spiderwort
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@spiderwort
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Post by spiderwort on Oct 31, 2017 23:09:35 GMT
Most film musicals are versions of theatrical musicals, but not all. I can only think of these at the moment.
State Fair, adapted from the novel by Phil Stong Mame, adapted from the play, Auntie Mame, which was adapted from the novel by Patrick Dennis
Can anyone think of more?
EDIT: Well, Richard Kimble kindly pointed out that Mame was a Broadway musical first, which I knew but for some reason didn't remember. But I know that State Fair is absolutely correct, so I'm sticking with it. It's about the only right thing I've done with this thread so far.
Please forgive my confusion and just consider this to be about film musicals not derived from a previous musical source - whether they're adapted from novels, plays, or written originally for the screen!
That's what I should have said in the first place.
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Post by Doghouse6 on Oct 31, 2017 23:13:47 GMT
Well, the first one comes to mind is The Wizard Of Oz. I'll add more if I think of them.
Ah! I just did: A Star Is Born (1954)
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Post by Doghouse6 on Oct 31, 2017 23:20:33 GMT
Oh, of course, Doghouse6 ! What a dunce I am! Now, now, none of that. Oh! Another: In the Good Old Summertime (remade from The Shop Around the Corner) I seem to be on a Garland jag. EDIT: And I note from your edit above that you're on it with me.
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Post by Doghouse6 on Oct 31, 2017 23:31:49 GMT
Now, now, none of that. Oh! Another: In the Good Old Summertime (remade from The Shop Around the Corner) I seem to be on a Garland jag. Holiday Inn is another favorite that now leaps to mind. I think Holiday Inn was entirely original, arising from an idea from Irving Berlin himself. As long as we're at Paramount for the moment, I wonder if any of the Martin/Lewis remakes* qualify as musicals. Dino could always be counted upon for at least two or more tunes. * Scared Stiff/ The Ghost Breakers Living It Up/ Nothing Sacred You're Never Too Young/ The Major and the Minor
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Post by Doghouse6 on Oct 31, 2017 23:45:27 GMT
I think Holiday Inn was entirely original, arising from an idea from Irving Berlin himself. Yes, that's what I mean! Suddenly I realize how many originals there are. Can't believe I didn't think of it to begin with.Oh, I see. I misunderstood the objective: I interpreted it to mean film musicals that were adaptations from non-musical sources (rather than entirely original film musicals, of which there must be hundreds). Now who's the dunce? Huh... huh?
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Post by Stammerhead on Nov 1, 2017 0:08:01 GMT
Oh, I see. I misunderstood the objective: I interpreted it to mean film musicals that were adaptations from non-musical sources (rather than entirely original film musicals, of which there must be hundreds). Now who's the dunce? Huh... huh?Oh, man, you've really made me laugh now (which is a good thing). No, actually, I think your first understanding was the correct one. But at the moment, I'm not sure what the thread is or should be. I'm open to anything now - adaptations from non-musical sources and/or original Hollywood musicals. I do suspect the former is probably harder. But I love musicals, period, so what the hey? Oh! I just thought of one I've never seen (go figure), but which is probably appropriate for Halloween: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). Thanks for your good humor. Rocky Horror started life as a stage musical (The Rocky Horror Show).
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Post by Stammerhead on Nov 1, 2017 0:12:05 GMT
Popeye (1980) which wasn't that great anyway.
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Post by mattgarth on Nov 1, 2017 0:19:30 GMT
SUMMER HOLIDAY in 1948, musical version of 1936's AH WILDERNESS (Rooney appears in both).
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Post by bravomailer on Nov 1, 2017 0:22:32 GMT
Pygmalion ––> My Fair Lady, though there might have been a theatrical musical in between.
Update: Yep, there was.
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Post by mattgarth on Nov 1, 2017 0:23:54 GMT
And then there's CAROUSEL, based on LILIOM.
(OK, was a stage show first)
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Post by Doghouse6 on Nov 1, 2017 0:25:22 GMT
Oh, I see. I misunderstood the objective: I interpreted it to mean film musicals that were adaptations from non-musical sources (rather than entirely original film musicals, of which there must be hundreds). Now who's the dunce? Huh... huh?Oh! I just thought of one I've never seen (go figure), but which is probably appropriate for Halloween: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). Thanks for your good humor. Upon further reflection, I think we look pretty good in our matching caps. It is Halloween and only masquerade, after all. I saw the first U.S. production of The Rocky Horror Show at Sunset Blvd's Roxy Theater in '74, and remember the film as a faithful adaptation. Thing is, I saw the show just once, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show maybe a half-dozen times, so that's superseded my recollection of how it was on stage. And therein lies both the magic and the curse of live theater: when it's gone, it's gone, and no opportunity to reacquaint yourself with it. Even if you see the same stage production multiple times, each visit is unique in its own way (you're not even seeing it from the same vantage point unless you get the exact same seat every time). Another Garland: I've heard The Harvey Girls was adapted from a novel. But you know how those things go: sometimes all they salvage is a premise, so I've no idea if they really tell the same story.
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Post by mikef6 on Nov 1, 2017 0:37:35 GMT
From about 1958 to c. 1964, Cliff Richard was on the top of the pop charts in England with hit after hit after hit. Well, they went and put him in the movies. The result was Summer Holiday (Peter Yates, 1963), a musical with all original songs. Surprisingly enjoyable. The spontaneous singing and dancing harkens back to a previous era.
A few other original musicals featuring ‘50s and ‘60s pop groups are:
Ferry Cross The Mersey (1964) (Gerry and the Pacemakers) All of Elvis’s musicals Rock Around The Clock (1956) (and other rock quickies of the era) A Hard Day’s Night (1964) – featuring a group of unknowns
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Post by neurosturgeon on Nov 1, 2017 3:46:08 GMT
Most of the Fred and Ginger films were original musicals for the screen, with the exceptions of "The Gay Divorcee" amd "Roberta."
Flying Down To Rio Top Hat Carefree Swing Time Damsel I’m Distress (not with Ginger) Story of Vernon and Irene Castle Barkleys of Broadway
During the Depression, it was difficult for even the best songwriters to have a hit on Broadway, so Berlin, Kern, Gershwin and others headed for Hollywood.
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Post by Richard Kimble on Nov 1, 2017 4:30:23 GMT
Mame, adapted from the play, Auntie Mame, which was adapted from the novel by Patrick Dennis Mame was a stage musical Several MGM musicals were based on non-stage musical sources: Meet Me In St Louis, 7 Brides For 7 BrothersMy Sister Eilleen (1955) is a curious case. Columbia owned the film rights to the original, and wanted to film the Broadway version Wonderful Town. But Harry Cohn deemed the rights to the Bernstein-Comden-Green score as too expensive. So he took the original 1942 script and had new songs written for it. The new songs were carefully placed in different spots from the musical sections in Wonderful Town, to avoid plagiarism charges.
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Post by Richard Kimble on Nov 1, 2017 6:55:12 GMT
Centennial Summer (1946), based on a novel by one Albert Idell. Fox probably intended to film it straight until Meet Me In St Louis came out.
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Post by Richard Kimble on Nov 1, 2017 7:10:33 GMT
Another Berlin original musical that I really like, though I don't put on the same level as most of the others, is Lady Be Good, starring Robert Young and Ann Sothern. I love to hear Sothern sing the title song in that one. Are there any Berlin songs in that? The title song is Gershwin, and it also has "The Last Time I Saw Paris" by Kern-Hammerstein (which won an Oscar even though it was not written for the film) I've read that Berlin was so angry with what Paramount did to Louisiana Purchase that afterward his contracts gave him total control over how his songs were used.
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Post by Richard Kimble on Nov 1, 2017 7:11:02 GMT
My Sister Eilleen (1955) is a curious case. Columbia owned the film rights to the original, and wanted to film the Broadway version Wonderful Town. But Harry Cohn deemed the rights to the Bernstein-Comden-Green score as too expensive. So he took the original 1942 script and had new songs written for it. The new songs were carefully placed in different spots from the musical sections in Wonderful Town, to avoid plagiarism charges. The film was never made so it's only marginally relevant, but it's one of my fave pieces of music trivia... Around 1982 FF Coppola was trying film a longtime project of his, Tucker. But at this time he intended to film it as a musical. And for the score, he hired a team that had been at their height in Tucker's time: Bernstein-Comden-Green. BCG wrote three new songs -- the team's final collaboration -- before Coppola pulled the plug on the Tucker musical. He would rework the story into a standard biopic in 1988.
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Seto
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Post by Seto on Nov 1, 2017 9:59:29 GMT
Umm guys, we've all forgotten a kinda big one here....
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spiderwort
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@spiderwort
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Post by spiderwort on Nov 1, 2017 12:39:52 GMT
Another Berlin original musical that I really like, though I don't put on the same level as most of the others, is Lady Be Good, starring Robert Young and Ann Sothern. I love to hear Sothern sing the title song in that one. Are there any Berlin songs in that? The title song is Gershwin, and it also has "The Last Time I Saw Paris" by Kern-Hammerstein (which won an Oscar even though it was not written for the film) I've read that Berlin was so angry with what Paramount did to Louisiana Purchase that afterward his contracts gave him total control over how his songs were used. No, of course, it was Gershwin! I don't know what was wrong with my brain last night. I don't drink, do drugs, or even smoke, so I have no excuses. Just a weird lapse in film judgement for some reason. Anyway, I still really enjoy Lady Be Good - probably all the more because it is Gershwin. And thanks for the info about Berlin and Paramount. It's always good when artists use their power to protect their creations, if they can, when they can.
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Post by Doghouse6 on Nov 1, 2017 14:06:24 GMT
Oh, brother, have I screwed this thread up! As Mr. Applegate said in Damn Yankees, bosh and double bosh! Any thread that gets us readin' an' writin' (if not singin' and dancin') about film musicals is a success, no matter the intention. Sticking with my original interpretation (that of film musicals adapted from other, non-musical sources...sounds like an AMPAS category), another comes to mind: You Can't Run Away From It, a misbegotten 1956 musical remake of It Happened One Night, with June Allyson, Jack Lemmon and songs by Johnny Mercer and Gene de Paul. I finally got away from Garland, but only as far as Allyson.
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