Evita

Evita (1996)

Timing: 2:15 (135 min)

6.135/10
460

7.212/10
5564

6.3/10
39000

All about film

Video 2

Photo 13

Actors and characters

Release date

1996-12-14

Country

United Kingdom, United States

Production

Robert Stigwood Organization, Cinergi Pictures Entertainment, Dirty Hands Productions

Genre

History, Drama, Music

Budget

$55 000 000

Revenue

$141 047 179

Website

http://alanparker.com/film/evita/

Director

Alan Parker

Actors

Madonna, Antonio Banderas, Jonathan Pryce, Jimmy Nail, Victoria Sus, Julian Littman, Olga Merediz, Laura Pallas, Julia Worsley, María Luján Hidalgo
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Tim Rice

Producer

Robert Stigwood, Alan Parker, Andrew G. Vajna

Operator

Darius Khondji

Composer

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Artist

Sarah Hauldren

Audition

John Hubbard, Ros Hubbard

Editing

Gerry Hambling
All team (72)

• Thanks to the film, Madonna set a world record (entered in the Guinness Book of Records) for the number of costumes used in a single film. In 'Evita,' Madonna changed costumes 85 times; among other things, the props included: 39 hats, 45 pairs of shoes, and 56 pairs of earrings.
• Antonio Banderas secured the role in the film by submitting a tape recording and performing all the songs for Alan Parker during a lunch meeting in Miami.
• Michelle Pfeiffer was also considered for the role of Eva, and when Oliver Stone was thought to be directing, she even trained her voice for the part for several months.
• Madonna was given the role after she wrote a letter to director Alan Parker, requesting the part and providing arguments in its favor. The letter included a copy of the music video for “Take A Bow,” in which the style of the 1940s and 1950s was specifically preserved at her request. Furthermore, Madonna wrote about the similarities between her own life story and that of the character – both had lost a parent in childhood, and both subsequently moved to a large city with no money or connections, and both managed to succeed.
• Preparing for the role of Eva Perón (1919-1952), Madonna seriously studied vocals; she even took lessons from Patti LuPone, who was the first to play Eva in the Broadway production.
• The majority of the costumes worn by Madonna’s character were based on authentic costumes of Eva Perón. Some were recreated from photographs, but many were copies of the originals, which are still kept in Argentina.
• It proved impossible to obtain official permission to film at the Casa Rosada (the official residence of the President of Argentina, located in Buenos Aires), as ministers of the government of then-President Carlos Menem (1930-2021) demanded to review the script. Approximately six months after the request was submitted, Madonna, Alan Parker, Jonathan Pryce, and Antonio Banderas were summoned to an official meeting with the president, where Madonna directly asked him if they would be allowed to film on the balcony. Menem gave his permission. Madonna later said that the president only approved it because she allowed a bra strap to fall onto his shoulder. A replica of the Casa Rosada was built nearby.
• 4,000 extras participated in the funeral scene.
• Oliver Stone was planning to film a movie about Eva Perón, but he left the project due to disagreements with President Carlos Menem. Stone is mentioned in the credits as one of the scriptwriters, although he had absolutely no involvement in writing the screenplay.
• When Madonna first came to New York to become an actress, she auditioned for the role of Eva. The director not only rejected her, but also told her she would never play that role. After completing the film, Madonna sent him a copy.
• Alan Parker later said that he only realized how important Eva Perón was to Argentinians after arriving in Buenos Aires. Fearing that filmmakers would defile her image, locals left graffiti everywhere saying: “Madonna and Alan Parker, go home.”
• Alan Parker filmed the movie about Eva on his third attempt. The first attempt was in 1977, but it didn't work out because producer Robert Stigwood (1934-2016) wanted to release a stage version in London first; the next time was in 1979, when at the premiere of the Broadway production, Stigwood brought up the topic in conversation with Parker. Parker promised to call him, but never did, because he was working on the musical 'Fame' (1980), after which he vowed never to take on musicals again; and only in late 1994 did Parker begin filming 'Evita'.