Musicals

[lynchie]

Well, having watched bits of the 100 greatest musicals tonight, and having discussed the merits of buffy the musical, and not wanting to entirely hi-jack James's thread...

what really is the greatest (and worst) musical of all time?

Personally I was always down with the masses that went for Grease, however having sat through Grease 2 today (it was a "I'm not getting up to find the remote!" moment) I think that may be a contendor for worst!





nb: my curiosity about musicals has no bearing on my sexuality, and makes me no less of a man... i just like to see olivia newton-john in those leather trousers!

 

[Okiedokie of Oz]

Good musicals?? Welcome to My domain.

Well, let's start by identifying criteria.

I mean popularity wise, everybody loves The Sound of Music, but it's a bit tacky and too family for me. That and the bassoon part sucks, but nowhere near as much as the tuba part.

Mary Poppins, and many other Disney's are classics. However It hought they were reaching when they stole Beauty and the Beast from broadway. Dancing furniture?? What about the Lion King, meeaow.......there's a lame msucal if I saw one.

Not to be an Aussie-ist, but have you guys seen The Boy From Oz? Not a big fan of taking musician's hits and turning them into a musical (see also Mamma Mia), but the concept was good.

Loved Evita, especially the Madonna version. Also watched a doco last night about the mummyu of Eva Peron. Did you know the Vatican had a hand in moving her body to Italy and foging documents so she could be buried as Maria Maggi?

Grease, is good. Cute, popular, and something even the kids don't mind doing for school musicals. It's got sex, drugs, rock and roll, scandal, teen pregnancy...it touches ALL the bases of teen interest!

The sequel, lame as, and now they wanna do a 3rd? someone shoot me please!

Bugsy Malone, cute, fun. Gershwin musicals, are cool. Looooove Lloyd Webber. Sir Andrew is a musical genius. Pity his taste in women is a bit down the drain :roll:

Sondheim is an aquired taste, I believe. His music is a bit loopy, and his themes bizarre, but most artists were like that at one stage or another.

what abou the musicals of the 70's? Rent, Hair, Godspell. Modern edge, old style musical drama.

And finally, althought not technically musicals, but what about the greats? Gilbert and Sullivan always goes down well, especially the Aussie version of Pirates, starring the legendary rocker Jon Stevens as the Pirate King. It started a massive fad down her where the enitre case (or the leaders of it) would get together every few years and do another (The Pirates Do Cabaret and so forth).

I think I have a lot to say about musicals!

 

[PeterBale]

I only saw the last part of the 100 best musicals programme, and I must confess to being very surprised to see Grease voted top. As with all of these polls, of course, you never know exactly what cross-section of people were canvassed, or if they were given any criteria to go on, other than their own gut reaction. I did find some of the interviews quite interesting, especially those who were speaking against those that had been highly rated in the poll.

One of the problems, of course, is that many musicals exist in various versions, with a number of stage productuions, and maybe a film version that may bring something special or may spoil it completely. You also tend to have a strong bias towards recent productions, although I noticed the ones where the film versions turn up frequently on TV were all there or there abouts - Wizard of Oz, Sound of Music, Singing in the Rain.

I am quite fond of many of the American musicals of the 20's and 30's which were unlikely to feature very highly as, if film versions were made, they were often travesties of the originals, with songs omitted or switched, and plot lines rewritten to suit the perceived expectations of the cinema-going public.

As to my personal favourites, they would include Les Miserables, Fiddler on the Roof, Hello Dolly, Kiss me Kate, Showboat and Guys and Dolls, not forgetting the Music Man.

 

[leisa]

My favourites is west side story, oliver.

ive seen oliver loads in theatres its great

 

[Accidental]

Channel 4's top 100 is here: http://www.channel4.com/film/newsfeatures/microsites/M/musicals/index.html

Top 10...
Grease
Sound of Music
Wizard of Oz
West Side Story
Mary Poppins
Singing in the Rain
Rocky Horror show
Chicago
Oliver Twist
Moulin Rouge

I think West Side Story should have won by a mile! Moulin Rouge and Chicago were both fab, but I'm not convinced they're top 10 stuff - these polls always seem to be more of a reflection of what people have seen recently than anything else!

 

[BigHorn]

these polls always seem to be more of a reflection of what people have seen recently than anything else!

Too true. They also seem to have people comenting on these top ten /top 100 programs that are not nearly old enough to remember the actual music / programs / films being discussed.

Can't really disagree with the top five - they were all brilliant ( although I would have the places switched around). But can't beleive Moulin Rouge and Chicago beat the likes of Oklahoma, South Pacific, Carousel and Guys n Dolls.

 

[Pythagoras]

Best film musical has got to be South Park the Movie, some of the songs are brilliant. Loathe Moulin Rouge.

 

[Dave Payn]

West Side Story is my personal favourite. Worst? 'fraid I'll have to be Colin Controversial here and go for The Sound of Music. Not just cheesy but it grates, and I don't like my cheese grated!

 

[cornetgirl]

I love musicals!

All time favourites are My Fair Lady, Sound of Music, Oliver, Chitty and Jesus Christ Superstar.

I also think Blood Brothers and Les Mis are brilliant - and BB is rather underrated.

My lifelong ambition has always been to be in a West End musical - so if anybody knows of a part going spare that would suit a lovely flugel player who can sing and dance a bit..... :wink:

Rach x

 

[Cornishwomble]

My favourite stage musical is Les Miserables
My fave film musical is Moulin Rouge!

My vote for the worst musical was "Elephant Man the Musical" featured in the Jeff Goldblum film "The Tall Guy"!!

 

[BigHorn]

- so if anybody knows of a part going spare that would suit a lovely flugel player who can sing and dance a bit..... :wink:

Rach x

Wow :shock: Brassed Off the Musical

Could you imagine the great dance routines possible - 17st BBb bass players and drunken trombone players leaping about. :?

 

[Cornishwomble]

Wow :shock: Brassed Off the Musical

Could you imagine the great dance routines possible - 17st BBb bass players and drunken trombone players leaping about. :?

Brassed off has been done as a musical, not seen it myself but I know that my current band took part in it when it was in Chichester!

 

[Dawnys_flug]

For me it's My Fair Lady, Grease, Blood Brothers, Les Miserables and West Side Story (which will hopefully be our next school production! i'm working on it :wink: )
We just did My Fair Lady as our school musical and it was fantastic!!!!
Les Miserables has to be the greatest stage musical!!! I love it!!!! but i didn't like the film too much.
Anyone seen Return to the forbidden planet??????

Plus you can't beat a good Disney flick!! (not sure bout the stage adaptations though! :? )

Dawn x x

 

[Brian Kelly]

My favourite: West Side Story.

Followed in no particular order by My Fair Lady, Oliver, On the Town, Guys and Dolls, Les Miserables, Oklahoma, and all the classic American shows of the 1930s - 1950s.

I quite like Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita as well.

 

[lynchie]

oo, i'd forgotten about blood brothers. went to see it a few years back, very impressive!

 

[Dawnys_flug]

oooo i'd forgotton bout Jesus Christ Superstar!! That is v v good!
And how could i forget Joseph and his amazing technicolour dreamcoat!!!!!!!! I love that too!!
I lurve musicals!!!!!!


Dawn x x

 

[Okiedokie of Oz]

Have you guys seen the animated movie "The Prince of Egypt"?? It's not a proper musical, I know, but some of the songs are damn good!!

 

[dyl]

I stopped watching the programme when my favourite ever musical, Miss Saigon, was voted number 99! :twisted:

 

[Straightmute]

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned my favourite: Cabaret. It works equally well on film and on stage and doesn't rely on clever staging to make its impact. The songs are great (and they're justified by the plot) and, set against the rise of Nazism, its serious themes serve to challenge the audience, in total contrast to the unbounded escapism wich seems to characterise nearly all the others.

Also love the Rocky Horror Show...

I lost faith in C4's poll when Wizard of Oz finished in the top 5. No way!

D

 

[DollyDaydream]

My favourite has to be My Fair Lady... I would love to be Eliza Dolittle... Mamma Mia is also entertaining, dodgy story but thats how its meant to be, you just know what song is coming next. Recently saw High Society which was good too.