Broadway Legend Joined: 3/27/05
I don't know why anyone felt the need to bring this to the big screen.
no it's a sin to show a Robert Cuccioli on the screen...j/k
oh and you got your information on RENT twisted. they weren't going to cast a white man as 'Tom Collins'.
you're obviously getting confused with the fact that a white actor originally played 'Collins' in the first NYTW production back in 1994.
anyway, since when did age become an issue all of a sudden?
Robert Cuccioli was not the original Jekyll and Hyde. and there's no way Catherine, Nicole, Megan or Kate could sing Lucy's songs...
I actually think Kate Winslet could probably get away with Lucy's songs with studio magic....
I have a feeling Linda Eder would be as about an effective screen star as Sarah Brightman. Maybe they'll give it to Celine instead!
Robert Cuccioli was not the original Jekyll and Hyde. and there's no way Catherine, Nicole, Megan or Kate could sing Lucy's songs...
Robert Cuccioli WAS the original J/H in the Alley Theatre Houston premiere version.
And have you seen Kate Winslet in a musical or Catherine Zeta Jones? They are no Linda Eder, yes but they are extremely talented. I was just listing actors who might be a big enough Hollywood draw.
As crazy as it may sound...I really think that this show could be successful as a movie if done correctly. They need to keep the dark Gothic appeal of the pre-broadway versions and do a good rewrite of the book (cutting out some of the awful dialogue). I think the songs would be appealing enough for a wider audience than just musical theatre fans and the horror-nature (if done well) could also bring in an audience. Also, for a well-known short story as J&H is, there really hasn't been a decent adaptation since the original B&W movie. The other recent one I can think of was the dreadful Julia Roberts movie Mary Reilly.
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/14/04
What about Kate Shindle as Lucy? I could see them casting her. I would really love it if they cast Colleen Sexton.
Heh, I wonder if they are thinking of casting Hasselhoff.
oh and for the record the casting choices i originally posted were a joke. much like this show.
Casting Hasselhoff would definitely doom this project. Am I just imagining this..but I could have sworn that I heard that the only reason the stage version with him was filmed was because he paid for most of it. Is that far from the truth? Someone jog my memory...
Well, if you want to be 100% accurate, the original J&H was Colm Wilkinson . . . but why should we nitpick?
LOL
I thought the original Jekyll/Hyde was Chuck Wagner...even prior to Colm's concept recording...
This move is SO not a good idea. I love J&H, but it is one of the last musicals that should be turned into a film. The show is way too theatrical, and the whole Hyde with no makeup thing would not work in the reality of film.
Enjolras -- you are SO correct with Chuck Wagner being the original. Just read an interview with him and he and Frank went to USC together. It was there that Frank originally conceived the project and wrote a few songs. Chuck recorded those songs at that time and was the first to perform on stage as J&H in 1990. It's kind of interesting that the 1990 concept album was released with Colm, but Chuck was doing a staged version of the show at the same time!
http://www.talkinbroadway.com/regional/seattle/se14.html
Leading Actor Joined: 5/28/03
Although it would be nice to see all of the original cast reprise their roles, I'd settle for Linda Eder only with name stars for other roles. IMO, after seeing her in Camille Claudel, I do think she has the acting chops for the role and noone sings the role better.
Only problem is, Linda Eder still can't act. And no one outside of this message board knows who she is.
You know with all the musicals out there waiting in line for possible cinema immortality (against MANY odds), I'm a little... surprised here?
Someone out there REALLY knows how to selll their wares to the Hollywood green-lighters... and I think his name is Wildhorn.
* hat tip in shock and respect to an extraordinary business man *
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/8/04
I can't wait.
And I don't know - with the right cast and marketing, I think this movie will do very well.
First off, a lot of people know "This is the Moment" - and a lot more don't know where it's from. Not to mention some other songs. With all his connections, I think Wildhorn could get pop stars to release certain songs. OR the marketing team can say, "____ song recorded by _____ artist." (similar to Streisand recording "He Touched Me" from Drat! The Cat! (not that that helped since the critics killed that show)
But on top of everything, you have the name "Jekyll & Hyde." Everyone knows the story of J&H...
I'm excited!
Let the bashing begin...
Christina Aguilera as Lucy?
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
I just hope they pick a good director. It will be easy to turn this into a cheesy campy type musical, but in the right hands it could be really good. I think this will really appeal to the older audiences.
broadway86 -- I thought the same thing. I could believe it if Christina was playing a prostitute. The only thing I don't think I could take is her riffing all over the place -- it would be out of place and I don't think she would be able to control herself.
Sebastian Bach, please!
Broadway Star Joined: 3/18/05
If Phantom of the Opera, a well known, semi-well written musical theatre piece in the same gothic-type, horror-ish type genre, how can Jekyll/Hyde make it?
These songs are not well written, and stupid, and corny, and SO melodramatic, that it will not transfer to film well.
We're killing the movie musical genre.
Never forget: "Jekyll and Hyde: It's Phantom Lite!"
JEKKIES REJOICE!
and worry.
I actually wouldn't mind seeing Hugh Jackman and Catherine Zeta-Jones as J/H and Lucy at all.
Emma, no clue.
But if Anika Noni Rose can do it, so can, say, Kelli O'Hara.
It's all about the director. In the hands of a great director this could be an amazing movie, in the hands of a mediocre director this will be serviceable, in the hands of a bad director this will be aweful.
Look at all the recent movie musicals? Good director=good movie (Chicago), bad director=bad movie (Phantom)!
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