User reviews

I have been a Newsies fan since the beginning. I know the songs word for word. I also am a fan of the broadway musical, and I know they have to adapt it to the stage but there are to many deviations for me. Like the family story line and the change of Denton's character to Katherine's. Then still singing King of New York. Song in different spots in the plot, songs having a slower temple then the movie, and the end result of the strike all together. I am generally a person who says if it isn't broken don't fix it. But I am still impressed with the musical. I will still watch both and complain about the difference and annoy my husband the whole time. Lol.

Fortunately, the great performances, singing, and the opportunity for close-ups of the actors make this recording of the stage production of NEWSIES well worth seeing. I feared, however, that they would not know how to film the dance numbers, and I was correct. Too many quick cuts, too many close-ups of only a few of the dancers, detract greatly from the dance numbers. While the camera adds some good rear and overhead shots of the dancers that you can't get in a live performance, these too go by in a flash. The dancers have great technique and energy all on their own. The camera doesn't need to add any movement or energy to the proceedings, like it does when you are trying to cover for poor dancers. These folks are great, but the camera-work doesn't allow us to see them for more than a fraction of a second at a time. If the director wanted to see how Broadway dances should be photographed, all he need do is look at any Tony Awards broadcast--mainly longer shots, with a few angle shots thrown in, and close-ups only when a particular step or piece of business needs to be highlighted. But directors and editors would rather show off than respect the dance.

Beautifully performed LA version of the Broadway musical. The actors, singers, dancers all on the top of their form. And the translating of the show to TV was excellent - until it came to the dance numbers. In short, these were ruined in the editing room. Just because you can cut to another shot, doesn't mean that you should. Fred Astaire had control over how his dances were filmed and insisted in full head-to-toe shots, with little or no cutting to different angles. This might seem like an austere approach, but it worked brilliantly. Gene Kelly went a step further and also produced brilliant results. It is difficult as a director to reign in the impulse to be flashy and put your mark on what you are shooting, but with dance this has to be resisted. Rob Marshall almost ruined Bob Fosse's brilliant choreography in the movie version of "Chicago". Here we have some of the world's best stage dancers giving it their all, and the director and editor got in their way. What a shame.

Having seen Newsies on stage and in the movies, when I heard it would be shown at our local theater (at an exorbitant price), I couldn't wait. Often these things don't work out. This one did. First of all, the young men and women cast for this are at the top of their game. They have fresh faces and individual character. There are great songs, but they are overshadowed by some of the best dancing ever seen on a screen. The physicality and skill of these guys is beyond the pale. There is a well drawn plot that exceeds the depth of most musicals. We care about Jack and Crutchie and how the other guys respond to each other. Joe Pulitzer is well cast and has frightening power over them. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I would prefer this film over the live performances. The reason is the close-ups where we get to see their emotional responses to each other. Crutchie's character is so kind and so fragile, and the young actor who portrays him captures it beautifully.

I am one that enjoys Broadway shows and to combine both the Broadway & North American Tour together to make this show was Amazing. I hope they make this into a DVD like they did with CATS. The stage show personal touch versus a cinematic approach makes the show 1000x times better and easier to relate to the characters.

Having been a serious fan of the original 1992 film with Christian Bale, I was excited to learn they made a stage production of the show. But then I heard they made some changes to the story for the stage adaption and then I became very skeptical.

Once I finally got to see the show LIVE in person, I was blown away by the entire production and loved the small changes they made. It actually fits better as a live production and the changes were PERFECT.

Once the show and road tour ended, I was so sad to know we'll never get to see this again, but once it was announced that they are bringing the Broadway production to the BIG SCREEN, I was more than excited.

Seeing the cinematic version of the Broadway production gave a whole new perspective on the experience. The drama seems heightened since we now get to see close ups of the characters and every emotional reaction and response. We also get to HEAR every line and word, where on stage, sometimes the lines are run together rather quickly and it's easy to miss certain elements. The lighting, the sound, the editing was BRILLIANT!

Also, the actors were full of extra life and energy and you could see their love and passion for each other and this show. This theatrical experience was OVERFLOWING with Disney magic and I confess, I teared up several times, just because it was SO AMAZING!

If you never saw a Broadway show, or can't get to New York, and if you never saw the Broadway version of Newsies...this is a MUST-SEE! The Music, the Dancing, the Acting, the Performances, the Costumes and Set....everything was SHEER MAGIC and absolutely PERFECT!

I'll never get tired of seeing NEWSIES!

this is a solid musical- really well done across the board, and full of high octane energy. The close ups are great- really makes you connect to the characters. Kara Lindsay and Jeremy Jordan are some of the most talented people to ever grace Broadway, and hearing them rock the rafters is quite an experience!!

Also, the person who gave this 2 stars without watching the whole thing is really unfair (movie junkies that hate the stage adaptation. They exist.) In no way did Newsies fail- this 2017 live version made over 3 million dollars in just 3 days at movie theaters, and ran for 1,000 performances on Broadway. The changes made totally make sense as a whole- adding a strong female arc was a great move as it was desperately missing in the movie,,, and you ask why did they open with Santa Fe- because it's more realistic. It's refreshing to see opening scenes like this. Just two people having a conversation. A lot of Tarantino films are like this as well!

10/6/17. A good production for the silver screen. As much as I would have loved to have seen this on Broadway, watching it this way actually was pretty good. You could never get the close-ups like you do with this film in the theater, not to mention the prohibitive pricing of Broadway shows.

I have watched this recording more than 20 times and I never get bored. Newsies is one of my favorite musicals and these cast is my favorite ever. Jeremy Jordan and Kara Lindsay have amazing chemistry and are incredible actors! I definitely recommend you watch this if you haven't.

One of the best movies i've seen in a long time- never boring or slow it kept my attention the entire time and it felt like you were sitting on stage- everything from the cast, plot, acting, singing, the best dancing ever filmed on screen and the smallest details of set design and lighting was the best. Seize the Day and King of New York really brought down the house. All of the Newsies had individual personalities that shone through, especially Ben Cook (Racer), Jeremy Jordan nailed down the protagonist role and I could listen to him sing the phone book, and Kara Lindsay slayed her solo, Andrew Keenan's solo had everyone crying, Steve Blanchard was perfect for the role of the "villain" ,,, I didn't mind paying twice the amount for an Imax ticket because it was so good, From the opening scene in Jack's penthouse, I knew we were in for a treat

Hope this will be put on Blu ray someday

I'm not usually a fan of filmed theatrical performances - especially musical theatre. The television so often fails to capture the vitality of the performances and often we are left with something rather lacking. Well, to be fair to Disney, they have managed to capture loads of the energy and dynamism of this adaptation of Harvey Fierstein's book about the strike by the newspaper delivery boys in New York in 1899. The strike itself is fairly legendary - as were the almost Oliver Twist-ian conditions under which these kids were exploited, rather than employed. Jeremy Jordan tops the bill and positively glows as the ring leader "Jack Kelly" who finally has enough of the poverty-stricken existence of his colleagues and who organises a protest that initially invites disdain, but eventually recognition from the city's great and good who all of a sudden realise that these tiny cogs are actually pretty crucial to their entire enterprise thriving or failing. He is well supported by Kara Lindsay, an enthusiastic Ben Fankhauser and Steve Blanchard as the original, if not terribly generous of spirit, "Pulitzer". Alan Menken and Jack Feldman have combined to churn out a remarkable number of memorable songs here, too - "The Bottom Line", "That's Rich" "Seize the Day" and "Kings of New York" are all amongst the toe-tappers that help get this sprightly song and dance musical up and running. The sparing set lends itself well to the television coverage, as does the careful use of lighting and the frequently ensemble approach to the presentation of the story. Stage is certainly best, but this is a close second that skips along well for 2½ hours effortlessly and enjoyably - even if you might be a bit vicariously out of breath at the end!

Uplifting and inspirational, Newsies has a plot with depth (based on a historical event) character development (we care about the newsboys, especially the actor who played Crutchie, as he perfectly captured the innocence of that character), outstanding musical score, iconic dancing, and most of all keeping the audience engaged with entertainment,,, the way it's filmed gives you the illusion of having front row seats- every facial expression and reaction is seen- the movie also has very high production value with the staging, lighting, etc. makes this the gold standard for filmed staged production- and the sound mixing was stunning as well- the orchestra blends flawlessly with the actors By the end, you'll be singing along and wishing you could dance like these boys

Essentially this is the filmed version of the Broadway musical of Newsies.

The newsboys strikes in New York in 1899 over their pay and work conditions.

This production has several alumni from the Broadway production reprising their roles. In that sense it marks it out more than the 1992 filmed version of Newsies that starred Christian Bale.

Having watched the filmed Broadway version of Hamilton in 2020. I felt less invested in Newsies. It might be because I saw Hamilton live at the London West End.

I liked the story how these little guys who are basically kids stand up to the press barons like Hearst and Pulitzer.

There are highlights with a few energetic dance sequences. I just felt that as with many musicals, it had too many songs and dances that were fillers.

Fans of the musical will enjoy it more than others.

This musical is the Broadway adaptation of the 1992 movie musical of the same name, and to summarize plainly: you're much better served watching the original film than this.

While the cast is certainly full of talented singers and dancers, the acting performances range from being fair to downright annoying. Visually, the set is lackluster at best and consists exclusively of metal scaffolding that takes you out of the story. In fact, the set was very familiar. I'd seen it before walking past construction sites in modern New York City. Meanwhile costumes are cartoonish and of questionable historical accuracy.

The biggest problem I have with this musical is *spoiler alert* the so-called love story between Jeremy Jordan's "Jack Kelly" and Kara Lindsay's "Katherine Plumber." In this production, Jack makes several unwanted advances on Katherine, meanwhile she threatens to punch him and then kisses him in the same scene only to mock and tell him to "shut up" five minutes later. Hardly a classic compared to other stories that Disney has created.

Katherine is, unfortunately, a product of her time. A 'strong' female character who 'isn't like other girls' and uses her male counterparts with no regard to their own circumstances to further her career as a reporter. She needs no man - that is, until she finds "something to believe in" in Jack. She's a character who could have been interesting if she had had a better writer but her inconsistent characterization fails to impart lasting meaning and fails to stand the test of time as a good example for girls and young women.

There is only one child actor in the cast who plays the little brother "Les." I'm not sure whether to take issue with the fact that a story centered on child labor only cast one child to tackle the story, or to be relieved that I was spared two full hours of grating performances. Either way, the charm of the original 1992 film is lost by having grown men masquerade as 12- to 17-year-olds and gives the same impression of the disaster that was the Hunger Games. (Which also curiously placed its focus on love rather than tackle serious themes and issues.)

And as a final note, there are several odd plot points that go nowhere and make no sense without having first watched the 1992 film. So, you may as well go watch the original anyways.

In just one word fantastic. As a Broadway fan I was so happy that Disney put this on.

Ok, it is 2024, and I am STILL the biggest Fansie (Newsies fan). Just everything about it is superior: the dancing, the vocals, the HARMONIES 🤤, the acting, the set, and honestly, I could go on! I will admit, the swearing might be a little too dirty for some families, but it's really for all ages. Super fun, intriguing, and truly a masterpiece. So whether you are thinking about seeing it on Disney+ or, (maybe if it is live someday in the future), live, SEE IT. Even if you're not thinking about seeing it, SEE IT. Shoutouts to Jeremy Jordan, Andrew Kennan-Bolger, Kara Linsey, Ben Fakuenhauser, Ben Cook, Steve Blachard, and all the cast members who put all their effort into this show,

Awesome dancing, singing and acting!! Some of my favorite Broadway actors like Andrew, Jeremy Jordan, Ben,

A magical and powerful showing as everyone in this cast ensemble was marvelous. The acting was killer and the songs were fantastic with everyone singing in harmony. Simple but effective sets allowed for imaginative storytelling bringing a slice of American history to life for all ages. We'll worth a watch.

Newsies: The Musical is based on the film Newsies, which was based on real events in history. The story looks at the newsboys strike that took place in New York City in 1899. In this reflection, I'll be focusing more on the musical recording rather than the movie itself.

The music is done by Alan Menken, notable for many iconic Disney songs, and lyrics done by Jack Feldman. Once the musical began, I was getting goosebumps. I may not love all the songs, but that doesn't mean they aren't good. I enjoy them all on different levels, especially the ones that have most of the cast featured on them. Those songs motivate me and get me really excited.

It doesn't take long for the choreography to really stand out with the cast and ensemble jumping all over the stage, while still giving it their all when they sing. I was already awestruck watching this at home through a screen, so I can't imagine what this would be like in person. I can't talk about this musical without bringing up Jeremy Jordan, who plays the main character of the story. From the first song, he won me over. His voice is powerful and really makes you feel the emotions that his character goes through. I wasn't seeing him as an actor, but as the character. This musical is funny, empowering, entertaining, and will put a smile on your face by the end (if you haven't been smiling the whole time). I highly recommend checking it out if you're a fan of musicals and/or Disney.

It's so much better on stage than in the original movie. My cousins will probably never speak to me again. ¯\_()_/¯

It is a good musical but the filming seemed to have too many cameras. The film shots were constantly moving from one camera angle to another. Unlike a play where the audience chooses where they want to focus on the stage, the film dictates the focus. It moved too quickly and too many angles so that the flow of the musical was disrupted. The choreography was lost. Most of the dance numbers where cut away or too narrowly focused. Seldom was the dance number shown to fill the stage and build on the energy.

My family and I decided to watch this movie and to our surprise it was absolutely incredible. The acting was spectacular and a truly enthralling experience. I couldn't complain or identify one bad moment throughout the play, it was just overall delightful. I 100% recommend this movie.

I just watched this magnificently filmed production on Netflix and couldn't have been more impressed. The show is relevant to our time with the students in Parkland Florida speaking truth to power. Great music, great performances, great story, great message and the best dancing I have ever seen on a stage. I highly recommend this production.