• Home
  • Musicals
  • Podcast
  • Blog
  • Press
  • Support
  • About
  • Contact
FILMED LIVE MUSICALS
  • Home
  • Musicals
  • Podcast
  • Blog
  • Press
  • Support
  • About
  • Contact

Reviewing the Situation

7/17/2018

1 Comment

 
Picture
Critical reviews carry a lot of weight, despite being the opinion of just one person, who is usually white and male. Positive reviews can generate hype and ensure a show’s success, while negative reviews can quickly close shows. In addition to providing contemporary audiences with (hopefully) educated opinions, reviews also serve as a public historical record of the theatre.

When it comes to filmed live musicals, the critical analysis and historical record is rather thin. At the end of the day, very few filmed live musicals are being critically reviewed. Is it that theatre critics don’t review films? Or that film critics don’t review theatre? Perhaps it is a lack of critics who understand both theatre and film, and more importantly, the hybrid that is formed when the two come together in a filmed live theatrical event. Or perhaps it is simply the fact that filmed live musicals are not taken seriously as an art form.

Filmed live musicals on television are sometimes reviewed for inclusion in “What’s On” guides. Prime time specials like Jesus Christ Superstar Live also draw a lot of attention, but these are the exception rather than the rule.

Filmed live musicals that are consistently reviewed are those that are released on Blu-ray. The official Blu-ray site, www.blu-ray.com provides outstanding reviews of filmed live musicals that analyze the content of the film, as well as technical aspects, such as image and sound quality, of the Blu-Ray. There are currently only 7 filmed live musicals in the database that have been released on Blu-ray. A rather dismal number for the review situation.

Social media, particularly Twitter, is useful for anecdotal reviews. It can provide an insight into fan-base reactions to filmed live content, but these “reviews” may not be widely read.

The ever increasing frequency of filmed live musical events, encore screenings, and the prevalence of bootlegs, show audiences want filmed live musical content. Official critical responses will help increase the legitimacy of filmed live musicals, and give them their rightful place in the history of theatre. ​

This site is financially supported by the generosity of patrons
Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz and Brenda Goodman,
and David and Katherine Rabinowitz.
Become a patron and gain access to bonus content! 
1 Comment

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018

    Categories

    All
    AAPI Rep
    Accessibility
    BIPOC
    BIPOC Rep
    Broadway
    Cinema
    Coronavirus
    COVID 19
    COVID-19
    Database
    History
    Interview
    Jason Robert Brown
    Languages Other Than English
    LGBTQI
    Libraries
    London
    New Musicals
    News
    New Technology
    NT Live
    Off Broadway
    Off West End
    Podcast
    Research
    Sondheim
    Streaming
    Television
    Ticket Sales
    West End
    Women

    RSS Feed

© 2023
  • Home
  • Musicals
  • Podcast
  • Blog
  • Press
  • Support
  • About
  • Contact