The Music Man: Musical Hell Review #28

A fed-up Diva just wants to relax with one of her favorite musical films. Being in Hell, she gets stuck with the crappy remake instead.

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[bsperoz]

A private artsy high school in my town did a production of this one time. The problem? The had plenty of actors but no band for the "76 trombones" finale. Their solution? Ask for volunteers such as myself from the city's public high school's VERY LARGE marching band. Of over 100 member about 40 of us got to relax in a backstage room eating fine foods and all we had to do was March onto the stage and into the audience playing "76 trombones" as their finale. IT WAS A BLAST and noone in the audience knew the Portsmouth Abbey High School had secretly recruited almost half the Portsmouth Public High School marching band for a surprise finale to complete their own film to stage musical adaptation!

So yes. I HAVE been part of a musical! (I played crash cymbals as we marched out into the shocked crowd).

[helgmelia]

you're talking about the remake. For a little while there I was afraid I'd have to unleash a can of Internet Rage on you. All hail the original Music Man film adaption!

[Smogget]

They really just tossed Victor Garber into every late 90s/early 2000s movie didn't they.

[AdamqK]

Broderick's bland, pudding-like face and glassy eyes look like a major factor in the failure of this. He looks zonked and barely engaged, or more like someone who's considering wearing Marian's skin as a suit.

[featheredskyblue]

You missed what I consider the most irritating of this version's sins: they LITERALLY walk away from the logical setting multiple times. Marian walks straight out of the house while she's meant to be teaching a piano lesson. In "76 Trombones" Harold Hill goes off for a dance number with the kids when their parents (the ones he SHOULD be conning) are in another room. Instead of standing with his audience for “Trouble, ” he walks away and the song plays more like the gossiping biddies of “Pick-a-Little” more than “Pick-a-Little” did. It simply doesn't make sense.

Otherwise, you've hit all of the things that make this movie irritate me. I tried to rewatch this again recently and it hurt my soul.

[jackhartford]

There is always a knife edge with remakes. If it’s too different, you lose the original crowd. If it’s too close to the original, it catches criticism for just being a copy.

[n.c.lightning]

Matthew Brodrick portraying Harold Hill as a “cool and collected” convincing con artist reminds me of Ben Shapiro. And that itself makes the role creepy and disturbing. Like instead of going “hell yeah this is such a prank bro” he makes me go “I think he’s actually convinced by his own lies and beginning to believe in them as he goes.”

[Bunnyinthebasement]

Minor detail in the two "Rock Islands", the original had the salesmen in a typical coach (chair car) drinking what looks like complimentary water while the remake had them in a lounge car sampling what looks like liquor. If they're having trouble with customers, why would they spend the money on being in the pricier car?

[madelyncompton]

My old roommate's brother played Harold Hill in his school's performance last year. It was so crazy seeing a 16 year old be infinitely better at the role than a professional actor

[adriensoia]

I honestly think our community theatre production was better than this

[resyrum]

The biggest sin of the remake is that the train conductor doesn't say River City Ioway

[elizabetheowynbelle]

Did you see "The Music Man" parody on "SNL" a few months ago with Lin-Manuel Miranda? I don't know about you, but I think he'd make a wonderful Harold Hill! He's charismatic, a good dancer, and he can sing AND rap, so he could more than handle Merrideth Wilson's patter songs!

[lilliedoubleyou]

*sigh* Victor Garber. He's overqualified for the role by a long-shot. Frankly, I always thought he was better suited to play Harold Hill instead of Broderick.

[MissCaraMint]

My mom always goes on and on about how that scene where the kids finaly play reminds her of how is was hearing my first concert. Mind you I was way better because you know, actual lessons. The point is though that kids suck when they first start playing, but as a parent you still feel ridiculously full of pride. The first movie definitely captured that. The part with the full band at the end could be a touch of magic or it could be the rose colored glasses that the parents are seeing the kids through.

[thewilytroutesq]

Oh, good for you. Robert Preston was perfect as Harold Hill, on Broadway and in the film. And yes, I'm that effing old. And still kicking.

[williampelto]

I agree. It's my most favorite musical. You can't beat the chemistry between Jones and Preston!!!

[lillianward]

I forgot how awful this was. This premiered the day after I wrapped a community theatre production of Music Man. We were so pumped and it was dreadful. I’m glad that it wasn’t just the contrast of the show I’d just spent months working on.

[harrietamidala]

You want to know a funny story?  Back in the day (late 90s-early 2000s), my family would often record the Wonderful World of Disney musical specials on videotape, like Cinderella, Annie, Geppetto and the Music Man.  Anyway, one day I wanted to watch the Music Man again, but I couldn't find the recorded tape. I eventually found it, but when I put it in the VCR, it had been recorded over with another program!  Boy, was I pissed. Now with it on DVD, I always check out the Music Man from the library to see if it has held over the past decade, but weirdly my parents never bought an official copy like they did for Cinderella, Annie, and Geppetto because they were sick of zipping past the commercials.  Amazing what we used to do in the pre-DVR days.

[brianstorm]

Great analysis. Your comments about Marion’s (missing) backstory helps me appreciate how important that small bit of detail is in motivating Marion to accept H.H. No excuses needed for your puns, the writing is very good. Enjoying your series a lot - really putting a fine point on the troubled history of improperly adapted shows. Surely more people would like musicals if there weren’t so many hack jobs done on good material. This is a great subject for a series and you’re doing a terrific job! (Btw the Camelot installment has me aching for a modern film remake to finally get it right. One of the best song scores ever imo. Only I must admit I love Richard Harris - but he and David Hemmings are the only good ones.). Cheers.

[JoelandtheBots]

You know, I'd like to think the reason NBC scrapped a Music Man Live adaptation was because they saw this pile of shit and wisely decided there was no "improving" the original version.