Failed Movie to Musicals

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 11:59am

Paper Moon
Sayonara
Arthur
Elmer Gantry
East of Eden - 1 perf
Lolita - Closed Out Of Town

Any others you can think of?

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 12:36pm

Assuming you mean failed musicals based on movies (not failed movies), there are way too many of 'em. A few that immediately come to mind:

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S
LA STRADA
HIGH FIDELITY
FOOTLOOSE
URBAN COWBOY

[Jon]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 1:34pm

Saturday Night Fever
Young Frankenstein

Technically, Elmer Gantry, East of Eden, Lolita, High Fidelity and Breakfast at Tiffany's are adapted from novels that were famous on their own, regardless of whether there was a movie. Updated On: 7/26/09 at 01:34 PM

[blaxx]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 2:13pm

I made this list of movies to musicals from the mid 90's (I really think 9 to 5 and Shrek will go to the FLOP list soon):


HITS
THE LION KING
THE FULL MONTY
THE PRODUCERS
HAIRSPRAY
SPAMALOT
MARY POPPINS

FLOPS
HIGH SOCIETY
FOOTLOOSE
SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER
URBAN COWBOY
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS
CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG
THE WEDDING SINGER
TARZAN
GREY GARDENS
HIGH FIDELITY
LEGALLY BLONDE
XANADU
CRY-BABY
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
THE LITTLE MERMAID

Updated On: 7/26/09 at 02:13 PM

[bjh2114]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 2:26pm

I wouldn't consider Grey Gardens a movie musical. Yes, Act II was based on the documentary, but it was more based on the two women's lives than the film itself.

[blaxx]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 2:35pm

Still, the source was the documentary. It belongs on the list.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 3:01pm

this is my version of blaxx's "flop" list

FLOPS
FOOTLOOSE
SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER
URBAN COWBOY
CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG
TARZAN
HIGH FIDELITY
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

Updated On: 5/10/12 at 03:01 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 3:11pm

Millie didn't make back it's investment. That's the definition of a flop.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 3:13pm

Going back farther, Ballroom!

[saveusmike]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 3:16pm

I cant believe it. No one mentioned Carrie yet?

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 3:16pm

if we're talking about money, then sure, MILLIE flopped, but in the area is fans, or people wanting to see the show... I think it did fine

P.S. My question WAS RETORICAL

[blaxx]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 3:46pm

I cant believe it. No one mentioned Carrie yet?

I think it borrows equally from the novel and the movie, so may not qualify for this.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 3:57pm

'if we're talking about money, then sure, MILLIE flopped, but in the area is fans, or people wanting to see the show... I think it did fine'

Everyone has a different definition of flop. Technically, a flop is a show that has not recouped its initial investment. But some shows that were financial flops were not flops in terms of audience acclaim. Xanadu is one example I can think of. Audiences loved it. Even so, it wasn't pulling in enough money to stay open.

By the way, it is RHETORICAL.

[brandontwin2]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 4:24pm

Legally Blonde at least seems to be having a decent tour life.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 4:38pm

If we're talking about money, then sure, MILLIE flopped, but in the area is fans, or people wanting to see the show... I think it did fine.

By that logic you'd have to say that every show is a hit since every show has it's fans. There are some brilliant artistically satisfying works that have played on Broadway that I'd love to call a hit in terms of artistic success, but at the end of the day it's all about money.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 4:44pm

Most definitely Carrie

[Smaxie]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 4:56pm

A few more...

Hazel Flagg
Carnival in Flanders
Georgy
The Baker's Wife
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Meet Me in St. Louis
Singin' in the Rain
Ballroom
Illya Darling
Nick and Nora
Henry, Sweet Henry
Eating Raoul
Carmelina
The Fields of Ambrosia
Here's Love
King of Hearts
High Society
Cry-Baby
The Goodbye Girl
Smile
State Fair
Dance of the Vampires
Woman of the Year
Victor/Victoria
Passion

Updated On: 7/26/09 at 04:56 PM

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 5:05pm

Speaking of Throughly Modern Millie...

I'm still greatly disappointed it beat out Urinetown (which I found to be original and highly entertaining) for a Tony for best musical...

But now to hear on top of all that it was a financial flop... ouch.

Does anyone know if Urinetown was a flop or a hit?

[Smaxie]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 5:06pm

Urinetown made a profit on Broadway.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 5:07pm

Good!

Thanks

[Byron Abens]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 5:35pm

In terms of flops and hits I prefer to go based more on the criteria Ken Mandelbaum used in determining what shows he would cover in "Not Since Carrie." I don't have the book with me, but I remember at least some of the aspects he also looked at were critical reception, audience reception, the length of the run, and the show's life after Broadway on the road, amongst regional, educational, and community theatres.

To often we hear complaints about the crass commercialization of Broadway, but then we only use the term hit if something makes back its initial investment and apply the term flop to everything else, thus classifying Broadway only by its most commercial aspect.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 6:08pm

Here is a 2 way one

Grand Hotel became At The Grand which closed out of town. It was than resurrected by Tommie Tune & it made it

A full blown one Gone With the Wind

[Jon]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 6:12pm

Has no one mentioned Light in the Piazza?

[blaxx]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 6:17pm

It was non for profit, it doesn't count.

[blaxx]

Posted: 7/26/09 at 6:20pm

To often we hear complaints about the crass commercialization of Broadway, but then we only use the term hit if something makes back its initial investment and apply the term flop to everything else, thus classifying Broadway only by its most commercial aspect.

It makes perfect sense to me, as it is the only objective way to determine the success of a specific production.

Everything else is up for debate, but there's no in between with people investing a certain amount of money and the show making this money back or not.

Some people take it personally when their favorite show is labeled a "flop", but this has nothing to do with the quality of the production or the show itself, it just means that the specific production didn't make it financially.

I'd say a lot of the best shows I've seen Broadway have been flops.

Updated On: 7/26/09 at 06:20 PM