What Musicals Do You Want To See As Movies?

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 1:58pm

And who would you cast as each of the roles?
I really, really want Hairspray to become a movie, and quick! But Marissa Jaret Winokur and Harvey Fierstein would HAVE to be in it. I think Catherine Zeta Jones would make an AMAZING Velma Von Tussle! She would be perfect. And although some people may disagree, how about Kelly Clarkson as Penny. The girl can SANG, and she can definitely pull off being a dork in love. Don't worry, I don't want Justin Guarini in this movie, I just think Kelly Clarkson could be awesome! And another girl from "From Justin to Kelly"- the one who played the mean friend of Kelly- Anika Noni Rose I think, or Katherine Bailess would be the perfect Amber! And I say we bring Jerry Stiller back in the remake to play Wilbur Turnblad. As far as Link and Seaweed go- Hmmm... I think Will Smith would be amazing. He could sing, dance and act. I think he would be really good. And LInk? I'll let you guys come up with that one. And than there's MotorMouth- QUEEN LATIFAH all the way! So, there we go! The perfect cast!~
Tracy Turnblad- Marissa Jaret Winokur
Edna Turnblad- Harvey Fierstein
MotorMouth Maybelle- Queen Latifah
Seaweed- Will Smith
Penny Pingleton- Kelly Clarkson
Amber Von Tussle- Anika Noni Rose
Velma Von Tussle- Catherine Zeta JOnes
Wilbur Turnblad- Jerry Stiller!

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 2:23pm

OMG! Anika Noni Rose as Amber is hilarious!!! Anika is black and Amber is a white girl who hates black people. LOL. Billy, I think you are slightly confused. :)

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 2:42pm

Okay- wrong one. Not Anika Noni Rose- the other one. Katherine Bailess. The mean, blonde friend. SHE would be amazing!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 2:44pm

NONE!!! I hate movies and I wish they'd stop making them!

[AlienOnBroadway]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 2:48pm

Uh, Hairspray already IS a movie guys!
It is what launched Ricki Lake into "celebrity," if you want to call it that.
http://us.imdb.com/Title?0095270

However, I am liking your Will Smith and Queen Latifah thoughts. I really enjoy both of them.
And remakes seem to be popping up quite a bit, so you just may have something there.

As far as making other musicals into movies: can't come up with one that I would not prefer to keep on the stage right now.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 2:57pm

He is talking about a movie version of the musical. The original was not a musical. They are in fact planning a film version of the musical.

[AlienOnBroadway]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 3:01pm

You're kidding? I did not know that.
Wow. I can't believe that. Interesting. All based on the success of Chicago? I wonder how many movie musicals it will take to saturate the market and make people hate them?

Thanks for the info bg2.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 3:03pm

They announced that the film rights had been acquired almost right after Hairspray opened, before Chicago came out.

[AlienOnBroadway]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 3:05pm

So are you saying I need to read more? *lol*
Hairspray didn't really interest me at first, so I didn't pay that much attention at the time.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 3:14pm

Personally, I'm more for some ORIGINAL ideas on BOTH ends, rather than the constant rehashing, recycling that goes on these days. No more revivals on Bway (for a while at least), and no more turning anything into a musical or vice versa. Originality has become practically obsolete and that's really tragic.

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 3:15pm

I am well aware of the movie version of Hairspray, but I was talking about a remake; or like Broadwayguy said- a musical movie version. I think it could be awesome. What do you guys think about my casting?

[Al Dente]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 3:16pm

Honestly, I think it's trite.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 3:33pm

Al, it's the Baby Boomers. They're the generation that really perfected getting people to buy things they already own, and then do it again. The biggest example is when cds came out and the public re-bought its vinyl record collections. (The late Joe Strummer said that all the music industry lament about file sharing is just the karma coming back from the "re-buy it on cd" scam).

Spielberg does it with his "refurbished" editions of his old movies. Every time something gets re-released with "bonus" material, it's the same idea.

So, we have now generations of people who don't really know much about originality, because it's not that important a value culturally. Make a movie, make a stage show of the movie, make a movie of the stage show. Now that Disney is a so-called Broadway player, you can expect to see lots more of this in the future. Reuse/Recycle. A good idea for bottles and cans, but not so much for culture. That's why I was not surprised to see BillyLawlor's casting thinking. It was pretty much the same exact palate you see in most of the casting threads. I was only surprised to see no roles for Sutton. Or Gavin. Otherwise, not exactly thinking outside of the square cardboard container.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 3:42pm

as far as film casting for Hairspray ::

Tracy ::no Marissa. Being 30 and playing works on stage. Not as easily on film. She pulls it off on stage, but can she do it on film They need an unknown ala Ricki in the original.
Edna :: overdone, but Robin Williams.
Link :: It depends on the direction they take for the character. Daniel Letterle from Camp would be my prime pick. Will Estes (JJ on the series American Dreams) would be great.
Penny Pingleton :: not sure. Britany Snow from American Dreams might be good. Maybe Alicia Morton or Joanna Pacitti.
Seaweed :: not sure either. Will Smith???? WAAAAYYY too old. What about the guy from Save the Last Dance??
Amber :: they COULD go for the gimmick and go with Britney. She DID understudy Laura Bell when they were young (I can't believe Brit will be in The Dukes OF Hazards film). I HOPE they don't do that. Julia Stiles perhaps. or Joanna Pacitti. Updated On: 8/3/03 at 03:42 PM

[Al Dente]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 4:13pm

Namo, again you succinctly and ever so eloquently nail the point! It truly saddens me and I believe the whole "karma" concept. The music business is in complete shambles because of all the greed and rehashing. It's only a matter of time before this "disease" branches out completely. And heaven forbid one of the warmed over ideas actually works (a la Chicago) than you have a never ending trail of copycats and wind up with truly unwatchable dreck like "From Justin to Kelly". I laughed out loud when what DID surprise you about the BL post was the fact that he didn't mention Sutton or Gavin. Those were my EXACT thoughts! BG2, just as an aside, the guy from "Save the last dance" is actually the same age, if not older than Will Smith. Updated On: 8/3/03 at 04:13 PM

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 4:16pm

Sorry, Al Dente, I should have specified. He IS only a little over 2 years younger than Will Smith, but he sure as hell doesn't look it. Will LOOKS waaayyy too old for it. I was going by ages that a person can concievably PLAY.


As you can see from the pic, he looks younger than Corey did/does. Updated On: 8/3/03 at 04:16 PM

[Al Dente]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 4:27pm

He looks like he could be Corey Reynolds' son. Being short doesn't hurt him either.

[PJ]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 4:30pm

GYPSY

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 4:40pm

I think Kelly Clarkson as Penny is a great idea!

[Al Dente]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 4:47pm

Now why doesn't that surprise me? And furthermore, what about her performance in her big fat flop leads you to say that? Her "acting" and "emoting" were dreadful. Why would you give her yet another chance to stink up the big screen? It's bad enough that we will inevitably have to endure her on Broadway at some point but PLEASE, don't blow that face up on a movie screen again! The stage is a great deal more forgiving of less than gorgeous ladies.

[Hello Gorgeous]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 5:07pm

Kelly as Penny would be great! Now let's hope she can act better than she did in her movie...

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 5:59pm

FOLLIES and DREAMGIRLS

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 7:56pm

I never thought about that. Sean Patrick Thomas as Seaweed would be perfect! Now, that's an idea I love!

[TheatreNut]

Posted: 8/3/03 at 11:14pm

People, movies are not about plot or acting anymore. It is about names, names, names! If you stick the biggest names in showbusiness in the same film it will gross millions. That's Hollywood. Movies with people who aren't that heard of don't do well at all. I've seen every movie on opening night that has come out in the past year (My once a decade movie kick) and the most terrible things have grossed millions. Let's hope that Broadway doesn't do that. They have been experimenting with "star power" but lets pray for quality on the Great White Way.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 8/4/03 at 12:26am

Sadly, with Ben Brantleys rave about Melanie Griffith, I fear that the last nail was just put in The "great" white ways coffin!