I love a movie musical. I'm continuing my look into the Best Musical Tony Award winners that have been turned into a film. Check out Part I here. This part covers the Best Musicals from 1970-1989. Some of these mega-musicals took a while before becoming films! Enjoy!
Applause (1970)
Music by Charles Strouse, Lyrics by Lee Adams
Based on the film All About Eve, this became the first of its kind. It was adapted for television in 1973, but no feature film exists.
Company (1971)
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
No film version of this Sondheim show exists. The 1970 documentary Original Cast Album: Company shows the recording of the classic album.
Two Gentlemen of Verona (1972)
Music by Galt Macdermot, Lyrics by John Guare
This rock opera based on the Shakespeare play hasn't had much of a life outside the 70's and no film version was ever made.
A Little Night Music (1973)
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Based on the Bergman film, Smiles of a Summer Night. The 1977 film version was directed by Hal Prince and critically dismissed. Some original cast appear, songs were cut and new lyrics appear in others. Orchestrator Jonathan Tunick won an Oscar for the Adaptation Score.
Raisin (1974)
Music by Judd Woldin, Lyrics by Robert Brittan
Based on A Raisin in the Sun, no film has been made of the musical.
The Wiz (1975)
Music and Lyrics by Charlie Smalls
A big budget adaptation arrived in 1978, directed by Sidney Lumet. The music was supervised and produced by Quincy Jones (Oscar nom), and a few new songs were added with most numbers retained. The now-cult level of the film starred Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, among others.
A Chorus Line (1976)
Music by Marvin Hamlisch, Lyrics by Ed Kleban
Perhaps considered unfilm-able, it eventually became a critically maligned film in 1985, directed by Richard Attenborough. The film focuses on Zach and Cassie, cutting much of the ensemble audition material and some song highlights. Two new songs appear, with "Surprise, Surprise" being nominated for an Oscar.
Annie (1977)
Music by Charles Strouse, Lyrics by Martin Charnin
A beloved hit on stage, it made its way onto the screen in 1982 directed by John Huston. The supporting cast is especially strong, including Carol Burnett, Bernadette Peters, Tim Curry and Ann Reinking. There are several changes to the plot, five new songs and several songs cut. A more faithful adaptation was made for TV in 1999, and a modern remake was produced in 2014.
Ain't Misbehavin' (1978)
Music by Fats Waller, Lyrics by Various Artists
This all-black tribute revue of Fats Waller has never had a feature film adaptation.
Sweeney Todd (1979)
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Perhaps one of the most film-like Tony winners, it would take until 2007 for Tim Burton to direct the film adaptation. Johnny Depp would be nominated for an Oscar for his lead, but would be criticized for his singing chops. Most of the music would be reprised with larger orchestrations, but the chorus would be completely cut.
Evita (1980)
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics by Tim Rice
After years of lead actresses and possible films, Evita would finally hit the screen in 1996 with Madonna as the lead. The filming brought controversy from Argentina as they recreated a more historical version of the musical. One new song for Eva, "You Must Love Me" won the Academy Award for Lloyd Webber and Rice and has subsequently be added into stage productions of the show.
42nd Street (1981)
Music by Harry Warren, Lyrics by Al Dubin
This backstage musical was based in part on the 1933 film 42nd Street, adding in more songs by Warren and Dubin. The 2001 revival was also a big hit, but no newer film has been adapted.
Nine (1982)
Music and Lyrics by Maury Yeston
Based on Fererico Fellini's 8½, a musical adaptation directed by Rob Marshall (who also directed Chicago) would be released in 2009. Taking out a majority of the songs, Yeston added three new songs for the film. "Take It All" would be Oscar nominated for Best Original Song, but the film was crushed by critics.
Cats (1983)
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics by T.S. Eliot, Trevor Nunn, Richard Stilgoe
Perhaps the most infamous movie musical - coming out in 2019 as a box office bomb and critical disaster. Even though its quite accurate to the source material, the film directed by Tom Hooper, contained off-putting acting and even more off-putting CGI human/cat hybrids. Most songs appear, while ALW co-wrote a new song with Taylor Swift for the film.
La Cage aux Folles (1984)
Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
Surprisingly, there hasn't been a direct adaptation of the musical. Based on the 1973 French play, there's a French film from 1978 from the same material, as well as the 1996 classic The Birdcage.
Big River (1985)
Music and Lyrics by Roger Miller
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain has been the source for several films adaptations, but Big River has never made the jump to the screen.
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1986)
Music and Lyrics by Rupert Holmes
Based on the novel by Charles Dickens, the musical had multiple endings with audiences deciding on the murderer. This fun musical hall-style show has never been a film.
Les Misérables (1987)
Music by Claude-Michel Schoenberg, Lyrics by Alain Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer
Long in the making, the film adaptation finally came out in 2012, directed by Tom Hooper. A box office success and critical hit, the film utilized live singing on set (even if some performances weren't the best). The epic stayed fairly close to the musical with some bits cut and songs reordered. The new song "Suddenly", was nominated for Best Song at the Oscars.
The Phantom of the Opera (1988)
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics by Charles Hart, Richard Stilgoe
The longest running show in Broadway history was bound to be a film - and was released in 2004. The Joel Schumacher directed film suffered from the changes and casting choices and was disliked by critics. The newly written song, "Learn to Be Lonely" was nominated for the Best Song Oscar.
Jerome Robbins' Broadway (1989)
Music and Lyrics by Various Artists
This revue featured sequences of songs from various Jerome Robbins directed and choreographed shows like West Side Story, On the Town and Fiddler on the Roof. Because of the format, it hasn't become a film.
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