What Do You Want the Next Big Movie Musical to Be?- Page 2

[Dave28282]

Posted: 9/27/16 at 6:51am

Ps. I am very curious abut the Miss Saigon 25th cinema version, because I always felt that the Miss Saigon revival had singers that sang in a very filmic way. Very natural and with a filmic finesse. Combined with all the close-up shots where they lip-synched to themselves, which creates a better than life feel, almost magical, because it enhances the literal given of this artform (like what you hear exceeds the reality of what you see), from what I have seen in the promotional shots, that is what I want to feel when watching a musical on film.

This "better than reality" approach of sung thoughts makes the emotion for the audience more raw.

 

 

[John Adams]

Posted: 9/27/16 at 11:04am

Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "On the stranger side, I wrote a treatment for Bat Boy as an indie musical, ala L5Y. I think it could be very good, perhaps elevate the source material."

If FOX were more willing to be adventurous, creative, and take a risk, I think Bat Boy would have made for a better TV musical than Rocky Horror, especially since they've chosen to air the show around Halloween.

Rocky's got it's own life that will be diminished by attempting to 'popularize' it instead of allowing to live in its own camp/cult world. Bat Boy could have been its own thing...

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 9/27/16 at 11:40am

As a massive Bat Boy fan, I couldn't disagree more. I really don't think it would transfer well to film unless the score was streamlined a bit. It's not the most accessible for general public consumption, in my humble opinion.... 

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 9/27/16 at 11:56am

That's fair, Liza. In the little treatment I put together, I did actually cut some of the score to make the story "flow" better for film.

You're right, the subject matter is an acquired taste, which is why I felt it would work best as an indie flick...not necessarily for widespread release.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 9/27/16 at 12:11pm

The upcoming GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH is said to be the first totally original movie musical since NEWSIES, and that--plus the fact that Hugh Jackman is starring--has me very excited.

Co-stars Zac Efron and Michelle Williams aren't exactly chopped liver, either.

The creative team also looks to be a force to be reckoned with, including Michael Gracey and Pasek & Paul.

I have high hopes for this film.

Updated On: 9/27/16 at 12:11 PM

[Oak2]

Posted: 9/27/16 at 12:15pm

GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH sounds great, and I can't wait for it! Here's hoping it will be good enough to somehow re-spark the perceived viability of movie musicals. Isn't there already a Broadway/stage musical about P.T Barnum though? Funny that they're deciding to do a completely original work rather than adaptation of the original. I love P.T. Barnum and people like him though, they make good entertainment for stories, so I'm sure I'll enjoy this movie. Wonder if it will end up getting compared and contrasted to the Broadway Barnum musical though, and whether that will work to the movie's favor or detriment.

[darquegk]

Posted: 9/27/16 at 3:07pm

As far as Bat Boy's score not really being easy to process to the mainstream, is it that much more theatrical or complex than the film (and post-film) version of Reefer Madness? It's also got a lot more songs that the usual movie musical, heavy use of leitmotif and shifting genre.

[jo]

Posted: 9/27/16 at 4:39pm

mamaleh said: "The upcoming GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH is said to be the first totally original movie musical since NEWSIES, and that--plus the fact that Hugh Jackman is starring--has me very excited.

Co-stars Zac Efron and Michelle Williams aren't exactly chopped liver, either.

The creative team also looks to be a force to be reckoned with, including Michael Gracey and Pasek & Paul.

I have high hopes for this film.

 

"

 

Pasek and Paul must be very excited these days! They were the lyricists for the new music for LALALAND which is to open in cinemas in December,  DEAR EVAN HANSEN is opening on Broadway also later this year, and they are the composers for GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH.

 

 

 

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 9/27/16 at 5:53pm

Mr. Nowack said: "110 IN THE SHADE

Always thought how beautiful a movie could have been, filmed in the desert back in the '60s.

 

"

Oh, you East Coasters! 110 IN THE SHADE doesn't take place in the desert; we hit that temperature every July. LOL.

It's the "American Southwest", per Wiki, and I think they mean some place like Oklahoma or Texas, where a drought is a serious threat to agriculture.

In the deserts, we only grow crops that can take the heat. (Or we import water from elsewhere.) We don't depend on local rain or rainmakers.

Updated On: 9/27/16 at 05:53 PM

[Dollypop]

Posted: 9/27/16 at 6:13pm

I thinkthisall would agree that the world needs a musical version of " Corine's Corner" with a bevy of superstars playing the victims of her priceless interviews.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 9/27/16 at 6:27pm

jo said: "Pasek and Paul must be very excited these days! They were the lyricists for the new music for LALALAND which is to open in cinemas in December,  DEAR EVAN HANSEN is opening on Broadway also later this year, and they are the composers for GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH."

I thought the score of La La Land was also written by Pasek & Paul?

[jo]

Posted: 9/27/16 at 6:35pm

gypsy101 said: "jo said: "Pasek and Paul must be very excited these days! They were the lyricists for the new music for LALALAND which is to open in cinemas in December,  DEAR EVAN HANSEN is opening on Broadway also later this year, and they are the composers for GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTH."

I thought the score of La La Land was also written by Pasek & Paul?"

 

According to VARIETY, the music was composed by Justin Hurwitz while Pasek and Paul wrote the lyrics.

http://variety.com/2016/film/in-contention/la-la-land-composer-justin-hurwitz-songs-1201849249/

"The film’s composer, Justin Hurwitz, spoke exclusively to Variety about the process as he and Chazelle sought to turn something traditional and classic on its ear.

(Note: All songs feature music by Hurwitz and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, save for “Start a Fire,” which was written by Hurwitz, John Legend, Angélique Cinélu and Marius de Vries.)"

 

Updated On: 9/27/16 at 06:35 PM

[jo]

Posted: 9/27/16 at 6:48pm

Pasek and Paul have also been busy walking the red carpet for the VENICE FILM FESTIVAL and the TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL where LaLaLand won Best Actress ( Emma Stone) and the People's Choice Award, respectively.

It is rare when composers are involved in separate current projects for both Broadway (Dear Evan Hansen)  and Hollywood ( The Greatest Showman on Earth)!

 

Updated On: 9/27/16 at 06:48 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/27/16 at 7:34pm

I've been waiting over 20 years for Once on This Island as an animated film.

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 1:57am

Next to Normal could be great. It could also be terrible in the wrong hands, but that could be said for anything, I guess.

[GreatBroadwayFan]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 4:02am

Check this out! You might be surprised about how many are actually coming down the pipe line!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA5Cg5GzEKE

[jo]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 5:31am

Two new movie musicals not included in the list --

 

*PITCH PERFECT  3 ( with Anna Kendrick et al) is due for release on December 22, 2017.   This is the second sequel to the successful original movie, now ranked 3rd at the box office ( after Mamma Mia! and Les Miserables).

*Another remake of  STAR IS BORN has been announced ( due out also in 2017), this time with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper ( who will also direct the movie). I am not sure if this is technically a true musical or drama with music?

 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 5:35am

Is pitch perfect a musical? i thought since the characters know they are singing it's not, but I could be wrong.

[jo]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 5:40am

To be honest, I really don't know either --  it is a comedy with music.  Maybe it would be like A STAR IS BORN, which is  a drama with music. 

Some interesting discussions as to its nature on a non-theatre board --

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/35usfp/is_pitch_perfect_a_musical/

 

Updated On: 9/28/16 at 05:40 AM

[John Adams]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 9:20am

Liza's Headband said: "As a massive Bat Boy fan, I couldn't disagree more. I really don't think it would transfer well to film unless the score was streamlined a bit. It's not the most accessible for general public consumption, in my humble opinion.... "

Liza, would I be too far off the mark if I were to associate the phrase "accessible for general public consumption" with "a safe(r) bet"? (IMO), FOX is going far too safe with their Rocky; tweening it up like Glee. I wonder if they chose Rocky because it's a safer bet - based on the response of the Glee episode.

I would agree that Bat Boy's plot and characters fall outside of the mainstream, but so do John Waters movies, the original Rocky Horror Picture Show (especially during the decade it was first introduced), even Sweeney Todd. Still, all have found respectably large enough audiences to be considered successful, although my definition of "successful" doesn't necessarily include financial reward.

I also agree with you that the score might benefit from some tweaking, whether it be streamlining, or (as I think) some improved musical arrangement beyond the instrumentation/scoring/vocal arranging that's on the OC album.

As for the score, I think it walks a very palatable line between traditional musical theater style and rock. There's a lot of humor in it - i.e., "Let Me Walk Among You", "Ugly Boy" and even "Apology to a Cow". I especially like the line in "Inside Your Heart" where she quickly blurts, "I'll be fine, I heal real fast".

"Hold Me Bat Boy" sounds to me like it could have been a part of Little Shop...'s score and its refrain sticks in my head. "Inside Your Heart" is very sweet and fits the traditional musical theater template. Truth be told, I find much of the score to fit a traditional musical template, yet it's still musically interesting.

I don't think Bat Boy would do well in cinemas, but cinemas are no longer the singular, mainstream format for movies. IMO, cinemas are past their prime. I'd still have preferred FOX chose Bat Boy over Rocky Horror for TV. I could also see it as a Netflix or Amazon production. I also think that Dr. Horrible... opened a door that should remain open.

Bat Boy isn't the perfect musical, which is why I think it could have a better chance for success on network TV, like FOX, where it's free and accessible to all. It's macabre enough for Halloween, and (I think) the score is more accessible for the general public than you've given credit for. I mean, you like it and I like it - isn't that enough?

[gypsy101]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 12:33pm

none of the Pitch Perfect films are true musicals. Though the music is part of the plot, the content of the songs themselves do not advance it.

Updated On: 9/28/16 at 12:33 PM

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 12:45pm

I am in agreement with gypsy101. I do not consider the "Pitch Perfect" films as traditonal movie musicals. They don't have a score that is unique to or advances the narrative. It is simply just a film with songs in it. 

Calling films like "Pitch Perfect", "Saturday Night Fever", "Footloose", "Flashdance" and "Dirty Dancing" is a bit of a stretch. 

All of those films however have been adapted into traditional stage musicals. 

 

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 1:56pm

Some visionary do Sunday in the Park with George. Have the film be interwoven with CGI of actual pointillism, and really add a cinematic element to that show. Do things that absolutely cannot be done on stage in the film. THAT to me is the true crux of what can make a movie musical great. If it really utilizes what the limitlessness of film.

Emily Blunt as Dot

Jake Gyllenhaal as George.

Spike Jonze could direct, or the director of Amelie, or Barry Sonnenfield.

It could be a stunning oscar winning film.

Updated On: 9/28/16 at 01:56 PM

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 1:58pm

Also like someone said, Parade. I think the subject matter is much better suited for film. Really seeing it in the south.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 9/28/16 at 1:59pm

That movie, along with N2N, is on my wishlist for movies I want to direct.