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The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals

The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals

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GreatBroadwayFan
#1The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 2:45am

I was talking about this with a fellow musical theatre lover and a very good friend of mine; with the exception of "La La Land" (2016) and "Beauty and the Beast" (2017), there appears to be NO MAJOR film adaptions of Broadway musicals happening in Hollywood. With the new wave of LIVE! Musicals of on TV, I fear for the future of the movie musical genre in Hollywood (especially seeing that the general public seems to despise them! Must we go back and look at the Hate Tweets when Into the Woods was in theaters?!)

Anyway, my 3 part question is this: 1) Are there any planned film adaptions of musicals coming soon that I'm just unaware of? 2) If not, what musical do you think SHOULD be next? And 3) What is your DREAM musical to be made into a movie? 

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BakerWilliams
#2The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 4:06am

Audra McDonald will be in a film version of Hello Again


"In memory, everything happens to music"

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Jeffrey Karasarides
#3The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 8:58am

Here is a list of stage-to-screen transfers that I know are currently in the works:

 

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical-Paul Blake (the lead producer of the Broadway show) is producing with Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman at Sony with Douglas McGrath adapting his book into a screenplay.
 

In the Heights-According to Lin-Manuel Miranda, they're currently planning on having it made as an independent film.
 

Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat-Elton John (who has worked with lyricist Tim Rice on The Lion King and Aida) is producing an animated film adaptation.
 

Matilda-Matthew Warchus is planning to direct with Dennis Kelly adapting his book into a screenplay.
 

Pippin-Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are producing the film with Harvey Weinstein.
 

Wicked-This will be made, it will only be a matter of when. Producer Marc Platt has stated that the thing they're waiting for is a screenplay they all feel 100% completely satisfied with.

Dave19
#4The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 9:17am

Miss Saigon.

 

But not in the Les Mis literal "theatre performance on a pavement in 1 take"-way.

 

This should be a triumph of the fantasy, elaborate cinematography, pre-recorded songs used as voice-over. More like a really good film edited  as a bold music video, that will gratify the audiences.

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hork
#5The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 11:43am

I'm still waiting for the In the Heights and American Idiot movies, although they couldn't possibly be as good as I want them to be, because Broadway adaptations never are (at least not modern ones). The problem is that they just never attract the top directing talent, for whatever reason.

 

My dream adaptation would be Chess, directed by Martin Scorsese, with a screenplay that includes spoken dialogue but is not based on the Broadway version (and which excises all the crappy songs from the West End version).

Updated On: 2/5/16 at 11:43 AM

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hork
#6The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 11:49am

Oh, and La La Land is not a Broadway adaptation.

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g.d.e.l.g.i.
#7The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 11:55am

hork said: "My dream adaptation would be Chess, directed by Martin Scorsese, with a screenplay that includes spoken dialogue but is not based on the Broadway version (and which excises all the crappy songs from the West End version)."

 

Okay, I'll bite. Three things:

 

* Martin Scorsese? Seriously? I think New York, New York proved musicals are not his strong suit.

 

* Smart move on cutting the dead weight from the West End version, but...

 

* ...you really hate the Broadway version? 'Cause at least it's more streamlined than the West End version, which has its pluses, but is uniformly sloppy in its construction with a lot more glaringly weak scenes (almost all but ~25 minutes of Act I is actively bad). Neither show is perfect, and the Broadway version has some obvious weaknesses, but I've always felt it's easier to use the Broadway script as a base and import the preferable changes from London than it is to try and bend the London script into a workable shape.


Formerly gvendo2005
Broadway Legend
joined: 5/1/05

Blocked: After Eight, suestorm, david_fick, emlodik, lovebwy, Dave28282, joevitus
Updated On: 2/5/16 at 11:55 AM

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jpbran
#8The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 12:06pm

hork said: "I'm still waiting for the In the Heights and American Idiot movies, although they couldn't possibly be as good as I want them to be, because Broadway adaptations never are (at least not modern ones). 

 

The modern ones often can't compete because we have the original stage versions fresh in our mind when seeing the film adaptation, while many of us likely didn't see the original stage versions of the classics (WSS, Oklahoma, Gypsy, etc) and hold the films in high regard with little to compare. I'm sure if BWW was around when the film versions of most classic musicals were released, the nitpicking would have been pretty epic. 

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hork
#9The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 12:10pm

g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "hork said: "My dream adaptation would be Chess, directed by Martin Scorsese, with a screenplay that includes spoken dialogue but is not based on the Broadway version (and which excises all the crappy songs from the West End version)."

 

 

 

Okay, I'll bite. Three things:

 

 

 

* Martin Scorsese? Seriously? I think New York, New York proved musicals are not his strong suit.

 

I don't think it proved that at all. It's not one of his best but it's a good film. And anyway, it doesn't have much similarity to Chess beyond being a musical. And I think movies like Goodfellas and The Age of Innocence are better indications of his facility with images tied with music.

 

* Smart move on cutting the dead weight from the West End version, but...

 

 

 

* ...you really hate the Broadway version? 'Cause at least it's more streamlined than the West End version, which has its pluses, but is uniformly sloppy in its construction with a lot more glaringly weak scenes (almost all but ~25 minutes of Act I is actively bad).

 

I agree, but I think the Broadway version is even worse. The West End version needed a lot of work, but completely rewriting the plot of Act II and making Freddie the "hero" (if such a word can even apply to this show) was not the answer.

 

Neither show is perfect, and the Broadway version has some obvious weaknesses, but I've always felt it's easier to use the Broadway script as a base and import the preferable changes from London than it is to try and bend the London script into a workable shape.

 

Or just write a new script from scratch, based on the concept album and importing the good songs that are missing (like "Someone Else's Story" ) .

Updated On: 2/5/16 at 12:10 PM

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Jeffrey Karasarides
#10The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 12:12pm

The problem is that they just never attract the top directing talent, for whatever reason.

 

There have been several stage-to-screen transfers that were helmed by top directing talent.

 

A Chorus Line-Richard Attenborough (just coming off of his Oscar wins for Gandhi).
Finian's Rainbow-Francis Ford Coppola (before he made The Godfather).
Jersey Boys-Clint Eastwood (a number of you weren't happy with the film, but I really liked it).
Les Miserables-Tom Hooper (just coming off of his Oscar win for The King's Speech).
Rent-Chris Columbus (just coming off of directing the first two Harry Potter films).
Sweeney Todd-Tim Burton (a number of you weren't happy with this film ether, but I loved it).

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hork
#11The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 12:19pm

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "The problem is that they just never attract the top directing talent, for whatever reason.

 

 

 

There have been several stage-to-screen transfers that were helmed by top directing talent.

 

 

 

A Chorus Line-Richard Attenborough (just coming off of his Oscar wins for Gandhi).
Finian's Rainbow-Francis Ford Coppola (before he made The Godfather).
Jersey Boys-Clint Eastwood (a number of you weren't happy with the film, but I really liked it).
Les Miserables-Tom Hooper (just coming off of his Oscar win for The King's Speech).
Rent-Chris Columbus (just coming off of directing the first two Harry Potter films).
Sweeney Todd-Tim Burton (a number of you weren't happy with this film ether, but I loved it).

 

I would never, ever consider Richard Attenborough, Tom Hooper, or Chris Columbus "top directing talent." They're much closer to the bottom. Eastwood and Burton's best work is behind them (and as you pointed out, most people weren't happy with their musical efforts). And Finian's Rainbow was almost 50 years ago and is mostly forgotten (I've never even seen it).

perfectliar
#12The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 12:36pm

hork said: "I would never, ever consider Richard Attenborough, Tom Hooper, or Chris Columbus "top directing talent." They're much closer to the bottom. Eastwood and Burton's best work is behind them (and as you pointed out, most people weren't happy with their musical efforts). And Finian's Rainbow was almost 50 years ago and is mostly forgotten (I've never even seen it)."

 

Attenborough and Hooper both made their respective musical films directly after Oscar wins for previous work (Gandhi and The King's Speech, respectively). Whatever your personal opinion, directors with Academy Awards (and DGA awards, which both also won) carry a huge amount of respect and demand in the film community. Hooper also has an Emmy for directing, and he helmed one of the most acclaimed miniseries in decades with John Adams.

Updated On: 2/5/16 at 12:36 PM

Jeffrey Karasarides Profile Photo
Jeffrey Karasarides
#13The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 12:39pm

I would never, ever consider Richard Attenborough, Tom Hooper, or Chris Columbus "top directing talent." They're much closer to the bottom. Eastwood and Burton's best work is behind them (and as you pointed out, most people weren't happy with their musical efforts).

 

I could probably understand Columbus because he hasn't really made any films as director that were well received since leaving the Harry Potter franchise. Though he still made other classics such as Home Alone and Mrs. Doubtfire. But how would you not consider Richard Attenborough nor Tom Hooper as 'top directing talent' since they were both just coming off of their Oscar wins prior to making their musicals?

 

I wouldn't go far to say that the best works of both Eastwood and Burton are behind them. Eastwood's most recent film American Sniper was his best reviewed movie since Invictus back in 2009. Burton does tend to be more divisive when it comes to his filmography. His last two films (Frankenweenie and Big Eyes) are both certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

 

And I wouldn't say most people weren't happy with any of their musical efforts. The Jersey Boys movie does seem to have a cult following, and Sweeney Todd currently has an 86% on Rotten Tomatoes and also won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture-Comedy/Musical.

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illiniparkie
#14The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 12:50pm

I believe I read on this board and elsewhere that Steven Spielberg is considering a remade of West Side Story.

Dave19
#15The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 12:51pm

There is a huge difference between directing talent in musical film and mainstream film.

 

Tom Hooper did not understand anything about the material, the timing in many scenes is horrendous. He also does not understand that this material benefits from a less literal approach on film and many of the details are too amateurish for words. He also didn't understand that sung notes can work as actors themselves so not everything has to be spoken with a 5 second vibrato syllable in the middle.

Updated On: 2/5/16 at 12:51 PM

Jeffrey Karasarides Profile Photo
Jeffrey Karasarides
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Someone in a Tree2
#17The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 12:54pm

There are scripts for a remake of GUYS AND DOLLS floating around out there too. 

(One is written by Danny Strong of EMPIRE fame.) Not sure if any will see the light of day, but we can dream...

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Jeffrey Karasarides
#18The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 12:55pm

illiniparkie said: "I believe I read on this board and elsewhere that Steven Spielberg is considering a remade of West Side Story."

 

It was announced a couple years ago that he was interested in doing one, but I don't know if it's still in the works or not. Though I am waiting to see what Spielberg's musical could be.

Dave19
#19The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 12:56pm

The 4 best musicalfilms ever made, directing wise, to me, are:

 

1. The Sound of Music

2. Evita

3. Moulin Rouge

4. Grease

 

In terms of great editing, cinematography, the way the scenes work and the way the music is incorporated.

Updated On: 2/5/16 at 12:56 PM

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Jeffrey Karasarides
#20The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 12:58pm

^I actually did not like the film adaptation of Evita, it just didn't feel alive to me.

 

AND I HATED MOULIN ROGUE A LOT!

Dave19
#21The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 1:07pm

Opinions can differ but I just love Evita. 

Especially because of the true filmic quality and extraordinary editing. Time-lapses, sung thoughts, compilation clips, just an emotional triumph of the fantasy. A not-literal approach. Such as in "Another suitcase", "Good night and thank you", "High flying adored", "The lady's got potential" but also the parts in between, it just works.

 

For example this scene, Santa Evita, gets me every time:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K0wjYbkaUs

 

Same goes for Moulin Rouge. These films are so great that even without the music they will stand.

Updated On: 2/5/16 at 01:07 PM

Shrek3
#22The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 1:16pm

2 questions: On what planet is Tom Hooper considered the bottom of directing talent?  His latest film just got nominated for 4 academy awards.....lol

 

And in what world is Evita a good musical film? It's one of the worst musical films ever made.

 

..

.

Updated On: 2/5/16 at 01:16 PM

Shrek3
#24The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 1:37pm

The Les Mis film made a crap load of money and was nominated for 7 Oscars. No matter your opinion on the film, it was a huge success. And Tom Hooper directed Anne Hatheway to her Oscar, so your opinion is moot. 

 

And Regardless of how u feel about Tom Hooper, he has directed several critically acclaimed Oscar films and won Best Director a short while ago. To call him the lowest directing talent is not anywhere near accurate. 

 

And EVITA, L O L. It's certainly one of the  worst musical films ever made. Mostly due to the casting of Madonna. The cinematography was nice though.

.

Updated On: 2/5/16 at 01:37 PM

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gypsy101
#25The Future of Movie Musicals & Film Adaptations of Musicals
Posted: 2/5/16 at 2:34pm

Dave19 said: "Miss Saigon. But not in the Les Mis literal "theatre performance on a pavement in 1 take"-way. This should be a triumph of the fantasy, elaborate cinematography, pre-recorded songs used as voice-over. More like a really good film edited  as a bold music video, that will gratify the audiences."

 

We Get It Please Shut Your Pie-Hole About This Now


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