Heathers- Page 4
Heathers
#75Heathers
Posted: 7/22/14 at 9:11pm
Never saw the movie so maybe I wasn't expecting anything in particular. Which is how a musical should be. If we want the movie. Watch the movie
I thought the show was plenty dark and comedic at the same time. Fun and unnerving. A quick switch from fluffy to dark.
Ranking it high for this season. Anyone who disagrees -well that's fine. That is art
FishermanBob
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/9/12
FishermanBob
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/9/12
FishermanBob
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/9/12
#86Heathers
Posted: 7/23/14 at 11:28am
I can see why those who hold the good but flawed movie up in high regard didn't like the direction the musical took, but honestly I think the score is superb, only the lyrics in My Dead Gay Son to me are a bit cliche. I reviewed this score for one of the publications I write for here in the UK and honestly found it far better than 90 percent of the shows that arrived on or Off Broadway this year.
The direction the show took was the only one it could take, I personally thought it had the same tones as the film (though more theatrical) and just flipped them around, the comedy became the more dominant personality of the show where as the dark or odd tones remained present but fell to the back a little. Let's not kid ourselves, the movie has great love for it now by critics but many still sat it had major tone issues, as much as I like the film I agree. It could not decide what it wanted to be, it bounced from strange comedy to morality tale uncomfortably at time, it's odd choices sometimes hindered the film rather than helped it. The ending also sat very awkward. It's a good film but let's not kid ourselves, it was flawed.
The musical feels like it has a more cohesive tone, yes it still has light and dark but the dark feels like it's born out of where the story is taking us rather than the need to be 'quirky' .
Honestly some of the hate for this show confuses me but it does seem like it's a lot of loyalists to the film who view it negatively. Personally I don't think the film version would ever work on stage, it lacks the energy and is very much created as a visual piece. Also times have changed, they needed to handle the killings etc in a lighter way, terms are getting shot at a staggering rate in your country and scuicide is on the rise, it's not the 80s now, things have to move on and adapt to a society that is plagued by this subject matter. A serious play about this subject matter is hard (we just did one here in the UK written by me and my co writer, it opened to strong and encouraging reviews but made audiences feel uncomfortable at times.....and we barely have gun crime)
Personally I think they did a great job with this show, the physical production let it down a bit but that's not the show, a Heathers the Musical is the adaptation that I was hoping for.
Namo i love u but we get it already....you don't like Madonna
#87Heathers
Posted: 7/23/14 at 11:38am
"I can see why those who hold the good but flawed movie up in high regard..."
Man, that's your opinion and one that isn't shared by pretty much ANYONE else. The film holds a 95% over at Rotten Tomatoes, is regarded pretty much everywhere as being a 3 1/2 or 4 star movie and is often referred to as one of, if not the best teen film of that entire decade and one of the greatest black comedies ever made. So what "flaws" are you referring to?
Updated On: 7/23/14 at 11:38 AM
#88Heathers
Posted: 7/23/14 at 12:02pm
Erm the flaws that I pointed out.
I ain't saying Heathers is not a great film but even many of the positive reviews pulled out that it had issues with tone. Also many of the reviews of today that are on Rotten Tomatoes are relooking at the picture after tragedies like Columbine etc, it predicted what would happen and in turn critics now look at the film very differently as it was intended when the movie was first released.
As I say, I think it's a great film, I just don't agree that it's perfect
Namo i love u but we get it already....you don't like Madonna
#90Heathers
Posted: 7/23/14 at 12:26pm
That's not what I said at all, don't put words in my mouth, I said I can see why those who enjoyed the movie didn't like the direction the musical took, no insult, no saying it's just people who like the film who don't like the musical (because that would include me) just saying I can see why fans of the film would not like it. And I said a lot of the loyalists to the film did not like it, I did not say that they were the only people who did not like it, I was just talking about the film fans.
So I find your comment reductive and silly.
Namo i love u but we get it already....you don't like Madonna
#92Heathers
Posted: 7/23/14 at 12:34pmI don't think there is any correlation between the two. The movie happens to work well, and the show doesn't work as well. Why would movie lovers not want there to be a great musical of it? If anything, we know the quality of the source material and can compare it. If you go in cold, then sure, you don't know what you're missing. But I don't think the show missing our high expectations means we were predisposed to dislike it, just more qualified to assess how well the adaptation was executed.
ScottK
Understudy Joined: 12/13/12
#93Heathers
Posted: 7/23/14 at 1:30pm
^^^^^^^^
"More qualified to assess the adaptation"
Well, that's the problem in a nutshell.
You, and the "haters" are NOT more qualified.
The musical adaptation is its own "material." You may not like the material.
But what would lovers of the original source material make out of WEST SIDE STORY, MY FAIR LADY, and OKLAHOMA.
I am NOT saying Heathers is in the realm of those great classic musicals.
But the musical stands, or fails, by its own--NOT the source.
How many musical Hairspray lovers (of which I am one) ever saw the movie? I'd bet, not most (and, no, I havent seen the movie).
It's not knowing the source, it's about assessing what is on stage.
#94Heathers
Posted: 7/23/14 at 1:34pm
Musicals like this that are made to appeal to millennials are not allowed to be criticized. Anyone who disagrees with the "OMG it's amaaaaaaazzzzzinggggggg" assessment of it are "haters". Nobody is allowed to have a conversation anymore with differing points of views because they're "haters".
And I hate that.
ScottK
Understudy Joined: 12/13/12
#97Heathers
Posted: 7/23/14 at 1:54pm
Hey JC!
No--you can certainly hate the material/show
That's OK by me.
It's your snarky, relentless comments about the show, e.g: moving to Bway, etc etc to make fun of other posters that grates.
There are people on the thread expressing their admiration--and you constantly, and consistently S**T on them--and not just this Heathers thread, but all Heathers threads.
People bash AE for his consistent negative assessments of shows, but usually he only makes it once--you (and a few others) are constantly dumping on Heathers.
I'm truly sorry you didnt like the show, lost 3 hours, and more than a few bucks on it.
I liked the show (tho not the production), and listen to the CD almost once a day.
And tho you said the show is for "millenials", it probably was for the tail end of the "boomers" who saw the movie in first run, and have teh $ to pay for full price tickets.
Chacun...
#99Heathers
Posted: 7/23/14 at 1:58pm
You're probably referring to Gen X population, which I'm a part of. (GEN X ALL THE WAY!) and I made sure to see this musical right away because I love it so much. And it sucked. A lot. So very much.
I've always said I'm glad other people like it. Good for them. I like stuff others don't, as well. But the delusional state of the shows future (a show that can't even fill a small off-Broadway house) that some of it's fans have because they happen to like this show is what amuses me so much.
