evita

[CarlosAlberto]

drewmangroup, you have no idea what you are talking about. The woman has monuments and statues constructed in her honor as well as a huge government funded sculpture that spans the entire width and length of a building in Buenos Aires.




CLICK HERE

[CarlosAlberto]

It doesn't take up the entire length but pretty much the width...and it lights up at night. There is another image of her that's on the other side of the building.

[CarlosAlberto]

Here's the other side..

[CarlosAlberto]

Here's another:



And Another:



And yet another..

[NoName3]

Thanks, Carlos. All those static, inanimate, voiceless monuments are the perfect tribute to Madonna's performance.

[GavestonPS]

Very funny, but all kidding aside, I appreciate the images, Carlos. I really had no idea!

[My Oh My]

"drewmangroup, you have no idea what you are talking about. The woman has monuments and statues constructed in her honor as well as a huge government funded sculpture that spans the entire width and length of a building in Buenos Aires."

Yep. There is a reason why Argentina is one of the only countries left that has never presented the ALW stage version. In fact, they've taken it upon themselves to write their own musical about Eva, as well as film their own movie version. It was non-musical, but it is well known that it was done as an answer to the Madonna film.

What's interesting to me is that most everything Argentina produces as "an answer" to the supposed lies and myths about Eva Peron, only help confirm the bulk of those things they claim are untrue. It's strange. For example, many people--in and out of Argentina--like to categorize Patti Lupone's performance as "bitchy" and "over-the-top." Yet, their "answer" to the film version starring Madonna, entitled, "Eva Peron: The True Story," only helps elevate Lupones Tony Award-winning performance.

The film was meant to debunk myths and assumptions about Eva mostly popularized by Lupone's turn as Evita, but the actress playing the role in the Argentine version might as well have done the role as a tribute to Lupone, because it's nearly identical, except she doesn't sing. Case in point:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wPpNXANKxY

That's captivating actress Esther Goris and her take on Eva is flawless. So much so, it's eerie--the inflection, even the slightly weathered, smoker's voice, and that passion. So Ms. Goris confirms Eva WAS a VERY strong, feisty, harsh, even abrasive woman. The filmmakers--who set out to tell the absolute truth--also confirm this by way of not objecting to the portrayal. Look at those mannerisms, they are exactly like Lupone's, but Lupone is often said to have been over-the-top...and evil.

I've seen most of that film and it left me scratching my head because there was nothing so incredibly revealing that would change anyone's perception of Eva that they might've gathered from the ALW musical. Goris portrays her as incredibly foul-mouthed and it's obvious she came from "the sticks." It's almost as if people just like to complain and have this odd persecution complex when it comes to Eva Peron, so they ignore the intended purpose of a piece, like the musical, and extract the more juicy aspects of the real Eva Peron.

Without doubt, that chick IS NOW a myth.

[StageManager2]

drewmangroup, you have no idea what you are talking about. The woman has monuments and statues constructed in her honor as well as a huge government funded sculpture that spans the entire width and length of a building in Buenos Aires.

Not to mention that this past summer Eva Perón became the first woman to appear on any Argentine banknote, replacing former president Julio Argentino Roca on the 100-peso note.

[CarlosAlberto]

Stand back, Buenos Aires!...indeed!!

[StageManager2]

Yet, their "answer" to the film version starring Madonna, entitled, "Eva Peron: The True Story," only helps elevate Lupones Tony Award-winning performance.

So true. I was hesitant to watch that film 'cause I thought they would sanitize her life story and gloss over the politics. But, in fact, the film confirms that the Peróns were despots who silenced opponents, usurped the media industry (i.e. newspapers, radio, films), and sometimes employed torture on political prisoners.


Goris portrays her as incredibly foul-mouthed and it's obvious she came from "the sticks."

Having read all the biographies and watched the documentaries, Goris' portrayal is the best interpretation of Eva Perón, IMO. She was, after all, a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who only had a 6th grade education. The biographies mention how the oligarchy would entertain themselves by listening to her radio programs and later her balcony speeches (which were broadcast), because Eva was not genteel in her speech. For example, she would say "poetries" instead of "poems." You know how some illiterate Americans say "ax" instead of "ask"? She often made grammatical errors like that, which the aristocracy found amusing and used it to deride her.

[StageManager2]

So Ms. Goris confirms Eva WAS a VERY strong, feisty, harsh, even abrasive woman.

Here's a scene from the movie that best illustrates that. Eva confronts the railway workers after they threaten a nationwide strike. At this point (1950), after Eva and Perón's excessive spending and mismanagement, the Argentine economy was tanking and inflation had wiped out all the gains the workers had made. Eva met with the railway workers and warned them not to strike or there would be dire consequences. They ended up striking anyway and many were imprisoned and tortured. Some didn't get released until after Perón was deposed in 1955.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZRK0f5GJRc

[Gothampc]

Does anyone think Madonna's performance would have been different if she weren't pregnant during the filming?

[My Oh My]

And here she tells the president of The Ladies of Beneficence to basically f*ck off and then cuts off their government funding because they snubbed her.

http://youtu.be/iM8ZxnwD1fc?t=5m

I don't know what they were on about with their beef with the Madonna film. Madonna sanitized her terribly. That's why I can't believe people think she was GREAT in the role. Goris should have won an Oscar for her accurate, Lupone-like performance. Look at that walk after she tells off the old lady, it's eerily similar to Lupone's Eva Bitch Walk! XD

http://youtu.be/iM8ZxnwD1fc?t=8m7s

[StageManager2]

I don't know what they were on about with their beef with the Madonna film.

No pun intended, right? You know, 'cause Argentina's biggest export is/was beef. (Never mind.)


Goris should have won an Oscar for her accurate, Lupone-like performance3

I remember in one of my Entertainment Weekly issues at the time (Jan. 1997), there was a short article about how the Eva Perón movie was Argentina's official selection for that year's Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, and that Goris was also being put forward as a candidate for Best Actress. The EW article ridiculed the notion, pretty much saying there was no way in hell she would get close to a nomination. I guess they were pushing for Madonna. After all, they did feature her on the cover for their annual Oscar race issue.

.

[Broadwaywest]

Then there was faye...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyDCWNgi6E0

[The Scorpion]

I disagree with some of the allegations here that Michael Grandage's production portrays Eva as a saint. It is true that it has been softened for Broadway and Elena's portrayal in London was much more ambiguous (I assume the change might be to avoid offending the many Latinos attending the Broadway production thanks to Ricky Martin). But nonetheless I still don't come away with the impression of Eva as a saint from the Grandage production. It's still the stage show script so the verses removed in the movie that were controversial are restored. Of course, Grandage's production (which I think is beautiful) It is also significantly softer than the Hal Prince Broadway production (which I also adore), which itself was far more aggressive and one-sided than its 1978 London premiere as a result of the critics' allegations the London production glorified fascism. And I stand by what the London critics said and my overall belief that Elena Roger's Eva Perón is a magnificent performance and outshines Madonna completely. Not that I think Madonna did a terrible job, although the way the keys were all lowered for her is, of course, extremely regrettable. I blame the santisation of Eva's character though on Alan Parker, who I suppose had a choice between either that or not getting to film on location.

I do, however, echo people's comments about Esther Goris's fantastic performance as Eva in the film from Argentina. It's absolutely riveting.

As for Faye...yeah, her performance made me laugh and not for the right reasons.

[Auggie27]

The real problem with much of it was Parker's decision to accentuate the "reality," to pretend it's not really a musical. Early on I was seriously let down by this documentary-like approach. The editing and staging turn "Buenos Aires" into one of the dullest musical sequences ever put on film, and it's a number we expected Madonna to deliver with smokin' heat. (And think of how often we might see the song excerpted, had it been any good; it's never seen out of context, because it's dark, tedious, and makes the leading lady look like a frump taking tango lessons.) The number is built around the damned train, not this woman igniting when she arrives in the city. A key moment in the music is illustrated by -- a train pulling into a station. Ooooh, how counter-intuitive for a musical! Daring! Not really. And then it peters out as she dances, dully, in a club. No sexuality, no choreography worth noting, but plenty of (yawn) period detail. It ends with her boogieing out into the street, without a scintilla of Madonna's natural dancing skill spotlighted. Were they so afraid to exploit what she does well? Instead we get Madonna not allowed to be ... Madonna.

[Gothampc]

Auggie27, Madonna was pregnant during the filming. I think some of the choreography was altered/simplified because they didn't want her to have a miscarriage.

[Auggie27]

It has nothing to do with the complexity of the steps. Madonna herself spoke about the intricacy of the tango she had to learn in her Vanity Fair diaries. In a way, what's seen is actually trickier. I'm speaking of the style, that the numbers were staged as "reality," only performed as if Eva Peron might've danced, not in any way stylized. This may have served the documentary tone, but it emptied "Buenos Aires" of its theatricality. Sexuality. Excitement. If anyone who posts here wants to make a persuasive case for "Buenos Aires" in the film, I'm all ears. I watched it again this past fall and couldn't believe how pale the number is compared to either of the Broadway productions.

[CarlosAlberto]

Auggie27 I have to agree wholeheartedly with you. BUENOS AIRES is a show stopper. In the film it's a "wet firecracker". There is no pop, no sizzle, no excitement. It's dull and plodding.

Ugh. I hate this movie.

[Gothampc]

I think the whole movie was a let down. I think I counted three times when they use the same footage of Madonna on the train waving goodbye and heading to Buenos Aires. That tells me they ran out of ideas/images. I can understand using it in the original sequence, and then maybe in the funeral flashback. But the third time was really too much.

[PopAria]

"As much as I dislike Madonna's voice, she still sounds much better than Elena Roger."

I like Madonna's version the best.

[My Oh My]

Thought the YouTube comments below the last part of the Argentine film were interesting. I've translated them below.

The original Spanish quotes can be accessed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQwROi_p1uE

--------------------------------------------------

"Very good movie. Portrays Eva Peron like the leader of a country who gave much support to its workers. The Madonna film covered mostly the frivolous aspects of Eva."

"The Madonna film was nothing more than an excuse to film the opera's script as a musical, without any historical accuracy. Like, for example, the supposed link between Eva and Che (Che was barely a teenager when Eva died, and they never met).

This Argentine film is historically accurate and even adds an excellent script and great performances, most notably, the phenomenal work of Ester Goris in the leading role."

---------------------------------------

Oh dear.

[StageManager2]

My Oh My, have you seen the fairly recent Argentine film Juan y Eva? It deals with their rise to power, from their meeting at the charity concert through his incarceration and release. Julieta Díaz has got to be one of the worst Evitas. If you thought Madonna was bland, Díaz portrays her rather passively. Even the scene with Perón's mistress, she merely shows up, has a gentle discussion with the girl, then they sit down and eat chocolate together. The mistress even has a line telling Eva that she loves her radio programs. I doubt the encounter was that friendly.

Here's the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX5VdZ4b6ks

And the entire movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OZTW8ROhj8

[muscle23ftl]

I think those pictures of Eva on buildings were a temporary tribute, since I was born and raised in Buenos Aires and I've never seen them, yet, I might not be aware of them existing despite living there for decades since it's a huge city.

The monuments are located in a small suburb outside of Buenos Aires called "Ciudad Evita", which was founded in her honor. In the actual city of Buenos Aires, I don't recall seeing any monuments or statues of hers. I barely heard about her in my entire childhood.

[CarlosAlberto]

They weren't a temporary tribute. They are still there and now she's all over your countries 100 dollar note.