Evita Movie Review 1996

Webber/Rice rock opera about the life and death of Eva Peron finally comes to the big screen with all its extravaganza intact. Madonna's in the title role (in fine voice, lavishly costumed but unflatteringly lit) about an ambitious poor girl willing to do anything to make her mark--in this version by sleeping her way up the ladder of power to Argentine strongman Juan Peron (Pryce as wax dummy). Evita becomes a would-be champion of the people, even as the government ruthlessly suppresses their freedoms. The surprisingly strong-voiced Banderas (perhaps his emphatic enunciation is to make his English as clear as possible) is everyman narrator Che (changed from the stage version's revolutionary Che Guevera). The highlight is still Madonna's balcony scene, singing "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina," but some of the other songs are drowned by loud orchestration. Director Parker has a cameo as a frustrated film director trying to work with Evita.

Distribution

Buena Vista Home Entertainment, 500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521-1120, Toll-free: 800-723-4763, URL: http://www.bvhe.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 133 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Musical Drama, This Is Your Life, Women, Politics, South America, Adapted from a Musical, Wonder Women, Great Death Scenes, Rags to Riches, Cinderella Stories

Screenplay

Oliver Stone, Alan Parker

Cast

Madonna, Antonio Banderas, Jonathan Pryce, Jimmy Nail, Victoria Sus, Julian Littman, Olga Meediz, Laura Pallas, Julia Worsley

Cinematography

Darius Khondji

Director

Alan Parker

Music

Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice

Other

Alan Parker

Producer

Robert Stigwood, Alan Parker, Andrew G. Vajna, Cinergi Productions, Dirty Hands, Hollywood Pictures, Buena Vista

Awards

Oscars 1996: Song ("You Must Love Me"); Golden Globes 1997: Actress--Mus./Comedy (Madonna), Film--Mus./Comedy, Song ("You Must Love Me").