For as long as the silver screen has existed, the adaptation of musicals into movies has been a very controversial conversation to have. From Guys and Dolls to Mean Girls, people have either quantified these as being mind-numbing and soulless cash grabs or have sung their praises for being the soundtrack to their upbringing, or even changing their lives. However, can we create a general consensus on the genre as a whole, and if so, is it genius, or simply generic?
With the recent outrage from many diehard musical fans at Wicked: For Good not being nominated at this year’s Oscars despite the success of the first movie, it would only make sense to look in retrospect at movie musicals and the way that they adapt their source materials, especially those which are most loved, and most hated for the way that they spin the narrative web. Considering, for example, the aforementioned and recently released Wicked: For Good, many critics and audience members consider it to be significantly weaker than its predecessor, with the additional songs failing to knock anybody’s ruby slippers off and several narrative problems emerging throughout. However, it isn’t entirely true that these issues are the fault of the movie. Telling the story of Wicked’s second act, the movie follows the majority of its plot, which appears less interesting in terms of storyline. Of course, the use of autotune on actors like Michelle Yeoh, and the somewhat terrifying rumours of on-set relationships are the fault of the movie. However, this example proves that the entire genre cannot be written off entirely as lazy and derivative. If you don’t believe me, let’s look at some more examples.
Following on from this, we have another recent film adaptation, Mean Girls, which itself was far from popular with mainstream audiences, as the original version was based on the cult 2004 film featuring Lindsay Lohan. Adapted in 2024 and even seen by me on the big screen, it was immediately written off as a tacky remake featuring young actors who could not sing (barring Reneé Rapp). However, having rewatched it, it has a lot of things to offer which many modern adaptations would not, such as some innovative scenery and cinematography for songs, and a heavy dosage of camp from the characters of Damien and Janis, which makes the film a lot of fun in general. Overall, I have fully changed my opinion of it, and it has made me believe that perhaps when considering new adaptations of musicals, we allow our own nostalgia-based view of the original to cloud our judgment, or perhaps even turn us against the new kid on the block, simply for being ‘different’.
Of course, one doesn’t simply have to look at newer musicals to evaluate the genre. Movie musicals have touched every person at some point in their lives, from growing up with Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz, to living through your teen angst with Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and it’s clear to see why, with many of these pieces absolutely stuffed to the brim with whimsy, joy and love. But what sets these pieces apart? Nostalgia plays a large part in this, as I have said previously, with The Rocky Horror Picture Show and even The Wizard of Oz falling behind upon their release, but with time and the devotion of fans they were allowed to gain cult status and reverence within mainstream culture. Through the bygone eras which they represent, these heartfelt films have resonated with audiences over time. However, what is significant to notice is the overall messaging, which is also portrayed across these musical films. All these films present heartfelt and moralistic narratives, which, despite their grandiose set pieces, are truly made for the individual to interpret and hold on their own. Whereas, Wicked: For Good is a grand overall commentary on the power of propaganda and influencing a population, and Mean Girls’ original messaging got lost somewhere in Angourie Rice’s mangled performance. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is a major factor in how these films are received in comparison to older adaptations of famous musicals. Truly, I believe that time will be kind to the likes of modern musical adaptations, and many will live long in the memory.
Photo by Stefano Stacchini on Unsplash.