Botched Film Musicals — Page 2

The Midler GYPSY is every note of Jule's score, every word of Steve's lyrics and EVERY line from Arthur's book. It IS a replica and was meant to be which is why no screenwriter is credited. It pretty much defines "faithful" and may be the only film version so similar to its stage counterpart. The DVD version includes the Overture at the start as well making it absolutely comprehensive.

P

ETA: Ok, NEARLY every note! I knew this post would bring out all the obsessive GYPSY queens! Carry on, ladies, I'm one of you too but I need to renew my membership card I guess!

Updated On: 11/15/09 at 05:47 PM

Can you elaborate a bit more on this :)?

My dislike of the TV version comes more from the performances than the direction. I thought Bette Midler's Rose was way over the top. She played it as if she were playing to the last row of the balcony of the St. James or the Schubert. Her portrayal was just too exaggerated and too big for the small screen. Now if she were playing it on stage it probably would've been perfect.

Peter Reigert's Herbie was awful IMO. His delivery of some of his lines was cringe worthy. Cynthia Gibb was serviceable as Louise, but overall her performance was nothing special.

---

Updated On: 11/15/09 at 06:01 PM

I think that, problems notwithstanding, the Midler GYPSY is enjoyable and I would never put it on my list of botched musicals. Like Eric, I also think that A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC has a lot going for it; obviously, it's not the ideal film adaptation of the show - there are parts that just don't work and sometimes Prince's direction really doesn't cut it - but I don't think it's as bad as it's reputation would have you believe.

As to ON A CLEAR DAY being ripe for revival... well, I just think it's ultimately a mediocre musical with a few nice tunes and the big truth that the lyrics reveal to us is than Alan Jay Lerner was the Tim Rice of his day. (That sounds a bit harsh, I guess. There are things that I like about the show, but I don't feel it ever got to grips with what it was trying to achieve. And I think Lerner gets very lazy with the lyrics in certain parts of this show. Some of the cuts and changes we've seen in the years that followed the show's opening - the verse to "Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here!", for instance - are a testimony to that. I guess I'd say if ever a show was ripe for a "revisal", a type of production of which I'm traditionally not in favour - especially when the original authors aren't around to do the tweaking themselves, this would be it.)

---

"Mr. Roxy, thank you for mentioning JCSS. If there is a bigger disaster of a musical film it is, in my opinion, that one. They tried so hard to make it hip and "look how cool everybody, it's a ROCK OPERA!" and it completely overpowers the score for me. So many incongruous visuals and horrific choreography - it's just a badly made film and I can't watch it. An abomination I tells ya!! "

I know many agree but I LOVE the movie. I think it suits the score--and let's keep in mind the visuals are far less overpowering and out there than the O'Horgan Broadway original that came before. If anything it made the movie look tame.

I HATE both of the JCS movies. The 70's one due to 95% of the cast couldn't sing a frickin' note. And the 2000 one because.....well....do I even need to go into why it was bad?

---

I love the JCSS film. It's surreal and Neely, Elliman and Anderson's performances are pretty definitive of the piece.

"Camelot." Nearly broke my heart, it was so bad. And I loved the play and the Broadway cast album so much.

I wouldn't even see the "Phantom" movie after I heard they were getting a young hot guy who wasn't much of a singer. Talk about unclear on the concept!!

"I wouldn't even see the "Phantom" movie after I heard they were getting a young hot guy who wasn't much of a singer. Talk about unclear on the concept!!"

Yet I'd rather hear him sing than hear Crawford "sing" any day! Oy.

"I know many agree but I LOVE the movie. I think it suits the score--and let's keep in mind the visuals are far less overpowering and out there than the O'Horgan Broadway original that came before. If anything it made the movie look tame."

Though "King Herod's Song" is so friggin bizarre.

---

I'm surprised no one has bothered to mention the 1995 film version of THE FANTASTICKS.