Musicals that have been (or should be) made into films

There have been some wonderful film musicals with wonderful scores in the past. One that particularly comes to mind for me is My Fair Lady. I'm not sure what in music can beat the trills in 'Ascot Gavotte' It's just such a wonderful mix of the posh and the truly beautiful. There are other examples from this score, but I think I'll stop first and see if anyone else has something to say about existing film musicals

Recently, the movie musical has been given a revival. You can thank Baz Luhrman for that. Yet there still remain many great stage shows with amazing music that have yet to make it to the silver screen. Any ideas on those?

Personally, I am dying to see a film version of 'Les Miserables'. The operatic style is something that is definitely different for a modern film audience (although, to SW music fans, it's old hat ). This is an absolutely brilliant score, though, and I'd love to see it brought to screen along with its powerful lyrics and story. I can just imagine the opening, ominous chain gang song bellowing out in Dolby 5.0 ... Do you think this musical would translate well?


-sj loves kevin spacey

 

My favorite musical, in terms of the songs, is Oliver!. The 1968 film version is pretty good. (Heck it won the Oscar for Best Picture!) However, it could have been better. Some songs are omitted ("That's Your Funeral" -- one of the best), and the arrangements could be better.

That's one of the things about shows which get performed hundreds of times by many different casts -- there are always arrangements and performances that you want to "mix and match" to make your ideal show.

 

That's true. I have several different cast recordings of Les Mis, and there are things I like better about various things in each one.

I haven't seen Oliver! in forever...

-sj loves kevin spacey

 

There is a film version of Les Mis, starring Liam Neeson. I remember seeing it, years ago. Here's the IMDB link:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119683/

EDIT: I guess that's not the film version of the MUSICAL Les Mis. Based on the book. Right, sorry.

 

Oliver was the first stage production I was in. One of my favorit songs is "Ol Man River" from Show Boat. There lots of them out there. Mostly broadyway shows from the 30's and 40's that were made for the big screen in the 50's and 60's.

 

Cerrabore beat me to it. Le Mis is already a film, SJ.

 

I mean a musical film, Boba. There have been many film versions of the book... including one with Anthony Perkins as Javert. I'd like to see that

-sj loves kevin spacey

 

I agree that Les Mis would be incredibe beyond belief. My number one wish for a movie-musical was Phantom of the Opera, and I adored what we finally got beyond belief; Les Mis is completely my #2 pick.

I think Jekyll & Hyde has enough sex and gratuitous violence to be utterly saleable as a Hollywood film.

I'm anxious to see what Chris Columbus does with Rent (though he's very much the wrong director for the job; in fact, I wanted that one to go to Luhrman). I hope it actually gets made this time.

The fact that I think The Scarlet Pimpernel is a good candidate probably says more about my taste in musicals than about how it would do as a film.

I do think A New Brain would make a very interesting screen piece.

Edit: If they actually ever do Les Mis, I very much hope they keep it all operatic. Trying to put in dialogue would really kill that score. And you can't cut it too much, either, which will make for a pretty long movie. I further hope they'd try to stick to the basic simplicity of the stage play. Oh, sure, use the power of the silver screen to good effect, give us a really impressive barricade sequence, etc. But the stage play was so elegant in its simplicity; the sewer sequence, the runaway cart, and especially Javert's final scene (I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen the play) are some of the most elegant bits of action I've seen executed on-stage. I hope a film version would keep to that style, even though it would have the benefit of real locations and special effects; I don't want to see it too glitzed up.

-Paul

 

Paul, I was going to see Phantom with my French club, but I was sick when they went Now I'm not sure I'll get to see it in theatres, but I really hope I will be able to. I've heard mixed reports on it, though. What's your take on that? And on the new song? New arrangements?

Personally, I don't like change much So I agree with you about a film adaptation of Les Mis- don't change much! It definitely needs to stay an opera. That would be very different for modern film audiences, but it's completely the style of the music and needs to remain so.

As for Rent... I'm not sure on Columbus, either. However, you can't rely on Luhrman for everything (unfortunately ). He did his theatrical trilogy and now he's going to turn to something different. He's never done non-stage style before. It will be really interesting to see what he does with that.

-sj loves kevin spacey

 

I love musical movies! I'm glad Phantom has been released as a movie. We've waited over 15 years for it, and it is has most definitely met expectations.