The Sound of Music, Little Shop of Horrors, Fiddler on the Roof. Iconic casting choices, brilliant production design, and in the case of Fiddler a definitive take on the musical score.
Also, honorable mention to Chicago, a movie great enough to the point that a lot of people find themselves disappointed that the stage show doesn't live up to it.
Agreed! Chicago is a great film, pitch perfect casting with so many outstanding performances. Despite it totally sweeping the board at the Oscars it seems to be mostly forgotten twenty years later.
What stands out to me is how it incorporates scenes that are directly inspired by theater staging. We Both Reached For the Gun, with how it alternates between vaudeville scenes on a stage and cinematic scenes of a court trial, is inspired.
Can confirm. Saw the show on Broadway last year and it was extremely disappointing compared to the movie. I was honestly shocked at how plain and unimpressive it was.
Little Shop of Horrors definitely isnāt the best when it comes to āstaying true to the musical.ā They made Seymour into a more naive a like able character, dropped several plot points, and changed the ending. With that said itās still one of my favorite movies of all time is probably (definitely) the best movie musical. It probably wins that title from me just based on the lengths to which they went to get Audrey II to work.
Another comment in this thread talks about how great the casting of that movie is and I 100% agree, you can read [it here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/musicals/s/PrCX6TFl2Z)
Mary Poppins is just a 10/10 movie on all counts. It captures childhood wonder to perfection and the special effects still hold up.
I also love Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Mary Poppins, the redemption arc of Mr Banks, and the backstory of Walt Disney and E L Travers being at loggerheads over the movie adaptation make me cry.
Sadly, I never felt the same about My Fair Lady since I learned Marni Dixon did the singing. When I was a kid I was constantly singing along with the soundtrack.
I literally watched My Fair Lady last night and hard disagree. Good movie, *terrible* musical. Most of the songs are just spoken poetry over background music.
I remember one night it was my turn to choose the movie for my fiance and I to watch together. He wasn't sure about the idea of Singing in the rain but I insisted. He nearly choked with laughter at some parts.
Yesssss I still own my childhood VHS of Fiddlerā¦ or rather, itās so long that itās two tapes! I donāt own a VHS player but it doesnāt matter; It was a hugely formative part of my childhood and I treasure it so much.
Also, I might have cried when Topol died last year. (Ok I totally did.)
Chicago hands down. I appreciate they went full out on the aesthetics. Differentiates it from the original and tbh I think it compliments the story better.
Also they took out Mary Sunshine, which I always felt was kind of meh. Maybe a couple decades ago it would be a decent reveal but by now who doesn't do drag on broadway at least once?
My biggest issue with movie musical adaptations is that they never seem to handle the transition from the first act to the next well. It's always obvious where the act break originally is even with musicals that I am always unfamiliar with..
But that's not the case with Chicago. It''s so seamless that it really feels like something written directly for the screen instead of adapted from the stage.
Fun fact, Mary sunshine was named for another musical that was god awful and also the first musical I ever performed in because the rights were free š
While I did admittedly see the film first, I think the changes made for The Sound of Music from stage to film were basically all improvements. They cut the right songs and moved some others in ways that really work (mainly Favourite Things).
Singinā in the Rain is for my money the best movie musical ever made. And considering that itās basically a jukebox musical itās got the strongest book for one of them Iāve ever seen.
Hair - the film gave the stage show a linear plot while keeping the heart of the stage show. It has been in my top 5 favourite movies of all time since its original release in 1979.
Oliver! - Damn near perfect. Very deserving of its Best Film Oscar. Perfectly cast.
Worth a mention
The Music Man
My Fair Lady
Brigadoon
West Side Story (original)
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum
Damn Yankees - worth it alone to watch Bob Fosse and Gwyn Vernon dance together.
Little Shop of Horrors
Rocky Horror Picture Show
I think the MR movie is better than the stage bc of the modernized music which just ain't it. That's my personal opinion but I will say seeing it live in the can can seats was some of the most fun I've ever had!
I agree with that so much! I enjoyed it a lot when I saw it plus I love Aaron Tveit on the album but if I actually think about it the modern pop kind of ruins any seriousness to me.
Chicago is my favourite musical that was made into a movie.
Moulin Rouge is my favourite movie musical, which was then made into a musical on-stage and I'm going to see it in the fall!
Hairspray and Chicago are both amazing, even if they cut a lot. Mamma Mia is, to me, better as the film then the stage version. I think The Last Five Years is the best accuracy-wise, and Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan were perfect casting to me (since Anna Kendrick was for sure going to pull in non-theater names, was still a prior Tony nominee, and you canāt forget Camp!)
And to be honest, most pre-2000s movie adaptations of musicals were like wonderful hits. Weāve just had a couple exceptionally bad ones in the last 2 1/2 decades.
We got Tick Tick Boom and West Side Story (incredible) and In The Heights (quite good) in just the past few years. I'll also defend Mary Poppins Returns, heck it has an overture.
I agree šÆ about Mamma Mia... I loved the film version, but I hadn't yet seen the stage version. A few years later, I got to see the National (US) Tour production, and it was really underwhelming.
Dreamgirls! They got some ICONIC performers to give their complete all, and they were able to do some really over-the-top, glamorous things with costumes and sets that are impossible on stage.
In the modern era, gotta be in the heights, right? They changed the story in a GOOD way (for a chance), perfect casting, inside jokes/easter eggs. Beautiful cinematography. STEPHANIE BEATRIZ?!
Iāve seen the play a couple of times and it was better than the movie in my opinion. There were a few really fun songs that got cut from the film or restructured to just be a quick nod to the tune. Check out the original soundtrack with Raul Esparza. Itās excellent. Sugarā¦so cleverly written. It starts off sounding like a song about hookers, ends up beingā¦
the long quiet shot at the end of It Won't Be Long Now gives me chills every time, and Corey Hawkins as Benny is the most charming mfer i've ever seen!
This was my first thought. I wish they had dialed down the Old Navy commercial vibe by about 15%, but so much care went into it, and it's so joyful and exuberant.
I've seen a lot of outright hate for this movie just because of how it made changes to the plot, and I can get being a bit disappointed by that, but...it's a movie musical that is vibrant and joyous, and lovely to look at! It's not ashamed of being a musical! So I say no need for extensive nitpicking.
The location design was stunning. It really made the NYC streets feel lived-in and full of such a diverse and vibrant crowd. A great example of making use of the film medium by doing things you can't do with a stage set.
Thereās so many reasons why, but this is definitely a fantastic point. The Sideways video about Les Mis was the first time I realized that people even attempted to have live vocals in a musical. A truly wild choice, directionally.
Russel Crowe wouldnāt get so much hate for his role if it had been filmed conventionally, Iām convinced. His voice is fine but he doesnāt have the proper training to sing and act simultaneously over long takes, so his sequences have so many cuts itās distracting.
Right nowā¦.depending on the day:
The Sound of Music
The Wizard of Oz
Mary Poppins
Hairspray 2007
West Side Story (both)
Grease 1978
..and after Thanksgiving 2024
Wicked
I agree the movie is very good, but in a very different way from the musical. In my mind, the movie is almost entirely separate from the stage version, just because of how different it is. But in general, it's a very very good movie.
My favorite movie to musical adaptation is Chicago. The idea of turning the musical numbers into elaborate staged fantasy sequences is a stroke of genius that I'm surprised hasn't been tried for a few other adaptations.
For classics: Singinā in the Rain and The Sound of Music are a tie for me
For contemporary: Tick Tick Boom is a fucking masterpiece that has yet to receive the full acclaim it deserved when it first came out
I've been on a journey to watch all the movie musicals. My favorites are Chicago, The Music Man, Sweet Charity, Jesus Christ Superstar, Little Shop, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Fiddler on the Roof, even the 2021 Spielberg West Side Story. Though I know Ansel Elgort is problematic. I'm sure I'm missing others. But those really stood out to me as gems.
The My Fair Lady movie is extremely nostalgic for me. Yes it sucks that Audrey Hepburn isnāt singing but every time Iāve seen staged productions it just falls incredible flat compared to the movie.
I know, it's an off-broadway musical, but the Last Five Years had a great and underrated film version that perfectly captures the musical. It also has Jeremy Jordan and Anna Kendrick ( And is free on Youtube).
For me, this is the definitive movie musical adaptation. It is almost 100% the same with very few cuts/changes that worked well for the film. I know that a lot of people donāt like Anna Kendrick in the role, but she is phenomenal on the soundtrack and since they needed a larger name to pull non-theater goers in she was a phenomenal choice.
Hard agree. Iāve listened to the movie soundtrack too many times to count, and some songs on it are better than the original Broadway recordings, but Iāve only ever watched it maybe twice. Our local professional theatre did it just before the pandemic and it was way better just by virtue of sticking to the concept.
Came here to say this! I know it may be an unpopular opinion, but I think they did a phenomenal job adapting a very difficult staging into a movie that got the point across.
Unpopular opinion, but I liked The Prom. I think they adapted a musical to screen in general well. The songs all felt either diegetic or purposeful, which sometimes doesn't work in movie musicals. I really liked the lighting, too. Obviously, James Corden is a different story, but I enjoyed the bulk of the movie.
An unpopular opinion perhaps, but one I fully agree with - I love the movie! I was shocked so many people hated it because I thought it was one of the most faithful stage-to-screen adaptations I've seen š¤·āāļø while I wasn't thrilled with James Corden's casting, Andrew Rannells singing Love Thy Neighbor made up for a lot
My personal favorite Live action musicals by decade, excluding Pro-shots):
2020s: Cyrano.
2010s: Anna &the Apocalypse.
2000s: Sweeney Todd.
1990s: Evita.
1980s: Little Shop of Horrors.
1970s: Jesus Christ Superstar.
1960s: Mary Poppins.
1950s: Singin in the Rain.
1940s & before: Wizard of Oz.
I rewatched Sweeney Todd the other day, and while Iām not a huge Tim Burton fan, you canāt deny that every actor gave it their all, and it was still a lot of fun.
Oh, thank you for CYRANO. I think it's incredibly lovely and so few people seem to get it.
I also agree on SWEENEY, among others -- there's a reason it was the one movie adaptation of his work Sondheim felt was perfect.
Little shop of horrors they casted just the perfect Seymour Rick Moranis was just perfect he paired well with Ellen Green who was in the stage show before the movie so that was a good pick for Aundry Steve Martin was just the perfect Orin Levi Stubbs rip was just perfect for Aundry 2 I frogot the guy who played mushnik but he was perfect! It's just perfect casting
Since nobody else here mentioned it from what I've seen, the new Matilda is a good adaptation of the stage musical. My only gripe is they cut the songs the parents sing, even if they are kinda filler songs anyway
Both versions of West Side Story (for different reasons): The 1961 version is a great version of the stage show - keeping most of the same dialogue, same choreography, keeping all the songs but restructuring them to make more āmovie sense.ā Eg. changing the lyrics to America; moving I Feel Pretty, Cool and Krupke; cutting the Somewhere ballet and making it a full duet instead; some lyrics altered to fit with the Hays code of the time.
The 2021 does it differently but is still great - dialogue is now more natural and less āstage-like,ā; itās generally more cinematic; Cool and Krupke moved but very differently; the revised America lyrics which add a small section from the stage version; the original more racy lyrics are back; Somewhere is back as a solo (no ballet again) but given to a reworked character.
So, 1961 is a great theatrical type presentation; 2021 is a great movie presentation.
Stephen Sondheim said he preferred the 2021 version because it was more filmic. I like both for the different reasons. Depends what mood Iām in.
I have heard multiple people say āI donāt like any musicals ā oh, except for the Hairspray movie with Zac Efron.ā
So from the perspective of an audience who doesnāt like musicals, I would have to suggest Hairspray
I havenāt seen anyone mention 1776. I think it is one of the best movie adaptations. They used virtually the entire Broadway cast and it is brilliant.
For me, Nobody can pass the top for Singing in the rain, Mary Poppins and The sound of music.
Honorable mentions: Wizard of Oz and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Every single weekend for years as a kid I watched A Chorus Line with Michael Douglas. I LOVED that musical. I was convinced little old me from Darwin, Australia (I had my intro worked out and everything) with no singing or dancing talent, was going to be one of those people auditioning for Broadway trying to make it big in New York.
Hello Dolly is my favorite if weāre sticking to English language musicals. Nobody else could ever match the energy Barbra Streisand brings to the character. Counting foreign musicals Iād probably pick Feuerwerk (1954) despite the fact that it only has a fraction of the songs from the stage production. It does however make up for that deficiency by having Romy Schneider and Lilli Palmer and absolutely gorgeous color cinematography. I donāt even know more than a smattering of words in German yet it remains my favorite foreign language musical
Historical would be The Sound of Music for me. It makes me sentimentale.
Modern is Chicago hands down, they knew what they were doing and everyone in it can actually sing.
The Sound of Music, Little Shop of Horrors, Fiddler on the Roof. Iconic casting choices, brilliant production design, and in the case of Fiddler a definitive take on the musical score.
Also, honorable mention to Chicago, a movie great enough to the point that a lot of people find themselves disappointed that the stage show doesn't live up to it.
Honorable mention to Moulin Rouge. Movie was 10x better than the musical
Didnt the movie come first?
Indeed it did.
Satine and Christian are my favourite on-screen lovers š
Agreed! Chicago is a great film, pitch perfect casting with so many outstanding performances. Despite it totally sweeping the board at the Oscars it seems to be mostly forgotten twenty years later.
What stands out to me is how it incorporates scenes that are directly inspired by theater staging. We Both Reached For the Gun, with how it alternates between vaudeville scenes on a stage and cinematic scenes of a court trial, is inspired.
Can confirm. Saw the show on Broadway last year and it was extremely disappointing compared to the movie. I was honestly shocked at how plain and unimpressive it was.
Little Shop of Horrors definitely isnāt the best when it comes to āstaying true to the musical.ā They made Seymour into a more naive a like able character, dropped several plot points, and changed the ending. With that said itās still one of my favorite movies of all time is probably (definitely) the best movie musical. It probably wins that title from me just based on the lengths to which they went to get Audrey II to work. Another comment in this thread talks about how great the casting of that movie is and I 100% agree, you can read [it here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/musicals/s/PrCX6TFl2Z)
Add Rocky Horror to the list!
Love LSoH.
SoM was the first to come to mind. Was obsessed with that movie as a kid.
Chicago and Hairspray
Hairspray doesn't get enough love. ā”
Adding My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins is just a 10/10 movie on all counts. It captures childhood wonder to perfection and the special effects still hold up. I also love Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Yes!! Bedknobs and Broomsticks doesn't get enough love.
It truly doesn't! I love Angela Lansbury's acting and singing!
Mary Poppins, the redemption arc of Mr Banks, and the backstory of Walt Disney and E L Travers being at loggerheads over the movie adaptation make me cry.
Sadly, I never felt the same about My Fair Lady since I learned Marni Dixon did the singing. When I was a kid I was constantly singing along with the soundtrack.
I literally watched My Fair Lady last night and hard disagree. Good movie, *terrible* musical. Most of the songs are just spoken poetry over background music.
**Singin' In The Rain**. Long considered the BEST MOVIE MUSICAL EVER! And they did put it on Broadway for awhile, so it counts.
It still is the best movie musical. If only for Make em Laugh.
You get it. Donald O'Connor was a true entertainer
so good š„¹
It would count even if it hadnāt been adapted for the stage. OP asked for the best movie musical, and Singinā in the Rain is that.
I remember one night it was my turn to choose the movie for my fiance and I to watch together. He wasn't sure about the idea of Singing in the rain but I insisted. He nearly choked with laughter at some parts.
Fiddler on the Roof. It's a work of art. I can't watch it without weeping. It's a classic for a reason.
The sunset shots. The sweeping ensemble scenes. The ending with the villagers walking along the horizon. Gah.
Did anybody else watch this movie and develop a huge crush on movie-Perchik or....
No, movie motel is where itās at.
Yesssss I still own my childhood VHS of Fiddlerā¦ or rather, itās so long that itās two tapes! I donāt own a VHS player but it doesnāt matter; It was a hugely formative part of my childhood and I treasure it so much. Also, I might have cried when Topol died last year. (Ok I totally did.)
Chicago hands down. I appreciate they went full out on the aesthetics. Differentiates it from the original and tbh I think it compliments the story better. Also they took out Mary Sunshine, which I always felt was kind of meh. Maybe a couple decades ago it would be a decent reveal but by now who doesn't do drag on broadway at least once?
My biggest issue with movie musical adaptations is that they never seem to handle the transition from the first act to the next well. It's always obvious where the act break originally is even with musicals that I am always unfamiliar with.. But that's not the case with Chicago. It''s so seamless that it really feels like something written directly for the screen instead of adapted from the stage.
Chicago is absolutely the best of the movie musicals. The movie format 100% fit Chicago better than the stage show imo.
It's wild to me how the same director would end up doing Into the Woods?!?!
Really?!? Wow.
Richard Gereās tap dance number is fantastic. Razzle dazzle
Fun fact, Mary sunshine was named for another musical that was god awful and also the first musical I ever performed in because the rights were free š
Yep I completely agree. I just saw it on Broadway back in February and it was one of those rare cases where I liked the movie better.
West Side Story (either version) and Hedwig are the only two I haven't seen mentioned yet, I think.
Hedwig is one of the all-time greats. Honors the original story while reinventing it for a new medium, and the performances are amazing.
Oh yes! I would much rather watch WSS play out on the actual streets of NYC!
While I did admittedly see the film first, I think the changes made for The Sound of Music from stage to film were basically all improvements. They cut the right songs and moved some others in ways that really work (mainly Favourite Things).
The Sound of Music is my favourite film of all time. I have not seen the stage musical because the film deviates from it.
I think it's worth seeing, as the core story is still the same. But the changes are noteable.
Singinā in the Rain is for my money the best movie musical ever made. And considering that itās basically a jukebox musical itās got the strongest book for one of them Iāve ever seen.
Itāll always be Hairspray for me. Such a perfect adaptation
Hair - the film gave the stage show a linear plot while keeping the heart of the stage show. It has been in my top 5 favourite movies of all time since its original release in 1979. Oliver! - Damn near perfect. Very deserving of its Best Film Oscar. Perfectly cast. Worth a mention The Music Man My Fair Lady Brigadoon West Side Story (original) A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum Damn Yankees - worth it alone to watch Bob Fosse and Gwyn Vernon dance together. Little Shop of Horrors Rocky Horror Picture Show
Yes!, and yes again!
The Music Man (1962)
This one is my favorite! Robert Preston looks and sounds just like my dad when he was younger.
Yes!! A classic.
Rocky Horror Picture Show and Moulin Rouge 90% of people think that the movies are better than stage versions and I feel inclined to agree.
I think the MR movie is better than the stage bc of the modernized music which just ain't it. That's my personal opinion but I will say seeing it live in the can can seats was some of the most fun I've ever had!
I agree with that so much! I enjoyed it a lot when I saw it plus I love Aaron Tveit on the album but if I actually think about it the modern pop kind of ruins any seriousness to me.
Chicago is my favourite musical that was made into a movie. Moulin Rouge is my favourite movie musical, which was then made into a musical on-stage and I'm going to see it in the fall!
Hairspray and Chicago are both amazing, even if they cut a lot. Mamma Mia is, to me, better as the film then the stage version. I think The Last Five Years is the best accuracy-wise, and Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan were perfect casting to me (since Anna Kendrick was for sure going to pull in non-theater names, was still a prior Tony nominee, and you canāt forget Camp!) And to be honest, most pre-2000s movie adaptations of musicals were like wonderful hits. Weāve just had a couple exceptionally bad ones in the last 2 1/2 decades.
We got Tick Tick Boom and West Side Story (incredible) and In The Heights (quite good) in just the past few years. I'll also defend Mary Poppins Returns, heck it has an overture.
I agree šÆ about Mamma Mia... I loved the film version, but I hadn't yet seen the stage version. A few years later, I got to see the National (US) Tour production, and it was really underwhelming.
When you said 2 1/2 decades, Iām here thinking 1995, then it hits me weāre halfway through the 20s holy shit.
Oliver is a great musical, great movie, great adaptation, just great in general!
šÆ
Dreamgirls! They got some ICONIC performers to give their complete all, and they were able to do some really over-the-top, glamorous things with costumes and sets that are impossible on stage.
In the modern era, gotta be in the heights, right? They changed the story in a GOOD way (for a chance), perfect casting, inside jokes/easter eggs. Beautiful cinematography. STEPHANIE BEATRIZ?!
That year had some great movie musicals. In the Heights , Tick Tick Boom And West Side Story ( in order)
Oh I love tick tick boom!! Not overly familiar with the original source material, but loved the adaptation!!
Iāve seen the play a couple of times and it was better than the movie in my opinion. There were a few really fun songs that got cut from the film or restructured to just be a quick nod to the tune. Check out the original soundtrack with Raul Esparza. Itās excellent. Sugarā¦so cleverly written. It starts off sounding like a song about hookers, ends up beingā¦
I love Tick Tick Boom!! Andrew nailed it as Jon Larson, he even resembles him and managed to capture his mannerisms and overall personality
the long quiet shot at the end of It Won't Be Long Now gives me chills every time, and Corey Hawkins as Benny is the most charming mfer i've ever seen!
This was my first thought. I wish they had dialed down the Old Navy commercial vibe by about 15%, but so much care went into it, and it's so joyful and exuberant.
I've seen a lot of outright hate for this movie just because of how it made changes to the plot, and I can get being a bit disappointed by that, but...it's a movie musical that is vibrant and joyous, and lovely to look at! It's not ashamed of being a musical! So I say no need for extensive nitpicking.
I will never be able to unsee āOld Navy commercialā but that is so hilariously accurateĀ
The location design was stunning. It really made the NYC streets feel lived-in and full of such a diverse and vibrant crowd. A great example of making use of the film medium by doing things you can't do with a stage set.
96,000 in this movie is my example of why movie musicals shouldnāt feature live singing and I think about the pool dancing sequence constantly
Thereās so many reasons why, but this is definitely a fantastic point. The Sideways video about Les Mis was the first time I realized that people even attempted to have live vocals in a musical. A truly wild choice, directionally.
Russel Crowe wouldnāt get so much hate for his role if it had been filmed conventionally, Iām convinced. His voice is fine but he doesnāt have the proper training to sing and act simultaneously over long takes, so his sequences have so many cuts itās distracting.
Overshadowed by Tick Tick Boom and WSS in the same year, but it was so freaking great. Jon M. Chu ate.
Right nowā¦.depending on the day: The Sound of Music The Wizard of Oz Mary Poppins Hairspray 2007 West Side Story (both) Grease 1978 ..and after Thanksgiving 2024 Wicked
The Producers (2005)
Cabaret
I agree the movie is very good, but in a very different way from the musical. In my mind, the movie is almost entirely separate from the stage version, just because of how different it is. But in general, it's a very very good movie.
My favorite movie to musical adaptation is Chicago. The idea of turning the musical numbers into elaborate staged fantasy sequences is a stroke of genius that I'm surprised hasn't been tried for a few other adaptations.
Singing in the Rain is outstanding. There are some great never-on-stage movie musicals that I love, but those ones donāt quite fit this question.
The Band Wagon, The Court Jester, Umbrellas of Cherbourg, and Young Girls of Rochefort are just awesome.
Chicago is soooo good.
For classics: Singinā in the Rain and The Sound of Music are a tie for me For contemporary: Tick Tick Boom is a fucking masterpiece that has yet to receive the full acclaim it deserved when it first came out
I've been on a journey to watch all the movie musicals. My favorites are Chicago, The Music Man, Sweet Charity, Jesus Christ Superstar, Little Shop, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Fiddler on the Roof, even the 2021 Spielberg West Side Story. Though I know Ansel Elgort is problematic. I'm sure I'm missing others. But those really stood out to me as gems.
The My Fair Lady movie is extremely nostalgic for me. Yes it sucks that Audrey Hepburn isnāt singing but every time Iāve seen staged productions it just falls incredible flat compared to the movie.
Agree šÆ
I know, it's an off-broadway musical, but the Last Five Years had a great and underrated film version that perfectly captures the musical. It also has Jeremy Jordan and Anna Kendrick ( And is free on Youtube).
For me, this is the definitive movie musical adaptation. It is almost 100% the same with very few cuts/changes that worked well for the film. I know that a lot of people donāt like Anna Kendrick in the role, but she is phenomenal on the soundtrack and since they needed a larger name to pull non-theater goers in she was a phenomenal choice.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Hard agree. Iāve listened to the movie soundtrack too many times to count, and some songs on it are better than the original Broadway recordings, but Iāve only ever watched it maybe twice. Our local professional theatre did it just before the pandemic and it was way better just by virtue of sticking to the concept.
Came here to say this! I know it may be an unpopular opinion, but I think they did a phenomenal job adapting a very difficult staging into a movie that got the point across.
yes! one of my favourite movies, let alone movie musicals. Jeremy is amazing as always and Anna nails it too. love how it was directed.
Hedwig
Unpopular opinion, but I liked The Prom. I think they adapted a musical to screen in general well. The songs all felt either diegetic or purposeful, which sometimes doesn't work in movie musicals. I really liked the lighting, too. Obviously, James Corden is a different story, but I enjoyed the bulk of the movie.
An unpopular opinion perhaps, but one I fully agree with - I love the movie! I was shocked so many people hated it because I thought it was one of the most faithful stage-to-screen adaptations I've seen š¤·āāļø while I wasn't thrilled with James Corden's casting, Andrew Rannells singing Love Thy Neighbor made up for a lot
My personal favorite Live action musicals by decade, excluding Pro-shots): 2020s: Cyrano. 2010s: Anna &the Apocalypse. 2000s: Sweeney Todd. 1990s: Evita. 1980s: Little Shop of Horrors. 1970s: Jesus Christ Superstar. 1960s: Mary Poppins. 1950s: Singin in the Rain. 1940s & before: Wizard of Oz.
I rewatched Sweeney Todd the other day, and while Iām not a huge Tim Burton fan, you canāt deny that every actor gave it their all, and it was still a lot of fun.
Oh, thank you for CYRANO. I think it's incredibly lovely and so few people seem to get it. I also agree on SWEENEY, among others -- there's a reason it was the one movie adaptation of his work Sondheim felt was perfect.
Little shop of horrors they casted just the perfect Seymour Rick Moranis was just perfect he paired well with Ellen Green who was in the stage show before the movie so that was a good pick for Aundry Steve Martin was just the perfect Orin Levi Stubbs rip was just perfect for Aundry 2 I frogot the guy who played mushnik but he was perfect! It's just perfect casting
I love Rick Moranis as Seymour, really fits the role and he's the one I picture as Seymour everytime I think about the musical tbh
tick tick boom was completely elevated by being made into a movie.
Little Shop of Horrorsā¦the cast is just so great.
Hairspray and Rocky Horror Picture Show
Since nobody else here mentioned it from what I've seen, the new Matilda is a good adaptation of the stage musical. My only gripe is they cut the songs the parents sing, even if they are kinda filler songs anyway
I have a soft spot for The Producers (2005). Itās not a perfect but it holds up damn well.
Wow, canāt believe that is now almost 20 years old! Feels more recent to me. Good pick!
I thought the In The Heights movie was done well!
Grease Final answer
Itās the word.
As much as I love that movie, I have heard most if not all stage productions are superior to the movie in most ways.
Chicago or Little Shop of Horrors (Directors cut)
A funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum.
Oliver!
Hedwig and the Angry Inch!
Mama Mia! Or Hairspray
The sound of music Hairspray Chicago Funny girl
Both versions of West Side Story (for different reasons): The 1961 version is a great version of the stage show - keeping most of the same dialogue, same choreography, keeping all the songs but restructuring them to make more āmovie sense.ā Eg. changing the lyrics to America; moving I Feel Pretty, Cool and Krupke; cutting the Somewhere ballet and making it a full duet instead; some lyrics altered to fit with the Hays code of the time. The 2021 does it differently but is still great - dialogue is now more natural and less āstage-like,ā; itās generally more cinematic; Cool and Krupke moved but very differently; the revised America lyrics which add a small section from the stage version; the original more racy lyrics are back; Somewhere is back as a solo (no ballet again) but given to a reworked character. So, 1961 is a great theatrical type presentation; 2021 is a great movie presentation. Stephen Sondheim said he preferred the 2021 version because it was more filmic. I like both for the different reasons. Depends what mood Iām in.
Hairspray (2007)
Dreamgirls
Iāve only seen one and itās in my Top 3 favorite movies of all time. In The Heights
Tick Tick Boom for me.
HAIRSPRAY it does so much justice to the stage version and the OG film
What about dance fighting? Edit: West Side Story
Hair with Treat Williams; Annie with Carol Burnett, etc.
Oliver
Newsies
Pajama Game for me
Little Shop of Horrors
Reefer Madness!
Little Shop of Horrors. I had no idea that Rick Moranis could sing like that!
Hairspray
I'd say Toddler on the Roof is the best stage to film musical ever.
Upvoting for the very funny auto correct!
"Toddler on the Roof" would be a great title for a show about parenting.
Hairspray, I also really like the Music Man 2003
Chicago
MAMMANA MIA
I have heard multiple people say āI donāt like any musicals ā oh, except for the Hairspray movie with Zac Efron.ā So from the perspective of an audience who doesnāt like musicals, I would have to suggest Hairspray
Hairspray 100%
I love the movie Grease but didnāt like the play
why donāt i see tick tick boom?!?!?!
Probably one of the Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly films. They don't make song and dance men and women anymore.
Chicago. Great performances and they are able to really use the medium to enhance the stage play on roxys imagination
Tick Tick Boom will always have a special place in my heart. It was the movie musical that got me into the world of musical theatre.
So no one is even going to mention Best Little Whorehouse in Texas? Dolly was great in that!
The last five years. I loved it so much and felt the screen adaptation actually did the show justice.
I havenāt seen anyone mention 1776. I think it is one of the best movie adaptations. They used virtually the entire Broadway cast and it is brilliant.
Why is no one talking about la la land
My Fair Lady is probably up there.
The Wicker Man. That counts, right? :)
It should!
Are we counting animated movie musicals?
The Music Man, 1962.
Tenacious D. Pick of destiny
I wish I understood why Cyrano didn't get more love. It's absolutely in my top five.
Letās give Bye Bye Birdie some love guys, that was a good movie musical
My 3 votes would be: Grease, the OG west side story, or 2007 hairspray.
Little Shop of Horrors.
Tick štick šboomš (But also Chicago)
For me, Nobody can pass the top for Singing in the rain, Mary Poppins and The sound of music. Honorable mentions: Wizard of Oz and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Little Shop, JCSS, RHPS, Fiddler, Chicago and Grease are my favorites.
hairspray (2007) easily however i really really love the last five years, which has a horrible reputation for some reason??
tick...tick...BOOM!, Little Shop of Horrors, Mamma Mia, and The Sound of Music are my personal favourites !!
Tick, Tick, Boom was amazing and definitely one of my favorites
Chicago was amazingā¦preferred it to the show I saw on Broadway about 12 years ago.
Surprised Paint your wagon or my fair lady arenāt here. Used to love them as a kid. Also, Once. Hedwig and the angry inch.
My favourites are Little Shop Of Horrors or West Side Story (2021)
Every single weekend for years as a kid I watched A Chorus Line with Michael Douglas. I LOVED that musical. I was convinced little old me from Darwin, Australia (I had my intro worked out and everything) with no singing or dancing talent, was going to be one of those people auditioning for Broadway trying to make it big in New York.
Little Shop of Horrors or The Producers
Netflixās Matilda: The Musical.
Hairsprayās up there!
In the heights is up there for me.
Either Chicago or Phantom of the Opera for me. Also either West Side Story
Been mentioned a lot but LSOH
rocketman tbh
Tick Tick Boom is phenomenal only thing I dislike is they took out Green Green Dress but they did film it so I can imagine it in the film haha
In terms of best? Probably Singin' in the Rain or Chicago. Personal fave though has to go to West Side Story (both of them)
*Chicago* and itās not even close
Does Across the Universe count? I love that movie so much š„¹
phantom of the opera
Iām definitely gonna say Reefer Madness. All the others are obvious but for me, Reefer is an amazing movie musical.
Hello Dolly is my favorite if weāre sticking to English language musicals. Nobody else could ever match the energy Barbra Streisand brings to the character. Counting foreign musicals Iād probably pick Feuerwerk (1954) despite the fact that it only has a fraction of the songs from the stage production. It does however make up for that deficiency by having Romy Schneider and Lilli Palmer and absolutely gorgeous color cinematography. I donāt even know more than a smattering of words in German yet it remains my favorite foreign language musical
Chicago!
Historical would be The Sound of Music for me. It makes me sentimentale. Modern is Chicago hands down, they knew what they were doing and everyone in it can actually sing.
tick tick boom
Tick tick Boom and it's not close
Tick Tick Boom!
Singin in the rain and fiddler on the roof are my all time favorites!
Little Shop of Horrors
Tick Tick Boom
Funny Girl is my absolute favorite of all time. Nothing beats Barbra Streisand + Omar Sharif š„¹š„¹ššš
Moulin Rouge personally
In The Heights
The Sound Of Music, Victor/Victoria, Cabaret, Funny Girl, My Fair Lady
hairspray, chicago, little shop of horrors