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mystmarimatt · 08-15-2005, 10:23 AM

Hmm...

I'm not sure how I feel about this. In the last 10 years, there has been a surge of adaptations to hit Broadway, whether of movies, (The Producers, Spamalot, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Lion King, Beauty And The Beast) or of hit music (All Shook Up, Good Vibrations, Mama Mia, Movin' Out, Lennon) And the truth of the matter is that these adaptations are really very hit or miss, They're either rancid (All Shook Up and Good Vibrations) or they're completely lauded (The Lion King, The Producers ).

But in all, the truth is that these adaptations really end up being superficial. As funny as Spamalot may be, the producers and directors of these adaptations are, on some level forced to pander to the fanbase of the originals. I saw Good Vibrations on Broadway when it was still running, because the lead was a family friend. We had a long talk discussing that the show itself, the book, was pure, unadulterated shit, and that they were compltely relying on the talents of the cast (which were, admittedly, some of the best I've ever seen) and the catchyness and nostalgia of music of the Beach Boys to pull the show along and make it a hit. I can even admit that The Producers isn't the rock-solid amazing piece of theatre so many people believe it is. The music is marginal, and it really subsides on the draw power of whoever are playing the leads at any particular moment.

The truth is, going into shows like Spamalot and The Producers, of which the movies have a cult following, a large part of the fan base is there with expectations of seeing certain things from those movies, some of which can't properly be transferred to the stage, and then these die-hard fans get all hot and bothered, so, in this, the directors and actors and creators of these shows are forced to make lots of compromises. And that isn't good in a world that should strive for originality and creativity.

What it comes down to is the money. Producers are looking for a quick hit that will bring a ton of money. Broadway, with the rare exception of some brilliant shows right now (listen to Wicked, or go read Doubt or The Pillowman, or just look at stuff that's OFF Broadway) has just become a money pit, full of marginal shows.

As far as The Princess Bride is concerned... I love the movie. Love it. It's one of my all time favorites. And I'd hate to see a movie so wonderful be broken down, and compartmentalized, stripping it of what I love, throwing in some fancy songs written by a guy who just won a Tony, just so somebody can make a few bucks off of a bad adaptation. I am one of those die-hard fans who will be ripping out my hair if they do a bad job of it.

Oh yeah, and I didn't even like the score to Adam Guettel's The Light In The Piazza.

08-15-2005, 10:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
mystmarimatt Omnipotent Ruler Of The Tiny Universe In My Mind Location: Oreegawn	Hmm... I'm not sure how I feel about this. In the last 10 years, there has been a surge of adaptations to hit Broadway, whether of movies, (The Producers, Spamalot, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Lion King, Beauty And The Beast) or of hit music (All Shook Up, Good Vibrations, Mama Mia, Movin' Out, Lennon) And the truth of the matter is that these adaptations are really very hit or miss, They're either rancid (All Shook Up and Good Vibrations) or they're completely lauded (The Lion King, The Producers ). But in all, the truth is that these adaptations really end up being superficial. As funny as Spamalot may be, the producers and directors of these adaptations are, on some level forced to pander to the fanbase of the originals. I saw Good Vibrations on Broadway when it was still running, because the lead was a family friend. We had a long talk discussing that the show itself, the book, was pure, unadulterated shit, and that they were compltely relying on the talents of the cast (which were, admittedly, some of the best I've ever seen) and the catchyness and nostalgia of music of the Beach Boys to pull the show along and make it a hit. I can even admit that The Producers isn't the rock-solid amazing piece of theatre so many people believe it is. The music is marginal, and it really subsides on the draw power of whoever are playing the leads at any particular moment. The truth is, going into shows like Spamalot and The Producers, of which the movies have a cult following, a large part of the fan base is there with expectations of seeing certain things from those movies, some of which can't properly be transferred to the stage, and then these die-hard fans get all hot and bothered, so, in this, the directors and actors and creators of these shows are forced to make lots of compromises. And that isn't good in a world that should strive for originality and creativity. What it comes down to is the money. Producers are looking for a quick hit that will bring a ton of money. Broadway, with the rare exception of some brilliant shows right now (listen to Wicked, or go read Doubt or The Pillowman, or just look at stuff that's OFF Broadway) has just become a money pit, full of marginal shows. As far as The Princess Bride is concerned... I love the movie. Love it. It's one of my all time favorites. And I'd hate to see a movie so wonderful be broken down, and compartmentalized, stripping it of what I love, throwing in some fancy songs written by a guy who just won a Tony, just so somebody can make a few bucks off of a bad adaptation. I am one of those die-hard fans who will be ripping out my hair if they do a bad job of it. Oh yeah, and I didn't even like the score to Adam Guettel's The Light In The Piazza. __________________ Words of Wisdom: If you could really get to know someone and know that they weren't lying to you, then you would know the world was real. Because you could agree on things, you could compare notes. That must be why people get married or make Art. So they'll be able to really know something and not go insane. Last edited by mystmarimatt; 08-15-2005 at 10:28 AM..