Cases where the Film was better than the Musical.- Page 5

[N2N Nate.]

Posted: 8/1/13 at 7:42pm

Are any of you comfortable saying the PIPPIN revival is better than the original show? A bit off topic but I think it's an interesting question.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 8/1/13 at 7:58pm

"I just read an article about this the other day. With the upcoming film "Saving Mr. Banks" I am sure it will come up in other articles. It seems Ms. Travers detested the animation sequence. Her estate was very particular about what aspects of the movie would be aloud in the stage adaption of her novels."

That's so interesting. I had no idea. I wonder why... Well that would explain the reason why there was no animation for Mary Poppins on stage. Thanks for the info.

That still does not excuse the creepy statues that came to life - there had to be other better options.

[Coggit]

Posted: 8/1/13 at 8:04pm

West Side Story.

Seen it on stage twice with 2 different casts. Both times I actually wanted to sleep. I adore the movie though.

[justincharacter]

Posted: 8/1/13 at 8:04pm

@N2N So? Calculate the years when the original Spider Man movie(s), came out and when the remake(s) came out. The second remake is completed

[N2N Nate.]

Posted: 8/1/13 at 8:29pm

You are comparing apples to oranges. A remake of the phantom musical seems highly unneeded. What do you suggest to make this film different from the 04 film? What exactly warrants this remake? Yes the film has its flaws but it's a very faithful adaption of the stage musical.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/1/13 at 9:23pm

Faithful, yes. Just completely poorly done.

I don't think we need (or will see) another Phantom movie anytime in the next several decades, if ever.

The only reason the first one was made was because Webber put up a lot of the financing himself. Warner Bros. wouldn't have made it otherwise.

[jnb9872]

Posted: 8/1/13 at 10:39pm

Not to feed into studio parlance (as I happen to think it's kind of ridiculous what they've done with SPIDER-MAN but I at least understand why), but they didn't "remake" SPIDER-MAN. They "rebooted" it. It's a properly ridiculous difference but, coming from the world of comic books (where such rebooting starting over happens all the time and is accepted as part of the artistic tradition) it's somewhat forgivable.

The audience to see a rebooted SPIDER-MAN, one that would accept the ridiculousness of launching a new franchise within mere years after the last franchise, is the audience that accepts new SUPERMANs, new STAR TREKs, new massive $$$-attractive big-budget worldwide phenomena at the box office franchises.

PHANTOM may be a big fish on Broadway, but it's a little pond compared to Hollywood.

[thirtythirtyninety]

Posted: 8/2/13 at 9:22am

Definitely MARY POPPINS, although I thought the stage version was pretty good. Been watching the film on a near-endless loop with my kids for the last couple of weeks, and I never tire of it. One of my all-time favorite films.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 8/2/13 at 10:13am

Mary Poppins isn't better than the film but its not really a straight adaptation of the film, its more of a composition of the books and the film, I believe Cameron Mackintosh managed to get the rights to do a stage version by telling Travers its wouldn't be a direct adaptation of the film although he would need the songs from the film.

I would say the film version of Oliver is better than the stage version although the recent revivals have been influenced by the film.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 8/2/13 at 11:06am

I think that Bergman's film of SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT is much better than the musical made from it.

[bronxgal]

Posted: 8/3/13 at 6:59pm

grease - cheap production maybe like a middle school musical
annie - i can't live without dumb dog and lets go to the movies
lion king - the broadway is very dark to me

mary poppins....hmm...i like the differences.
i loved legally blonde

[Comden Green]

Posted: 8/3/13 at 10:04pm

A little more on Dolly. I am a little embarrassed to say that I have loved it from day one. I was a little gay usher boy when it came out. I was thrilled, thrilled to be working in that movie theatre. (Where The Sound of Music had run for almost three years.) Dolly was a big deal. Only one show a day. Intermission. Reserved seat tickets. I actually walked people to their seats in my little red jacket. The entire first week of the show was for special groups only. charities bought the theater as a fund raiser. the mayor was there.

I watched the damn thing every night. never got tired of it. (You may have noticed that I fell in love with Barnaby.) even at that age, though I did have to suspend disbelief at the fact that dolly is falling in love with walter matheau. ick.

interesting to remember the jokes in the film that just brought the house down then. "Don't forget to put the cover on the sheep dip!" they roared.

Watched it all again recently, these many years later. I still love it. they always said that babs was too young to play the part. who cares? song after song was perfect. love is only love. so long dearie, just leave everything to me. before the parade...

the scene in the hat shop. huh larious! farce at its best.

oh, there's long legged tommy tune. incredible dancing of danny lockin. ahhhh I can't stop.

sorry. i'll compose myself. (And even though this gay boy got married, I've got me some kids who know - and even love - showtunes. my older daughter also loves hello dolly.)

there. done.

[Playbilly]

Posted: 8/4/13 at 1:17pm

This is always an odd question to me because of the inherent differences in the art forms. A film is locked in time, a theater production ( and, too, individual performances ) are not. It also depends on presentation. You could go see a production of a stage production on a bad night, and say the film was "better". Or, your first experience of a film could be on a small TV watching a DVD, and say the stage version was better. Both instances are dependent on how the piece is presented.

It's all apples and oranges, even from the same material. When I compare a film and theater versions, I try to look at it in terms of adaptation and interpretation of the text. Just, my way of trying to level things out. I've yet to see a Cabaret as good as the film, but can't imagine a better version of Gypsy better than the recent revival.

[louisamayfoster]

Posted: 8/5/13 at 1:26am

I enjoyed your reminiscing Comden Green. :)