Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
#1Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/18/18 at 5:48pm
I’ve relistening to the great comet album and I think it would be a great piece to adapt into a film.
If I had it my way I would love to see Christian Bale as Pierre, Lupita Nyong’o as Natasha, George MacKay as Anatole, and Emma stone as Sonya
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
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Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
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#2Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/18/18 at 6:10pm
To me the whole success of Great Comet was the theatricality of it... the immersiveness and the experience in general. I think if you tried to make a film out of it, you lose that - then it just becomes a sort of weird hipster War & Peace adaptation. IMHO.
Oak2
Leading Actor Joined: 8/11/16
#3Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/18/18 at 6:12pm
Nathan Lane as Pierre, or at LEAST James Corden. Pierre is supposed to be fat!
#4Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/18/18 at 6:24pm
Without the environmental stunt staging at the Imperial, I'm convinced there's no there there. Sitting in a movie theater watching the cast go through their ridiculous disco gyrations without even getting a pierogi for my troubles would be the worst possible moviegoing experience.
Updated On: 5/18/18 at 06:24 PM
Elegance101
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/24/17
#5Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/18/18 at 6:32pm
The realism of a movie would clash with the innate anachronisms of it all. The immersive staging is needed for the specific way the story is told to work. I vote no.
#6Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/18/18 at 6:36pmGreat Comet is a multimodal piece in the way “Thriller” or “This Is America” are multimodal: the text, the music, none of it is made to stand on their own, but as multimedia experiences. You SHOULD leave Great Comet humming the scenery.
Impossible2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/31/18
#7Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/18/18 at 6:55pm
They should've just filmed the stage show, it wouldn't work as film any other way.
#8Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/20/18 at 2:05am
I actually have been getting into the original recording a lot the last few weeks too and finally watched the BBC miniseries from a few years ago. I couldn't help but think (maybe because the actress did appear similar) that Sonya should be played by Anna Kendrick, she would be perfect for it.
it would probably be a very difficult film to make, i agree they should have filmed it at some point on its trip to broadway
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."
The_Spielers_2017
Chorus Member Joined: 1/26/17
#10Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/20/18 at 10:44am
It needs an avant garde approach, but I think it could work. What got lost in the transfer to Broadway was the intimacy: having these characters a foot away from you pouring their hearts out. Just think what a closeup could do to a song like "No One Else" or the Finale?
And the cast would need to come from all walks of entertainment. From indie rock to musical theatre. The cast should be a patchwork of insane yet peculiar vocal talents. Bo Burnham would be an excellent Dolokov. I'd also love Weird Al as Balaga.
But Brandon Urie as Anatole. Auli'i Cravahlo or another DCOM pop star (with the pipes to back it up) as Natasha. With Groban as Pierre and Gaga as Helene. Either Ingrid Michaelson or someone of her type (Sara Barellis?) as Sonya. Stick in a classic musical theatre queen as Marya. Patti LuPone would kill. Then put Kristen Wiig as Princess Mary and a stellar character actor as Prince Bolkonsky (Robert Downey Jr. popped into my mind).
I know such a cast is unlikely to ever sign on to a project (especially after all of the controversy of the Broadway production), but GOD what I'd give to see this before a Wicked or Hamilton adaptation.
Impossible2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/31/18
#11Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/20/18 at 2:33pm
The Broadway cast were perfection in their roles. Their performances were fantastic and vocally none of them can be beaten.
Over my dead body are you replacing ANY of them with ****ty Hollywood actors who can't sing for ****.
This is Great Comet not La La Land or Moulin Rouge!
And Patti over Grace, please? Grace could sing her off any stage you put them on.
#12Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/20/18 at 3:13pm
But the point of making a film is to do things you couldn't do onstage, for reasons of budget or casting realities. If the show was absolutely perfect the way it was, why would you make a big-budget film, instead of just filming the stage show?
And if (as people are saying here) the stage show isn't filmable, why would you film it instead of just touring it or producing regional productions?
The film of The Producers was incredibly reverent to the stage version, and that approach didn't work... and that's a much more traditional, presentational show than Great Comet.
Impossible2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/31/18
#13Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/20/18 at 3:24pm
darquegk said: "But the point of making a film is to do things you couldn't do onstage, for reasons of budget or casting realities. If the show was absolutely perfect the way it was, why would you make a big-budget film, instead of just filming the stage show?
And if (as people are saying here) the stage show isn't filmable, why would you film it instead of just touring it or producing regional productions?
The film of The Producers was incredibly reverent to the stage version, and that approach didn't work... and that's a much more traditional, presentational show than Great Comet."
As I said I'd rather they just filmed the stage show.
I don't see the point of making a traditional film, there are already many filmed versions of War and Peace we don't need another.
#14Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/20/18 at 3:25pm
The_Spielers_2017 said: "It needs an avant garde approach, but I think it could work. What got lost in the transfer to Broadway was the intimacy: having these characters a foot away from you pouring their hearts out. Just think what a closeup could do to a song like "No One Else" or the Finale?
And the cast would need to come from all walks of entertainment. From indie rock to musical theatre. The cast should be a patchwork of insane yet peculiar vocal talents. Bo Burnham would be an excellent Dolokov. I'd also love Weird Al as Balaga.
But Brandon Urie as Anatole. Auli'i Cravahlo or another DCOM pop star (with the pipes to back it up) as Natasha. With Groban as Pierre and Gaga as Helene. Either Ingrid Michaelson or someone of her type (Sara Barellis?) as Sonya. Stick in a classic musical theatre queen as Marya. Patti LuPone would kill. Then put Kristen Wiig as Princess Mary and a stellar character actor as Prince Bolkonsky (Robert Downey Jr. popped into my mind).
I know such a cast is unlikely to ever sign on to a project (especially after all of the controversy of the Broadway production), but GOD what I'd give to see this before a Wicked or Hamilton adaptation. "
Wow! That would be a great cast!
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
#15Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/20/18 at 5:08pm
I love the show, and I think the score is Hamilton-level genius. In other words, I do not believe that the show's only merit was in its staging. Not by a long-shot.
Having said that, I still think it be difficult-to-impossible to successfully adapt it for film. Not because it's too tied to its staging, but because its just frickin' weird, and so stylistically separated from any kind of realism. As others have said, it would have to be a very smart director.
Impossible2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/31/18
#16Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/20/18 at 5:15pm
JBroadway said: "I love the show, and I think the score is Hamilton-level genius. In other words, I do not believe that the show's only merit was in its staging. Not by a long-shot.
Having said that, I still think it be difficult-to-impossible to successfully adapt it for film. Not because it's too tied to its staging, but because its just frickin' weird, and so stylistically separated from any kind of realism. As others have said, it would have to be a very smart director."
The whole thing would rise or fall based on how it was directed. It would be a total bore as just a standard shot film.
If someone like Darren Aronovsky or Alejandro G Inarritu could come up with an original visual style for it, it could be amazing. I could imagine it working as a one continuous take type of thing (something they are both great at pulling off) it could be something really interesting and original just like its score.
#17Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/20/18 at 6:31pmI'd be interested in seeing what a smart, talented filmmaker could do with this material. I'm not sure it would work, but it would be interesting to see them try and maybe be pleasantly surprised with the result.
"Was uns befreit, das muss stärker sein als wir es sind." -Tanz der Vampire
Updated On: 5/20/18 at 06:31 PM
AEA AGMA SM
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
#18Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/20/18 at 6:48pm
I could see it working if done in the vein of Ken Russell's The Boyfriend or the 2012 film of Anna Karenina, with that blend of theatricality and realism. However, I don't think it would be any sort of huge financial success. Any production company that takes it on would have to be doing it as a prestige piece with an eye toward winning critical acclaim and awards, knowing that they would most likely take a wash at the box office.
Impossible2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/31/18
#19Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/20/18 at 7:02pm
AEA AGMA SM said: "I could see it working if done in the vein of Ken Russell'sThe Boyfriendor the 2012 film ofAnna Karenina, with that blend of theatricality and realism. However, I don't think it would be any sort of huge financial success. Any production company that takes it on would have to be doing it as a prestige piece with an eye toward winning critical acclaim and awards, knowing that they would most likely take a wash at the box office."
If Kagan had won the Weinstein Co bid we may have a had a decent chance of a film, I doubt anyone else would be interested in producing it.
#20Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/20/18 at 8:22pm
Call_me_jorge said: "I’ve relistening to the great comet album and I think it would be a great piece to adapt into a film.
If I had it my way I would love to see Christian Bale as Pierre, Lupita Nyong’o as Natasha, George MacKay as Anatole, and Emma Stone as Sonya"
First of all, hasn't Christian Bale said that he's never doing a musical again after Newsies? Second of all, does Lupita Nyong'o sing?
#21Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/20/18 at 8:40pm
I don’t think this property could work as a movie. It is so steeped in its theatricality (not a bad thing). Perhaps if it could’ve been effectively filmed/taped before it closed on Broadway, that could’ve been great...preserving the intent.
If you really want to see an incredible version of this segment of the story, along with the rest of the whole narrative, seek out a now out-of-print DVD widescreen edition of “War and Peace” from Image Entertainment. It is spectacular...and that’s an understatement.
Supposedly, this 1967 film, adjusted for inflation, is still the most expensive motion picture ever produced. It shows. Won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film.
#22Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/20/18 at 10:12pm
Patti as Marya would slay my existence in half if it ever happened.
is the point of making movies to do things you can’t do on stage? i thought the point was to make money.
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."
likecavalry
Swing Joined: 9/3/17
#23Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/20/18 at 11:29pm
During its off-Broadway run, the show had a kickstarter for a movie adaptation that would combine a recording of the show with additionally filmed shots. You can read more about it here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thegreatcomet/the-great-comet-an-independent-film
It's a shame it wasn't funded. If this had been proposed during the Broadway run, I think it would have been a success.
#24Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/21/18 at 3:39pm
I could see it working if done in the vein of Ken Russell's The Boyfriend or the 2012 film of Anna Karenina, with that blend of theatricality and realism.
Joe Wright's Anna Karenina was EXACTLY what I was thinking!
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
Impossible2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/31/18
#25Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/21/18 at 3:46pm
Mister Matt said: "I could see it working if done in the vein of Ken Russell'sThe Boyfriendor the 2012 film ofAnna Karenina, with that blend of theatricality and realism.
Joe Wright's Anna Karenina was EXACTLY what I was thinking!"
The one that flopped miserably and got mediocre reviews at best?
#26Can Great Comet work as a film and who would you want in it?
Posted: 5/21/18 at 5:11pm
The one that flopped miserably and got mediocre reviews at best?
I guess I didn't make myself explicitly clear. I loved Joe Wright's Anna Karenina, which is why I mentioned it. I hated The Royal Tenenbaums and Snowpiercer and The Revenant and Django Unchained, so I didn't mention those.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
