Carmen - A Hip Hopera | 
| Director: Robert Townsend
Actors: Beyonce Knowles, Mekhi Phifer, Mos Def, Rah Digga, Joy Bryant
Studio: New Line Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $12.98
Buy Used: $1.25
You Save: $11.73 (90%)
New (40) Used (31) from $1.25
Rating:  22 reviews
Sales Rank: 13550
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd, Full Screen, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 88 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 5.3 x 0.5
MPN: TRNDN5560D
ISBN: 0780638581
UPC: 794043556029
EAN: 9780780638587
ASIN: B000069I0E
Theatrical Release Date: May 8, 2001
Release Date: August 20, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
A contemporary urban retelling of the classic story Carmen: A Hip Hopera follows the life of a police sergeant whose world is turned upside down when an irresistible woman enters his life. Through song the star-studded cast tells the tale of their passionate romance and tragic demise. It's Moulin Rouge done hip-hop style!Running Time: 88 min.System Requirements:Running Time 88 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: MUSICALS/MUSICALS Rating: PG-13 UPC: 794043556029
Amazon.com
Recasting Bizet's classic opera as a musical tale in the 'hood, Carmen: A Hip Hopera proves that the plot's not the thing. By retaining the story but jettisoning Bizet's individual musical numbers that propel the tragedy to its inevitable conclusion, this Carmen founders on familiarity: it's just another soap opera about two lovers whose tryst proves fatal. Occasionally, the music quotes Bizet's famous themes, but most of the rapping and singing sound interchangeable. What makes this Carmen worth seeing, however, is the scintillating performance of Beyonce Knowles (of the trio Destiny's Child) in the lead role. From her first entrance in a dazzling red gown, Knowles shows off a vibrant, magnetic personality; the camera loves her, as her group's many music videos have shown, but they only hint at how impressively she holds the screen. Can she act? The jury's still out, but Carmen: A Hip Hopera--however disappointing this hybrid is in most ways--showcases a compelling movie-star presence. --Kevin Filipski
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| Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
Sexy, musical & dramatic January 9, 2009
Msz Anna (Sydney, Australia)
Carmen is the story of Beyonce - the troublemaker and hottie of the town, and Mekhi Phifer who plays Officer Hill. Hill is engaged to the perfect woman (not Beyonce, another girl)... until one night when he has to drive Carmen to the police station and thats when the drama begins. Carmen will do anything to get out of going to jail. Even seducing him. And thats where everything starts to go wrong..
Its not anything spectacular, but its good to watch once or twice. The songs in it are pretty good.. especially "If looks could kill" which Beyonce & Mos Def sang really well... and the twist definately suprised me. There are some boring bits, but overall i enjoyed it and i think its worth watching.
Oh and the quality of the dvd was good too!
Nice little muscial March 26, 2008
Derrick Dunn (Woodbridge,VA)
Carmen is a hip hop remake of the classic film Carmen Jones. The film stars Beyonce from Destiny's Child as Carmen. Carmen is an actress trying to make it with the love of Mehki Pfefier. But Mos Def a dirty cop stands in the way. A lot of people love to trash Beyonce acting skills but I think she did an all right job here.
 off da chain February 11, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This movie was pretty good especially beyonce'. She played her role good. I loved the ghetto bad girl theme she had going. she should do other movie like this.
 The movie "Carmen: A Hip Hopera" is not all that it's cracked up to be. September 15, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I would have to say that I found this movie to be a disapointment, which is unfortunate. This is because the movie had some potential when it came to music and directing but unfortunately, little of that potential was realized.
The movie was directed by Robert Townsend who directed, "Hollywood Shuffle" which proved to be ground breaking for its time. Beyonce Knowles has also acted in a few films and has shown that she has some natural talent. With some instruction, assuming she has not had some already, she may well prove to be a very accomplished actress.
The major problem with the movie is the script. I know next to nothing about the opera Carmen, but the first movie entitled, "Carmen" had a totally different plot. I never understood how Hollywood can remake a classic and re-invent the wheel at the same time. Nine times out of ten it usually proves to be a disaster. This movie being case in point.
In any event, it was not just the script that proved to be a hinderance to this film but the directing of it also. I found the camera techniques used to be tiresome to say the least. I could go into more details concerning this but I do not wish to bore you with this review as it discusses every bad idea that was tried in this film from start to finish.
I will say this however, although I do not listen to hip hop music at all. I found several of the songs to be orginal, at least to my ears, and not too bad. Fortunately or unfortunately as the case may be, most of the songs that I enjoyed were performed by Beyonce Knowles. As for the rest of the performances, although I have no doubt that it did have rap artists throughout this movie I was not necessarly impressed with their performance as artists or as actors.
In conclusion, I can only add that the rappers that I did reconize were Lil' Bow Wow (when he was still using that name) and Mos Def as the bad cop. This film should come with a warning which should read as follows: This film is to only be viewed if you like watching two hour long movies with virtually no plot, and which playes like a bad music video.
The film does however have a few somewhat orginal songs which are usually rapped. It should only be viewed if you love watching Beyonce Knowles perform.
"Very hip interpretation on an old classic" December 19, 2005
La Reyna (USA)
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
It is as old as humankind, the ancient battle of the sexes. MTV does a good job in interpreting Bizet's finest masterpiece to modern-day realities, this time in inner-city Philadelphia where a virtuous police officer met Carmen at a well-populated watering hole. After arresting Carmen during a catfight, he gradually lost all self-control by spending a night at her apartment that resulted in his demotion and loss of his fiance. Things went downhill afterwards. Beyonce was good at playing the femme fatale character.
I definitely recommend this DVD.
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