nervous (based on the previews) that some of what the ensemble do is going to get lost at the edges of the more focused shots, though. I got to see the Phillip tour the other year, and WOW do the dancers add SO much context to the show. The staging. The Bullet. The turntable.

Anyway, I'm ready for it to drop. There are a couple 'Easter egg' moments that I missed when I saw the tour, so I'm hoping to catch them this time around.

Smaug the Dragon wrote:Was feeling moved to tears by a few of the more powerful scenes (you guys know which ones... )

I started crying as soon as the beat dropped. . .and multiple other times. It led to full on weeping during the final scenes, as well as "One Last Time" (the emotion that one pulls is incredible).

jelly wrote: So at least worth a shot.

Yeah no one throw away their shot

ALSO:
(I don't remember how to make the video pop up, so click here for a fantastical re-imagining of the music by Weird Al )

Totally lived up to the hype.

Knight Fisher wrote:Totally lived up to the hype.

Yay!

Termite wrote:I'm excited and slightly nervous (based on the previews) that some of what the ensemble do is going to get lost at the edges of the more focused shots, though.

I have similar feelings for sure.

Despite my anticipation, I winced a little bit every time there was an interview leading up to this release where Lin or the director would talk about, "we're giving everyone the best seat in the house of the actual production, but also it's cinematic", because those are contradictory things. And maybe it's because I've spent years of my own career capturing theatrical stage performances and editing for video, I found myself easily distracted with all the editing and camera angles they chose to go with for the final result. There are so many elements intentionally designed for theatre -- extreme lighting, large ensemble choreography, over-the-top acting -- that simply won't ever play as well on film because they weren't designed for storytelling tools like closeups or editing.

So it's certainly not a replacement for seeing the production live, which I'm only mentioning because once the pandemic has subsided I'm sure it's going to continue being performed around the world for years to come, and I think everyone should still try and go see it in person if they have the opportunity... but in the meantime, I do think it's wonderful that this version exists.

So I finally finished watching this today! I'd only heard a few of the songs before, and I was excited to watch, but I was sort of bracing myself to be disappointed. But I wasn't! I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. Now... I personally feel that it could never live up to all the hype, since if that were the case, it would have completely changed the trajectory of my life and forever ruined all other forms of entertainment for me. And I'm not putting those kinds of expectations on a musical or movie. But as someone who's not particularly into theater, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this!

Petrichor wrote:...and forever ruined all other forms of entertainment for me.

I feel like it's done this to me

So all my friends have been talking/singing/screaming about this show for the past couple years and I was so sick of it. I did not want to like Hamilton. I wanted to feel special by being like the only person who did not like this show because that's unfortunately just the kind of edgy person I am sometimes. So I watched it the other day. If only in the hopes that I could finally tear it apart. Halfway through the first number, my stomach dropped in the sick realization that I really liked it. The first number was super great but the line that really sold me was in 'My Shot' when he sings "I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory" and that was kinda the point when I stopped trying to hate it and decided to be unbiased. The choreography, lighting, costume designs, etc. are all really good but what blew me away was the music and characterization. If the musical numbers weren't already good enough they proceed to intertwine throughout the whole show in a way that's super special (the transition from 'The Reynold's Pamphlet" and "Burn" is sooooo great). There really isn't a weak number. It's...a good show I guess.

Smaug the Dragon wrote:I managed to miss out on all the Hamilton hype for so long, but one day I sort of absently played the whole musical while working on some coding project or other... I was hooked by the time they got to Satisfied, which still remains one of my favourite songs in the musical. Definitely worth a listen if you're into compelling character-driven storytelling and don't mind/appreciate a Broadway-hip-hop fusion sound.

Pretty much this. Satisfied is probably my favorite as well! When they did the rewind part I was so blown away. One of my favorite parts of the show for sure.

MonkeyDude wrote:So all my friends have been talking/singing/screaming about this show for the past couple years and I was so sick of it. I did not want to like Hamilton. I wanted to feel special by being like the only person who did not like this show because that's unfortunately just the kind of edgy person I am sometimes. So I watched it the other day. If only in the hopes that I could finally tear it apart. Halfway through the first number, my stomach dropped in the sick realization that I really liked it. The first number was super great but the line that really sold me was in 'My Shot' when he sings "I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory" and that was kinda the point when I stopped trying to hate it and decided to be unbiased. The choreography, lighting, costume designs, etc. are all really good but what blew me away was the music and characterization. If the musical numbers weren't already good enough they proceed to intertwine throughout the whole show in a way that's super special (the transition from 'The Reynold's Pamphlet" and "Burn" is sooooo great). There really isn't a weak number. It's...a good show I guess.

Smaug the Dragon wrote:I managed to miss out on all the Hamilton hype for so long, but one day I sort of absently played the whole musical while working on some coding project or other... I was hooked by the time they got to Satisfied, which still remains one of my favourite songs in the musical. Definitely worth a listen if you're into compelling character-driven storytelling and don't mind/appreciate a Broadway-hip-hop fusion sound.

Pretty much this. Satisfied is probably my favorite as well! When they did the rewind part I was so blown away. One of my favorite parts of the show for sure.

YESSSS, WE HAVE ANOTHER CONVERT!

Haven't watched it yet; it's so long I'm going to have to be in the right mood to decide it's the right time.

I actually feel just like bookworm. I've thought of it a few times, then looked at the clock and decided I didn't have three hours. I want to watch the whole thing through at once, not in pieces.

(I watched this and wrote this post several months ago but just realized I never submitted it.)


Okay, I get it now. This is very good. Very good.

I don't think it's the most significant thing to ever happen in the history of musical theater, so I haven't been converted to one of 'those people', but I agree high praise is warranted. It's an excellent show I thoroughly enjoyed. Certainly in my personal top five musicals.

I knew what the story was, as a story, and it just wasn't compelling to me so I was hoping the songs would be enjoyable enough to carry my interest through the narrative, but when actually watching the show I was genuinely taken into the whole thing. It was well constructed and presented, making what they were singing about as engaging as the singing itself. Which is always what you want of course, but I had doubts about if it could be done by this particular show for me personally, but I was pleased to be wrong.

I really wasn't into the hip hop much and if the entire soundtrack had been that I don't know if I would have come around on it, but The Schuyler Sisters was placed at just the right time to change things up and make me realize oh there is actually going to be other musical stylings in this, which made me more receptive.

Satisfied rewinding to replay Helpless from a different view was an incredible sequence, I'd never seen something like that done in a stage show before that's a movie concept. Very clever idea and impressively executed.

The idea to style King George's parts as jilted breakup songs was fantastic.

This is definitely worth watching even if you aren't sure whether you'd like it, if only so you can have an understanding of this cultural touchstone. And if you are a musical theater fan I doubt you would come away disappointed (or should I say dissatisfied?) it's a very engaging, thought provoking, solid show.

Thanks for sharing, bookworm. Your post reminded me that I meant to watch this and I still haven't. Hopefully I'll watch this summer!