"I hate Broadway. I think it is the very incarnation of tackiness" - film director — Page 2

I like Amelie and I like the idea of it as a musical. He has issues then he can piss off.

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I just saw this movie the other day and while I loved the movie, I can't see it working on stage.

So much of what made the movie great was the cinematic quality of it all: the close ups, the little effects here and there, the seamless pace. Also the on location shooting in Paris and the score.

That's not to say it wouldn't work, if they have some inventive ways to substitute the film effects for theatrical ones. It couldn't be a relatively direct adaption, they would have to modify it considerably for the new medium.

Well...maybe when this Broadway stuff realizes that it is a flash in the pan and won't last more than...100 PLUS years?

I think Amelie is a good candidate for adaptation; it's not one of those films like Shrek where you can just plug some songs into the unchanged source and dump the thing on the stage. It would require real adaptation.

Of course, they might, sadly, just try to plug some songs into the unchanged source and dump the thing on the stage anyway...

"I'd say 99% of the people here would call French musicals "tacky" or worse (and already have). "

I know I have (still got Notre Dame de Paris and Starmania on my iPod though).

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*Throws Alien Resurrection the Musical on Ice script out of the window*

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Looks like it will be produced at Berkeley Rep this summer:
http://www.broadwayworld.com/san-francisco/article/World-Premiere-of-AMELIE-and-More-Set-for-Berkeley-Reps-2015-16-Season-20150309

Interesting! I've never seen the movie, but I always love it when Berkeley Rep does big new things like this. Looking forward to seeing it this summer!

For many people who haven't had much experience or knowledge of Broadway, what they probably imagine when they think of Broadway or musicals in general is a stereotypical, bloated, over-the-top, free from subtlety medium. Broadway and musicals have had this perception problem since it was no longer one of the driving forces of the mainstream culture some time in the mid-20th century. It's not like what's popular right now does much to dispel this idea. And tourists of all kinds love the tacky ones or at least the biggest ones. Some times, it's one level away from being a Las Vegas stage show.

Also, musical theatre isn't as accessible or as big of a part in people's lives as film is (although you hear a lot of generalizations about genres whether it be high-brow or super hero). I wonder if he dislikes French, German, and other European musical theatre as well. Those could also be seen as tacky.

Even though we know better and understand just how diverse the musical theatre form is, most people, other than this niche audience, don't understand that.

Updated On: 3/10/15 at 06:50 PM

Amelie. That's the movie about that disturbingly obsessive stalker, right?

Agree w u Besty.

A friend of mine tried to convince me I was Amelie - sitting on the side, getting everyone else's life in order. I was furious, the invasions of peoples lives she engineers ( yes I get that's 1/2 the story) to get them to what SHE believes is best for them. That cashier looked real happy huh?
So, agreeing w u SNAFU.

As an "artist" I find the Jeunet's broad generalization a bit self serving. Sure I could see how it's the type of film that might not trasnlsate to BW without a major transformation into something else, but who's to say it wouldn't be entertaining in it's own right?

Amelie is actually a creepy movie with some strange undertones, so I still think it would be a stretch to make it a musical.

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Those aren't the lyrics to "Into the Woods."

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