We spend some time around here moaning and groaning that Hollywood has run out of ideas so they're now just basically remaking our childhood. Well let's turn that vitriol east for a moment to Broadway musicals.First there was The Producers, which was, at the time, kind of a cult Gene Wilder/Mel Brooks flick that made it's way to the Great White Way and because a huge mega smash hit. In fact, it was such a big hit it went from film to Broadway musical to film based on the Broadway musical, which was kind of hilarious given the show. Then, of course, there have been others, things like Monty Python And The Holy Grail, which hit the stage as Spamalot. Xanadu: The Musical. Yes, Xanadu, the terrible film with Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly (of all people), became a Broadway show. On roller skates. Footloose got the Broadway treatment. So did The Wedding Singer and Hairspray and Bring It On. And Legally Blonde. We won't even talk about Spider-Man or the weird London Batman thing that are both currently running. Currently in development? Ghost.
But what really set me all a fire today was the news that Jerry Zemeckis is exploring the notion of a stage adaptation of... Back To The Future. Are. You. KIDDING. ME?
Remember a time when musicals were new and unique and then maybe they became movies? Yeah, me neither. Because it's been an eternity. Not everything should get the musical treatment, y'all, just because it did well at the movies.
Incidentally, there was a musical a few years ago based on Anne Rice's Interview With The Vampire. It was called Lestat: The Musical, with original music from Elton John. It was, um, not good and closed in California before it even made the move to New York. And there was a Dracula musical on Broadway that tanked pretty badly. But you know what? Twilight: The Musical is probably going to happen. SERIOUSLY.
You thought you survived the Twihards? Wait till they get new songs to sing about Edward's sparkly love. You thought it was bad in the '90s when every teenage girl was singing songs from Cats and The Phantom Of The Opera? I guarantee this will be much, much worse.
Broadway, I'm starting to hate you.
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