document_title: Thursday Night Football

question_text: who sings the opening to thursday night football

text: Thursday Night Football

text: Background[edit]

text: Early history[edit]

text: The NFL Network's coverage was not the first time that NFL games were covered on Thursday or Saturday. Prior to the new contract, ESPN carried a handful of sporadic Thursday night games (usually those displaced from Sunday night) and the broadcast networks used to air several national games on Saturday afternoons in mid-to-late December after the college football regular season ended. Incidentally, the only reason the league is even allowed to televise football games on Saturday night stems from a legal loophole: the league's antitrust exemption, the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, was written when the NFL regular season ended in mid-December, and as such, it contains specific language that prohibits televising NFL games in most markets on Friday nights and all day on Saturdays between the second week of September and the second week of December, to protect high school and college football. Since most high school and college seasons have ended by mid-December, other than bowl games, there has been little desire to close this loophole, even though the regular season has expanded well beyond mid-December since the law's passage.

text: In 2005, when the NFL negotiated a new set of television contracts, Comcast-owned OLN offered to pay $450 million for an eight-year contract to carry NFL prime time games. In exchange, Comcast planned to add NFL Network to its digital cable lineup. The channel was added, but NFL Network decided to air the games itself, foregoing a rights fee.[4] The other television deals generated $3.735 billion per year over an eight-year period for CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN and DirecTV (owner of the out-of-market sports package NFL Sunday Ticket).[citation needed]

text: Thursday Night Football debuted on November 23, 2006, with the Kansas City Chiefs handing the visiting Denver Broncos a 19–10 Thanksgiving defeat. Each of the game broadcasts were titled either Thursday Night Football or Saturday Night Football, depending on the night on which it aired. This format carried over to the 2007 season.

text: Starting in 2008, NFL Network eliminated all but one of the Saturday night games and started their Thursday night package three weeks earlier. This was done to accommodate the earlier schedule and the league's antitrust exemption that prohibits Saturday games from being held for most of the season. In the following season, all references to Saturday Night Football were dropped, and any games that are not played on Thursday (such as in 2016, two Christmas weekend games and an NFL International Series game) have since been branded as "special editions" of Thursday Night Football, or Thursday Night Special. The Thanksgiving matchup was moved from NFL Network to NBC's Sunday Night Football package as part of the new broadcast contract after the 2011 season. During Super Bowl week in 2012, it was announced that the Thursday Night Football package would expand from eight to 13 games and air on NFL Network, again soliciting and rejecting offers from Turner Sports and Comcast.[citation needed]

text: 2014–2015: partnership with CBS Sports[edit]

text: In January 2014, it was reported that the NFL was planning to sub-license a package of up to eight Thursday Night Football games to another broadcaster for the 2014 NFL season. The league had negotiated with its existing broadcast partners, along with Turner Sports. These eight games were to be simulcast by NFL Network, and reports indicated that ESPN planned to place the games on ABC in the event it won the rights, bringing the NFL back to the network for the first time since Super Bowl XL and the move of Monday Night Football to ESPN in 2006.[5][6][7][8] The remaining games would remain exclusive to NFL Network, due to carriage contracts with TV providers requiring at least eight NFL games to air exclusively on the channel per-season.[9] The decision came as the league wished to heighten the profile of its Thursday night games, which had suffered from relatively lower viewership and advertising revenue in comparison to other games.[10]

text: On February 5, 2014, the NFL announced that CBS had acquired the partial rights to Thursday Night Football for the 2014 season. Under the agreement, all of the Thursday Night Football telecasts would be produced by CBS Sports and called by the network's primary announcing team of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms. The first eight games of the season were simulcast nationally on NFL Network and CBS; the remaining games in the package only aired nationally on NFL Network, but per league broadcast polices, were simulcast on local stations in the participating teams' markets. CBS affiliates were given right of first refusal to air the local simulcast before it is offered to another station (as had occurred in Cincinnati, Ohio where the market's NBC affiliate WLWT aired a game between the Bengals and the Cleveland Browns instead of CBS affiliate WKRC-TV). A Saturday doubleheader was also added on Week 16: NFL Network aired the early game, while CBS aired the second, prime time game.[11][12][13][14][15]

text: The NFL considered CBS's bid to be the most attractive, owing to the network's overall ratings stature (CBS had been the highest-rated broadcast network in the U.S. since the 2005-06 television season), a commitment to aggressively promote the Thursday games across its properties, and its plans to utilize CBS Sports' top NFL talent and production staff across all of the games in the package to ensure a major improvement in quality over the previous, in-house productions.[10] CBS staff also cited experience with its joint coverage of the NCAA Men's basketball tournament with Turner Sports as an advantage in its collaboration with NFL Network staff, as talent from both networks collaborate on pre-game, halftime and post-game coverage. During the games, a distinct graphics package co-branded with both CBS and NFL Network logos is used, certain players on each team wear microphones, and 4K cameras are used to allow zoom-in shots during instant replays.[14][16]

text: With the move of selected games to CBS, media executives expected more major match-ups to appear on Thursday Night Football than in previous years in order to attract better viewership; in the past, Thursday Night Football had been criticized for often featuring games between lesser and poorer-performing teams.[17][17][18][18] CBS and the NFL unveiled the games scheduled for Thursday Night Football in April 2014; CBS's slate of games featured a number of major divisional rivalries, including New York Giants–Washington, Green Bay–Minnesota, and its opening game on September 11, 2014, featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens.[13][19]

text: In the wake of the controversy surrounding Ravens player Ray Rice (who had been removed from the team and suspended from the NFL earlier in the week following the discovery of footage showing the player physically assaulting his wife, Janay, who was engaged to Rice at the time the security camera footage was recorded), changes were made to pre-game coverage on the first game in order to accommodate additional interviews and discussion related to the incident. Among these changes were the removal of an introductory segment featuring Rihanna (who was similarly assaulted by fellow performer Chris Brown in 2009) performing her song "Run This Town".[20][21] Following complaints by Rihanna on Twitter regarding the removal, the song was pulled entirely from future broadcasts.[22]

text: The rights were negotiated under a one-year contract valued at $275 million; on January 18, 2015, the NFL announced that it would renew the arrangement with CBS for the 2015 season, with its value increasing to around $300 million.[2][10][23]

text: 2016–2017: CBS and NBC[edit]

text: In November 2015, The Hollywood Reporter reported that in response to the success of the package under CBS, the NFL was planning to negotiate a long-term contract for Thursday Night Football, with CBS, Fox, NBC, and Turner Sports showing interest.[23] The New York Post reported that this deal would also include the sale of a stake in NFL Network itself.[9]

text: On December 16, 2015, it was reported that the NFL was shopping the Thursday Night Football package as a one-year deal with an option for a second year, similarly to the current arrangement with CBS; the league also requested that bidders outline goals for "growing" NFL Network. The league was also reportedly interested in selling non-exclusive digital rights to simulcast the games to another partner, such as Amazon.com, Apple Inc., Google, or Yahoo! (which exclusively streamed an International Series as part of a trial during the 2015 season, but would shut down its original video content service in January 2016).[24] In January 2016, it was reported that the NFL was considering splitting the Thursday Night Football package across multiple broadcasters in tandem with the possibility of expanding the overall package to 17 games. It was also reported that ESPN and Turner Sports were not interested in the package due to its short-term nature, and that Fox was attempting to outbid CBS.[25][26]

text: On February 1, 2016, the NFL announced that Thursday Night Football would be shared between CBS, NBC, and NFL Network for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. CBS and NBC will each air five games (resulting in a schedule of 10 games on broadcast TV in comparison to 8 under the previous deal), followed by an additional eight games exclusively on NFL Network to satisfy NFL Network's retransmission consent contracts with cable providers); the eight NFL Network-exclusive games included six Thursday contests, a Sunday morning International Series contest, and a Christmas afternoon game. As with the previous contract, all games will be simulcast by NFL Network. Commissioner Roger Goodell stated that the league was "thrilled to add NBC to the Thursday Night Football mix, a trusted partner with a proven track record of success broadcasting NFL football in primetime, and look forward to expanding with a digital partner for what will be a unique tri-cast on broadcast, cable and digital platforms."[27][28] On April 5, 2016, it was revealed that Twitter had acquired non-exclusive worldwide digital streaming rights to the 10 broadcast television TNF games. The collaboration will also include streaming content on Twitter's Periscope service, such as behind the scenes access.[29]

text: Rogers Media, who owns television rights to the Thursday Night Football package in Canada through the end of the 2016 season but has not yet acquired digital rights (the majority of the NFL's media rights in Canada are owned by Rogers's rival, Bell Media), successfully forced Twitter to block the game streams in that country, overriding the league's insistence that the free stream be global.[30][31] Due to the streaming deal, over-the-top television providers PlayStation Vue and Sling TV are also required to black out the simulcast of the games on NFL Network.[32]

text: The first game produced by NBC Sports was broadcast exclusively on NFL Network on November 3, 2016, while the first game simulcast nationally on NBC aired on November 17. A cappella group Pentatonix recorded a reworked version of their song "Sing" ("Weekend Go") to serve as the opening theme song for NBC's Thursday Night Football telecasts,[33][34] NBC also commissioned new instrumental theme music by Jimmy Greco, "Can't Hold Us Down", which was performed by members of the orchestra from the Broadway musical Hamilton.[35]

text: On April 4, 2017, it was announced that Amazon.com had acquired non-exclusive streaming rights to the 10 broadcast television games for the 2017 season over their Amazon Prime Video service, under a deal valued at $50 million, a five-fold increase over the $10 million paid by Twitter. The streams will be exclusive to paid Prime subscribers.[3] The deal includes $30 million worth of promotion.[36]

text: Coverage[edit]

text: Game announcers[edit]

text: The initial NFL Network team consisted of HBO Sports' Bryant Gumbel as play-by-play announcer, NBC Sports' Cris Collinsworth as the color commentator for the Thursday telecasts, and Dick Vermeil replacing Collinsworth for Saturday telecasts. In 2007, Collinsworth replaced Vermeil alongside Gumbel for all games.

text: Gumbel left the network after the 2007 season and his then-HBO colleague Bob Papa, who is also the radio voice of the New York Giants, was brought in to replace him. Collinsworth stayed on until the end of the 2008 season, then left to take over for the retiring John Madden as lead analyst on NBC Sunday Night Football. NFL Network replaced him with Matt Millen, who returned to broadcasting in 2009, and then added former ESPN analyst Joe Theismann for 2010.

text: For 2011, then ESPN now CBS play-by-play man Brad Nessler took over the Thursday night broadcast. He was joined by NFL Network draft analyst and NBC Notre Dame color man Mike Mayock, and the pairing spent three seasons calling games.

text: As a result of CBS taking over production responsibilities for the Thursday Night Football broadcasts, its number one broadcast team of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms took over the broadcast booth.[15] With NBC adding games in 2016, Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, the broadcast team of NBC Sunday Night Football, are required under league contract to do the same. NBC had initially hired former Monday Night Football play-by-play man Mike Tirico for Thursdays before the league nixed the idea of any separate broadcast teams for Sunday and Thursday nights. Tirico would eventually call three Sunday Night Football games, including the Thanksgiving night game which is in the SNF package, in order for NBC to allow Michaels over a week's rest before the end of the season.[28][37] Tirico would also call the December 22, 2016 TNF game alongside Collinsworth, as well as two NBC-produced Thursday Night Special game broadcasts on December 18 and Christmas Day, respectively, both alongside former USFL and NFL quarterback Doug Flutie.[38] On May 31, 2017, it was announced that Mike Tirico would replace Al Michaels full-time for NBC's Thursday Night Football games.[39]

text: For 2017, CBS hired Tony Romo as its lead color commentator. Numerous complications needed to be resolved, namely Romo's reluctance to cover both Sunday and Thursday nights as required under the Thursday Night Football contract,[40] and the fact that Simms remains under contract with CBS through the next several years.[41] However, the network confirmed via press release that Romo's duties would include Sunday and Thursday games.[42]

text: Pregame, halftime and postgame coverage[edit]

text: Each game telecast is preceded on NFL Network by TNF GameDay, which broadcasts live from the site of each game and currently features Rich Eisen as its host, with Steve Mariucci, Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin and either Marshall Faulk or Kurt Warner as analysts. The show generally begins two hours before game time (6:00 p.m. Eastern Time).

text: The game proper is preceded by a pre-game show; CBS games are preceded by Thursday Night Kickoff, hosted by James Brown, Bill Cowher, and Deion Sanders. NBC games are preceded by Football Night in America (renamed in reference of the host city of the game, such as Football Night in Tampa), hosted by Mike Tirico, Tony Dungy, and Rodney Harrison. CBS joined Thursday Night Kickoff at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time during its games.[16] This resulted in some controversy among viewers and the producers of syndicated programming in the locally programmed timeslot before network primetime, where the pre-game affects programs such as Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy! and Entertainment Tonight (all distributed by CBS's sister syndication division CBS Television Distribution), along with several other programs, which then require pre-emption or slotting on lower-profile alternate timeslots or stations to air in markets where they are carried by CBS or NBC affiliates in order to accommodate the Thursday games.[43]

text: Radio coverage[edit]

text: Westwood One provides national radio broadcasts of the Thursday Night Football games, with Ian Eagle calling play-by-play, Tony Boselli handling color analysis and Hub Arkush as the sideline reporter.[44] Boomer Esiason, the Monday Night Football analyst for Westwood One, is a regular substitute should Boselli be unavailable due to other commitments (in some cases, Esiason would call the Thursday night game if he is unavailable for the previous/next Monday night game and/or if the Thursday game is in close proximity to his New York home.)

text: Game announcers[edit]

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text: Television[edit]

text: Current[edit]

text:
James Brown – CBS Host (2014–present)
Bill Cowher – CBS Analyst (2014–present)
Deion Sanders – CBS Analyst (2006–present)
Bob Costas – NBC Host (2016–present)
Liam McHugh – Fill-in NBC Host (2016–present)
Tony Dungy – NBC Analyst and Fill-in Color Analyst (2016–present)
Rodney Harrison – NBC Analyst (2016–present)

text:
Rich Eisen – Host (2006–present)
Chris Rose – Fill-in Host (2016–present)
Marshall Faulk – Analyst (2006–present)
Michael Irvin – Analyst (2011–present)
Steve Mariucci – Analyst (2006–present)
LaDanian Tomlinson – Fill-in Analyst (2016–present)
Willie McGinest – Fill-in Analyst (2016–present)

text:
Jim Nantz – CBS Play-by-Play (2014–present)
Tony Romo – CBS Color Analyst (2017–present)
Tracy Wolfson – CBS Sideline Reporter (2014–present)
Kevin Harlan – Fill-in CBS Play-by-Play (2014 and 2016); London, UK and Christmas Eve Special Play-by-play (2016)
Dan Fouts – Fill-in CBS Color Analyst (2014); London, UK Special Color Analyst (2016)
Rich Gannon – Fill-in CBS Color Analyst (2014); Christmas Eve Special Color Analyst (2016)
Stacey Dales – Fill-in CBS Sideline Reporter (2014); London, UK and Christmas Eve Special Sideline Reporter (2016)
Mike Tirico – NBC Play-by-Play (2017–present); NBC Host & Fill-in Play-by-Play (2016)
Cris Collinsworth - NFL Network Analyst (2006–2008); NBC Color Analyst (2016–present)
Kurt Warner – analyst (2010–2011); Fill-in NBC Color Analyst (2017–present)
Heather Cox – NBC Sideline Reporter (2016–present)

text: Former[edit]

text:
Fran Charles – pre-game host (2006-2008)
Jenny Dell – Fill-in CBS Sideline Reporter (2014)
Ian Eagle – Fill-in CBS Play-by-Play (2014–2015) Still calling Thursday Night Football on the Radio Side
Alex Flanagan – sideline reporter (2010–2013)
Doug Flutie – Fill-in NBC Color Analyst (2016)
Jay Glazer – pre-game analyst (2010–2011)
Trent Green – Fill-in CBS Color Analyst (2015)
Bryant Gumbel – play-by-play (2006–2007)
Tom Hammond – substitute play-by-play (2007)
Scott Hanson – sideline reporter (2009)
Kara Henderson – pre-game host (2011)
Harry Kalas – sponsorship announcer (2006–2008; deceased)
Mike Mayock – color analyst (2011–2013)
Al Michaels - NBC play-by-play (2016)
Matt Millen – color analyst (2009–2010)
Jim Mora – pre-game analyst (2010)
Brad Nessler – play-by-play (2011–2013)
Bob Papa – play-by-play (2008–2010)
Warren Sapp – pre-game analyst (2008)
Adam Schefter – sideline reporter (2006–2008)
Sterling Sharpe – pre-game analyst (2010–2011)
Phil Simms – CBS Color analyst (2014–2016)
Pat Summerall – sponsorship announcer (2009; deceased)
Joe Theismann – color analyst (2010)
Dick Vermeil – Saturday color analyst (2006)
Evan Washburn – Fill-in CBS Sideline Reporter (2015)

text: Radio[edit]

text: Current[edit]

text:
Ian Eagle – play-by-play (2008–present)
Boomer Esiason – color analyst (2013–present) Select Games
Tony Boselli – color analyst (2015–present) Select Games

text: Former[edit]

text:
Bonnie Bernstein – sideline reporter (2006–2007)
Randy Cross – color analyst (2009)
Dick Enberg – play-by-play (2006–2007)
Dennis Green – color analyst (2007–2008)
Mike Mayock – color analyst (2014)
Tim Ryan – color analyst (2015) Select Games
Sam Wyche – color analyst (2006)

text: Results[edit]

text: Thursday Night Football all-time team standings[edit]

text: This list shows the National Football League teams' all-time standings in the games they played on Thursday Night Football since 2006.

text: Standings are current as of December 25, 2016.

text:
Team
Games Played
Wins
Losses
Ties
Win Pct.
First Appearance
Most Recent Appearance

Indianapolis Colts
7
7
0

1.000
29 !November 22, 2007
defeated Atlanta 31–13
10 !October 8, 2015
defeated Houston 27–20

Kansas City Chiefs
7
5
2

.714
17 !November 23, 2006
defeated Denver 19–10
16 !December 8, 2016
defeated Oakland 21-13

Pittsburgh Steelers
9
6
3

.667
01 !December 7, 2006
defeated Cleveland 27–7
06 !December 25, 2016
defeated Baltimore 31–27

New York Jets
7
4
3

.571
25 !November 13, 2008
defeated New England 34–31
29 !September 15, 2016
defeated Buffalo 37–31

Los Angeles Chargers‡
6
5
1

.833
18 !December 4, 2008
defeated Oakland 34–7
30 !October 13, 2016
defeated Denver 21-13

Dallas Cowboys
9
7
2

.778
03 !December 16, 2006
defeated Atlanta 38–28
12 !December 1, 2016
defeated Minnesota 17–15

Philadelphia Eagles
7
4
3

.571
02 !November 27, 2008
defeated Arizona 48–20
20 !December 22, 2016
defeated N.Y. Giants 24–19

New York Giants
7
4
3

.571
04 !December 30, 2006
defeated Washington 34–28
07 !December 22, 2016
lost to Philadelphia 24–19

San Francisco 49ers
8
5
3

.625
09 !December 14, 2006
defeated Seattle 24–14
31 !October 6, 2016
lost to Arizona 33-21

Denver Broncos
9
5
4

.556
27 !November 23, 2006
lost to Kansas City 19–10
02 !October 13, 2016
lost to San Diego 21–13

Atlanta Falcons
7
5
2

.714
24 !December 16, 2006
lost to Dallas 38–28
28 !November 3, 2016
defeated Buccaneers 43-28

Chicago Bears
9
4
5

.444
30 !December 6, 2007
lost to Washington 24–16
05 !September 28, 2017
lost to Green Bay 35–14

Baltimore Ravens
9
6
4

.600
13 !November 30, 2006
lost to Cincinnati 13–7
14 !December 25, 2016
lost to Pittsburgh 31–27

Seattle Seahawks
5
4
2

.667
11 !December 14, 2006
lost to San Francisco 24–14
23 !December 15, 2016
defeated L.A. Rams 24–3

Green Bay Packers
6
5
1

.883
21 !December 21, 2006
defeated Minnesota 9–7
09 !September 28, 2017
defeated Chicago 35-14

Arizona Cardinals
5
3
2

.600
28 !November 27, 2008
lost to Philadelphia 48–20
03 !October 6, 2016
defeated San Francisco 33–21

Washington Redskins
5
2
3

.400
12 !December 30, 2006
lost to N.Y. Giants 34–28
32 !December 26, 2015
defeated Philadelphia 38-24

New England Patriots
6
5
1

.833
10 !December 29, 2007
defeated N.Y. Giants 38–35
15 !September 22, 2016
defeated Houston Texans 27–0

Miami Dolphins
8
4
4

.500
06 !November 19, 2009
defeated Carolina 24–17
24 !December 17, 2016
defeated N.Y. Jets 34–13

Houston Texans
6
2
4

.200
07 !December 13, 2007
defeated Denver 31–13
17 !September 14, 2017
defeated Cincinnati 13-9

Oakland Raiders
7
3
4

.429
08 !December 23, 2006
lost to Kansas City 20–9
08 !December 8, 2015
lost to Kansas City 21–13

Cleveland Browns
7
2
5

.286
22 !December 7, 2006
lost to Pittsburgh 27–7
18 !November 10, 2016
lost to Baltimore 28–7

Cincinnati Bengals
8
3
5

.375
19 !November 30, 2006
defeated Baltimore 13–7
27 !December 24, 2016
lost to Houston 12–10

Carolina Panthers
6
2
4

.333
31 !December 22, 2007
lost to Dallas 20–13
21 !November 17, 2016
defeated New Orleans 23–20

Jacksonville Jaguars
7
2
5

.286
14 !December 18, 2008
lost to Indianapolis 31–24
13 !October 27, 2016
lost to Tennessee 36–22

Tennessee Titans
7
2
5

.286
16 !December 25, 2009
lost to San Diego 42–17
19 !November 19, 2015
defeated Jacksonville 36-22

New Orleans Saints
7
2
5

.286
23 !December 11, 2008
lost to Chicago 27–24
26 !November 17, 2016
lost to Carolina 23–20

Buffalo Bills
6
2
4

.333
26 !December 3, 2009
lost to N.Y. Jets 19–13
04 !September 15, 2016
lost to N.Y. Jets 37–31

Los Angeles Rams†
4
2
2

.500
05 !December 20, 2007
lost to Pittsburgh 41–24
01 !December 15, 2016
lost to Seattle 35–11

Minnesota Vikings
6
1
5

.167
15 !December 21, 2006
lost to Green Bay 9–7
11 !December 1, 2016
lost to Dallas 17–15

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5
1
4

.200
16 !December 17, 2011
lost to Dallas 31–15
16 !November 3, 2016
lost to Atlanta 43–28

Detroit Lions
1
0
1

.000
16 !December 3, 2015
lost to Green Bay 27-23
16 !December 3, 2015
lost to Green Bay 27-23

text: • †St. Louis Rams, 1995–2015 • ‡San Diego Chargers, 1961–2016

text: Reception[edit]

text: Carriage[edit]

text: Upon the original launch of the Thursday and Saturday night games, few television service providers carried the NFL Network due to disputes during the network's terms in its carriage contracts during negotiations. These disputes were magnified throughout the 2007 season, as two high-profile matchups were to be broadcast by the network. The first was a matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers which was scheduled for the week after Thanksgiving and saw both teams at 10-1, vying for the top seed in the NFC, and the second was Week 17 Saturday night game between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants, where the Patriots had a chance to become the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to end a regular season undefeated.

text: In the first case, fans were displeased that a matchup between two teams at such a critical point in the season was not available on broadcast television except in the Dallas and Green Bay markets. To avoid such a problem with the potential sixteenth victory for the Patriots, CBS and NBC bought broadcast rights to the game so it could be seen by a nationwide audience on both cable and broadcast television. This ended up causing another controversy, however, as the move by the networks infringed on the exclusivity that would normally have been enjoyed by WWOR-TV in New York City and WCVB-TV in Boston, which were the Giants' and Patriots' respective local over-the-air broadcasters for cable-televised games (the game aired on these stations, as well as on WCBS-TV, WNBC, WBZ-TV and WHDH in the teams' market areas).[45]

text: Game quality and viewership[edit]

text: Thursday Night Football games on NFL Network are among the lowest-rated nationally televised NFL broadcasts. Critics have argued that the games televised on Thursday Night Football have been of lower quality than other prime time games, as they often featured match-ups between lesser or poor-performing teams, and that the shortened rest between games triggered by Thursday games also has an effect on their overall quality.[17][18] In an analysis by Sports on Earth writer Aaron Roberts, it was determined that most Thursday games were of average or above-average quality in comparison to normal, non-prime time games, but that this was "by design" due to the leverage of other NFL broadcasters on how games are scheduled throughout the season (which traditionally prioritizes "major" games for either late-afternoon or Sunday and Monday nights).[46][47]

text: The move of selected games to CBS brought improved ratings: the inaugural game was the highest-rated program of the night, with an audience share of 13.7 and an average of 20.7 million viewers, representing a 108% increase in ratings over the first NFL Network game in 2013. The game, whose ratings were boosted by coverage of the Ray Rice scandal, also brought CBS its highest prime time ratings on a Thursday night since May 2006. While lower, at 9.6 million viewers, the Week 3 game between the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers was also the highest-rated program of the night.[48][49][50][51] The first four games of the package, however, featured blowout victories.[52][53] In total, average viewership of the games increased from around 7 million to around 11.8 million in the 2014 season.[54]

text: Controversy over ratings and the quality of play in Thursday night contests escalated when on November 28, 2016, a report circulated that the league was considering ending the franchise. The NFL, however, denied this rumor.[55] The subsequent game on December 1, 2016 between the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings was the highest rated Thursday Night Football of the season.[56][57]

text: During the 2016 season, current and former players including Richard Sherman,[58] J. J. Watt,[59] and Charles Woodson [60] expressed their dislikes for Thursday Night Football, with Richard Sherman calling it a "poopfest".[61]

text: Player safety[edit]

text: As mentioned, a team needing to play a Thursday night game can result in a shortened rest period for players between games.[17][18] On October 6, 2014, Arian Foster, then of the Houston Texans, made a statement considering it hypocritical for the NFL to emphasize the safety of players (particularly in regards to concussions) while allowing its players to play a game on only three days' rest, which he considered to be equally "dangerous".[53]

text: On January 29, 2015, the NFL released its health and safety report, which states that an average of 4.8 injuries were sustained during Thursday games compared to 6.9 injuries per game on Sundays and Mondays.[62]


document_title: The Carnival of the Animals

question_text: when was the carnival of the animals written

root

text: The Carnival of the Animals

text: History[edit]

text: Following a disastrous concert tour of Germany in 1885–86, Saint-Saëns withdrew to a small Austrian village, where he composed The Carnival of the Animals in February 1886.[1] It is scored for two pianos, two violins, viola, cello, double bass, flute (and piccolo), clarinet (C and B♭), glass harmonica, and xylophone.

tag: p

text: From the beginning, Saint-Saëns regarded the work as a piece of fun. On 9 February 1886 he wrote to his publishers Durand in Paris that he was composing a work for the coming Shrove Tuesday, and confessing that he knew he should be working on his Third Symphony, but that this work was "such fun" ("... mais c'est si amusant!"). He had apparently intended to write the work for his students at the École Niedermeyer, but it was first performed at a private concert given by the cellist Charles Lebouc on Shrove Tuesday, 9 March 1886.

text: A second (private) performance was given on 2 April at the home of Pauline Viardot with an audience including Franz Liszt, a friend of the composer, who had expressed a wish to hear the work. There were other private performances, typically for the French mid-Lent festival of Mi-Carême, but Saint-Saëns was adamant that the work would not be published in his lifetime, seeing it as detracting from his "serious" composer image. He relented only for the famous cello solo The Swan, which forms the penultimate movement of the work, and which was published in 1887 in an arrangement by the composer for cello and solo piano (the original uses two pianos).

text: Saint-Saëns did specify in his will that the work should be published posthumously. Following his death in December 1921, the work was published by Durand in Paris in April 1922 and the first public performance was given on 25 February 1922 by Concerts Colonne (the orchestra of Édouard Colonne).[2]

text: Carnival has since become one of Saint-Saëns's best-known works, played by the original eleven instrumentalists, or more often with the full string section of an orchestra. Normally a glockenspiel substitutes for the rare glass harmonica. Ever popular with music teachers and young children, it is often recorded in combination with Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf or Britten's The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra.

text: Movements[edit]

text: There are fourteen movements, each representing a different animal or animals:

text:
The Carnival of the Animals

A complete recording of all fourteen movements by pianists Neal and Nancy O'Doan and the Seattle Youth Symphony conducted by Vilem Sokol.

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text: I Introduction et marche royale du lion (Introduction and Royal March of the Lion)[edit]

text: Strings and two pianos: the introduction begins with the pianos playing a bold tremolo, under which the strings enter with a stately theme. The pianos play a pair of scales going in opposite directions to conclude the first part of the movement. The pianos then introduce a march theme that they carry through most of the rest of the introduction. The strings provide the melody, with the pianos occasionally taking low runs of octaves which suggest the roar of a lion, or high ostinatos. The two groups of instruments switch places, with the pianos playing a higher, softer version of the melody. The movement ends with a fortissimo note from all the instruments used in this movement.

text: II Poules et coqs (Hens and Roosters)[edit]

text: Strings without cello and double bass, two pianos, with clarinet: this movement is centered around a pecking theme played in the pianos and strings, which is quite reminiscent of chickens pecking at grain. The clarinet plays small solos above the rest of the players at intervals. The piano plays a very fast theme based on the crowing of a rooster's Cock a Doodle Doo.

text: III Hémiones (animaux véloces) (Wild Donkeys Swift Animals)[edit]

text: Two pianos: the animals depicted here are quite obviously running, an image induced by the constant, feverishly fast up-and-down motion of both pianos playing scales in octaves. These are dziggetai, donkeys that come from Tibet and are known for their great speed.

text: IV Tortues (Tortoises)[edit]

text: Strings and piano: a satirical movement which opens with a piano playing a pulsing triplet figure in the higher register. The strings play a slow rendition of the famous 'Galop infernal' (commonly called the Can-can) from Offenbach's operetta Orphée aux enfers which translates to Orpheus in the Underworld.

text: V L'éléphant (The Elephant)[edit]

text: Double bass and piano: this section is marked Allegro pomposo, the perfect caricature for an elephant. The piano plays a waltz-like triplet figure while the bass hums the melody beneath it. Like "Tortues," this is also a musical joke—the thematic material is taken from the Scherzo from Mendelssohn's incidental music to A Midsummer Night's Dream and Berlioz's "Dance of the Sylphs" from The Damnation of Faust. The two themes were both originally written for high, lighter-toned instruments (flute and various other woodwinds, and violin, accordingly); the joke is that Saint-Saëns moves this to the lowest and heaviest-sounding instrument in the orchestra, the double bass.

text: VI Kangourous (Kangaroos)[edit]

text: Two pianos: the main figure here is a pattern of 'hopping' fifths preceded by grace notes. When the fifths ascend, the tempo gradually speeds up and the dynamics get louder, and when the fifths descend, the tempo gradually slows down and the dynamics get quieter.

text: VII Aquarium[edit]

text: Two violins, viola, cello (string quartet), two pianos, flute, and glass harmonica: this is one of the more musically rich movements. The melody is played by the flute, backed by the strings, on top of tumultuous, glissando-like runs in the piano. The first piano plays a descending ten-on-one ostinato, in the style of the second of Chopin's études, while the second plays a six-on-one. These figures, plus the occasional glissando from the glass harmonica—often played on celesta or glockenspiel—are evocative of a peaceful, dimly-lit aquarium. According to British music journalist Fritz Spiegl, there is a recording of the movement featuring virtuoso harmonica player Tommy Reilly—apparently he was hired by mistake instead of a player of the glass harmonica.[citation needed] The recording in question is of the Czechoslovak Radio Symphony Orchestra on the Naxos label.[3][not in citation given]

text: VIII Personnages à longues oreilles (Characters with Long Ears)[edit]

text: Two violins: this is the shortest of all the movements. The violins alternate playing high, loud notes and low, buzzing ones (in the manner of a donkey's braying "hee-haw"). Music critics have speculated that the movement is meant to compare music critics to braying donkeys.[4]

text: IX Le coucou au fond des bois (The Cuckoo in the Depths of the Woods)[edit]

text: Two pianos and clarinet: the pianos play large, soft chords while the clarinet plays a single two-note ostinato, over and over; a C and an A♭, mimicking the call of a cuckoo bird. Saint-Saëns states in the original score that the clarinetist should be offstage.

text: X Volière (Aviary)[edit]

text: Strings, piano and flute: the high strings take on a background role, providing a buzz in the background that is reminiscent of the background noise of a jungle. The cellos and basses play a pick up cadence to lead into most of the measures. The flute takes the part of the bird, with a trilling tune that spans much of its range. The pianos provide occasional pings and trills of other birds in the background. The movement ends very quietly after a long ascending chromatic scale from the flute.

text: XI Pianistes (Pianists)[edit]

text: Strings and two pianos: this movement is a glimpse of what few audiences ever get to see: the pianists practicing their scales. The scales of C, D♭, D and E♭ are covered. Each one starts with a trill on the first and second note, then proceeds in scales with a few changes in the rhythm. Transitions between keys are accomplished with a blasting chord from all the instruments between scales. In some performances, the later, more difficult, scales are deliberately played increasingly out of time. The original edition has a note by the editors instructing the players to imitate beginners and their awkwardness.[5] After the four scales, the key changes back to C, where the pianos play a moderate speed trill-like pattern in thirds, in the style of Charles-Louis Hanon or Carl Czerny, while the strings play a small part underneath. This movement is unusual in that the last three blasted chords do not resolve the piece, but rather lead into the next movement.

text: XII Fossiles (Fossils)[edit]

text: Strings, two pianos, clarinet, and xylophone: here, Saint-Saëns mimics his own composition, the Danse macabre, which makes heavy use of the xylophone to evoke the image of skeletons playing card games, the bones clacking together to the beat. The musical themes from Danse macabre are also quoted; the xylophone and the violin play much of the melody, alternating with the piano and clarinet. The piano part is especially difficult here—octaves that jump in quick thirds. Allusions to "Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman" (better known in the English-speaking world as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star), the French nursery rhymes "Au clair de la lune", and "J'ai du bon tabac" (the piano plays the same melody upside down), the popular anthem Partant pour la Syrie, as well as the aria Una voce poco fa from Rossini's The Barber of Seville can also be heard. The musical joke in this movement, according to Leonard Bernstein's narration on his recording of the work with the New York Philharmonic, is that the musical pieces quoted are the fossils of Saint-Saëns's time.

text:
"Le cygne" (The Swan)

"Le cygne" performed by John Michel

Camille Saint-Saëns's "Le cygne" (The Swan)

Play media

A novelty arrangement for cello and marimba performed by Alisa Weilerstein and Jason Yoder at the White House Evening of Classical Music (2009-11-04)

Camille Saint-Saëns's "Le cygne" (The Swan)

Audio only Weilerstein and Yoder version

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text: XIII Le cygne (The Swan)[edit]

text: Two pianos and cello: the lushly romantic cello solo (which evokes the swan elegantly gliding over the water) is played over rippling sixteenths in one piano and rolled chords in the other (said to represent the swan's feet, hidden from view beneath the water, propelling it along[citation needed]).

text: A staple of the cello repertoire, this is one of the most well-known movements of the suite, usually in the version for cello with solo piano which was the only publication of this work in Saint-Saëns's lifetime. More than twenty other arrangements of this movement have also been published, with solo instruments ranging from flute to alto saxophone.

text: A short ballet, The Dying Swan, was choreographed in 1905 by Mikhail Fokine to this movement and performed by Anna Pavlova. Pavlova gave some 4,000 performances of the dance and "swept the world."[6]

text: XIV Final (Finale)[edit]

text: Full ensemble: the finale opens on the same tremolo notes in the pianos as in the introduction, which are soon reinforced by the wind instruments, the glass harmonica and the xylophone. The strings build the tension with a few low notes, leading to glissandi by the piano, then a pause before the lively main melody is introduced. The Finale is somewhat reminiscent of an American carnival of the 19th century, with one piano always maintaining a bouncy eighth-note rhythm. Although the melody is relatively simple, the supporting harmonies are ornamented in the style that is typical of Saint-Saëns' compositions for piano; dazzling scales, glissandi and trills. Many of the previous movements are quoted here from the introduction, the lion, the donkeys, hens, and kangaroos. The work ends with a series of six "Hee Haws" from the donkeys, as if to say that the donkey has the last laugh, before the final strong group of C major chords.

text: Musical allusions[edit]

text: As the title suggests, the work follows a zoological program and progresses from the first movement, Introduction et marche royale du lion, through portraits of elephants and donkeys ("Those with Long Ears") to a finale reprising many of the earlier motifs.

text: Several of the movements are of humorous intent:

text:
Poules et coqs uses the theme of Jean-Philippe Rameau's harpsichord piece La poule ("The Hen") from his Suite in G major, but in a quite less elegant mood.
Pianistes depicts piano students practicing scales.
Tortues makes good use of the well-known "Galop infernal" from Jacques Offenbach's operetta Orpheus in the Underworld, playing the usually breakneck-speed melody at a slow, drooping pace.
L'éléphant uses a theme from Hector Berlioz's "Danse des sylphes" (from his work The Damnation of Faust) played in a much lower register than usual as a double bass solo. The piece also quotes the Scherzo from Felix Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream. It is heard at the end of the bridge section.
Fossiles quotes Saint-Saëns' own Danse macabre as well as three nursery rhymes, "J'ai du bon tabac", "Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman" (Twinkle Twinkle Little Star) and "Au clair de la lune", also the song "Partant pour la Syrie" and Rossini's aria, "Una voce poco fa" from The Barber of Seville.
The Personnages à longues oreilles section is thought to be directed at music critics: they are also supposedly the last animals heard during the finale, braying.

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text: Ogden Nash verses[edit]

text: In 1949, Ogden Nash wrote a set of humorous verses to accompany each movement for a Columbia Masterworks recording of Carnival of the Animals conducted by Andre Kostelanetz. They were recited on the original album by Noël Coward, dubbed over or spliced in between sections of the previously recorded music. [7]

text: The poems are now often included when the work is performed, though usually recited before each piece. The conclusion of the verse for the "Fossils", for example, fits perfectly with the punchline-like first bar of the music:

text: Johnny Morris narration[edit]

text: In 1998, the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra produced a CD of Carnival of the Animals with narration written by Welsh television presenter Johnny Morris.

text: A Modern Menagerie[edit]

text: In 2014 the English contemporary music organisation New Music in the South West (NMSW) commissioned a set of responses to the 14 movements of Carnival of the Animals.[8] The pieces, collectively known as A Modern Menagerie, were premièred by the Bristol Ensemble on 7 September 2014 at St. George’s, Bristol. The programme consisted of the original Saint-Saëns movements interleaved with the contemporary responses under the title Carnival of the Animals meets A Modern Menagerie.[9]

text: A number of the composers have taught or studied music at the University of Bristol, including John Pickard (current Professor of Composition), Geoff Poole, Michael Ellison, Julian Leeks and Manos Charalabopoulos. Two of the movements were composed by the finalists of the NMSW Young Composers’ Prize 2014.

text: The full list of movements is as follows:

text: The Wiggles[edit]

text: In 2016, The Wiggles released The Carnival of the Animals, with narration by Simon Pryce. The album was performed by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, to introduce children to classical music and instruments.


document_title: The Great Gatsby (2013 film)

question_text: when does the great gatsby movie take place

text: The Great Gatsby (2013 film)

text: Plot[edit]

text: In 1931, Nick Carraway, a World War I veteran, is receiving treatment for alcoholism at a psychiatric hospital. He talks about Jay Gatsby, the most hopeful man he had ever met. Nick's doctor suggests that he writes his thoughts down, since writing is Nick's passion. In the summer of 1922, Nick moves from the Midwest to New York after abandoning writing. He rents a small house in the North Shore village of West Egg, next to the mansion of Gatsby, a mysterious business magnate who often holds extravagant parties. One day, while Nick has dinner with his cousin, Daisy Buchanan, and her husband, Tom, he is introduced to Jordan Baker by Daisy, who hopes to make a match between them. When Nick returns home, he sees Gatsby standing on the dock, reaching towards the green light coming from the Buchanan dock.

text: Jordan tells Nick that Tom has a mistress who lives in the "valley of ashes", an industrial dumping site between West Egg and The City. Nick and Tom visit the valley and stop at a garage owned by George Wilson and his wife, Myrtle, Tom's mistress. Later, Nick receives an invitation to one of Gatsby's parties. Upon arrival, Nick learns he is the only one to receive an invitation and none of the guests have ever met Gatsby. Nick encounters Jordan, and both meet Gatsby. Gatsby offers Nick a ride to town for lunch. On the way, Gatsby tells Nick he is an Oxford graduate and war hero from a wealthy Midwestern family. They go to a speakeasy, where Gatsby introduces Nick to his business partner, Meyer Wolfsheim.

text: Jordan tells Nick that Gatsby had a relationship with Daisy years ago and is still in love with her, and that Gatsby threw parties in the hopes that Daisy would attend. Gatsby asks Nick to invite Daisy to tea. After an awkward reunion, Gatsby and Daisy begin an affair. Gatsby is dismayed when Daisy wants to run away with him and wants her to get a divorce. He asks Nick and Jordan to accompany him to the Buchanan home, where he and Daisy plan to tell Tom that Daisy is leaving him. During the luncheon, Tom becomes suspicious of Gatsby and Daisy, but Daisy stops Gatsby from revealing anything to Tom and suggests they all go to the Plaza Hotel. Tom drives Nick and Jordan in Gatsby's car, while Gatsby drives Daisy in Tom's car. Tom stops for gas at George's garage, where George tells him that he and Myrtle are moving and that he suspects Myrtle is unfaithful.

text: At the Plaza, Gatsby tells Tom of his affair with Daisy. Tom accuses Gatsby of having never attended Oxford and having made his fortune through bootlegging with mobsters. Daisy says she loves Gatsby but cannot bring herself to say she never loved Tom. Eventually, both Gatsby and Daisy leave. After fighting with George over her infidelity, Myrtle runs into the street and is fatally struck by Gatsby's car after mistaking it for Tom's. After learning about Myrtle's death, Tom tells George that the car belongs to Gatsby and that he suspects Gatsby was Myrtle's lover. Nick deduces Daisy was the driver, though Gatsby intends to take the blame. Nick overhears Daisy accepting Tom's promise to take care of everything, but he does not tell Gatsby. Gatsby admits to Nick that he was born penniless; his real name is James Gatz, and he had asked Daisy to wait for him until he had made something of himself.

text: The next day, Gatsby hears the phone ringing and thinks it's Daisy. Before he can answer it, he is shot and killed by George, who then commits suicide. Nick is the only person other than reporters to attend Gatsby's funeral, as Daisy and Tom are leaving New York. The media paints Gatsby as Myrtle's lover and killer. Disgusted with both the city and its inhabitants, Nick leaves after taking a final walk through Gatsby's deserted mansion and reflecting on Gatsby's ability to hope. In the sanatorium, Nick finishes typing his memoir, titling it The Great Gatsby.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby, a famous billionaire who hosts wild parties at his house in the hope that Daisy will show up.
Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway, a would-be writer who is also Gatsby’s neighbor and friend. He is the narrator of this movie.
Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan, Gatsby’s former lover,Tom’s wife and Nick's cousin.
Emily Foreman as Pamela "Pammy" Buchanan
Joel Edgerton as Tom Buchanan, Upper class socialite who hates Gatsby because of his new money status and relationship with Daisy
Elizabeth Debicki as Jordan Baker, Athlete and Daisy's best friend
Isla Fisher as Myrtle Wilson, Tom's mistress and ambitious social climber
Jason Clarke as George Wilson, owner of garage in Valley of Ashes
Amitabh Bachchan as Meyer Wolfsheim, a gambler who met Gatsby in 1919.
Jack Thompson as Dr. Walter Perkins
Adelaide Clemens as Catherine
Callan McAuliffe as Young Jay Gatsby
Richard Carter as Herzog
Max Cullen as Owl Eyes
Heather Mitchell as Daisy's mother
Gus Murray as Teddy Barton
Steve Bisley as Dan Cody
Vince Colosimo as Michaelis
Felix Williamson as Henri
Kate Mulvany as Mrs. Mckee
Eden Falk as Chester Mckee
Nick Jantz as Robert Stellenbosh
iOTA as Trimalchio
Brendan Maclean as Ewing Klipspringer
Kahlia and Karinna Greksa as The Twins
Blake Hatton as Rowdy Boy #1

text: Production[edit]

text: Development[edit]

text: Prior to this version, there had already been an opera and numerous other dramatic adaptations of F. Scott Fitzgerald's acclaimed 1925 novel of the same name.[9] In December 2008, Variety reported that this film adaptation was to be made with Baz Luhrmann as director.

text: Luhrmann stated that he planned it to be more up-to-date due to its theme of criticizing the often irresponsible lifestyles of wealthy people.[10] To commit to the project, in September 2010 Luhrmann moved with his family from Australia to Chelsea in Lower Manhattan, where he had intended to film The Great Gatsby.[11] While Luhrmann was at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2011, he told The Hollywood Reporter that he had been workshopping The Great Gatsby in 3D, though he had not yet decided whether to shoot in the format.[12] In late January 2011, Luhrmann showed doubt about staying on board with the project,[13] before deciding to stay.

text: In 2010, it was reported that the film was being set up by Sony Pictures Entertainment[14] but by 2011, Warner Bros. was close to acquiring a deal to finance and take worldwide distribution of The Great Gatsby.[15]

text: Casting[edit]

text: Luhrmann said the results from the movie's workshop process of auditioning actors for roles in The Great Gatsby had been "very encouraging" to him. Leonardo DiCaprio was cast first, in the title role of Jay Gatsby. It is the second time Luhrmann and DiCaprio worked together; DiCaprio costarred in Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet (1996). Tobey Maguire was cast to play Nick Carraway.[16] Reports linked Amanda Seyfried to the lead role of Daisy Buchanan, in October 2010.[17] The next month Deadline Hollywood reported that Luhrmann had been auditioning numerous actresses, including Keira Knightley, Rebecca Hall, Amanda Seyfried, Blake Lively, Abbie Cornish, Michelle Williams and Scarlett Johansson, as well as considering Natalie Portman, for Daisy.[14] Soon afterward, with her commitment to Cameron Crowe's We Bought a Zoo(2011), Johansson pulled out.[18]

text: On November 15, Luhrmann announced that Carey Mulligan had been cast to play Daisy after reading for the part on 2 November in New York.[16] She got the role shortly after Luhrmann showed her audition footage to Sony Pictures Entertainment executives Amy Pascal and Doug Belgrad, who were impressed by the actress' command of the character.[16] Mulligan burst into tears after learning of her casting via a phone call from Luhrmann, who informed her of his decision while she was on the red carpet at an event in New York. Luhrmann said: "I was privileged to explore the character with some of the world's most talented actresses, each one bringing their own particular interpretation, all of which were legitimate and exciting. However, specific to this particular production of The Great Gatsby, I was thrilled to pick up the phone an hour ago to the young Oscar-nominated British actress Carey Mulligan and say to her: 'Hello, Daisy Buchanan.'"[16]

text: In April, Ben Affleck was in talks about playing the role of Tom Buchanan but had to pass due to a scheduling conflict with Argo (2012).[19] Several weeks later, Affleck was replaced by Joel Edgerton.[20] Bradley Cooper had previously lobbied for the part[20] and Luke Evans was a major contender.[21] Isla Fisher was cast to play Myrtle Wilson.[22] Australian newcomer Elizabeth Debicki won the part of Jordan Baker, right after graduating from Victorian College of the Arts.[23][24]

text: While casting for the supporting role of Jordan, the filmmaker said the character must be "as thoroughly examined as Daisy, for this production, for this time", adding, "It's like Olivier's Hamlet was the right Hamlet for his time. Who would Hamlet be today? Same with a Jordan or a Daisy".[25] In June 2011, Jason Clarke was cast as George B. Wilson.[26] Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan makes a cameo appearance as Meyer Wolfshiem; this was his first Hollywood role.[27]

text: Filming[edit]

text: The Great Gatsby was planned to be filmed in the New York City area where the novel is set, starting in June 2011.[11] The director instead opted to shoot principal photography in Sydney. Filming began on September 5, 2011, at Fox Studios Australia and finished on December 22, 2011, with additional shots filmed in January 2012.[29][30] The film was shot with Red Epic digital cameras and Zeiss Ultra Prime lenses.[31] The "Valley of Ashes", the desolate land located between West Egg and New York was shot in Balmain, New South Wales and Manly Business School in Manly–known as Saint Patrick's Seminary–doubled as Gatsby's mansion. Nick's house was located in Centennial Park.[28]

text: Sets[edit]

text: In creating the background scenery for the world depicted in the film, designer Catherine Martin stated that the team styled the interior sets of Jay Gatsby's mansion with gilded opulence, in a style that blended establishment taste with Art Deco.[32] The long-destroyed Beacon Towers, thought by scholars to have partially inspired Fitzgerald's Jay Gatsby estate, was used as a main inspiration for Gatsby's home in the film.[32][33] The filming for the exterior of Jay Gatsby's mansion was the college building of the International College of Management, Sydney,[34] Some inspiration was also drawn from other Gold Coast, Long Island, mansions, including Oheka Castle and La Selva Mansion.[35] Features evoking the Long Island mansions were added in post-production.[35]

text: The inspiration for the film version of the Buchanan estate came from Old Westbury Gardens.[32] The mansion exterior was built on a soundstage, with digital enhancements added.[35] The interior sets for the Buchanan mansion were inspired by the style of Hollywood Regency.[32]

text: The home of Nick Carraway was conceived as an intimate cottage, in contrast with the grandeur of the neighboring Gatsby mansion. Objects chosen adhered to a central theme of what the designers saw as classic Long Island. The architecture conjures American Arts and Crafts, with Gustav Stickley-type furnishings inside and an Adirondack-style swing out.[35]

text: The opening scene was filmed from Rivendell Child, Adolescent and Family Unit in Concord, Sydney, only a few kilometres from Sydney 2000 Olympic Stadium.

text: Costumes[edit]

text: Many apparel designers were approached in collaboration of the film's costumes. The Great Gatsby achieved the iconic 1920s look by altering pieces from the Prada and Miu Miu fashion archives. Martin also collaborated with Brooks Brothers for the costumes worn by the male cast members and extras. Tiffany & Co. provided the jewelry for the film. Catherine Martin and Miuccia Prada were behind the wardrobe and worked closely together to create pieces with "the European flair that was emerging amongst the aristocratic East Coast crowds in the 1920s".[citation needed]

text: Costume historians of the period, however, said that the costumes were not authentic, but instead modernized the 1920s-era fashions to look more like modern fashions. Most prominently, the women were clothed to emphasize their breasts, such as Daisy's push-up bra, in contrast to the flat-chested fashions of the era. While the book was set in 1922, the movie included fashions from the entire decade of the 1920s and even the 1930s. Many of the fashions from archives were concepts from runways and fashion magazines that were never worn by women in real life. Martin says that she took the styles of the 1920s and made them sexier and was trying to interpret 1920s styles for a modern audience. Alice Jurow, of the Art Deco Society of California, said that she loved the movie, but most of their members prefer more period-perfect films. The men's costumes were more authentic, except that the pants were too tight.[36]

text: Gatsby's car[edit]

text: Although Gatsby's car in the novel was a Rolls-Royce (most likely a Silver Ghost), the film's version was a Duesenberg. Both the novel and the film are clearly stated to be set in 1922, yet the Duesenberg Model J used in the film was actually first introduced in 1929.

text: Release and marketing[edit]

text: Originally scheduled for a December 25, 2012 release, on August 6, 2012, it was reported that the film was being moved to a summer 2013 release date.[37] In September 2012, this date was confirmed to be May 10, 2013. The film opened the 66th Cannes Film Festival on May 15, 2013,[38] shortly following its wide release in RealD 3D and 2D formats.[citation needed]

text: The first trailer for The Great Gatsby was released on May 22, 2012,[39] almost a year before the film's release. Songs featured in various trailers include: "No Church in the Wild" by Jay-Z and Kanye West; a cover of U2's "Love Is Blindness" performed by Jack White; a cover of The Turtles' "Happy Together" by the band Filter; a cover of Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" performed by André 3000 and Beyoncé; "Young and Beautiful" performed by Lana Del Rey; and two songs, "Bedroom Hymns" and "Over the Love", performed by Florence and the Machine.[40]

text: On April 15, 2013, Brooks Brothers premiered "The Gatsby Collection", a line of men's clothing, shoes and accessories "inspired by the costumes designed by Catherine Martin for Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby". According to Fashion Weekly, "The looks weren't simply based on 1920s style: the new duds were designed based on the brand's actual archives [...] Brooks Brothers was one of the initial arbiters of Gatsby-era look. The actual costumes, designed by Catherine Martin, will be on display in select Brooks Brothers boutiques."[41][42]

text: On April 17, 2013, Tiffany & Co. unveiled windows at its Fifth Avenue flagship store "inspired by" Luhrmann's film and created in collaboration with Luhrmann and costumer Catherine Martin. The jewelry store also premiered "The Great Gatsby Collection" line of jewelry designed in anticipation of the film. The collection comprises 7 pieces: a brooch, a headpiece (both reportedly based on archival Tiffany designs), a necklace and four different rings, including one in platinum with a 5.25-carat diamond, priced at US$875,000.[43][44][45]

text: Soundtrack[edit]

text: Released on May 7, the film's soundtrack is also available in a deluxe edition; a Target exclusive release also features three extra tracks.[40] The film score was executive-produced by Jay-Z[46] and The Bullitts.[47]

text: Penned by Lana Del Rey and the film's director, Baz Luhrmann, the song "Young and Beautiful" was released to contemporary hit radio as a single, and was used as the film's buzz single.[48] A snippet of the track appeared in the official trailer for the film and played during the scene where the characters portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan express their romantic feelings for one another.[49] Hip hop magazine Rap-Up called the single "haunting",[48] while MTV called it "somber-sounding".[49] The track performed by Florence and the Machine, "Over the Love", references the "green light" symbol from the novel in its lyrics.[46] Chris Payne of Billboard praised Beyoncé and André 3000's cover of "Back to Black", made unique with a downtempo EDM wobble.[46] The xx recorded "Together" for the film, with Jamie Smith telling MTV that the band's contribution to the soundtrack sounds like "despair",[50] and revealing that it utilizes a 60-piece orchestra.

text: Speaking of his goals for the movie's musical backdrop, Baz Luhrmann expressed his desire to blend the music of the Jazz Age, associated with the 1922 setting of the story, with a modern spin. Much like his modern twists applied in Moulin Rouge! and Romeo + Juliet, Baz uses the movie's music not as a background, but instead prominently in the foreground, which takes on a character of its own.[51]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Box office[edit]

text: The Great Gatsby grosses $144.8 million in North America, and $208.8 million in other countries, for a worldwide total of $353.6 million.[4] Calculating in all expenses, Deadline Hollywood estimated that the film made a profit of $58.6 million.[52]

text: In North America, The Great Gatsby earned US$19.4 million on its opening Friday, including US$3.25 million from Thursday night and midnight shows.[53] It went on to finish in second place, behind Iron Man 3, during its opening weekend, with US$51.1 million.[54] This was the sixth-largest opening weekend for a film that did not debut in first place,[55] the second largest opening weekend for a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio behind Inception,[56] and Luhrmann's highest-grossing movie.[57]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 49% based on 271 reviews, with an average rating of 5.8/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "While certainly ambitious—and every bit as visually dazzling as one might expect—Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby emphasizes visual splendor at the expense of its source material's vibrant heart."[58] Metacritic gives the film a score of 55 out of 100, based on 45 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[59] Audiences polled by the market research firm CinemaScore gave an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.[53]

text: Joe Morgenstern of The Wall Street Journal felt the elaborate production designs were a misfire and likened the film to the Roaring Twenties themselves as Fitzgerald envisioned and criticized them, stating that what is "intractably wrong with the film is that there's no reality to heighten; it's a spectacle in search of a soul."[60] The Chicago Reader review felt "Luhrmann is exactly the wrong person to adapt such a delicately rendered story, and his 3D feature plays like a ghastly Roaring 20s blowout at a sorority house."[61] In The Atlantic, Christopher Orr observed that "The problem is that when the movie is entertaining it's not Gatsby, and when it's Gatsby it's not entertaining."[62]

text: The positive reviews included A. O. Scott of The New York Times, who felt the adaptation was "a lot of fun" and "less a conventional movie adaptation than a splashy, trashy opera, a wayward, lavishly theatrical celebration of the emotional and material extravagance that Fitzgerald surveyed with fascinated ambivalence"; Scott advised "the best way to enjoy the film is to put aside whatever literary agenda you are tempted to bring with you."[63] Ty Burr of The Boston Globe reserved special praise for DiCaprio's performance, saying "magnificent is the only word to describe this performance – the best movie Gatsby by far, superhuman in his charm and connections, the host of revels beyond imagining, and at his heart an insecure fraud whose hopes are pinned to a woman."[64]

text: The Scene Magazine gave the movie a "B-" rating, and praised the actors' performances, in particular saying that "the stand-out actor is Joel Edgerton as Tom Buchanan doing an excellent job of showing the character’s gruffness, despite the one-dimensionality given to him".[65] A granddaughter of Fitzgerald praised the style and music of the film.[66]

text: Tobey Maguire's role as Nick was given mixed to negative reviews from critics, with Philip French of The Guardian calling him "miscast or misdirected;"[67] Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post saying "Tobey Maguire is his usual recessive presence, barely registering as either a dynamic part of the events he describes or their watchful witness;"[68] and Elizabeth Weitzman of The New York Daily News saying despite "the wry-observational skills needed for Nick's Midwestern decency", the character is "directed toward a wide-eyed, one-note performance".[69] Rick Groen of The Globe and Mail was more positive of Maguire's character, saying "our narrator, [is] prone to his occasionally purple rhetoric. But that imposed conceit, the image of a talented depressive writing from inside the bauble of his imagination, seems to validate his inflated prose and, better yet, lets us re-appreciate its inherent poetry."[70]

text: Accolades[edit]

text:
Awards

Award
Date of ceremony
Category
Recipients and nominees
Result

Academy Awards[71][72]
March 2, 2014
Best Production Design
Catherine Martin (Art Direction); Beverley Dunn (Set Decoration)
Won

Best Costume Design
Catherine Martin
Won

AACTA Awards
January 30, 2014
Best Film
Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Douglas Wick, Lucy Fisher, and Catherine Knapman
Won

Best Direction
Baz Luhrmann
Won

Best Adapted Screenplay
Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce
Won

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Leonardo DiCaprio
Won

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Carey Mulligan
Nominated

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Joel Edgerton
Won

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Elizabeth Debicki
Won

Isla Fisher
Nominated

Best Cinematography
Simon Duggan
Won

Best Editing
Matt Villa, Jason Ballantine, and Jonathan Redmond
Won

Best Original Music Score
Craig Armstrong
Won

Best Sound
Wayne Pashley, Jenny Ward, Fabian Sanjurjo, Steve Maslow, Phil Heywood, and Guntis Sics
Won

Best Production Design
Catherine Martin, Karen Murphy, Ian Gracie, and Beverley Dunn
Won

Best Costume Design
Catherine Martin, Silvana Azzi Heras, and Kerry Thompson
Won

AACTA International Awards
January 10, 2014
Best Supporting Actor
Joel Edgerton
Nominated

Best Direction
Baz Luhrmann
Nominated

Art Directors Guild[73]
February 8, 2014
Excellence in Production Design – Period Film
Catherine Martin
Won

British Academy Film Awards[74]
February 16, 2014
Best Costume Design
Catherine Martin
Won

Best Make-up and Hair
Maurizio Silvi, Kerry Warn
Nominated

Best Production Design
Catherine Martin, Beverley Dunn
Won

Costume Designers Guild[75]
February 22, 2014
Excellence in Period Film
Catherine Martin
Nominated

Critics' Choice Movie Awards[76]
January 16, 2014
Best Costume Design
Catherine Martin
Won

Best Production Design
Catherine Martin, Beverley Dunn
Won

Best Song
"Young and Beautiful"- Lana Del Rey
Nominated

Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association[77]
January 21, 2014
Campy Flick of the Year

Nominated

Visually Striking Film of the Year

Nominated

Empire Awards[78]
March 30, 2014
Best Female Newcomer
Elizabeth Debicki
Nominated

Grammy Awards[79]
January 26, 2014
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Baz Luhrmann
Nominated

Best Song Written For Visual Media
Young and Beautiful
Music by Lana Del Rey and Rick Nowels, Lyrics by Lana Del Rey
Nominated

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media
Craig Armstrong
Nominated

International 3D Society's Creative Arts Awards[80]
January 28, 2014
Outstanding Live Action 3D Feature Film

Nominated

Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Awards[81][82]
February 16, 2014
Best Sound Editing: Music Score in a Feature Film
Jason Ruder
Won

Satellite Awards
February 23, 2014
Best Art Direction and Production Design
Catherine Martin (Art Direction); Beverley Dunn (Set Decoration)
Won

Best Costume Design
Catherine Martin
Nominated

Best Original Song
Young and Beautiful
Music by Lana Del Rey and Rick Nowels, Lyrics by Lana Del Rey
Won

St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association
December 14, 2013
Best Cinematography
Simon Duggan
Nominated

Best Art Direction

Won

Best Soundtrack

Nominated

Visual Effects Society Awards[83]
February 12, 2014
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture
Chris Godfrey, Prue Fletcher and Joyce Cox
Nominated

Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association
December 9, 2013
Best Director
Baz Luhrmann
Nominated

Best Art Direction
Catherine Martin and Beverley Dunn
Won

Best Cinematography
Simon Duggan
Nominated

Young Artist Awards[84]
May 4, 2014
Best Supporting Young Actor in a Feature Film
Callan McAuliffe
Won