And really terrible script. The website's critical consensus reads, "Campy and clichd, Burlesque wastes its talented cast (including a better-than-expected Christina Aguilera) on a movie that wavers uncertainly between 'bad' and 'so bad it's good. Looking back now, I'm thankful he kept it in. The opening scene of Burlesque tells the story: Ali, our plucky ingenue, logs time as a diner waitress in the corn-tinted town of Genericsville . The MCUs tiniest heroes are kicking off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years of storytelling. Thanks! DIANE WARREN (songwriter): At first, I wrote something else, I sent that in, and they didn't want that, and I don't even remember what that song was. I wanted to write Cher's "My Way." With a budget of $55 million, Burlesque is one of Screen Gems' most expensive films outside of the Resident Evil franchise. ANTIN: We tested the movie several times of course, and the final test was with an audience in Arizona. None of us thought she could do it, and honestly, we weren't concerned because we had the double ready to go. ANTIN: The day we shot "Welcome to Burlesque," I'd never seen Cher do the number. Ali Rose: ANTIN: Especially on a movie like this, it's anegotiation with theactors, all thedifferent departments, production design, makeup, hair, the executives, the agents, managers To be clear, the studio wasn't trying to change anything in particular. Rose McGowan was considered for the role of Ali. Effeuilleuse legends in the height of their fame, up and coming burly-Q beauties and the new bad girls of burlesque. So, Clint and I wrote an outline together, then started writing the script. Started shooting on November 9, 2009 and ended on March 3, 2010. Marylin Alice "Ali" Rose, known by her nickname Ali, is the protagonist in the film, Burlesque. [9] Circa 2002, the group performed at the Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, with multiple artistsamong them Christina Aguileraand Steven Antin directed some of these shows. Many people may not know this but The Pussycat Dolls was actually a burlesque dance troupe and Antins sister Robin created a show at the Sunset Strips Viper Room that would also see quite a few celebrity performances. What, I dont have a brain? Promoting the film became a push-and-pull between appealing to mainstream audiences and staying true to the film's soul. She also added that had it been shorter, it would "have squeaked by and been a really good popcorn movie". Kyla Pratt was considered for the role of Ali. They were becoming a popular thing, so she decided to do a bigger show at the Roxy. Director Steve Antin Writer Steve Antin Stars Cher Christina Aguilera Alan Cumming See production, box office & company info Watch on Netflix with subscription More watch options Add to Watchlist Added by 83.3K users I tried to put her at ease. STEWART: The set had been built out on a miniature scale, then we got to see the set built out into the real thing, and they had us walk through the whole set that was being built for those numbers so we could feel the essence of what needed to happen in those scenes. Shipped to theaters under the code name "Former Glory". Peter Gallagher and Cam Gigandet appeared together in The O.C. It all worked out! Scroll down to see stars you may have forgot appeared in Burlesque. Culpepper, Aguilera, and Antin all agreed on Cher, but the issue lay with the stars availability. WARREN: I was trying every way [to keep the song in the film]. The "Believe" singer told Collider in November 2010 that she felt an immediate connection to Aguilera, whom she tried to mentor during filming. Natalie angrily insists she and Jack never broke up though the latter denies this but asks Ali to leave. Here, that is his character's nickname for Ali. She was adorable, reading off her iPhone kind of scared with something prepared, and the songs blew us away. She later tells Tess about his plan, and they inform the owner (James Brolin) of new million-dollar condos being sold across the street. You can find her work if you want to, you know, 10 Behind The Scenes Facts About Burlesque You Didn't Know, the original ending was designed as an homage to, The Pussycat Dolls was actually a burlesque dance troupe, Antin had considered Queen Latifah or Michelle Pfeiffer, Hamilton: 10 Differences Between The Real-life Events And The Broadway Show, 10 Movies/Television Shows You Didn't Know Had Been Adapted Into Musicals, Cher had revealed during the red carpet of the films premiere, The 10 Greatest Movies About Music, Ranked (According To IMDb). They thought I might have something, and I smiled and told them I might. [7] Keep your back straight while you bend forward. Then there are the custom shoes and the blisters. One of Christina's costumes was made completely of pearls wired together. Their cast mate on this film, Julianne Hough, is one of the professional dancers on the Emmy-winning show. She overcame a lot. [33] Time Out labelled the drama "perfunctory"[34] while Roger Ebert said that "Burlesque shows Cher and Christina Aguilera being all that they can be, and that's more than enough. One is a timely, provocative story inspired by a classic movie, and one is related to Burlesque. Aguilera performed "Bound to You" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and gave an interview and performance on Conan. In a fit of rage, Nikki sabotages the performance by turning off the music that the dancers usually lip sync to until Ali impresses everyone with her singing skills. Genre: Musical. The burlesque star, and her all-American little sister, the pin-up girl, were crucial ingredients to American pop culture throughout the 20th century. Instead of leaving, Ali begins serving customers at the club as awaitress, while Tess and Sean observe with Jack asking Tess to give Ali a chance. At Georgia's wedding, Jack appears to call off his engagement and becomes drunk. - no indeed.". I saw her at a party and approached her. I got some cameras and shot the show over a few nights and edited together a little movie. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 37% based on 178 reviews, with an average rating of 4.90/10. Show me how you burlesque! [42] The movie was also referenced in the third season of the VH1 reality show RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. The soundtrack includes a mix of original and cover songs. There Ali attends multiple auditions with little success. Several teasers have been released for promotional purposes including the Etta James's "Something's Got a Hold on Me". '"[25] On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 47 out of 100, based on 38 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". As time went by, she felt a lot more comfortable." Despite its mixed reception, the film did modestly at the box office, grossing $91 million worldwide and earning an additional $42 million in domestic video sales. I think you should give it to someone else.' But Christina quietly kept rehearsing it and trying it and working on it, and one day she said to me, "I don't need a dance double. Despite Nikki's (Kristen Bell) attempt to thwart Ali's (Christina Aguilera) performance, Ali's live vocals save the show.#hdclips #moviescenes #musical #burlesque #Cher #EricDane #ChristinaAguileraWatch the full movie! She unknowingly walks. I should've. Ali breaks things off with Marcus after she sees his plans to build a skyscraper on the property the club is on. WILHELM SCREAM: Occurs in the last seconds of the final number, "Show Me How You Burlesque". The disagreements came from, we didn't have time, we have to move on. In conjunction with the image of the modern, independent woman, these women were exploring their sexuality and flaunting their agency, although often in a manner directly dictated by the male gaze. RELATED:Hamilton: 10 Differences Between The Real-life Events And The Broadway Show. Still, signs pointed to a solid opening for the film against family-oriented fare at the Thanksgiving box office. Steven got it and achieved his vision. 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. I played her the song, because what did I have to lose? That's just what happens in movies. It had that feel to it. Aguilera and Cher developed a close bond behind-the-scenes of the film that emulated their characters budding mother-daughter relationship in the movie. Cam Gigandet and Peter Gallagher both previously starred on the television series The O.C. When Jack first plays his piano in his apartment, he is playing an instrumental of 'Bound to You' - a song which Ali later sings in the show. It's a collaborativeart form, and the studio is writing the check, so they have opinions about mostly everything, which is understandable. One thing Antin initially wanted to remove from the film, however, has since grown into one of its most iconic moments: Cher's solo number, "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me," which sees her singing a meta tune (penned by longtime collaborator Diane Warren) about resilience. Ali tells Tess, and together they inform the owner of the new million-dollar condos across the street; fearing the loss of business that would result from the obstruction of his prospective tenants' view, he purchases the air rights to the club's property. [14], Filming locations included the exterior and adjacent parking as the "Burlesque Lounge" of the Ricardo Montalbn Theatre in Hollywood,[15][16] as well as the interior of the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana.[16]. Really terrible director. Both Diablo Cody and Susannah Grant did rewrites of Steve Antin's script. After finally quitting her waitressing job and getting out of Dodge (aka Iowa), Ali (Christina Aguilera) lands in Los Angeles, where her plan to get a singing gig quickly goes nowhere.Then she finds the Burlesque Lounge, a popular but down-on-its-high-heels nightclub -- owner Tess (Cher) is juggling two mortgages and has creditors and a real estate shark breathing down her neck -- where . "[31] Stanley Tucci's performance received praise from Entertainment Weekly[32] and Empire thought the dance numbers were thrilling. The reason Aguilera could seamlessly step into the role of the burlesque performer Ali was that she had already done her homework. First introduced by a visiting British dance troupe in the 1860s, burlesque took off in America even as its popularity dwindled in England. Anyway, we worked it out and I shot the number in what turned out to be a very long day. I had everyone that I knew calling [Steve]. After a performance is sabotaged by her rival, Nikki (Bell), Ali sings the song herself, impressing Tess and leading to her becoming the main attraction of the lounge. Moon Bloodgood was considered for the role of Tess. [41] The Burlesque stage musical was supposed to open at the Paper Mill Playhouse, New Jersey, in Autumn 2020, followed by a Broadway theatre adaptation, but the plans were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than just a pretty face, Gypsy Rose Lee was an author and playwright in addition to being a dancer and burlesque . Emma Stone was considered for the role of Ali. But Clint came up with and loved the idea of Cher. My sister was getting all these celebs to appear as guest performers. we're going to take you right up there [to Steven's office] and talk you into doing this movie!" I put that energy into how I really was feeling, approaching acting in the first place, which was wide-eyed and as a newcomer, who was open and vulnerable to everyones opinions and ideas, and ready to learn.. Part of the a360media Entertainment Group.Powered by WordPress VIP. Little by little, the young woman discovered the life of this small world. Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. DENISE FAYE (choreographer): I remember when Christina wrote the song to the number "Express," and the finale song "Show Me How You Burlesque," she brought me to her house with Clint and Steven, and [she started playing songs, like] "Maybe this song for this number" and "Maybe this song for the finale." The first TV spot premiered during the season 2 premiere of Fox's Glee on September 21, 2010. Amazed by the flamboyant costumes and the breathtaking choreography, Ali swears to herself that one day she too will be on the stage. RELATED:5 Best (& 5 Worst) Movie Musicals. She knew what it was, and Cher doesn't always know what the right song is. and this one she loved from day one. One night, Ali comes across a burlesque club where Tess Scali (Cher), the club's owner, and an entourage of dancers perform an opening number. TV series. Figure Skating Championships. FAYE: She was dancing in styles she hadn't before, and you can see how gorgeously she did. As a result, she manages to get a job as a waitress at the club. Sean: Alice, hm? I started to sweat and panic. CULPEPPER: She had notes. Its been more than a decade since Burlesque released and Steve Antins passion project is still considered one of the most memorable musicals Hollywood has produced. 64-year-old For the first time in a decade, she's starring in a feature film, "Burlesque". Burlesque. I'd told Cher that Christina loved her so much: "You don't understand, this chick would drink your bathwater!" [40], According to Joey Nolfi of Entertainment Weekly, since its release the movie "inspired everything, from drag queen revues to viral internet moments". According to Tricky Stewart, who co-penned and produced LP cuts "Glam," "Desnudate," and "Prima Donna" across intimate sessions at the superstar's home, their organic chemistry led to Aguilera inviting him and fellow Bionic songsmiths Sia, Claude Kelly, Ester Dean, Samuel Dixon, and Linda Perry to join her in creating the film's soundtrack. Burlesque (2010) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Jana Kramer was considered for the role of Tess. Kelsea Ballerini, Chase Stokes Get Cozy at Rangers Game. Aguilera also gave an interview to show host Chelsea Handler to discuss the film and other subjects. Its jazz-inspired soundtrack was released ahead of the film's release on November 19, 2010 by RCA Records and Screen Gems. Michael Kaplan who designed costumes for the film revealed in an interview that he wanted to assign a color to Chers character Tess and actually believed Tess and Cher to be alike in various ways, especially with respect to their professionalism. CULPEPPER: Cher called me to say she was on the lot [on a different stage] rehearsing her Vegas act, and to drop by. Enough said. It was Jack and Ali saying goodbye, and then he gets into a taxi to go to the airport to go somewhere. She came on the set with us, and thats a little bit nerve-wracking when youve done nothing in film. Of course, that makes me happy that 10 years later people are still embracing it and new people are still discovering it. Cher's first film appearance since her cameo in Stuck on You (2003). "[36] The New York Times said that the story line "had already gathered dust by the time [of] the 1933 musical 42nd Street". I rolled up my sleeves and wrote something really great. CULPEPPER: She had these little '70s glasses on, and she looked up, stopped, and said, "What are you two doing here?" When she came to set, we needed to have a melting time to coalesce the whole thing into what it ultimately became. KAPLAN: Dance costumes have different requirements than the type of clothing I'm used to designing. I'd never been taught or exposed to such a wide range of "technical" dance and so many different styles and levels all at once while rehearsing and filming this movie. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. I didn't believe those high numbers. But, Christina worked so hard. Later, a sobered Nikki admits that she lied about sleeping with Vince out of anger, and Tess rehires her. It can only be 50s burlesque. Upon seeing the waitress shortage, Ali picks up a tray and begins serving. In fact, Cody even opened up about how people ask her about projects she was only briefly involved with. Keep your legs straight while you bend and then bring your body back up, running your hands up your legs. So, I was a bit disappointed by the opening weekend numbers. CHER (Tess): I loved performing "Welcome to Burlesque" so much that I decided to recreate a version of it for my live show. CHRISTINA AGUILERA (Ali/songwriter): I'd been presented other acting and movie opportunities, but was holding out for something that felt right. That was the genesis. I called Steven [and told him] it was a sign he should make this movie. The Golden Globes drew a lot of adverse criticism when they announced their 2010 nominations as two of the year's most critically derided films - Burlesque and The Tourist (2010) - both were nominated for Best Film Musical or Comedy. WARREN: I was blown away. MICHAEL KAPLAN (costume designer): I wanted a modern take on burlesque with a retro feel and a nod to its history and origins. The Beautiful singer portrayed Ali, a small-town girl who heads to Los Angeles with big dreams and a dynamic voice to back up her determination to see her name in lights. A couple of weeks later I heard from Cher's manager, who loved the song, and she ended up recording it. In mid-2010, a melodramatic trailer that didn't match the film's tone was poorly received ("everyone thought it was going to be Showgirls," Culpepper jokes), though a second cut fared better. That's what we grew up on! Christina, I've never seen anyone more professional than she was. Meanwhile, Ali and Jack become romantically attracted. If you can help us with this wiki please sign up and help us! While preparing her Hollywood debut, Aguilera was simultaneously finishing her sixth studio album, Bionic, which released in June 2010. When we met Cher, Christina was holding her kid on her hip, and we walked over. [9], In January 2021, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue won the gold medal at the U.S. What's happening in this Burlesque movie clip?Ali auditions to be one of the club's dancers and when she's done, she persuades Tess to take her much to the l. Now that it's taken on this cult following, Cher has a whole new audience of young girls. Ali's Hotel Manager: Michael Landes . Ali Rose: If I'm not 20 times better than "b*obs for brains" over there, you don't have to pay me. The Easy A actor played snarky stage manager Sean, who is best friends with Tess. They just looked at it and went, "That's charming as s---." We won't post to any of your accounts without asking first. Cher was on a soundstage doing a voiceover for Zookeeper. First, Alan Cumming (plays the money taker at Burlesque) famously starred as the Emcee in the 1991 stage version of Cabaret. The former Dancing With the Stars judge played Georgia, a dancer whose sudden pregnancy opens up a spot for Ali to audition. Burlesque was released in the United States on November 24, 2010 by Screen Gems. Cher [saw us] and went, "Ok, everybody, take five!" Christina stuck her hand out and said "Hi, I'm Christina, the one who would drink your bathwater." Director: Steven Antin. Antin revealed that he filmed these shows into a single movie which eventually inspired Burlesque. Once Ali slinks down into the "faded glamour" of the club for the first time, the whole thing unfolds like Alice down a rabbit hole, with each choreographed dance trimmed with both grit and glitz. ANTIN: She came and met me in my office. "It wasn't a good film," the Moonstruck star told the Los Angeles Times. I always did," he says). Peter Gallagher (Vance) and Kristen were also in Bad Moms (A Bad Moms Christmas (2017)). [17][18] In the United States, the soundtrack was certified Gold by the RIAA for shipments of 500,000 copies in October 2011.[19]. Shawn Roberts was briefly considered for the role of Jack Miller. Cher started laughing hysterically and said, "Well, I hope that doesn't become necessary!". But, the meat of the narrative was there, and the pair were ready to dot their call sheet with glistening stars beginning with courting Aguilera to play their budding ingenue. She laughed and turned to her assistant and said, "We have a few minutes. One decade after the film's Nov. 24, 2010 release, those who took writer-director Steven Antin's vision from far-off fantasy to a dream come true all attest: The memories of the magic they experienced on set are still as vivid as they were all those years ago. First, Alan Cumming (plays the money taker at Burlesque) famously starred as the Emcee in the 1991 stage version of Cabaret. Gabriela Spanic was considered for the role of Tess. Most of the flamboyant costumes worn by Cher were her own clothes, some of which were designed by her longtime friend Bob Mackie (interview on The Graham Norton Show (2007) / 18 Dec. 2010). FAYE: When Cher started working on that, she wanted to work at her house with her person, meaning one of her dancers coming to our rehearsals and bringing the work back to her. We tested it with an audience, and everyone agreed reshoot it! CHER: One of my favorite scenes is when I was helping Christina with her makeup. "She reminded me of the relationship that I had with Meryl Streep [on Silkwood], when Meryl took me under her wing," she said at the time. Christina Aguilera's first choice for the role of Nikki was Emma Stone. 1. When she got to my office, she was impressed with everything she saw. Sort of. The DVD and Blu-ray sales exceed one million units and have grossed $20,563,918 in the United States alone. I can't even remember where. The film follows Ali played by Aguilera a small-town girl who finds her big break performing at a Burlesque Lounge. 50s Burlesque By the 1950s burlesque had been clamped down on in New York. Antin, along with Culpepper and the couples producer pal Donald De Line met Cher at her Malibu mansion and after quite a bit of convincing, Cher agreed to be a part of a twenty-day filming schedule, although the production lasted about four months. I had six cameras set up on a gigantic soundstage with a massive crew, and a zillion dancers around Cher that she had never worked with. They hit it off great. It starred Farrah Moan as Ali Rose and Chad Michaels as Tess Scali. After a few days, Denise said we weren't going to need a body double. She wanted it to reflect more of today's woman. I mean, it was, like, she was really up there. Unless you're Christopher Nolan. I want someone with more bite and more passion for what she wants in life. And so, they rewrote it., In order to view the video, please allow Manage Cookies. I was vocal about saying this isn't the best version of how this works. She also performed "Express" on the final of the seventh series of The X Factor which received criticism and complaints for the raunchy content.