Normally when you listen to a musical’s album, you just get some nice songs from the production. With Hamilton, you get (very nearly almost) the entire soundtrack, and therefore the entire story. But watching it still has so much more to add, from little nuances, visual-only gags and callbacks, and impressive staging (that will no doubt be lost if/when they do a ‘proper’ film).
It’s a masterpiece, and getting to see it performed by the original cast in its original staging is an absolute thrill.
I would’ve loved to see this live. A must watch. But theatre and film are different mediums. It being in IMDB’s top 250 feels wrong. This is not a movie. It’s like putting an audio recording of Shakespeare’s works next to Led Zeppelin IV. Both are great but they’re not the same thing. At the same time, what makes Hamilton so unique would be killed in a film adaptation, so I believe this will remain the best way to experience it in the future. Whatever! Just watch it.
Another thing. I can't be the only one who thinks that Lin Manuel is by far the weakest performer in this, right?
Hamilton is impressive on a number of levels (one might say, every level) turning a chapter of American history into an illuminating, often moving, very clever, relevant, and linguistically-acrobatic piece of theater. The songs are great, both the comedy and tragedy work, the choreography has energy and requires as much technical mastery as the text... but what's most impressive to me is perhaps Lin-Manuel Miranda's alchemical processing of tons of biographical data into a work filled with recurring motifs and double meanings as the drama heads inexorably towards that last "shot" and the fated reversal of Hamilton and Burr's core attitudes that dooms them both. Of all the double meanings, the use of cast of color to represent the Founding Fathers (while the hilarious King George and his loyalists are white) is one of the most interesting, exposing the ironies of fighting for freedom yet retaining slaves (despite several of the Founders trying to abolish it) while at the same time bringing the material into focus for contemporary audiences. There's been so much white-washing done to history by those who write or dramatize it that this bit of "black-washing" also feels quite à propos. The original-cast recording presented on Disney+ is pitch-perfect in every way and a testament to an enduring Broadway staple that subscribers will be watching over and over and over again I'm sure.
Goosebumps from start to finish.
The performances are nothing short of ethereal and the work that was put into this shows in every aspect of the show.
Miranda is a goddamn genius.
However, although slavery is mentioned countless times, the show almost doesn't touch upon the matter at all. I mean, there's not one enslaved character in a show that would never have existed if it weren't for that.
Also, the show almost entirely dismisses the Founding Fathers' involvement in reinforcing slavery, which is so unbelievably ludacris.
just godawful. i love all the genres this aims to merge together (particularly hip hop, one of my favourites), but these songs just ain't it - and to have them play one after another for two and a half hours gets really draining. weak beats, lame rhymes, and to top it off the main performer can neither sing, rap, nor act. daveed diggs is a decent rapper which the clipping records also prove but he isn't enough to save these tracks.
Add your comment
Comments 1 - 12 of 12
badblokebob
Normally when you listen to a musical’s album, you just get some nice songs from the production. With Hamilton, you get (very nearly almost) the entire soundtrack, and therefore the entire story. But watching it still has so much more to add, from little nuances, visual-only gags and callbacks, and impressive staging (that will no doubt be lost if/when they do a ‘proper’ film).It’s a masterpiece, and getting to see it performed by the original cast in its original staging is an absolute thrill.
baraka92
I would’ve loved to see this live. A must watch. But theatre and film are different mediums. It being in IMDB’s top 250 feels wrong. This is not a movie. It’s like putting an audio recording of Shakespeare’s works next to Led Zeppelin IV. Both are great but they’re not the same thing. At the same time, what makes Hamilton so unique would be killed in a film adaptation, so I believe this will remain the best way to experience it in the future. Whatever! Just watch it.Another thing. I can't be the only one who thinks that Lin Manuel is by far the weakest performer in this, right?
Siskoid
Hamilton is impressive on a number of levels (one might say, every level) turning a chapter of American history into an illuminating, often moving, very clever, relevant, and linguistically-acrobatic piece of theater. The songs are great, both the comedy and tragedy work, the choreography has energy and requires as much technical mastery as the text... but what's most impressive to me is perhaps Lin-Manuel Miranda's alchemical processing of tons of biographical data into a work filled with recurring motifs and double meanings as the drama heads inexorably towards that last "shot" and the fated reversal of Hamilton and Burr's core attitudes that dooms them both. Of all the double meanings, the use of cast of color to represent the Founding Fathers (while the hilarious King George and his loyalists are white) is one of the most interesting, exposing the ironies of fighting for freedom yet retaining slaves (despite several of the Founders trying to abolish it) while at the same time bringing the material into focus for contemporary audiences. There's been so much white-washing done to history by those who write or dramatize it that this bit of "black-washing" also feels quite à propos. The original-cast recording presented on Disney+ is pitch-perfect in every way and a testament to an enduring Broadway staple that subscribers will be watching over and over and over again I'm sure.Marazmatique
I wish I could get as hyped about anything in life as Americans do about their history and politics.NourNasreldin
Goosebumps from start to finish.The performances are nothing short of ethereal and the work that was put into this shows in every aspect of the show.
Miranda is a goddamn genius.
However, although slavery is mentioned countless times, the show almost doesn't touch upon the matter at all. I mean, there's not one enslaved character in a show that would never have existed if it weren't for that.
Also, the show almost entirely dismisses the Founding Fathers' involvement in reinforcing slavery, which is so unbelievably ludacris.
Emiam
7/10A great work of art. Cool music. They could have changed scenery / bg a couple of times.
iksvecjart
just godawful. i love all the genres this aims to merge together (particularly hip hop, one of my favourites), but these songs just ain't it - and to have them play one after another for two and a half hours gets really draining. weak beats, lame rhymes, and to top it off the main performer can neither sing, rap, nor act. daveed diggs is a decent rapper which the clipping records also prove but he isn't enough to save these tracks.chunkylefunga
It's decent but the way is glosses over slavery makes it lose major marks from me.apetree83
My first broadway experience, if they are at all anything like this, I never want to experience another.gpace1216
Is this a movie? I don't know. Whatever it is, it's amazing.lachyas
Fuck Disney for censoring this.Torgo
For future reference: This entered IMDB's Top 250 at rank 19 (!) as it crossed the 25k vote threshhold. Quite a feat.