Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!floyd!clyde!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!uicsl!twt
From: twt@uicsl.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.movies
Subject: Re: Bad Films and Musicals - (nf)
Message-ID: <3073@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 1-Oct-83 05:35:39 EDT
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.3073
Posted: Sat Oct  1 05:35:39 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 3-Oct-83 05:43:22 EDT
Lines: 34

#R:clyde:-17000:uicsl:7600024:000:1965
uicsl!twt    Oct  1 01:31:00 1983

You guys want comments and flames, you got 'em.  esj - how can you say that
musicals don't work on film, have you never seen (what may very well be my all
time favorite, tho I don't know if it'll be the same next week) "Singin in the
Rain".  I personally happen to think it worked rather well - tgd, how could you
not mention that one.  I also happen to think (an oldy but moldy), "The Wizard
of Oz" came across very well on film.  It could not have become the classic that
it is if it didn't work (on film).  I will admit that sometimes Hollywood 
doesn't do a good job of transition, but it's not the fault of the musical
either.  I saw Annie on stage a few years ago and it impressed the hell out of
me, for I thought the age of the musical was gone and they couldn't be written
anymore and I was sooo excited when I heard the movie was coming out I couldn't
wait.  I have to admit I was TERRIBLY disappointed, and I believe the problem
was that Hollywood was trying to make something that was very good even better
when if they would have left it as is (was) it would come out much better than
it did.  I took my niece (5 year-old) to see it (it was about a week after she
saw E.T.) and she said "It was a good movie, but I liked E. T. better".  I must
agree.

On occasion Hollywood does do a good job of turning a stage musical into a movie
Take "My Fair Lady".  I've seen in both on film and on stage, whereas nothing 
beats a live performance of ANYTHING (music from classic to rock; to comedy; to
drama) thhis is a very good example of coming close.  Also, I can see "Singin'
in the Rain" on t.v. and I can rent "My Fair Lady" at my tape club or local
library and it's much CHEAPER than tickets for a show and much more CONVENIENT
than the live stage (which is 3 hours from the area I live in).  So film
musicals definitely have their place in this world.

					Mary

Would love to see "A Chorus Line" put on film, but afraid to see what they'd
do to it.