[Colle]

I justed wanted to know if there ever is a "Miss Saigon" movie, how do you imagine it will be like? I am especially interested how you picture some of the scenes.

[Mademoiselle Lanoire]

Could be good, could be disastrous.

Depends on a lot of factors.

[theatregeek]

Noooooo, it will ruin it! I really wish they wouldn't do this to musicals!

[Fantine]

I think that Miss Saigon is one of the few musicals that could actually work on film.

Not that I've seen the full show, just judging from bits I've seen and how it is staged in my head. I think film makers could pull it off really well.

[Timmy_Wishes he was Quast]

i did some ideas on this for my media project fopr ICT i'll up load the trailer...and show you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U7TJK8AzoE

[musicalsrokmysox]

hahahaha, i love it

[Pounce]

Not sure about the mood of the American public. Considering how RENT and The Producers flopped, maybe they'd wait and see how other mucials in the pipeline do at the box office. And with America more or less at war, the public might not want something with a war theme.

Plus, with its downer ending, it might not be a good candidate for a commerical film, maybe it would be more like an art film which means a lower budget. Couldn't stand to see a change in ending like they did with Little Shop of Horrors.

[Jordan]

[Timmy_Wishes he was Quast]

I know i had a terrrible cold when i did it!! LOL! So i was like "onbe manb" But thanx...i had a lot of fun making it!

[Jenko]

it'll just be 'platoon' with a love story

[Marie-leah]

Id love to see it it could either be too hollywoodised or they could get it to be breath taking depending on there appproch if they did

[Silver_Stag]

Well, seeing as we Americans (not all, but some) tend to smack a label on anything with an unhappy ending as crap, I think Miss Saigon should stick to the stage to save itself. I really do hate to see musicals flop, and I even hate it more when they end up being disasterous and a flop.

[frisco]

I've been a fan of the show for a while, so i'd love to see it hit the big screen as a motion picture. I do think however that changing the ending would be insane. You wouldn't change the ending to Romeo and Juliet so changing the ending to this would be the same. As for the switch in "Little shop of horrors"...a movie i've always loved...I think that worked out better. The movie/play itself wasn't exactly a drama so I think maybe they had a bit more leeway with that one.
Ideally if it is ever made into a movie it will retain the charms of the stage play. I'd like to see the musical numbers all in the show, and not replaced by dialog. Hopefully it will be done similar to "Jesus Christ Superstar" or "Tommy".
And lastly PLEASE do not cast an American/non-Asian as Kim. I'd be pretty upset to see Christina Aguillara as Kim. Granted that Leah Salonga is getting older, but she is the ultimate Kim.

[muzicfan]

Definitely Lea Salonga will be the best kim for the movie version if there will be a movie version... and it would be awesome too if they'll cast the original london people... Like Isay Alvarez as Gigi... Monique Wilson for Mimi, Claire Moore for Ellen, Simon Bowman for Chris or even Will Chase, Jonathan Pryce for the Engineer or Leo Valdes, Keith Burns for Thuy or Robert Sena or Cocoy Laurel.... they are the best!!! Now that Lea is a mother (she gave birth to nicole beverly chien) she would definitley give a soulful rendition of I'd give my life for you!!!

[Marie-leah]

[Eponine93]

It wouldn't be made into a movie. Ever. It hasn't been a Broadway hit in years and its too deep for most Americans.

[Anno_Domini]

Well, Rent's failure as a movie was due to a combination of bad publicity - that is, there weren't enough previews for it on television, and the movie was massacred by the critics for reasons I will never understand. I personally thought it was an incredible movie.

The Producers...not so great a movie. The cast was good (save for Uma "Bad Accent" Thurman), but the directing was altogether mediocre. Too bad Mel Brooks himself didn't direct it.

[What Is This Feeling?]

I would love to see a musical film version of Miss Saigon, but I wish I could see the original Cameran Mackintosh production, somehow.

[LesD]

2 reasons why Miss Saigon should never be moved into a movie:

1)Phantom Of The Opera
2)Evita

1 reason why it should be:

Jesus Christ Superstar (original 70s version)

Cheers
Les
ps Yes I am new and I am reviving a teenage passion for my kids.

[Anno_Domini]

Evita was fine, I thought, even though Antonio Banderos is certainly not a singer.

Phantom was..........well, it was directed by Joel Schumacher, so what can ya do...........besides kill Joel Schumacher for more or less butchering one of the greatest musicals of all time.



As for the original film version for Jesus Christ Superstar............well, quite frankly I thought that sucked

[NurseCodeBlue]

i'm pretty sure they could all cast them in the TV movie version.

it'll be a hit like redwood curtain!

[kitty17794]

[sherwills]

I reckon if they put in more spoken dialogues as opposed to a sung-through movie version (of course keeping the best songs in it too), then it would definitely work.

I thought the movie version of Evita was good too and I was actually impressed with Chicago. For some reason, I love the movie version of Chicago better.

[deGREENIFYme]

[hippo2002]

I'm looking forward the film!

[mastachen]

But... there isn't going to be one.

[Aladdin96]

It would be brilliant if a Miss Saigon movie were to be made. It would be nice for Vanessa Hudgens, from High School Musical, to play Kim and she would do a good job with the acting. I'm also thinking Jim Sturgess, from Across the Universe, would play Chris. I hope the movie would do well and win the reviews from well-known movie critics. After all, Vanessa Hudgens is part Filipino, since Lea Salonga, who was part of the original cast of the production, is Filipino. It would be brilliant if Vanessa was to win an award, whether it's a Golden Globe, or, perhaps, an Oscar, which can be the best work she ever did.

[Tenalto]

[melissalive33]

I would like Lea Salonga to play Kim again. She did a great job!

[GuyNHollywood]

I feel a movie based on the stage musical Miss Saigon could actually work.

I had very little faith in "Chicago" ever making it, and wow was I surprised. It's almost better than the stage version!

Unlike Rent, where I MUCH prefer the stage version. I always tell people, go see Rent on stage FIRST, then perhaps see the movie.

In Moulin Rouge, it didn't necessarily have a happy ending, yet it was a classic. Sometimes rated in the top 10 most romantic movies of all time. Not to mention it won a Golden Globe for Best Musical or Comedy but didn't fare so well at the Oscars.

The only sad thing is, when you have studio execs running the show, when choosing the actors for the movie, they are going to put people that are the actual age of the characters:

KIM: "I'm seventeen, and I'm new here today, The village I come from seems so far away"

That basically opens the show, so it will have to be someone with an Asian look between 14 and 23. For the age side of it, that would leave Lea Solonga out.

Then, the casting of Chris. I would love to see Jim (James) Sturgess of "21" and "Across the Universe" do it. He obviously can pull off an American accent as he did in "21". He is great.

I'm telling you though, my prediction is that the stupid movie execs will cast someone like Justin Timberlake to be Chris. Mark my words! Read this post in the future and come back to this date and time and unfortunately, I'm gonna say "I told you so!"

I think Justin Timberlake has no more talent than the pinky nail of Lance Bass. He just got REAL lucky. Hopefully he doesn't land this role!

Also, you know how in a movie, it says "Three years later" or "Yesterday 12:02pm" or "1974" or whatever. Sometimes I wish they had a way to do that in Miss Saigon (stage show) because I swear, I was so lost the first couple of times I saw the show during "I Still Believe" because I couldn't figure out right away that we had moved three years ahead of time. And the kid they use always looks about 5 or 6 - I guess Tam can't actually be a 3-year old actor, eh? I guess I'm just slow, but it would be nice to have a little more of a hint, and with movies, you can do that.

I think at the end, they should have the gun go off and then abruptly end the movie with the credits, leaving the audience not knowing who was killed for sure, whether she killed herself, Ellen, Tam, etc. Chris could still sing the "Kim" finale, but whoever died would be left up to the imagination. But then again, I guess it's crucial to stick to the original story. My friend didn't tell me it was loosely based on Madame Butterfly and he DEFINITELY didn't tell me what happens at the end. I'm so glad too because I was truly shocked and the tears came pouring out at the end. I mean, at the end when the lights come up, everyone is leaving the theatre with red eyes, tear-soaked cheeks and sniffles.

That's my take. Sorry for going on and on. I type what I think so maybe I'll go edit this now! HAHA!

-Chad

[Mistress]

Without the original ending we wouldn't have the bitter-sweet ending with Tam finding a good home with Chris and Ellen.

[Salome]

[Mistress]

You know...I was ushering when a community group put on Miss Saigon at the theatre...and, well, from what I saw I always got the impression that Kim killed herself just to guilt-trip Ellen and Chris into taking Tam...is it just me or is that the general idea?

[Set_Buildin_Dad]

[Mistress]

Ah...That makes sense.

[Bubble Tea]

[mastachen]

Christine Bunuan from the Spelling Bee tour. I think she understudies Marcy right now, but she's pretty hot, which is how I imagine Kim should be... lol

[Writer]

I think it would be an excellent work on screen. My opinion is that it should be true to the original and carry the same depth. If I wrote it, I would hope it would be "breathtaking". I would write it from a politically neutral standpoint. It wouldn't be to push a political agenda concerning our current war. It would simply be to tell the story. It's a phenomenal story. It speaks for itself. If I were to obtain the rights, I would be honored to put it on screen.

[What Is This Feeling?]

Go for it, but Cameran Mackintosh is the one to get the rights from. It wouldn't hurt to get the blessing of Claude- Michele and Alain as well. I think it would be an excelent film. Although I've never seen this piece live, so I'm hoping for it to be done regionally around here or a Broadway revival soon!

[Writer]

Thank you. I hope you get to see it. I cried buckets of tears at the show. It was a truly moving performance.

[What Is This Feeling?]

Are you a screenwriter residing in LA? I really seeing this working as a film. I can just see it being a critical success. I also believe it will be ages before the show is revived. Just because of the fact, that in many ways the show just doesn't have a strong following anymore. And when it is revived, it will HOPEFULLY be a completely new, revamped piece.

[Writer]

I'll e-mail you.

[Bubble Tea]

[mastachen]

[Bubble Tea]

[musicallove91]

I agree that Miss Saigon could be great on the big screen. However, I have a feeling the director would not let the entire musical be in song, like it should be. To me, if they changed anything, it would probably be a disaster. For now, I say leave it to Broadway.

[BlackSwan108]

I think Miss Saigon would make a fabulous movie! Of course... it would have to be done the right way! Miss Saigon is my favorite musical of all time! It hits really close to home because my father escaped from the war and left his family behind... so if it were ever done as a movie it should be raw and real... not sugar coated. Very Memoirs of a Geisha Esque... they obviously would have to use a lot of high profiled Asian Stars to get the movie to go anywhere... like Lucy Liu, ZiYi Zhang, Li Gong, Michelle Yeoh... etc.
I don't know who could play Kim... I looooooooove Lea Salonga... but I don't think the movies would go for her age. Brenda Song could possibly do it if she wasn't so "Disney"... Ruby Lin could possibly do it... Any of the Kim's from the current Broadway Tours could do it...or they could find some no name fabulous asian girl to play her... that would be interesting!
I think Paolo Montalban would be a fabulous Thuy!
Bai Ling would be a crrrrrrrrraaaazy Gigi... only because she's soooo trashy!
Norm Lewis would be a good John... or Tituss Burgess... but knowing movies they would cast someone like Taye Diggs... which may not be sooooo horrible.
Sherie Rene Scott would be an awesome Ellen... or Kristen Chenoweth.... or Megan Mullally(with the right look)... I always love Ruthie Henshall (she may be too old)... I know this is weird but to sell the movie they could do something Like Sarah Jessica Parker.
I don't know who would be a good Engineer... I'll have to think more about it!
Gavin Creel would be a good Chris...the guy from Acroos the Universe would be good... Michael Bouble would be very nice to see in that role
It has potential to be an awesome movie... and a star filled cast w/ some new faces... I think?!?!?!

[IndigoMedusa]

[Salome]

Engineer would need to be Johnathan Pryce. he is the only good thing in the show...and a brillaint actor. and his character has one of the shows only 2 good songs.

[IndigoMedusa]

[Salome]

the character is poorly written salonga comes off badly in the show because of it.

[IndigoMedusa]

[Salome]

bene there done that. saw the original production. Awful show. only wel lwritten role was the Engineer. only 2 good songs are American Dream and Last night of the World.

[jackrussell]

Miss Saigon could work well if done as a film if done right - it has the strongest and most cinematic book of all the 1980s megamusicals, much more so than Phantom of the Opera.

I think it would need the following:
1. all the cast to be unknowns, it wouldn't work as a star vehicle.
2. low budget look - spend most of the budget on getting a decent orchestra and leave the visuals a bit rough round the edges.
3. at the risk of repeating point 2, do NOT Hollywoodise it!

It would be good to have a Vietnam film that places the focus on the effects of the war on the Vietnamese first, whilst not neglecting the effect on the Americans. Given the current political situation, it could not be more timely.

[Phantomb]

[Set_Buildin_Dad]

[jackrussell]

[Dots Parasole]

[SomeoneLikeYou]

[mastachen]

I think he means relative to the length of the show?

[Writer]

I am trying to reach Cesar in Spain. We were working on a translation project and my e-mail account crashed. I lost my address book. Cesar, if you get this message, I have a new e-mail address. You can reach me through this web-site.

S

[GungaDin]

Going back to the original question - I don't think we will ever see a movie version of Miss Saigon.

Consider:

- there's NEVER been a really good film version of MADAME BUTTERFLY, the musical's original source. (They tried it in Shirley MacLaine's MY GEISHA, but it was a film within another story.)

- MS's numbers and effects are really theatrical -- which would NOT work on film. Helicopter # was a jaw-dropper on stage but it's going to be realistic on film and will therefore be so-so.

If they can't come up with a LES MISERABLES film version, what more of MISS SAIGON?

[romeov]

Hey guys.

let me put this out there first. I LOVE love love love Lea, and all of her work, and of course her breathtaking Kim, she truly originated the role and will always be known as the ultimate. LOVE her.

But, seriously? Kim in 2009 (it would be more 2011 at the earliest if they ever decided to actually make a film) ?? She turns 39 in two days, do you honestly think anyone would ever cast a role for a SEVENTEEN year old (technically more like 16 since it seems she just turned 17 in the show, but either way) who is supposed to be: Young, innocent, naive, and... well young, with a 40 year old?? She's literally more than double the age she was when she played it and there is a reason she hasn't played the role in decades. No matter how amazing she is, you cannot return to play a role written for a mid-teenager 20 years down the line.

When Miss Saigon comes back to broadway (and rumor is it will be within the next few years) Lea will not be asked to play Kim, nor will she ever again. That would be like casting Haley Joel Osment to reprise his role in The Sixth sense.. 15 years from now.

She's going to go on and create new roles as an adult and play many others and be fabulous, you have to be realistic though.

haha, wow, I'm very dramatic today

[GungaDin]

Romeov, what you wrote is sooooooooooo obvious that only someone living in a cave in Afghanistan the last 5 years would find your post remarkable. I mean no one in his right mind is thinking of casting Lea Salonga in ANY production of Miss Saigon, stage OR film.

[romeov]

You're absolutely right, What was I thinking???? I apologize. It's plain to see from this very thread alone that no one would ever actually consider it in a million years:

PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 2006 9:52 am Post subject: Miss Saigon Movie
Definitely Lea Salonga will be the best kim for the movie version if there will be a movie version...

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 12:30 am Post subject: Re: Miss Saigon Movie
i'm pretty sure they could all cast them in the TV movie version.


Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 7:43 pm Post subject: Reply with quote
Fantine wrote:

Agreed. Seems like it's the type of show that would be very nicely translated to the screen.

(And yes, Lea would HAVE to be in it.)

Wed Oct 03, 2007 3:50 am Post subject: Re: Miss Saigon Movie

if they turn it into a movie they have to make it VERY GOOD and it would be quite nice for the original Casts to play their roles in a movie.

Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:15 pm Post subject:
I would like Lea Salonga to play Kim again. She did a great job!

-----------------------

Wow! I can't believe it.. there are FIVE people in this thread alone living in caves in Afghanistan! I didn't even know they got internet over there! Insane.. well, just goes to show, you never do know. Thank you for your insightful, and helpful reply!

[jackrussell]

Nice putdown! And you're quite right, as excellent as she was, she's too old to be credible playing the part on film. They should go for an unknown - after all, it worked with her.

[alcockell]

[alcockell]

[Colle]

I have an idea for a possible Kim, if the movie does happen and soon. Provided she can sing, I know she is a good dancer, I think Michelle Ang would be a great Kim. She is a Malayian born/New Zeland actress. I have seen some of her work on "The Tribe" when it aired in the U.S., and I thought she was good in that. Michelle still is probably young enough or has a young enough look(she is still in her twenties), to pull off Kim.

[maila]

17 year old singing sensation Charice is perfect for the role of Kim. Beautiful powerful voice, strong character and i think could turn out to be quite a good actress too , all wraped up in a tiny fragile asian body.

[LeocadiaBegbick]

[pina]

[RainbowJude]

So we have some official information, of sorts, from Playbill about Miss Saigon being on track for film development:

[jarrod001]

If Lea is not in the movie (not necessarily Kim...or maybe? Or maybe some cameo...) there will be problems.

[maila]

i guess you guys havent seen charice sing live lately , have you? here she is singing "over the rainbow" during the david foster & friends " last week and tell me if she shouts and doesnt feel her song of course it depends on the song she sings. kim is sweet and soft on the first part of the show and develops into a strong woman. didnt you see kim shout in the confrontation scene at all?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Fth1pJults