I think it's time for another adaption of a game: CHESS

[Pink Ranger]

Didn't the CRH production have a pretty successful tour of the UK though? I know they came to Toronto to test its viability for Broadway, which is what a lot of overseas productions do.

I really wanted to see it, but I knew they had some challenges when I couldn't get any of my usual theatre friends to see it with me. I was like, "okay, it's about a chess tournament in the 1970s, with dancers dressed up as sexy chess pieces, but it's also a love triangle, and it has that ridiculous song from the 80s in it, and it's written by the two men from Abba ..."

 

[Dark Raven]

Didn't the CRH production have a pretty successful tour of the UK though? I know they came to Toronto to test its viability for Broadway, which is what a lot of overseas productions do.

I really wanted to see it, but I knew they had some challenges when I couldn't get any of my usual theatre friends to see it with me. I was like, "okay, it's about a chess tournament in the 1970s, with dancers dressed up as sexy chess pieces, but it's also a love triangle, and it has that ridiculous song from the 80s in it, and it's written by the two men from Abba ..."

I dunno. Maybe it did. I wasn't paying attention at the time. I think that maybe it didn't tour in my city which is why I didn't notice.

I do see though that there was a version (not by CRH) earlier this year in London. Somehow I missed that. I was busy at the time and plus it's not fun to just go by yourself (as you said) if you can't get your friends to go. Sometimes in London though, it's impossible to get anyone to do anything. People are generally too busy and non-committal.

BTW, CRH's version was set in the 1970s? I thought they pushed the plot back to the 50s after the Soviet Union disbanded.

 

[Pink Ranger]

The past four musicals I've seen, I've gone by myself and had a fine time. I realized that I can't be hostage to other people's schedules all the time, and I get to sit in better seats on my own (2nd row, centre for Pippin in New York City, one of the best nights of my life).

 

[Airwings]

Sorry Airwings, the musical theatre crowd has hijacked your thread. I blame myself.

I just have to let it go t:

Isn't it obvious that this thread is about the musical CHESS, by the way?
lol and rofl

Yeah, the story for Chess the musical isn't great. But I saw the televised concert version with Idina Menzel, Josh Groban and Adam Pascal, and enjoyed it just for the music/performances. I don't think a movie version would work, tbh.

With "Edward Moore", it would have!

 

[Airwings]

even if they did incorporate those elements, it still is just a slight variation on an otherwise standard battle movie. There's also no way to include things such as knights only being able to move in an L shape or bishops in a diagonal line etc, so I can't see how it would even really look like it's chess - just a medieval battle with the name "chess" slapped over it.

Read this!

at one point during the film, the battlefield should change into a chess board, and we see everything from above. Just like in the Doom film, where the FPS view was used for a short amount of time.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Airwings, I guess this would be a bad time for me to bring up my idea for Masters of the Universe: The Musical.

The tagline will be: From here to Eternia!!

 

[Dark Raven]

I just have to let it go t:

Isn't it obvious that this thread is about the musical CHESS, by the way?
lol and rofl


With "Edward Moore", it would have!

Not anymore. Most of the posts are about the musical, which seems to have more to discuss than the game.

Read this!

Have read it, and it still sounds too generic. It's like that Harrison Ford movie "Firewall", which didn't really have much to do specifically with a firewall, but they just thought the name sounded cool and slapped it over it.

Chess the musical as a movie adaptation would have more focus. Your suggestion is too much like if they made a Facebook movie about two random people connecting on Facebook instead of having more focus like The Social Network where it was the origins of FB and the legal action that ensued.

 

[Airwings]

Not anymore.

What do you mean?

 

[Dark Raven]

What do you mean?

Oh, I misread it. I thought it said "isn't it obvious it's NOT about the musical Chess". Sorry.

 

[Airwings]

Have read it, and it still sounds too generic. It's like that Harrison Ford movie "Firewall", which didn't really have much to do specifically with a firewall, but they just thought the name sounded cool and slapped it over it.

Then you found Doom generic?

Sorry.

No prob

Airwings, I guess this would be a bad time for me to bring up my idea for Masters of the Universe: The Musical.

The tagline will be: From here to Eternia!!

PM me! t:

 

[Pink Ranger]

PM me! t:

I'm thinking Neil Patrick Harris for Skeletor.

 

[Spider-Fan83]

Now that Ridley Scott is producing an upcoming Monopoly movie for Universal, why not go all the way and make a live action feature based on Chess?
It should be set in the middle ages. Two kingdoms should be at war. The white one is evil and want to conquer more land, so they attack the good black one. (white always makes the first draw)

It's a fun play with the reversing of roles, having the white to be the villains.
It should be a regurlar war adventure with knights and kings. But at one point during the film, the battlefield should change into a chess board, and we see everything from above. Just like in the Doom film, where the FPS view was used for a short amount of time...

interesting concept

but, to take it a step further... what if, the battlefield is on unstable ground, and near the beginning of the battle an earthquake hits, and breaks up the ground into almost a grid like pattern, opening up Laval pits to represents the red squares... and like each character (that represents a piece on the board) is only left with a safe passage across the field in the shape of how their game counterparts move (like the bishop only has a narrow diagonal strip of land to get to safety) and so, on...

 

[Airwings]

Amazing idea, Spider-Fan. I praise you, no... worship you, for that!

To separate this even further from reality, the war could even be between Lemuria and Atlantis back in pre-historic days. Just imagine a sword and sandal movie, but with ancient high tech involved.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

The concept is interesting, and weird
Who can pull it up? Video games movies are failing, board games movies are harder

 

[Dark Raven]

Bringing this back on topic...

Who would people get for the lead roles of the American, the Russian, Florence, Svetlana or the Arbiter?

 

[Pink Ranger]

Bringing this back on topic...

Who would people get for the lead roles of the American, the Russian, Florence, Svetlana or the Arbiter?

That would depend on whether it's a filmed stage performance or traditional narrative film.

Florence: Idina Menzel (both stage and traditional narrative), she did so well in Chess In Concert, and she has the right look and acting experience to do it in a more literal setting; if Leah Michele wasn't so young-looking and young-acting, she'd be a good fit for this role as well, but Florence needs some damage on her

Freddie: Steve Kazee (stage), Neil Patrick Harris (traditional narrative)

Anatoli: Ramin Karimloo (stage), Hugh Jackman (traditional narrative)

Svetlana: Emmy Rossum (both stage and traditional narrative); she's a little young, but I think it can work, adds an element of "why would Anatoli leave her, man?!"

Arbiter: Robin Thicke (both stage and traditional narrative). Yes, I am serious. The Arbiter is a very gimmicky role, which requires more singing and dancing than acting, so if you are going to stunt cast, you stunt cast here. Robin has the right voice, swagger, sexual ambiguity and stage presence for this role.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Bringing this back on topic...

Who would people get for the lead roles of the American, the Russian, Florence, Svetlana or the Arbiter?

Mike Myers, for all roles
I'm serious, unintentionally serious

 

[The Guard]

I love that this has become a thread about a CHESS musical film adaption.

 

[Pink Ranger]

I love that this has become a thread about a CHESS musical film adaption.

Through a series of events and interactions that are as complex and opaque as the musical's storyline itself!

 

[Dark Raven]

I love that this has become a thread about a CHESS musical film adaption.

 

[Gabe99]

Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)