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Signs of the Apocalypse, No. 4
Posted at 9:00 AM on October 9, 2006
by Hans Eisenbeis
(18 Comments)
Nick Hornby's music-snob manifesto, the novel "High Fidelity", already suffered the indignity of being forcibly deported to Chicago and turned into a John Cusack film. (Sorry, but is Cusack not the most overrated, underperforming "movie star" of his generation?) Now it's being turned into a Broadway musical. Repeat: a Broadway musical. Well, that should be interesting, considering the embarrassment of riches that form the raw material of Hornby's hipster universe. Prepare for some Spiritualized b-sides, some Warsaw bootlegs, and some Big Black-- right? MSNBC tells us:
"The score is filled with referential riffs to the Beatles, the Who and Yes that plays like an insider’s game."
Uh... not to be snobbish about it, but this sounds rather like riding in a 3,000 seat elevator for two and a half hours.
Also this: YES?!
Comments (18)
i am forced to comment on so many levels.
first of all - no to musicals. with rare exception, musicals stink. and non-musical books about indie hipsters should in no way ever be made into musicals. featuring the music of yes????? no!!!!!
second - you are so off base on cusack i can't even take it! no one ever said he was oscar-caliber, but for pretty much every female who came of age in the 80s, john cusack is the anti-star heart throb, the guy we imagined we might actually be friends with or date if we knew him. unlike the rob lowes and the tom cruises of the day, who were always too aware of their cuteness and completely implausible as real life potential boyfriends. so take it back, hansy!
Lighten up Minnesota. No one frocible deported anything. Hornby also allowed Fever Pitch to be about baseball(and not soccer) and take place in Boston. And have you even seen a Broadway musical? Or why not just start with: You hate Broadway musicals so your readers can put your comments in proper perpective. Seems to me that if Hornby himself gave permission for the project, you might want to see the play before you comment. "Music snob manifesto"? Well Hornby certainly is not the snob here and may I add your summing up the novel that way only points out that you missed the whole point of it, and the only snob here I am not sorry to say...is you!
John Cusack is a great actor, period.
"Oh, that's not obvious enough, Rob. How about the Beatles? Or f**king... f**king Beethoven? Side one, Track one of the Fifth Symphony..."
Le Sigh. Yes, of course, a High Fidelity musical is terrible. Yes, of course, Yes is terrible. Yes, of course, if The Current gets any more vainglorious, you're all going to snob yourselves out of relevance.
1. Just say "No" to Yes.
2. DMB, you rock, and you took the words right out of my mouth.
3. "...is Cusack not the most overrated, underperforming "movie star" of his generation?" *Uh, no, no he isn't. Seriously, have you ever even heard of "Being John Malcovich"? There a great many people who could fill your description of Cusack far better - they fact that you name him and not almost anyone else in Hollywood only leads me to view your snobbery as a pity and sad, as opposed to just annoying.
High Fidelity was the first place I saw Jack Black; he stole that movie, and totally rocked Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" at the end. I must have rewound that part thirty times straight...
Yes, Being John Malkovich was a winner. But honestly, have you ever seen Cusack play someone other than himself in a movie?
Yes, it's true. Jack Black totally stole the show, and he alone is worth the price of admission.
High Fidelity: The Book -- hated it. Was as much about being stick-up-the-ass British as it was about being a foolish young man, but the thing is, I felt no sympathy whatsoever for the lead character.
High Fidelity: The Movie -- love it -- LOVE it. Cusack's charisma and the looseness of the cast gave it a life the book lacked. Still about beeing a foolish young man, but not an uptight one, thus I could relate.
High Fidelity: The Musical -- who cares? I suppose if I was forced to endure a musical comedy, I'd prefer to see this than Oklahoma, Cats or Rent or anything like that. Let's just say I couldn't care less where they get their inspiration for insipid stage musicals -- I won't be seing it. Not my bag. Let them that care worry about it.
Jon Cusack -- Overrated? I wasn't aware he was that highly rated. Always plays himself? Sure, yeah, he may be guilty of that some, but look at this man's output. Say Anything, Grosse Point Blank, Being Jon Machovich, High Fidelity, Better Off Dead, Tapeheads, Sixteen Candles -- to name a few. I might have more DVDs with CUsack than about anyone, except maybe Brad Pitt, who has also made a career of great oddball films. Plus Cusack's personal kickboxing trainer it Benny 'The Jet', so I'm not sure you want to be disparaging him, or he'll come after you. :D
My theory: anyone who "says no to Yes" secretly harbors a deep admiration for the band. It's true; look it up!
I'm just wondering if he ever got over the Judd Nelson switch? He does a decaf or is that soy skim version of Judd in Say Anything.
A musical of High Fidelity!? A hilarious idea. My quiet laughter at the idea will probably wake the baby. The bands featured underscore the irony!
Thanks for the laugh Hans!
Heavy rain fell on the first day of the Glastonbury Festival, leaving revellers wet but unbowed...
Good site. Thanks:-)
Links
Very good site. Thanks.
map ed
Cool site. Thanks.
erection
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