11 Movies That Should Be Musicals

Films that need to shift from screen to stage...

There Will Be Blood (2007)

The film: In the early 20th Century, Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) builds an oil empire from the ground up, stopping at nothing to get what he wants.

Why It ought to be a musical: If you enjoyed the mash-up of Kelis’ 'Milkshake' with Daniel Day-Lewis’ dialogue, this is the musical for you.

Replacing the long periods of silence in the film with frothy musical monolgues will turn an intense critique of capitalism into something light and lively for the masses.

Seeing Daniel dance under the rain of freshly struck oil would be an arresting image on stage, if a little messy for the front three rows (who would be provided with special branded umbrellas - at a small fee).

Music & lyrics by... Radiohead. Guitarist Johnny Greenwood provided the film’s jarring score, and could team with band-mate Thom Yorke for lyrics.

Hit songs: The singalong show-stopper 'I Drink Your Milkshake', plus 'I Have A Competition In Me', 'I Am A Sinner', 'The Oil-Drilling Song', 'I Thank God I Have None Of You In Me' and the slightly downbeat 'You Are A Stupid Man, Abel'.

Producer’s notes: Hire Daniel Day-Lewis to reprise his role. Anyone doubting his singing and dancing ability must view the trailer for his new film, Nine.

Next: There Will Be Blood

Comments

    • jollieoldtime

      May 20th 2009, 20:30

      They totally made Evil Dead a musical off-Broadway. They basically spent the entire time throwing blood on the audience. It was awesome.

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    • mic2803

      May 20th 2009, 22:49

      definately 300 the musical starring john barrowman as Leonidas. giant elephants with the same technique as the west-end lion king. music and lyrics by muse perhaps?

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    • ebrown2112

      May 22nd 2009, 9:35

      Kevin Smith's ok, but New Jersey's finest? You're forgetting John Sayles.

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    • Kelisha888

      May 22nd 2009, 12:11

      Well, at least you mentioned Sondheim - who at least knows how to write a musical. I can't help but thinking Andrew Lloyd Weber should write the music to Blade Runner.

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    • jws1272

      May 22nd 2009, 20:01

      There's a production of Evil Dead:The Musical playing here in Cleveland, Ohio, USA right now. I've got tix for May 29! Not in the Splatter Zone (yes, they do spray blood at the audience), but tix nonetheless. Can't wait to see it. I've seen some footage from the Toronto production, & they DO reference the Boomstick speech from AOD.

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    • Phoenixtorn

      May 22nd 2009, 22:28

      I saw the Evil Dead musical twice when it was here in Toronto (and saw the cast perform some of the songs at a convention). It was great and so much fun! An army of Darkness Sequel would be pretty spectacular. lol

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    • dgoodswen

      May 23rd 2009, 1:40

      It has become an unrelenting priority to get tix to the Evil Dead musical... in the splatter zone!

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    • MovieDearest

      May 23rd 2009, 7:07

      I'm pretty sure I just read recently that "Heathers" is being turned into a musical ... so one down, 10 more to go! And don't forget the odd rumor that "Fight Club" may be turned into a musical, as well as "Wet Hot American Summer".

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    • shovel

      May 23rd 2009, 23:12

      Heathers! the Musical. awesome. but it can't happen without "cornnuts," either a rock ballad or dancy number for heather's last words. ooh. perhaps the old jingle "bust a nut" can be used.

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    • magic8387

      May 24th 2009, 23:37

      "The Jerk". It's already got a couple of musical pieces in it, and room for so many more. Open with his black family singing on the porch, the big dance number where he finds his rythym, along with "I'm somebody now!", "He hates these cans", "I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit", A musical pitch of the Opti-grab, "I AM A n****r!" and of course "All I need is..." It'd be perfect.

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    • gwobblewopkins

      Dec 10th 2009, 5:22

      Get to the Chopper's already a song... Anyone else heard of Austrian Death Machine? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdZYvPZhT1c

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    • vicdoe

      Dec 30th 2010, 12:16

      I don't know about you, but I don't think that movies with a certain success should be turned to musicals. Usually, when things like that happend the success rate is very low. look at books written after movies. usually, those books, are awfull! imagine how would it be if No Ordinary Family would be a musical. it's true that this is a TV show, but it is a great success and someone could try something with it... either a musical or a book. i really think that musicals should be thought as musicals from the begining and books as books. never mix up.

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