Musicals that DIDN'T lose their magic on film — Page 3

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#51

re: Musicals that DIDN'T lose their magic on film

Posted: 3/6/05 at 9:38pm

Well Into the Woods was just the taped version of the stage show, we're talking about stage to film.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Annie Get Your Gun, Betty Hutton is so awesome in it! And not to mention Howard Keel!!
As for South Pacific, I also agreed with the stupid color filter. They just loved to play with Technicolor back then whenever they got the chance.
I love the stage version of Cabaret better than the movie. The movie just doesn't appeal to me they way stage version does. The only thing I really love about that movie is Joel Grey.

"Have a child for warmth and a baker for bread and a prince for... whatever!"

#52

re: Musicals that DIDN'T lose their magic on film

Posted: 3/7/05 at 4:03am

I liked Cinderella but wasn't too fond of the name pop stars, Whitney and Brandy, performing. Plus, they mixed in some songs from other shows which threw me out of the flick. Especially when Benadette broke into "Falling In Love With Love" all I could picture was Andy Williams and now they're forever linked in my psyche. Same with "The Sweetest Sounds." I couldn't get past Richard and Diahann's version. Tho both songs fit well in the film, I identify them with other shows and performers.

Brandy played Cinderella too modern. There was too much streetwise in her acting to convince me Cindrella was a sheltered innocent. Whitney, of course, was the flailing armed diva with an attitude. Neither convinced me their characters were rooted in fairytale land.

Bette's Gypsy is probably the best answer I can give but with a footnote that I haven't seen a staged version of it yet. Same with Hair and Grease but I didn't like the movies so they didn't make me want to see them in theatre.

#53

re: Musicals that DIDN'T lose their magic on film

Posted: 3/7/05 at 4:26am

I'm not very sure. I don't think there has ever been a perfect adaptation. Sorry. I thought Little Shop of Horrors was the worst. They completely massacred the point of the whole exercise. How can Seymour, murdering victims for the plant's indulgement, wind up with Audrey and a happy ending? It's perverted

Who can explain it, who can tell you why? Fools give you reasons, wise men never try -South Pacific

#54

re: Musicals that DIDN'T lose their magic on film

Posted: 3/7/05 at 11:09pm

MY FAIR LADY *bows before awesomeness of Lerner and Loewe*
Most Rodgers and Hemmerstein stuff
The Music Man
I guess pretty much the old stuff didn't lose the magic, mainly because they kept a lot of the same stars and the authors had a bigger say in the making of the film then they do now.

#55

re: Musicals that DIDN'T lose their magic on film

Posted: 3/8/05 at 12:13am

CALL ME MADAM - Great film and in many ways it improves upon the stage script. Also it's the only chance to see Merman in a musical comedy role the way she played it on Broadway

OKLAHOMA! - Fairly faithful and quite well sung

KING AND I - beautifully acted though not quite as faithful as OKLAHOMA!

LI'L ABNER - fairly faithful and fun film of the stage hit

WEST SIDE STORY - film is dated now but those techniques were cutting edge at the time.

SOUND OF MUSIC - better than the stage show, and the wonderful scenery counts for much. (though I miss "How Can Love Survive" and "No Way to Stop it.")

1776 - Excellent film adaptation, esp in the new restored version on DVD

GREASE - loses the small town atmosphere of the show (as well as what little authentic 1950s period sound there was) but gains in the performances and sheer fun

EVITA - about as good a film as could have been made of the show

CHICAGO - good film version (although nothing quite matches the stage original)

Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com

#56

re: Musicals that DIDN'T lose their magic on film

Posted: 3/8/05 at 5:38pm

The Music Man is incredibly faithful to the original stage version. With the exception of "Being In Love" replacing "My White Knight," I believe ALL the songs from the stage show made it to the screen intact. In an unusual move, Morton Da Costa was asked to direct the film after helming the stage production, and of course, the wonderful Robert Preston's portrayal of Harold Hill is preserved on film forever!

"Word of advice: Be who you are, wear what you want---just learn how to run real fast." Marc, UGLY BETTY

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