Product: Zoot Suit (1981)
Rating: 3.0
Chasing "The Capeman"
"Zoot Suit" was fighting and uphill battle for my appreciation. That's because I wanted it to be something else entirely. You see, I love the idea of filming live theatre. Purists and snobs will tell you that you lose something essential by taping a performance. Namely the immediacy of the live show--the audience's involvement, right there in the moment. But, on the other hand, that loss is inevitable and unavoidable. The camera is by its nature a detached observer. But it freezes in time what would otherwise be lost forever, unless of course it is revived. And revived is the perfect term because the work is on the brink of death until dedicated actors, directors and audiences are once again ready to breathe life into the piece. I have immense respect for the stage, but if I ever have the opportunity to write professionally I hope to start with screen or print because those two media are easily preserved. Which brings me at long last to my point, I rented "Zoot Suit" because it was close in theme to "The Capeman" which I want to see with all my heart. It has been gone from the stage for years, but is preserved in an almost inaccessible archive. "Zoot Suit" is here for all to see, and it is most certainly worth a viewing. It is much better than "West Side Story." Why is it that a play, which was first and foremost supposed to be an update of "Romeo and Juliet" has instead been elevated to being the end-all and be-all portrayal of street-gang life on the American stage? Anyway, rent it, watch it, enjoy it. Keep in mind that all three are separate plays and you will be much more apt to appreciate each in their own right. Just keep your fingers crossed that someone will take a risk and buy the rights to "The Capeman." I know I am.