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10 Stage-to-Screen Musicals Hollywood Got Right

Adapting a musical, Broadway or otherwise, to film is a tricky business. Musicals have their own specific magic that can sometimes feel inextricably tied to the stage, and their inherent theatricality can, if not handled correctly, come off as unbearably camp on the big screen. On Friday, we got chills after watching the new international trailer for Les Misérables, and, especially after Anne Hathaway’s performance on SNL last night we are registering our feelings as squarely hopeful that the film will knock us out. Though Hollywood has had many failures in this area (Phantom of the OperaNine), some of their adaptations have been completely brilliant, in some cases even overtaking the original productions. After the jump, we’ve put together a list of some of the best ever stage-to-screen musicals — both to warm you up for Les Mis and just maybe to give a little inspiration to the producers and directors of the upcoming film remakes of Jersey Boys and Into the Woods. Make it work, you guys. … Read More

The 10 Most Shocking Facts About This Year’s College Freshmen

In an office like ours, pop culture references come up pretty frequently, and it’s always to surprising to see what a difference even a few years in age can make between someone knowing exactly what you’re talking about, and giving you a blank, slightly pitying stare. The chasm is even greater between kids who were born 18 years ago and those of us who are old enough to have been their babysitters. The latest installment of “The Mindset List,” an annual compilation of the cultural touchstones of incoming freshmen at Wisconsin’s Beloit College, really drives this point home. We’ve pulled out some of the most interesting bits from this year’s findings after the jump. … Read More

A Guide to Meat Loaf's Best Acting Roles

You might know Meat Loaf best for his amazingly over-the-top jukebox anthems — classics like “Bat Out of Hell,” “Paradise By the Dashboard Light,” or “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” — but this hard rock icon also has a pretty impressive acting career. We’re not just talking a guest appearance on CSI (though we love you, Justin Bieber) but some serious cult film appearances. Plus, today is the Loaf’s 63rd birthday! Join us in wishing him many more bats out of hell, and check out his best TV and movie appearances, after the jump. … Read More

From Stage to Screen: 10 Plays Turned Movies

Philip Seymour Hoffman’s directorial debut, Jack Goes Boating, arrives in theaters tomorrow. Hoffman joins John Ortiz and Daphne Rubin-Vega in the film as he did on stage — all three reprising their roles from Bob Glaudini’s original play. Though Beth Cole played Connie in the stage version, Amy Ryan is a great substitute on the screen capturing several of the film’s darkest, sweetest, and most hilarious moments.

Jack Goes Boating is a success for Hoffman, and we think he’ll continue excelling both in front of and behind the camera. This got us thinking about the other play-to-movie jumps, their varying degrees of success, and the actors who’ve benefited from a little time under the stage lights. Come with us now as we look back on 10 of our favorite musicals and plays turned movies. … Read More

The Morning’s Top 5 Pop Culture Stories

1. Sofia Coppola’s comic drama Somewhere won the top prize Saturday at the Venice Film Festival, but some are saying it’s just because her pal Quentin Tarantino was on the jury. [via BBC]
2. Now that former US Weekly editor Janice Min is the editorial director of The Hollywood Reporter, it’s transforming… Read More