Retro flicks would make cool musicals
Broadway is experiencing a retro movie revival — with theatrical takes on films such as “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “Tootsie” in the works.
Here are some other movies that could make for interesting musicals.
‘The Blues Brothers’
The 1980 tale of Jake and Elwood Blues, played respectively by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, was essentially a musical disguised as a movie. Reenacting scenes starring past greats including Belushi, Aretha Franklin, James Brown and Ray Charles won’t be easy, but sure would be fun.
‘The Breakfast Club’
Don’t you – forget about this 1985 John Hughes classic. The coming-of-age film about a quintet of high school students serving a weekend detention is primarily set in one room, which makes it an easy enough stage show. But each of the five main characters, played by Hollywood “Brat Pack” stars including Molly Ringwald, have a story to tell.
‘Coming to America’
This timeless 1988 Eddie Murphy classic was so full of zingers and rich characters that 30 years later a sequel is in the works. It seems only right that a musical would follow suit.
‘The Princess Bride’
Hardly incon-theeve-able. Love, magic, swordplay, deceit, revenge – “The Princess Bride” has it all. The 1987 classic’s fairy-tale setting and all-ages appeal would translate well on Broadway.
‘Reservoir Dogs’
The violent story line of Quentin Tarantino’s “Reservoir Dogs” makes it an unconventional pick for Broadway, but hearing six eccentric bank robbers sing their versions of how a heist earlier that day went wrong could be a lot of fun. Nearly the whole film takes place in an empty warehouse. Easy enough.
‘The Warriors’
Warriors – come and be in a play-ay. Though “The Warriors” came out in 1979, it found its way as a cult classic that got more popular as time went on. The New York classic features 23 street gangs, all with their own distinct uniforms and territories. To see the Warriors sing, fight and dance their way from the Bronx to Coney Island would make for a fun night of theater.
‘Wayne’s World’
Wayne’s World, showtime, excellent! Burnouts Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar, played by Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, made audiences laugh, cry and sing in their 1992 adventure.