Through the Screen Door: What Happened to the Broadway Musical When it Went to Hollywood [Paperback]

Thomas S. Hischak (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0810850184 | ISBN-13: 978-0810850187 | Publication Date: July 8, 2004

In this personal and opinionated book Tom Hischak takes a close look at what happens when a Broadway musical goes to Hollywood, and less often when Hollywood comes to Broadway.

The musicals discussed range from The Desert Song (1927), the first sound film of a Broadway musical, to Chicago, the 2002 film made from the 1975 Broadway hit. Film musicals that became Broadway shows range from Lili (1953) to Never Gonna Dance (2003). The book assumes a basic familiarity with famous musicals (for example the plot of My Fair Lady is summed up in a sentence or two) but lesser known works are fully explained. One chapter looks at British musicals that were popular in New York and were later filmed with Hollywood connections.

Also included is a Directory that gives credits, names, and songs for both the stage and screen version for all the musicals discussed. Appendices offer statistical data on musicals, and there is an extensive Bibliography.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This informative book covers every Broadway musical adapted for the screen. (Louis Botto Playbill )

...hilarious, and loads of fun... (Steven LaVigne Living Out )

...the process of transferring from stage to screen is particularly fascinating, and is chronicled here in astonishing detail...Written with enthusiasm and understanding, the catalogue of fudged opportunities and moments of Oscar-winning glory will earn raves from theatre-goers and movie fans alike. Four Stars! (Film Review )

Hischak...examines 176 Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals that were translated into film versions in Hollywood, ranging from The Desert Song (1927) to the 2002 hit, Chicago; ten British musicals that were once popular in New York and later filmed with Hollywood connections; and 15 Broadway shows based on movie musicals. The author considers the changes each musical underwent and the results of those changes, both in terms of artistic achievement and audience satisfaction. Academic but accessible to theatergoers, moviegoers, film and/or theater students, and those in the theater and film businessss (Reference & Research Book News )

...this is an eye-opener, and entertaining to boot. (Stage Directions )

Hischak...examines 176 Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals that were translated into film versions in Hollywood, ranging from The Desert Song (1927) to the 2002 hit, Chicago; ten British musicals that were once popular in New York and later filmed with Hollywood connections; and 15 Broadway shows based on movie musicals. The author considers the changes each musical underwent and the results of those changes, both in terms of artistic achievement and audience satisfaction. Academic but accessible to theatergoers, moviegoers, film and/or theater students, and those in the theater and film business (Reference & Research Book News )

If you know someone who delights in musicals, Thomas S. Hischak's book Through the Screen Door would make a fine gift. (The Syracuse Post-Standard/Stars )

Essential. (Choice )

About the Author

Thomas S. Hischak is professor of theatre at State University of New York at Cortland. He is the author of fifteen books, including Enter the Players: New York Stage Actors in the Twentieth Century (Scarecrow Press, 2003). Hischak is also winner of a Choice "Outstanding Academic Book" award.

Product Details

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: Scarecrow Press (July 8, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810850184
• ISBN-13: 978-0810850187
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,610,606 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A pretty good resource, March 2, 2006

By 

Catherine G. Hamilton (England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Through the Screen Door: What Happened to the Broadway Musical When it Went to Hollywood (Paperback)

This book is unique in that it examines the film musical with relation to that of Broadway, its direct ancestor. It focuses on the specific movies that were based on earlier Broadway shows, and describes the common changes that happened in this process, including the tragic and often inexplainable cutting of dozens of songs from the original score, the differing casting choices, and the fact that many musicals that flopped in one medium were successes in another. It is a pretty thorough work, including movies that were made during the late 20s with the arrival of the sound film and stretching right to the present day. It is unique in focus, and therefore valuable to anyone who wishes to examine differences between the musical on stage and screen.