Buzz buzz buzz...

My patriotic spirit is torn upon learning the news of an operatic version of David Cronenberg’s THE FLY over at Fangoria. This was announced over a year ago to premiere in 2007 but now the date is set for July 1, 2008 in Paris followed by Sept. 7 in Los Angeles. Long time Cronenberg collaborator film composer Howard Shore (A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, SPIDER, THE BROOD, SCANNERS, VIDEODROME) is taking care of the music with playwright David Henry (M. BUTTERFLY) Hwang handling the lyrics. And Cronenberg is to direct. After the disasterous run of THE LORD OF THE RINGS musical here in Toronto, you would think that Cronenberg would have second thoughts on this. Make an opera of SHIVERS or THE BROOD instead!

And in my quick search for other horror movie musicals I have found the myspace page for SPIDER BABY: THE MUSICAL and then of course, there is the Toronto penned hit, EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL. Stephen King/Brian DePalma's CARRIE became a sprawling Broadway musical. Five performances and $8 million later, the show shut down. Reading up on this, in the opening scene, dozens of girls clad only in shower towels dance around, pelting Carrie with tampons, chanting, "Plug it up! Plug it up!" supposedly looks more like PORKY'S: THE MUSICAL.

And rumous has it that Stephen King is "collaborating with rocker John Mellencamp on an untitled horror musical, loosely described as a ghost story about a family staying in a cabin haunted by the ghosts of their dead relatives, each of whom will sing in a way that is consistent with their era. Says Mellencamp, 'When the 18-year-old sings, he’ll be rapping at you. When people in the 70’s are singing, they’ll be singing in the style of Broadway.'" Shoot me NOW.

What is the tally on movies to musicals? Comments anyone?