Official "Beauty & the Beast" Film Adaptation Thread

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Her tone is beautiful, but it sounds like she's rushing

[jacobsnchz14]

Could be to get that excerpt within the doll's voice box time limit. Haha. Excited to hear full songs. 

[Mrtrobz]

Kind of reminds me of Emily Blunt's singing voice in Into the Woods. She sounds good but I don't like that she doesn't carry out the "see" at the end. 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

An expanded and much more clear version of Emma, singing

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOodjUmhHH_/

Yikes, she sounds very very young and she does an awkward pause with "alarming"

[JennH]

Well as we all have officially figured out it's her for sure...I'm not impressed. Sigh...Don't get me wrong, I'm still stoked for it, I do love Emma all around, but WHY does Hollywood keep insisting on casting people in movie musicals that have practically no tone, no phrasing, sound thin as ****, etc. In other words...people who can SING. Like...REALLY SING.

Someoneelse here said about LaLa Land that they loved it overall, but was disappointed that the legacy of musicals and movie musicals are...THAT. Weak, thin, poorly toned and phrased, vocals. This makes me less than hopeful about Wicked down the road, in which not only were the vocals written to be belted/for a BELTER and it's SO obvious when that crap is being sung by someone who obviously shouldn't be because that's was how it was intended...but it's also part of her actual character. Strong, independent, female, accentuated more by the strong, fierce, powerhouse vocals. What's gonna happen, the casting of Anne who could barely sing Fantine as it is?? I keep seeing her as well as other people who OBVIOUSLY can't sing that craziness in way too many people's dream casts. 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Agreed. I'm very nervous for the casting of Wicked. They really should hire newcomers or alumni for Elphaba and Glinda. God, help me if I hear Amanda Seyfred's shrill singing as Glinda or Ariana Grande mumbling under her breath as Elphaba 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Please keep in mind that this is film, not live theatre. One of the main differences between the two is that live theatre requires the performers to reach out to the back row of the second balcony while film requires much more intimacy.

[Scarywarhol]

Not always true, and a completely separate issue from basic competency in singing, which very few live-action movie musicals have had in recent years.

[JennH]

Scarywarhol said: "Not always true, and a completely separate issue from basic competency in singing, which very few live-action movie musicals have had in recent years.

 

"

Thank you. I'm not sure what is so hard to understand about this concept. Granted I can't think of VERRRRRYYY few modern movie musicals of any kind that cast people who could sing, but this seems to be running rampant more than normal. 

This has nothing to with live performance verses the intimacy of film acting. This has everything to do with being able to sing...like at all. A trained singer could absolutely tone it down if needed because they have the TRAINING to do it, bit someone who's not what one could call a 'singer' can't always amp it up. It's usually why stage actors can more easily translate usually to film but film actors can't always translate to stage as easily. It's always easier to tone things down than it is to amp things up because stage actors know how to play anything beneath being big all the time. Just because one has had to be more intimate on camera doesn't mean the singing voice can't be of any decency or used as an excuse for thin toned, choppily phrased, unsustained singing. 

Shes cutting off all her phrases, as if she can't sustain them. And if there's a role where having the ability to sustain a decent mixed voice is necessary...this is the one. 

 

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

I think we all need to pause for a minute and remember this is a recording of a DOLL. Toys aren't known for their accurate and clear sound transmission. I don't think any true comments about anyone's ability can be made until we hear a real version intended for listening. Like the film or soundtrack. Not a toy.

[gypsy101]

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Agreed. I'm very nervous for the casting of Wicked. They really should hire newcomers or alumni for Elphaba and Glinda. God, help me if I hear Amanda Seyfred's shrill singing as Glinda or Ariana Grande mumbling under her breath as Elphaba "

lol Ariana Grande would maybe be appropriate for Glinda but i don't even think Hollywood would think she work work as Elphaba (or i'm vastly overestimating hollywood). i would accept Amanda as Glinda tbh because i thought she sounded good in Mamma Mia after her vocals were produced in the studio (obviously not in Les Miz since it was live). As for Elphaba, they'll have a hard road. They'll probably go for someone like Anna Kendrick. people can hate on Lea Michele all they want but at least she'd be able to sing the role.

[Dave28282]

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "An expanded and much more clear version of Emma, singing

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOodjUmhHH_/

Yikes, she sounds very very young and she does an awkward pause with "alarming"

 

"

I agree, this kind of singing is just completely unacceptable in a production like this. It really is appalling that this could have happened.

This is not funny, not raw, not realistic, not engaging, it is just embarrassing and very, very sad.

This language does not benefit from apologizing for it in such a disrespectful way.

 

If this is really it, than I feel disrespected as an audience member by this kind of contemptuousness.

 

[Mr. Nowack]

Leave it to the Queens to give a full review of an entire film performance based on a compressed clip from a children's toy...

[Dave28282]

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Please keep in mind that this is film, not live theatre. One of the main differences between the two is that live theatre requires the performers to reach out to the back row of the second balcony while film requires much more intimacy.

 

"

Intimacy and emotion is created by the control of soft notes. Not by speaking them in a lame way by someone who is clearly struggling with this language. That repels the audience.

 

And loud notes work perfectly on film too. It's not about volume or reaching out. It's about understanding this language. "Bring him home" in the Les Mis film is louder than any stage valjean I have ever heard. The whole Les Mis film is louder than the Miss Saigon 25th dvd. And the latter is much more intimate, engaging, raw and real on film. You need to understand what makes it feel real. Embracing this language instead of apologizing for it.

[Dave28282]

Scarywarhol and JennH, 

AMEN.

[Dave28282]

JennH said: "Just because one has had to be more intimate on camera doesn't mean the singing voice can't be of any decency or used as an excuse for thin toned, choppily phrased, unsustained singing. "

I would even take that a few steps further. When there is a camera involved you will see and hear all the smallest details (in both soft and loud notes), and therefore you need people who master the craft of acting through notes so incredibly well, to make it feel and sound real and natural. Therefore finding the right people to make the singing feel natural and real is a very big challenge. And no, what Emma does is not real. It's the opposite.

 

[gypsy101]

no offense bro but you need to get a life.

[Dave28282]

Because you care less? I have a life, full of passion.

You need to get some understanding of this business, artform and material.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Mr. Nowack said: "Leave it to the Queens to give a full review of an entire film performance based on a compressed clip from a children's toy...

 

"

Sorry, not trying to be a queen 

[gypsy101]

you're obsessed with the kind of movie musical that clearly doesn't exist and has never existed

[Dave28282]

Then it's about time for people to wake up. Because clearly this director, just like you, just doesn't get it.

The Miss Saigon film completely destroyed your vision. So I had hoped people in the business would have noticed that too. But BATB probably was already in the making when it came out. It's a  complete showcase of the power and emotion and importance of singing quality on film.

 

[gypsy101]

there is no feature film adaptation of Miss Saigon

[Dave28282]

And yet it is a film, on screen, with close-ups, recorded on a set, called stage, with real singing, and 75% of the shots shot separately without an audience and it works extremely well.

The whole scene Back in town/Thuy's death might be the best musical film scene in history. Wouldn't it be nice to take more projects to that level? Or do we choose just not to care. The importance of quality and the truthfulness of this artform does not disappear because some people don't care.

 
I can't force you to see quality and to feel the impact of a scene on screen where the singing and acting fully match and it creates magic, I just hope you experience it someday too.

 

 

[westendfanatic]

as we all know, the sound of Emma singing is only coming from a doll, which has been shortened for the purpose of the toy and is not crystal clear enough to hear as it has been ripped from inside a supermarket store. we will all get to hear the real thing when the film hits cinemas in March 2017 (and when the soundtrack comes out after that). then, maybe we can all express our full opinions. Luke won't be disappointing in his role as Gaston as he is a trained singer and theatre actor (as is Josh Gad) and has gone on to become a brilliant actor (over the last couple of years) in the process.

As long as they have kept the "transformation" and "battle on the tower" music compositions the same as the original 1991 version, i will be one happy camper as they are truly stunning pieces to listen to. 

[JennH]

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Mr. Nowack said: "Leave it to the Queens to give a full review of an entire film performance based on a compressed cli from a children's toy..

 

"

Sorry, not trying to be a queen 

 

"

Here's the thing...whenever I've heard little sneak peeks of movie musical adaptations such as these, I haven't been wrong even once. Every single time I've heard a less than stellar voice even in the smallest way like this, when I finally see the movie, I've always been right, therefor disappointed.The singing is that way the whole time.

So I'm wondering why it's insisted upon to not judge until we hear it all, as if it's expected that their voice suddenly improved by magic over the production period. I hear one snippet, thats the way their voice is going to be the whole movie. What's make people think otherwise? Legit question, not exactly trying to throw shade. 

And yes we know it's a doll, but we also know the singing from the soundtrack is always used for those singing dolls that inevitable always follow. So...

 

And where is that doll found anyway?? Cause I want one!! 

 

PS-in what world is Ariana right for Glinda?? She can barely sing Elphaba and Glinda.has.to.sing.soprano...why do people dream cast Glinda's who have no soprano on them whatsoever? And if Amanda is cast in another movie musical I will riot...

 

[gypsy101]

Dave28282 said: "And yet it is a film, on screen, with close-ups, recorded on a set, called stage..."

yes see exactly, it may have been recorded on video but it isn't a feature film adaptation. they are different things and one of the main things is that they take place not on a stage.