Best ALW movie?

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.

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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

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

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

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.

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.

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

Evita is the best of the worst!

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

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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.

1) Jesus Christ Superstar

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

3) Evita

4) Phantom, I guess. zzzzzzzzz

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Jesus Christ Superstar

The best cast out there. You cannot beat it.

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

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