New Damn Yankees Movie

[Fan2]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 1:41pm

>>>Director Todd Graff has revealed that his contemporary adaptation of Broadway production "Damn Yankees," which has Jake Gyllenhaal and Jim Carrey attached to star, will in fact deviate from the original story with a modern day spin about steroid use.<<<

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Modern Day Steroid Spin

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 2:13pm

interesting. I'll have to wait to pass judgement

[noradesmond]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 3:05pm

oy.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 3:52pm

God, that's so unnecessary.

Can't we just have the classic musical as it was intended?

Hollywood morons need to stop f*cking up good material with new angles.

Updated On: 3/22/10 at 03:52 PM

[singtopher]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 4:17pm

What's the point of mutilating something like this? Why not write something new?

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 4:20pm

Having seen the original production in 1956 (albeit without Gwen Verdon), I think it's absolute nonsense to put an "issue" into a show that's sole reason for being in the first place was to provide a sunny entertainment. We're not talking about James Joyce here, we're talking about a fun, bright, tuneful, cheerful show. I've never thought the idea of a remake was all that great an idea but cutting the Fosse choreography, injecting issues that in no way reflect the score (or whatever will be left of it -- isn't it nice that they deigned to leave in Whatever Lola Wants?) and replacing them with "new" material that will probably stink, IMO, is just courting disaster -- even box office disaster. Let it be what it is and try to come up with something original, guys. I have spoken.

Updated On: 3/22/10 at 04:20 PM

[Katurian2]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 4:56pm

Good until... steroids. This show does need an update though. Unless it went heavy retro ala 'Hairsray.' There's only so many steriod jokes that can be made in a feature length movie. Seems like it could get a tad gimmicky.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 5:58pm

If they're updating the story, they'd better have at least one gay couple involved in "Six Months Out Of Every Year"

[Brick]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 8:04pm

referring to why he's replacing the Fosse choreography: "less razzle-dazzly".

Uhg. Such ignorance. Why is he doing a musical again?

[scaryclowns2232]

Posted: 3/22/10 at 11:34pm

To me, it sounds like they should just make a new movie entirely.

I would totally see a steroid movie- but it doesn't really fit within this context.

[jovie27]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 1:12am

"If they're updating the story, they'd better have at least one gay couple involved in "Six Months Out Of Every Year" "

^ That just depends if they even use that song at all! I hope they do!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 2:00am

I just threw up in my mouth a little.

[Brick]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 3:06am

I understand the need to acknowledge the steroid thing, but such a small degree it wouldn't even warrant a mention in an interview. So, the fact he's discussing it as it he turns over a giant stone in the story, well, frightens me.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 7:19am

I will take a pass on it.

To insure it is a dog, have Rob Marshall direct so he can cut all the musical numbers.

[Elphie3]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 8:26am

The ONLY way I could see this working is if the Devil is the one who instigates the issue of steroids towards the end when he's trying to mess with Joe and keep him from using his escape clause. But that's NOT what the story is ABOUT. If you want to make a steroids movie, go make a steroids movie.

[ggersten]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 10:47am

A modern version has all sorts of problems - in days of Tiger Woods and revelations of other athletes as to their infidelities - who is going to believe Joe Hardy would resist Lola? In the 50s, yeah - the "boy scout" in love with his "old girl" works. In the o'tens? Not so much.
I understand the idea that people would suspect this Hardy kid of being juiced, when he's actually just made a deal with the Devil. The original had some cockamamie plot about a false false identity story by Applegate - so that Applegate spreads the line of Hardy on steroids makes better sense. It would be a story line with our intrepid reporter suspecting Hardy of being juiced - despite her wonderful song about Shoeless Joe from Hannibal Mo.
But, yeah - just make a new movie and don't call it Damn Yankees.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 10:58am

Oh, dear.

[tazber]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 11:00am

I'm going to wait to pass judgement. I thought that remaking Hairspray was a bad bad idea, and it turned out to be one of my all time favorite musical movies.

At least Damn Yankees is a fun and energetic show (unlike Nine) and I can totally see it being a blast.

[aja]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 1:55pm

The director obviously knows very little about the actual setup of Major League Baseball. The Cubs are in a completely different league than the Yankees. Why a Cubs fan would hate the Yankees is fairly unfathomable. They never even would play one another except perhaps in a World Series. Changing the team and basic plot...why not just change the title too while you're at it? In fact, why even use Damn Yankees as source material if you're going to bastardize it to the nth degree?

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 4:41pm

Actually, a lot of MLB fans hate the Yankees, even if their favorite team is not in the same league.

Though I agree that it'd make more sense to use a direct rival. The Brewers or the Cardinals are direct rivals of the Cubs, for instance (and as a Brewers fan, I can attest that we absolutely loathe each other).

Updated On: 3/23/10 at 04:41 PM

[strummergirl]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 4:55pm

I agree with SporkGoddess. The Yankees are a global brand and very polarizing. That being said the idea a guy would take steroids because he hates the Yankees and loves his team so much (the Washington Nationals I assume would be used though I can see a fictional team created) seems ridiculous. The steroid issue is way more complex than that, though greenies (amphetamines) were taken like candy by baseball players during the original show's time period. I do not really like the idea of an update, so many changes would have to happen.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 3/23/10 at 5:33pm

The director said he'll be using the Cubs instead of the Senators, which IMO is not a good decision. The Nationals would make more sense because they're closer to the original team and are still "underdog" enough to make the story work.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 3/26/10 at 4:22pm

Is there any point in making another Damn Yankees movie if they're not going to make changes? The book just isn't that strong.

[Dancin Thru Life]

Posted: 3/26/10 at 8:01pm

Brokeback Yankees?

Now THERE'S a twist!!!