A growing trend - well, it's more than growing, it's sprouted wings, and flying circles over Times Square - of tur
ning movies into musicals, is inescapable. Like so many trends it has it's pros and cons, meaning, shows like Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Hairspray, and the upcoming 9 to 5, are this genre's modern day hallmarks. But, like all things we are given abysmal failures like High Fidelity or - some might crucify me for placing these two shows together, but I'm gonna do it, address your hate mail to John R DeLamar c/o Broadway Bullet - Carrie. So, the trend begs the question: WHY? Why do we keep churning out musicals based on movies, whether they be hits or whether they be cult classics (the forth coming Cry Baby)? Why do we feel that any movie we see is translatable to the stage? And, why do some work, while others just crash and burn?
I think I might have found the answer, in Roy Aria's Rehearsal Studios in the Times Square Arts Center, The Brain from Planet X. All right, I haven't seen the whole production (but with some luck and some canoodling with the right people, maybe), but the little bit of the rehearsal that I caught, answered the questions I had been asking myself about movies transferring to the stage. Of course, I did have my doubts when I heard that the cult B Horror movie of the same title was being penned into a stage musical, don't get me wrong, yet the show - it seems from the rehearsal - like the movie, is a surprise of camp and fun. So here is why I think the show answered my questions and is a pleasant surprise:
WHY DO WE KEEP DOING IT?
ning movies into musicals, is inescapable. Like so many trends it has it's pros and cons, meaning, shows like Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Hairspray, and the upcoming 9 to 5, are this genre's modern day hallmarks. But, like all things we are given abysmal failures like High Fidelity or - some might crucify me for placing these two shows together, but I'm gonna do it, address your hate mail to John R DeLamar c/o Broadway Bullet - Carrie. So, the trend begs the question: WHY? Why do we keep churning out musicals based on movies, whether they be hits or whether they be cult classics (the forth coming Cry Baby)? Why do we feel that any movie we see is translatable to the stage? And, why do some work, while others just crash and burn?I think I might have found the answer, in Roy Aria's Rehearsal Studios in the Times Square Arts Center, The Brain from Planet X. All right, I haven't seen the whole production (but with some luck and some canoodling with the right people, maybe), but the little bit of the rehearsal that I caught, answered the questions I had been asking myself about movies transferring to the stage. Of course, I did have my doubts when I heard that the cult B Horror movie of the same title was being penned into a stage musical, don't get me wrong, yet the show - it seems from the rehearsal - like the movie, is a surprise of camp and fun. So here is why I think the show answered my questions and is a pleasant surprise:
We keep making movies into musicals because (and this was something I knew before going into the rehearsal) the title of the movie will draw crowds. People in the city for only a few days will be more prone to go to a show that has the title Legally Blonde than a show called Curtains, as sad as that may seem, it's the truth - no offense to Blonde, love the show. And even movies like The Brain from Planet X and Cry Baby have an underground cult following, sometimes larger and longer lasting than mainstream films. So the answer to this, musicals based on movies make money, and money is key in show BUSINESS.
WHY DO FEEL ANY MOVIE WILL TRANSLATE? This is a more simplistic answer: It's a trend. Like all things trendy - fashion, literature, films - what works once, will most definitely work. This is not so true, sadly, but producers and creative talents alike seem to think that it is. Just because a movie has a following, or you stick big name talent in your show, does not mean your marquee will read phenomenal success.
WHY DO SOME WORK AND SOME DON'T? Allow me to rant - if you feel I have been, then just bare with me, it's almost over. The reason that some movie to musical transfers work is because you can't take yourself to ser
iously. I think this applies for all theatre. Think of a movie to musical that worked commercially (I'll give you a moment to pick one, then we'll discuss)...
...Got your's. Good, keep it in mind as we go on. I'm going to address Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, one of the better transfers. The reason that this show works is because simply, it embraces the silliness of itself. The creative team behind the show knows that they are putting on a musical. They know they aren't going to be the original film, they have no intentions of repeating Steve Martin and Michael Caine. And that's the key to their success. The show is more of an homage to the movie as opposed to an attempt to make the movie work on stage - which it does in it's own rite. When they had this in place, the idea that it was camp, fun, and not too serious, add in the talent pool and it all came together.
Now, I want you to think of a movie to musical that didn't work. (Take your time)
(No rush, really)
All, right I'm taking Carrie, they had a run of, oh, about, a day. Why? Think about it, dealing with the show you picked. Why would a show based on such an amazing film, bomb at the theatre box office? Because, the creative team forgot to embrace the fact that they were not making the infamous De Palma film, they were making a campy musical. The camp is what would have saved the show, had the creative team gone in that direction. Yes, the fans of the original film and book would have been angry, but sometimes you have to sacrifice to make a buck or two. As a fan of both, book and film, as long as the camp had been done with a loving hand I would have smiled through, knowing that it was with respect that the team was disrespecting the tormented teen.
One more thought on this before we leave this question (and I take leave to see a friend of mine bare all in Hair). It may seem that I am saying that comedy is the only way to make a movie to musical wor
k. Not true. Look at Grey Gardens, a brilliant show, that is far from the musical comedy, BUT it is campy. The show takes everything seriously, but with reverence to the real life Bouviers, camps the hell out of the production - albeit the Bouvier Beales were campy enough for fifty Broadway houses.
So how does all this relate to Brain from Planet X? Simple enough. The deal with Brain... is it is campy, it embraces the campiness that is accidentally inherent in the movie. It's gay, and I mean really gay. Go see the show and you'll know what I mean. And, most of all the team never takes themselves too seriously. It's all about a good time: for the players and the audience. It's what all movie to musicals should be, a fun romp down camp lane. I mean really, if I wanted to see the movie I would head over to Blockbuster and check the bitch out. If I want to be entertained so much I might wet myself - sorry, it's just sometimes funny is just that funny - I go to see a musical version of a classic. So keep it light, keep it bright, (thanks Mel for this) keep it GAY!
I promise next time I'll be shorter of breath, maybe, until then have fun kiddo, and make sure you check out the New York Musical Theatre Festival, see you there.
iously. I think this applies for all theatre. Think of a movie to musical that worked commercially (I'll give you a moment to pick one, then we'll discuss)......Got your's. Good, keep it in mind as we go on. I'm going to address Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, one of the better transfers. The reason that this show works is because simply, it embraces the silliness of itself. The creative team behind the show knows that they are putting on a musical. They know they aren't going to be the original film, they have no intentions of repeating Steve Martin and Michael Caine. And that's the key to their success. The show is more of an homage to the movie as opposed to an attempt to make the movie work on stage - which it does in it's own rite. When they had this in place, the idea that it was camp, fun, and not too serious, add in the talent pool and it all came together.
Now, I want you to think of a movie to musical that didn't work. (Take your time)
(No rush, really)
All, right I'm taking Carrie, they had a run of, oh, about, a day. Why? Think about it, dealing with the show you picked. Why would a show based on such an amazing film, bomb at the theatre box office? Because, the creative team forgot to embrace the fact that they were not making the infamous De Palma film, they were making a campy musical. The camp is what would have saved the show, had the creative team gone in that direction. Yes, the fans of the original film and book would have been angry, but sometimes you have to sacrifice to make a buck or two. As a fan of both, book and film, as long as the camp had been done with a loving hand I would have smiled through, knowing that it was with respect that the team was disrespecting the tormented teen.
One more thought on this before we leave this question (and I take leave to see a friend of mine bare all in Hair). It may seem that I am saying that comedy is the only way to make a movie to musical wor
k. Not true. Look at Grey Gardens, a brilliant show, that is far from the musical comedy, BUT it is campy. The show takes everything seriously, but with reverence to the real life Bouviers, camps the hell out of the production - albeit the Bouvier Beales were campy enough for fifty Broadway houses.So how does all this relate to Brain from Planet X? Simple enough. The deal with Brain... is it is campy, it embraces the campiness that is accidentally inherent in the movie. It's gay, and I mean really gay. Go see the show and you'll know what I mean. And, most of all the team never takes themselves too seriously. It's all about a good time: for the players and the audience. It's what all movie to musicals should be, a fun romp down camp lane. I mean really, if I wanted to see the movie I would head over to Blockbuster and check the bitch out. If I want to be entertained so much I might wet myself - sorry, it's just sometimes funny is just that funny - I go to see a musical version of a classic. So keep it light, keep it bright, (thanks Mel for this) keep it GAY!
I promise next time I'll be shorter of breath, maybe, until then have fun kiddo, and make sure you check out the New York Musical Theatre Festival, see you there.
2 comments:
John,
I've thought about this "trend" a lot (the fact that it's a trend is a whole nother issue with me). It's clear why musicals would be made into movies--mass distribution, but movie to musical is sometimes a harder nut to crack. Your ideas are excellent, but allow me to suggest something: storytelling. The reason why some movies translate better to musicals is the story they tell and the way they tell it.
It's the same reason why some books translate better to movies. Lord of the Rings doesn't function well as a musical because it's not about the story (it's about Tolkein as a linguist, really). Star Wars could make an awesome musical (if it wasn't such a cult religious object and shouldn't be tampered with) because of the story it tells. I think sometimes camp serves as a way to bypass the story telling.
Think of Wedding Singer. Success or not? Plenty of camp. Plenty of 80s references and winks to the audience. But in the end, a lot of that got in the way of telling the story.
Even more than story telling is the method of storytelling. Moulin Rouge tells an amazing story, but it won't work as a stage musical because of the idiom it used, film. The method of telling the story was just as important as telling the story itself.
There are stories/movies that don't lend themselves to expression through song, and like you, I'm not talking about serious movies, or non-comedies, I'm talking about a point in which something can happen or reveal more about a character through song and/or dance. Sometimes because of the medium of movies, and the story structure, it just doesn't lend itself to translation--think The Usual Suspects great story, doesn't use cinematic tricks per se, but would not translate to the stage, musical or otherwise.
Anyway, great start to the blogs!
--Lynn
I'm not sure whether you're dissing High Fidelity or Carrie in that early sentence (or both!), but since you are no doubt aware of my affection for High Fidelity, you may just get a light slap next time I see you.
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