Wonka: A World Of Prequel Imagination

 I missed this movie when it was in theaters, it just seemed to pass me by, but now Easter is just about here and people love chocolate, this movie is available on streaming so now seems like the best time if ever to finally cover this film. This movie was a massive success but was also in the camp of movies that were musicals that did not advertise as such, which makes me concerned if the music was something they wanted to hide, not just to try and sell something that it is not. So let's see if this movie is a golden ticket, or perhaps just a chocolate bar with nothing else inside. 

The movie follows Willy Wonka in a prequel story as he tries to find a world where he can express his creative thoughts, but also get him and his friends out of a massive and overwhelming debt while dealing with the chocolate cartel. Now going into this origin story, we have two versions of the same story, the Gene Wylder classic, and the Tim Burton remake, as well as a Broadway version that differs from those two, giving us four different Wonkas to work with, and how did this one do? I will not comment much on the Broadway version as I have not seen it or listened to it. 

Timothee Chalmaine did a really good job, he though does not feel like he would become the one we know from the classic film, but he is super charming and did great. Having a likable lead goes a long way, most of the acting is enjoyable works for this world. Not as good as Gene's but definitely a step in the right direction and better than Depp's, and even has room to change and grow. The presentation is mostly good, looks like a warm and welcoming world most of the time. So the lead and the supporting help carry this film but what about the music

The music is like an assorted bag of chocolates of differing in quality leaving some favorites and some to be desired, of course, the remixes of the classics worked, but some of the new music is great. The two large group numbers were amazing and worked well, fitting in this charming world the movie created. Even though not all of the songs work, a good number do and can be enjoyed. The songs were not on par with the classic film but worked in their own way. The background score was filled with homages and so were a couple jokes which were nice as well, helping bring whimsy to the whimsical story and world. 

This film is charming, I enjoyed it mostly. I enjoyed and intend to listen to a good number of songs, chuckled at some of the jokes, and enjoyed this. I would say it reminded me in some ways even with some side stories of the Netflix Matilda but in a good way. Some charming music, good presentation, and good action. Very much feels like a Rhold Dahl work, and fitting in the worlds and style he created. I enjoyed many things from the acting to the songs, and even some of the score, the fact that I enjoyed some of the new music was a surprise and treat I did not expect going in, but glad I found a couple new songs to listen to with the original as some good takes on classic songs we love. 

The movie is great for people who are creative, whether in art, writing or in this case baking. The movie blooms with inspiration and encourages creativity, showing that big and bland businesses can not stop the dreamers of the world. The whimsical messages about dreaming and having an imagination not only fit for the world and characters but also the audience, the messages are well played and given well. Anyone who is of creative inclination should give this movie a watch, much like something like La La Land, it was made for dreamers. 

Though I enjoyed this movie there were a few shortcomings that held the movie back for me, the CGI is not very good when used, the story lost itself a little bit in the last act before settling back in, and some of the writing was nothing special. The one major grip I have seen is people saying that this Wonka would not become the one in the classic Gene Wylder version, which I agree with because this one lacks the jaded cynicism and negative view that Charley would teach him. They just might make a sequel due to the nature of Hollywood and the success of this movie and if they do, they need to connect the dots better that leads to the classic film, which could even lead to a strong emotional impact to see such a hopeful young man lose that spark. This one is a wide eye dreamer wistful type from start to finish, but if I found myself viewing this as a different version it definitely softened the blow a little. There is a Broadway adaptation, and now three different film versions of this character, and I am sure there will be more, this is just one of them. It is just held back by using nostalgic music and not being truly original. But with these small grips aside, there as you see was plenty I did like. 

This movie like a chocolate bar was short and sweet, maybe not my favorite flavor but one I would not mind having again a couple times. Maybe I will even like the movie more than I already do on a repeated viewing, I can see myself watching this from time to time and enjoying it. There is plenty to enjoy and I did enjoy it, this movie didn't have a lasting effect like the classic, but was sweeter than the Tim Burton version. A fun time for the whole family that is sweet and works in some ways, though it has some crunch in others, an overall enjoyable time and worth a viewing, with some good messages about dreaming and encouraging creativity. It reminded me of why I liked the Matilda movie musical that Netflix did not too long ago and this goes along with and is on par with that, a fun, musical family film. 

Could We Get More Musical Movies Based On Movie Musicals?

 With the movie version of the Mean Girls musical closing in theaters and moving to streaming, and Wonka now heading to streaming and DVD, I was thinking about these two films, especially Mean Girls. Both were moderate successes financially but seeing Mean Girls turn a profit has me asking a question. Are we going to get more movie musicals based on stage musicals that are based on a movie? A mouthful of a question but one I wanted to ask, so let's explore and look deeper into what this could mean for the future of movie musicals.

The approach I want to take is weighing the pros and cons, balancing both, and then making my decisions. Already I know that Broadway musicals are going to get adaptations in film whether they are themselves adaptations or not, Shucked already has a film in the works, and Wicked's movie is fast approaching at the time of this post. So this is purely on movies that become musicals, and then become musical movies purely, and so far Mean Girls, Matilda and The Color Purple are the only pieces of media we can use as an example. I am not counting the Disney live-action remakes because even though many started as animated movie musicals, then became Broadway musicals, and then back to the movies since they started as musicals. I am talking about something that was not a musical and began as a film, then was adapted for the stage and then back. Now with the preliminary qualifiers set, we can have a clear view to dive into this concept. 

Looking at the pros, it does help people see the musical in case they miss it for whatever reason. If it is made well then it can be something viewed easier and more frequently than that of a live stage show. With something like Mean Girls there were cut songs, scenes with visual flare, and different performers than that of the stage version, thus giving incentive to check it out. In terms of finances seeing movies in theaters, renting them at home, or catching them on a streaming service is way less risky than the prices of even a balcony seat. These could be good testing grounds for people to see if they like the base plot and the music, to see if they like the changes implemented, this could even sell people on the stage versions if they wish to see more. This could convince people to see live theater if these are made well, or even if they are not made well but have stand-out moments to pique the audience's curiosity to see it live. There are many low-risk and high-reward upsides to making a movie based on the musical adaptation of a movie which can lead to buying the film, seeing it again, streaming the music, or even seeing it live to see what the film changed. I did not see the Mean Girls musical on stage, but the film had me considering it the next time I am given the chance. But as good as all of this sounds, this could prove to be a double-edged sword as well. 

One problem is the lack of originality, to use an example from earlier, like the Disney live-action remakes, people will question the need or relevance of this. Mean Girls was advertised much like The Color Purple as a reimagining of classic films, and not shown off as musical. They looked to be reboots and the public's opinion on reboots, understandably rises and falls. Asking why something needs to be made when the original is already considered good, why the studio didn't make something new with their resources, and why try to cash in on something that had its time are all valid criticisms. Audiences have been questioning making movies that were not into musicals into such for a while, because even when we get a well-made show that is on par as a new form of something beloved or even surpasses the source that is in a sea of shows that are not quite up to snuff. For every Legally Blonde or Back To The Future, there's a Groundhog Day or School Of Rock, for every Matilda and Spongebob there's a Spicer-Man Turn Off The Dark. Then there are some like Pretty Woman, Mean Girls, or The Wedding Singer which have great moments but are just overall okay in the end. And not saying that original musicals can't be just okay, or have flops, trust me, and even then opinions can change with the wind, but in terms of this, maybe sometimes a story needs to just end on the stage. Would a Back To The Future musical movie, advertised as a reboot, trick audiences into seeing it work? Part of the problem which I have discussed at length is the way movie musicals are being shown to the public at the moment, and how there needs to be honesty. I feel that people would treat a musical adaptation the way people treat reboots, which is some will hate it, some will love it, but in the end, many will deem it unnecessary. Musicals could be used now instead of reboots to make a new reimagining different enough to make a property marketable. 

In the case of something like Matilda which like Mean Girls was originally before being put in theater was made for streaming, and many people liked it. When I watched Mean Girls, I could tell it was made for streaming services with its size, scale, and budget. And perhaps that could be a good middle ground, making movie musical adaptations for streaming services, showing that they can be different and work. Letting someone see it for themselves from the comfort of their own home with the ability to stop whenever they want to, instead of tricking them into a one-time movie ticket purchase for their money. Earning their money honestly by advertising something as is and seeing how someone's curiosity can lead them to form an opinion. I think in the realm of streaming services movie studios should keep trying this, so we can get more cool and different adaptations like Matilda. Perhaps The Color Purple would have not lost as much money if it was made for MAX with a reasonable budget. What do you think? Do you want to see more? 

Shucked (Cast Album)

 With the recent announcement of this show getting a film adaptation I decided to take a look through the cast album, this show centered on Corn will be getting a tour shortly and I hope to see it, but for now, all I have is the album. Looking into the plot, this show is about love, a farm, planning schemers, and corn, lots of corn. There are many uses for corn and many ways corn is used as an analogy for other things in life, in this fun corn-cobbed comedy. Country is not my favorite genre of music and never has been, but there is some country music-influenced musicals that I truly love and have seen live, such as Waitress for the prime example. So let's get some corn puns ready and embark on this musical journey through the cast album of the new musical Shucked. 

The music from going from just the cast album seems to tell the story of a small town, that may be a little small-minded, saving the corn, bringing in outsiders, and proving yourself to be more than what the world thinks you as, and love, sometimes love that is intentionally and some that is comedically accidental. It reminds me of The Music Man a little but I am going off of just the cast album, so for all I know in the context of the story these songs could have totally different meanings. Until proven otherwise this is what I think of the album so far. 

The music is very much inspired by country, it uses country style and instrumentation for several songs but isn't afraid to have songs that don't sound out of place in a musical. It mixes country with the grandness of the stage with the simple pleasures of country and it works. It ends up creating these down-to-earth but not forced character moments in the songs, making strong solos and fun group numbers. Some of the songs are strong ballads about breaking out of what others viewed you as, or being okay being alone but still being strong. The variety of songs is great, my favorite being "Independently Owned", with close runners-up being "Traveling Song", "Woman Of The World", "Corn Reprise", "OK", and  "Friends". A couple of the songs I would listen to again and I don't mind, on the other hand not so much, but plenty of gems as listed here. 

The country music inspiration does not take away from the show because it makes sense in terms of the environment, story, and narrative. It fits naturally akin to that of the musical Waitress where it is the style the show chose and it sticks with it. The slower songs that sound more Broadway-like are not distractions but rather so the audience doesn't feel oversaturated with the country style, but even then it sounds like still a little like country so it doesn't break the flow, just not as much as some of the other songs. This show knows it's identity and sticks with it all the way through, and by doing that, stays consistent. 

The songs are not afraid to use humor as well, whether it is a quick number full of gossip not appropriate for all ages, or one full of the many uses of corn. Whether it be a punch line or a quick pun about corn, the light-heartedness helps make the slower ballads stand out, even a whole song about being a bible believing Christian but loving alcohol and to party. The show has love ballads and I want songs but there are many great numbers about just life itself. Many songs fit the Broadway show roadmap whether it is a love ballad or a side character comedy song, but even though it follows the outline we all know, the songs are well written. Not every song is going into my playlist but a good number are. There were definitely more numbers I loved and hummed along with, pressing repeat on than not. There were only a few songs that I did not want to visit again or might skip on another trip through this show about corn, love, and more corn.  

Just as an album alone, judging these as just songs, I enjoyed myself. Removing the story since I have not seen it play out, just as an album this was very fun. There was a good use of comedy and even a really fun reprise of the songs towards the end and makes for a really funny listen. Towards the end of the album, for example, there is the song called "Corn Mix," it feels more like a fun comedy medley than a song, but I had fun with it. And that sums things up the best, I had fun with a ton of songs and found some I will listen to again and again. 

I think this could work as a movie, as long as it doesn't try to be something it is not. The music is pretty good and if they can make it grand without going over the top it could work. Kind of like how Mean Girls almost kind of sort of worked but was on a modest budget and thus was a hit. They could film it in a way to makes the music stand out, but they need to keep it simple because that is where the charm of this show comes from. The stage set of this show is a giant barn with barely a set to call home, only some modest pieces. Letting the music, story, jokes, and fun characters push things along. I hope the film does the same, keeping things down to earth so the writing and music can shine. I found quite a few numbers I enjoyed, so I would definitely see this live and watch the movie, I will probably do both as soon as possible. An album that reflects how this show is packed to the brim with corny jokes and a fun easy-to-follow narrative but is overall fun, and sometimes in life we need fun, and Shucked is just great plain fun. The show also hides deeper messages in the lyrics that are good to relate to, some empowering songs as well. This show is fun and I will definitely be giving it a listen until I can see it, If you want some good music that is full of charm, and heart, and is just a good time, give this a listen. It is worth a listen, for a fun time with some good music, and some that may just inspire you as well. 

The Wicked Movie Trailer #1

 Super Bowl Sunday has come in gone, but the discourse is still ongoing, whether it is memes about Taylor Swift, the mostly disappointing commercials, some of the movie trailers, or perhaps even the game itself. But for me let's take a step back to one of those, the movies. Specifically the first showing of the upcoming Wicked movie. One of the biggest musicals in theater history, this one defined theater and inspired many for upwards of over two decades now. The movie was trapped in a perpetual purgatory, only existing as rumors, stories, and word of mouth in a tumultuous development cycle have flown for the better part of a decade, and it has finally arrived. As a two-part epic, so did the trailer sell me, or are we perhaps in for something bad? Let's defy gravity, throw caution to the wind, and find out. 

For those unaware this is the narrative story following Elphaba, the supposed wicked witch of the west, and Glinda the good witch, in a prequel to The Wizzard Of Oz, finding there is more than meets the eye and perhaps not all the stories that persist are true. With a powerful score, strong ballads, and a beautiful message, this show has been keeping audiences encouraged and engaged for over twenty years now. The movie shows none of that. This is once again a movie trailer that hides so many facts about the film. 

If you read the descriptions or follow the press only then is it revealed that this movie is only one half of a whole piece, followed by the fact that like other modern movie musicals, hides the fact that it is a musical. No characters are shown singing, and one song is played throughout the trailer but it is just used as background music to add to the scope of the trailer, rather than showcase a musical. No one is shown singing or dancing, and the trailer is quite short. This baffles me because unlike Mean Girls or The Color Purple where some people who do not follow musical theater may not know of an adaptation of the stage version and just take it as a reboot. Everyone knows Wicked is a musical, and everyone knows The Wizzard Of Oz is a famous musical. So why hide it? Why not showcase a musical, in a movie that everyone already knows is going to be a musical. One of the most famous Broadway musicals is getting a long-awaited film adaptation, so it's no secret, so trying to play cool and cover it up because some Hollywood insider said hiding musicals is the only way to make money, by tricking the audience and that musicals are guaranteed bombs is a dumb idea that needs to go. 

The director of this movie is the same as that of In The Heights, which has me cautiously optimistic because that movie was a mixed bag, full of highs and lows, great performances and music, mixed with baffling pacing and writing flaws, but that is for another day. I hope this fares better, with this being two movies I hope the whole story is told and the extended time is used to better the narrative, and not just add scenes and songs to try and stand out from the stage version and try to be different for the sake of looking cool. 

Visually this looks marvelous, the scope and scale are incredible. The makeup and costumes look fantastic and work wonderfully, the dialogue in the trailer was generic movie trailer dialogue so no comment there. The look was fantastic, the visuals were gorgeous and the best part of the trailer, the way it was shot had me and others asking questions and wondering where the placing of scenes and songs in this, as well as what was left to be shown. This short trailer covered what looked to be Act One and even potentially Act Two of the show, so wondering the pacing, and placement is fun speculation to have. Wondering what is real and what could be a fantastical dream sequence. 

This left me cautiously optimistic, I want to see more before truly judging this film, and this was such a small taste. But still a small taste that looked impressive in so many ways, but full of baffling choices like the way it was presented, and what was and wasn't shown. The basic dialogue chosen and the lack of music left me worried, but the visuals left me excited, and the little bit of music made me want to hear and see more in action. This trailer was pretty poorly made, with some bright spots, and I hope the next one is better, leaving me feeling excited but also a ton of mixed emotions. 

So I Finally Saw The Mean Girls Movie (The 2024 One... The Musical One)

The movie musical based on musical based on one of the most quoted movies from the early 2000s is finally here. And it took me a couple weeks to see it because it snowed like no tomorrow and I could not make it to the movie theater to see this film. But now I have and here are my thoughts. This movie was not advertised as a musical, so if someone did not follow the press on it, at first glance it seems to be a modern take on the classic tale of popularity, revenge, and staying true to yourself. But within thirty seconds the cast began to sing and I could even hear whispers of those watching in the theater saying "Wait this is a musical?!" as the film began, since the advertisers hid that fact even, weeks later, the audience I was with was shocked. This is the tale of Mean Girls. 2024. 

I have not seen the Mean Girls musical live, but have listened to the cast album live plenty of times, and have a few songs that I enjoy. I feel very mixed emotions on the album and that speaks the same for the film. There is a good amount of good, and unfortunately some undeniable bad. Let's start with the good, which is some of the cinematography is great, and the performances of Rennee' Rapp as Regina Geroge, Auli'i Cravalho as Janis, and Jaquel Spivey as Damian are the standouts performances, even Avantika and Bebe Wood as Karen and Gretchen have stand out moments comedically.

Some of the jokes are extremely hit-and-miss. One thing that works and makes sense is that social media is implemented in the story, making the movie take place in the modern-day than the time the film was first made. The small changes keep the plot moving along and don't distract but show what it would be like if the film was made today. Some of the more dated jokes were changed for different ones, and some of the plot points changed too. The problem is there is a constant quoting of old lines because the first movie had them and they are popular jokes and lines, sometimes are delivered as is, but other times they try to expand on the joke to make it last longer, and it just lands flat. Some of the original jokes and lines, are funny, and I wish there were more like them, this is when the movie stood out on its own two feet. The cameos in this movie work well, and there are some really fun in-jokes and easter eggs

My only problem acting wise lies with the lead Anguorie Rice as Cady Heron. She has some moments of just not seeming emotionally interested, even in the later half as the plot is ramping up. I chalk this up in a poor direction because her singing voice is good, but has no emotional range, everything is quiet and subtle. This works earlier when Cady is shy and still trying to understand herself, but even later she acts the same as she did when the movie started.

The cinematography of this movie is all over the place, some of the songs are presented like music videos, others like TikTok filters, and some as if they were just regular songs. The style can change to black and white, or a giant party music video at a moment's notice, while at other times the songs add a new stylistic flare while still being in the environment they take place. For example "Someone Gets Hurt" has a good idea of manipulating the others at the party they are all at like puppets, while time stops and starts, it looks and sounds amazing. While "Revenge Party" can just be a random parade snapping between reality and dream world, or "Sexy" can be part TikTok, part music video, part musical number. It can be super distracting, but sometimes works. Sometimes the ideas blend naturally with the film and song, but other times they stick out. 

And speaking of the music, some of it works and some of it doesn't. To be fair I was this way with the original album where half of the songs were ones I really enjoyed, and I felt some needed some changing or to be swapped out for different songs entirely. The film only has about half of the songs from the show, and the songs they picked are pretty good. Some of the songs that were cut I understand for the sake of flow but sometimes it feels like the movie is trying to jam two or three songs into a short span of time to make it seem like there are more songs than there are. Only to have there be long stretches of no song, then suddenly you get like three back-to-back. The performances are really good starting with half of "Sexy" and mostly with "Someone Gets Hurt". 

The movie has a slow drag and start in terms of writing, jokes, and songs, but then picks up for the second half, with only a couple rocky moments here and there, but to be fair I did not like "Revenge Party" as a song even in the original, so the movie starts bad but then ends good and picks up. Leaving a mixed bag of quality of a good amount of good and bad, with pretty bad pacing issues. It is worth a watch, there is enough good in there that it is worth at least one watch, and I have seen worse movie musicals. There is enough good going that it is worth at least one viewing, as for me, I plan on watching it again at least once to see if I enjoy it more. For every "World Burn" and "I'd Rather Be Me" there's a "Stupid With Love". There are so many changes, some working and some not, so many style choices, some working and some not, that the movie sometimes lacks focus and identity. The overreliance on telling the jokes and story of the original gives it little wiggle room, but sometimes it works to the film's advantage and others its detriment. Overall this is a movie that can sit with me even though it isn't the most fetch movie I have ever seen.

Why Is Hollywood Afraid Of Movie Musicals?

 I have seen quite a few articles on this topic, as well as YouTube videos from Kathrine Steele, Mina Le, and Dan Murrell, and I highly recommend you look into those and watch the videos mentioned, or read the articles on the subject. I wanted to open with a preface because though I am not the first one to say this, I wanted to throw my hat in the ring with the amount of content on this topic being produced. With that out of the way, I am left with but a simple question. Why is Hollywood afraid of movie musicals? 

Decades ago the same studios that would put out "Singing In The Rain" and "The Sound Of Music" to recent entries like "La La Land" and "In The Heights" are now releasing trailers that hide the fact that their movies are musicals. "Wonka", "The Color Purple" and "Mean Girls" have been the center of a new conversation as of late, not the quality of the films, but rather the fact the advertising hid the musical nature of these movies. From trailers alone most of these films looked like just plain reboots of these classic stories or franchises, and only in articles, interviews, announcements, and smaller forms of advertising were they shown to be what they really are. The wording in the posters and small hints in the posters shield the public from its true intent. Someone like me who is expecting a musical because they did the research beforehand and were looking for musical movies due to my love of musicals is very different than someone who gets jump scared when the cast starts breaking into song. Which boils down to one word. Expectation.

Expectation for many when they see those trailers is to know what they are going into and not beshow tricked. Many reactions to the recent release of Mean Girls show people shocked and feeling tricked at finding out it is a musical at midnight hour. Trailers and posters place either small snippets or even just small hints that are easy to miss until someone who did not follow the press on the film finds out it is a musical the hard way. Over this past weekend, countless complaints were posted online of people thinking this was a simple reboot and were curious only to see the main cast break into song. People go in expecting one thing and are given something completely different, thus already painting a negative view of the product and the studio that gave it. Thus the musical that was being made is left out to take the brunt of the blame when it underperforms and is blamed by the studio for "oh it was a musical, therefore no one wants to see those", or is disliked for existing as a musical or not advertised as such. It is like the waiter being blamed for bringing you a bad dish when the chef didn't make it right, and the menu did not state all the ingredients. 

Movie musicals have not been performing well lately, "In The Heights", "Dear Evan Hansen", and "West Side Story", just to name a few have not been box office runaways. In fact, they have been labeled by many as disappointments. Some advertisers have even believed that outright showing something as a musical will turn people away at the door. Even Disney's recent outing with "Wish" proved to not bring people in the way, classic animated musicals used to. But that film is a whole other story in terms of why it failed. Still "Wonka" did not show it was a musical and hid the fact and is now performing well, what is being said of "Mean Girls" and "The Color Purple" is still to play out and we can only wait and see. 

I think that studios should just be open and show the musical movie is in fact a musical, make something on a smaller budget just for the theather kids. The fact that people who love musicals have evolved into a derogatory, less than statement, acting as if people who like musicals are something to be ashamed of, baffles me. I think studios should just make a musical movie that caters to musical fans, or use pro shots as a wide release instead of a limited release format. The way horror movies or crime dramas don't appeal to everyone doesn't mean they stop getting made or hidden from what they are, so why musicals?

I feel as if this is unfair to the musicals themselves as well as the people who worked hard on making them. I feel like the audience and those who worked really hard, shooting a musical movie, end up losing the most. The studios need to be up front with the public and let people know what they are putting their money towards to decide, not letting social media or someone else test the waters by going and telling people about it. 

I think movie musicals need a couple big hits to show everyone their importance, and perhaps "Wicked Part 1" will be that movie. A big musical whether animated or live-action shows the public but also more importantly the studios their validity. The importance of being honest and giving the public honest expectations of what they are paying for. Not trying to use different wording or edit a trailer to hide what a movie is, just to boast big opening weekend numbers. I think someone who does not want to see a musical should know if something is a musical or not, and just let the musical theater lovers have their movie. The world is wide enough for both theater kids and nontheater kids alike.  

From Stage To Screen: An Introduction To Change

 At the time of this post, Mean Girls opens this weekend. No this post is not being written in 2003, the musical version has now been given a big screen adapatation, where it was orignally made for streaming platforms. I will not being seeing the film on opening weeked but I do plan on  watching it, and how it technically inspired this blog to be what it is now. Where I am exploring filmed musicals from TV to movies, pro shots, made-for-TV musicals, and everything in between. Looking into that, I was surprised when this movie was announced and wondered to myself, "Why make movie musicals and not just film pro shots?"

Waitress recently got an excellent pro shot that was aired in the movie theathers, Hamilton, before it was put on Disney Plus, was slated to be a pro shot that aired in Theathers, and Newsies was a pro shot aired in movie theaters on multiple occasions before being put on streaming. Waitress was even so successful in its limited run that they added another week of showtimes. I did not get to see in the movie theater as the showtimes were only once a day, and they were spaced out to inopportune times. It made me ask myself as stated earlier, why not just air the pro shot as a regular movie? It was performing so well, so why make it a limited event? Why do they keep making movies with non-theater-trained celebrities? well for that last one, it is to bring in as much revenue based purely on a name as possible, hoping status will make a box office smash.

Now this post is not addressed to movie musicals that are not based off of any previous source, so no La LA La Land or Greatest Showman today, those will be talked about at another time, or even the promise of bringing things like that to the stage. I am talking purely about when a popular musical, say West Side Story is suddenly made into a feature film, cutting content, changing the story, and sometimes even adding new songs.

One of the strongest examples I can use is In The Heights which is night and day, for better and for worse, a complete far cry from the stage version. With some changes being good, and some being baffling. Cut songs that were not the strong point of the show, and some of the strong emotional focal points of the stage show were left on the cutting room floor. Overall leaving a mixed bag of emotions, loving some changes and questioning others. 

Both have their positives and negatives, seeing a pro show means that someone can discover or rewatch a show in its original form at any time or anyway, replicating the live theater experience when needed. A movie can change course and add things that make it stand even ahead of what it came from, making the movie the prime example of something someone can also watch over and over, whenever, to feel the joy that musicals bring. 

Movie versions sometimes can change something for the better, but most times you may find they can change too much. Movie adaptations have the pressure of that latter word. Adaptation. Having to live up to something beloved and critically acclaimed, while not just being what someone saw on stage. But for some who can not see a stage show, this is the only version of the source material some people may ever see. That is why I am going to use this blog to go through both, to see the good and bad of a TV series, a single episode, a pro shot, and a film. To see what is done well, and what isn't, what is better on the stage, and what works on the screen. Whether the material is new or a new spin on something we have seen. If a performance was aired on TV, filmed before a live audience, or made for cinemas across the world. This is From The Stage To The Screen, and welcome.