I don't consider myself a Baz Lurhmann stan. I like his style, especially in the current greyscale slop and photorealistic animation trend. Thank god, we are heading for a most stylized animation as I have seen more of what animation medium could achieve and be over the 'look how many strands of hair Rapunzel and Merida have?!'. I have witnessed mocking posts on Tumblr about Disney and Pixar's reliance on photorealism.
His maximalist fingerprint is everywhere. As soon as I see it, it’s obvious it has to be Baz.
For example, I had seen the Red Curtain Trilogy before the Great Gatsby which I have seen since my high school senior year. My classmates and I discussed it at length as I remember one complained that modern music doesn’t fit with the roaring twenties era.
Honestly outside of the music, Baz told the story well instead of changing too much as in the end, it’s a simple story. I mean he certainly made the gay scene between Nick and McKee straight but at least he's open to it. With the book now public domain, hopefully, we'll actually see the scene fully realized one of these days. It’s stylized but this is Baz. Honestly, at this point, I think people are unable to get past stylization if certain directors stick to it.
It’s not even one of the best books, sure a book to teach how literary devices work in a narrative, but it’s not something I would call Fitzgerald’s masterpiece.
Baz works best with simple stories but has enough substance and depth to it. He’s best with tragic love stories of Star-crossed lovers. Baz can utilize tonal shifts from zany goofy hammy comedy to sincere love to dark cruelty. He can tell a scene with his quick editing just as the emotions are vibrant and intense. Other common elements are his anachronistic play with time (past and the present with modern music or clothes mixed with the time period's music and clothes), personal human desires vs artificial mask/public persona, a heightened world, and a framing narrative via a character telling the story hence the hyper stylism.
Seriously, that last one is the only way I can justify Elvis the way it was told. Elvis was almost there in terms of getting mediocre but not quite there. I can't say that it's all the way bad the way BoRap was but it definitely isn't my favorite Baz Luhrmann film. All I can do is cheer that Elvis walked away with nothing at the Oscars because Elvis is definitely one of his weakest films when the Great Gatsby is better.
Honestly, if the dialogue wasn’t poorly performed in an otherwise accurate adaptation of the lines closest to the original text, stage directions, and relayed emotions because the campiness is Shakespeare, R + J would’ve been one of the best as it’s the closest thing to accuracy. I didn’t mind the crazy sets and shots as I was able to accept the suspension of disbelief. Believe it or not, Baz actually kept Juliet's pivotal soliloquies whereas Zeffrelli's Juliet's soliloquies were not kept. That was a red flag because those soliloquies are pivotal to the character and the plot, showing that Juliet is the true protagonist.
I recommend the Red Curtain Trilogy because even now, those aged better with time just on sincerity and conviction. Really, if I were to have any movie collection, it's this one.
At least, two of the Red Curtain Trilogy have been influential. Romeo + Juliet for making teens the audience and their success with the demographic leading the modern Shakespearean adaptations from She's the Man to 10 Things I Hate About You and Moulin Rouge for the movie musical revival which is still felt today.
Seriously, seeing him release new movies still takes me by surprise. I don’t keep up with any movie news except animation. And even then I want to see the teasers and trailers because announcements can be just that. I have seen Disney not make any animated movies they announce and cut down on movies that were made by other studios before shutting them down. Disney, you fucking monopoly, I hope one day the returns on the current trend you’re chasing instead of the timeless themes will be worth it.
Anyways, I haven’t seen his other movies. Aside from The Great Gatsby, I haven’t heard as much fanfare as I did Elvis. Ugh, Elvis, aside from it being a biopic, Elvis is just controversial given how he took black music and didn’t credit them or bring them more recognition. Yeah, he got his own style but it’s still black music that white people appropriated. I’m just wary but I think I can make it through it because at least I like Baz Luhrmann's style.
Baz Luhrmann is a divisive director with equally divisive films. It's a love it or hate it when it comes to his famous works. His filmography is small compared to his peers but to his credit, he wants to make art even if it did seem like he's desperate for an Oscar with his biopic outing. If nothing else, I would like to give an award for kicking off trends and impactful works with MR and R+J. It got to the point he got two stage adaptations of two of the Red Curtain Trilogy, MR and SB.
Moulin Rouge is such a unique and important piece of film and musical. Regardless of its cliche melodrama, it’s a piece of art that references other art from film to theatre to make something only Baz Lurhmann can create. It’s a story full of archetypes but it’s just so unique despite that. There wouldn't be a dedicated fanbase to actually make the stage adaptation and keep it running for years now and all the AUs although the actual MR tag is a very small amount in comparison.
Blonde was just horrid and seriously, can we stop exploiting Marilyn Monroe after her death if she wasn’t able to have peace in life? Just let the woman rest in peace, not to further exploit her legacy in demeaning ways from Kardashian to the new biopic. Can we get an Eartha Kitt biopic that is on the level of Frida? Women of color need biopics more than another Marilyn Monroe biopic. If we were to have another Marilyn Monroe biopic, could we have one that actually uplifts her and all the phenomenal stuff that she had done? It would be far more interesting to see her build her production company as well as her friendship with Ella Fitzgerald than the misogynistic eyesore that is Blonde.
Disney Cinderella is probably my first Disney musical, The Little Mermaid animated is my first Disney Broadway musical, and Moulin Rouge is my first movie musical and jukebox musical. Cinderella 1997 is probably my first introduction to a live-action stage musical first probably but it's made for a television movie, not a full-on movie musical.
Moulin Rouge brought back the movie musical back in a big way. Its success showed that audiences still want musicals and boy do we get them. Not only had people grown up from Disney musicals, but early movie musicals also played a part with Moulin Rouge showing a revamp of what the movie musical could be as well as what the jukebox musical could be at its best. Seriously, people mention Chicago all the time and how it's the best without mentioning that Chicago wouldn't have been well-received if it were not for MR although I still think its success would be independent of MR if MR wasn't released first; it came a year right after it. Chicago wouldn’t have won Best Picture if it were not for Moulin Rouge’s results. The movie musicals of the last two decades are trying hard to emulate the best of the best movie musicals. Whether they fail or not is up to personal interpretation.
I mean there was a hint that people still want musicals with Brandy and Whitney Houston's Cinderella 1997. It got the highest rating for a TV musical and got major nominations and awards. It was a hint but not much that people think that it could work for the big screen because TV and film mediums are different. I remember watching the 2004 Phantom of the Opera but I know it’s after.
The only movie musicals that existed are from around the time like Rocky Horror Picture Show, Cabaret, and Little Shop of Horrors. Notice they aren't exactly mainstream but rather relegated to cult classic status than anything the Disney movies that have been recognized for keeping the musical theatre formula in the public eye even when the movie musical was killed off by Hello Dolly. Even Grease and SNF count as outliers as they didn't exactly open the doors after Hello Dolly's failure. I still consider Xanadu on the same line as LSOH and RHPS.
The entire musical genre was sustained by the Disney Renaissance and really Disney is the only thing keeping the musical genre both then and now. I have so many mixed feelings that while the live-action Disney musicals are generally lifeless (I don’t consider Cinderella 2015 as a musical, more of a fairytale romance drama), they are still musicals that follow the traditional Broadway songs like I Am, I Want, Villain, etc so I guess the new generation knows at least the traditional musicals alongside the jukebox musical process however toothless the live-action and loads of current modern jukebox musicals are. The best modern jukebox musicals that are known to the wider public are Moulin Rouge, Mamma Mia, and & Juliet at the moment. LaLa Land is a good original musical but The Greatest Showman is entertainingly original but with no flow between the story and the songs. Mamma Mia definitely connects the world between ABBA and the world it sets in great and is one of the better jukebox musicals, but the story is less than impressive admittedly. The original movie musicals are not well-known just like stage musicals. The Hollywood ones are Broadway stage-to-film adaptations but the directors lacked the understanding of the theatre medium or why those stage musicals work in the first place to adapt it to the big screen. Looking at you, Tom Hooper, you must never step foot near a stage musical again.
Growing up with musicals in the first place will blindside others that in spite of musicals being one of the many Oscar baits musicals just aren't the tentpole titan they used to be prior to Hello Dolly. Even now, the musicals that tend to garner attention in Oscar talks are the Tom Hooper musicals with the exception of Cats. The gritty realism and the question of why everyone is singing just don't jive with the emotionality and vibrancy of musicals. The suspension of disbelief is cut between the screen and the theatre and how do they cope with a happy medium such as in animation or internal logic of the world.
Out of all Baz’s films, I hold a soft spot for Moulin Rouge! the most. Perhaps it was my first entrance into a live-action movie musical (Brandy's Cinderella is my first entrance to TV musicals and indirectly stage musicals and what I saw first before MR) but it’s still an okay movie. I’ll give it three stars. Admittedly, not one of my fave movies but in terms of musicals and romance, it holds a major spot.
It has its problems like the racist play (I know Bollywood is one of your inspirations but it shouldn't have to be played out like that. I mean I was fine with the Broadway making a new play without the Indian trappings though everywhere else was fine.). The secondary characters don’t get development like the Bohemian troupe and Nini. I know it isn’t the best movie but think of MR as a grand romantic gesture embodying Bohemian ideals, silly grand romantic yet deep showing freedom beauty truth, and love in all its showiness.
The Broadway version, while expanding the secondary characters and getting rid of the cultural appropriation, butchered the love triangle, made weird decisions with the couple, failed to make the Duke the entitled menacing clown that he is instead of just relenting at the end (because that’s not the point? Why the fuck is he singing money when he has the money? Why is he the only consistent male lead? Still evil but he didn’t come off as the true villain in the end. That honor went to his rival, Broadway Christian. If anyone thought the movie Christian was a piece of shit and/or disturbing, then you haven't seen the Broadway version because that Christian was the worst in the second act.), the Satine and Christian's romance just wrecked (nothing against older Satine finds her home in MR as opposed to the caged bird younger Satine. Just different flavors with different vulnerabilities. I just have a problem with Christian's arc overall as he seems different from the genuine gentle romantic soul; why is he this whiny loser than an actual romantic? Act 1 Christian was fine but the rest of the time Christian was not my Christian. Maybe the music just doesn't have the Orpheus and Eurydice element which is the point.), Broadway Christian just not being a wide-eyed romantic idealist but some guy who is definitely not Christian I know, and the crucial musical numbers from the film receive downgrades. By making the Duke likable, they don't seem to understand why the movie made it clear that we root for Christian and Satine. There is nothing wrong with developing the Duke to be more than the incel creep from the film. Still, when the Duke is by far the most fun and believable character in the whole show and fucking up the love triangle and the romance centerpiece, all we are left with is a hollow love story that isn't self-aware outside of the happier ending I guess.
My Godoka, Elephant Love Medley, El Tango De Roxanne, One Day I’ll Fly Away, Come What May, and Your Song, you deserve so much better than what Broadway had done to you. I swear I’ll cry if I have to listen to the Broadway version over the sincere story-relevant songs. Seriously, the El Tango de Roxanne Broadway version just makes me cry with frustration and crystallization of just how poorly done the love triangle is on Broadway. Because Broadway clearly doesn’t understand the point. Why did they remove Queen’s The Show Must Go On when they clearly got another Queen song in their version of ELM? Just why while Crazy Rolling was just acceptable but no dice on being compelling? Even if Satine’s motive had changed, Firework is not the song to go especially as the emotional One Day I’ll Fly Away equivalent. Satine wouldn’t have all the bird motifs if the song doesn’t mean anything. Your Song is now the secret song rather than Come What May which I have many opinions about. There’s a reason why it’s the only original song and for the show making the only original song not be as impactful despite having the reprises is just weird. There’s a different context for the song but given Come What May’s reprises, it should’ve made more impact. Somehow it just doesn’t land because it was just another duet than the importance an original song in a jukebox musical has. Nature Boy (and Lady Marmalade and Because We Can) was the only song not ruined by the musical version!
Even when they used older more timeless music like Aha's Take on Me, Elvis's' Can't Help Falling In Love With You, Beatles' All You Need Is Love, etc aren't doing anything creative with it or building/maintaining focus on the fucking story with it or using it like the emotional songs that the movie had done because their main problem was mashing it up without considering how the movie did it. I laugh because no matter what era, there are just too many songs but not enough development on the romantic centerpiece - and when they did focus on the romance, it's horrid because Christian and Satine didn't look like they want to spend the rest of their lives together. Because it sure as hell confused on what direction it wants: is it a satire, tragic melodramatic love story, comedy, or naughty cabaret? It didn't have a straight line that knows what it is like the movie which is aware it's a melodramatic tragic love story with tight tone shifts from comedy to tragedy and draws attention to it. The Broadway played things so fucking straight that it's tedious to sit through.
I have zero issues with Broadway needing more numbers as well as replacement numbers for songs they couldn’t get. I understand that in traditional musical theatre, there are required numbers such as the I Want and Villain songs. In the end, the Broadway soundtrack in its entirety is merely serviceable but far too many numbers at the expense of the romantic centerpiece.
Fuck making Christian emotionally manipulative so Satine had to admit her love just to save him! What the actual fuck when Christian walking out of her life forever is enough for Satine who was overcome with love can't help but sing out how she really feels! Fuck Broadway Christian is just so disappointing. No matter how good the Broadway actor like Aaron Tveit is, the Broadway arc for Christian is just so disappointing and not the Christian I know, the gentle yet passionate Christian who genuinely loves Satine and shows how much he loves her by treating her like a person because that's the point. This one just feels disappointing overall.
The ending felt too celebratory. It’s a party because why not?! The movie respects Satine’s death more than this mess. I understand the Moulin Rouge establishment and everyone else got a relatively happier ending but the Broadway never respected Satine’s death in the finale and it’s just disappointing.
There’s nothing with a romp. It’s just that the dignity of the darkness isn’t given its dues and won’t stand against its contemporaries and the movie itself.
Technically, I know that any of the Broadway singers are far better technical performers at their jobs than the celebs who were selected (regardless Ewan Mcgregor and Nicole Kidman are good singers or pitch-corrected when that isn’t the point as it’s the chemistry and the heart of the performances make the romance great) but Godoka, the film version, and the film soundtrack have so much heart rather than having songs going in and out. Talented singers or not, when the songs felt more like they were there for popularity to the point my thought is 'what song is next?' than advancing the story, the Broadway soundtrack is more serviceable than anything I'll play over and over again. Like, there is a reason why I'll listen to the film soundtrack and the film versions than the Broadway soundtrack.
Perhaps there is something wrong with the Broadway version's libretto. Or might as well be one of the worst librettos on Broadway. The romance no matter the actor and actress just off with lackluster chemistry (believe me, I have seen bootlegs of different casts and still cannot see the romance. Next up, Jamie Muscato and Melissa James!). Individually, they’re fine but together it’s just off. The movie's chemistry and performances are fantastic because pessimism and optimism sparked into the flirty banter while on Broadway the vague anti and pro-love are just that and don’t show enough of the romance. It seemed so focused on the music rather than using the music to advance the story. The only thing in its favor is really its incredible set and costume design with great performances that probably didn't matter it's a terrible book.
One thing in MR’s favor is just how self-aware the movie is. It doesn’t take itself too seriously yet when it comes down to the love story, it feels genuine, and the fact that the music shows that they still want to tell a story.
It honestly feels like the Broadway version isn't self-aware and played things so straight that the goofy yet genuine version felt more willing to push all emotions out than having it so staid. Just be big and loud because that's the point of Moulin Rouge with an exclamation point!
Elephant Love Medley is a medley that seamlessly makes pre-existing songs into a cohesive song that tells a story. The focus was a conversation and the couple finally acted on the love at first sight as well as their previous encounter with Your Song. Broadway failed as an organic medley, shuffling love-related songs as if its life depended on it. Again, Broadway failed to tell a story.
El Tango de Roxanne is the benchmark that the jukebox musical aspires to be, turning a pre-existing song and turning it to an evocation of emotion and atmosphere. The lyrics are telling a story while the music and its arrangement expressed and heightened the characters' emotions. The song is also layered with original lyrics for Christian, showing that the team knows where the heart belongs because why trust the emotional daggers to someone else when you know how to wield it yourself? (This is the same thought process behind Shrek's soundtrack as well with the pop songs as the external pressures while the original sound is the true selves. Because the original music would not have worked if it weren't for the pop music.) The movie version with the addition of Come What May was just so wonderful.
And this is one of the many reasons why the Broadway version failed as Christian is only supposed to sing the original lyrics while the Roxanne tango must only be sung by his friends trying to tell him that they know better than he knows. Fucking up the performance of the song which should never be messed with just to give Christian more lines that made no sense according to the narrative. It should’ve never been Christian’s song. By reverting back to the original aka not the movie version but the Police thereby making it a straight-up cover for the lead’s belting showcase, the transformed song is now a plain cover and just not good. The movie cut out ‘put on the red light’ wisely after the first time and kept it in a minor key with Christian’s counter melody playing off it completely transformed the song into musical theatre. Just basically repeating 'put on the red light' was not how the song worked in the movie! The movie wisely cut it to keep it in a minor key and to keep the energy of the song! The Broadway El Tango de Roxanne is mangled to hell and back! The so-called musical theatre arranges the songs as direct covers with no changes except for belting but not as the musical theatre the movie does for the emotion. Winning Best Orchestration is an insult to the movie's complete transformation of the music. Outside of some gems, the Broadway overall isn't doing anything new or inventive, just covers when the film transforms the music.
Ya know if you wanted to give the Bohemians more, then give Santiago his shining piece! Christian already has a part in Crazy Rolling which is The Show Must Go On equivalent (I have so many words for that change regardless of its acceptability in the song quality. I adore the opera version of The Show Must Go On and just wish there is something better for the Broadway.) but at that point, I just want Christian to have the right amount of songs, not to take up songs that are other characters' rightful shining moments. Just let Satine and Zidler sing that damn song! Just let Santiago loose with his defining moment! Just do anything at all so that the poorly-written Christian has the right songs to illustrate his pain! Do anything else at all to illustrate the emotion rather than have poorly done covers that do not do well against the movie! The jukebox quality is so bad on Broadway I wanted to grab it by the scruff and point it to the movie. It really doesn’t know how to take a breather and let the emotional songs where the not-so-contemporary 70-80s (or older since we're also counting on Tanguera by Mariano Mores here) rock/jazz ballads era came from and keep the nightclub/comedy songs on the modern era popular songs from the past decade. Broadway tried to be emotional but failed at the crucial moments because it’s all contemporary instead of placing them in categories. It doesn’t know how to use contemporary music.
Honestly, I wish jukebox musicals are like Moulin Rouge where the songs were chosen thoughtfully in the context of the music, their lyrics, and the role they play in the advancement of the story. Elephant Love Melody and El Tango de Roxanne are what the jukebox musical's untouchables that none had been able to compare, challenge, or stand beside.
Honestly, I think Moulin Rouge doesn’t follow the rules of a jukebox musical if there were any tight rules. Baz knows when to use original music to show the characters’ true feelings. The secret to a jukebox musical is in the best, the most memorable, and most powerful song must be original hence we see the glimmer of Come What May and Christian's lyrics in El Tango de Roxanne and Come What May itself.
We also see this with The Book of Life with original songs I Love You Too Much and The Apology Song. Again, the secret of a jukebox musical is the original that is powerful and memorable.
Moulin Rogue transcended the trappings of the jukebox musical. That's how great the Moulin Rouge movie soundtrack (the official soundtrack is just disappointing on just how little it offers in terms of how the movie played it out because we want the movie renditions) really is.
Honestly, the only jukebox musicals that came close are Mamma Mia and The Book of Life yet Moulin Rouge the movie remains the crème de la crème what a jukebox musical could be in its best form.
I don’t think you can’t unsee Moulin Rouge as some jukebox musical. All the songs are character and plot-relevant, advancing the story forward. In a typical jukebox musical, the music is haphazard and just there for the audience to point out they know that song and like it which the Broadway version doesn’t make that genre of musicals better when the movie reinvigorates what the jukebox musical could do, and do well. Though, unlike the movie version, the music seems still brand new instead of choosing from songs that are for the story. From what I always hear from the movie version, songs are not chosen at random and the love ballad wasn’t chosen willy-nilly because they exhausted their search. I just wish they look at every song written and see if it’s character and story while seamlessly blending the melodies. Broadway doesn’t do that one well in ELM though there is some good in this version with the mixing when everywhere else was fine. Hey, at least Backstage Romance, Shut Up and Raise Your Glass, and Freedom Beauty Truth Love are great. There is some good music on Broadway but it’s not enough to tell the story that it should’ve done and largely failed to transform the songs into a new context or do something new/inventive with it because covers are the bare minimum of a jukebox musical and only rearranging songs just for belting (instead of transforming it into the musical theatre of any kind like opera) along with swapping upbeat to ballad and vice versa or just in a different key but little change too much else are another things that are just minimal. Firework is the worst here. Transform the songs into a new genre nobody thought of, recontextualize them into something new, rearrange them into a new genre that nobody thought of, drop certain keys to keep it in a certain tone, make counter melodies, combine it with a classical song, add original lyrics, make it exciting, do what the Moulin Rouge movie had done!
Musicals are driven by emotions, not by logic. Tom Hooper dragging the musical theatre genre kicking and screaming into realism was pretty bad to watch as he's too blinded by the awards and praise for his film style to even bother understanding the musical genre just as Kay Cannon seemed embarrassed that Cinderella 2021 was even a musical. I was disappointed by the Broadway version of Moulin Rouge precisely it plays so straight instead of leaning into the melodrama the more self-aware movie version had done. Moulin Rouge wasn't supposed to be so staid, but full of kinetic powerful emotions.
Please I’ll watch Moulin Rouge Broadway over the Dear Evan Hansen movie anytime. At least, you can laugh at Cats the movie despite its pure lack of understanding of the musical and just music in general (one song is all the movie got right! One fucking song!). Dear Evan Hansen the movie was pure ego for Mark towards Ben instead of telling the story well on the silver screen; aside from one upgrade from the musical, it’s literally bad to sit through because you can’t laugh at it. Honestly, because of Evan's youth and the play know Evan’s actions are inexcusable, the music is great out of context while they are so uncomfortable in context. DEH isn’t a top fave or even remotely bad by any means, just a story that is more uncomfortable than mediocre or plain bad.
I might seem really harsh with the Moulin Rouge Broadway but this is the same opinion I have with fanfic (and other fics) I won't name at the moment as well as other media (Bridgerton). I am willing to watch/read it again but it's not something I would consider putting on my fave list any time soon. At least the MR Broadway version is enjoyable. I just prefer the movie version while accepting MR Broadway's expansion on the secondary characters and diversity without the cultural appropriation only because they fucked up character-wise with Christian & Duke (by making him lovable and hateable yet the most consistent main cast lead) and romance-wise with everything else. Individually, Broadway Satine is fine with more agency. Still, caged bird Satine made sense with her lack of agency or what little she has (her affair with Christian, her desire to run away with Christian, planning to sleep with the Duke but chose not to yet her self-sacrifice attempts are always destroyed, choosing Christian at the end of the movie, using her last words for her last request). I just do not want her with either the Duke or Christian on Broadway. I will root for her and Christian in the movie but will not root for them in the Broadway version.
It's not likely my critique especially as a lover of the movie would mean much to the tourists. Broadway is sustained by tourists and a wealthy East Coast base. The Broadway version of Moulin Rouge is a huge tourist draw that is doing just fine without any big stars as Aaron Tvelt and Karen Olivo are taking their final bows, Derek Klena taking a hiatus, and more cast announcements coming out for the leads. Even the recent announcement of Jojo as Satine was just the right amount of interest but not the type of stunt casting for box office needs; she hits the nostalgia factor for millennials yet is a fantastic singer so she'll be doing the holdover until summer sales.
Anyway, Baz Lurhmann revitalized the movie musical genre and his influence reigned till this day. I mean we wouldn’t have all the imagined spots and play with time so much in musicals, won’t we?
As much as I don’t like the closeups of dance numbers when all I want to see is the choreography, it’s still the movie musical genre. At least in Moulin Rouge, the snappy editing as well as seeing the choreography makes it worthwhile because the editing serves a purpose. The editing of close-ups is not that story-driven. At least MR lets you see the choreography.
You can see the influence of the new and old; the fantasy and the reality; the showstoppers and the emotional. The blending of modern music and old times isn't anything new. However, in modern times, it's more felt.
Even in non-musical forms, we got oldie songs in OFMD. Like Moulin Rouge the movie, the era used timeless orchestrated songs. It's not there to be belted out but to be sung on those featured at the endings. Compared to the golden era of piracy, those songs aren't modern but still timeless. Because that's the point OFMD and MR the movie are aiming for.
Bridgerton got the instrumental modern songs though I have mixed feelings about certain songs.
It can be done well as those examples are recent. If not done well, you get audiences laughing in the emotional moments as seen in the Broadway version of MR and the thought occurring is ‘I know that song! I like the musical now!’. I’m sorry but as much as I like Thank You Next and Wildest Dreams and didn’t like Girls Like You, my first thought isn’t that for actually liking the soundtrack. I was far too concerned with how the story and characters are going in conjunction with the music. I like Stranger Things soundtrack despite my many problems with the show.
In The Greatest Showman, Rocketman, and so much more, you can see the Moulin Rouge influence.
The Greatest Showman was trying to be the Moulin Rouge for the next generation albeit with originals. The major difference is that outside of two songs that move the story forward in any way even after Rewrite the Stars came after three minutes after the romantic subplot characters met because at least the romance impacts the story forward, the majority are inspirational songs. It's all extravaganza with no thought process behind the original songs for the thinner story than Moulin Rouge. At least Moulin Rouge's story was helped by its self-awareness and the fact that the songs are plot-prevalent including the softer songs that can be featured in just a single scene that does have emotional weight like Some Day I'll Fly Away and A Fool to Believe. The movie in itself was a hollow commercial montage with less than fleshed-out characters and relationships and really don't think too hard about it. It's all about the entertainment and sensation of being at a circus than the atmospheric heightened world of Moulin Rouge. I don't hate the film as I'm more eh and not sure about even liking it. About two and a half stars, the only way I could imagine the film even working outside of its poor narrative is the real Barnum piecing together a fictional version of himself that was so accepting and saintly because he would do that. It does have its strengths as a feel-good movie just as long as you are not thinking about the story or any historical detail. The difference between Moulin Rouge and The Greatest Showman is that Moulin Rouge knows it's heightened and the audience knows it's a heightened world, buying into the love at first sight easily. The Greatest Showman for all its pizazz doesn't have enough of that heightened world to buy into when the songs only have two songs that are plot-relevant while the other songs are there for inspirational acceptance. It's a heightened world but when we don't even get the interactions we do get with Christian and Satine from the brief dance they shared and the conversations they had after the Duke went out of the boudoir briefly as well as the Your Song and the misunderstanding they had prior to Your Song, the star-crossed interracial couple shared three minutes prior to their love song. There just wasn't enough for the trope of love at first sight to set in because it's all about the sensation when we barely know these characters whereas we got to know the characters of Christian and Satine both in and out of their relationship. Even Elephant Love Medley still took some time as we even got the conversation leading up to said medley including Some Day I'll Fly Away. When Moulin Rouge got three stars, yeah. I was kind enough to up it one star for its strengths and a half for the two songs for story progression in any way. I mean the secondary characters don’t have that much of a role in MR but at least we see their personalities and what little they do get whereas Broadway expanded them to the romance’s detriment. As much as I shut my brain off regarding this movie, it's admittedly entertaining because at least I can analyze Moulin Rouge and enjoy other fandoms using the MR AUs to tell what they want whereas the surface-level everything in TGS is just there.
Like, musical numbers are trendy pop music fare than musical theatre. Moulin Rouge actually made an opera version of The Show Must Go On and puts more effort into the arrangements than Pasek and Paul who had more recent pop music than actual identifiable musical theatre identity. At least in La La Land, the music actually fits even though the homage to the golden age of musicals is so superficial.
I don't mind the musical numbers. Heck, it's even the highlights and entertaining but make no question there is no connection between the emotionality and characters beyond the shallow. Because I know the difference between art and entertainment and how it can be both, I think it's just sad I just can't bring myself to like it more than just a mediocre piece of work that is more determined to entertain than to have a decent story coupled with it. At least Moulin Rouge for all its cliches is actually self-aware of its melodrama and leaned into it. TGS focused so much on the entertainment the 'heart' suffered as we do not get to know the freaks in which these songs all proposed the diversity to focus on the white male lead.
Heck, even Chicago the movie musical used editing in its musical scenes to tell a story.
Baz opened the door to a vibrant and impossible world that can be achieved as the modern movie musical. When the oldie movie musical is in doses and homages nowadays, the colorful world the movie musical could be in the future.
Movie musicals from The Greatest Showman and West Side Story showed what the modern movie musical could do now. Generally, from what I have seen in modern movie musicals, the convergence between musical theatre and film must be either realism or dreamlike stylism. The Greatest Showman and Rocketman can show the dreamlike stylism still work just as Into the Heights and West Side Story leaned more toward realism so much that musical numbers do not detract from the central story that is told in the film medium.
Dear Evan Hansen the movie leaned so hard onto the realism that it actually hurt it, not the least of the loss of so many numbers. It looked more like an indie flick where they could use the musical numbers as imagined spots with the important talks that were sung be sung to each other.
Cats leaned into realism as per Tom Hooper's Les Mis. Tom Hooper, like Joel Schumacher, is a director best not to direct movie musicals. Seriously, the heteronormality of Rum Tum Tugger and Mr. Mistoffelees is turned towards the so-called protagonist Victoria. It's one of the major problems for sure but when paired with the bad music that just stopped because the director is outright embarrassed by these numbers, it's just rotten to sit through.
And that's on the most recent turnout I can remember. Mamma Mia movies are just fine chick flicks made for women and as far as combining jukebox with the world goes, it's one of the best examples for a non-biomusical but for the oeuvre of a musician.
So far, we are ranging from decent to utter trash when it comes to modern movie musicals.
While I don't think musical theatre should want to get validation from Hollywood it wants them for awards bait, Broadway on its own is just for tourists. It's a tiny slice in which the award show dedicated to them is myopic and whatever awards are marketing bait. Who cares Moulin Rouge the Broadway musical has one of the worst librettos, it's still well-performed! Cats have a terrible libretto too but who cares when it's just so out there! Phantom's story is flawed but there is no getting around that the songs are just catchy.
There are more jukeboxes now there but there is a future coming and hopefully more innovative music than just Lin-Manuel Miranda.
While people have built on what the modern movie musical could do, the jukebox musical doesn’t have that many gems.
From ego vanity projects to focusing on the jukebox aspect than the musical aspect to failing at writing altogether, jukebox musicals don’t have the best of pickings. Even the slightly better ones are usually slim. There are individual moments but it’s exactly that. The latest James Corden and Camila Cabello’s Cinderella 2021 is just an example of how the selection of songs is less about the plot and characters and more about the names because I really think they just look at the name of the songs and their popularity than actually thoughtfully picking songs and elevating it into a new context. Even their original song did little to advance the story when the original song in a jukebox musical is an important piece.
The hilarious thing is that both Cinderella and Moulin Rouge are cliche simple stories but one is self-aware yet creates a genuine romance and musical from thoughtful choices and the other doesn’t try and pick what’s popular while being self-aware to the point of obnoxiousness. I seriously cannot name a number that advances the story in any capacity, not even the original song that just blended altogether rather than stick out and is memorable. In terms of a first look, it’s mediocre. However, upon scrutiny with the addition of not having good costuming, score, soundtrack, and writing, it turned from mediocre to bad that it’s not worth it to put behind as white noise or even watchable as I could watch other mediocre Cinderellas even Ella Enchanted the movie which I have problems with due to my love for the book. Even The Book of Life is a self-aware simple story as well but uses its songs to push the story than to stop it in its tracks just for some number that made no sense in anything.
Glee has songs that were initially for the story and characters with episodes dedicated to particular artists or mashups. However, for better or worse, the songs are made by a streamlined factory than anything that was made by a producer. I like some songs but a lot of it really sounds more like a token you get at an arcade to get prizes than anything of substance. MR has substance simply because of the thought behind the song choices hence it’s so iconic.
I'm amazed Glee chose to use the film version of Come What May the first time I heard it including the instrumentals rather than the soundtrack version. I mean the movie versions will always trump over all the covers I heard and the Glee version is just serviceable even when we are having a gay couple here. I'm demi bi but I'm wary to use the Glee version in my wedding. Glee’s music is serviceable and not anything to write home about outside of a few numbers. Made worse that it just covers that don’t further the story and failed to elevate into a new context or use in inventive new ways. The mashups are rarely good which are just as bad as MR Broadway.
They used the soundtrack version of Sparkling Diamond more than the movie version though. Considering that Brody was supposed to sing El Tango de Roxanne...yeah, I think the sex worker actor-in-training is singing that instead of anybody else says a lot of missing the point of the song.
Glee is just ‘Let’s throw the top 40 and maybe some indie songs while we’re at it?!’. It’s a musical show but the substance is clearly without direction, just popular songs with no rhyme or reason instead of being a decision to tell the story effectively. I know they don’t have much time to film in between choosing the numbers but Godoka, it could’ve been more than just a fast-paced but overall poor story that failed in its messages by the finale. On one hand, I can see where Glee does deserve praise but on the other, I cannot forgive its unapologetic hate while parading around as if it can speak (not examine as it rarely does that) on serious topics that it tossed at a canvas like a Jackson Pollock painting. Sure there are original songs but like everything else, the originals aren't even that memorable outside of a couple numbers.
It’s camp but it's just so bad at it. More exhausting than anything else. The crazy sets that in no way a high school glee club can afford cannot be imagined spots for these kids because they had to be real. Couldn’t it just be imagined spots than school money the glee club spending frivolously?
Godoka, when Glee is bad, it's bad. But when Glee's good, it's really good.
Let's just sum up what makes a great jukebox musical:
- Must advance the narrative from the plot to the characters' emotions
- Songs must be chosen thoughtfully as the context, lyrics, and role they play in the advancement of the plot matter not just originally but into the new context. The story is key. It must fit the context of the scene and elevate the song into a new context such as a simple love song turned into a declaration of love. The song choices must be airtight in their relevance to the plot and characters.
- Changes such as gender pronouns are usually spotted easily and stick out. However, if it is seamless that it seemed like it was written for that exact purpose, then it wouldn't stick out because it's seamless. Sticking near verbatim to a song should be noted as again changed gender pronouns unless done well stick out.
- Emotionally resonant songs must be chosen carefully. It can be modern like & Juliet. Moulin Rouge used rock/jazz ballads from the 70s-80s (Nature Boy, Your Song, Some Day I’ll Fly Away, El Tango de Roxanne, and The Show Must Go On) and older (because what gave El Tango de Roxanne's oomph was the 50s Mariano Mores' Tanguera) but the Broadway version failed in this aspect to use modern music in the fashion of & Juliet and failed to see what kind of eras the movie version was using.
- Modern songs must be chosen carefully. In Moulin Rouge the movie, the nightclub and comedy songs used songs of the last decade at that time; it knows when to step out of that and into the orchestrated traditional songs that are not used for belting showcases. Look at & Juliet for how to use modern music carefully for emotional resonance. It can be done but if not done well, you’ll likely have people laughing at these emotional moments.
- Creative and inventive new ways the songs can be adapted. The songs are recognizable yet the arrangements made it a standout and more than just a straight cover.
- Straight covers are a no. By intention, a jukebox musical is a cover compilation. However, it's just a covered song compilation but not nothing inventive or newly done with it. Unless it is seamless to the story in question, the covers will stick out and won't be good no matter how well-performed it is.
- Add original lyrics, particularly if some of it could be from the original song(s) present or new lyrics representing the internal conflict/emotions, into the newly covered song itself. Because the emotionality of one's character differed from the character singing the covered song to tell something to that someone. Because wielding the emotional daggers yourself rather than having the words to someone else is what matter. Give the original lyrics in this newly rearranged song the importance it has.
- Make counter melodies, make it into a genre nobody thought of, make it musical theatre, make new accompaniment/notes/etc, rearrange the songs into something new, and transform the song!
- Drop or add keys and/or lyrics to keep it a certain tone. For example, El Tango de Roxanne is entirely in a minor key with the counter melody from Christian's tenor, dropping 'put on the red light' after the first time, only mixing it in the tail end of the song with Christian's lyrics.
- The original song must be the best, most powerful, and most memorable of them all because it's the secret of a jukebox musical. Give the original song the significance and dignity it represents. Heck, even contrast the original songs in comparison to the other songs. For example, the gentle Come What May and the original lyrics sung by Christian in El Tango de Roxanne were soft for the most part but they contrast greatly with the fast-paced songs. The Book of Life's I Love You Too Much and Apology Song is so memorable in its jukebox music.
- A marriage of the modern and the world. This rarely happens in the jukebox musical world but when it does, it's magnificent as in the case of Moulin Rouge the movie.
I mainly used Moulin Rouge the movie as an example but it's not my fault that the movie soundtrack is just so fantastic in its arrangement and complete transformation of the music they used, elevating it into something new and making it their own. You can tell that it's a Narcoleptic Argentian singing El Tango de Roxanne, not Sting, and the original lyrics in it as well as the countermelody and keeping it in the minor key and cutting certain lyrics out to maintain the energy made it fantastic.
To call the movie's jukebox musical all fluff is an insult to how the songs are for the story and its advancement. Seriously, I can tell you which number is supposed to do in the story.
Godoka, is the Book of Life's jukebox musical all fluff if that was the case too? I Will Wait isn’t exactly a typical I Want song. The closest thing to an I Want song and probably the I Want song in Moulin Rouge is Some Day I’ll Fly Away.
A jukebox musical isn't exactly traditional musical theatre. Yeah, there can be mimicking of an I Want and Villain song as I have seen this happen in the Broadway version of Moulin Rouge - you already know my opinions about that as I completely understand expanding the roster of songs to include the I Want and Villain songs if only the songs were transformed and used correctly which the Broadway failed - and & Juliet but that does not immediately constitute Moulin Rouge the movie's use of the music they selected as all fluff.
Moulin Rouge the movie cut through the stereotypes of jukebox musicals that didn't even exist yet and remained the best and most important jukebox musical in film and theatre history. Moulin Rouge is a one-of-a-kind movie that is hard to duplicate. The movies that followed tried but it’s only at the surface level rather than understanding Baz was celebrating the film and musical mediums he’s appreciating. Even Baz Luhrmann himself tried to do that but failed.
Just as how to not do a jukebox musical:
- Song choices out of popularity and song name. Cinderella 2021 is the worst here, giving no thought to the context of the songs they chose nor do they choose to elevate it. No song role in advance of the plot here. These songs are just there less for the story and more for the song name than anything else.
- It's the stars whose obviously singing it, not the characters. If I see Idina Menzel and not the stepmother, that's the script's problem.
- Too much of a jukebox. When the priority is to throw in as many songs, then the story will be taken for a backseat.
- Straight covers. No changes, nada.
- Gender pronoun changes stick out like a sore thumb. No fluidity.
- No transformation of the song. The Broadway version of El Tango de Roxanne is the worst here. Reverting it back to the Police and rewriting it just for a belting showcase is a no-no. Not only it shouldn't be Christian's song, but it's also horribly mangled and nothing inventive was done outside of just making it a belting showcase. Fuck that.
- Blending original songs all together with the covered songs.
- The marriage of the world with the music just did not work. The songs stick out instead of doing something with the music and providing nothing as a result.
Cinderella 2021 is one of the worst jukebox musicals out there. There is no thought process behind them beyond just popularity. Just look at the name and that's it. What few original songs it has - the Lin-Manuel Miranda-esque royal announcement raps, that one original song, the King's serenade for the Queen - blended together and isn't memorable at all. Seriously, the royal announcement raps didn't show any creativity that Lin-Manuel has.
I don’t think Dear Evan Hansen the movie will kill the movie's musical genre. Seriously, we’re getting Wicked after this many long years.
I do not want to think about what would kill the modern movie musical. With how old musicals are referenced, I see something new done.
I mean when the new West Side Story was received well by the general public seeing that it could stand beside the original film and actually played by actual Hispanic actors who can sing and dance. Probably because the film medium and the Spielberg touch show it could be done and done well and can stand beside the originals proudly. I love the original West Side Story and do see how just like how Moulin Rouge the movie impacted the musical scene, West Side Story did as well but people have to admit that the cast is all white instead of the Hispanic cast it is supposed to be like the Puerto Ricans aren't there for the backdrop. I'm Vietnamese but I can see the impact just by having the cast be Hispanic and allowing their identity to come through. Cultural pluralism is where we're supposed to be going, not racial assimilation (looking at you, Bridgerton. The only way I could take any of that is pure fantasy, not an alternate universe kind of, just fairy tales. I'm sorry but like Hamilton, my history-loving heart could not take it as any more than just fantasy set in a world where there's no antiblackness or racism except homophobia is still prevalent but Hamilton only gets an upward point because at least it's using its music and cast to commentate as well as knowing Hamilton himself isn't really a good person to root for).
If that’s received well along with Tick Tock Boom showing how to adapt musicals well into the medium, we have many movie musicals in the future to look forward to.
With LMM showing how to innovate the movie musical and RRR being a different beast with their usage of musical numbers, there are signs we are getting into better adaptations complete with triple threats that Hollywood is now looking for. I just hope it would be better or pro shots would be in higher demand than they already are.
Bad Cinderella lashing out at bootlegs and especially TikTok which can help with a show’s popularity is just a terrible decision. Broadway is for and sustained by tourists and a relatively wealthy East Coast base but whoever is behind ALW’s new show where it’s clear he’s phoning it in is in for a reckoning.
Because the worst movie musical adaptations (Les Mis, Into the Woods, Rent, The Wiz, Phantom, Cats) are terrible and failed to capture what made the theatre work by non-theatre professionals who seemed to not only fail to understand musical theatre but avoid it altogether as they are respected filmmakers for serious movies. God, you think people would be against Tom Hooper as a musical theater director after Les Mis but nope, hopefully, Cats sealed the deal that he will and must not be within ten feet of a musical adaptation. I'd trust Baz Lurhmann to make another jukebox musical than trust Tom Hopper with a movie musical again because Baz certainly understands the theatricality and emotionality that is absolutely central to the musical concept. He completely understands the emotionality and theatrics of musical theatre because people sing out of emotions. Tom Hooper seemed embarrassed about musicals and tried his best to interrupt the music any chance he can even with the best and only number he got with Steven McRae. Not that there aren't any serious musicals but the musicals are all about the emotions and theatrics for the stage. And translating it to the big/small screen is hard with its different mediums. This is opposed by those who do know how musical theatre works and made it into enjoyable fests (Cabaret, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Little Shop of Horrors, Chicago, and even Hairspray). TV live musicals are a different beast and differ from professional shots.
It’s sad when a movie production is embarrassed they are even a musical in the first place, leaning into realism when the film medium demands realism and logic at the expense of people singing and dancing out of sheer emotion. There’s nothing wrong with the difference and the suspension of disbelief but a musical isn’t embarrassing when it can tell a story in a different way. Looking at you, Les Mis, Cats, and Cinderella 2021. It's really terrible to see Tom Hooper isn't comfortable and outright disinterested in the musical medium that it's pretty obvious he should never be handed a movie musical in the first place.
Tom Hooper and everyone behind the movie version of Cats are so engrossed in their hubris to win awards. Why else would celebs sign on if it were the fact that it's an Oscar-winning director behind the wheel and could get away with changing so much of the material it's unrecognizable just because they can't share the spotlight when that's the point of Cats? Why else is Tom Hooper willing to drag the musical genre kicking and screaming to the realm of realism just because he wanted more awards when his last musical stint won awards? Why else is the studio pushing for a Christmas release, forcing the animators who have to work with the stupid no-mocap thing which is just as bad as the music being kept offbeat and repeatedly piled on with crunch?
Considering his Les Mis is basically what people who hate Moulin Rouge see it for me, yeah...Tom Hooper, shoo, you must never set foot near a musical manuscript ever again. Steven Spielberg, yeah, I want you to make another musical again. I mean Tom Hooper failed to understand VFX and animation so I'd prefer watching James Cameron talk about how he is willing to partake in innovative technology. Even now, I am still in awe of his Titanic.
I’m hesitant about the Wicked one but that’s because the last Oz movie failed to capture the feminism of the original books and why the fuck Wizard is a fraud, not some goddamn chosen one.
Say what you will about Moulin Rouge or R+J or Titanic, there is no denying their influence. While Titanic was actively aiming for awards, the other two weren't at first. Well, the Broadway version of Moulin Rouge certainly campaigned hard for the Tonys. Whether they deserved certain awards is subjective as I certainly think they don't deserve some of the awards they were given when those should be handed to the film.
Honestly, with more and more movie musicals to come, both jukebox and original, I hope the future is in good hands. Epic the musical seemed to be in such a good line from what I heard.
From Ratatouille and Bridgerton the musicals (though I don’t like the latter), we now have Epic and showing a new path. With TikTok being a breeding ground for theatre kids, professionals have kept a keen eye for scouting simply because the Ratatouille musical brought together a homegrown community just for creation. Basic as those shows and their songs are, there is no question that they bought together people. Until Barlow and Bear wrecked any goodwill they had with the fandom and doors are shut from them with the Grammy not even a fandom contribution trophy.
With jukebox more frequent than originals, the originals stick out and not just the popular ones like Wicked, Hadestown, and Hamilton. Epic could mean the future as a step forward since their predecessors.
I heard good things about & Juliet's jukebox musical though with MR Broadway's poor approach to using Katy Perry's song Firework makes me wary. I have nothing against Katy Perry, it's simply her lyrics that have that self-absorbed aspect that even her best songs have and it's hard enough to connect to her music outside of enjoying it as bubblegum pop which I have nothing against. I mean I can enjoy BTS' English tracks which are fun and meant to uplift some serotonin than having to do with the vast expansive discography that tells their story. The soundtrack largely tracks the hits of Max Martin and friends. I heard there is an original song in there too albeit from a pop singer but still an original song. From what I heard, it fits/changes the context with its seamless incorporation and sticking near verbatim to the originals that it feels like it was written for the show. Right now, going through the soundtrack before tracking down a slime tutorial. At least, it's keeping to 32 rather than the 70 MR Broadway has. When even the movie soundtrack didn't list every single song in the movie, Moulin Rouge has fewer songs than the Broadway version.
Again, this is about the movie musicals rather than the tv musicals, not the live tv musicals. I heard good things about Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Even Schmigadoon and Galavant show a love for musicals as well. Heck, even the latter know the importance of an emotional song. Glee is unfortunately the worst even when it did some good albeit limited.
While musicals as a whole are still popular today, the modern movie musical's potential hasn't been fulfilled yet.
With gems like Tick Tock Boom and West Side Story showing how cinematic language can interact and elevate the medium of the theatre, there are duds like Cinderella 2021 that showed how to not do a jukebox musical or a musical.
Originality is hard to come by these days in musical theatre with jukebox musicals all the rage. Either they are terrible (Moulin Rouge the Broadway, Cinderella 2021) or they are great (& Juliet). However, the Epic musical has all the things going for it to make it great.
And even then while there aren't a lot of original plays with original music, there is just a simple lack of innovation.
LMM is one such person showing that musicals don't have to remain the same thing over and over again. Showtunes are great but it's heading the same way as opera which hasn't moved on or innovated at all, remaining where it is for such a long-ass time.
LMM really shouldn't keep writing songs for Disney films whether animated or live-action though his output for the latter is genuinely terrible but compared to others trying to cop his style without understanding anything, it's still better but not that good. He really should just focus on movie musicals and musicals in general, just not in the corporate Disney sphere which will force him to write songs for their live-action flicks. He really should just take a backseat to everything and just direct movie musicals and help as an advisor for people in need of help with movie musicals. His songwriting isn't on a downhill spiral or anything like that but he should only pump out songs that he has a passion for, not what others in the corporate Disney wants him to do.
I noticed that there are just so many belting from the shows including Moulin Rouge when it shouldn’t have to. Sopranos and dance leading ladies don’t have much now outside of revivals pre-2006. It really was getting tiresome as I watched MR the Broadway whereas the movie version doesn’t belt.
Just any experimental music than just doing poor arrangements ala Moulin Rouge the Broadway musical. Yeah, I am never letting go of that even though it sounds great, the soundtrack on its own is just serviceable but in no way does it serve the story in any way the movie had done and remained timeless. I see & Juliet remaining relevant over Moulin Rouge the Broadway in terms of longevity, especially when the movie version remained so timeless even now.
Now, I know this in-universe Broadway was probably bad on purpose. Think of it this way, not only they had to contend with real-life events that forced changes (Spiderman not it due to the whole Mysterio thing) and fun changes (Antman) and just not knowing classified information. The people behind this musical won't know a dang thing about the personal stuff as well as the classified information. This is understandably the result of the lack of knowledge.
If we were to have our Rogers the musical, it would be information we already know made into a musical.
An in-universe play where Broadway has to make do with the little information they do have and they don't have access to tech to make it look just as real so they have stylized streetwear mimicking Spongebob the Musical's costuming and implied silhouette and Starkid's own costuming is just brilliant if you know. It might look shitty from an outsider's point of view especially since it's specifically written to unsettle Hawkeye in question who probably never understands Broadway or musical theatre with all the comic book set staging but given its in-universe popularity, it might be loved because it's campy.
And campiness is something we need.
Musical comedy shows are gems. The Schmig- series are love letters to subsets of musicals in certain time periods.
Galavant was such a good time as it came way before CEG.
I consider the Schmig- series either just lucky or a cult following among musical fans. It is after all made by musical fans for musical fans, understanding the tropes that made musicals work in the first place. Honestly, I was surprised to see the second season greenlit at all. I still haven't seen the second season yet or heard any of the numbers but it's something I want to get to.
Godoka, we’re in the era of Cats now in the second season. Hope to Arceus we see the next decade or so with the next season if it comes to pass.
A musical comedy just has so much potential. CEG shouldn’t be the only example but it was well received to garner that the story’s ending was made satisfactorily the same way.
I want more musical comedies. Galavant should come back because, with Schmig- series and CEG, the series can thrive. Disenchanted just made me miss Galavant more.
While this one is on a dubious stage, we got triple threats returning to the big screen. Hell yes after Russell Crowe and Gerard Butler, this is all the better.
Let's just hope whoever is behind the Disney live actions lets the cast sing with all their emotions so that we can hear it, not the stupid stuff Bill Cordon and Tom Hooper did with BATB and every musical Hooper has done. Richie didn't understand musicals so that's why the movie with the fun coming from the cast saving it is not a good musical.
I'm not blaming Emma Watson when it was whoever was behind the scenes ruining her vocal performances. It's just sad that she wasn't able to sing as decently as she could've all because of fear or whatever the producers feel, not helped by the fact Hooper want them to sing on set while the orchestra had to keep up with the singer instead of the other way around. Hooper doesn't know shit about performances and CGI so why do I bother with him?
Hopefully, with the successes of CEG and the cult following more or less with the Schmig- series, there is more to come with the musical comedy genre.
We do need more camp and just the embrace of tropes that doesn't necessarily mean it's just bad just because it embraces the joy of musical theatre.
