When the Kids Are Away (2002)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Jon Chu

Writer:

Jon Chu (writer)

Tagline:

a musical celebration of mothers

Cast

Raquel Baldwin	...	Mother
Monica Flores	...	Mother
Amy Keys	...	Katherine (singing voice)
Maria Lee	...	Chorus (singing voice) (as Maria Lay)
Katherine Von Till	...	Chorus (Singing Voice)

Directed by
Jon Chu

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jon Chu		writer

Produced by
Hieu Ho	....	associate producer
Melissa Hook	....	producer
Jeffrey Jackel	....	producer

Original Music by
Bear McCreary

Cinematography by
Alice Brooks

Film Editing by
Avi Youabian

Production Management
Hieu Ho	....	unit production manager

Sound Department
Jimmy Fusil	....	sound recordist
Joseph Tsai	....	sound designer

Visual Effects by
Jason Scott	....	digital artist
Sam Yousefian	....	digital animator

Camera and Electrical Department
Tim Carras	....	grip
Jason Cochard	....	chief lighting technician
Sebastien Roche-Lochen	....	grip

Music Department
Jesse Berent	....	musician: guitars
Ludek Drizhal	....	musician: violin
M.B. Gordy	....	musician: drums
Steve Kaplan	....	music engineer
Bear McCreary	....	conductor
Bear McCreary	....	orchestrator
Brendan McCreary	....	musician: saxophones and beat box vocals (credited as BT4)

Other crew
Anthony Eikner	....	script supervisor

A stunning musical!

I have seen WTKAA perhaps six times and each time I come away from the film dazzled. The choreography in this short film is every bit as good as CHICAGO and the music is better. Bear McCreary's music, from beginning to end, soars. Each scene takes its cue for mood and color from the music, from the sweet solos to the show-stopping ensembles; the whole film is textured with different rhythms and tempos, flawlessly edited. The fifty piece orchestra who performed this music is to be applauded along with the conductor, the orchestrator, and the singers. Amy Keys' voice, when she reaches up and hits that Mozartian Queen of the Night note will raise the hair at the back of your neck. She is stunning. I could listen to Amy Keys sing the phone book. The backup vocals blend beautifully, but remain distinct.

At the LA premiere of this film, people were jumping out of their seats and applauding right in the middle of the film. By the ending credits, the audience was all but jumping out of their skins. If you want a CD of music that will percolate your whole day, get the music from WTKAA. The young talented artists, actors, dancers, musicians, costumers, editors, the whole collective enterprise it takes to make a movie, these people are to be congratulated along with Jon Chu. WTKAA will knock you out.