What do you think? What are your favourites and which ones do you think should never have been made??

I get kind of annoyed when they make films out of musicals because they basically rewrite the story. If Hollywood would just stick to the orginal script, it would be great.  I think the best ones are the ones that are filmed in the theatre. My favorite is Les Mis in Concert. If you haven't seen this, I HIGHLY recommend it.




Cat

In a way, I agree with Cat, in the sense that when translated into film, the production cease to have the "pull" that draws you intrinsically into it.
In theatres, it makes you feel like you are somehow in the story with the characters.
In spirit, you fell as if YOU are there.

On screen, however, it becomes just another show.

On the other hand, however, on screen, you get a slightly more 3-dimensional world, as opposed to "the Box feeling" that some people have, when they see a live theatrical production.

That being said, give me grease paint any day!

On the other hand if it gives someone the taste for going to see a live production because they enjoyed the film so much......

I do agree with Cat though, if they have felt the need to rewrite then what is the point!

My favourite is Love's Labour's Lost, which was just a play, when Kenneth Brannagh turned it into a movie musical.  Shame it was a box office bomb :(

Chicago was good, but I've never seen the stage show, so I can't compare

Another good film version is Joesph and the Technocolor Dreamcoat-with Donny Osmond (watched it again last night  ;) ) I'm not a Donny Osmond fan by any means but he did an OUTSTANDING job in this film (not to mention that he was pretty buff and had his shirt off during most of it  ;) ) Maria Friedman (the Narrator) was just INCREDABLE!!! Another film that I HIGHLY recommend. I think part of the reason why this was very good film was the fact that it was produced by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber himself. He wasn't about to rewrite it.



Cat

Another good film version is Joesph and the Technocolor Dreamcoat-with Donny Osmond (watched it again last night  ;) ) I'm not a Donny Osmond fan by any means but he did an OUTSTANDING job in this film (not to mention that he was pretty buff and had his shirt off during most of it  ;) ) Maria Friedman (the Narrator) was just INCREDABLE!!! Another film that I HIGHLY recommend. I think part of the reason why this was very good film was the fact that it was produced by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber himself. He wasn't about to rewrite it.



Cat
Oh my god agreed!! I went to a show at the local theatre called 'Singalong a Joseph' (they do ones for the sound of music, rocky horror and more too) It was fantastic. You get a goody bag when you arrive and people dress up as characters from the movie. They show it on a big screen with the words at the bottom and you just sing along ! They teach you mad dances to go with the songs and you have various props in your bag that you can use as well. I came out completely hoarse. I just remember at the start where you seee the top of Donny's haed through the smoke we had to scream 'Sing Donny, Sing!' There was a competition for the best costume. I recall there was a hen night there who were all in cow print and had gone as the 7 fat cows. ;D

Oh my god agreed!! I went to a show at the local theatre called 'Singalong a Joseph' (they do ones for the sound of music, rocky horror and more too) It was fantastic. You get a goody bag when you arrive and people dress up as characters from the movie. They show it on a big screen with the words at the bottom and you just sing along ! They teach you mad dances to go with the songs and you have various props in your bag that you can use as well. I came out completely hoarse. I just remember at the start where you seee the top of Donny's haed through the smoke we had to scream 'Sing Donny, Sing!' There was a competition for the best costume. I recall there was a hen night there who were all in cow print and had gone as the 7 fat cows. ;D



It sounds like they are turning Joseph into RHPS.  :D ;D ;D  Sounds like a lot of fun.




Cat

My sophomore year in HS, Skyfire did "Joseph", I was cast as Jacob, and the brother called Dan.

It was a fun show, but I was upset about one thing. Apparently the majority of female members in our group threatened to quit, if I was cast in any of the 3 roles I was gunning for:

Joseph
Potiphar
Pharaoh

My sophomore year in HS, Skyfire did "Joseph", I was cast as Jacob, and the brother called Dan.

It was a fun show, but I was upset about one thing. Apparently the majority of female members in our group threatened to quit, if I was cast in any of the 3 roles I was gunning for:

Joseph
Potiphar
Pharaoh




Why was that?



Cat

Why was that?

Cat


It seems that all the girls back then thought I was some sex-crazed, touchy-feely type of madman.
If there was a chance of me getting a role where there was even a REMOTE chance I had to touch someone (Heaven forbid!), they were all quitting.

I never saw it. True, I had a crush or two, but I was NEVER that bad!

It seems that all the girls back then thought I was some sex-crazed, touchy-feely type of madman.
If there was a chance of me getting a role where there was even a REMOTE chance I had to touch someone (Heaven forbid!), they were all quitting.

I never saw it. True, I had a crush or two, but I was NEVER that bad!



Sure, sure. We believe ya.  ;)




Cat

I loved Chicago, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger.  I have both DVDs (regular edition and the Razzle Dazzle edition) and I saw it in the theatres about 5 times before then.  My sister's vote is for Rent.  She has the DVD and watches it endlessly.

I'm one of the few who thought "Amadeus" was the pits. Overlong and not as raucous or funny as the play. Maybe that where it should have stayed. I also thought the movie "Grease" was overrated, only for my disdain for Travolta and Newton-John at that point. I saw the musical play after that and found it superior to the movie, with none of the hokey songs like "Hopelessly Devoted To You".

I enjoyed "Little Shop Of Horrors".
Rick Moranis was almost PERFECT as Seymour.

However, "Tommy"....that was ABYSMAL!

The only casting ideas I agreed with were:

Tina Turner- The Acid Queen
Robert Powell- Capt. Walker
The Who- The Preacher's Flock (the origianl character was "The Hawker")

I like the film of West Side Story.  And I like Little Shop too.  (I've seen both of these live too and think the film versions work).

I tend to watch the movie Grease when it's on....but I much preferred the live version of that and it's soundtrack to the movie (yeah, I hate when they write a new song just to have a pop hit in a musical movie).

The Phantom movie too, I like it.  It's not exactly like the play, but you actually can understand more of the story ... I think they did a good job with that one.

One of my all-time favorite movies is 1776. Carlos (who is not big on musicals) loves this one, too. If you haven't seen this one-I highly recommend it-BUT see the DVD (director's cut) of it. The song "Cool, Cool, Conciderate Men" was taken out of the theatrical release thanks to none other than Richard Nixon. That part of the film was supposed to have been destroyed but it wasn't. The director's cut put back that song along with about 30 minutes of footage (a line here, a line there, etc.) that was originally cut.




Cat

There was a little-known musical called "Cotton Patch Gospel", written by the late Harry Chapin.

I believe there is a film on this, isn't there?

There was a little-known musical called "Cotton Patch Gospel", written by the late Harry Chapin.

I believe there is a film on this, isn't there?



I have never heard of it (shocker, a musical I have never heard of.  :o ). And I LOVE Harry Chapin.



Cat

If you go to Sacramento's Broadway Academy, you'll find that "Cotton Patch Gospel" is performed there, on a fairly regular basis.

And if you DO go there, please say "Hello" to the head man, Dave MacDonald, for me.

Fiddler On The Roof is one of my favorites. I love Topol and his conversations with God, & his interaction with his entire family & his daughters suitors. I've never seen a stage production but surely would if I had the chance. His classic song *If I Were A Rich Man* is a gem and now playing in my head  :)

Fiddler On The Roof is one of my favorites. I love Topol and his conversations with God, & his interaction with his entire family & his daughters suitors. I've never seen a stage production but surely would if I had the chance. His classic song *If I Were A Rich Man* is a gem and now playing in my head  :)


Oy Vey!  Of course -- Fiddler on the Roof!  Excellent!

Topol's version of Reb Tevye is certainly more well-known than Zero Mostel's.

Quick Trivia Note- For those who are familiar with actor/game show host Bert Convy, "Fiddler" was his first actual production, and what appears to be the springboard for his career (what there has been of it).

Oy Vey!  Of course -- Fiddler on the Roof!  Excellent!
thanks CeeKay, I've got an old VHS of it.

*South Pacific* has an good film version with My Favorite Martians Ray Walston and I recall this is probably the only musical I've been in. I was a sailor and we sang and did choreography to *There Ain't Nothing Like A Dame*  a fun song and a rarity to get me on stage.


Topol's version of Reb Tevye is certainly more well-known than Zero Mostel's.

Quick Trivia Note- For those who are familiar with actor/game show host Bert Convy, "Fiddler" was his first actual production, and what appears to be the springboard for his career (what there has been of it).
Bert Convy was in Fiddler? I know the guy who played Starsky was in it.

Bert Convy was in Fiddler? I know the guy who played Starsky was in it.


Be3rt Convy was in the stage version. David Soul was in the film version.

Be3rt Convy was in the stage version. David Soul was in the film version.
Unfortunately, I've not seen any stage version  :( but I thought David Soul was the blond guy in Starsky & Hutch & The shorter dark haired detective was the one in the film version that is into revolution. No matter, it's good stuff Hawk.

Unfortunately, I've not seen any stage version  :( but I thought David Soul was the blond guy in Starsky & Hutch & The shorter dark haired detective was the one in the film version that is into revolution. No matter, it's good stuff Hawk.


The dark-haired one is Paul Michael Glaser.

I know his name, because he directed one of my favorite '80s flicks-
"Band Of the Hand".

The stage version of "Fiddler" originally had Zero Mostel (of "The Producers" fame- the Mel Brooks film w/Gene Wilder), starring as Tevye. He was funny, but I didn't care for his singing voice.

I understand his son, Josh Mostel, is breaking into acting, also.

The dark-haired one is Paul Michael Glaser.

I know his name, because he directed one of my favorite '80s flicks-
"Band Of the Hand".

The stage version of "Fiddler" originally had Zero Mostel (of "The Producers" fame- the Mel Brooks film w/Gene Wilder), starring as Tevye. He was funny, but I didn't care for his singing voice.

I understand his son, Josh Mostel, is breaking into acting, also.
thanks, thats his name.

The dark-haired one is Paul Michael Glaser.

I know his name, because he directed one of my favorite '80s flicks-
"Band Of the Hand".

The stage version of "Fiddler" originally had Zero Mostel (of "The Producers" fame- the Mel Brooks film w/Gene Wilder), starring as Tevye. He was funny, but I didn't care for his singing voice.

I understand his son, Josh Mostel, is breaking into acting, also.



It was Paul Michael Glaser who played Perchick in the move.  I have a DVD of Lost Broadway Treasure and it has Zero singing "If I Were a Rich Man".

Another play/movie that Zero was in was A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. The movie was no where near as good as the play.




Cat

It was Paul Michael Glaser who played Perchick in the move.  I have a DVD of Lost Broadway Treasure and it has Zero singing "If I Were a Rich Man".

Another play/movie that Zero was in was A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. The movie was no where near as good as the play.

Cat



I must agree with you there, although the last time "Funny Thing" was done, I understand Nathan Lane was the lead in that. With such a comic talent as that man, ANYTHING is bound to happen!

I must agree with you there, although the last time "Funny Thing" was done, I understand Nathan Lane was the lead in that. With such a comic talent as that man, ANYTHING is bound to happen!



Actually, Nathan Lane was replaced (at least for a short time-not too sure for how long) by none other than Whoopie Goldberg.  :o :o

We used to have two dogs by the names of Pseudolus and Hysterium. Most people would wonder about those names (except theatre people of course  ;) ) Yes, my mother was working on Forum when we got the dogs.  (A friend of one of my sisters used to call them Syphilis and Hysterectomy  ;D ;D) When my mother was working on Play it Again, Sam, Jack Gilford (who was the orginal Hysterium and played him in the movie, too), was in it. My mother told me (years later of course) that she had a "thing" with Jack. :o  Somehow I wonder how true that is. Not that I think my mother would lie, but she has a tendicy of remember things differently (a LONG story).


Cat

We used to have two dogs by the names of Pseudolus and Hysterium. Most people would wonder about those names (except theatre people of course  ;) ) Yes, my mother was working on Forum when we got the dogs.  (A friend of one of my sisters used to call them Syphilis and Hysterectomy  ;D ;D)
Cat


That is SOOOOO wrong.....