Stage musicals vs. their movie debuts

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 1:44pm

I always have this discussion with my mom, comparing a musical on stage to how it was done when a movie was made of it. I've only been able to experience many classic musicals through their movie reincarnations, but so many movies seem to pale in comparison to the original stage show. The only movies I think I've seen that have surpassed the original show are Sound of Music and Grease. Can anyone else think of movies they felt were better than the show they were based on?

Also, what movies do you think were absolutely dreadful compared to the stage show? I've only experienced lots of Rodgers and Hammerstein through their movies and I kind of disliked South Pacific and really didn't like Carousel, but most people I have talked to says I would like them so much better on stage than these movie adaptations.

Thought it would be a fun topic to discuss. Enjoy!

~Amanda~

[Feodor Sverdlov]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 1:54pm

I prefer the Hollywood versions of:

"Bye Bye Birdie"
"The Sound of Music"
"The Music Man"

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 1:58pm

I think HEDWIG is a much better film than it is a stage show.

And I'm quite partial to the film version of ON A CLEAR DAY... I'm sad that the score was shredded, but I think that the characters were clearer and the ending was more satisfying. (Plus I find the song "Go to Sleep" irresistable).

[ElTico68]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 2:04pm

"West Side Story"... the movie version is much better than the stage play. Some songs were placed in different places where they make more sense, i.e, "Officer Krupke" (sp), "I Feel Pretty" and "Cool". In the stage version they are a little out of place. Also, the "America" in the movie, IMHO, is much better as it incorporates the Shark men (the women are incorporated into Cool in the movie, but not as well).

Updated On: 1/3/05 at 02:04 PM

[pab]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 2:07pm

I am curious to know if any of you saw the original Broadway Versions of some these shows to compare them to the movies. Especially the "Sound of Music" which originally ran on Broadway between 1959 - 1963 and "The Music Man" which originally ran on Broadway between 1957 - 1961.

[pab]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 2:07pm

Film version of "The Wiz" was awful as was the film version of "A Chorus Line" compared to the stage versions.

Updated On: 1/3/05 at 02:07 PM

[Feodor Sverdlov]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 2:13pm

Yes, I saw the original version of each of those musicals. All three of them were good, but I found the film versions better.

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 2:24pm

I prefer the film versions of Chicago, Cabaret, Grease, and The Sound of Music to their stage versions. The most extreme case of this being Cabaret -- a show I despise live, but whose film version is terrific.

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 2:38pm

Pab, I agree that the film version of THE WIZ is terrible in a lot of ways (Diana Ross' ancient Dorothy, Lena Horne's bizarre, over-the-top wailing, the loss of several great songs). But I like it. Tony Walton's production design is stunning, I love the whole New York City as the Emerald City conceit. And Mabel King is insanely good during "Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News."

The movie version of A CHORUS LINE, on the other hand, has nothing reedemable about it.

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 2:40pm

I think I like the stage version of Cabaret a little more. It is just much more honest and deals with more powerful issues. Don't get me wrong, I love the movie, but the revival was just so emotionally powerful.

[maybethistime]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 2:50pm

I like the 1998 version of CABARET, and hate the others before it and the movie.

Even thought they differ, they are also very similar (have some of the same lines), but I like the musical Hairspray better than the film.

I like the original 70's Chicago better than the Film, which I like better than the revival.

Funny Girl Movie > Funny Girl Show

King & I Movie < King and I Show

Evita Movie < Evita Show

Annie Movie (Disney) > Annie Show

Gypsy Movie < Gypsy Show

Victor Victoria Movie > V V Show

Show Boat Movie > Show Boat Show

Flower Drum Movie < Flower Drum Show

Godspell Movie < Godspell Show

My Fair Lady Movie > MFL Show

Sound of Music Movie > Sound of Music Show

Those are the only ones I really remember think, WOW why did they even try...

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 3:32pm

Gotta say that I LOVED Lena Horne in the movie version of the WIZ -- her entire sequence blew away the rest of that film (I remember it getting a standing ovation in the packed movie theatre in Washington DC I saw it in opening weekend -- something I've rarely ever seen at the movies). Aside from her, Ted Ross and Mabel King I hated every single thing about that movie, especially Diana Ross and that overblown production design that swamped what was on stage a charming, intimate, whimsical (low budget)little show. I had a bad feeling when the movie was in production and it was announced that it had a $25 million budget -- astronomical for that time -- and my worst fears were realized. They should have burned all prints of that damn thing and started over again before it was even released.

I've always thought the Cabaret film was a vast improvement over the stage show -- Fosse streamlined the book (he was smart to cut the Frau Kost/Her Schultz scenes which bog the show down) and kept only the songs that could be done in the Kit Kat Klub (plus "Tomorrow Belongs To Me" which worked being performed outside the club).

Hedwig and Chicago both work very well on film, but I still prefer the stage versions.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 3:37pm

amen Margo. Once again, I could not agree more completely on each of your points.

[citylights]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 3:41pm

I saw the stage show of Hedwig first, and I expected that the movie would be fairly simple, just with more characters... I think I like the movie more but that could just be because the stage show I saw was a little amateurish. The actor-audience connection was so strong in the live show, but the movie just...has everything. I'm such a Hedwig fan...

[timote316]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 4:16pm

I find that movies just don't set up the atmosphere stage productions do, obviously. I haven't seen to many musicals and their movie counterparts, but Fiddler and WSS come to mind. While the movies are excellent, you just cannot match the atmosphere.

As I write this, I realize maybe seeing these films on the big screen may aid the atmosphere, but still.

[Phantomerik15]

Posted: 1/3/05 at 5:58pm

The only movie musicals I've seen were Evita and Phantom of the Opera. I never saw Evita on stage but saw POTO 3 times on Broadway. I don't know about Evita but I think that the POTO version on stage was better than the movie.
The movie's direction could have been BETTER and many of the scenes could've been better (ex: Point of No Return, especially and Masquerade) Also, the singers were better on stage (THE PHANTOM, ESPECIALLY! HUGH PANARO...Even though I think Gerry is hotter)
All the special effects on stage were also very good.

[ThePrinceOfHumbug]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 11:12pm

I just got finished watching the movie version of Chicago for the first time (yeah...a little slow on that I know). I thought it was fun and really enjoyed it. Is the stage version something that I would probably enjoy as well.

I'll be in NYC in 109 days (yes, I am counting!) and currently have tikets for RENT, AveQ, Hairspray, SPAMalot, and Chitty, Chitty. I am looking for one more show and am thinking about Chicago now. I have heard that there are differences in the two versions. Anyone who has seen both have a recommendation?

[kangaroo]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 11:17pm

I prefer the Hollywood version of "Sound of Music" "West Side Story" but I do not like their versions of "Annie Get Your Gun" "South Pacific" and "Flower Drum Song" ... I think they are very different. Just some things are better lives and others cannot be done on stage as it can be in the film and with blue screens.

Updated On: 1/7/05 at 11:17 PM

[jo]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 12:04am

There are moments that can only be captured best in films ( such as the sweeping views in SOUND OF MUSIC, the atmosphere of the West End in the 50's in WEST SIDE STORY, the vistas in a developing country like Argentina in EVITA, etc) and they set the setting for the story and character development more appropriately. But movies cannot capture the excitement of a live performance, particularly an extra-ordinary one, that one finds in the theatre. You feel as if you are part of the magic in a stage show - unlike being in the moviehouse where you are really just "one of the people in the dark" ( as Norma Desmond aptly describes movie fans).

I guess my answer is it depends - some I like better on movies as against revivals or originals ( SOUND OF MUSIC, KING AND I, WEST SIDE STORY, EVITA, CHICAGO, GREASE etc) but some stage musicals enthrall me more than the movie versions ( MAN OF LA MANCHA, OKLAHOMA!, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, etc.).

What I really wish for is for more filmization of stage musicals! At least, we may have something to look back to and to keep reliving great musical moments from!

[CastAlbumFan]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 5:59am

Here's some of the worst movie versions I've seen of stage musicals:

MAN OF LA MANCHA
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC
MAME (Absolute AGONY!)
THE WIZ (The ending is a downer)
PAINT YOUR WAGON (But Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood's singing is good for some cheap laughs)
A CHORUS LINE
FINIAN'S RAINBOW

WEST SIDE STORY and THE SOUND OF MUSIC surpassed their stage versions. I'm indifferent about GREASE, BYE BYE BIRDIE and THE MUSIC MAN.

[paradox_error]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 6:17am

I think everyone wishes that more of the stage productions were filmed and publicly released...

Posted: 1/8/05 at 12:37pm

It's so hard to compare the two media! There is something electrifying about sitting in a theatre, knowing that the actors will be creating something live, in front of you-- well I don't have to explain it to this board.

I guess what's amazing is when a movie is able to generate any of that electricity. I think Chicago did an admirable job of preserving what was best about the two stage productions and even fixing a few "problems" with the show.

Mame-- boy what a heartbreaker. It's such a wonderful show to see (No I never saw the original) on stage and there is so much to love about the movie: the title song is an almost perfect movie production number. But all in all....ugh.

Paint Your Wagon really has to be a separate case: The plot is entirely different than the (rarely performed) stage version. It is an entirely different work that shares a musical score. And while the idea of that casting is horrifying, I think it worked. It is however, one time the idea of DUBBING a performers singing voice was absolutely mandatory.

Anyway, I can't really say that these movies were better than the stage versions, but they certainly make enjoyable viewing:

Cabaret, Sound of Music, Brigadoon, West Side Story, King & I, Chicago, Fiddler.....