Musicals to Movies

[duane]

I don't mind the color-blind casting at all.

I thought it was totally ridiculous. Yes, Cinderella is fantasy, but still...

One of the worst musicals-to-movies was The Wiz. The broadway play was excellent. Stephanie Mills brought down the house, and the movie could have been great if not for Berry Gordy buying it for Diana Ross.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Well, FWIW, they also dubbed Harry Belafonte's singing in that movie, which, given his position in the music world at the time, as well as his talent as a singer, was beyond idiotic. I have just about every movie he ever made, except that one (and Bright Road, which I still have to get). He mentions in his autobiography, which was published last year, that he ran into the man who provided the vocals some years after the film was made, and the guy was working as a either a doorman or a waiter in some hotel. So, so much for his claim to fame!

Both Dandridge and Belafonte are known singers. However, I think the operatic score required sopranos of a higher register than what Belafone and Dandridge could provide. I love Belafonte's voice, but I don't know if he could have sang the score the way Otto Preminger wanted him to. If it's true that Belafonte wrote about Levern Hutcherson in his book only to demean him, then I think that's a very classless act. Obviously, Belafonte is a star and has had success, so there is no need to demean Hutcherson.

[cruisin]

One of the worst musicals-to-movies was The Wiz. The broadway play was excellent. Stephanie Mills brought down the house, and the movie could have been great if not for Berry Gordy buying it for Diana Ross.

I agree 1,000,000%!

Stephanie Mills was brilliant!

[taf2002]

One of my lasting images from the movie version of Camelot is Vanessa Redgrave's wet nostrils in all those close-ups.

I didn't remember the wet nostrils...I just think that if a character is supposed to inspire instant adoration & cause a young man to abandon his principals, she should at least be marginally pretty & if she's in a musical, it would be nice if she could sing.

And the ones who can't sing AND are decades too old for the role are completely ridiculous. On the stage you can get away with it a little bit but in movie close-ups it's a bit jarring.

[snoopysnake]

I love the original cast recording of The Producers with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. The film version chacked one of the best songs, The King of Broadway, and other things like the satirical "credits ebbry mornin' and debits ebbry eve-nin, until them ledgers be right" blues section of the musical's title song. Presumably they were trying for a more family-friendly rating, but it was a shame that they "cleaned it up." Sadly, the DVD did not offer a "director's cut" but at least it did have the deleted scenes.

I really should take a look at the Roz Russell/Natalie Wood version of Gypsy. I absolutely adore the Bette Midler TV movie version.

Another film musical I love is On the Town. This was changed a lot from the stage version (many songs were dropped and new songs were added) but both the film and theater scores were great.

[znachki]

Another film musical I love is On the Town. This was changed a lot from the stage version (many songs were dropped and new songs were added) but both the film and theater scores were great.

I finally saw the stage version of the show. Very different, as in the stage version it's much more divided. You basically have the singing leads and the dancing leads. So the character that Gene Kelly plays in the movie, doesn't really have any songs. Of course, you had to give Ann Miller a number too.

As much as I like "Let's Go To My Place", from the movie, I really loved "Cookin' With Gas", although I understand why they changed it.

[michiruwater]

Anyone who loves A Chorus Line (or musicals in general) should really check out Every Little Step. It's a documentary about the casting of the Broadway revival of ACL a few years back, and it is just magnificent. Especially anyone who has ever gone through a serious audition process in any way will totally relate to everyone in the film. It's remarkable, and I was crying on and off through most of it.

[Cachoo]

Anyone who loves A Chorus Line (or musicals in general) should really check out Every Little Step. It's a documentary about the casting of the Broadway revival of ACL a few years back, and it is just magnificent. Especially anyone who has ever gone through a serious audition process in any way will totally relate to everyone in the film. It's remarkable, and I was crying on and off through most of it.

This. I loved this documentary and felt for one of the women auditioning for Sheila and wondered how often her predicament occurs during the casting process. I don't want to say more but it was something that was new to me regarding casting calls. The entire film was wonderful imho.

[michiruwater]

If we're thinking about the same woman, that particular moment blew my mind, too. I'd never even consider that particular predicament existing before, but it made so much sense.

[taf2002]

Some of us didn't see the documentary. I'm not sure why you would bring up this incident & then not give details.

[cruisin]

Some of us didn't see the documentary. I'm not sure why you would bring up this incident & then not give details.

Looked it up for you. If you have Netflix: https://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/E...FQqe4AodrzQAlg

Info: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0977648/

[Cachoo]

Some of us didn't see the documentary. I'm not sure why you would bring up this incident & then not give details.

Taf I've inadverdently played the spoiler before and didn't want to do it again. And I think with this situation it is better seen than explained.

[Vash01]

Years ago, there was a talk of making a musical out of the movie 'Somewhere in time'. It never got made.

[taf2002]

I've seen the youtube where the original cast sat around & talked about the show & the audition process, etc, but I don't remember anything significant about Sheila.

[michiruwater]

That's because it has to do with the specific person auditioning.

If Cachoo and I are talking about the same thing,

Spoiler

the favorite for the part came into the final casting call and, after auditioning, was asked to try to play the role more like she had at initial casting call months prior. However, she had gone through several personally defining situations in the intervening months and realized, to her horror, that she had not the slightest clue what she had done differently at the initial casting call. She didn't get the part. I don't know if this sounds at all interesting written out, but on screen, witnessing it, it was really very intriguing.

[Cachoo]

That is it michiruwater: It was something I never thought about before and now I wonder how often it happens over the time it takes to cast a show. (Also a part of me wanted the docu crew to interfere to help her...)

[taf2002]

The director should have told her what he wanted. Even without drama in your life you may not remember details from months ago. Sheesh!

I'm sorry but I don't understand the secretiveness. That was a spoiler?

[Cachoo]

That's just me Taf and only because I blew it before for others so I'm reluctant to say anything sometimes.

[michiruwater]

The director should have told her what he wanted. Even without drama in your life you may not remember details from months ago. Sheesh!

I'm sorry but I don't understand the secretiveness. That was a spoiler?

The plot of the movie revolves around the audience wondering which of the potential actors will get cast in the parts. So, yes, telling you that one of the actors we follow around for the movie does not get cast is kind of a spoiler. And of course I realize that some people who have seen the revival will go in knowing whom gets cast, but I for one did not.

And I just went along with Cachoo. But I also knew that writing it out would get that reaction. Seeing it onscreen was quite a bit different.

[ross_hy]

Speaking of musicals, there's going to be a live TV version of the stage version of The Sound of Music next year. Carrie Underwood has been cast as Maria.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/11/30/ca...ound-of-music/