"Five, Six, Seven, Eight!"
With the sound resembling a countdown amid the orchestral overture, a pair of blue eyes filled with yearning appears on the screen. The scene then transitions directly to the neon-lit title "Chicago" against a dark background. The vibrant red neon lights resemble a high-hanging signal light, signaling to the audience that this will be a visually stunning film.
The film begins with a song and dance number. A close-up of the announcer’s mouth is followed by a swift cut to a dizzying stage. The stark contrast between the cool tones of the stage background and the warm tones of the liquor-filled scenes creates an intense visual impact.
With jazz music resonating, revelers indulging in debauchery, and the glitzy atmosphere of the theater, the opening vividly showcases the richness and chaos of nightlife in Chicago.
The show has already started. Velma, who has just murdered her sister, hurriedly makes her way in. Even during her brief journey into the theater, the interplay of light and shadow keeps shifting. This demonstrates Duke’s almost perfectionist approach to lighting and color—whether it’s the blue, seductive glow of the stage lights spilling from the windows or the wet street reflecting these lights back onto the screen. A sense of panic, mystery, and restless unease subtly emerges right at the beginning of the film.
Even though the camera merely uses a low-angle shot to show a pair of feet traversing a short distance, the interplay of light and shadow creates the desired effect and reveals the film’s noir aesthetic.
Moreover, the close-up of eyes at the beginning directly strikes a chord with the audience. Duke has already used his style to signal to viewers that this familiar story has been reinterpreted in a way that externalizes, concretizes, and magnifies the inner states of its characters through musical numbers. Hidden beneath the glamorous song and dance is the essence of noir filmmaking, painting a deeply dark tone.
"After watching this opening, most of my worries about Duke have disappeared."
George Lucas tilted his head slightly and said to Mrs. Leah, "As long as the musical numbers are on point, I believe, given Duke’s capabilities, the film will undoubtedly be above standard."
Mrs. Leah nodded. She understood that Lucas’s "standard" didn’t mean average but represented an outstanding film.
Chicago is, after all, a musical. No matter how excellent other aspects are, if the actors fail in their song and dance, the entire film would essentially fail.
As a longtime fan of Chicago, Gru knew this very well. The film’s opening was indeed well-executed. The lavish interplay of light and shadow, coupled with the handling of sound and visuals, far surpasses what any stage play could achieve. The inherent advantage of cinema lies in this area. But the real test comes next with the opening musical number. Velma certainly looks stunning, but her singing and dancing remain to be seen.
"A typical Duke-style opening."
Allen commented to Kunitz, "He’s abandoned the frequent use of long takes from Saving Private Ryan and returned to constructing fast-paced sequences with short takes."
Kunitz kept his eyes glued to the screen, speaking in a low voice, "The female lead is well-chosen. Catherine Zeta-Jones is incredibly beautiful and seductive, and her acting is good. No wonder she has won Duke’s heart."
"If her singing and dancing fall short," Allen, despite not being a fan of musicals, understood the stakes, "Duke’s casting choices will certainly be criticized. It’s possible some unfavorable rumors might start circulating..."
On the screen, the stage lights suddenly brighten. The stage gradually rises, and Zeta-Jones stands bathed in a white spotlight against a completely black background. The interplay of black and white forms a striking contrast, immediately capturing the audience’s attention.
As the music plays, Velma begins the first song and dance number, which is the hallmark of the entire production—"All."
Catherine Zeta-Jones’s voice exudes magnetism, her singing rich and resonant. Her dance is bold and filled with allure, perfectly in line with the character’s setting, instantly grabbing the audience’s attention.
"She’s singing quite well."
Hearing Kunitz’s remark, Allen nodded repeatedly. "Her expressions are so captivating. When she blinks, it feels like she’s throwing winks at me. And those legs, they’re stunning! Duke’s choice of this actress is absolutely brilliant!"
Gru also nodded. Compared to the reimagined Broadway production, this actress’s dancing was slightly inferior. However, her superior singing more than compensated for it. This isn’t surprising, considering her background in London’s West End musical theater.
Three rows ahead of him sat a New York Times theater critic, Whitely, scribbling notes in her notebook. Though not a film critic, she specifically attended this premiere to see how Duke Rosenberg would adapt such a classic production as Chicago.
So far, the film’s opening has been exceptionally successful. Setting aside Duke’s mastery of cinematic techniques, even the musical numbers have been outstanding. Apart from Velma’s slightly less polished dancing, everything else utterly outshines the stage version of the character.
This disparity is quite normal. Whitely wasn’t surprised. Even as a theater critic, she understood that films have access to advanced post-production techniques, capable of enhancing musical performances and even acting. No matter how great the stage version actress is, films can minimize weaknesses and even surpass expectations.
This is an inherently unfair comparison and involves entirely different forms of artistic expression. Moreover, films cater to the masses, while musicals are relatively niche. Only a fool would compare the two. Post-production techniques alone create an insurmountable gap between them.
Thus, Duke never worried whether nostalgic audiences could accept the musical format. Lily Fred herself is a seasoned Broadway talent with multiple Tony Award nominations. Her abilities were never in question.
Indeed, during filming, the black actress far outperformed Naomi Watts and Catherine Zeta-Jones in song and dance. But let’s not forget Duke is a director—and a technically skilled one at that. He would never foolishly include raw, unpolished footage in the film. Instead, he collaborated with Lily Fred to meticulously edit several musical scenes, removing as many flaws as possible.
While the edited dances might still fall slightly short—especially given the absence of professional stand-ins—the songs are where Duke had absolute confidence. The studio-recorded versions in the film completely outshine any live theater performances.
Though the singing was recorded live during filming, Duke didn’t hesitate in post-production. He replaced all the musical performances with studio-recorded versions, polished with various post-production techniques. This level of refinement is simply unachievable in live theater. Even Michael Jackson’s live performances can’t compare to his studio recordings.
Yes, compared to the all-live performances of musical theater, the film version is essentially cheating—and openly so. But this kind of "cheating" is widely accepted, and no one can criticize it.
Regarding appearances, Duke had reviewed photographs of all past Chicago stage actresses. Naomi Watts, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Tom Cruise held an absolute advantage. Never mind claims that appearances don’t matter in such films—pairing song and dance with beautiful men and women often produces astonishing results.
And when acting and musical abilities are guaranteed, beauty and charm are undeniable assets.
As the audience was captivated by the song and dance, another shift in lighting occurred, transitioning from cold to warm tones. The other female lead, Roxie Hart, appeared on the screen. The fates of the two femme fatales intertwined, with Velma dazzling on stage and Roxie watching enviously.
Through Roxie’s gaze and Velma’s performance, the film weaves a projection of desire. This projection is blatantly expressed through Roxie’s longing gaze.
What follows is a sequence using parallel montage. Though a simple and conventional technique in cinema, it achieves effects entirely different from stage performances. Attempting to showcase parallel montage on stage... is simply unfeasible.
Whitely heavily underlined a note in her journal. This segment of the adaptation is clearly more engaging than the stage production’s straightforward presentation. The complex entanglement between the two leads also perfectly reflects the film’s themes.
From the scenes shown so far, it appears Duke Rosenberg, contrary to what Whitely had heard from film critics, is much more than a director obsessed with explosions.
Especially under the blue, romantic, and mysterious stage lights, Velma looks stunning. Meanwhile, the striking red lighting behind Roxie hints at her inner turmoil and desires.
As the camera zooms in and the shot scale decreases, Roxie’s gaze meets Velma’s. In a pivotal moment, Roxie’s inner passion transforms Velma’s stage persona into her own fervent self. The off-stage reality and the on-stage performance space merge under Roxie’s projection of desire.
It’s no exaggeration to say that while dazzling the audience with vibrant colors and grand musical numbers, Duke Rosenberg employs numerous technically intricate cinematic techniques.
The interplay of the musical scenes with Roxie’s affair is interwoven through rapid cuts. The depravity of human nature and the eruption of desire are amplified through these edits. The transitions between the two scenes are facilitated by similar compositions and corresponding actions, creating seamless and meaningful shifts.
Whitely couldn’t understand how a director known for his "explosive" reputation among critics could craft such profound and meaningful visuals. Forget everything else—just the film’s use of light and color could easily be deemed masterful.
At this point, a fitting description of the relationship between critics and Duke came to Whitely’s mind—Interests and Prejudices!
She was merely a theater critic. Though she occasionally commented on films, she had no entanglements with Hollywood. Thus, she felt her evaluation was more impartial.
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