Film and plays have created distinct spaces for themselves over the years to provide every viewer with a wide range of emotions and themes. While music and expressions are emphasized on the stage, the screens have a way of exuding the palettes through the actors that emote. The internet starts roaring in excitement each time a Broadway movie adaptation is announced. A massive outrage occurred when the news about the new Cats adaptation was released. The unsettling CGI was highly reproachable, leading the movie to be awarded the worst movie of the year. Such nightmares don’t happen often, but when they do, the lovers of art are let down. Broadway adaptations haven’t always become successful, but some names are cherished even today for their brilliance both on stage and on screen. Here are some of the best Broadway movie adaptations that every lover of musicals should watch.
1. My Fair lady
This 1964 movie is the story of Eliza Doolittle, a poor Cockney flower seller. She gets involved in Henry Higgins’s wager to learn English in order to presentable to all the higher societies. The movie stars Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison in lead roles. My Fair Lady was ranked as the 91st greatest American film and went on to win eight Academy Awards. The film was shot on a budget of $17 million and collected around $72 million domestically, making it both a commercial and critical hit.
2. Cabaret
This 1972 movie is a loose adaptation of the 1966 Broadway musical of the name ‘Cabaret.’ Although only a few songs from the show were used in the film, all the replacement songs were written by the show’s original songwriters. Except for the song “Tomorrow Belongs to Me,” every other track is played in the background rather than being sung by the characters. Cabaret received critical acclaim for breaking the convention of musicals. The darkness of the themes was used in the movie to show the side most makers hesitate to capture. Liza Minnelli won her first Academy Award for her portrayal of Sally Bowles, and she also got the chance to sing on screen.
3. Hairspray
Many shows have been on Broadway, creating a huge fanbase over the years. However, this one is different in terms of its adaptation. The movie is based on the Broadway show that was itself an adaptation of the 1988 film by Jon Waters. Despite having been through the same old tropes, Hairspray did create an impact and felt fresh when it was released in 2007. The movie starring Zac Efron was the first Broadway musical adaptation to have a massive opening weekend collection. Hairspray was also one of the best movies in the last decade in terms of its commercial and critical success. The movie is all about the pursuit of Tracy Turnblad to be a dancer on a local television show. No other film in those years had created such colorful frames and goofiness at the same time.