Movies Based on Plays

[Maryn]

Playwrights don't get no respect, or at least not as much as they may deserve.

I'm a movie-lover, and I've noticed that movie reviews of films based on books often at least mention that the whole thing was somebody else's idea in the first place. (A long article includes "based on the novel by Joe Smith"!) However, with the exception of Shakespeare, Neil Simon, and David Mamet, the playwright's source material for movies tends to be ignored.

Maybe I'm showing my own ignorance here, but I didn't know that Prelude to a Kiss was based on a play. Or Closet Land, The Elephant Man, Talk Radio, Dangerous Liaisons, or Key Largo.

Maybe that's part of the reason people who write for performance rather than for the reader tend to gravitate toward screenplays and teleplays.

What great movies can you add that few people realize were first a stageplay, any?

Maryn

[Anaparenna]

The Lion in Winter?

[mommie4a]

Twelve Angry Men

[maestrowork]

Neil Simon's Biloxie Blues, Barefoot in the Park, Brighton Bridge Memoir (which was the first pay I attended), Lost in Yonkers
(all of Shakespeare's plays)
Closer
Many of Tennesee William's plays
Proof

[katiemac]

Finding Neverland was an adaptation.

[Maryn]

Ooh, Proof! I'm pleased to say I saw it on Broadway, then again a year later at the regional rep company. Great play.

(I had no idea Finding Neverland was adapted from a play. Learn something new every day, huh? Thank goodness I'm done for the day.)

Maryn

[NikeeGoddess]

Dogville - the movie WAS a play. check it out! Nicole Kidman ;)

[TheRuleofThirds]

Harvey.

[KTC]

Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean!

[Joe Calabrese]

Rocky Horror Picture Show, I think is the best example of theatre and film merged to a new entity.

Look at its history.

- The Musical was a HIT in London and then in LA (at the Roxy).
- Movie goes into production. Mick Jagger wanted to be in it so badly, but Tim originated the role.
- Show BOMBS on Broadway.
- Movie BOMBS in general release.
- Movie went to Midnight shows and Audience participation brought back the theatrical feel which made it a success in the first place.
- Many years later, went back on Broadway as a HIT.
- One of the longest running films in history and still plays every week in over 200 theaters. (including my town)
- Budget 1.2 million and to date has made over 300 million worldwide, plus ancillary. Launched the careers of Barry Bostwick, Susan Sarandon, Tim Curry.

Goes to show that some theatrical productions needs that viewer intimacy that movies can't sometimes translate into film.

Who would watch Rocky Horror on DVD by themselves in the comfort of their own home? No one I know of.

You need the grand event of being with others (even virgins), screaming out" Damn it Janet," throwing toast at the screen and singing along with Meat loaf...

PS. I'm not a fan either (seen it twice), but I respect it so very much.

[TheRuleofThirds]

Launched the career of Barry Bostwick

And this is relevant why? :Wha:

[Optimus]

"My Big Fat Greek Wedding."

[Joe Calabrese]

And this is relevant why? :Wha:Sometimes, I don't get what your question means. All I have to say is Huh??

[Witness]

Casablanca

The Philadelphia Story

Wait Until Dark

[Joe Calabrese]

Casablanca The original stage play, Everyone Comes to Rick's, was never produced for stage before the film.

[Witness]

I should've paid better attention while reading on its history. But technically, the person did only say "stage plays," and not "produced stage plays."

But going to back to the point--not all film reviews will cite if a movie was based on a book. Mrs. Doubtfire and Legally Blonde were based on books. I doubt if a reviewer would point that out. Concepts like those seem like they might've been developed in-house.

Playwrights do indeed get respect. However, your medium is the stage. Just like the strength of Joseph Conrad is in a novel or short story, not in an adaptation of his work. Don't rely on film productions to give you respect. Your work shines on its own in front of a live audience.

[TheRuleofThirds]

Sometimes, I don't get what your question means. All I have to say is Huh??

You said that Rocky Horror launched Barry Bostwick's career. My question was more to the tune of...*what* career?

[Joe Calabrese]

Can you do better?

Actor - filmography

Chestnut: Hero of Central Park (2005) .... Thomas Trundle
"Spellbound" (2004) TV Series
Swing (2003/I) .... Freddie
101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure (2003) (V) (voice) .... Thunderbolt
The Skulls III (2003) .... Nathan Lloyd
Men in White (1998) (TV) .... President Smith
... aka National Lampoon's Men in White (USA)
One Hot Summer Night (1998) (TV) .... Art Brooks
... aka The Trophy Wife's Secret (USA)
"Lexx: The Dark Zone" (1997) (mini) TV Series .... Thodin
... aka Lexx: The Dark Zone Stories (USA)
... aka Lexx: The Movies (Europe: English title: DVD box title)
A Different Kind of Christmas (1996) (TV) .... Frank Mallory
... aka Santa & Me (Australia: video title)
"Spin City" (1996) TV Series .... Mayor Randall Winston
The Secret Agent Club (1996) .... Vincent Scarletti
Spy Hard (1996) .... Norman Coleman
The Return of Hunter (1995) (TV) .... Matt Sherry
... aka The Return of Hunter: Everyone Walks in L.A.
Project: Metalbeast (1995) .... Miller
The Secretary (1995) (TV) .... Eric Bradford
919 Fifth Avenue (1995) (TV) .... Mr. Lawrence Van Degen
... aka Dominick Dunne's 919 Fifth Avenue
In the Heat of Passion II: Unfaithful (1994) .... Phillip
... aka Behind Closed Doors
... aka Unfaithful
Once in a Lifetime (1994) (TV) .... Dr. Matthew Dane
... aka Danielle Steel's 'Once in a Lifetime'
Weekend at Bernie's II (1993) .... Arthur Hummel
Between Love and Hate (1993) (TV) .... Justin Conrad
Eight Hundred Leagues Down the Amazon (1993) .... Garral
... aka 800 Leagues Down the Amazon (USA: video title)
... aka Jules Verne's Eight Hundred Leagues Down the Amazon (USA: complete title)
Praying Mantis (1993) (TV) .... Don McAndrews
Russian Holiday (1992) .... Grant Ames
... aka Russian Roulette - Video - 1994
Captive (1991) (TV) .... Paul Plunk
Challenger (1990) (TV) .... Comm. Francis R. (Dick) Scobee
Aladdin (1990) (TV)
The Great Air Race (1990) (TV) .... Roscoe Turner
... aka Half a World Away
Letzte U-Boot, Das (1990) (TV) .... Capt. Hawkins
... aka The Last U-Boat
Parent Trap: Hawaiian Honeymoon (1989) (TV) .... Jeffrey Wyatt
... aka Parent Trap IV: Hawaiian Honeymoon
"Till We Meet Again" (1989) (mini) TV Series .... Terrence 'Mac' McGuire
... aka Judith Krantz's 'Till We Meet Again' (USA: complete title)
Parent Trap III (1989) (TV) .... Jeffrey Wyatt
"War and Remembrance" (1988) (mini) TV Series .... 'Lady' Aster
Addicted to His Love (1988) (TV) .... Larry Hogan
... aka Sisterhood
Body of Evidence (1988) (TV) .... Alex Dwyer
"I'll Take Manhattan" (1987) (mini) TV Series .... Zachary Amberville
"Dads" (1986) TV Series .... Rick Armstrong
"George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation" (1986) (mini) TV Series .... George Washington
Pleasures (1986) (TV) .... Ben Scott
Betrayed by Innocence (1986) (TV) .... Nick DeLeon
... aka Jailbait: Betrayed by Innocence (USA: video title)
Deceptions (1985) (TV) .... Grant Roberts
"George Washington" (1984) (mini) TV Series .... Gen. George Washington
An Uncommon Love (1983) (TV) .... Mr. Kinser
Summer Girl (1983) (TV) .... Gavin Shelburne
... aka The Hands That Rob the Cradle
"A Woman of Substance" (1983) (mini) TV Series .... Maj. Paul McGill
Megaforce (1982) .... Ace Hunter
Working (1982) (TV) .... Steelworker
... aka American Playhouse: Working (USA: series title)
Red Flag: The Ultimate Game (1981) (TV) .... Maj. Jay Rivers
"Foul Play" (1981) TV Series .... Det. Tucker Pendleton
The Silent Lovers (1980) (TV) .... John Gilbert
... aka Moviola: The Silent Lovers (USA)
"Scruples" (1980) (mini) TV Series .... Spider Elliott
Once Upon a Family (1980) (TV) .... Henry Demerjian
You Can't Take It with You (1979) (TV) .... Anthony Kirby, Jr.
Murder by Natural Causes (1979) (TV) .... Gil Weston
Movie Movie (1978) .... Johnny Danko/Dick Cummings
"Razzmatazz" (1977) TV Series .... Host (1977-1978)
The Quinns (1977) (TV) .... Bill Quinn
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) .... Brad Majors

[TheRuleofThirds]

And of those, I've only seen Spy Hard from beginning to end.

[Joe Calabrese]

So only actors you watch are successful?
What arrogance on your part.

[TheRuleofThirds]

Joe, you're taking this surprisingly personally.

I don't like Barry Bostwick's acting. It reminds me too much of the stereotypical stage actor--flamboyant, loud, and unreal.

A lot of actors are conducted in a way that makes it seem as if it's perfectly all right to go from stage to screen without making any sort of adjustments to the sets or media. It's assumed that stage acting works well in front of a camera. It doesn't. It seems like a lot of stage actors step in front of a camera during a scene in a small room and treat it like it's the wide-open, airy space of the theater and project their voices accordingly.

I like actors who look like other screen actors when they're on screen and other stage actors when they're on stage. I'm probably going to get blasted for that, but it's probably because I'm still not quite conveying my thoughts adequately.

[Joe Calabrese]

You are right about stage acting not always translating well to screen.
His acting isn't great (even though he did win a Golden Globe.)

But you said, "What career?" and that is what I am objecting to.
He has one and a long one at that.

[JustinoXXV]

I do think that saying Barry doesn't have a career is rather silly as well. Particularly if the person doesn't have a fraction of his credits.

A lot of people who are actors or writers never get more than a couple of gigs and then they sort of fade out.

Anyone who can work in the industry long term should be applauded for doing something which is difficult, and that most people are not able to do.

[NikeeGoddess]

real actors act. many tv and film actors do stage plays while on hiatus or in between feature assignments. it's just not as widely publicized. if you're a real actor, you act. if you're a movie star then acting on the stage (which can be more difficult b/c it's live in front of an audience and you don't get take after take until you get it right) then acting on the stage is far from your mind - too embarrasing ;)

[BrackettWilderDiamond]

A lot of actors are conducted in a way that makes it seem as if it's perfectly all right to go from stage to screen without making any sort of adjustments to the sets or media. It's assumed that stage acting works well in front of a camera. It doesn't. It seems like a lot of stage actors step in front of a camera during a scene in a small room and treat it like it's the wide-open, airy space of the theater and project their voices accordingly.

That's a rather broad generalization on your part. It all depends on how imaginative the director and the screenwriter are in adapting the stagebound play to the more fluid medium of film.

ACTORS WHO PLAYED THE SAME ROLE ON STAGE BEFORE STARRING IN THE SCREEN VERSION:

1. Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, and Kim Hunter, A Streetcar Named Desire. Elia Kazan directed both the original Broadway play and the feature film. (Jessica Tandy was the original Blanche DuBois, not Vivien Leigh.)

2. Paul Scofield, A Man for All Seasons. Robert Bolt adapted his own stageplay into a screenplay.

3. Laurence Olivier, Hamlet.

4. Rex Harrison, My Fair Lady.

5. Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke, The Miracle Worker. Arthur Penn directed both the Broadway play and the feature film.

6. Joel Grey, Cabaret.

Can anybody here name any others? These are strictly off the top of my head.

[Joe Calabrese]

The same actors who played in the Broadway version of "The Bad Seed," were also in the film of the same name.

[TheRuleofThirds]

Jimmy Stewart, Harvey.

[daft]

Like much of the world, I'm fascinated by Uma Thuman. Two stage to screen films she's been in are Tape (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0275719/) and Hysterical Blindness (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0290664/).

Tape is shot in DV on a single setting, the camera stays on, and the feel is continuous action, like a play. Hysterical Blindness appears like a typical film with multiple sets, cuts, and the like (Laura Cahill, who wrote the stage & screen versions actually has a part).

[FolkloreFanatic]

Grease? I honestly cannot remember if the musical came before the film. I think it did...eh.

[Deleo In Graviditas]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Neil Labute's "The Shape of Things."

[Maryn]

Hey, you made it, Deleo! :welcome:

Maryn, eagerly awaiting the prize she surely gets for the referral

[Deleo In Graviditas]

Hey, you made it, Deleo! http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewelcome.gif

Maryn, eagerly awaiting the prize she surely gets for the referral
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonhi.gif

Yeah, I did. For some reason, neither email account I tried the first couple of times worked. The Internet has a love-hate relationship with me. http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteROFL.gif