The 2002 film Chicago (based on the 1975 stage musical of the same name) won six Academy Awards in 2003, including Best Picture, making it the first musical to win Best Picture since Oliver! in 1968. Though, it might have been much closer of a gap between the two Best Picture winners as a film version of Chicago was to follow the original1975 Broadway run of the play. In irony, the original stage musical was not well received by audiences, primarily due to the show's cynical tone, but the stage musical's director/choreographer still had planned to make the film version his next project. However, he sadly passed before he was able to realize this vision. That being said, Fosse's distinctive jazz choreography is evident throughout the 2002 film which is why he was thanked in the credits of the feature. Interest was renewed in the stalled film version (and a retroactive appreciation for the original 1975 stage production) when the minimalist 1996 proved to be far more successful, having played more than 9,562 performances (as of November 17, 2019) and holding records for longest-running musical revival, longest-running American musical on Broadway, and second longest-running show in Broadway history. The film version ultimately incorporated the influences of both the 1975 and 1996 stage productions. Stay tuned!
'Musicals...what are they good for?'