Do You Want a FAITHFUL Movie Adaptation or Not?- Page 3

[sondhead]

Posted: 8/11/07 at 12:52pm

"I don't start out watching a film adaptation by saying, "OH! They cut that, or they changed this!" Who the hell cares? Go see the play, if that's what you're looking for.

But if they "cut that and change this," and it lessens the impact or kills the story, then I'm not happy. But I "allow" it to be different in a different medium, as an audience member."

Word.

Can't you enjoy "Class" from Chicago but accept why it would have been awkward in the movie and be glad that they made that movie as good as it can be? If you want the stage version, you should probably just go see the stage version.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 8/11/07 at 12:59pm

My favorite Chicago song is "My Own Best Friend" and that was cut. Ohh well.

RENT sucked because of A) The cast B) Chris Columbus C) Already a rather thin plot D) Stupid additions that made thin plot even worse and more full of holes. That's basically the same reasons as Phantom, only substitute Chris Columbus with Joel Schumacher. Or maybe we could just change that to "Incompetant director."

Interestingly enough, both RENT and Phantom had directors that insisted on changing the film's time period to one that made no sense in terms of the story. Interesting...

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 8/11/07 at 1:04pm

P.S. Didn't they film CLASS? It's on the DVD cut scenes, no?

[Rymes_With_Witch]

Posted: 8/11/07 at 1:55pm

I've thought about why I didn't love the RENT movie for a long time, and could never really pin it down. But now I think I know...although RENT is one of my favorite musicals, it just had no business being a movie. I don't know if any director could have saved it. It has so much more impact as a live stage show, in my opinion...its not really movie material.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 8/11/07 at 1:56pm

"Class" was filmed, but realized that it a) stopped the movie abruptly during those three minutes (the song works so much better on stage) and b) did not work with the style the movie was made. Every time a musical number happened it was supposed to be in Roxie's mind. But during "Class", Roxie was nowhere to be found.

[me2]

Posted: 8/11/07 at 2:05pm

I like it to be faithful to the stage show BUT it also needs to be palatable to audiences in a movie. For example, the part in PRODUCERS where Nathan Lane re-tells all that happened in the song while locked up was very stage-y. It didn't work in a movie and should have gone (or been adapted).


Broadway Blog: Merle Dandridge and (look down) Miss Saigon 16 Years Later

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/11/07 at 2:11pm

When you gut a score like A Funny Thing or cut the music entirely like Irma La Douce, you make it a bad musical. Likewise when you replace the original cast with Hollywood stars for drawing power & the stars stinbk, you have made a bad musical

Finally, when you remove songs from the score & replace them with weaker ones (much like is done on Broadway many times) you make a bad musical

The ultimate blunder in The producers was removing King Of Broadway. Not only was it entertaining, it explained Max in a nutshell. I saw the deleted song & not only did the cut it from the movie they also cut the song itself. I disagree re removing Betrayed as it was a high point in both the show & movie

Updated On: 8/11/07 at 02:11 PM

[amoni]

Posted: 8/11/07 at 2:17pm

"Well, yeah, although except for Grease, all those musicals you mentined were made prior to 1965. The line is that modern audiences won't accept spontaneous breaking out into song."

And it's an untrue statement, so what's your point? I can name ten modern full blown sung musicals that were hits and just next week "Hairspray" will gross $100 million domestically alone as did "Chicago" and "Dreamgirls" and "High School Musical 2" is expected to be a ratings blockbuster. My point is audiences WILL accept "spontaneous breaking out into song", if it's a good crowd pleasing project.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/11/07 at 2:24pm

Roxy---I have to ask you... What does "The King of Broadway" number say about Max that isn't already apparent in the first 15 minutes of the film?

I like the song, but was it "needed?" No. If you think it was, please tell me why.

I like The Producers movie, actually. But it was far too stagy for most people. I guess you can't get away with "stagy" on film unless you're wearing a big green furry suit and trying to steal Christmas away from the kiddies.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/11/07 at 3:00pm

I thought it was one of the better numbers

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 8/11/07 at 3:11pm

"Betrayed" was probably the stagiest number in the film.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/11/07 at 7:18pm

If you look at the movie & than the deleted number, you will see King Of Broadway would have come in the first few minutes. If it was unnecessary, why was it even in the show?

We will agree to disagree

Updated On: 8/11/07 at 07:18 PM

[YankeeMate]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 4:24am

Every genre of film has its good and bad entries. Because film musicals are so rarely made today, their failures are more obvious but so are the successes. Sometimes direction, plot or interpretation can take the blame but even if it's an award worthy pic and still flops, that doesn't mean movie musicals don't work. Sometimes audiences just don't show. And just because a movie is a success doesn't mean its deserved. Think Jackass 1 & 2. The movie biz is a crap shoot. To me, every musical should be filmed. Love 'em all! Even *cringe* Rent.