That I would have not expected. I knew that it would have been a washed out duller version, but I was hoping that music arrangements and singing could be as good as in the original movie. I was really wrong!
shareI did not like the modern singing in this. It didn't fit with the story. It also seemed like some of the music was faster than the original.
shareIt ducked souch because this is a rock N roll musical and not broadway. These new actors sang as though it were a blown out musical production. It's not. It's supposed to be rock N roll. Just like Hedwig, rocky horror is best done in near concert form as that's how it originated. The sing stylings don't work with these arrangements because it's not meant to be sung that way.
shareThe Glee version had the same issues everyone wanted to show off their singing voices instead of delivering the lines the way they were meant to be delivered. Except in Glee it is most noticable on Sweet Transvestite while in LDTWA it was most notable on the Time Warp. For the first part of that song Riff is supposed to sing like he talks until you get to "I remember doing the time warp!" where he starts singing in earnest and you are kind of taken aback for a second. It's one of my favourite moments in both the play and the movie.
Its something you'll get used to a mental mind *beep* can be nice!
That's because they are trying too hard to do the MTV singing. The beauty of the singing in the original is that it's not perfect by a long shot. It's a second degree musical, like everything else is second degree in the movie.
For every lie I unlearn I learn something new - Ani Difranco
I agree the singing wasn't great. I can't get past the fact that the main character in a musical can't sing.
share"I can't get past the fact that the main character in a musical can't sing."
Audrey Hepburn in "My Fair Lady" (dubbed)
Natalie Wood in "West Side Story" (dubbed)
The main difference is each of the ones you mentioned were the first adaptations of a stage production. This had already been done quite well. Although I was wrong in my statement I would think your list should have been evidence to not cast a non singing lead and if they had to,dub her. Although you may not like his voice, Russell Crowe has been singing with his own band for many years.
shareYes, the list SHOULD have been proof that stunt-casting doesn't always lead to success. Imagine a "Mame" with Angela Lansbury in it, or a "Hello Dolly" film starring Carol Channing. (Not that Barbra couldn't sing!) And the thing is, recent live musicals have relied on good casting of singing stars for the most part! Which is why the decision to totally mis-cast RHPS is so mystifying. Esp. when they kept signalling "how hard" it is to remake it it and "how devoted the fans are" to the original. They KNEW better... or didn't care.
I'm actually okay with Russell Crowe in Les Mis, just added him because many people weren't. But in 2016 leads in a musical can't be dubbed, fans won't stand for that, and should be able to belt out a tune. Look how well they've cast Dorothy in "The Wiz" and likely Tracey in "Hairspray". Whereas the recent "Annie" movie didn't audition 2,000 little girls, they just grabbed a kid who was nominated for an Oscar, because.
Notice how Cox has moved onto that "Lip Sync Battle" show! Yeah, way to salvage yourself after this, just proving she's a better drag queen than an actual chanteuse.