The Most Horrific Remake Rumor So Far: Slater in On the Town

I liked On The Town, but being a movie maker I prefer Singing in the Rain. I share your concerns about remaking the original, how on earth could you find two actors to do something better than Kelly and Sinatra when it comes to this genre. And what's the deal with this fad of hollywood actors going to the london theatre scene?

Reply

One thing to point out about "On the Town" is that the film pretty much threw out the original song score. Leonard Bernstein was a bit too modern for MGM. Several songs in the movie are by Roger Eden. I don't know if I want to see a musical with Christian Slater, but a film of "On the Town" that is closer to the original Broadway show may be worth seeing.

Reply

singin in the rain is also my fave....on the town remake huh? with Jack Nicholson Jr? singing? this is a rumor right? where's the camera? girl's behavin badly is behind this aren't they?

Reply

The perfect song for the musicial version of "One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest" would be "I've Got to Be Me!".

Reply

I'm not entirely sure that the "Cuckoo's Nest" in which Mr. Slater starred in London was a musical. That having been said, has anyone ever heard Mr. Slater sing? If not, be fair and cut him some slack if the rumor turns out to be true. Hugh Jackman has a Tony (and adoring fans of his Broadway performance in "The Boy from Oz") to prove his musical-comedy chops, as well as his London performance of Curly in "Oklahoma!" which was preserved for PBS. John Travolta was singing and dancing on Broadway in "Grease" and "Over Here!" (and will be starring as Edna Turnblad in the forthcoming movie version of the recent Broadway splash "Hairspray") before Vinnie Barbarino and "Kotter" came along, although I think he's a bit long in the tooth to be playing one of the sailors in "On the Town." As for American actors performing in London, it's been done for years. I agree with poster Peter Nellhaus, that if there is indeed a remake of "On the Town" on the horizon, I pray they reinstate the orginal Bernstein score. There are some real gems missing from the Kelly-Sinatra film.

Reply

Do the idiots who write this crap (Martha Fischer)even check facts? I saw Christian Slater in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" in London last month - it is NOT a musical. Christian is a professionally trained actor from an entertainment family. His reviews for "Cuckoo's Nest" were awesome.

Reply

>>"Christian Slater's success in an musical, stage version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"

Slater is indeed appearing in the West End as McMurphy, but it is NOT a musical version, as the author here states. It is the dramatization by Dale Wasserman of the Ken Kesey novel that ran on Broadway decades ago and starred Kirk Douglas. Shortly after the play's Broadway run, a young producer named Michael Douglas brought it to the screen, but cast Jack Nicholson over his dad.

Reply

Just F.Y.I., it was not a musical version of "Who Flew Over The Cukoo's Nest", although he can sing.

Reply

FYI...Christian Slater performed as a child star in a revival of "Music Man" which starred Dick VanDyke on Broadway in 1980...IMO the remake of "On The Town" with CS sounds like a great idea...this time with the complete Broadway score which was omitted from the Sinatra film...

Reply

(Very heavy sigh!) Here we go again. Yet another remake of a Hollywood classic. (Yawn!) Hey Hollywood, how about something NEW for a change! You're paying top dollar for actors with talent that doesn't even approach that of Kelly or Sinatra and bundles of money on special effects, for what?!?!? The answer is at the box office! The public is staying home in droves!! If you put as much money into hiring writers as you do into hiring 3rd rate actors, maybe you wouldn't have to rely on remakes! I'll sit this one out and rent the original or watch it on the tube when it's shown again.

Reply

Christian Slater HAS been in a musical(film)...didn't anyone ever see "Newsies"? Long time ago, but it was fantastic. Having said that, I agree with the idea that "On the Town" just simply cannot be equaled. Leave it alone.

Reply

He (as a preteen) starred on Broadway in the early 80's in the Doug Henning musical 'Merlin.' Back then he could sing and quite well. And I'd be much more frightened to see John Travolta playing a young sailor than Christian Slater.

But honestly, I believe that rumor as much as the one that Martha started by saying that 'Cuckoo's Nest' was a musical...

Reply

Christain Slater was in Newsies? Which character did he play?

Reply

I am so incredibly sick and tired of Hollywood re-making wonderful classics. King Kong, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Posideon. I think they should just come up with their own idea instead of remaking movies that have already been hits. No one can do justice to Frank and Gene they were faboulous performers and in a class of their own. Next thing you knwo they will be remaking "Gone With the Wind"

Reply

Comment on Kerry it wasn't Christian Slater. It was Christian Baile, you know Batman.

Reply

Here's what I'm thinking....Hugh Jackman, John Travolta AND Christian Slater on one stage? Really Ladies, How bad could THAT possibly be? Put me in the middle of that!

Reply

Christian Slater could cut it. As another poster said, Christian Bale did Newsies. Also, Christian Slater was in the famed but failed Broadway production of Merlin, featuring a young Nathan Lane.

Reply

HE'S HANDSOME, TALENTED AND IF HE CAN SING TOO, WHY NOT.

Reply