I Have Never Seen...

[swampyankee]

I've not been able to watch The Wonderful Wizard of Oz through.

[Gillianren]

Do you mean the 1939 Judy Garland The Wizard of Oz? I've watched it through and would rather just go reread the book.

[swampyankee]

Do you mean the 1939 Judy Garland The Wizard of Oz? I've watched it through and would rather just go reread the book.

Exactly. While I certainly don't think it was because of the cast, I just found it plain, unadulteratedly dull.

[Gillianren]

It's a lousy adaptation. (The reason I asked is that the word "wonderful" is not in the film title.) The songs aren't terrible, though they are nowhere near as good as the songs in musicals I actually recommend. And don't get me started on the changed ending.

[Fazor]

As much as I make my disinterest in movies known, might be surprising to know that there are a few musicals which I like. Really like. The Music Man, for instance (Original is the best, but I don't mind the Broderick one either.) I want to see 'West Side Story' since it's been . . . nearly 20 years since I saw it in school, but the only time I ever find it in the TV listings is when it makes random appearances on PPV, and I don't care enough for that.

There's another musical I can tolerate, but can't even recall which at the moment (so that tells you how much I actually 'like' it.) But The Music Man is not only my favorite musical, but also one of my favorite movies.


... now Tara loves Brigadoon. She made me watch it once. I made it through the ordeal, but mentally I was Briga'done after about the first 20 minutes. She also made me watch My Fair Lady once. That was the worst three-hours-that-felt-like-three-days ever, particularly since it was a very late night showing.

[starcanuck64]

As much as I make my disinterest in movies known, might be surprising to know that there are a few musicals which I like. Really like. The Music Man, for instance (Original is the best, but I don't mind the Broderick one either.) I want to see 'West Side Story' since it's been . . . nearly 20 years since I saw it in school, but the only time I ever find it in the TV listings is when it makes random appearances on PPV, and I don't care enough for that.

There's another musical I can tolerate, but can't even recall which at the moment (so that tells you how much I actually 'like' it.) But The Music Man is not only my favorite musical, but also one of my favorite movies.

It wouldn't be Paint Your Wagon would it.

My parents had the soundtracks to both West Side Story and The Music Man, we'd always watch then whenever they were on TV. It's been too long since I've seen them.

[Noclevername]

Now, Paint Your Wagon was one I actually liked. I had forgotten about that.

Thinking back, there are a few musicals that were OK, just none made recently. The ones now that are just vehicles for popstars or bandwagon-jumping, generally suck.

Yeah yeah, "you kids get off my lawn".

[Jim]

Now, Paint Your Wagon was one I actually liked. I had forgotten about that. ...

Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood singing! What's not to like?

[starcanuck64]

All I really remember from the movie was the entire town collapsing into the all the mines tunneled underneath...and Clint and Lee singing.

[Noclevername]

Oh, now I'm having flashbacks to the musical episode of The Simpsons where Homer got PYW thinking it was a violent spaghetti western. The look on his and Bart's faces when the singing started...

[Gillianren]

Out of idle curiosity, which musicals are you listing as "vehicles for popstars and bandwagon-jumping"? While I can name several lousy musicals made in the last ten years or so, I can also name two quite good ones--both of which are based on musicals which initially hit Broadway decades ago.

[Noclevername]

Out of idle curiosity, which musicals are you listing as "vehicles for popstars and bandwagon-jumping"? While I can name several lousy musicals made in the last ten years or so, I can also name two quite good ones--both of which are based on musicals which initially hit Broadway decades ago.

Oh, I'm just giving my general impression of things. I don't have a specific list, mostly because I'm too lazy to learn the title of something I only watched a few minutes of.

That I can name, there's High School Musical and its endless sequels, Glee, and numerous Disney Channel autotune-fests. I can even flash back to Cop Rock if you want me to dig deep enough into the past...

[Gillianren]

Hee. I remember Cop Rock. The morning DJs I listened to when it was on had a running competition to see who would be the first to actually watch an entire episode. It went off the air before either of them managed it. And I don't like Glee and have never bothered with High School Musical. I tend to prefer darker musicals; my all-time favourite is never going to be a movie, because no one is ever going to make a movie of a musical about political assassination in the United States. Heck, Great Performances didn't even air it when the Broadway revival starred Neil Patrick Harris as Lee Harvey Oswald.

[swampyankee]

Out of idle curiosity, which musicals are you listing as "vehicles for popstars and bandwagon-jumping"? While I can name several lousy musicals made in the last ten years or so, I can also name two quite good ones--both of which are based on musicals which initially hit Broadway decades ago.

I'm guessing Rent and Chicago as the good ones. As a rule, I like musicals; I just don't like all of them: I do not particularly like Guys and Dolls, nor am I overly fond of Sweeney Todd. Regardless, I think some of the best American music -- not just American popular music -- has come from musicals, so it is most certainly not a genre to sneer at.

[Gillianren]

Actually, I despise Rent. I was thinking Chicago and Sweeney Todd, in fact. I wish more musicals would cast singers who can act instead of testing to see if actors can sing, but overall, I was pleased with the adaptation. Of course, it's not as good as the Angela Lansbury Great Performances version, and I'm still peeved that they left out the Ballad--at very least, put it over the end credits!--but overall, I thought they did well by it.

[R.A.F.]

Actually, I despise Rent.

My problem with Rent is that there is one "catchy" song, and the rest is forgettable "filler".


Now, something like JC Superstar was "stuffed" with catchy tunes....and the people singing them could actually sing.



edit to add....that is...with the exception of Josh Mostel. (large smilee face)

[Fazor]

I hated Sweeny Todd; at least, the Tim Burton version. Never seen the original stage performance.

[Noclevername]

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is somewhere in my collection. I've also seen Repo: The Genetic Opera-- not nearly as good, but some of the songs were catchy.

[Swift]

My problem with Rent is that there is one "catchy" song, and the rest is forgettable "filler".


Now, something like JC Superstar was "stuffed" with catchy tunes....and the people singing them could actually sing.



edit to add....that is...with the exception of Josh Mostel. (large smilee face)

That's my complaint about almost any musical made in the last 20 or 30 years; one pretty good to very good song, and the rest completely bland. And all the Andrew Lloyd Webber stuff sounds the same. I really couldn't stand Phantom of the Opera for such reasons. I did really like Avenue Q.

My favorites are the Rogers and Hammerstein musicals like South Pacific and Oklahoma. I'm also fond of West Side Story and Porgie and Bess. I also have a soft spot in my heart for Guys and Dolls, because in High School our drama club put it on, and I got to play in the band for it; there are a lot of great parts for the tuba in it.

[R.A.F.]

My favorites are the Rogers and Hammerstein musicals like South Pacific and Oklahoma. I'm also fond of West Side Story and Porgie and Bess. I also have a soft spot in my heart for Guys and Dolls, because in High School our drama club put it on...

In my case, I have fond memories of Oklahoma...as a "kid", it was my first "grown-up" play...sang in the chorus.

....anything Rogers and Hammerstein is classic.

[geonuc]

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is somewhere in my collection.

And mine. I've been a fan since its first showing in theaters.

[Gillianren]

See, I don't like Rodgers and Hammerstein. I'm a Sondheim buff myself. And, yes, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I got the chance to actually see it in a group for the first time in a long time at Norwescon this year.

[R.A.F.]

See, I don't like Rodgers and Hammerstein.

It might be an "age" thing, as in "I'm an old fogey"....and Swift is rapidly approaching "fogey-hood". (apologetic smile, as I run for cover)

[Swift]

It might be an "age" thing, as in "I'm an old fogey"....and Swift is rapidly approaching "fogey-hood". (apologetic smile, as I run for cover)

Fogey-hood is a state of mind and I reached it years ago. Hey, you kids get off my lawn!

[Gillianren]

In general, Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals strike me as either saccharine or bizarre. (See also Carousel, which in places is both.) Sondheim is occasionally bizarre, though it's in a way I like, but he is never saccharine.

[Noclevername]

I forgot, another musical that I've seen is Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. The music is actually the least memorable part of the performance, IMO.

[Ara Pacis]

I liked The Music Man best, lots of memorable songs in that.

[Gillianren]

Oh, they're memorable all right . . . .

Actually, we used to start every morning just before faire with a group rendition of "Brand New Day" from Dr. Horrible. It got us in just the right mood!

[Fazor]

I watched 'The Man of La Mancha' last week, so that's a musical (the O'Toole one.) I don't hate that musical, or else I wouldn't have watched it. But I don't love it either. Mostly just like the story of Don Quixote. I've been wanting to see the Lithgow version again, but never see it anywhere.

[publiusr]

I would love to see this movie--if I could make time for it
http://www.npr.org/2011/07/30/138849...a-24-hour-film