This is mostly for Cerasi and Ada, but Allya will definitely enjoy it. They are putting on a stage show for How to Train Your Dragon, which I think is cool, but I must ask why? I've been noticing lately that many films such as Legally Blonde, Shrek, The Little Mermaid, etc have been getting the stage treatment in NY. London has the Jerry Springer Opera (no joke). It may be just a way to show the new technology of the theater, or maybe just a quick way to cash in. What do you guys think?
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/preview-how-to-train-your-dragon-stage-show.html#comments
I LOVE the company that created the dinosaurs from "Walking with Dinosaurs"! The details are amazing~ I'm even happier that they're creating a stage production of 'How to Train Your Dragon'~~
ReplyDeleteAs for your concern, Cylon, it's understandable that companies are trying to squeeze money out of their 'products' as much as they can, but since it's about dragons/dinosaurs, I think I can forgive them just a little bit.
I hope it stays in Sydney for a while. I want to go see it! (I can't wait to see a live-version of Toothless!! -squee-)
I have to say, as a general rule, I am opposed to making stage versions of movies just to squeeze a few extra bucks out of the franchise.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this does look cool.
I love Beauty and the Beast and the Lion King which are both films adapted for the stage, so it can work. (Though most of the extra songs in Beauty in the Beast are kind of bad.) But it really saddens me to see such a void of creative material when I know there are plenty of playwrights and musical-wrights (is there a more technical term for that) out there that are struggling.
Of course, on the other hand I assume that adapted movies put butts in the seats, cutting edgy plays about existential despair don't. Also, I was talking to my playwriting teacher about this, and he says that new plays are still being performed, just not on Broadway. Which is fine, I guess. Broadway is just for big shows with more mass appeal.
And, I have to admit, my parents saw Legally Blonde, the Musical, and it was pretty good apparently. We owned the CD so I listened to the music and it was . . really funny and clever and well written. (Better than the songs in Urinetown, OH NO I DIDN'T!)
So even though I am opposed to this on principle, the reality might not be as bad. However, for every Legally Blonde and Beauty and the Beast you have endure one The Little Mermaid or 101 Dalmatians. (Where human actors played the dogs and the actors playing humans . . . were ON STILTS. And it didn't have the song "Cruella Deville" because it couldn't get the rights and my parents described it as a terrifying experience.) And then there's Spiderman which is a hilarious disaster.
But still, Broadway's gotta make money somehow, right? Who am I to begrudge them that?
HOWEVER, if this means we're one step closer to "Dinosaurs: The Musical" I am all for it baby.
There are clearly some stories that are more adaptable to the stage than others. The Little Mermaid, as I discussed in a previous post, is not a complete failure as a musical. But it's not as magical onstage as it is onscreen.
ReplyDeleteHow to Train Your Dragon might fair better in adaptability, especially since they are going all out with the animatronic dragons. In the clip, they looked pretty cool. But, aren't some of the coolest scenes in the movie when he flies on the dragon? Can they pull that off? It said something about how tall it was, so they might be able to, but again, I'm skeptical about how transferable this story really is.
I'm all for prolonging and retelling a great story, and I think How to Train your Dragon is a good one. But if it's about making another buck on the franchise, I'm against it like Cerasi. It just depends on how good the play is.
I think I know how to solve this: I'll go back to Sydney to see it. You know, just so we can be sure.