Best ALW movie?

[knows_too_much]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 10:26am

In general I have to say his shows don't make very good movies, but I'm curios to know what you think was the best. I'd have to say it's either the Norman Jewisaon Jesus Christ Superstar or Evita. If I had to pick one I would say Evita, just becuse I'm a Madonna fan, and I think it is one of the most underrated musical movies of the last 20 years.

[ALWrules]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 11:30am

Don't really like any of the three that have been made, but I guess I'd pick POTO by default.

[Sant]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 11:50am

Well there's only been 3 real movies; JESUS CHIRST SUPERSTAR, EVITA and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. All the others are stage versions filmed in a studio/theatre and went straight on dvd.

But of the movies, EVITA is my favorite.
Updated On: 4/1/06 at 11:50 AM

[Piazzaslight]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 11:50am

As much as I'm a Phantom Phan, I would have to pick EVITA. I don't know why.

[Adelais]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 12:19pm

I'd say probably Evita, but I'm not a huge fan of any of them.

[greencup]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 12:26pm

I'm going to go with JC Superstar. The first time I saw it, I hated it, but I guess it grew on me. One of those, so bad it's good things. Ha

[greeneyed_one]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 12:29pm

Phantom, I actually really enjoyed the movie having never seen the stageshow before hand.

[guitargeek0624]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 3:19pm

I really, really hated the Evita movie. I'd seen the show twice before, and I felt that they really butchered one of my favorite shows of all time.

I actually liked POTO. I think Emmy Rossum is very talented. I'd have to go with that.

[keatonbynumbers]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 3:25pm

I hate the Evita movie a lot. Evita's one of my favorite shows and... eh, I won't even try to rationalize it, I think I'm just a baby.

But I love the Jesus Christ Superstar movie. Mostly just in comparison of Evita and the awful POTO, and also because Ted Neeley is hot... but I swear, somewere deep down inside, it's also a pretty decent movie.

[MyDreamsRecurring]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 3:35pm

haha none of the three movies are really quality
but jesus christ superstar is me and my best friend's "bad movie obsession" so i'll go with that

[knows_too_much]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 4:10pm

I understand that there really only are three "MOVIES." For the sake of discussion I think it's fair to include the straight to DVD movies as "MOVIES," because any filmed version of a show lasts as the visual record of that show whether it's the show filmed or a moive adaptation.

Realy I started this thread, as a jumping off point to discuss the movies rather than to take a poll of what movies people liked. I think it's interesting how badly his shows translate to film, even when it's just the stage show filmed. Whether you love ALW or hate him, seeing one of his shows is never an awful night of theater. In the cases of CATS and POTO, many people(I'm not one) would say that those shows provide the best nights of theater. So why is it that they don't translate to film?

I have my ideas, but it's a topic that I think is at least moderatly worthy of discussion.

[MeGustaJake]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 4:31pm

"Phantom" is my favorite, and I'd argue that both it and "Evita" are good films. However, Emmy Rossum is what really elevated my opinion of the "Phantom" movie. Joel Schumacher's direction, however, left something to be desired.

[Anthony3]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 4:42pm

mine is Phantom. But Gerard Butler was horrible as the Phantom.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 4:49pm

Evita

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 7:45pm

Evita is the best of the worst!

[NYC4Life]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 8:41pm

Not being a ALW fan, i would say Evita is the best.

[ALWrules]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 10:16pm

yeah, didn't really like POTO the movie that much, but loved Rossum.

[Sally]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 12:15pm

Evita

Although many faulted the singing of Madonna, I thought she did a better job than the very young and thin voiced Emmy Rossum and the not-very-good-at-singing-at-all Gerard Butler in the Phantom film.

I had seen both Evita and Phantom on stage before I saw the films, and although neither film was as good as the stage production, in my opinion, the Evita film didn't annoy me, and Phantom did.

---Just not as fond of JCS . Cats put me to sleep.

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 1:55pm

Just caught EVITA through HBO ON DEMAND, and it does not stand up to a repeat viewing. I saw it back when it first came out in the theatres, and I have to say that it is the worst ALW movie. I've seen Madonna live and she's quite the performer (I saw her MUSIC tour), but in the film version of EVITA, Madonna was just plainly awful both in her acting and singing. I hate the fact that ALL of Eva's songs were lowered to accommodate Madonna's extremely limited range. A back to back review of the film soundtrack and the OBC will demonstrate the deficiencies in Madonna's singing. (I also saw the recent tour with Sarah Litzsinger, and she too blows Madonna away).

I liked JCS but it seems a little dated. The vocals there are the best in terms of preserving the actual staged performances on film, but the concept itself was a little weird.

Lots of folks I know would disagree, but I quite loved PHANTOM. I was touched by the intimacy that the film gave the work, as I never was a fan of the stage show's abracadabra elements (though I think Hugh Panaro is no doubt the better of Gerard Butler, who, though he did make me cry at the end of the movie, simply does not have the voice Panaro has). I also liked Emmy Rossum, who sounded right as a developing 16-year old soprano. I was unhappy with the last stage Christine I saw in New York, Julie Hanson, who, IMHO, was subpar.

[elphaba432]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 8:05pm

I thought Phantom was good. Emmy is actaully a good singer, but I give credit to Gerard because it was his first musical movie! :) :)

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 8:08pm

1) Jesus Christ Superstar

2) Joseph... (the DVD release, so this is a "qualified" number 2)

3) Evita

4) Phantom, I guess. zzzzzzzzz

[tabbynyc]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 8:11pm

Phantom was good....Gerard Butler was nice to look at & Emmy was adorable. She has a nice voice. Although the live performances are so much better.

Evita was passable. Again Antonio Banderas was easy to look at & Jonathan Pryce was passable. I was impressed with Madonna, I didn't think she could pull it off, but I thought she was OK.

Jesus Christ Superstar was horrible.

[sanda]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 8:24pm

Jesus Christ Superstar

The best cast out there. You cannot beat it.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 8:41pm

sanda---I agree!

[All_For_Laura]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 8:43pm

Poto movie for me...at least the depiction of the opera house is great!