first i must say that i grew up with the 1982 annie. i never knew anything else. yet, i just realized that the version i always saw was edited for TV, which totally cut out easy street. i didn't know what to expect, and besides...tim curry scarred me for life as rooster when he chased annie up that bridge..to a little girl, that's scary! so, i watched the 1999 annie on abc, wondering if i was going to be scarred again. just the opposite. i 'm not a big fan of cuteness, but this movie was endearingly sweet. kathy bates was awesome with her interpretation of miss hannigan, and kristin chenoweth is just wonderful as the ditsy lily. the only thing i wasn't into was how warbucks did a complete 180 in his affections for annie. but when alan cumming came on the screen as rooster...this was the first time i'd really paid attention to a role of his (besides circle of friends). i'd watched him on talk shows all week- i just had a strange feeling. when he broke out into the first line of easy street...oh man. i was smitten right then and there. their interpretation of that song is to die for!! i had a loop of him singing one line in my head for 36 hrs...no joke. i had to go get the cd...he wouldn't leave my mind!! and he's so much less scary than tim curry. don't get me wrong, tim is a fabulous actor, but i rented the full version of the 1982 annie and... uh uh. no way. it had a nicer political feel and not such a tied up ending, but the 1999 version has heart and FABULOUS performances. i will forever be grateful for rob marshall (director) begging alan to do it...
