Adapting a musical, in today's age where they've lost a considerable audience compared to decades ago, is no easy task. Many fail ("The Producers" among some), but others hit the mark spot on. Below is a list of some of my favorite musicals that have adequatley made the transition from Broadway to Hollywood.
Mamma Mia!
This feel-good musical didn't need much rewriting to appeal to the big screen. The energy is easily tranceded to the average movie-goer because of the popularity of ABBA to the older generation. Even if you weren't alive for the 70s and 80s pop movement, the long lasting legacy of the Swedish pop giants can make any child to get up and dance along with the choregrophy and music even if this musical about love isn't performed live. The producers had it easy, neverthless, they delivered.
The Phantom of the Opera
The most popular musical of all time, the masterpiece of Andrew Lloyd Webber took a long time to finally make the transition to the big screen. Though the movie flopped in theatres, the long-lasting fanbase of Phantom was enough to have the movie version, directed by Joel Shumacher, be treasured in their living rooms. Not much could be done to alter the theater version to be adapted for the screen. The casting was spot on and the acting talents (not singing) of the cast, fit perfectly with the raw energy that Webber always intended Phantom to have.
Evita!
I might get a lot of criticm for this choice, especially with the poor casting choice of Madona as the title role. But put the pop star aside, Antonio Banderas stole the show as Che, the average Argentinan citizen. For anybody that has expereinced social and political injustice in a third world country, the movie portrayed their feelings to the letter. For citizens of a first world country, it educated them. Another musical by the great Andrew Lloyd Webber, the movie version was enough for me to long for the live musical that I was sadly was never able to watch.
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