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Disney Theatrical Productions has announced plans to collaborate with William Goldman on a stage work based on his 1973 fairy tale, The Princess Bride, and on his screenplay for the beloved 1987 Rob Reiner film that became a cult classic.
17 comments:
This is so exciting. The Princess Bride had been one of my favorite movies since I was a child and getting the chance to see it live would be a dream come true. It is a magically story that I think would adapt well to stage whether a musical or not. If it was a musical it would be interesting to see what songs would be composed and how they would be worked into the story. As I sit here and write this I myself am thinking of times through the plot that a musical number would be appropriate and I am just getting more excited!
YES! I am excited, I really do hope that I get to see it. The movie has been a tradition for my family's gatherings, and ive loved it since the first time i saw it. While i hope the stage version (presumably a musical) carries the same raucous fun humor that SPAMALOT does, i think there is a lot of room for heart and emotion (and several wonderful solos by Buttercup) in it.
I have yet to find someone who does not like the movie, it does not surprise me that there is a stage production in the works. Especially, as the article says, Disney movies made to Broadway have been quite successful in the past. Also, the princess bride was meant to be in live action, not an animated performance like The Little Mermaid or The Lion King.
I am really curious to see how the show portrays the narration portion, jumping to and from the old man and the boy to the fairy tale.
AHHH YESSSSSS!!!!! I have watched the 'Princess Bride' at least 20 times! I grew up with this movie! I can actually see the whole thing working as a show. The theater that they would have to use would have to be huge! The costumes and the set is going to be absolutely amazing especially because Disney tends to know the best designers whose quality of work is always impeccable! I am super excited for this!
I agree with everyone -- The Princess Bride would be a wonderful play if done well! (Well, anything done well would be good right?). As someone who also grew up watching this film and reading the book, it is very close to my heart. It's funny that of all the movies that we've seen get turned into plays and vice-versa, this is one that never occurred to me for some reason. The film itself is so theatrical -- it seems like it could almost be directly adapted. Rodents of Unusual Size? Yes! I really hope that this brings this story to yet another generation -- it's simplicity, humor, and heart are all aspects that make it a truly great story that we so rarely get to see! …Maybe "The Labyrinth" is somewhere in the future as well? …Although it would be quite the challenge to find someone to stand in David Bowie's shoes….
I'm not going to lie, I have mixed feelings. Just as fans of books many times over have felt watching their favorite book be turned into a movie, I just hope they don't ruin the story. The Princess Bride (one of like 5 movies I've seen ever) does not have a story conducive to random theatrical singing, crazy acrobatics, or any of that theatricality. I think if the producers make it spectacular while following the feeling of the story, I suspect it'll be great. Also, I've seen this movie a million times; I even own it on VHS!
I think this could be done well either as a play or a musical. The way the story is frame it allows for cliché moments to be turned in to comedy and I think it could be achieved well either way. Unfortunately I do not think the production will survive as either a play or musical even if it is well done. The Princess Bride is such an iconic movie that when staged it will be hard to draw a crowd to see the staged version. Many people have already seen the movie and know the story extremely well. I know that I can also quote the entire movie line by line and I don't even think I have watched the movie very much, so when potential audience members are looking for a show to see on broadway chances are they are going to go see a musical or play they don't know the story of and have a limited opportunity to see that story, where as they could easily go home and watch the Princess Bride movie. Another factor is the price of tickets for the staged version. Last time I saw the movie on sale at a story it was only about ten dollars so buy one hundred dollar broadway, seems like a crazy thing to do when the story is just in reach for one tenth the cost. Now these to factors are not to discount other selling points such as famous actors or new ideas brought to the story from the stage show. However I think the cost of tickets and other unknown opportunities are a huge hurtle that will need to be jumped to make the staged version of The Princess Bride a success.
I love the Princess Bride but its hard for me to imagine it as a stage play or musical. I'm not opposed to the idea though, it just had never occurred to me that someone would want to adapt it for the stage. I know that people often worry about adaptations ruining their favorite books/movies/plays but I don't see things that way. If they do a terrible adaption of the story, I don't think that will subtract from my enjoyment of the book or movie. I think because its such a big, theatrical story to begin with, its easier to picture as a musical than straight play, but I'd definitely be excited and interested to see it either way.
This is a terrible idea., mind you, usually when talk rolls around about making classic films into stage shows I hands down agains it. I realize theater is about being open minded but something so classic should not be altered. Look at Big fish for example, the film was excellent, witty, charming, and magical. The Broadway show on the other hand was a flub. The problem is that there is a difference in the way a film goes about telling a story and the way a stage show does it. I'm not saying I'm entirely against adaptation. It works wonders when books are turned into films and plays. Animated films also tend to make great musicals ( Julie Taymors the Lion King being a prime example.) The thing about the story told in the princess bride is that part of the humor in the story relies on film aspects. The fire swamp horrors and the rodents of unusual would not be the same on stage because they can't embrace the campy film quality the the movie has and if the stage version tries to encompass that, it is a very different play. The other part of the film that I don't see an easy way to change into a stage version is the scenes where is cuts between the grandfather telling the story to is sick grandson and the actual tale of buttercup. Those scenes are as funny as they are because of their abrupt nature. There's a sudden cut and the audience is left yelling "wait go back, I want to know what happens" you can't create that effect as well with a black out or a frozen pose because you can still see the performers on stage. You know they are there and that they'll have to move eventually. When you cut to a different screen in film you loose the image and are give no promise that it will return. And those are just some of the problems with creating a stage version of it, don't even get me started on a musical version. I think one of the biggest issue is that it is a cult classic. If a company wants to try and turn a film into a stage play I can't hate them for trying (as uncreative as it may be). But to take a cult classic loved by so many and possibly ruin it beyond recognition with cheesy gimmicks and unnecessary musical numbers is just wrong, not to mention a slap in the face to the original film.
This is the only movie that my brother and I both agree is perfect. It's got something for everyone, so it makes sense that it's being adapted for the stage. It's got a wide range of audiences and is a fan-favorite. I don't think it would be suited for a musical, best to just keep it a straight play. A lot of the scenes take place in different locales, so it will be interesting to see what the scenic design does with that. Furthermore, I'm excited to see the casting, since the actors need to be in these iconic roles. Will they pull it off? Who knows!
Ok, this is a fantastic example of something that would have probably been much better off if it had just been left be. The Princess Bride is so entirely classic and is such an amazing movie, but it should really be just left at that, a movie. To me this seems like one of those pieces of art that is being done for the sole reason that it can make the owners bucket loads of money. Which is no where near a good enough reason. I am all for telling the same story through different mediums, but there are some stories, like Shrek for example, that are just so iconic in one of their existing forms, that there is no way that any new form can ever become its own work. It will be forever compared to the previous version and that will have negative impacts on both parties.
I love The Princess Bride and would love to see it on the stage. If it is done well, which I think Disney definitely has the capability to do, it will be an epic piece of theatre. I can't wait to hear more on the developments of this work and when I can, hopefully, see it.
This is exciting yes. I will give it that. It will bring in money because there is a huge market for this. HOWEVER I AM SO SICK AND OVER THIS WHOLE LETS MAKE PLAYS BASED OFF OF POPULAR MOVIES FAD. There are so many amazing play writes out there that aren't getting credit or noticed due to this incredibly annoying fad thats happening. Now I know its not entirely broadways fault, i know that there is a recession going on at the moment and they need sure fire ways to make money, i just wish that they would stop this. This isn't what theater is about. I really hope that this phase ends soon.
I am so excited for this! I think classics with such a following like this have great potential to be made into stage shows. I would also love to see Ferris Bueller's day off the musical... But anyways, I am excited to see what songs they come up with for this, and am equally excited to see the fans reaction. Whenever you try to mount something with such a following like this, you walk a thin line between offending the true followers and making it new and exciting. I look forward to seeing what they come up with!
The Princess Bride is an incredible film, but I fear what may happen to it if it is turned into a play/musical. It is the kind of thing that can really ruin a cult classic. The movie was fantastic, and yes, it does have the potential to be a good play, but it has a much higher chance of being a flop than it does of being a good show. That being said, if anyone could make it into a play successfully, it would be Disney. If this ever becomes a play on Broadway, I would probably go to see it just because I'm such a big fan of the film, but I personally think that some things should be left alone.
This seems like such a great idea to me. The Princess Bride scared the shit out of me when I was young for some reason - I think it was the giant rats or something. I saw the movie again I think 3 years ago and i loved it. I think that it fits perfectly for a Broadway show because it has the lovable characters, the fun plot line, and the humor. I really excited to see this become a musical.
I have never seen the princess bride, but I have heard that it is pretty good. As much as I'm for turning movies into musicals, I feel that this is quickly becoming overdone. What has happened to the original american musical? Movies are great for inspiration and for commercial purposes, but it is time for something original. Some new and fresh.
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