Why Did They Change That?: Analyzing Film Musical Adaptations
One of the major concerns regarding work on musical theater adaptations is the issue of available sources for the media involved. Specifically, this type of research deals with both theater and film productions, exploring why the filmmakers made certain decisions during the adaptation process. The topic of sources, a complex and multivalent issue, raises many questions: what types of sources can be accessed for past musical productions? Other than the films themselves, what materials are available for adaptations? What archival material exists, and how might it illuminate the process of adapting a work? This paper will investigate these questions as I have encountered them in my dissertation and ongoing research. As such, I will discuss my research on West Side Story in order to explore the advantages and pitfalls faced in doing this kind of work.
My research considers Hollywood adaptations of Broadway musicals from the 1960s and ‘70s. Since stage productions are by nature ephemeral, I use a number of sources in order to pinpoint various aspects related to the original Broadway productions of my case studies. These resources include published librettos and vocal scores and provide an important starting point. Archives for the films, which can contain unpublished orchestral film scores, screenplay drafts, and correspondence, further help to explain at what stage particular changes were made and the reasons behind them. Using examples from my archival research and study of West Side Story, I will examine the unique challenges that research in film musical adaptations provides for scholars.